Page 21 - Real Rochdale - Autumn 2018

A great live music venue... but more than a live

music venue...

the flying horse

Kirsty Rigg talks to Ben Boothman... Other memorable moments have been heckling
Paul Heaton from Beautiful South as he played a
What date did you take over The Flyer? gig, then doing shots with him after.

I started work at The Flyer in 1997, however I have Eating breakfast my wife cooked with Paul Di’anno
been running around the corridors since 1989. from Iron Maiden after he stayed over.

We bought the business in April 2011. Having a drink with Simon Friend from The
Levellers after his intimate gig.
Tell us about your memories of the early days.
Getting caught playing the drums with a knife and
My two fondest early memories are playing on the fork by the drummer of the Irish Rovers after
roof and going up and down in the dumb waiter as thinking he had gone to bed. We love live music, we love everything about it, we
a child (my mum didn’t know about me playing on probably have more live music on than most
the roof... she does now). Throwing the drummer of an Oasis tribute band venues, but we are not a live music venue.
out for being rowdy, then watching them try to gig
Which was the first band to play at The Flyer? with no drummer. We try to keep things fresh, our little corner of
Rochdale, with The Empire, has a fantastic music
While I have been around the pub it was a band Who are the biggest and most memorable names offering now. When we both have big bands on it
called ‘Beam’ back in 1998-ish. that have played The Flyer? can drag hundreds of people into the centre.

What are your memories of it? Paul Heaton - Beautiful South What does the future hold for The Flying Horse?
Dan Donnally – The Wonderstuff
I was drinking JW Lees Greengate Smooth and Simon Friend - Levellers The pub trade is a turbulent and unpredictable
they played some ‘Doors’ tracks so I loved them. The Animals adventure which takes up so much energy; as
Tom Hingley – Inspiral Carpets things stand we want much more of the same.
What is your fondest memory or most
memorable moment with The Flyer music nights/ What makes The Flyer stand out as a town cen- What do you love the most about Rochdale?
events? tre music venue?
The people, the architecture and the heritage. We
There are a few. I think the first mistake people make is that I don’t gave the world the Co-op, the biggest pancake, the
feel we are a music venue! We are a pub that has longest tunnels, widest bridges, John Bright, The
Singing with The Fallout (rock band) at Sarah and live music on. I mean, I think we do it well and we Courteeners, Lisa Stansfield, Gracie Fields, John
my wedding reception, which was also at The Flyer. have been doing it a long time and also had lots of Milne, the resting place of Tim Bobbin, a 1,000 year
In fact, my mum and dad, most of my family, bands (1,600 or so) on but a music venue to me is old church, the finest Town Hall in the world and,
including brothers and sisters, have all been something that specialises in live music, we don’t. more than all that, some of the friendliest people
married at The Flyer. you are likely to meet.

20 21