Ali Cooper's memories of the Witches

Post date: 07-Jun-2020 15:12:01

Hi Paul,

I have a few memories of the witches, probably all useless to anyone. But anyway....

I remember Pete and Robbie Burns. I think Brian and I hung out with them a lot. Pete was small and dark and Robbie was a bit taller. Pete gave me a pair of the first bell bottom trousers, that’s 1963! He said they were his navy trousers from when he was at sea. Not sure if that’s true. I wore them for ages.

Jane Shearer and I used to bunk off school and hang out all day at the witches. We would go backwards and forwards between the Witches and the Moon and Sixpence.

My boyfriend Brian had a motorbike and he used to take people for rides on it. One day he took a boy who lived somewhere else, but used to come to the Witches at the weekend, and we thought he was not a real Witches person as he worked in an insurance company or something. Anyway Brian took him for a ride and when he got on the back Brian sped off and the bloke flew off the back. So we spent the rest of the day at the hospital. I remember his legs flying up in the air!

I also remember Gina (Strauss). I didn’t know her well but she was often very stoned and had false eyelashes.

Tom Shonk who died of an overdose and another boy also died. The previous week we had all stayed up all night and slept in a car.

Robbie Burns had a bubble car and we got about 8 people in it to go to a party. All our faces pressed up against the glass.

Well that’s just a few. Maybe you remember some of that?

All the best. Ali

Brian Turner Ali Cooper on Hampstead Heath 1967

Hello Paul.

The only photo I have found so far is me and Brian on Hampstead Heath. Just before our daughter Kate was born in 1967. If I find any more I will send them on.

I read Jane's account and it was great to remember it all. The two lists at the bottom (see Jane Shearer's page) were written by Jane and me. Mine being the bottom one. So as your name is on it, I must have known you! [Ali's list moved from Jane Shearer's page to here - Ed.]

I have been trying to wrack my brains for more memories and only ones I can come up with are the parties you want to know about. They were very often in places that we knew nothing of the people who lived there. Someone would arrive at the witches and shout “ there is a party at....” and we would all pile off in every available transport, regardless of any drinking we might do.

I was going out with Brian Turner during that time and every time we went to the Witches, he would have spaghetti au beurre. Never wavered. We would put the juke box on with all the old classics. I would put on Louie Louie by the Kingsmen over and over.

Jane Shearer and I would never be out of each other’s company if we could help it. she started going around with the Burgess Hill lot who much more gentle and erudite than Brian’s crowd who were more into motorbikes and speed. So we drifted slowly apart. Although we remained devoted to each other and laughing at every possible thing.

If I get any More thoughts or pictures, I will send them to you

Ali

I made a list of my friends from the Witches in 1963. Unbelievably Jane Shearer still had it! Here it is.

Ali Cooper's list of her friends at the Witches, from 1963

An amazing document with an authentic list of some of the Witches crowd, jotted down at the time! Just like Jane Shearer's (but with some different names).