Junk Archive music blog remains as tribute to founder
A website recalling the music legends who appeared at small Shropshire venues has closed following the death of its co-founder.
The nostalgic Junk Archive blog was launched by Jim Heath and friend Glen Baldwin about two years ago and has attracted more than one million hits. The site recalled some of the greats who played tiny venues in the county in the 1970s and allowed people to share their memories.
But Mr Baldwin today confirmed that he would no longer be updating the website after Mr Heath, from Priorslee in Telford, died this month from cancer. He was 53.
"It was our idea, it just wouldn't be the same without Jim," said Mr Baldwin, who lives in South London.
Pictures on the site include Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders in Newport in 1979, and Paul Weller playing?Tiffany's with The Jam in Shrewsbury in July 1977.
But with a wide-ranging remit, Junk Archive encouraged people to share their memories and pictures of the past.
Mr Baldwin said the pair were amazed when the website started to attract thousands of visitors a day.
He said: "We started it as a bit of a vanity project. When we started getting 5,000 visits a day it took us by surprise.
"We'd put a feature up and we thought it was just something we were interested in but that would be the one everyone was searching for."
Mr Heath was a well-known Wolverhampton Wanderers fanatic and published a book about his time on the supporters' coaches called Wolves In 20/20 Vision. The father-of-two was also the fixtures secretary at St Georges Cricket Club and coached the club's juniors.
Mr Baldwin and Mr Heath first met through the London Wolves supporters' group more than 20 years ago.
JunkArchive.co.uk will be left online as a tribute to Mr Heath.
