Hot day at the White Rock Hotel for SMART 5. Gave us a chance first  to check out the new boards at the front of the Pier, giving a history of the Pier over the years and future plans. Good to see some new people again and everyone seemed positive at the future of the Pier and to watch it grow . Mick O’Dowd came along with a bag full of goodies to show, press cuttings, Carlisle posters, various cassettes including 4 A.M black & white, DIE LAUGHING no laughing matter, SAVAGE HEARTS cuts, EXPANDIS complete home and  PHIL THORNTON ‘S flying.  Also had a hand written EXPANDIS tape ‘Dungeons & Dragons’. Uppers On the South Downs Album and a signed copy of the MARS single by Mick Mepham.

Phil Gill unleashed the new and improved ‘STALLION’ CD ‘The Hard Life’ which has just been rereleased. Now has a coloured cover and an excellent booklet inside on the history of all the band members over the years and details of the different bands they played in. The album is dedicated to the memories of Tony Bridger and Steve Demetri. The last pressing sold out quickly so buy it now.

Subjects chatted about were The Hi Fi, Fiesta, Black Cat, Pam Dor, Carnival FM, The Exective Hotel,  Regent Hotel, Green Cardigan Festival, Factory, Tich Turner, Ray Fenwick, Muller, Town Council,  King Rod, Round Table Youth Club, Calvert Youth Club, recording studios, Phil Cordell, the future of music on the pier and more.

The website ninebattles.com is going from strength to strength and getting a few hundred hits a week now. Discussed how to we get more people involved and very surprised by the number of people not on the internet.  Good time was had by all

Andy Qunta….Sounds really good, wish I could have been there! Thanks for the round-up of the subjects you chatted about – brought back some great memories!