Hollington Youth Club – Johnny Mason early 70’s

hollington 1

hollington 2

Pete Fairless… Looks like the vertical hold has gone on that sign!

Chris Boorman… I’d love to see some photos of Noggin’s Deluxe Disco in Tackleway Hall!

Pete Houghton… What great photo of you and your decks. How young you looked and you had some hair.

Cindy Adams… Ann Parnell and Donna moon !! I think that is me in the photo too !!

Diane Leigh…Think I see Jane

Adlehied Hoohaa Welsh… Brilliant.

Carole Strawson… I was thinking the same for me in photo 2 at the back blond hair

Rosalind Morton… Wow earliest memories of my ‘disco’ days

Jeff Belton… Those were the days , 🤣😂. Great photos , I have ones like them when I was doing discos.

 

Wooden Lion and Storm Crow – Hastings Pier 31st August 1974.

img657

Chris Meachen… Don’t remember wooden lion, but I paid a visit to stormcrow’s lady vocalist in bromley before heading to an ELP gig..

Peter Fairless… Was that disco any good?

Alan Esdaile… Probably wooden like the band Pete.

Peter Fairless… Did you keep set lists?

Alan Esdaile… The only thing I would have definitely played at the start of every Rock gig, would have been In A Gadda Da Vida by Iron Butterfly. Always went down well and guaranteed to get people asking what it was and I know The Disc Jockey and Stylus used to sell loads of it.

Reg Wood… Blimey Alan weren’t we still at school when that came out!

Roy Penfold… Would that have been the full 17 minute version?

Alan Esdaile… I’m pretty sure I first heard In A Gadda Da Vida down the Hi Fi Club, High Street, mind you trying to work out the dates I was probably only 14 when I started going down the HiFI. Mum & Dad just going round a friends house to do my homework! Yes Roy, the full album track to start. Mind you most people popped in, asked what time the support are on, do I know if they are any good and then made their way to the bar.

Shaun Pont… Wooden Lion here http://www.woodenlion.com/woodenlion.php

Clive Richardson… I remember the unusual start to Wooden Lion’s set with the vocalist behind a psychedelic piece of Perspex and the synth guy vcs3 synth, wearing flying goggles, it was a really interesting set. Another band that deserved more success. I seem to recall one of the band had played in Hawkwind at some point . I saw this band 3 times including Watchfield free festival -1975 I think.

Matt Thomas… Sorry I couldn’t make it, I was only 5

Pete Houghton… Yes Wooden Lion put on a good show

Tramps Disco-Tek Club Opening Night with Bob Stewart Radio Luxembourg 11th June 1976

img572

25601_385492774286_7802084_n

img025

go go dancer Mandy from Brighton at the gig

Alan Esdaile… Don’t look!

Martin Richter…  I nearly didn’t

Andre Martin… Bob Stewart Born on 3rd July 1939 in Liverpool Bob did his national service in the army and then worked in various local clubs after becoming a DJ at the suggestion of Pete Best, the original Beatles drummer. He joined Radio Caroline in 1965, spending one month on the South ship before transferring to the North. He was advised that his Liverpool accent might alienate listeners so he developed the very authentic sounding mid-Atlantic accent we now know and love. “Baby Bob,” as he was known, presented the noon-3pm show. His catch-phrase was: “This is your Bobby baby who loves you so crazy” and his theme tune was Image by Alan Haven. Bob stayed with Caroline North until about six weeks before the introduction of the Marine Offences Act in August 1967. He joined Radio Luxembourg and was there for eighteen years. In 1987 he moved to Dallas, Texas, for a time but returned to Europe and was heard again on Luxembourg as well as Jazz-FM, Red Rose Preston, Capital Gold.

Alan Esdaile… When working with Bob Stewart , I can remember doing a gig with him at Gravesend Woodville Civic Hall. We started the show with some smoke bombs and the guy in charge of the theatre came rushing down with fire extinguishers and for a second I thought he was going to spray  foam all over the disco gear. He gave us a good shouting and in future please write and apply in advance if you wish to use smoke and explosions on stage.

Conan Howard… Oh my goodness , back in the days when girls were beautiful and did not look like they had escaped from a farm or been washed up on the sea Shore

 

Die Laughing, Johnny Mason – Speakeasy Club Hastings 1970’s

295644_10151368368363710_2088117910_n

supplied by Mick Mepham

photos supplied by Clive Richardson

Yvonne Cleland….Nice shirt, Mick.

Ken Copsey…Great picture. What year is this? I think Mick is playing the AC30 I later bought off him and used in the Teenbeats.

img509

Andre Martin talking on the whereabouts of The Speakeasy….Back in the 1970s, if you walked on the pavement side from White Rock Pavilion going west, you would have passed the old Veruum Building, information centre/students centre – built in the 1930s in the same style as the WRP. The temporary car park was on the site of the Grand Hotel, that was demolished in1965 – to clear up the site because the Queen would be coming down in 1966. Next to this was Beachcomber Café and then a few doors further The Saraceno Italian Restaurant – where we took GG after his Carnival Show in the Park – Paul and I often used this for meals, next door was the Casablanca Club.

Peter Pursglove…..I worked at the other Speakeasy in Kings Road Alan, and Tramps Disco under the Malborough Hotel,both were packed with students during the summer.

Mick Mepham….. I used to wash dishes in the Saraceno Andre! Next door to that was the Lido, used to go in there quite a bit too…. We (Die Laughing) had some great gigs in the Speakeasy and I’ve still got some pix somewhere …..

Martin Richter… speakeasy – those were the days ! joe (wossisname?)

Dartford YMCA – Johnny Mason, The Gobstopper, Mighty Machine, Christie, Sabotage, Chris Gentry – January 1973

965120_10151621593099287_1469796331_o 28233_386890859286_6620302_n

Mick O’Dowd… All together now Y-M-C-A…!!!!! Is Chris Gantry an alias of Gentry.

Peter Fairless… A top DJ, clearly, Mick.

Mick O’Dowd… I think it’s Chris Gentry in disguise Pete. More to the point who are THE Christie?

Peter Fairless… Something to do with THAT Yellow River?

Mick O’Dowd… Don’t they hail from San Bernardino?

Andre Martin… Bloody Printers never could spell !

 

Mud & Chicory Tip – Hastings Pier December 1973

1512484_10201881316492595_1210137304_n1 chicory-tip1

Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

mud-ticket mud mud_-_toppop_february_1974_04

ticket supplied by Mick Mepham, mud photo TopPop (Dutch television show) in 1974 Beeld En Geluid Wiki – Gallerie: Toppop 1974

Mick O’Dowd….I remember both of these well. Not very large attendences but Chicory Tip did hand out some cheap bubbly at midnight!

Titus Luxor… Just been listening to Chicory Tip. Some good stuff. Some songs sound really dated (of course) but a very interesting band especially with the Giorgio Moroder element.

Gill Harrod… Shirley, did we go to these? I know I did, I think it was with you and Eileen!

Jan Warren… ………. and, again, Rubber Band are supporting act!! – we got to know them really well as my hubby was resident DJ in the hotel before it became “Scalliwags”, and he was like a “roadie” to MUD when they played at “Dreamland” in Margate – I remember “Rubber Band” well, they released a single called “Moonwalker”, the singer (Dave?!) was very “Bowie-type” and I think they lived in Forest Row (near East Grinstead) in Kent, I remember us driving them home after a gig??!! – has anyone got any pics or news of Rubber Band?? – I’d love to know??!! 🙂 xx

Andre Martin… When we first signed the group they were known as Black Raven and from Forest Row – I will see what cuttings I have in the archive and forward to you.

John Coleman… I was there! That was a long time ago! Utterly brilliant bands on the Pier! Will never forget !

Tony Pettifer… We were from Forest Row we were Black Raven before Andre & Paul had us change names.

Johnny Mason Wye Collage 1974, Gloucester 1976

img518img519

img520 img395

Matt Thomas….you still going to the gym? LOL

Yvonne Cleland….Bring back the hair!

Mick O’Dowd….Thank goodness you’ve ditched the haircut(like most of us from that period)!

Tony May…..Great pics and I expect great memories for you. The Brian Jenner mentioned above – was he the one who went on to record with ‘Talisman’? If so I often see him on the bus – we have spoken loads of times about their ‘Sounds In Our Minds’ single and LP. Both of those would be rarities now…