shared from: https://www.facebook.com/transdiffusion
Transdiffusion… (Hastings and St Leonards Observer, Saturday 16 October 1954)
Mike Waghorne… Remember them running cables from house to house in the late 50’s early 60’s. .
Time Moose Bruce… I remember TV programs interrupted by ” This is a Rediffusion announcement.” Usually an apology for poor TV reception. Sometimes an announcement my local police searching for missing person or child.
Jim Hobbs… Cable TV before we knew that was a thing.
photo cutting supplied by Andre Martin. Photo:The Searchers in Holland 1965 by Jac. de Nijs / Anefo. Source Nationaal Archief
Lawrence Ralph… The same Paramounts as Gary Brookers pre – Procol Harum band ?, sounds like a great evenings entertainment.
Mick O’Dowd… Don’t recall them. Any info anyone?
Rhod Shaw… Clockwork Balloon were a 4 piece band local to the Newhaven/Seaford area. The original line-up was Paul Larkin (vocals), Tim Robinson (guitar), Derek Wait (bass) & Hugh Cox (drums). Around 1969 or 1970, Hugh was replaced by a chap called Ro who lived in Hassocks.
Colin Bell… That ‘glow’ all over the picture looks like we’ve been nuked!
Photograph © Bruce Davidson.
shared from: Great British Tea Party – https://www.facebook.com/GreatBritishTeaParty
Mick O’Dowd… What’s the betting he is wearing a tie!
Jaffa Peckham… Mick, actually, I think he’s just spilled tea down his shirt….
Mick O’Dowd… Should have added with his top button done up which seemed to be all the rage for men of a certain age on the beach in those days. Can’t have been there long as there is no hankie on the head!
Mike Mitchell… Love the fact they’ve brought saucers for the tea cups
Graham Sherrington… Mike, Cos we are British!! What a fantastic photo
John Gale… They got down there early. Waiting for Mastins to open 
great photo.
Peter Houghton… What a great photo So British
Carol Anne… Lovely photo, those were the days
Bernard Baker… The office block that now blocks the view of the castle wasn’t built yet……………
supplied by Jennie Tocock
Jennie Tocock… Look what I just found lying randomly on the floor of my attic!!!
Chris Giles… Brilliant find
Thanks to Philip George Thornton for posting this.
Three Friends play Freehand on their first gig 16th April 2009 at the Ropetackle Arts Centre UK.
Three original members of Gentle Giant Kerry Minnear, Gary Green and Malcolm Mortimore with John Donaldson, Andy Williams, Roger Carey and Mick Wilson
Andy Qunta… Wow! I mean, wow! Amazing musicians, none more so than Roger! By the way, is it true Justin Bieber’s covering this song on his next album?
Phil Gill… I remember Roger playing Gentle Giant to me in our teens and raving about how great they were. Cool how he ended up playing with them.
Phil Thornton… I was at this gig !! – the sound on the video does not do them justice, they sounded great ! very accurate performance with the only differences down to individual playing styles and tones ! – I met Gary Green and Kerry Minnear at the gig, I was a little starstruck !
Terry Pack… I saw the band in Lewes about a year after this. Kerry Minnear was no longer involved, but John Donaldson, Andy Williams and Roger Carey were excellent. Roger was playing a Fender, and getting a great, woody, sound. I was disappointed that Andy was given no solos(!). I guess Gary Green didn’t fancy the competition!When I sold nearly all of my rock LPs in 1978, including all the Genesis, ELP, etc., I kept the Gentle Giant ones. I haven’t listened to them since about 1976, but I didn’t want to part with them. I tried a few times to suggest that The Enid would benefit from vocals, and we used to sing six part madrigals for fun(!!), but it took several more years before the band start singing. I thought that Gentle Giant were the most interesting of all the English bands of that era.
Phil Thornton… yes thats right Andy I heard the same !! I think he will also be doing some Zappa as well …. … and its all rather ironic that my love of Gentle Giant got me kicked out of Stallion back in the day – haha !!!
Terry Pack… When I sold nearly all of my rock LPs in 1978, including all the Genesis, ELP, etc., I kept the Gentle Giant ones. I haven’t listened to them since about 1976, but I didn’t want to part with them. I tried a few times to suggest that The Enid would benefit from vocals, and we used to sing six part madrigals for fun(!!), but it took several more years before the band start singing. I thought that Gentle Giant were the most interesting of all the English bands of that era.
photo: Hastings Library
Colin Bell… Wish it was still there
Gary Benton… It was such a wonderful town, now I’ve moved to Jersey and absolutely no intention of coming back.
David Martin… Gary, don’t blame you, it goes from bad to worse here year after year.
Sandie Carlyon… My first Saturday job. Sweet counter.
Jane Collins… My first Saturday job as well – remember we had to start at 1/2 day only?
Hugh Cockett… Could even be me on point duty directing traffic ?
Wendy Wilson… I worked here in 1965/1966 – part time while still doing my GCE’s and then full time until July – by then I was a ‘white belt girl’ and also worked in the office 
Loved smokey bacon crisps in a buttered roll for 11’s
Gerry Fortsch… What a great shop
Peter Houghton… Great picture!!!
Brian Scales… Fond memories
Carol Acott… My Saturday job too….4 hours in the afternoon on the tea bar…
Roy Winchester… Remember it well
Nigel Ford… rare motor on left? Custom Austin estate? A30 then Commer (?) van, Zephyr/ Zodiac ? Consul ? & Mini…. but is it a Morris or Austin? and even a woofer centre stage, but no tweeter…….they weren’t invented yet.
Peter Houghton… Those were great day’s back then But now the town has Been Spoilt and it’s a shame
Jim Hobbs… When Hastings had a charming town centre, bus stand and the Castle Hotel just out of shot. Replaced by a hideous modern building for Tesco.
cutting supplied by Barry French, photo supplied by Roger Carey
Tim Moose Bruce… Footloose were great. Loved their versions of Foreigner and Boston songs.
Iain Cobby… nice bass Rog, but I can’t remember the gig? Thank you TMB we had a great time as Footloose. God bless Tony Bridger. Harry Randall (I was on 2 bands after you on Beatles Day for Mania’s last gig) and my old friend Brian Setchfield who I haven’t seen for over 20 years.
Dave Nattress… Hi Iain, Brian is alive and well and we often bump into each other and talk about old times – and music of course, whilst walking our dogs along Cooden sea-front.
Tony May talking about Bands On Hastings Pier
Hastings Pier may just be a derelict and rusting shell at the moment but its great to know that ‘the old girl’ is far from forgotten in the minds of many in the town and a number of nostalgic groups have popped up since the fire on social media websites like Facebook.
One such group –‘ Bands We’ve Seen On Hastings Pier’ http://www.facebook.com/groups/196962362327/ has proved particularly popular and has become THE place to visit on the Internet for those who desire to wax lyrical about anything to do with the Pier’s illustrious musical past.
Reading through the many posts makes you realise just how special a place Hastings Pier was in its heyday and its amazing to see just how many popular performers have contributed memories and/or photos to the group pages. In fact, almost anyone who has ever meant anything to the musical side of Hastings seems to have joined the conversation at some point and told a story or shared a memory or photograph.
Interestingly, those who had a close association with the Pier in the 1970’s seem to be the most vociferous members and there are numerous posts from Hastings favourites like Phil Thornton, Mick Mepham, Pete Fairless, Johnny Mason (Alan Esdaile), Terry Huggins, Ken Dengate, Robert Wren and a host of others.Don’t for a second though think that the party is an all male affair. Oh No! Plenty of ladies including Pam Shallcross, Yvonne Cleland and Margaret Haywood are regular posters and are just as passionate and chatty regarding their own personal memories.
It never ceases to make me smile when I think of the ‘eclectic’ selection of acts to have appeared on the Pier over the years…One of the weirdest groups of all perhaps was ‘Gong’. A ‘space rock, psychedelic, progressive rock band’, the group was never one to do things by half and Phil Thornton remembers that “UV lights, gliss guitar and paper plates” were all ingredients of the bands stage show.