SMART coffee meet No. 39 report

A nice warm afternoon for our 39th meet and among the newbies this time was Sarah Ferguson. Sarah was chatting about memories of the Pam Dor and Black Cat coffee bars with Colin Bell.  Mick O’Dowd arrived with some interesting albums Righteous Brothers Back to Back, Vogues Greatest Hits, Sgt Barry Sadler Ballard Of The Green Berets and Whistling Jack Smith I Was Kaiser Bills Batman which got people whistling the tune as soon as they picked up the sleeve! He also had two local cd’s from the Tar Babies and Jinks Night Fever from August 1999.  I had sheet music books of The Rolling Stones 8 new songs, Shadows Golden Greats, Stranglers Collection 77-82, Who Best Of and Hazel O’Connor Breaking Glass. Pete Prescott arrived with a pile of LP’s including Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea Where Have I Known You Before, Atomic Rooster In Hearing Of, Wishbone Ash 1st album and Argus. Barry Taylor popped in with a couple of interesting photos from 1975. Iain Cobby came along with a bunch of photos of Wal Basses. They were very popular in the 80’s and are now being made again. Ann and Phil Gill were talking about the success of son Miles with the band Roam, who are setting the charts alight with their new cd Great Heights and Nosedives and currently on tour in America. Phil was talking to Iain and Lol Cooksey about the Stallion album has had over 3 million illegal downloads without getting any payments. Interesting to hear that Iain is having a group rehearsal with Factrio, watch this space. Jon McCallion was reminiscing about Effigy and when Chris Baker was in the band. Graham Belchamber was talking to Ray and Anita Medhurst about his Bruce Springsteen plaque on the end of Hastings Pier and has written to Bruce about it.  Eric Harmer and Sarah Harvey were talking about their recent successful gig with James Westlake and Tony Davis was talking about his up and coming show on Conquest Hospital Radio. This is just a small bit of what I remember, anyone who wishes to add anything interesting you were talking about, then please feel free to do so.

Pete Prescott… I hate missing these meetings. It’s great hearing other peoples past adventures and seeing books/ albums and photos. Wonderful.

Tim Moose Bruce… I got a Tar Babies cd. Great band . One of their bassists being Lee Pomeroy who at present is in the Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman line up of Yes.

Mick O’Dowd… Great afternoon as usual. Thanx Alan!

Jim Breeds… When’s the next one? We may even be living locally by then!

Alan Esdaile… Looks like being 15th December but will confirm in due course.