seventies rock groups

Druid and Jailbait – Hastings Pier 14th September 1974

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Rob Grain…R.I.P. Cedric Sharpley, he went on to be the drummer of Tubeway Army and Gary Numan. I was blessed to work with him in the Q Tips (post Paul Young) in the mid 80’s. A powerful drummer and a funny, gentle soul.

Iain Cobby… Great band, I have both the albums. Unfortunately they sounded like too much like a Yes tribute , but hey. They also won the MM rock contest in 1974

Andy Wright… Keyboard player Andrew Mccrorrie-Shand went on to do quite well writing music for children’s shows ie Teletubbies, Rosie & Jim, and the Bass player was the last presenter of R&J.

Dave Weeks… Great first album. Enjoyed seeing them on the pier.

Smokestack Lightning – The Carlisle Hastings 21st November 1978

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supplied by Ken Copsey

Ken Copsey… I came across this earlier today – just over 40 years ago to the day. I can’t recall a great deal about this gig – can you?

Mick O’Dowd… This was one of mine. Can’t find in my archives but i’m sure I was bullied into this by one of their Dad’s who worked at The Hastings Observer. I’m glad he beat me down because they were an excellent young band and I expected them to go far. Maybe they were a bit too young at that time.

Pete Fairless… Well, they’re still going, you can’t beat that Mick!

Alan Esdaile… 80p was an odd price

Mick O’Dowd… All I could afford at the time. That by the way was the bands fee!

Albatross – October 1973

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Paul Huggett… Left to right Merv Toft, Ced Hellier, Wesley, Rob Keeley and Paul Huggett. Wow!

No Home Jerome… Do they come with wafers?!

Wesley Magoogan… Nah, still on a stick ! Great photo for the archives. What a pleasant blast from the past, we were a great band who played our arses off in most of the village halls in East Sussex.

Jacquie Hinves… Nice wall paper ! Wes , let’s do a line up?? Paul.??? You , Ginger,Mike Tanner? Xxx

Graham Matthews… Who’s the dodgy Mexicana Bandito pushing the late Rob Keeley out of the way?

 

Iron Duke – The Carlisle mid 70’s

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supplied by Pete Brazier

Alan Esdaile… Nice shirt Pete. Do you remember the full names?

Martin Richter… looks like Nigel Millichamp ?

Pete Brazier… Band members in photo (apart from me) left to right Steve “Bill” Balham-Bass, Nigel Millichamp – Drums, Steve Murphy – Leed Guitar, And Paul Roberts on Keyboard, other Members came along later.

Ian Johnson… Who remembers the Reggae sound system called Fugitive that played each and every Thursday in the 80s

Jacqueline Marsh… My mum worked here when I was about 7 and she use to leave me upstairs where i discovered the stage and a microphone which had been left on. I just singing singing and am still doing it at 72! Apparently I stopped everyone in their tracks downstairs in the bar and mum had to own up it was only her 7 year old singing lol great pub from my memories as I remember it. I went on to have a professional career as a vocalist.

Pete Brazier… Need a backing vocalist?

Frankie Miller Full House plus The Stranglers 31st July 1976

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Neil Partrick… Were you there Alan? Would have been seriously good, I’m sure.

Alan Esdaile… Sorry I was gigging elsewhere Neil, otherwise I’m pretty sure I would have gone.

Tony Ham… The Stranglers and wrestling.

Pete Houghton… That was a great night seeing Frankie Miller and afterwards the band signed my album then I asked The Stranglers to sign my album and they just wrote a pile of rubbish

 

Who was the best group you saw on Hastings Pier?

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Alan Esdaile… I was recently interviewed on the Chris Gentry Show on Carnival FM, who was the best group I saw on the pier. I was stumped to come up with an answer and mentioned well possibly The Who or maybe The Equals but then again I loved Wally and Gracious and not forgetting Curved Air, The Kinks, Leo Sayer, Genesis, Budgie and loads more. Anyway I said I would think on it and decided that the best group and best night has to be Osibisa.  What was yours?

Kev Towner… Hawkwind

Peter Fairless… The Jam – Saturday, 23rd April 1977

Steve Foster… The Clash twice !! …The Jam were playing the Marquee in London on the 23 April 1977 ??..did they ever play the pier ?

John Wilde… Osibisa. Hawkwind. Curved Air. Magma.

Peter Fairless… Pick one!

John Wilde… Oh ok. Osibisa.

Phil Thornton… music and show I would say Genesis. most memorable event might be Hawkwind, Golden Earring or possibly Magma !

Sarah Harvey… Be Bop Deluxe

Richard Lavender… Golden Earing. After we dug their lorry out of the deck.

Allyson Breeds… Madness, but to be fair, I have ONLY seen Madness on the pier

Chris Giles… Golden Earring

Tony Ham… Conflict, Poison Girls, U.K. Subs, Sham 69, Dragster. Crass, Poison Girls, Conflict and Annie Anxiety were all on the same night, June 13th 1981, £1 a ticket!

Chris Baker… The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After ( I think that was on the Pier ).  Just realised I forgot to mention Pink Floyd and Hawkwind! Brilliant gigs!

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Memories and info wanted on Fruupp

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supplied by Nigel Wade Art

Nigel Wade Art… Hi all, I’m trying to unearth any memories or info on Fruupp who played on Hastings Pier in 1972 and 1975. They supported Genesis in ‘72 I believe, I went to the December 5th ‘75 gig which they headlined. It wasn’t a big crowd but they rocked it. It was the opening night of their Modern Masquerades tour. I can’t remember if there was a support band. Reason for this question is that I’m involved in the very active Fruupp Facebook Group (worth joining if you like the band) and there’s a plan to get a book and Live CD together all about Fruupp, so any info gratefully received. Thanks.

Adam Seigel… I was a fan for a bit. Saw them in Southend (my home town) in 75 I think. I still have the single Prince of Heaven’s Eyes which was their bid to break through Good band but not first division. Be interesting to know if they went on to other things, the keyboards seemed really talented and guitarist was good too – Vincent McUsker or something like that? Sounds like a good piece of archiving.

Nigel Wade Art… Keyboardist for the 4th and final album Modern Masquerades was John Mason, a brilliant jazz/ rock keyboard player who sadly died a few years ago. Original members Vincent McCusker (guitar), Peter Farrelly (vocals/ bass), Martin Foye (drums) and Stephen Houston (keyboards) are all going strong. Fruupp split in the Summer of ‘76 just when punk was starting, none of the band have done much in music since.

Adam Seigel… Stephen Houston…that’s the chap…he was good!

Alan King… the guy in the white suit is actually called Johnny Mason, he’s an old friend of mine from Dulwich back in the day, last I heard he’d had a stroke about 10 years ago – oops edit just saw the post that John had died he was an odd one – played a few gigs with him over the years – he got lost in drink and drugs near the end, his parents both died and left him a bit of money which was probably enough to tip him over the edge

Nigel Wade… Alan you’re absolutely right. Sadly he died a few years ago, following the stroke. I loved his playing b that album – he was very accomplished. One of the other guys said that for the photo shoot, “we all arrived looking like the three musketeers while John turned up dressed like Liberace!”

Alan King… John Mason did record an E.P. with a band of local south London roadies called The Back Room Boys in the mid 80’s – The Ballad of Vic Samson / Mine’s A Light and Bitter – he did the odd mafia run cruise ship tour off Miami to Jamaica and back around that time

Rory Hagan… Where did you see John Mason had died? I went to school with him. Thanks. Stephen Houston is your best point of contact for info. He’s a clergyman in the south of England

Nigel Wade Art… Hi Rory, on the Fruupp Facebook there has been a fair bit of information on John Mason and the main Admin, Brian, is in contact with John’s sister. It would be great if you’d like to join the Fruupp Facebook group with all your music background and the fact that you went to school with John. The band members including Stephen Houston are helping us with our Fruupp Live LP and Fruupp book.

Tracy Birrell… I remember seeing them on Hastings Pier.

Iain Cobby… Greetings. I had the poster of Genesis / Fruupp on Hastings Pier in 1972 which I sold some years ago for a really good price when times were hard. Alan e has  a photo. I do remember the gig but was having a disagreement with my girlfriend/to be wife outside on the deck of the pier and missed the set, almost missing the Genesis opening ……. some years later in Birmingham I was in an indie record store and picked up Future Legends and Seven Secretes on  BPRC cd . I would urge any prog aficionados to listen to these treasures ……. wow

David Johnston… Played drums with John on opportunity knocks 1971 with a band called Heritage

Nigel Wade Art… We’ve produced a live album of the gig from the night after the Hastings Pier gig in 1975. It was recorded on 6/12/75 at Friars in Aylesbury. Go to www.fruuppstore.com to read about it.

 

Melody Maker Rock Contest Hastings Pier featuring Stallion, Daisy, Bracken 27th April 1974

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27th april?? 1974 stallion, daisy, bracken,

Stallion H Ob 1974 copy

cutting supplied by Andy Knight

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Stallion photo by Chris Meachen. Not sure this was from the same gig but would be around this time.

Phil Thornton… I was there ! I joined Stallion after seeing their performance !

Yvonne Cleland… I was there. I was doing Daisy’s sound at the time…

Steve Kinch… Great times!

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Daisy photo supplied by Yvonne Cleland (August 1974)

Yvonne Cleland… .. featuring Will Thomson, Kevin Hoad (Moff) and Tony Barraclough. Terry Corder was there but not in this shot.

Kevin Sherwood… Daisy were very good that night.

Yvonne Cleland… Daisy were exceptionally good that night.

Jo Turner… Oh I loved these competitions and have great memories of jumping in the back of someone’s van frequently in later years to follow local bands doing the competition rounds. Was it Michael Mepham who had the van?

Wesley Magoogan… I remember that well, there were lots of shenanigans between us and Stallion lol.

MM Poll Winners Concert, Rock At The Oval, London, 30 September 1972

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photos supplied by Pete Fisher

Pete Fisher… MM Poll Winners Concert 30 September 1972 at the Oval Cricket Ground, Kennington, SE11 featured Focus, Genesis, Argent, Jack Bruce, ELP and Wishbone Ash. I was there with a crowd from Hastings and took a few pics.

Derek Clemans… You lucky man I am envious. I would love to have that memory.

Pete Fisher… Just lucky to have been of an age when I could go to gigs around that time Derek and to have known a nice bunch of like-minded people who also wanted to go to many of them. Also happened to have borrowed a camera for the occasion and recently digitised the photos, I’m very glad to say. Delighted to be able to share…

Edge St Leonards… I was there, have some photos, I wonder if anybody recognises them shelves, I have more in colours

Tony Court-holmes… seen a lot of them

Steve Kinch… Think I was there – all a bit of a blur. Didn’t Genesis have some tuning problems?

Pete Prescott… Big day and memory for me ! I was a few weeks shy of 16. I went to the one the year before when the Who played (amazing life changing gig for me) So I was excited to see this line up. I left just after E.L.P. So missed Wishbone Ash. I had a ticket to see Deep Purple at the Sundown at Edmondton ( Helen Tapp wouldn’t come with me as I was too ugly !) I sat with Martin Holliday and Ant Baker about twenty feet behind Martin’s brother Andy, Dave Morse and Barry Watkins (they were far too cool to sit with us). A week or so later Ant Baker convinced me to have another go at singing… with Andy, Dave and Barry ! I got the gig and was in that band (Village) for five years. Andy ended up doing the P.A. for 19 Beatles day’s ! I think Genisis were playing songs from Foxtrot. Gabriel had the red dress and Foxes head. Argent were booed (no idea why) Jan Ackerman did an impromptu jam with Jack Bruce. From the photos I think I was sitting near the Hastings guys. I would love to see anything from that day. For me it was a big deal ! Years later I was in Swiss/ English band at a festival in Austria. We played just before Wishbone Ash. I was too nervous to approach Andy Powell and do the big “I’m such a fan…” thing. I also remember a band called Fudd (I think they were an Irish band) opening up. A few weeks later the singer came and worked at Export Packing in Sittingbourne. Village all had day jobs there. He was a nice guy. We were all thinking “Wow ! You played at the Oval!” The son of the owner was into bands (he was the guy who financed and managed The Enid) maybe that’s why he was there.

Mike Curtis… I was there too!

Beatrice Lacey… I saw Emerson Lake and Palmer at there

Alan King… have you taken the cotton wool out of your ears yet ?

Andy Davies… I was there!, particularly remember Keith Emerson stabbing his keyboards with great big knives.

Bopper Bill… I was there and it was a cool trip. Too far back to see too much but I really dug
Argent. I thought they were a great live band. Hawkwind’s silver machine left an impression:)

Big Phil… It was 50 years ago today (if only the beatles had…..) ! It was my first concert; tremendous day out. At the time into ELP but as a result bought all Focus & Genesis albums. Still have all the tapes including Fudd through to Wishbone Ash. Just loved all the organisation and open air sound. Amazed by the ELP showmanship with Tarkus theatrics, ribbon moog, drum solo; astonishing for a 15 year old. Looking back, very lucky man to have been there!