Battle of Hastings – 14th October 1066 – coincidence?

Battle of Hastings today 14th October and first thing this morning when I checked,  we now have 1066 members on the SMART facebook page. It does go up and down all the time but a nice coincidence.

Jim Breeds… Yay!!

Peter Fairless… Watch out for arrows, then!

Pete Fisher… Was in my last year of junior school in 1966, and some of the local schools got together and made a film reenacting the battle at the original location, in which I was an extra, and had to play a dead Saxon…would love to see it again!

Mick O’Dowd… What’s the secret of the rejuvenation and long life after death Pete?

Alan Esdaile… I would say its one in the eye for SMART but notice someone has just left the group and we are down to 1065!

Martin Richter… mislaid my first day cover, during a move

Jeff Belton… Who won ?

Lyn Humphrey… Who won? Hastings Utd.

Steve Amos… Is their name Harold?

Dave Nattress… 1066! Well the story I heard was that when the chief of the Norman long-bowmen decided to tell his men to fire their arrows up into the air, his second in command said, well that’s all very well boss, but don’t you know if they’re not careful they’ll have some poor sod’s eye out!

 

 

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing The Two Faces Of Fame – The Complete 1967 Recordings by Georgie Fame (2Cd Deluxe Edition)

THE TWO FACES OF FAME -THE COMPLETE 1967 RECORDINGS  Georgie Fame (2CD Deluxe Edition)

Co-incidentally it was only the other week elsewhere on the site we Smarties were discussing our favourite year in music, which in mine, Alan’s and several others was….1967..and into my letterbox drops this new 2CD set for review.

Why does this concentrate on just 1 year in Georgies long and illustrious career? Simply because it was the year he switched record companies and signed with CBS, a label that had a different approach to how it would promote Georgie. ‘ The Two Faces’ refers to the fact the album consisted of ‘live’ recordings from the Festival Hall and studio recordings and that his music meant different things to different people. Having of course scored two previous huge hits with the pop/r’n’b singles ‘Yeah Yeah’ and ‘Getaway’ casual listeners would probably just think of him as another blue eyed soul/pop singer. But avid fans were only too aware of his main drive which was fusing jazz, swing, r’n’b and soul in his own unique way and with his awesome mastery of his Hammond. A consummate musician he had been playing all the top London clubs like The Flamingo etc for years and numbered The Beatles amongst his fans and peers. He was/is also blessed with a warm vocal style which is instantly recognisable. This deluxe 2cd set is an expanded edition of the original album release with both stereo and mono mixes and a plethora of bonus and some unreleased tracks. The exhaustive liner notes tell the story of this period excellently, its a complicated one! However the mix of material is far ranging and encompasses all the previous elements previously mentioned from the blues of ‘Bluesology’ to the jazz/swing of ‘Green back Dollar Bill’ (a great track!) to the (bonus) old soul standard ‘Knock on Wood’. Now those with good memories will also recall this was also the year of his third big chart hit (included here) ‘The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde’. Space doesn’t permit a long foray into this, however TBOB&C sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the other tracks, lets just say the aforementioned CBS had a vision not shared by Georgie! Personally I also have always had an aversion to it as well! Of course these days fusing jazz with pop is all the rage and paradoxically that makes Georgie as relevant now as he was all those years ago, not that it bothers him one jot I imagine. He’s been making superb classy music for over 5 decades. Ive had the pleasure of working with him twice, solo and when he teemed up with Alan Price (see elsewhere on the SMART pages for that). Ive also seen him playing on at least 3 occasions with Van the Man.

A genuine affable and nice guy he is too. I have to be honest and say I generally shy away from ‘jazz’ its a genre ive never really go into, but Georgies style and fusion makes for a great listen and I have enjoyed listening to this album tremendously. Die hard fans will welcome and treasure this set without a doubt, and more casual listeners like myself will find much to reward listening. Its certainly given me a new perspective or should that be a retrospective view of his art.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/the-two-faces-of-fame-the-complete-1967-recordings/

Til next time………. Colin 

Colin Fox… I still love the sound of Hammond organ through a Leslie speaker.

Andy Qunta… Can’t argue with that, Colin!

Colin Searle… Got that gorgeous warm sound

SMART 35 report

img868  johnny mars front cover johnny mars back cover

picture discs The Beatles 12 IMG_0521

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last 2 photos thanks to Sarah Harvey

Smell The Vinyl! Our 35th meet and lots of vinyl, tour programmes and rare slides of Hastings Pier were on display. Tim McDonald arrived with a whole bunch of picture discs and promotional 12” singles from Tina Turner, Lene Lovich and  others and a 12” single of The Beatles Love Me Do. Mick O’Dowd had with him The Sweet In The Mix CD while I brought along vinyl albums from Babe Ruth Amor Caballero, Tasty compilation, Cupid’s Inspiration Yesterday Has Gone and Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits. Jim and Allyson Breeds arrived with an impressive collection of tour programmes and tickets including Chris Rea, Paul Simon Gracelands, Wings In Concert, John Martyn, Queen, Elvis Costello, Hastings Scout Shows plus loads more. Also they had with them some very rare Hasting Pier slides from the 1870’s which people were eager to see on their binocular stereo viewer. I expect some of these will appear on Jim’s popular HAPP Hastings and Area Past and Present Facebook page at some stage. Pete Prescott had with him loads of albums including Nick Drake Five Leaves Left, Wishbone Ash Argus, Humble Pie Performance  Rockin The Fillmore, Montrose, Bad Company Straight Shooter, Cactus One Way or Another and Focus Moving Waves. He also had the album from Johnny Mars ‘Life On Mars’ which featured Ray Fenwick, Pete Shaw, Terry Pack, Colin Fox and others. Brian Wood was asking, does anyone know the whereabouts of drummer ‘Gordon Reid’ who played with him in the band ‘The Flirts’? Lol Cooksey and John Petrie where chatting about early auditions, basic band equipment back in the day and talking about The Springbeats, King Rod and others. Other chat was about Hastings Pier and how to bring in more funds and the suggestion of donation boxes as you enter the pier and a themed wishing well, the great success of Beatles Day, the recent unearthed pier photos of Marc Bolan, The Jazz & Blues Fest in June and the sad news of Ray Elgar’s death. This is just a small bit of what I remember, pleased feel free to add anything I missed.

Jim Breeds… Good to see you and the other SMARTies. It was a good session.

Mick O’Dowd… Great Meet as usual Alan. Nice chat with Tim McDonald. Interesting chap!

Jan Warren… Oh WOW, I sooo wish I could get to your meetings, I have so much to share with you lovely “Hastings Music” people!! 🙂

Pete Prescott… It was great!

Terry Pack… Who brought Johnny Mars along, Alan? Recorded in one session, mostly first takes, with a couple of overdubs (guitars mostly). Not the strongest material but a lot of energy. Johnny needed better songs to show off his great singing.

Pete Prescott…It was me, I hope your well. I thought the performances were great. The songs as well. Standing in line is “slow down” with a different vocal (I remember singing it at a gig with the band in London. Dave Storey said “how does slow down go ?” Ray said quietly “just play standing in line”). There is “need your love so bad,” “do it again” and “Caledonia ” (is that back door man?)
When one of the guys asked if the band would get away with it he was told “it will be fine. It won’t sell enough to be a problem “. I still think it’s a good album.the playing is great and Johnny plays and sings at his best. I do remember the wonderful lyric “standing on a desert island baby. Nothin round me but a lot of sand” brilliant !

Jan Warren… I’ve got “Nice Enough to Eat” and the silver Motown album!!

Jim Breeds… Forgot to show Sarah the Steeleye programme from Congress Theatre with a page about Gryphon who were the support.

SMART 33 report

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pete photos lps

Friday 13th, snowing in the morning, bitterly cold but very pleased with the excellent turn out for our first meet of 2017. Among the newbies was Tim McDonald who has a wealth of musical knowledge. Steve Fitz brought along posters of his bands Baktrak and Ghostriders. Paul Morfey had with him LP’s of Spooky Tooth Spooky Two, Uriah Heep Very ‘Eavy, Fruupp The Prince Of Heaven’s Eyes, String Driven Thing The Machine That Cried and Steppenwolf 7.  Pete Prescott had a bundle of posters of Jez Gillett Band, The Lost Boys, gig poster for The George venue, Rock Night 5 with Huw Lloyd-Langton, Rock Night 6 with The Hamsters, Black Horse Music Festival, rare Sergeant posters from Switzerland and Reservoir Cats CD When We Were Young. Colin Bell had with him cd’s of Dusty Springfield A Very Fine Love, Uriah Heep Sea Of Light and Thom Pace Slices of the Past and Future. I had with me Lp’s from Genesis Rock Roots, The Rosko Show and Pink Floyd Relics. Talk was about the sad loss of jazz musician Pete Burden and local Deep Purple singer Kevin Clark. Hollington Youth Club, Beatles Day, Hastings Rock Radio, Tich Turner, what’s planned for the pier in 2017 and Mick O’Dowd came up with the surprise revelation that Ken Dodd was one of the biggest selling artists of the 60’s beaten only by The Beatles. Andre was talking about writers cramp from the book signing of the excellent A Pier Without Peer. More memories of Charlie Hutchinson, The Marquee Club in London, The Hastings Flyer new gig guide website, the scout hall Grove Road,  the happy ballroom stories from Andre now moving into 1967, John Otway to play The Fountain pub in Queens Road and how to get rid of the cough virus going around! This is just a very small bit of what I remember, anything I have missed or anything interesting you were talking about, then please feel free to add.

Geoff Peckham… Sorry I missed another SMART meet yesterday; It’s become difficult to get away on Fridays lately.

Jim Breeds… “the scout hall Grove Road” … I can’t imagine how this relates to SMART, but I was a cub, scout and scout leader at that hall. Many happy memories. Who’s for a game of British Bulldog?

Mick O’Dowd… This is where I started my DJ career Jim. Went to a youth club here and we had bands on quite a few times including The Springbeats & Circuit Four.

Pete Prescott… Ah! British bulldog ! A time when boys were tough! Well apart from me of course !

Mick O’Dowd… Really enjoyabel Meet as usual. Good talking to Eric Harmer, Pete Millington, Andre Martin and Colin Bell.

Eric Harmer… Good to catch up with you to Mick. 

Graham Belchamber… Sorry I couldn’t make it. Have a bit of a lurgy, not very rock n roll!

Jeanette Jones… Sign of the times Graham, most of us are not typical Rocknroll, get well soon 

Liane Carroll… Roger says he’s sorry he couldn’t make it yesterday. See you at the next one xxxxx

The Happy Ballroom Hastings Pier and more 24th Dec 1966 by Andre Martin

Several people at a recent SMART meeting asked why I had not been writing my “History of The Happy Ballroom – Hastings Pier” for a while, and to be honest the reason has been nothing had happened since November. When you think that, how important an entertainment centre this was at one time, it really was a great shame that it used to sit closed. In the immediate weeks before, the management had kept advertising the venue available for firms and clubs to hold their seasonal events, there are no records of any take-up. This coming Saturday 24th December 1966 there was however a change and booked to appear that night “Lord Caesar Sutch & The Roman Empire.” Yes you have guessed it was Screaming Lord Sutch under a new name. The weekend would have started off on Friday Night with Ready Steady Go, and as I have posted on several sites today [23 Dec] this was the last ever Ready Steady Go. Not perhaps a good way to start off the Christmas Holidays.  The Witch Doctor, offered this Christmas Eve – The Lonely Ones and on the following Thursday – Steve Maxted with his post-Christmas hi jinks, I do remember going to see Steve, but the crowd numbers were down for his usual Thursday Night show. Perhaps people were saving up for New Years Eve, and although this was really well attended there was no advertising and I have been unable to confirm who played that night.
Looking towards a 3 day Bank Holiday Weekend on the Radio & Television, to fill in all the details, would be a major operation, so I have just picked a few items – Light Programme had the important – Saturday Club with Brian Matthew and later in the day items such as Music Parade, Christmas Bandstand and Forces Jamboree. On Sunday [Christmas Day] Family Favourites was FIVE way and Linked LONDON, KOLN, ADEN, SINGAPORE & BORNEO. Later in the afternoon The DJs Christmas Party was spent with Sam Costa, Simon Dee, Keith Fordyce, David Jacobs, Brian Matthew, Pete Murray and Don Moss. Also Round The Horne, Sing Something Simple, Bing Crosby and The Men From The Ministry. Boxing Day Charlie Chester with Family Choice, The Ralph Harris Show, Pop Round Christmas, Ken Dodd, Singalong – the Story of The Black and White Minstrels, & Sherlock Holmes Again ?? Television on Christmas Eve included Grandstand, Film Davy Crocket, and Juke Box Jury with David Jacobs and his guests Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger. Later offerings would have included Dr Who. Dixon of Dock Green, Film- High Adventure, The Val Doonican Show, See the Children Sing and Midnight Mass. Sunday included Welcome to Christmas, Leslie Crowther at a Children’s Hospital, The Lucy Show, Andy Williams, HM The Queen – address to the Commonwealth. Billy Smart Circus, Disney Time, Carols from Kings, The Black & White Minstrels, Ken Dodd, Film Dr Findley Casebook & The Christmas Story. Bank Holiday Monday – The Munster’s, Grandstand, When Comedy was King, Sooty, Three Musketeers, Top of The Pops 66, Till Death Us Do Part, Brian Rix Farce from Whitehall, and the film The Lady Killers. [Ed Well done if you remember any of those] Over on the Pirate Radio Stations, Radio Caroline South with Dave Lee Travis – DDDBMT : Save Me, Donovan : Sunshine Superman, Who : Happy Jack, Troggs : Any Way You Want Me & Elvis : If Every Day was Like Christmas. On Radio London – Who : Happy Jack, Troggs : Anyway you want me, DDDBMT : Save Mee, Cliff Richard : In The Country & Temptations : I know I’m Losing You. A quick catch up of 50 years ago here in Hastings. It’s been an interesting year looking back FIFTY YEARS – 1966 what a year that was. Who knows what 1967 will bring, was something that we were all thionking about, for some it was good and for others – well perhaps not so good at the time, but we have survived. And I hope enjoyed looking back to our teenage years – you all have a Peaceful Christmas and a New Year to look forward to.
PS Don’t forget the Pier Book – “A Pier without a Pier” by Steve Peak now available and from all accounts a very good read and makes a great Christmas/birthday present – but then I am biased [Chap. 12]. Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2016

Mick O’Dowd… Welcome back Andre. Beginning to get cold turkey( got plenty of that to come) not seeing your posts. Happy Christmas to You, Sheila and the Girls.

Andre Martin… Thanks Mick to you and yours, its been a long time since our path first crossed all in the cause of music.

Andy Qunta… Fabulous, Andre, thanks! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

SMART 30 coffee meet report.

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Unfortunately we couldn’t use the Seafront Room as normal and were moved to the conference room upstairs. I did put up a sign but was not ideal and spent a lot of the time running up and down the stairs to ferry people to the correct room. Apologise to anyone who turned up and could not find us.

Among the newbies this time were Alan Oliver and Tom (Paul) Thomas.  Alan was talking about his successful Facebook page “How can we make Hastings Pier a great tourist attraction?”  Lots of ideas were discussed.  While Anita & Ray Medhurst were discussing the opening day on the pier. Tom (or should I call him Paul I’m still never sure) Thomas was happy reminiscing with Mick O’Dowd about the Teenbeats gigs that Mick promoted, also Paul had a few interesting memories of working with Samantha Fox. John McCallion was talking about bands he would like to see reform. Andre & Sarah were talking about the success of Carnival FM Radio and Chris Sambrook was going through some more unknown photos from the Eddie Hazell Collection and trying to find names, with the help of Phil & Ann Gill. Congratulations to their son Miles who is doing extremely well on tour with ROAM. Laurie  Cooksey was talking about Die Laughing and some interesting news, watch this space and I brought along a selection of old sheet music. Anything interesting that I missed in conversations, please feel free to add here.

Mick O’Dowd… It was interesting to see Paul Thomas of the Teenbeats and chat to him about the gigs they did for me.

The Happy Ballroom & more – 26th February 1966 by Andre Martin

Saturday 26th February 1966, was a normal Saturday for many, the weekend was underway and some were looking forward to the leap year possibilities ! Here in Hastings in the Happy Ballroom on Hastings Pier, nothing moved not even a mouse, we were following the previous weeks of?????????- But my crystal ball tells me that we might have some news next week.
Our Friday nights entertainment had started with the ever popular trip to London via Rediffusion TV and this week’s screening of Ready Steady Go – the weekly look at the best of fashion, dancing and music, on this week’s show – from the U.S. the great Tory Troy, Bill J Kramer “Were doing Fine” and The Walker Brothers “ the Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore”
Back in Hastings on that Saturday Night we would have been treated to a really special show at the Witch Doctor with Headliners that night – Tony Rivers & the Castaways, a band that used to make many visits to the town during this great decade, and supporting Tony on that night The Blues Syndicate. The rest of the week’s entertainment was with Records –still not using Disco! – Both Tuesday and Thursday given over to the “Mad Man of Maidstone” Steve Maxted. Also we understand that Friday nights were to be back on the schedule shortly…..
Looking through the Radio Times for that weekend, the usual programmes are scheduled, on Saturday it would have been a mix of Saturday Club, with Brian Matthew, and this week’s headliners included Georgie Fame, Lulu, The Mike Cotton Sound, The Gamblers and Billy Fury. Jack Jacksons Record Show, Pop over Europe, Jazz Beat and a range of Old Time Musicals.
Sunday, very much as previous – Easy Beat with Keith Fordyce, 2 Way Family Favourites at noon, Al Read Show and Pick of the Pops. The Movie Go Round featured film this week was – “The Spy that came in from the Cold”, featuring Robert Vaughan David McCallum, Dorothy Provine and Rip Storm.
Television over the weekend, Saturday – Grandstand, Dr Who, Juke Box Jury with DJ and panel Scott Warker, Judy Geeson, Don Moss and Evelyn Taylor. In the evening The Bertram Mills Circus and the Black & White Minstrel Show. Sunday included The International Winter Sports, The Lucy Show, Pinky & Perky, plus the usual range of drams in the evening – Dr Finleys Casebook etc.
Over on the Pirate Ships – Radio Caroline despite transmission problems since the storm, was managing to put out the Top 20 at the weekend, and the line up this Sunday was 1 Rolling Stones, 19th Nervous Breakdown, 2 Nancy Sinatra, Those Boots are made for Walking 3 – Pet Clarke My Love, 4 Mindbenders – Groovy Kind of Love [NB Mindbenders had just split from Wayne Fontana and 5 – Chrispin St Peters You were on My Mind. Radio London was presenting the FAB 40, and for this weekend this was as follows 1- Sha La La La Lee – Small Faces, 2 –Uptight – Little Stevie Wonder, 3 –Barbara Anne – Beach Boys, 4- This Golden Ring -The Fortunes and 5 Jenny Take a Ride – Mitch Rider & The Detroit Wheels and just bumbling under Lightening Strikes –Lou Christie. { some great toons that we used to hear very regularly in the Pam Dor and at Thee Witch Doctor.
So there you have a very quick round up of 50 years ago, it was little like this weekend – cold and windy, but we had the spring to look forward to and perhaps something special on our Pier. Until next week you all keep warm and safe and enjoy these little trips down memory lane.

Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2016