Paine Electrics – Opening 22nd February 1971.
Phil Gill… Great. I bought the first Taste album and The Mothers Live at the Fillmore there. Roger Carey bought a lot of music there too.
Alan Pepper… If you had a time machine and went back to ’71 what RECORDS would you get from Paine’s Electrics ?
Alan Esdaile… Loads of great albums in 1971. Subject to budget which was very tight then, I would say Carol King Tapestry, Who Who’s Next, Janis Joplin Pearl and Leonard Cohen Songs Of Love & Hate.
Andy Qunta… If I had a time machine, I would get Time Machine by Factory! I lost my copy! Also The Yes Album, Genesis’ Nursery Cryme, and Deep Purple’s Fireball came out that year, I think.
Nigel Ford… Seeing it was formerly HORNBROOKS, I think that was what the shop in Battle was called when I first bought my 7″s. I don’t desire anything else from that time other than those I have still : GRAND FUNK Live & HUMBLE PIE Performance Rockin the Fillmore, though the latter was much later in the year. I remenber getting GENESIS Nursery Crimes & HUMBLE PIE Smokin from the DISC JOCKEY at different times around then and taking them back as they were too boring, which BIG AL did no problem.
Andy Qunta… Nursery Cryme boring? No way!
Alan Esdaile… Great album Nursery Cryme. Also like Selling England by The Pound.
Ian Cramp… Thanks, fond memories of this shop Best album that year in my opinion Meddle by Pink Floyd.
Alan Esdaile… lots of great albums in 1971. Who’s Next, What’s Going On Marvin Gaye, Blue Joni Mitchell… difficult choice Ian.
Pete Fairless… Don’t forget ‘Sticky Fingers’, ‘Tapestry’ and ‘Hunky Dory’…
Hastings Records Shops by Tony May for Hastings Town Magazine
As regular readers will know, I have a very soft spot for all things musical and have written a number of articles for H.T. about local record shops and characters associated with them.
Well, I’m delighted to inform you this month that a new website called ‘The British Record Shop Archive’ has been set up by another such enthusiast, Leon Parker.
The aim of the website is not just to record for posterity the name of every record shop to ever open its doors in the U.K. but to also make sure that the social interaction, culture and day-to-day way of life that was buying a physical music product from a real person over a counter is documented and remembered.
Having been in more record shops than Sir Richard Branson over the years I have been having a whale of a time contributing photos, memories and memorabilia to the site and you will be glad to know, have personally made sure that Jack & Sonia London’s ‘The Record Shop’ webpage has been royally decked out and the part they played here in Hastings for 44 years properly recorded.
In fact, Hastings Town has played quite a large part in helping me to see that Hastings record outlets are not forgotten. As well as my article on Jack London, I have contributed my article ‘Remembering Alan Jensen’ about the man we knew and loved as ‘Big Al’ of The Disc Jockey and submitted the photos our sadly missed friend, Ron Fellows, sent me of Stylus Records.
Being a true ‘anorak’ I also sent in photos of a few old local record shop bags I found stored away in the loft as well.
Its sobering to think now that at the height of the popularity of vinyl records in the 1980’s there used to be thousands of independent record shops in the U.K. In 2009 that figure had dropped to just 269 (according to The Independent newspaper).
Fusion Orchestra – Hastings Pier 21st April 1973
poster supplied by Mick Mepham. Leaflet supplied by Iain Cobby
coloured photos supplied by Eddie Hazell Estate
Pier photo by Chris Meachen
Robin Trower is listed on the poster buy pretty sure he did not turn up. Any ideas who replaced him?
Mick Knights… Here we go again, Jilly and the mike stand, memories are made of this!
Phil Thornton… excellent band, brilliant gig !
Alan Esdaile… Agree Phil, brilliant gig.
Yvonne Cleland… yep!
Tony May… Fantastic pics Alan. I heard so much about this lot from Simon and these shots put meat on the bones.
Phil Thornton… another gig I was at ! if memory serves a spendid event !
Jan Warren… Oh WOW, brilliant pics, thank you, I saw this band many times and they had such a big impact on me!! – I’ve seen many “famous” bands over the years but Fusion Orchestra have always remained most in my head and my heart – their performances were amazing, the song-writing was genius and Jill Saward’s vocals and multi-instrumental talents were (and still are) the best ever!! – I am sooooo happy for the recently released cd “Fusion Orchestra Live at the Marquee 1974” – I woz there, I cant stop playing this cd, it takes me right back there, its amazing, I love you Fusion Orchestra, always and forever!
Andy Qunta… Great photos!
Wout Steenhuis – White Rock Pavilion 22nd April 1973
photo: http://www.davidstjohn.co.uk
Jim Breeds… Aaagh. 🙂
Barry French… I went to that concert. Wout Steenhuis was an amazing player.
( A mixture of Les Paul & Chet Atkins with a dash of Hank Marvin thrown in) Totally brilliant!!!
Phil Gill… I saw old Wout at the White Rock on 24 Aug1969…which was one of the dates The Move played on the Pier. I know because I was desperate to go see The Move but wasn’t allowed to at 13. Got given tickets to Wout as a consolation and went with a friend. Wout was good…I even got to meet him and talk about guitars and how to make a living at it. He encouraged me to keep keep playing and told me to practice a lot. Nice guy…but he wasn’t The Move.
Iain Cobby… He was related to Chris Baker who lived in the old town and took Steve Kinch’s place on lead guitar in the last line up of Effigy before another change in the line up. Sorry Phil but I did see the Move. They were late arriving and went straight into the Pier bingo hall and told my father who was the manger, they were sorry but the van broke down! he quickly showed them the back route to the ballroom. Well he was wearing a tux……………….
Chris Baker… My mum, Brenda, wrote lyrics and some songs with Wout. He wasn’t related though. He lived in an amazing house he designed himself in Broadstairs. He was brought up on Jazz and joined the Dutch Swing College Band before coming to the UK. He was put on a train by the Germans during the war and managed to escape but was shot in the arm which never set right. Didn’t stop him being a brilliant guitarist. He had a friend, Les Wake who helped set up his home studio for multi-tracking. They produced broadcast quality tapes for the BBC. Incidentally, The Town Council recorded their single with Les Wake in Broad stairs. Sweet & Neat / The Harder You Love both written by Steve Hersee, rhythm guitarist in the band.
Iain Cobby… Hi Chris, hope you are well and a happy man. Is Wout still around or has he shed his mortal coil and joined the celestial guitar chorus?
Chris Baker… Hi there. He died of cancer many years ago, sad to say.
Alfie – Michael Caine Film – ABC Cinema Hastings April 1966
Mark Praid… The very first scene on filming on The Embankment Michael accidentally trod in some dogs mess. Director Lewis Gilbert said to him.” That’s a bloody good Omen, this will be success”.
John Warner… Great film true to life at the time.
SMART Coffee Meet No 43
New people most welcome to join us
Priti Novelties – Seafront, St Leonards On Sea
Ian Cramp… Does anyone remember a shop on the seafront in St Leonards on Eversfield Place in the early 70’s that used to sell all sorts of weird an wonderful things such as cheesecloth shirts,
Afgan coats, josticks and all sorts of other paraphernalia
Camilla Lake…. Priti Novelties
Caz Simpson… I do, I bought lots of things there. Was it called Pretty Novelties or Priti Novelties. The smell as you walked in was lovely. I think it was run by an Indian family. Ah memories
Ian Cramp… petunia oil I think…..
Caz Simpson… Of course! It was so popular then. I loved that shop, everything was affordable.
Jo Turner… and often sandalwood 
😊 can smell it now mixed with the raw animal skins of the Afghan coats.
Judie Struys… I bought an Afghan coat from there. It had fur all round including the hood. It smelt terribly goaty. Even patchouli oil couldn’t mask it. I wish it was still open. I’d quite like a cheesecloth shirt.Remind me. Did it sell jeans and a brand name called Simon or something like that? Or have I made all that up?
Mandy Wright… I lived a few doors down from this shop and remember it well . There was another clothes shop next door ish? omg ! Yes it was Simon, I can remember having t shirts ( with big collars) and ‘simon’ written on my left boob , well flat chest as it was then ,lol x
Angela Frances Gardner… Yes I used to buy loads of my clothes there in the 70s a great shop with a lovely Indian couple, it was at Eversfield Place near Warrior Square
Lynne Smith… Priti novelties. Loved it!
Lucy Pappas…Loved Priti Novelties xx
Jan Warren… Loved this shop, great for us hippies!
Jo Turner… My sister and I adored that shop
Pauline Richards… Yes and Indian clothes.
Ian Cramp… Thanks to all for your comments and contributions to this post, I had no idea of the name of this shop, I just remember I used to frequent it a lot for various weird and wonderful things, I am having a holiday in Hastings in June and will drive past to see what it is now, mind you Hastings must have changed a lot since I left there in 1981
John Wilde… Yes. A very kind Indian family owned it. I was a regular customer.
Yvonne Cleland… Got all my cheesecloth there!
Chris Meachen… Priti novelties, my favourite source of clothing, incense, patchouli oil & puzzle rings, amongst other things.. Miss the place dearly…