More from Samisen 1976

Sarah Harvey… I have received some lovely comments about the recording I made with my first band Samisen, which is really nice….so here is another one from my musical past and another from the 1970s….I am often quite shy about posting these things up because I ain’t one for making a song and dance about things…. but here goes anyway! I definitely wrote the main riff for this one!! Its another prog rock offering, this time an instrumental and a prog thrashy one called ‘Commercial Cash-In’. Another one that I may re-work one day and perhaps perform…. if I can find anyone who wants a go at it. Its SAMISEN again. I think this one was recorded at Ore Centre in 1976!! ‘I have no idea why I called it ‘Commercial Cash-In’. Its prog rock….. what do you expect…. anything goes
– Sarah Harvey (Lead Guitar – Happy Maureens)
– Ralphy (Rhythm Guitar and backing vocals)
– Bernie Smirnoff (Drums – Kingbathmat)
– Conan Howard (Bass Guitar)
Just remember, its 1976…. reel-to-reel tape…. I am still proud of it and love the people I have been in down the years, and proud of the band I currently play with, The Happy Maureens.

Pete Fisher… sounds great Sarah! The wonders of reel to reel tape! Sounds similar to the recordings I did on reel to reel back in ’72-’74 – that wonderful rehearsal room reverb, and of course the same noisy drummer…some great guitar happening here too though…a real feast of good riffs!

Sarah Harvey… Thanks Pete. Coincidentally I thought about you and Pueblo playing in the 70s. My current band this weekend have been asked to play at Bexhill Community centre at a function in October and my thoughts went back to you Roger Carey and Bernie playing there at their Youth Club. Really happy memories and some great tunes you played along with some great musicianship, not always appreciated by the youthful attendees that night…… but I loved it

Pete Fisher… You’re welcome Sarah! Nice that you have such good memories of us back then…we were a very raw outfit, probably under-rehearsed and still lacking confidence in front of audiences – lot of strong competition around back then…I actually still have a “little red book” full of lyrics and chord charts, but also a kind of gig diary for Mae West and Pueblo. When I get a few spare minutes I’ll scan it and post it here!

White Rock Pavilion Hastings menu 1978

Chris van Rock… No vegan options then

Martin Richter… vegans hadn’t been invented then ?

Jacqueline Patton… Even vegetarians lurked in the background and everyone thought you were bonkers

Chris van Rock… Jacqueline, we will never take over but if we turn a few off the cruelty of dairy farming then we will always be winners

Jim Breeds… Cheese pizza, Peas, Tomato”! What sickness was this!?

Allyson Breeds… I’m very disappointed, why are there no peas with the sausages!

Peter Checksfield… Why no bacon with the liver?

Martin Richter… Brexit?

Keith Cowper… In the 60s when I was performing in shows there I would leave my day job and go to the cafe and have poached eggs and anchovies on toast.set me up for the show!!

Pete Fisher… true gourmet eating…

Mick O’Dowd… Plaice & Chips for 65p!!!! If you look Allyson, everything has peas. Sausages have 50p’s

Pete Fairless… Thought they were pretty radical, when they did onion rings in the early ’80s…

Jacqueline Patton… Can they have a Roll Back event

Alan Pepper… By the way we will have to update this nursery rhyme now –  Jack Sprat would eat no fat , His wife could eat no Dairy, soya, nuts, gluten, E numbers etc ……

Slade cartoon tee shirt by Mike Raxworthy around 1973

Mike Raxworthy… I thought some of your members would be interested in this. About 1973 I got a call from a bloke who said his name was Chas Chandler. Can’t be the famous Animals Bassist I thought. He said he would like me to call in his office in South Molten Street (near Bond Street) for a chat about some cartoons he needed doing. When I turned up I was surprised to see it was THE Chas Chandler and not only that, Noddy and Dave were sitting in there too – as well as John Steele (Animals Drummer) on a typewriter in the small outer office. After a chat I went off and designed this T-Shirt for them. Originally it was produced as an iron-on transfer then on a number of different coloured t-shirts. When I returned with the designs the whole band were there and they asked me to add a scar on Don’s face….he seemed to take a lot of piss-taking from the others. I was also invited to go on a trip to France with them and then to the launch of their second album. They played the whole album live at that launch….for a 4 piece they were superb on stage.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Very interesting!

Sandie Carlyon… Saw them twice. Great atmosphere.

Andy Qunta… That’s excellent! Well done, Mike! Great band!

Chris Meachen… Saw them many years ago when they played at Reading festival as a last-minute substitute for the headline act, who couldn’t turn up for some reason.They were absolutely brilliant, having got together at such short notice after a hiatus of over a year.. Although it was August bank holiday, we made them play ‘Merry Christmas’ three times..

Dave Nattress… Nice story, great cartoon and…Slade could play a bit let’s not forget!!

Graham Belchamber… Saw them at Donnington on a very rainy summers day, they came on mid-afternoon before Blue Oyster Cult who suffered considerably as Slade were outstanding and BOC could not match their energy and lost the crowd straight away. I also recall during the Slade mass singalongs that rapidly disintegrating barrels of hay were being lobbed around. Later that day during Whitesnakes set, (AC /DC were headlining), a load of bikers pushed over a burger van which caught fire ( the staff had vacated). Those halcyon summer days at The Monsters of Rock in the early 80’s!

Alan Esdaile… I only saw them once, at the Radio One Club in Regents Street, when they launched Get Down and Get With It, introduced by Diddy David Hamilton!

Louis Wiggett… Saw that exceptional Slade cartoon t-shirt design and was wondering if the original artwork still exists?

Mike Raxworthy… Wish I could find it – still got the transfer back-to-front sheet. Gave Chas the original which he sent on to the printer!

Sandi Carlyon… Still got my Slade scarf bought when I saw them at Earls Court London.

Bill Thomson… I remember this print well. Would definitely buy something similar now.

Tony Davis… If only Noddy would sing again

Does anyone still say I’m going to spend a penny?

Alan Esdaile… Never noticed the unfortunate wording!

Colin Fox… There stood I broken hearted, paid a penny and only farted!

Leigh Wieland-Boys… My dear Dad always said that!

Graham McCallum… Not heard that expression in a very long time Colin

Jacqueline Marsh… I still use it lol showing my age

Daryl Perkins… Still use it…and I got stuck in the loos in Alexander Park!!

Dawn Baker… I remember hastings train station had these.

Martin Richter… doesn’t Penny mind ….?

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Yep – say it all the time, though it’s 20p these days!

Phyllis Mendenhall… That is funny

Harry Norcliff… Yip

Alan Esdaile… The very old ones, underground, in the town centre had these. Buried now but possibly still there

Roy Penfold… I suppose in these politically correct times, we would have to say educationally challenged Penny, but that wouldn’t fit in the space.

Dave Nattress… Eastbourne Sea-front by the pier was 20p on Thursday so I walked to M & S!! There was a turn-stile in place which, like at Eastbourne Station and elsewhere I would “hop” over but there was a hulk of a (I guess) council worker obviously monitoring the place preventing “hopping”. I absolutely refuse to pay Eastbourne or anywhere for using a toilet when as in the case of Thursday, visiting the place, spending money, boosting their economy, (well I didn’t spend a lot admittedly), and I also refuse wherever possible to spend money on their excessively costly on-street parking spaces.

Jeanette Jones… I always make a comment on inflation, but that’s me!

Who remembers this toilet roll?

supplied by Andrew Clifton

Andrew Clifton… Who remembers this bog roll?

Joe Knight… Smooth & ruff

Dennis Torrance… Bloody nightmare thanks won’t be using that again schools days

James Turner… It only pushed it about was not kind to the nether regions at all.

Jeff Belton… I do, didn’t use it, but came useful for tracing paper lol.

Glenn Piper… Unfortunately, yes, I do remember these

Jacqueline Marsh… Ouch yes I do!!

Aileen Mathieson… Tracing paper! Vey rough all it is good for lol!

Peter Brazier… Still got the Blooming scratches after 40 odd years! Devils Work That Stuff! Burn It! Burn It I Say!😂😂😂

Chris Jolly… IZAL The POINTLESS, USELESS, last resort paper..

Mark Gilham…  Invented by a major in the Boer War if I remember rightly..

Eric Harmer… Not Major Bumsore ?

Michael Wilson… A piece of Izal and a comb made a great homemade Kazoo when you were seven

Chris Meachen… Arse polish: totally evil stuff & completely useless..

Read moreWho remembers this toilet roll?

A Brief History of Samisen by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey… A brief history of Samisen. Thank you Peter Thomson for providing this rare recording playing live during the 1970s. This is a video featuring local Hastings band Samisen who played in the area during the latter part of the 1970s. It tells of a brief history behind the band and includes a rare recording of them playing live. The venue of the recording is unknown as is the line-up of the recording but it is thought to be, Graham Barratt on vocals, Dave Shirley on lead guitar, Bernard Jeffery on drums and Steve Turner on bass.

Alan Esdaile… Well done Sarah, great information. The last comment made my smile, about some of us have changed over the years.

Pete Thomson…. Further to Sarah’s video accompanied by Hard Monkeys, I can confirm that the track was recorded by me on a tin-pot, little, one-track machine during a practice session at Ore Centre. I have also been in touch with Steve Turner who confirms he was the bassist at the time.

Dave Nattress… This is a wonderful little video history. Although I was vocalist in the last line-up of Samisen for a couple of years or so, I actually never knew the history of the band – thinking, when I saw Samisen a few times before I joined, they were Hastings home-grown – but not so! Even when I was in Damaris, Samisen,along with Stallion of course was a local band to look up to and after the demise of Damaris, I was delighted to audition for Samisen after Graham Barrett (RIP) left I was delighted  to get the gig. I remember all the guys well, although regretably I’ve lost touch but truly hope some of us can meet up soon. I remember all the gigs well – albeit 35 years ago!! Once we (almost) had a Summer tour – 4 gigs in about 10 days. Rehearsals at Ore Centre and at Dave Kent’s parents’ shop in Kings Road, St Leonards and support to Hat Trick at Ore Centre. Great days, re-lived again thanks to this piece of history. All power to this website, Alan Esdaile, Peter Thompson and my old friend, Sarah Harvey.

Sarah Harvey… Well I am trying (thus far in vain) to organise a reunion gig which would if nothing else be great fun. So if any of the many past Samisen members want to have a go….you know where I am! If I don’t hear from you then just remember I am a great nag-bag nowadays! 🙂

Wendy Weaver… Great video Sarah, ‘specially the last bit 😉 x