Month: January 2016

Terry Wogan R.I.P.

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terry wogan

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35453641

Alan Esdaile… R.I.P. Terry Wogan and thank you for your wonderful dry comedy.

Jim Hobbs… A very great loss to broadcasting and to us all. What a terrible year 2016 is turning out to be for losing heroes.

Cheryl Pyatt… Very sad news. What a wonderful man. R.I.P. Terry.img404

Colin Bell… Another soundtrack to our lives gone. For his humour, wit and Eurovision ‘commentary’ he’ll be sadly missed. R.I.P. Terry.

Mick O’Dowd… Sad loss. The Grim Reaper is on overtime it seems. Beware!

Dave Nattress… Very sad to learn of this news. As an old rocker who would almost naturally be listening to music programmes on the radio, I was never, ever in two minds about listening to Terry on R2 when I could + actually of course R2 does play some of the older stuff that I grew up with. Marvellously entertaining and truly one of the greatest broadcasters and presenters ever – maybe the very, very best of just a few. Taking the wotsit when it was right to do so but in such a subtle way and never unkind. He got the formula just right. What about the dreaded Euro-derision – Terry made it watchable. One of those DJ’s that you listened to because you wanted to hear them and their comments much more than whatever it was they were playing.

Tony Davies… Very sad,,,,,

Andre Martin… Another sad day – too many departing RIP Sir Terry, you can now plague producer Mr Walters in that great radio station in the sky ! His very dry humour was a way often to get you going in the morning, and some of the so called characters who used to contact him, we all knew were his invention but that did not matter, they were entertaining without trying to hurt anybody.

Caz Simpson… Terry’s voice was like a comforting hug, I could never feel lonely when he was on air. This is one TOG who will miss him enormously, such a very sad day for everyone x

Andy Qunta… He was brilliant!

Tony May… At least Sir Terry spent his life doing what he was brilliant at and entertaining us all with his wit and charm. Sadly, not many people get to live the life they would like… Bon Voyage Sir Terry!

The Happy Ballroom and more 29th January 1966 by Andre Martin

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January is going past very quickly, we are now at Saturday 29th January 1966, and from all accounts the weather has turned a little bit cold, but more about that later. The Happy Ballroom remains the same, closed, and cold and quiet! The wind, rain and blustery sea is all that you hear when you wander down towards the sea end of the Pier.
The weekend would have kicked-off with Ready Steady Go on Redifussion TV at 6.30pm – on the show this week we saw Sandie Shaw “Tomorrow”: Small Faces “Sha La La La Lee”: The Who “ Circles”: Paul & Barry Ryan “ Have Pity on the Boy” the show would have been in the good hands of both Cathy & Keith. For those who might have had time to watch TV earlier that day, depending on your tastes, you might have seen Watch With Mother, Jackanory, Crackerjack and The New Comers !
Along towards the western end of the seafront, in Marine Court, the Witch Doctor is in full gear with entertainments 4 days a week, on Saturday we saw the return of “All Things Bright”, supported by “The Amboy Dukes”. Sunday Afternoon is now the regular slot for Trevor Olive with his Sunday Session. On Tuesday the Candlelight Spin is in the hands of a Witch Doctor regular Johnny Mann. Thursday Night is as always “ The Muscles Maxted Show “ All of these nights entertainments were tagged as “The Heat is On” – I will let you draw your own conclusions to that.
BBC TV & Radio output was very much the same, Saturday Radio – 10.00 “Saturday Club” with Brian Matthew and Matt Monro, Dusty Springfield, Fortunes, Silkie and The Echoes. 12.30 it was “The Jack Jackson Record Show”. 1.30pm : “Fanfayre” this week based on the music of Lionel Bart, later in the afternoon “Band Stand” with the music of the Band of The Grenadier Guards. 6.30pm Jazz with Herbie Goins & the Nightimers plus The Dave Davani Five. Early evening included “A Night at the Music Hall” and later the Ray Conniff Singers.
Sunday Radio, 10.30 : “Easy Beat” and noon “Two Way Family Favourites”, a weekly link up with UK and BAOR families and friends. The afternoon included Al Read, Jimmy Clitheroe and Joe Brown & the Bruvvers. “Pick of the Pops” preceeded “Movie Go Round” this week featured “The War Lord” “He who Rides a Tiger” and a special on the musical films of Elvis Presley.
Television on Saturday: “Grandstand”, “Juke Box Jury” with David Jacobs and his guests – Spencer Davis, Maurice Kinn, Marion Ryan and ano. The schedule later that evening included “Dr Who” : “Dixon of Dock Green” the film that evening was “ The Great Sioux Uprising “ starring Jeff Chandler. “Max Bygraves Entertains” & “Bewitched”
Sunday included “Bonjour Francoise” absolute beginners in French. Later in the day – The Lucy Show, Pinky & Perky, Songs of Praise, Dr Findlay’s Casebook and World Bobsleigh Championship from Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Over on the Pirate Stations, Big L was going well, with the no 1 record for this week from the Overlanders – Michelle. Radio Caroline was having technical problems with regular transmissions as a result of running aground the previous week and never transmitted a top ten until the middle of February. That’s about all to report from 50 years ago, time is moving quickly and as mentioned the weather is colder!! But spring is just around the corner so we can look forward to some better weather – I hope. Until next week stay safe and warm.                         Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2016

Paul Kantner from Jefferson Airplane R.I.P.

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Paul_Kantner_Jefferson_Starship_1975

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35438191

Alan Esdaile… R.I.P. Paul Kantner. Thank you for the music.

Chris Giles… This last year has been so sad…..losing all these musicians whose music I loved to listen to…

Dennis Torrance… It just one after another another great loss to the music of which I loved so sad

Patrick Lewis… Loved the Airplane – so original. RIP Paul Kantner.

The Happy Ballroom and more 22nd January 1966 by Andre Martin

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Life continues very much as before, it is now Saturday 22nd January 1966, in particular with the Happy Ballroom – Hastings Pier, nothing appears, and the ballroom is empty and cold. Bingo is still a regular event, and the accumulator paid out £2850.00.0d last week. This would represent a very large amount of money 50 years ago.
Friday night’s main event Ready Steady Go has on the bill this week – Donovan “Little Tin Soldier” Nashville Teens “The Hard Way” and Dusty “Little by Little” + Cathy and Keith and some records – so the show represents a good start to the week.
The Witch Doctor this Saturday presented The Mirage “must be touched to be believed” according to the press advert for that Saturday night, and supported by The Chaquitos plus records, all for 6/- with bar and food available. Sunday afternoon and Tuesday evening it’s the usual Record sessions, and Mid-week Rave Thursday Night with The Muscles Maxted Show featuring Steve “Carnaby Street”Maxted.7.30pm – 11.00pm and only half-a-crown!! 2/6d!! For those who remember old money.
For those who regularly tuned into Radio Caroline, we had some excitement in the week, when Caroline was blown ashore along Frinton Seashore on the night of 19th January; it would be several weeks before normal transmissions would be resumed. From all accounts it was a very lucky escape for all, as the ship Mi Amego beached between 2 groynes, as the Coast Guards were able to land some of the DJs and Crew despite the conditions.
Over on the BBC, the Light Programme 10.00am Saturday Club with Fontella Bass, Georgie Fame, Paul & Barry Ryan, Billie Davis, Keith Powell and the Checkmates. In the afternoon Jazz Beat featured Manfred Mann and The Grahams Bond Organisation. Home and Away in the evening from Minden, West Germany thanks to BFBS, featured Frankie Vaughan and The V Men plus Susan Maughan. 9.45pm Saturday Star this week was Perry Como. Late Night Saturday with Pete Murray, this week the feature artiste was Jack Jones.
Sunday morning 10.30 Easy Beat, 12noon Two Way Family Favourites – London and Cologne. 2.30pm The Joe Brown Show with guest Dickie Valentine. 4.00pm Pick of the Pops with “fluff”
Television, likewise followed a very usual programming, this week some of the features, again depending on your choices – Saturday, Grandstand followed by Juke Box Jury with David Jacobs in the chair, on the panel this week – Pete Cook, Bryan Forbes, Dudley Moore and Nanette Newman. 8.25pm The Kathy Kirby Show with guests Kenny Ball and his Jazz Men. Sunday highlights included 11.30 Forward in Retirement!!!. 2.45pm, FA Cup Special with Kenneth Wolstenholme. The film that evening “The Millionairess’” with Sophie Loren and Peter Sellers.
ON ITV one of the regular show – “Thank Your Lucky Stars” this week the line up included – Jim Dale: Swinging Blue Jeans: Herman’s Hermits: Patti & The Bluebells : Pinkertons Assorted Colours : Sandi Shaw & Julie Rogers.
Many thanks to the readers who get in touch with me and say how much they enjoy these weekly reports, they have changed from their original “History of The Happy Ballroom-Hastings Pier” intention as we have moved on, and life does not stand still. Also for those who send me little stories, snippets etc about specific acts that have appeared in Hastings. Until next week you all take care of yourselves, and fingers crossed that we do not get what is covering the Eastern Seaboard on The US. I have been in New York several times with students when snow has started, but nothing as bad as this weekend. Also I hope for all our sakes that it does not come across to the UK, rain possible which can be bad enough but snow – no thank you!    Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2016

Jim Breeds… “Tony Blackburn and the other djs and crew were cold and wet, no doubt scared but amazingly all were rescued from the Mi Amigo by breeches buoy …

Jimmy Bain R.I.P. – former Rainbow & Dio bassist dies.

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Dio – Jimmy Bain, at Cal Expo, Sacramento, California. August 2, 1983. Canon AE-1, 80-200 Toyo lens. 1000 ASA.  Photo Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/odonata22/1001927618/in/faves-24788065@N02/

http://www.planetrock.com/news/rock-news/jimmy-bain-former-rainbow-and-dio-bassist-dies-aged-68/

Karen Sweatman… Rainbow Rising is one of my favourites. RIP

Andy Qunta… RIP, Jimmy.

Chris Giles… RIP Jimmy ….