In the new edition of Hastings Town, Tony May has a special feature, in his Great Characters of Hastings column, on Dave Arnold. In the latest episode of ‘Letters From Keith’ talk is on pirate radio and the various tribute singles, Kevin Carlyon, Hutch Hutchings, favourite song of all time, Enya and much more. Now available from your local newsagent.
photo source: http://www.scottymoore.net/52ES295.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36660103
Mark Gilham… Such a magnificent player
Alan Esdaile… R.I.P. Scotty Moore
Andy Qunta… RIP, Scotty. A true legend.
supplied by Mick O’Dowd
Mick O’Dowd….Does anybody remember anything about this lot? I must have used them for booking bands for my gigs but can’t recall anything about them. Perils of getting old maybe?
Andre Martin…..Yes I knew Vic very well. Does anybody know what happened to Vic, we lost touch many years ago, I have often wondered if he was still around?
Len Smith… Remember dealing with Vic (am i correct in thinking he went into catering equipment sales) but not Tim.
Colin Fox… Remember him well. He used to drive a sports car with the reg. VYK
Neil Phillipson… Len, he did have a catering equipment business. Vic died early 2008.
Alan Esdaile.. Used to do loads of bookings with him through Martin Casson Agency.
Tony Ball… I don’t remember Vic, but Tim Crowhurst was from Hailsham and took some promotional photos of the Beachcombers before we went on tour in France in August 1967
Laurie Broadway… Yes l remember Vic, he had a selection of old motor bikes as well ,we often had breakfast in the cafe in seaside. Nice man ,always laughing, sad loss,RIP.
Turn Blue – Ha Ha Ha E.P. CD and Lifeforce CD.
Dave Arnold is a prolific artist, from poet, writer, musician, actor plus many more strings to his bow.
Very pleased to see he is revisiting his ‘Turn Blue’ period. 2 cd’s have just been released and are available from Bookbuster in Queens Road Hastings. Dave describes it as ‘an all out psych-sonic attack of the controversial and the mystical’ . The Ha Ha Ha 4 track ep, remastered cd features Dave Arnold, John Carter, Keith Rodway and Paul Ray. Some interesting, intense, bizarre but powerful driving hypnotic tracks with the scary feel Ha Ha Ha leaving the listener feeling uneasy yet wanting to hear more. Lifeforce 12 track cd, very much in the same vein but check out the more laid back song ‘The Last Kiss’ which has ‘The Doors’ feel to it. Also recommend ‘1989’ and the very strong and commercial ‘Those Eyes’. Watch out for The Addled Family remastered CD coming soon.
For more information contact: http://www.deadhappyrecords.co.uk/page2.html
sample track…. https://soundcloud.com/vibezone/ha-ha-ha-turn-blue
Tony May… Look out for an in-depth article about Dave Arnold in the next edition of ‘Hastings Town’ magazine (July 2016) out on Wednesday…
What a week it has been so far, and here we now have reached Saturday 25th June 1966, and in the Happy Ballroom, Hastings Pier, we have been having some fun today and are now getting ready for the 3rd Night of entertainment that the Hastings College has presented for Rag Week. The Top of the bill tonight is the Radio & television stars – Edmundo Ross Band. This was aimed mainly at the parents of students and the older generation. I have to report that like both the Thursday and Friday nights we had a roaring success. Part of the evening’s entertainment was a Churchwardens Pipe Smoking Competition, I know that sound slightly non PC today but 50 years ago, nobody worried. The idea was the winner was the smoker who could keep hi/her pipe going the longest. It just so happened that the winner was my girlfriends Dad! – I promise I had no influence over this at all. Yes the Winner Mr Charles Potter took his pipe and the tobacco, but I don’t think he was ever allowed to smoke in the house!!
As you will no doubt recall the Friday Nights show would keep us up and around till 7.00am Saturday morning, and too get us in the mood, of course it was time for Ready Steady Go, and luckily the Television in the Bar on the pier was able to pick up the broadcast. That Friday night the show included – Tom Jones:” Not Responsible”,Kinks:”Sunny Afternoon”, DDDBMT :”Hideaway”, Dave Berry:”Mama” and Norma Tanego:”Walking my dog named dog”- that was the lead into the Night.
The Witch Doctor was playing it down on the Friday and only had records; we had invited all the management and staff to our “do” afterwards, so they arrived very soon after closedown at the Pier. On the Saturday the offering was a couple of very popular groups that were regular visitors to St Leonards – The Riot Squad and The Poor Boys. The regular record nights, with Johnny Mann, Tony Powell and of course Steve Maxted in full show as ever, on the Thursday night. Nevertheless the youngsters made the most of what we had presented over the last few days.
Let now look back quickly to what we watched some 50 years ago ! BBC Radio – the Light Programme had Brian Mathew with guests, Herman’s Hermits, The Fortunes, Chris Barber Jazz Band, Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers, Graham Bonney and The Johnny Arthey Band. Later in the day Saturday Swings with Tom Jones and The Squires, The Settlers, Scott Peters with the Johnny Pearson Orchestra. Other shows that night included Music from the Movies, Eddy Arnold Sings, Blackpool Night with Charlie Chester, Eddie Calvert and Reginald Dixon on the famous Blackpool Organ. The BBC International Festival of Light Music and Dancing Round Europe. One Sunday Easy Beat with Keith Fordyce presenting Pop Artistes from the BBC Top Tunes Listeners chart. Lunchtime it was 2 Way Family Favourites from London & Koln. Later in the afternoon – Comedy with Ken Dodd, Leslie Crowther and music from Val Doonican, Semprini and at 4.00pm Pick of The Pops with fluff- Alan Freeman. The evening continued with Drama and some music and at 11.00pm The Jazz Scene – this week with Humphrey Littleton and the Tubby Hayes Quartet.
Television On the Saturday- Grandstand was mainly Wimbledon. Juke Box Jury that night with David Jacobs were Gene Pitney, Susan Maughan, Denny Piercy and Betty Marsden. We also had Dr Who, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Not only.. But Also, The Trouble-shooter and the 1966 Greyhound Derby. On Sunday Green Acres, Captain Pugwash Perry Mason, Billy Cottons Band Show and the award winning film biography of Elgar.
Over on the Pirate Station, Radio Caroline Top five this weekend included Beatles: Paperback Writer.Kinks:Sunny Aftdernoon,Gene Pitney:Nobody needs your Love,Ike & Tina Turner:River Deep-Mountain High and Cilla Black:Don’t Answer Me. Over on Big L Radio London, Ed Stewart played No 1 River Deep-Mountain High – Ike & Tina Turner ,Everbody Needs you Love – Gene Pitney, Hideway – DDDBMT, Sittin on a Fence –Twice as Nice and I need You[EP] The Walker Brothers.
For many of us this was to be a weekend of change, as the college had finished for the year, and some of the students, like myself had finished our courses and were looking for either work or higher education opportunities. In the immediate future for me was a Monday morning reporting to Brook Street Depot of Maidstone & District, where I because KK51072 Conductor Martin A – yes that right I was back on the busses for the Summer.
So there we have a quick look at Hastings 50 years ago, until next week – you all take care, and let hope that we see some sun. Andre Palfrey-Martin© 2016
Chris Coleman… Ah the good ole days. Went here a lot in the 70s.
Terry Pack… I used to go to the pub with £1, and get chips on the way home. Seems impossible…
Samantha Blake… loved Saturdays but I wasn’t old enough in 1976 lol
Bev Pearce… I thought that was a promotion, was just putting my coat on…
supplied by Tony May
Tony May… Anyone remember these? I used to love picking them up from The Disc Jockey.
Mick O’Dowd… That’s a revived memory i’d forgotten.
Alan Esdaile… Remember them well. They also produced a yellow LP monthly booklet.
Several people have been in touch asking – “What has happened to the History of the Happy Ballroom etc “ for many reasons I have been unable to write the weekly blog for a while, but now things are sorted, it back to telling about Hastings and our lives of 50 years ago. This weekend is Saturday 18th June 1966 – and what a week this was to be, with the big event coming along on Friday with the College Rag week all-nighter, but more of that later. The Pier was in a quiet time, gathering up for the busy summer season that would have a whole range of weekly entertainments starting in July, included this was the new Sunday Club, that would be a challenge to the Witch Doctor with the groups booked incluing Zoot Money,The Yard Birds and The Who to name a few.
Our Friday Night Ritual would have kicked off with Ready Steady Go and amongst the acts booked were Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds –“ Out Of Time”, The Hollies – “Bus Stop”, Gene Pitney – “Nobody Needs Your Love” and Herman’s Hermits – “The Door swings Both Ways”. As usual the show was kept moving along with Keith and Cathy.
Down in St Leonards The Witch Doctor had “The Loose Ends “ topping the bill on the Saturday night, the rest of the week was the usual mix of records/disco and the ever popular Steve Maxted on Thursday Night, although I know that his crowds would be reduced this week, because of the competition offered in The Happy Ballroom.
On the Radio, BBC Light programme was following its usual mix of programmes including Saturday Club with Brian Mathew and his guests, this week including Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky,Mick & Tich. Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, The Downliners Sect and Los Bravos. Jack Jackson was spinning his records and Saturday Swings featured The Hollies. This was also the weekend of the 24hours Le Man Motor racing and reports from France were popping up all the time. On the Sunday we had Easy Beat, Two Way Family Favourites, The Ken Dodd Radio Show, Val Doonican, Semprini Serenade,Top of the Pops. Movie Go-Round and later in the evening Jazz Scene. Television, was the mix of films, variety and dramas, On Saturday Juke Box Jury was hosted by David Jacobs and his guests this week Richard Anthony, Ernestine Anderson, Sam Costa and Anne Nightingale. Likewise Sunday format was very much the same as each week, with the addition transmission of the Motor racing at many times over the weekend.
Over on the Pirate Stations, and new voice was heard on Sunday 19th June 1966 presenting the Fab Forty for the first time – Tony Blackburn. That weekend the top 5 included – Kinks : Sunny Afternoon, Ike & Tina Turner : River Deep Mountain High, The Animals : Don’t Bring me Down, Beatles : Paperback Writer and Four Seasons : Opus 17[Don’t you worry ‘bout Me.] On the good ship Radio Caroline, that weekend the charts would have included Beatles: Paperback Writer, Yardbirds – Over Under Sideways Down, Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep-Mountain High, Cilla Black- Don’t Answer Me and Tom Jones – Once There was a Time. We would be getting a visit from one of the Radio London DJs later in the week. This lead to the Rag weekend All Nighter and associated events on the Pier. We started off on the Thursday with an up and coming arties from London – Chris Farlowe with the Thunderbirds – he had just released “Out of Time” and that was starting to climb the charts, although we did not have a big crowd it was an excellent time, and his support act The In-Crowd did us well. Now for the BIG Event, this was going to be the first “All Nighter” as we when through from 9.00pm – 7.00am as First! The Line Up George Fame & The Blue Flames, Unit Four Plus Two, Tony Rivers & The Castaways and The Defiants, and compared by Radio London’s Earl Richmond. The venue was packed and the night was a great success, at one point I thought we might have had a problem, when Georgie Fame started his set, and hit the Hammond Organ – nothing but a loud bang! No music – it did not want to work, so he simply picked up an acoustic guitar and carried on. When we eventually sat down for breakfast and saw the dawn coming up over the sea, it was a great moment. Everything had gone well and we still had a full days entertainment to look forward to, and at some point to get some sleep, before the show started again… but more about that next week. It does not seem like 50 years ago, but it was, until next week you all take care and enjoy the summer – if we see anything that looks like Summer –Andre Palfrey-Martin©2016
Mick Bolton… I just sent this to Tony Rivers. He was really pleased to see that he was on Hastings Pier 50 years ago next weekend. He now lives in Spain and still performs regularly. Incidentally he was the voice on the theme tune to Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads. And he was one of Cliff Richards backing singers for many years. Saw them in ’67 when I was a student at a college in Twickenham – also Tony Rivers’ later band Harmony Grass.
Andy Qunta… Fantastic report, Andre, and what great memories it brings back! Thanks!
