Did Smokie play Hastings asks Trevor Webb?

Trevor Webb… Trevor wants to know if Smokie every played Hastings and if any one has any photos or merchandise.

Matt Thomas… My sister saw them play in Eastbourne late 70’s,dont know if they played Hastings!!!

Sarah Harvey… I have no record of them playing in Hastings

Peter Fairless… Not to my knowledge. They were a long formed band before RAK. That’s why they were so good

Robert Searle… I saw Smokie at The Congress Eastbourne when they were at the top of their game in the 70s.Really good group.

Geoff Peckham… Can’t answer the Hastings question, but there’s a Factory connection with Smokie. Perhaps Andy Qunta can help me finish this. While we were gigging around the North West, we had a gig in Preston cancelled, so we decided to spend the day and evening in Blackpool. We visited the Dr Who Exhibition, then went to the Mecca or whatever it was and downstairs in the bar was this band playing, who we learned later were to change their name to Smokie. They were brilliant and in their set they played the long medley from Abbey Road note perfect.  Now Andy, can you relate the German TV postscript to this?

Andy Qunta… Yes indeed, Jaffa! That was in about 1974. Around 1981 I was at Heathrow airport on the way to do a TV show in Germany with Hazel O’Connor. Smokie were there too, on their way to the same TV show. I went over to them and told them I saw them a few years back and thought they were great. Without any hesitation, the bass player, (whose name I can’t remember at the moment), said “yes, it was in Blackpool, 1974. You were 7 rows back on the right.” I couldn’t believe it. The rest of the band told me he did that all the time! Wow!

Jim Breeds… I have a cassette tape of them live on Radio 1 from the 1970s. At the time I thought they were underrated even though they were (if memory serves me right!) a Chinn & Chapman invention. The live gig seemed to bear that out. I haven’t played it in years! Correction. Just looked at the cassette. I wrote on it “Smokie Live, Capital Radio, March 1977.”

Terry Huggins… They are still gigging, although there’s been some line-up changes. They played under various names befor becoming Smokey, but were threatened with legal action by a certain Mr. Robinson, so they changed it to Smokie.

John Williams… I think they were living next door to alice. I play there music all the time mexican girl my best

Ray Murrell… who the fek is alice.

Mark Praid… Kevin Keegan’s favourite band.

Peter Thomson… We went to a Denis Lacorriere (Dr Hook) gig in Peterborough a few years back. Support act was Chris Norman. Superb night out. Alice?

Tuery Records… I think they were booked to play the pier , but at the last minute the label RAK made a change and that’s when the Arrows played. Be about 1974. Mick O’Dowd would know.

Peter Fairless… The Arrows – Saturday, 23rd August 1975

and then I found this…

They were booked but cancelled and replaced with The Arrows. Maybe then were not happy about the spelling! Trevor Webb asked if Chris Norman was booked for The White Rock Theatre would you go to see him and his band?

Janet Rennie… yep I so would , loved the Arrows and Smokie

John Williams… Yep

Pete Dearling…   I got my album signed by them I can’t remember if it was from Hastings pier or if they played at Eastbourne, the album was bright lights around 1977 / 1978

John Williams… Just got Chris Norman’s album half is smokey and the other just Chris great CD from Germany.

Robert Searle… Saw them Eastbourne Congress,great vocal harmonies great solid backing and great balance.

Carol Ann Bolton… ‘Alice‘ is mega in Norway!

Michael Johansson… and huge in Sweden as well!

John Williams… Mexican girl great track

 

 

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing The Definitive Collection by Bar-Kays 3CD Digipak

Very pleased to have this come through for review. The Bar Kays will always have a special place in my heart for several reasons. Firstly their anthem ‘Soul Finger’ was the first promotional 45 I ever received (can’t believe that was 50 years plus ago!) and secondly was used by fellow DJ the great late Stuart Henry as his ‘theme intro’ im sure those of you with long memories will remember and whenever I here it my thoughts return to him and his shows on Radio 1 and Luxembourg (latterly with his wife Ollie) much missed but not forgotten. The history of the Bar Kays is a long and illustrious one from their early soul and r’n’b in the 60’s and 70’s moving into the ultimate funk band in the 80’s. The booklet with this 3CD is a comprehensive and hugely informative read. This release is the first time their recordings have encompassed all the best tracks from Stax, Volt, Mercury, and Warner Bros labels, covering the period from 1967 to 1989. Kicking off on Disc 1 naturally enough with ‘Soul Finger’ released in April 1967 a hit both in the USA, the UK and worldwide, SF was and is a joyous slice of soul and has been covered hundreds of times and used in many movies and still sounds fresh today. The BK’s were Otis Reddings backing band and together a dynamite act. Then in December (10th) 1967 came the terrible tragedy when the plane carrying Otis and 5 members of the band went down killing Otis and 4 members with only the trumpet player Ben Cauley surviving. Ben along with bassist James Alexander (who was travelling on a separate plane) bravely rebuilt the band with later Larry Dodson on lead vocals who stayed fronting the band from 1970 until his retirement in 2017. The BK’s were the ‘house band’ for so many of Stax/Volt artists of the day. For me their greatest contribution in that form was backing Isaac Hayes on his seminal 1969 album ‘Hot Buttered Soul’ which is my all time favourite soul album and one I still listen to regularly to this day. As aforementioned Disc 1 covers this early period and contains some classics ‘Son Of Shaft’ ‘Don’t Stop Dancing’ ‘Money Talks’ and Shut The Funk Up’ are just some of the highlights. The fat bassline on ‘Six O’clock News’ is just sublime. Disc 2 gets more into a funk mood with the opener ‘Give it Up’ an irresistible groove which sets the tone for classics like ‘Move Your Boogie Body”Get Up’N Do It’ (giving James Brown more than a run for the money] ‘Boogie Body Land’ ‘Traffic Jammer’ and ‘Night Cruising’ are just a few more of the highlights, but there’s truly not a weak track to be found. The final Disk 3 is even funkier (if that’s possible!) kicking off with ‘She Talks To Me With Her Body’ ‘Sexomatic’ ‘Freakshow On The Dance Floor’ ‘Dirty Dancer’ and ‘Do It’ are just some of the featured tracks that make you just wan’t to get up and dance, if you’re not feeling it you better check your pulse! Many of the tracks were hits in the USA if not so readily known here (only getting airtime on specialist shows). To sum up this is a stellar collection of 46 tracks with some truly outstanding music created by truly outstanding musicians. Five stars all the way and well done Robinsongs label for getting this out there. Release date is 8th March. Enjoy.
For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time……..Colin