Hastings Talking Newspaper Special – Looking back to Hastings news in October 1979

In celebration on the recent 1000 edition. Hastings Talking Newspaper decided to look back at Hastings in October 1979, when the first issue was launched.

Don’t forget you can hear the latest Hastings Talking Newspaper on Conquest Hospital Radio, every Tuesday at 6.00pm. https://conquesthospitalradio.co.uk

Spyke – Pete, Chris & Paul 1968 and 1969

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supplied by Jinks the Group website.

Peter Millington, Chris Sayer & Paul Burton.

Yvonne Cleland…..Lovely one of Chris

Chris Baker….Excellent band! Remember them well.

Peter Shaw…..Looks like Val Doonican at the front helping out in the Blue Peter studio! Chris was a talented player and with musicians Ginger and Paul should’ve appeared on TV!!

Peter Millington….You are spot on Peter Shaw. Our gear was held together with “sticky back tape” when we first started as SPYKE, so I can relate to the Blue Peter link. I’d sold all my gear when The Confederates ended after Johnny Conroy emigrated to Canada. Within weeks of it all going out the door at a knock down price and me spending the proceeds on my first car, Paul and Chris asked me to start again – hence the DIY gear lol

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supplied by Jinks the Group website

An early picture of Spyke playing at the White Rock Pavillion (Hastings) supporting Bob Miller and the Miller Men in 1969 — with Paul Burton, Peter Millington. and Chris Sayer

Andre Martin…..Great looking stage set as usual thanks to the stage crew of the day, now I wonder who was working with them !!

Janine Anne Hemsley…..Omg. I was with Bob Miller but on the early 80s. Don Lang was also playing with Bob. Great times.

What is your earliest music memory?

Tim Anderson… Another rubber tree plant!

Matt Thomas… Popcorn

Lyn Humphrey… Probably Perry Como, ‘Catch a Falling Star’ or ‘Magic Moments’, or Tommy Steel ‘Little White Bull’. Pretty cool, huh?

Clive Richardson… Remember the theme to ‘A Summer Place’ from the tv programme. Can’t remember anything about the programme but still love the track, to this day.

Alan Esdaile… remember my dad getting an old 78 wind up gramophone after an auntie died, with lots of 78’s including Laura London He’s Got The Whole World Is In Hands. Also remember singing along and copying Frankie Vaughan movements on the television  to ‘Tower Of Strength’.

Steve Thorpe… Roy Orbison ‘Oh Pretty Woman’

Chris Meachen…The laughing policeman on 78, & Elvis ‘wooden heart’ on a wind-up gramophone.

Mick Knights… The first single I bought was yackity yack by the Coasters, much to the dismay of my parents.

Jon McCallion…Love my wind up gramophone Alan, still play lots of Sinatra Dean Martin Elvis Presley and Duke Ellington sounds really good.

Glenn Piper… She Wears Red Slippers on an old 78 at my maternal grandparents place

Coco Pops… Radio Luxembourg! my big sister blaring it out of her bedroom! circa 1960’s

Paul Morfey… Frank Ifield yodelling

Will Cornell… Watching Dick Clark and “American Bandstand” I could not figure out how the dancing kids flipped their arms to twirl their partners without the arms ripping out of the sockets. I give that memory a “4” outta “5”, Dick.

Mick Bolton… My grandad playing Beethoven’s Appassionata piano sonata. I was 3 at the time – in 1951. And hearing the theme tune to Listen With Mother every day on the radio.

Eric Harmer… Family favourites on Sundays.boring songs

Alan Pepper… One song that still haunts me today is Moon River by Danny Williams . I think that was the first music I can recollect from when I was about four or five playing on the wireless ! Every time I hear it now gives me shivers in a nice way though !

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What’s the best love song of all time?

Billy Ocean… Suddenly – Billy Ocean

Nikki Habson… The Lake House – This Never Happened Before

Mick Curtis… Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

Sue Bennett… I cant make you love me George Michael’s version is beautiful

Andy Ives… Princes version is great too

Malcolm Sharp… Michael Bolton, said i love but i lied, listen to the words properly

Mark Rodrigues… My Girl by The Temptations springs to mind. Not sure if it’s a love song though or tribute. Here, There & Everywhere by The Beatles otherwise.

Martin Curcher…… Not into love songs, but if I have to chose one it would have to be something like, Extreme – More than Words.

Stella Huggett… Move Closer by Phyllis Nelson and Nothing Going Stop Us by Starship – I know that’s 2 but couldn’t choose between them.

Eric Harmer… My ding a ling

Paul Crimin… lol. Chuck Berry’s only no: 1 in this country.

Chris Jolly… I’ve told you before… keep your Ding a Ling out of this Chuck!

Paul Crimin… Still – Lionel Richtea.

Roger Collier… O Caroline – Matching Mole

Francoise Pascal…Show and Tell by Al Wilson. Beautiful love song! Xxx

Dave Paul… Welcome Home by Walter Jackson

Jack Apps… I got three

Alan Pepper… Many by Stevie Wonder but My Cherie Amour is a classic

Les Harding (Centre Page)… I don’t believe in miracles – Colin Blunstone. Stunning song at the time

Clifford Rose… In my life – The Beatles

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Sockin’ It To You by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels (3CD deluxe digipak)

SOCKIN’ IT TO YOU   Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels  (3CD deluxe digipak)
I am so pleased to receive this and bring it to you! Amongst some of the first promo singles I received in the second half of the 60’s was a single of ‘Jenny Take A Ride/C.C. Rider’ by then unknown to me band Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. Its impact on me was immediate, the record was just bursting out of the speakers with an energy that crackled and fizzed like nothing i’d heard in a long time I became a fan there and then and played the record tirelessly at my mobile disco gigs, if you didn’t want to get up and dance to it you had no pulse! Now RPM Records have released this collection and what a collection it is. Five albums, single’s, non Lp sides and tracks making their CD debut here. All of this material was recorded between 1966 – 1969 for the Bob Crewe owned Dynovoice and New Voice Recordings labels. Bob Crewe as you may know was a prolific (and hugely successful) producer for amongst many others The Four Seasons, The Toy’s and Lou Christie. Mitch & the Wheels had been together for a few years at this point playing and paying their dues around the college/club circuit in the Detroit area, where they had earned a fine live reputation. Its fair to say when you mention Detroit your mind immediately turns to Motown who were producing so many hit singles and making stars of so many acts but if you were a rock orientated kid MR&TDW were THE band you were listening too. There was some crossover in that the band did cover Motown and James Brown, but in their own inimitable style. The next single that I loved was the mash up of Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly another slice of pure energy. Now that’s twice (without apology) i’ve used the word ‘energy’ because that is the pure essence of the band, seldom have I ever heard that caught on record in the way that Mitch & the boys managed to do, the nearest comparison I can think of, is those early Geno Washington ‘live’ albums. Mitch’s blue eyed soul vocal, wicked guitar licks and bursts of brass get into you on a visceral level, your head starts to nod, your feet to move and you just tend to smile..a lot! There are so many great tracks on this 65 track definitive overview its impossible to have a favourite or pick out the ‘best’ cuts because the standard is just so consistently high, whether its old standards/favourites like ‘Shake A Tail Feather’, ‘Come See About Me’ ‘Bring It On Home To Me’ ‘Walkin The Dog’or Bob Crewe originals like ‘Sock It To Me’ ‘Shakedown’ ‘I’d Rather Go To Jail’ and ‘Wild Child’ all are delivered in such a satisfying fashion. I’ve been fortunate enough to see Bruce Springsteen live on four occasions (arguably the greatest live performer) and on two occasions he’s played, what he likes to call, ‘The Detroit Medley’ his own tribute to MR&TDW who he holds in the highest esteem, I think that’s praise indeed and quite rightly so. For some inexplicable reason the band are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when some lesser bands I could mention are, a travesty for sure and one which I hope Springsteen, and other high profile fans like Alice Cooper and Bob Seger apply pressure to put right. I have to add my own tribute in that ‘Little Latin Lupe Lu’ as written by the great Bill Medley and recorded by him and Bobby (Righteous Brothers) is covered and included on this set, and I never thought i’d say this, is bettered by Mitch and the boys, the highest praise I can give from me. Next week on Wednesday (26th) it’ll be Mitch’s birthday, he’ll be 75, and im pleased to say he’s still out there doing what he does best and long may that continue. Thank you RPM for issuing this package, the audio quality and liner notes impeccable as ever. I’ll leave you with this vid from 1966.,,,,,enjoy.

for more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Till next time……………………….. Colin

Mick O’Dowd… Highly underated band. Loved ’em!

The Culprits – Royal Standard 19th February 2006

The Culprits playing at the Royal Standard. (Martin Blackman, Kevin Hoad, Chris Barrett, Phil Gill) 19th February 2006

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Photo collage by Peter Millington

Alan Esdaile… Phil Gill with his happy face on! Martin seems to have got the hang of levitation.

Phil Gill….I’m guessing my happy face is because someone had just yelled “Can you do Mustang Sally?!!” in my ear for the fourth time that week

Martin Blackman….Blimey’ forget about this line up, must be time for a reunion! “Mustang Sally Denied”

Robert Searle… Now, come on Phil, you know it’s your favourite number

Who had one of this record racks for vinyl 7″ singles?

photo source: unknown

Julie Findlay-jones… Me.

Christian Burton… I had one, I loved the ring it made when you run your finger along it

Dennis Torrance… I remember the record racks also seeing this has reminded me of the old jukebox’s the centre removed out of singles

Pete Prescott… Had one for albums as well !

Peter Bridger… Still have!

Tony Court-holmes… ask Andre

Jim Breeds… The worst thing ever invented for looking after your vinyl.

Peter Fairless… Not quite as bad as the Ronko Scratch-matic Cleaner, Jim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KqhuKRLb4o

Kevin White… SCRATCH being the operative word!

Jim Breeds… The way he holds records with his fingers on the groove!!! 😱 Capital punishment isn’t a thing anymore is it? 🙁 And why throw popcorn at your LP? String him up!

Virginia Davis… The reason most of my vinyl covers are tatty !!

Peter Brazier… Yes! (Not the best of storage ideas lol

Peter Houghton… They were useless to use and often ruined the record sleeve

Derek Doyle…I maybe need one lol

Ricky Adelaide… Made one at school

Pat Burgess… Still have mine

Jeff Belton… I had 10 of them, because I had so many 7 inch singles.

 

 

The Saracens – 1964

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Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

Andre Martin… Here is one for you to work on – the groups in this picture, does anybody from the Musio fraternity have any ideas ? This was taken in 1964.

Peter Millington… I’ve only heard of Tony Cornish and Jeff Farley. Don’t think either played in bands for very long before giving up or moving away from the town??? Jeff Farley is the furthest right of the 3 guitars with a Hofner Verithin, Tony Cornish is obviously the one in the middle with the Bass Guitar and I assume Bob Steele is the lead guitarist on the left. Don’t know the others. Will ask around as it’s my era lol