Month: October 2020

Sean Connery R.I.P.

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Sean Connery shooting the James Bond movie “Diamonds are Forever” in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 31 July 1971. photo: Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANeFo), 1945-1989

more information... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54761824

Julie Findlay-jones… Noooooo

Jacqueline Marsh… Heartbroken RIP

Ian Luck… RIP what a legend

Steve Thorpe… 1st and best James Bond. RIP

Yvonne Reynolds… Rip

Rosemary Battle Hughes… Rest in peace Sean you will be sorely missed xx

Gail Edmunds… No way

Dennis Torrance… Oh no not Sean as well gone, like many grown up with the best James Bond . His other films as well RIP 007 Sean condolences to family and no doubt his many friends

Louise Burt… The best Bond to me as well

Graham Sherrington… Tommy Boy, I knew his nephew in Ft Myers believe it or not. He works in the local Library RIP Sir.

Gaynor Lewry… Rip Sean absolute legend

Colin Bell… It feels like losing a friend, he was such a familiar face and voice. Best Bond, no question RIP Sir Sean.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… yes, best Bond 🤵, sad news

Ricky Adelaide… True legend

Paul Marshall… Nooo

Nicki Dann… Oh no . Legend

Dave Stringer… Great actor awesome shaken not stirred

Sarah Marriott… My favourite all time actor 😭😭😭 and by far the best James Bond. RIP you were and always will be a legend

Steve Cooke… He WAS James Bond. RIP

Pauline Sims… RIP Sean – another legend gone, sad

Cally Hopkins… Shame.. RIP you gorgeous man

Jan Warren… Oh nooooo, so handsome and great actor R.I.P. Sean Connery 🙁 xx

Colin Norton… RIP SIr Sean

Peter Fortsch… The only proper James Bond 007

Steve Thorpe… The iconic Bond. RIP

Josephine Claire Hamill… Aw….

Nicola Barfield… I’m gutted that voice and my favourite film is The Rock

Pete Houghton… RIP Sir Sean Connery one of Our Great Actors Loved your Film’s Another Great Legend Gone

Bernard Goffredo… Sad news grew up with him as Bond and he was the best

Yvonne Ellis… His family in my thoughts and prayers x

Jacquie Hinves… Another legend has left is. RIP.

Karen Towner… The best . RIP

Alan King… forget James Bond, he was in Hell Drivers – what a cast that film had – Herbert Lom, Syd James, Patrick McGoohan, William Hartnell and David McCallum and none of them were playing the lead. James Bond, The Man From Uncle, The Prisoner, Doctor Who, The Ladykillers and Bless This House all in the same movie

 

Country Air – early 70’s – The Carlisle

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photos supplied by Erica Roberts via Barry French

Barry French… These show the early 70’s band called Country Air. They played extensively around Hastings. This photo was taken at The Carlisle. On vocals is Erica Roberts, drummer is Cedric (Blue) Hellier, on rhythm guitar is Roger Messetter & lead guitar slightly out of shot was Mervin Toft.  The bass player (Not shown) was either Paul Hugget or Bruce ??? I saw them many times. They were a very good band playing Country & Western & a range of sixties & seventies music.

David Edwards… What happened to band members?

Peter Simpson… Paul Huggett is still living in Hastings and still has some involvement in the local music scene. Merv Toft, sadly, died some years ago.

Paul Huggett… Would be me on bass, yes. 😊 Cedric has been all over the world, eventually became captain on oil tankers, now retired and back in Hastings, building his own boat! Roger passed away a few years ago.

Harry Randall… RIP Roger used to play bass in my first band “The Chain Reaction”! John Petrie (Lead Guitar) HARRY Randall (Rythm) Roger Messetter (Bass) and Archie Pelham (Drums) Phil Booth on Vocals

The Carlisle Hastings May 1985

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Bonx Trigwell… Played there a few times in the mid 1990’s…

Chris Jolly… Louis and Roger!

Karen Sweatman… English Rogues were a great band as were Roadhouse. Happy memories

Roger Carey… I worked with Louis and his band many times in the 1980’s:- sometimes a duo gig came up like this one! Hello Bonx, Hello Chris!

Gary Lancaster… I was very good friends with Louis son whilst at school, if it’s the same Louis Turpin that’s from Rye!

 

Hope & Anchor and Red Cow London 1975

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supplied by Alan King

Geoff Peckham… Wow! I remember playing at the Hope and Anchor with Factory. This would have been after my time. We played lots of London pubs during the pop-rock era. This would have been towards the end of it and the beginning of the punk era.

Andy Qunta… I found it in the Factory archives. 1975.

John Gale… Wow, great posters ,,, Kilburn and the High Roads was Ian Dury’s first band

Mike Curtis… I’m sure I saw Factory at Hope and Anchor around 1971/72.

Liane Carroll… Wow. That is such an interesting poster. Will tell Roger Carey

Andy Qunta… Factory had just finished a 16-day residency at the PN Club in Munich two nights before. We drove about 18 hours, straight through Europe, across the Channel, and up to London to the Hope & Anchor. The load-in at this venue was through the hatchway down from the pavement. You had to lift up the wooden covers and load everything straight down, Hammond organ and all, the same way they loaded the beer barrels. Somehow we still had the strength to put on our usual energetic show!

Pete Prescott… We backed onto that hatchway. the guy went nuts ! Great poster. I played there in 1976/77. Punk had just hit. what a summer !

Terry Pack… I remember that, Andy.

Tony Qunta… Yes! They were great times!

Andy Guainiere… Used to play both those venues in the mid 70’s Loved the Red Cow always a good gig.

Pete Prescott… I remember the Bridge House canning town, Brecknock Camden town, Windsor castle, The Kensington, The 100 club, The Speakeasy, Ronnie Scotts, The Greyhound and the Thomas a Beckett ! Gig list from 76/77…

Mark Rodrigues… London college of furniture?

Andy Qunta… wow! You guys were busy! Factory was similarly busy in ‘75/‘76. A few of the gigs on your list we did, but not that many. It just goes to show how many gigs there were then! Could a band these days play 10 or 11 nights in a row like we used to back then?

Andy Guainiere… We obviously played many of the same venues back then Windsor Castle, 100 club, Kensington, Western counties, Speakeasy to name a few. All these venues were packed back then and a real music audience. great times.

Simon Shaw… Oh, how I wish I was born 10 years earlier!

Tim Moose Bruce… Red Cow. 1976 a certain Aussie band with a schoolboy on lead guitar did their UK debut gig there.

Alan King… i did see them play in a bar on that first tour, was never a fan, but it was a great gig, way too good to be playing the pub circuit but you gotta start somewhere

Colin Gibson… I know people who still have bad backs from Hope+ Anchor + Hammond + Leslie

Alan King… Leslie Hammond always had a bad back, he should have tried that thing the Chinese do with the needles

Marcus de Mowbray… I saw The Fabulous Poodles somewhere in London, but cannot remember where. Good gig, bought their album. Shame they never got further.

 

Who remembers the Provincial Hotel Havelock Road Hastings?

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photo source: unknown

Keith Veness… I do

Mike Mitchell… The Golden Hind?

Neal Hunter… I do

Patricia Lloyd… Me

Tony Court-holmes… had a snooker table out the back

Jackie Hersee… I do

Stephanie Blackledge… Me too. Used to work in Havelock Road

Mark Harris… Right next door to Frank Bettis Autos! I believe Frank used to ride speedway at the old Pilot Field track.

Richard J Porter… Eddie Bartholomew from Cranbrook took on Frank Bettis Autos. Behind there in Robertson Street my wife’s Father had Coopers the Greengocers.

Mick Knights… My shoes always stuck to the carpet!!

Ian Cramp… I think so, I lived in Hastings until 1982 was it there then?

Alan Esdaile… I think it was The Golden Hind then Ian.

Kev Towner… Ooh – before my time. Fascinating though!!

Martin Richter… I’ve got a brochure for it somewhere!

Paul Sleet… Used to play for their snooker team. Bill and Anne Bailey were the licensees.

Richard J Porter… Hollingsworths too when they were there.

Alan Esdaile… My friend Don Bailey’s mum and dad used to run it. When the pub was closed, we used to play bar billiards.

Paul Slidel… I wonder what year the Golden Hind took over? I don’t remember this hotel, but used the Hind a lot! Is this late 60s?

Alan Esdaile… This is probably mid sixties Paul and The Golden Hind around 78/79???

Martin Richter… Stevie D

Wendy Weaver… I think it was The Golden Hind when I came down to live in Hastings in 1978/79.

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Bubblerock Is Here To Stay! The British Pop Explosion 1970-73, Various Artists 3CD

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BUBBLEROCK IS HERE TO STAY – The British Pop Explosion 1970-73   Various Artists 3CD Set

Well i guess the clue is in the title. Grapefruit Records latest 3CD set delves into the mostly pop candyfloss, i.e. consume and forget, pop records that were ubiquitous in the early 70’s. Pop & Rock had by now gone their separate ways, with serious bands getting…well serious, whilst a legion of pop bands old & new released a slew of what the Americans dubbed ‘Bubblegum’ on their side of the pond. They had The Archies, Cuff Links, Crazy Elephant etc. We hit back with our own home made ‘Bubblerock’. So what earned an entry into this genre? Simple 3 minute melodic lightweight hooky radio friendly songs in the main. Certain labels like RCA, Bell, & Mickie Most’s RAK label specialised in having teams of writers hammering out numbers chiefly aimed at the pocket money generation of 11-14 year olds. Early champions were the nascent Sweet & Mud. This new compilation however digs deeper into the rubble and unearth’s some long forgotten nuggets alongside the more familiar. Disc1 cracks off with the oft compiled ‘Groovin With Mr Bloe’ and serves up more well known names with Pickettywitch, Blue Mink, Marmalade, Lieutenant Pigeon & Hotlegs (10cc) but it’s the unfamiliar and the forgotten that provides the fun, like ‘I Fought The Law’ by Posse, ‘Alexandra Park’ by Fumble & the notorious at the time St. Cecelia ‘Leap Up & Down (Wave Your Knickers in The Air) a record actually loved and championed by the late great DJ Jimmy Young who played it regularly on his Radio 2 show. But when it comes to ‘novelty’ pop the undisputed champion is without doubt Jonathan King and his UK Records label. Whatever we may now think of King on a personal level, he was/is a genius for coming up with ‘studio bands’ with (usually) daft names and scoring massive hits. Amongst the more well known here are The Piglets ‘Johnny Reggae’ kicking off Disc2. A record that surprisingly didn’t get banned (if you study the lyrics), i’ll return to King in a moment, Disc2 also sports big names Sweet, Tremeloes, Mungo Jerry & White Plains. and again a host of also rans in Jungle Jim, Peter Cowap, Tina Harvey with a take on The Stones ‘Have You Seen Your Mother Baby’ and Kim’s younger brother Ricky Wilde. But let’s return to White Plains with their entry of ‘When You Are A King’ a record that is vastly superior to some of those i’ve mentioned. It’s a superbly crafted and indeed complex song, what’s it doing here? Then i had a thought David Wells who is the label boss and compiles these releases could be having an ‘in’ joke with this one. As previously mentioned you will find tracks by Jonathan King scattered throughout under different names and guises. Is David asking us to guess which tracks they are by asking ‘When You Are A King’?! Or is that just a random idea of my own? Well either way i’m not going to name all the tracks in question, that way everybody can play along! Disc3 starts with a rather wonderful version of Elvis’s ‘Suspicion’ by the loony ex Bonzo member Vivian Stanshall and again features name acts in David Essex, Bay City Rollers, Middle Of The Road, Peter Skellern & Kenny. There are some strong runners up in Butterscotch with ‘Don’t You Know’, B J Arnau ‘I Want To Go Back There Again’ (she appeared in the Bond film Live & Let Die as a nightclub singer) & Fickle Pickle ‘California Calling’. I was disappointed with the last choice as Fickle Pickle did an amazing version of McCartneys ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ which would have been good to have on here. As ever the packaging and accompanying booklet are first class and in the case of the booklet very informative and will give you the answers to all those ‘fictitious” bands i mentioned earlier. For those that collect the, lost, obscure, novelty and downright wacky side of 70’s pop this will go down a treat, for others it may be a case of too much candyfloss. Enjoy.

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

Til next time………………stay safe….Colin

 

Louis Wiggett… I have the Kincade album, not bad in places.

Mick O’Dowd… Agghh… Leap Up & Down…. What a classic?

Paul Gray… I’ve ordered this and really looking forward to hearing stuff I haven’t heard for 50 years! Grapefruit Records do some fantastic compilations very lovingly put together.

Colin Bell… Excellent Paul, enjoy!

Mick O’Dowd… I am coming out (We know a song about that don’t we children?) No not what you think. I am publically admitting to liking this sort of music. Novelty songs, Bubblegum (Kassenetz Katz where are you? Crazy Elephant). Have to try and get hold of a copy.

Colin Bell… We’ll share the ridicule of our peers together mate

 

Spencer Davis R.I.P.

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photo: https://www.discogs.com/artist/383912-Spencer-Davis

more information… https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54619718

John Gale… Sad news

Alan King… here’s my old mate and sometime band member Miller Anderson playing with Spencer back in ’07 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji2RIXWywrY

Stephen Moran… That’s very sad, my dad and Spencer worked together in Holborn, London in the fifties in what was then called Customs and Excise. Apparently Spencer came round to our house when I was very young to look at a mandolin that my dad owned. I think my dad was hoping Spencer would buy it! RIP Spencer

Yvonne Ellis… RIP love to Family and friends x x

Mike Waghorne… RIP

Allan Testot-newick… What a great band very sad

Roy Winchester… very sad news he was great.r.i.p.

Colin Bell… I thought Autumn ’66 was one of the best albums of the 60’s. RIP Spencer.

Alan Esdaile… Very sad news.

Keith Veness… Sad news

Jacquie Hinves… God bless him. Such a lovely man. Ray Fenwick will miss him , we all will . RIP and “keep on running”

Gerry Fortsch… More bloody sad news, one of my favorite bands from the 60’s when some others were playing mamby pamby pop.

Pete Houghton… So sad to hear this news RIP Spencer Davis

Stuart Moir… One of the hop bands we supproted. All my hero musicians are going to the band above RIP Spencer

Dennis Torrance… A great shame, made some amazing music which I grew up with. RIP Spencer condolences to his family and friends

Mick O’Dowd… Sad news indeed.

Steve Thorpe… RIP

Robert Carey… Coincidence. I was watching Here we go round Mulberry Bush today featuring Spencer. Great film of time and that music.

Alan King… last time I saw him he was playing with Long John Baldry ! at the Fairfield Halls, must have been 20 years ago