Osibisa – De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill – 1975

26234_385823823709_7077037_n

supplied by Mick Mepham

Mick O’Dowd…….Brilliant band! Anybody got any pics/info on The Famous Rondini Brothers. They were so famous I can’t remember them!

Peter Pursglove……Did security for Osibisa at the De la warr ,excellent night but a sitting down concert just did’nt seem to work for me. We also did a gig for Paul Casson and Joe Devito up in Sussex or Kent with Curved Air they were really good.

Alan Esdaile…..That was Chatham Town Hall, Peter and you probably also did Baker Gurvitz Army at the same venue?

Peter Pursglove……One of the bands was either German or Dutch and they were good too.

Alan Esdaile….The dutch band your thinking of Pete, might have been Thijs van Leer, the guy that was in the band Focus? I remember seeing someone playing a hammond organ literally throwing it around the stage as he played it and panic set in a couple of times when it looked like it was going to roll into the audience.

Julie Morris… Even mentions Supertramp – one of my favourite shops. Talk about blast from the past! Think it was in Robertson Street.

Alan Esdaile… Well remember Julie. Yes it was in Robertson Street, a few doors along from what was Hall’s the shoe shop

David Ramsey… I remember playing for The Famous Rondini Brothers at The Marquee, I was asked to stand in last minute as they had misplaced their drummer !!!!!!! We supported some fusion rock outfit from Italy that was the band The Musical Express was raving about at that time, was a great evening and rounded off with being introduced to John Coghlan the original drummer with Status Quo by Jackie Lynton. Sit down gig that night, but the Rons went down so well with the audience that everybody was on their feet giving it large. 
Fond memory xxx

The Who 30th Dec, The Kult New Years Eve 1967

30th-december-1967

Andre Palfrey-Martin collection

Mick Knights… Yep, was at this one, but as I remember the rest of the town,s youth had other plans that night!

Andy Qunta… Ah, those were the days alright!

Andre Martin… Well that was the way to get round the Sunday licencing rules in the day= create a Club night ! And look who has taken over the Pier Promotions on 6th January – John Schofiled with his Strand Entertainments.

 

Zodiac Pub/Centre Priory Road Hastings 1981

Jane Hartley… Reading one of Dave Gemmell’s books at the moment!

Judith Monk… He was great. For a while he wrote the Women’s page in the local Observer.

Stewart Rockett… Trivia notes: David Gemmell was a member of the Hastings Writer’s Group, the UK’s longest existing writing group. He was also their patron until his death. Catherine Cookson was a founder member of the group.

Judith Monk… Stewart, my mother in law Mary Monk was also a member of the group.

Happy Christmas and very best wishes for a healthy 2022

A Very Big Thank you to everyone for the great support during the year and especially to the people that regularly post and keep the SMART page alive. Also to everyone that turns up at our coffee meets and also tune in to the radio shows. Another tough year but SMART is still going strong. We always need more old photos and cuttings that would be of interest and haven’t been posted before. One photo, can be so special for lots of people. It is a sad time for many but I hope some of the postings keep the happy times and memories alive. Best. Alan

Mike Curtis… All the best to you too Alan!

Kathy Wood… Happy Christmas Alan

Cris Kennard… Thank you Alan for all that you do throughout the year.

Pauline Sims… Thanks for all you do! Happy Christmas Alan

Dennis Torrance… That’s nice and Happy Christmas

Merv Kennard… Happy Christmas to you and yours

Linda Delana… Thank you so much! ❤️ Merry Christmas

Julie Findlay-jones… Merry Christmas and happy New year to you from me and my family Alan xx

Julie Morris… Thank you for your contribute too Alan – it’s much appreciated.

Nathan Honey… I knew that was grandads painting as soon as I see it!

Geoff Peckham… Season’s greetings and all the best to you Alan! x

Leigh Mitchell… Happy Christmas Alan

Perri Ann Haste… All the best to you too Alan & seasons Greetings

Wendy Weaver… Happy Christmas Alan

Andrew Clifton… Thank you Alan and Merry Christmas to you too. x

Colin Bell… Happy Christmas mate, i know the effort you put in, well done on another year.

Linda Crane… Merry Christmas x

Phil Little… Happy Christmas, Alan

Ricky Long… Same to you Alan have a good one all the best ?

Yvonne Cleland… Merry xmas Alan and all SMART folk! xxx xxx

Jane Hartley… Happy Christmas Alan, hope to see you next year at an Old Gits meeting

Stephen Moran… Wishing you Alan and everyone in the SMART group a very Happy Christmas. Thank you and SMART members for all your help with my research into the popular music history of Hastings. I wouldn’t be able to do it without your support, I’m very grateful.

Glenn Piper… Happy Christmas Al

Peter Houghton… Wish You A Happy Christmas And a Happy New Year Yours Pete

Chris Jolly… Merry Christmas Alan… see you in 2022!

Sandie Carlyon… Happy Christmas Alan. Love Kev and Sandie Carlyon

Mick O’Dowd… All the best to you Alan in what has been a challenging year but you kept the group going. Well done Mate.

Lance Collins… Happy Christmas

Steve Maxted… and to you Alan, enjoy

Jacqueline Marsh… I enjoy reading and seeing all the things that you post happy Christmas to you and all xxx

Colin Norton… Thanks for all you do, Alan! Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and yours!

Pauline Richards… And you x

Andy Qunta… Same to you, Alan & all the SMART people!

Keith Rodway… All the best Alan

Paul Coleman… Happy Christmas to one and all, & may we all keep going ’til the next one!

Dave Nattress… Best wishes Alan. The website we all needed!! For me initially it was the music scene locally that was so appealing racking my brains which bands etc. I’d seen and where and when but broadened out to include so much about the town and local area the site and participants bring so much more!

Alan Pepper… Happy Christmas Alan ! And to all. Here’s a cracker joke – How does Good King Wenslas like his Pizzas ? Deep pan , crisp and even.

Tracy Birrell… Thank you for all the memories. Happy Yuletide to everyone. May you have peace and health.xx

Mike Raxworthy… Have a very Merry Christmas mate. Thanks for the Soul Party advert on the back cover of your SMART news letter!

Dave Trodd… Really enjoying the website – it’s bringing back so many memories and love meeting old friends – and new friends – at the meetings. Looking forward to the next one. Well done Alan and wishing everyone a happy new year for 2022.

 

SMART coffee meet No. 58 report

Our 58th SMART coffee meet and among the newbies this time were Mo Elms (Terry James wife), Simon Falla, Colin Tapp and Dave Boutwood. Mo brought along photos and cuttings of many local radio stations and dj’s, including Splash Radio, Arrow FM, the Earl Of Zetland ship, Terry James, Johnny Francis, Terry Kane, Ambrose Harcourt, DC Disco photos and more. Simon was chatting about Lazybones Disco and has found a photo of some of the Lazybones staff which he will be posting soon. Colin was chatting about his facebook page ‘Hastings groups from 1958 to the present’ and his many happy memories of working with The Redcoats and The Humperdinks. Dave had with him his excellent black and white photo sheets of local musicians.  Merv Kennard had a Mi Amigo postcard which was sent to him back in the seventies. Anthony ’Nan’ Morland  had a Disc Jockey record bag, Masons Music shop photos, various Queens Road shop photos, a photo of Dimarcos and The Humperdinks photos when they played The Yelton in the 80’s.  Dave Muriel was chatting about the tv series called ‘Wham’ when he was dancing with the Vernon Girls at the ABC Studio in Manchester. On the bill was Joe Brown, Jess Conrad, Billy Fury and others. He’s hoping to find photos of his  skiffle group The Jeanagers when they appeared at The Chatsworth in the 60’s.  John Busbridge had with him some 7” singles and Pete Prescott brought along the Box Of Pin Ups The British Sounds of 1965 CD set. General chat was about the sad loss of John Miles, future gigs tough for musician, the 70’s programme on channel 5 and aches and pains!  Sorry I didn’t get round to chatting to everyone. This is just a small bit of what I remember, if you have anything interesting that you were talking about then please feel free to add.

Colin Tapp… Hi to all in SMART seventies, I enjoyed the meet today met some old friends , and apologies not meeting everyone there, but hope to meet up with you next time.

Lloyd Johnson… it was fun Colin.

Andre Martin… Good to catch up after a long time. Good turn out under the current problems and a great to see some old faces.

Wendy Weaver… It was nice to see so many people.

Monica Bane… Thanks for the update! Hopefully next time, had been looking forward to coming Alan

Sid Saunders… Glad it went well.

Claire Lonsdale… Thanks Alan. Was a very nice meeting. X

Lucy Pappas… Almost made it today

Tony Davis… Sorry not to make it but have been away

Stephen Moran… Thank you Alan, it was great to be there

Keith Veness… Will get there one day

Paul Coleman… I intend to come to the meet every time but something always bloody comes up!

Dave Nattress… Bum!! Missed it, very busy at work!!

Graham Belchamber… Sorry I couldn’t get along this time. Glad it went well

Mick O’Dowd… You missed the mince pies!!

Alan Esdaile… Thanks to Cris Kennard, Mick.

Mick O’Dowd… Interesting as usual meet, under challenging conditions.

Pete Houghton… Hope to be at next one

Tony Howard… Very interesting reading about the chat .  I know Terry Elm’s very well, use to work with him many years ago.  Nan mentioned a Disc Jockey bag, I too have one of Big Al’s Disc Jockey bags i also have a genuine Beetles bag. Colin talked about the Red Coats group, I remember them playing at Northiam Village Hall, back in the 60’s with Pete Bailey playing with them, whom later year’s worked with him. I will try to get to the meeting some time in the new year. Till then have a good Christmas,and best wishes for the new year

Dave Trodd… Very enjoyable. Keep up the good work Alan.

 

Pete Prescott – The Lost Boys – The Carlisle 1990/91?

img122

Stuart Moir….Bet u can’t do that now Pete’ ..

Pete Prescott… if i did that now the earth would shake ! that was at the carlisle around 90/91. It’s our very last gig on dec 21st at the Carlisle where it all started, sad. God I wish I could do that now ! I’d need a crane and medical staff involved!

Mark Mackenzie… me too

Michale Wilson… Great times and great gigs at the Carlisle

Shaun Cramp… Got a sneaking suspicion that you where playing jump lol , good days

Janet Rennie… Wow. Lift off

Peter Houghton… That’s pretty cool

Chris Cozens… Was the mic stand suddenly ‘live’?

Stuart Moir… Age catches up with us all Pete’

Pete Prescott… Lost Boys live at the Black Horse Festival YouTube

Willie Wicking… Great Memories so so good

Gary Thomas… I used to watch them at the James Burton pub, down the stairs “Walk like an Egyptian”

 

Spot any local guys on this? asks Harry Randall

Pete Grange… The drummer lives it lived in Hastings..

Andy James Long… Liam Genockey…. I believe!

Tony Court-holmes… still see him about

Harry Randall… Yes it’s Liam I believe he plays/ played (Covid) in a local band as well as Steeleye Span?

Broadoak Studios… Great to see Liam Genocky – you can hear his style before you see him. Lovely performance all round

Angela Frances Gardner… Yes Liam

Mick Knights… Isn’t that Bob Holness playing sax?!!!!!

Jimbo Tipler… Did Liam play on the studio version, anyone know?

Andy James Long… I read not, though I can’t remember who did!

Nick Bloomfield… This is a short film I recorded at The Kino in 2017 with Liam Genockey on drums playing with Buick 6 comprising him, Colin Gibson and Roger Hubbard. I thought they were excellent!

Nick Bearkeeper Rowland… Liam Genockey. He is Buick 6’s drummer and Steelye Span’s. When I first saw Gerry Rafferty perform Baker Street on Top The Pops in 1978. As one who did not like Punk Rock, Baker Street was a breath of fresh air. I could not wait to pick up my wage packet and rush to the Disc Jockey and buy the City to City album. Little did I know, I would meet Liam and befriend him several years later. Gerry Rafferty is timeless.

Mark Atkinson… Liam on form here, takes me back to the Lesley Arms Addiscombe. Don, Odette, (After hours)Tony, Basil, Randy, Liam, Mick, the CSA big band. Get in touch Liam!

 

 

Queens Parade Hastings

photos supplied by Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

Pete Houghton… Thank you for sharing this!

Claire Louise Maplesden… I remember this and wasn’t it much better than what we’ve got now! WHSmith was where Yates is and it was huge too!! ….then Woolworths 🙂 Gamleys (maybe the old Halfords? God knows what it is now) & you didn’t have the threat of an attack as you wandered through your town. Good days….& I’m only 36

Paul Foster… Remember it well , love to wind the clock back now and have another walk around

Judy Atkinson… That parade of shops was truly hideous, no great loss. The shops themselves may have been OK, but the building? Classic awful 50s/60s

Chris Meachen… There were some decent shops there at one time..

Paul Bannister… Chris, that’s the Hastings I remember!

Alan Esdaile… Chris, Huckells.

Keith Veness… Great shop Huckells

Angela Frances Gardner… Such an ugly building!

Neil Cartwright… Ha! Part of me wants to say “What? You mean it’s changed?” I remember FADS very well, and Roger used to work in the TV shop (Curry’s?) across the road.

Tracy Birrell… I love these old photos

Andy Knight… French’s (is that right) went in there and heard ‘Take me to the River’ for the first time playing in the shop, thank you Talking Heads

Merv Kennard… Still using amp and speaker’s bought in French’s very early eighties.

Chris Meachen… similarly, I Bought a JVC amp in about 1976 which is still going strong…

Merv Kennard… Sony amp,wharfdale laser 80 speakers.