Sundowners Club – Light Fantastic, Centre Page, Marmalade – Eastbourne April 1976

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Sundowners Discotheque – Eastbourne. Light Fantastic, Centre Page and Marmalade April 1976. Remember seeing lots of bands here, always a great night.

Chris Coleman… spent a lot of my misspent youth in there lol

Jane Hartley…  Nipped over there after the pubs chucked out and got in before they closed the doors!

Virginia Davis… Forgot about Sundowners. Used to go a lot

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Saw lots of bands there & also, across the road at Kings Country Club – although that was more ‘cabaret’ style artists & comedians. The Barron Knights, Tony Bennett, Mike Reid, Freddie Starr to name but a few!

Charlie Ball… Sweet sensation !…. Used to love the Sundowners, Good fun

Alan Esdaile… Sad Sweet Dreamer Charlie. I think I saw them. I remember seeing Mud and The Real Thing at The Sundowners.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Yes! Saw them too Charlie! Did we go together?! Lol ️xx Great times! Oh to be young again, eh, Mr B?! ️xx

Paul Austin… Reflections of my life by Marmalade… One of my favourite songs of all time!

Mark Gilham… I played opposite there at Kings Country Club in a cabaret band when I was a 17 year old student!

Jane Dorsett… saw lots of bands at sundowners, had my 18th birthday at kings country club, at will be 40 years ago tomorrow. were has all the years gone, love to do it all again.

Colin Bell… Did some djing there and first saw The Drifters at Kings C.C. over the road, when Johnny Moore was the lead singer, a really lovely guy with a great voice. Im sure Andre did some djing there too?
Or has my memory gone wonky…!

Jim Breeds… Great place. I went there many times but the only band I can remember seeing at the moment was Showaddywaddy. Mud! Yes. Saw them there too. Always thought they should have done a live album called Mud On The Road. Perhaps they did for all I know. Some of their covers (e.g. In The Mood) were superb. Well, perhaps “superb” was overegging the memory but is OK

Dave Nattress… Sundowners – Fabulous days and nights!! Mud used to play there in their early days, and Golden Hammers and Choise or Choice who each did a set doing covers and then combined as The Showaddywaddy Rock and Roll Show. Many others but I forget them, but I think Bethnal played there a couple of times. Friday was quite a late night, Saturday very late and I think Sunday as well. We used to leave the club at way past midnight and tear back to Taffy’s on Bexhill Road for a bag of chips. Seemed like he was open till 2.00am. Used to be a great meeting place early in the mornings. Mates, acquaintances and often bands who’d been playing the pier on their way to the next gig location or home for a few hours if they were lucky. Jane D. I was at your 18th at Kings – obviously!!! Catch u soon. Was it Three Degrees? Kings was another great club back in the day.

Dennis Wootton… Our favourite haunt on a Friday night.

Carol Arnold… ahhhhh great times!

Tony May… “In The Mood’ was actually released as a single under the name DUM. I think ‘Watching The Clock’ was the b side – a track that MUD used a few times as a b side.

Janine Anne Hemsley…  I was singing opposite at Kings Country Club then but managed to pop over .

Mick Knights…  If you wanted to impress a young lady then chicken in a basket at the Sundowners was the height of sophistication, mind you fish and chips at Taffy’s on the way back came a close second!

Mark Gilham… There were a few bands Alan and I’m ashamed to tell you that I can’t remember, it was that long ago. I had to wear a bow tie and learn horrible lead parts. It was a means of making money in the evenings as a student and the preferred choice I suppose between that and doing the washing up in hotels. If I do remember I’ll certainly let you know!

Jim Breeds…  Taffy’s was great!

Charlie Ball… Always Taffys to soak up the beer, but never good fish and chips lol

Lynda Whatley… Remember Sundowners well.

Sheila Maile… Used to drive there from Netherfield and drink rum and cokes  and drove home at 2in the morning (didn’t we all in those days).

Leigh Weiland-Boys… Loved this place! So many memories

Samuel Freeman… Many a good night had there

Mick Knights… I was refused entry for wearing trainers, I went back to the car and put on my work boots and got in!

Charlie Ball… Great place, some good nights there

Graham Burfield… I remember the carpet round the bar never cleaned,your shoes used to stick to it as you walked away from the bar.

Andre Martin… I remember local Agent Vic Lawrence used to book into that venue, as he booked me for some mid week nights in the late 60s/early 70s.

Nick Pacey… Light Fantastic seen them twice in the Sundowners great group

Robert Searle… Candy Choir was one of my favourite vocal harmony groups. I played the Sundowners with Haze and Easy Street, loved it.

Stuart Moir… This was my big years with Centre Page on drums/vocals I don’t think there was anything to touch us for harmony’s especially our Beach Boys covers.

Nigel Bolero… My brother and I worked one of the bars from the time the brilliant new building opened. Mud pre big, big time where brilliant, Every Fri/ Sat packed. Fantastic nights always

Dennis Torrance… Went there a lot remember scampi in a basket and the music

John Busbridge… Used to go there regularly in my youth!

Samuel Freeman… Great Nightclub

Claire Triance… Yes Kings was opposite

Keith Novis… Great venue saw Marmalade and Desmond Dekker there

Chris Johnson… Saw a few bands there in 76 – 77 with mate Paul Clulow. Then moved to London for decades. What happened to Sundowners and Kings C C, demolished for housing ? There’s no trace of them on google maps, Shame.

Stuart Moir… Great times in our Centre Page days, loved playing the Sundowners

Chris Howard… It was a great venue to play

Mark Mackenzie… Vic Lawrence booked us for the Sundowners late 60s my band was “The New Breed”, Soul, Tamla music, great venue. We also supported Marmalade at The Witchdoctor Catford and Hastings a few times whilst working with Radio Caroline.

Sheila Maile… Oh yes. Many a good Sat night there in the days when we had a designated driver who said I’ll only have one drink & ended up on Rum&coke. Used to come from other side of Battle after an evening in the local pub. Such good old days. Early 70s

Pete Alland… I go back even further when as lead singer in ‘The Rebels’ we played there many times in 1966/67/68

Colin Norton… Here’s a photo of the Rebels playing at the original Sundowners Club in early 1966. The band was: Colin Jenner – bass, Mick Noakes – Guitar, Baz Cooper – Keyboards, Colin Norton – Drums and Pete Alland – Vocals.

supplied by Colin Norton

Stuart Moir… I loved our gigs at this club it was one of the best music venues in the South East .

Robert Searle… Loved playing there and having nights out there,always great bands there.

Jane Hartley… Out of the pub at closing, quick dash across the marshes to Sundowners.

Nigel Bolero… Boy did I have great times in Sunnies from before the new building was completed. Very sad to hear it’s gone.

Norman Pelz… I was a member of the Club at the age of 13, and met my wife there at the age of 16, we have now been married for 51 years, had some brilliant times at the Sundowners

Mick O’Dowd… Seem to remember being at the Marmalade gig.

Leigh Mitchell… Great place! Saw a few good groups there

Stuart Moir… I loved playing this club, we met some amazing talented and friendly musicians.

George Brown… Wonderful times, used to shuttle between Sundowners and Kings, dependant on who was playing.

Perri Ann Haste… I remember going here in the 70’s had some great nights !

Bob Searle… Loved playing there with Haze and Easy Street, seen some great groups, we supported Merseybeats, Dr Feelgood,Karl Denver, The Wurzels, etc. Great days

Paul Sleet… Smart dress. That’s changed a lot!

Gerry Fortsch… The bastards never let me in ever as I wore jeans, very expensive ones I must add but they always let girls in wearing jeans but that was different as they attracted guys like bee’s round the honey pot so that was Ok then, or was it?

Andy Wright… Paul Sleet I remember your white jeans

Carol Anne… Brilliant memories Sundowners on a Friday and Saturday, Mud, Showaddywaddy etc, drive to Hastings pubs or Star Inn, then onto Sundowners, then the trek back across the marshes x

John Busbridge… Happy days!

 

11 thoughts on “Sundowners Club – Light Fantastic, Centre Page, Marmalade – Eastbourne April 1976”

  1. saw lots of bands at sundowners, had my 18th birthday at kings country club, at will be 40 years ago tomorrow. were has all the years gone, love to do it all again.

    Reply
  2. Sundowners – Fabulous days and nights!!

    Mud used to play there in their early days, and Golden Hammers and Choise or Choice who each did a set doing covers and then combined as The Showaddywaddy Rock and Roll Show. Many others but I forget them, but I think Bethnal played there a couple of times.

    Friday was quite a late night, Saturday very late and I think Sunday as well. We used to leave the club at way past midnight and tear back to Taffy’s on Bexhill Road for a bag of chips. Seemed like he was open till 2.00am. Used to be a great meeting place early in the mornings. Mates, acquaintances and often bands who’d been playing the pier on their way to the next gig location or home for a few hours if they were lucky.

    Jane D. I was at your 18th at Kings – obviously!!! Catch u soon. Was it Three Degrees? Kings was another great club back in the day.

    Reply
  3. Yes Taffy’s – I’ve always remembered this from being a young lad of maybe no more than 10 years old. Me and a few mates walking from Bexhill to Hastings along the seafront and stopping off inland at Taffy’s about midday. I didn’t have a few pence for a bag of chips but Taffy gave me a bag for free – I’ve always remembered such a kind gesture. He got paid back time and time again when I was a good bit older though.

    Reply
  4. My brother and I worked one of the bars from the time the brilliant new building opened. Mud pre big, big time where brilliant, Every Fri/ Sat packed. Fantastic nights always

    Reply
  5. Saw a few bands there in 76 – 77 with mate Paul Clulow. Then moved to London for decades. What happened to Sundowners and Kings C C, demolished for housing ? There’s no trace of them on google maps, Shame.

    Reply
  6. Pete Alland -I go back even further when as lead singer in ‘The Rebels’ we played there many times in 1966/67/68

    Reply
  7. I was a member of the Club at the age of 13, and met my wife there at the age of 16, we have now been married for 51 years, had some brilliant times at the Sundowners – Norman Pelz

    Reply
  8. Brilliant memories sundowners on a Friday and Saturday, mud, shawaddywaddy etc, drive to Hastings pubs or star inn then onto sundowners, then the trek back across the marshes x

    Reply

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