Month: July 2021

Mick Bolton R.I.P.

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photo © HLBP Dan Large

Andy Gunton… Not a good way to start the new year. Very sad to hear the news of the death overnight of Mick Bolton. A lovely man & a fine pianist too, who many local people will have seen playing around the Hastings area. In the past he’d played with Mott The Hoople, Dexy’s Midnight Runners & Linda McCartney, amongst others.I had the pleasure of working with Mick on several occasions, something I have very fond memories of. R.I.P Mick, you will be sadly missed

Alan Esdaile… Very sad news. Such a warm and genuine person and a great musician.

John Wilde…Farewell Mick.

Nick Shute… So sorry to hear this sad news…..rip Mick

Caroline Moor… very sad news

Janine Hemsley… So so sad. Thoughts are with Mick’s family.

Wendy Weaver… Sad news😥. R.I.P. Mick

Ricky Long… Sad, Rip Mick great guy

Willie Wicking… So Sorry to hear this, a lovely genuine guy it was only last year we were seeing the New Year in with him at the Grapevine in Rye. Thoughts with his family & friends R.i.P Mick

Nick Bloomfield…  I will remember him though singing this song which is one of his own compositions. I was very fortunate to record  ‘Serpentine Summer’ which is a lovely song about the Hyde Park Concert in 1969.

Elaine Roberts… RIP Mick – a great musician and a lovely, unassuming man. Condolences to all his family and friends – he will be much missed

Carole Prescott… So very sad. Such a lovely man. Condolences to Carol and all other family & friends. Such a shock.

Andy Qunta… Very sorry to hear about Mick. RIP.

Colin Norton… Very sad to hear this news. RIP Mick

Dave Nattress… Not another! I did not know Mick but have read widely of him and the local connections. After the passing of Kevin Hoad recently to lose another notable member of the music community is truly awful.

Iain Cobby… Fond memories of sing along with Mick at the Grapevine with Messrs T Davis, C Rigden and P Merison on nights out in Rye. What a really nice guy. The place won’t be the same without you Mick. RIP

Phil Little… Barry Jones and I played some of our best ever gigs with Mick Bolton since 2011. He was a really great intuitive player and will be irreplaceable to us. Thoughts and Condolences to Carol and Richard. RIP Mick.

William Third… So sad to hear it, what a lovely person as well as a wonderful musician, he will be greatly missed.

Pam Staffell… Memorial bench for Michael on the seafront. It was Carol’s desire today of getting a memorial bench on Hastings seafront that prompted me to suggest “Go Fund Me” Thank you X

Click here… https://gofund.me/1ccac08f

Pam Staffell… Hello everyone. I am so pleased with how this fund is doing. Thank you all for being so generous and kind. It isn’t an easy time right now to be asking for money, so an extra big thank you to you all on behalf of Carol and Bobby. I know the money raised so far will buy a standard bench – there are many styles for Carol to choose from. There is also engraving to be paid for. Plus any administration which Hastings Council asks for! That is how I came to the fund aim of £1500. We have done so well, in these two days, so I am confident the goal will be reached! Thank you again X

Pam Staffell… Hello everyone! I hope you are all well. As I write this it is snowing outside. Sunny days ahead – and news to share with you all. This morning we heard that a Seafront Bench would be available.  Also today, thanks to everyone that has donated, the goal of £1500 has been reached. A huge thanks on behalf of Carol and Bobby who will be able to sit on the bench. And now there will be a seat for you all too, to come and spend some time on “Mick’s Bench”. Thank you all again X

Pam Staffell… Hello again to you all. Sorry, it has been a while since the last update. The bench is going ahead, although we haven’t been given a date of installation yet. We’re looking at options for what to do with the amount that is outstanding, such as a plaque on Hastings pier or memorial trees from friends and family, but that with things closed or delayed due to Covid it might take a while to sort that out. I will, of course, keep you updated as soon as I have more information. Take care Pam X

Pam Staffell… Hello everyone and I hope you are all well. Tonight, I am so pleased to finally be able to give you the news that Mick’s Memorial Bench is finally in situ. I have only been told it is in Sea Road Hastings – its exact position, I yet to have confirmed – (but if someone should visit first, please do update with the location). Thank you again everybody for your kind donations. Look forward to sharing the bench with you one day! For Mick X

Nick Bloomfield… Here are the photos of the bench that myself and many other people contributed to for the musician Mick Bolton (born in Wigan) who died on the 1st January this year. Mick who played with Mott The Hoople and Dexys Midnight Runners among others was an extremely talented keyboards player. I filmed him on many occasions and I have to say that he was a sweet and self effacing man too. There’s something nice about having a name on a bench looking out to sea…

photos: Nick Bloomfield

Pete Prescott… A lovely guy!

Chris Jolly… A lovely man and a terrific keyboard player…

Derek Johnson… Great Tribute well done everyone involved

Tony Davis… miss just stopping for a chat with him in the park. Such a nice guy

Willie Wicking… Lovely Gesture 👍Lovely Guy great musician

 

It looks like Blackpool Illuminations in here! (Mark Grundy shared question)

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Colin Bell… Mine!

Leigh Mitchell… mine too, and if you left the door open…‘were you born in a barn?!

Ralph Winser… Mine too

Paavali Mears… Mine used to say switch em off it costs too much

Nicola Barfield… Mine now I say that lol

Julian Humphries… Regents street at christmas

Tim Harris… Have we won the lottery ?

Paul Kemble – Bielecki… My mum usually

Emma Quarry…. Yes I think so and say you look almost human when you were going out for the night

Leigh Kennedy… Or if you didn’t close a door behind you it was ” Were you born in a barn” !?

Patricia Burgess… Or what did your last servant die of

Lorna Brazier… Yep

Tim Moose Bruce… Or when it was too dark, “its like a cave in here.”

Mike Guy… Tim, it was the Black Hole of Calcutta in our house.

Robert Fisher… yes my father always said that

Mick O’Dowd… I think most people did!

Louise Taylor… My mum

Grant Young… Yep defo mine… or it’s like a summers day in here.

Tracy Birrell… Mine,or ,’It’s lit up like a Christmas tree in here!”

 

 

SMART coffee meets – Back Soon!

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Freak Flag… Finally, the return of civilisation

Wendy Weaver… That will be lovely.

Stephen Moran… Great news Alan.

Heather Sidery… This sounds sooo goood

Colin Bell… Well done mate

Monica Bane… That’s great news!!

Mick O’Dowd… Good to meet friends old & new again. I’ts been so long!

Tony Davis… Yeah good news

Mick O’Dowd… About time am suffering withdrawal symptoms!

Pete Millington… Looking forward to it Alan

 

Marmalade – Hastings Pier 27th July 1969

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marmalade

Marmalade_1968

ad supplied by Sarah Harvey, photo from 1968 Theoldcomposer

 

 

Dave Nattress… Used to see them on TOTP’s a lot and they did some great singles. Bought The Very Best of Marmalade on CD years ago from the record shop that used to be in George Street on the left between the Pump House and the big old hardware shop. Is on the Fat Boy Records label – 1993.

Alan Esdaile… I think you mean Old Town Music, Dave.

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supplied by Tony May

Diane Neve… Marmalade, Bring back the good times.

 

Mosaic plus Pueblo and Friends – Zodiac Centre 27th July 1974

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mosaic

supplied by Roger Carey

Pete Fairless… Hand coloured?

Conan Howard… I bet that was done by Bernard Jeffries the drummer?

Sarah Harvey… Roger normally did the hand-crafted posters for the bands. They were always neat and he always put a lot of time into them as you can imagine.

Dave Nattress… Sarah, I have some old Samisen artwork, some you did I think – posters for gigs, with “Samisen” in Japanese style lettering and a rising sun logo, and some I did which we put in our car windows – must meet up some time or I’ll bring them to a SMART gig. Temporarily mislaid but I do have them for sure.

Sarah Harvey… I remember those Dave. My first job was a design draftsperson and I created all the Ore Festival posters on a drawing board with set squares and other drawing instruments.

Dave Nattress… Sarah, when I find them I’ll post them on the SMART website.

Conan Howard… I think that was done by Bernard Jeffries,Samisens second drummer .. who is now is KING BATHMAT

An assortment of lollies from the 1970’s. Which one did you like?

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lollies

source: seventies time-machine https://www.facebook.com/sixties.timemachine/

Alan Esdaile… some good licks here

Pete Prescott… Had emailed all ! Splits and fabs ! Ooooh! Corbett and tiger mint. Anyone remember Jubblies ?

Darren Holmes… Always had to have the Red Devil being a Man Utd fan!!! lol

Peter Thomson… We were served a Fab each courtesy of Virgin Atlantic a couple of weeks back while crossing the pond (really). Beats a boring choc-ice!

Mark Gilham… Bananas – can taste it now

Alan Pepper… Lolly gobble choc bomb – wish I’d thought of that one ! My favourite was the oyster . And anything banana !

Clifford Rose… The good old days when we had an ice cream van parked outside our school gates every dinner time. I would go for the Sky Ray, but most of our local shops were Lyons Maid.

Jane Saunders… Tiger Mint, Heart and cornetto were a firm fav

Mark Praid… Lord Toffingham hadn’t come out yet.

Dennis Torrance… Had everything there but not in the same day nice post

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who remembers Timothy Whites in Hastings?

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Martin Richter… hell yeah! a neighbour worked there and i worked 3 doors down

Anne Murray… Was it where Plummers was (Debenhams old site)?

Martin Richter… no, it was in Queens Road – a couple (or three) doors down from Boots

Yvonne Cleland… I do, and there was one I London Road St. Leonard’s too! X

Linda Day… I worked in Timothy Whites chemist it was in Queen’s Rd just down from the hardware Timothy Whites

Martin Richter… i known they were known as a chemist but i only ever knew the hardware shop 🙂 was the chemist taken over by Boots ?

Linda Day… Yes

John Gale… Wasn’t it near where Holland and Barratt is now in Queens Rd? My memory seems to think there was a Boots there too, as well as one in Robertson Street

Martin Richter… i always thought it was weird that there were 2 Boots within 500yds (but – they used to have the highest footfall of any retailer – mainly because they were main (if only) chemist in many area – and both were always busy! i also remember 2 Dewhurst butchers on Queen Road between the cinema and M&S

Alan Esdaile… This will help people remember the Queens Road. Derek Clemans painting.

© Derek Clemans

John Gale… that’s brilliant

Martin Richter… crikey – any idea what year? my addled brain seems to remember Boots and TW the other way round and Dewhurst further to the right (?) – i think the Wimpy had previously been the Golden Egg – after it moved from Castle Street ?

Phil Gill… Ah, Bollom. It was neither one thing nor the other.

Linda Day… Think I was there in 1967

Martin Richter… anyone got a time machine? some of this stuff would be worth good money today 🙂 p.s. what’s a coffret!

Allyson Breeds… I think it was a box of talc, I seem to remember my mum having something like that.

Fiona Evans… A coffret was a gift box containg soap,talc,bath cubes & moisturiser. When I was a youngster I used buy one every Christmas for my Mum – I think she liked them !!.

Peter Fairless… It’s French for a little box – – a small coffer.

Colin Bell…It was another of those shops back then that had a unique smell when you entered, funny how you remember these things after so many years!

Jan Warren… Timothy Whites had a store in Western Road, Bexhill too, I still have a catalogue from 1983!

Dave Weeks… Jan, then it was Friday Ad shop

Graham Sherrington… yep

Yvonne Cleland…Didn’t they merge in the end? I thought Boots bought out Timothy Whites.

Colin Bell… They did Yvonne, Boots bought them out in 1968

Thin Lizzy another NO SHOW – Hastings Pier 21st June 1975

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I think they were booked 3 times for Hastings Pier but all were cancelled.

Alan Esdaile… Replaced by Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance

Steve Amos… That’s a pretty good replacement!

Peter Thomson… I’ve always wondered why they cancelled the one I was aware of but three times? Wow. First time I saw them was at Reading in ‘75; a daytime slot as I recall. Despite the disdain of some, I saw them several times after that and I always remember a consistently sharp performance. They remain one of my favourite live acts.

Pete Houghton… Also a Band called OZO failed to turn up to the Pier

David Edwards… Better of with Ronnie Lane I’d of thought

Kevin Sherwood… 1973 didn’t show for the Vagabonds of the Western World tour not that I’m still bitter.

More Expandis rarities 1983 supplied by Roger Carey.

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photo, poster and play list all supplied by Roger Carey

More Expandis rarities. supplied by Roger Carey who played bass for the band in 1983.

Photo from Vines Cross Festival near Heathfield (Top of the bill was The Enid) L-R David Miller guitar/vocals, Roger Carey bass, John Wilde vocals percussion, Phil Thornton keyboards/vocals. Poster – Rumours Club Hastings 22nd July 1983 & Alexandra Park 23rd July 1983. Set lists. Probably from a gig in London and a gig in Bath. Notice the van hire charges totally £40.00.

John Wilde… Wahooo. Nice save Roger!

David Miller… Great pic of a great day and other fine stuff – nice one, Roger….

Yvonne Cleland… What a picture, what a photograph! Good find, Rog! x