Day: 7 June 2022

Missing Persons – Zodiac Centre 1979 photos by Dave Trodd

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all photos © Dave Trodd

Stephen Ritchfield (vocals and writer), Martin Luckhurst (guitar), Robin Heggie (Bass) and Andy Knight (drums) 

Andy Knight… Looked in my diary, the date was Saturday the 18th August 1979 and the PA blew on the first number but obviously was fixed. It looks like one of the first Missing Persons gigs, in fact the first week, we played Six Bells Chiddingly on the Thursday, the Carlisle on Friday supporting Die Laughing and the Ore Centre on the Saturday.

Tim Moose Bruce… Great band. I remember them supporting Die Laughing.

Romaine Fulton-hart… Memories

David Blundell… Uppers On The South Downs!

Dave Nattress…Great band, saw a couple of times and was amazed to see Steve Richfield on vocals. Knocked around with his two sisters – Susan and Clare I think, in a bunch of friends in Bexhill where they all lived – all good clean innocent times and I remember a little blonde haired lad – a few years later he’d grown up and was leading Missing Persons. A long, long time ago. Later doing it myself about the same time we had Robin in The Prisoners and we used to rehearse at Andy’s studio in Fairlight Road. He was local rock royalty even back then.

 

Miltons Fingers and Gold Dust – The Cobweb St Leonards 7th June 1969

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Miltons Fingers, 1968. Left to right: Tony “Spike” Milligan, Milton, Alan Stevenson and Bert Coupe. photo: https://garagehangover.com/miltons-fingers/

Judy Atkinson… I remember going to see Steve Maxted at the Aquarius club in George St, Thursday nights in the 70s

Roy Hudd’s Music Hall – White Rock Pavilion Hastings 7th June 1976

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Jim Breeds… Everything I disliked about the sort of cr** my parents liked is encapsulated by this advert!

Martin Richter… roy hudd is a master :-0

Jim Breeds… Yes, I liked him. Especially on Radio doing the News Huddlines. But this “variety” stuff was everything that was bad about light entertainment.

Martin Richter… he’s a variety genius – paul merton is the same with b&w films ?

Chris Baker… Well Jim, if you liked it, you’d be as old as your parents!

G Band (The Glitter Band) – Hastings Pier 4th June 1976

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G BAND

G BAND – HASTINGS PIER 4th June 1976

On their very first gig as the G Band, the glitter didn’t shine as expected. Among fainting fans, the G Band made their entrance but gone has the opening impact of the effective drum beats, instead under the spotlight appeared an unknown keyboard player which you could not hear during the whole set! Loud screams greeted the rest of the band and they played safe by starting with ‘Angel Face’ but because of sound problems this wasn’t that recognisable until half way through. They continued with a couple of unknown songs including a reggae number which was leaving the audience a bit restless and it didn’t help matters when they moved on with a terrible version of the ‘Lorraine Ellison’ classic ‘ Stay With Me’. It was apparent that the group seemed nervous and unsure but the tables soon turned when they performed ‘Tears I Cried’ and the new hit single ‘Don’t Make Promises’  with Gerry playing the banjo!  From ‘So Is The Sun’ to the Spencer Davis cover ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ to ‘People Like You & People Like Me’ and to finish the set ‘Goodbye My Love’. The audience got them back on stage  for the encore ‘Tell Him’.   reviewed by Johnny Mason for Melody Maker

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here’s an older gig ad:

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John Storer… I have no idea why I went to see them. My Aunt Margaret’s cousin, John Springate, was in the band (and still is) but that nebulous familial connection probably wouldn’t have dragged me to the Pier to see them. Can only assume a girl I fancied told me she was going! I was a million miles away from being the “coolest kid on the block” back then, and don’t think I ever let on I’d been to see them – they were a pop group, for goodness sake!  I do remember, however, that I was really surprised at how good they were live. Haven’t seen John since my cousin’s wedding several years back, but did meet a couple of the band about 6 years ago when they were still involved in legal wranglings over the name and royalties owed from back in the 70s. Almost choked on my tea when I looked at their Wiki page and saw one Roger Carey had once been in the line-up!  Does anyone have a photo of Roger dressed in silver foil and stack heels?

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