February 23, 2023

Outside Stylus Record Shop, boss ‘Bob McKenzie’, ‘Leif Ohlin’ and Alan Esdaile. Poster on the door for the Steamhammer gig and Gary Glitter’s taking over the other window!

lp record bag supplied by Nigel Ford

supplied by Linda Boiling

Tony May.…Oh wow! What a find this is! Way before my time working there but brilliant to see a pic of Bob and amazing also to note the GG displays in the other window. I used to have to do the displays myself (best I could) towards the end of my stint at the shop because we weren’t able to buy big enough quantities of the top new releases from the record companies to qualify for a visit from their display teams.

Peter Howard… Is that you with the kipper tie Alan?

Alan Esdaile… Yes but can’t understand why I’m wearing a tie?

Peter Howard… Pretty groovy look 🙂

Mick Mepham… Nice poster for Steamhammer supported by Crimson Earth on the left side of the door Alan.

Kevin Burchett… Bob Mackenzie used to organise the E.F student discos in Scalliwags in the 70s nice bloke. Am I right Alan?

Alan Esdaile… Yes he did Kevin, probably with Bill Loveland from E.F.

Jonathan Nurse… Brilliant snap

Kevin Burchett… remember Bill Loveland to

Darren Johnson… Great picture. I’m actually trying to think if I actually went into the shop now. I came to Coombe Haven holiday camp in 1982 with the family and I remember coming into Hastings and buying a new copy of Slade’s Old New Borrowed and Blue from a record shop – it was actually quite hard to get hold of at the time and I could never finda copy for sale back home.

Meryle Adki… My friend Charlie worked there in 80’s. Shame I lost contact with him. I’d love to know how he is. I met the drummer of the Big Country at the shop. I was looking for Blancmange in the B section and he lent over and picked his record out. Saying he was the drummer.

Merv Kennard… Bob booked me to do the ef student disco’s in various hotels and the pier ballroom twice a week for a couple of years in the mid 70s. I always got on well with him.

Karen Riggs… Does anyone still remember the Disc Jockey in Queens Road ?

Alan Esdaile… Loads of posting of The Disc Jockey on the website, if you use the search box Karen. I will move a few to the top, soon.

Who remembers when The Disc Jockey had a walk in passage to the front door? This was replaced by a new shop window in March 1975. I’m sure at one stage they only had one big listening booth at the far end of the shop and this might have been when it changed.

Angela Frances Gardner… Weren’t there more than one?

Alan Esdaile… It was at 57 Queens Road Angela before it moved to the bottom of Queens Road.

Mick O’Dowd… There was also Disc Jockey +1 in the High Street. Seem to remember one in Kings Road St.Leonards for a short period. Anybody confirm?

Pete Millington… your right Mick. There were 3. Kit for groups was impossible to get hold of locally but Trev Spears and I bought our first amplifier, a Watkins Westminster from the Kings Road shop. It cost us 10/- a week between us. Without that kind of “hock” we’d never have got the Confederates going. I seem to recall that John Hodgson was in charge of both this DJ and the one in the High Street. He also ran us and the gear (not much of it) to and from gigs for a short time

Andreas… Jesus!!! The Disc Jockey in Hastings!! I was a 14 year old boy from Munich, Germany, sent to Hastings 1972 for one month to learn English… I lived with the family Terry Hall in Thanet Way 9 – Google says, the house does not exist anymore… what a pity – I bought classical music at the disc jockey (yes, as a 14 year old boy I love classical music) but also the legendary LP Procol Harum Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra – Procol Harum had a gig on The Hastings Pier in Summer 1972… absolutely fantastic! I have not been to Hastings since – if someone wants to write me – don’t hesitate : w-a-mozart@gmx.de
Thanks, Andreas

Phil Gill… It disappeared? Was there a search for it?

Terry Corder… Bought a Selmer T&B 100 and 2 x Goliath cabs, 1 x 18s from there.

Harry Randall… One in Kings road ,Two in Queens road , And wasn’t there one in the Old Town?

Peter Thomson… Andreas, the house and street are still there. Check out Streetview on Google Earth.

Stylus Record Shop – Castle Street Hastings 1973

The Disc Jockey – new shop front March 1975