Month: March 2023

Easy Rider – Film 1969

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supplied by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey….Two of many music-featured films I saw during the 1970s. Actually went to see both of these at The Curzon in St.Leonards. December 1973.

Alan Esdaile….Great Film and Great Soundtrack.

easy rider

John Storer…..Now that’s a coincidence … have been listening to the Easy Rider soundtrack this afternoon!I saw both of these at that salubrious cinema, The Orion, along with a number of other films with great soundtracks … Zabriskie Point, Vanishing Point, and Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii to name a few. Then, of course, there was that other great double bill “Don’t Get Your Knickers In A Twist” / “Most Girls Will” … oh wait … that was a different Saturday afternoon LOL

Sarah Harvey…..Aha John…..I may have gone to see Easy Rider with you and Kevin Potter….you both seem to be the most likely candidates since I didn’t go to see them on my own.

Mick Knights…..The Curzon, now there was a cinema, if you went in the afternoon there was tea and biscuits served between the films!

Alan Esdaile….. I remember the teas and biscuits in the afternoon, very sedate. Mind you I think we were still smoking in the cinemas then? Used to always ask if they had any spare posters and occasionally got some good ones for the bedroom wall. Otherwise would buy them from the second hand shop at the top of Western Road.

Sarah Harvey….I remember the smoking….I have never smoked but I seem to remember the projector capturing the rays from everyone who was puffing on a No6 or No.10! I used to come out smelling like an ashtray!

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Supplied by Sarah Harvey  – The Curzon Cinema, Norman Road, St Leonards-on-Sea

John Mcewen…..Remember it so well, No. 6 fer me cos i woz posh in them days!

John Storer……Now you come to mention it, Sarah … have a recollection of us at the flicks watching a film about the Montreux Jazz Festival. It had Zeppelin performing “Dazed and Confused” and also featured the Modern Jazz Quartet, who failed to impress any of us. And I’d like it noted for the record that I never smoked No 6, let alone No.10 … It would have been Peter Stuyvesant for me (or possibly Consulate during my “menthol” stage) There was another cinema in Hastings town centre … memory is vague but it was on the road just round the corner from the old Post Office (looking at Google Earth now, Hastings looks unrecognisable to me) on Havelock Road. I remember it because …. it had a bar! The barmaid was lovely. Jill Haylock, if memory serves.

Nick Prince… The Penguin Cinema had a bar for patrons, the ABC had a cafe. Smoking wasnt banned in cinemas until the national ban came in about 7 years ago but by then only a handful of cinemas, mainly independents still allowed it and most of these were in the West Country. I think the Dome Cinema in Worthing was the nearest to still allow it as to did the London Coronet chain.Cannon banned smoking in auditoriums of less than 200 seats in 1985 and in every screen in 1987. The Odeon chain in 1991, Curzon, Bexhill in 1992 (and admissions collapsed) and the Curzon Eastbourne in the very late 90s.

 

Holy Mackerel & Genghis Khan – Aquarius 30th March 1974

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posters supplied by Mick Mepham

Mark Randall… I had this album! And I know Roger’s son Marty Siggery now has it!  I was always told by my brother who knew Terry and Roger, that the HM track ‘we got it nailed down’ was about contracting a ‘social disease’. Was this true?

Jenny Tyler… Steve Maxted (who was on on Thursday) was the best. Happy days (sigh). I was only 25 then.

The Prisoners – photo 1979

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supplied by Dave Nattress

Andy Leaney guitar, Dave Nattress vocals, Mick Bridgeland drums, Robin Heggie bass.

Dave Nattress… After Samisen split, Mick Bridgeland and I teamed up with Andy Leaney and Robin Heggie on bass. We set about writing a set load of post-punk, abrasive, incisive shortish tracks. I don’t think we did any covers. We played quite a few gigs around Hastings as The Prisoners, The Yorkshire Grey, The Yelton, (as was), Chatsworth, and Crypt etc.

Mo Blackford… Thanks Dave for posting. My first real friend and great influence was Robin Heggie. He was a very cool chap, who introduced me to Paul McCartney among other people. He had engineered a couple of Paul’s albums and had previously played bass in The Hollywood Killers. Anyway. we formed my first band in the UK together. Initially called Red Shoes, we changed the name to The Stand (cerca ’82) and did loads of gigs around Hastings. The Stand also included Bernard Jeffrey (Hollywood Killers) on drums and Kevin O’Connor on vocals.  I’ve tried on a number of occasions to locate Robin. Maybe somebody knows something! It would be much appreciated. Cheers!

Alan Esdaile… Does anyone remember The Prisoners and know of the whereabouts of Robin Heggie? I did search but if he is the Robin that lived in Milton Keynes  then not good news. Can anyone help? Could do with some good news.

Mark Gilham… Sorry Alan. Not good news at all. Robin passed away a few years ago now. 🙁

Andy Knight… I didn’t know that, Robin and I played in Missing Persons together I know it is v late but RIP

Mike Mitchell… and whatever happened to Mick Bridgeland? Least I heard he had moved to Amersham…

Martin Richter… sad news about Robin – he was a lovely guy.

Dave Nattress… Sad to have it confirmed about Robin, but I must admit I was thinking the worst. He was a great guy and bass player, lreally looked the part and we all had a frantic and great time getting The Prisoners going. Also, of course, Andy Leaney. Andy and I had a great connection also, smiles on the face as I remember these 2 old friends our fun times going for it, the stupid band names that Andy particularly liked to come up with that we all rejected!! Great sadness and regret that they’ve gone – like so many more on the local scene, and nationally and internationally all connected through the music. So many people who were the bricks in the huge wall that was built up over so many years. Some of the bricks have crumbled away, but then, more are being added all the time.

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Elphinstone School class.

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Alan Esdaile… and if your wondering the 2nd one along in the white open shirt!

Matt Thomas… What year Alan? That was my classroom as well 1979/80

Alan Esdaile… god knows! A long time ago end of 50’s early 60’s possible.

Carol Arnold… Aaaahhh i went there

Linda Russell… My old school too 1962

Martyn Baker… My sister, Melanie was there from 1971

Chris Meachen… Whose class were you in? I can only remember miss Hollyfield & Mrs Smith from infants..

Alan Esdaile… Miss Smith was my favourite! I just dug out my old school reports which are pretty bad and the teachers were Fletcher, Capon, Smith and Evans.

Gaz Linch… Miss Capon was the music teacher. Quite strict as I recall. Remember Mrs Smith and Mr. Coates who was an accomplished guitar player. Lawrie Read was around at the time as well

Jane Hartley… don’t remember Mrs Smith. I had Mrs Duly who terrified me so I went into Miss Barham’s class. Mrs Fletcher, Miss Osbourne and the horrible Mr Evans. Miss Capon took us for music.

Chris Meachen… I was in Mr Evans class, & thought he was horrible too.. Mum had a huge row with him at one point.. I don’t think he liked children much..

Neal Hunter… Started at Mount Pleasant school in 1959 when I was nine then onto Elphinstone.

Sonia Wheeler… 61/62 my mum says !

William Wallace… was at Elphinstone about 67/68 i think..some of the teachers i remember are..MRS SMITH,MR COATES,MR WEST headmaster.

Alan Esdaile… I’m pretty sure she was Miss Smith then and not Mrs. I did have a photo of her somewhere with Mr Yorkstone I think it was. I remember she singled me out once, when we were giggling about some nude status in a book and then she said if I laughed anymore she would get me to stand naked at the front of the class! It soon shut me up!

Nigel Kennard… Brings back memories – when I was in the ‘fours’ I had scary Mr Evans as form teacher.

Dennis Torrance… Evans, Yorkstone, Read, Barham teachers I remember

Linda Hollands… I was there when Mr Hopkins was Headmaster, could hear his shoes way down the corridor.

Chris Meachen… She was Mrs Smith, she used to bring her daughter Fiona into class in her pram.. Her first name was Ruth, & I’ve latterly been friends with her on here, until she passed away a couple of years ago..

Janet Cruttenden… I was there round about 1964? Omg! Can’t remember teachers names but Mr Hopkins rings a bell

Chris Meachen… Janet, Mr Hopkins was the headmaster, who retired while I was at Elphinstone. I remember that we were all coached to sing a hymn in Welsh to give him a good send off..

Ann Graves… I was there in early 50s. Mr.Read was there when I was and his wife teached at Ore Secondary now the academy

Linda Holland… Ann, remember him, l was there 1958

Pauline Richards… What year was this? My brother was there in the mid to late 60s

Alan Esdaile… I’m thinking now, about 1961?

Helen Hales… OMG was at Elphinstone 1960 teachers I remember Mrs Biker Miss Webb Miss Bareham Mr Johnstone Mr Hoy and of course Mr I T Hopkins. Year 3 at Mount Pleasant Junior Mr Watmore Mr Read and Miss Osbourne. In later life went to school with Mr Reads daughter Gillian and played bar billiards with Mr Read at the Ashburnham Arms.

Carol Arnold… Helen Hales was at school with Gillian Read.

Dawn Campbell… Yes, I went there from ’72 – ’74 and also in the 2 infant blocks before that – looking back, had a great time, loved that school. I remember being in the St. George’s group for sports which were red, I think they also had St, Andrew – Blue, St, David – Yellow and St. Patrick – green.

 

Wally plus Quick Licks – Hastings Pier 29th March 1973 & Druid chat.

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supplied by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey…..Wally were a prog rock group from Yorkshire and they entered the MM Rock Contest in 1973 and got to the final but didn’t win (Druid won), but one of the judges whispering Bob Harris asked them to record a session for his Monday night show. he then set them up with a recording contract with Atlantic.

Alan Esdaile….really love this band

Mick Mepham….Good band too.

Mick O’Dowd….Wally were quite an underated band and never got the success they desrved, but this was not through want of trying. They appeared several times on the Pier. Highly underated!

Yvonne Cleland….They were. Saw them twice on the pier, and once at Brighton Dome.

Clive Richardson….The support band were also good but it should read ‘Quick Licks’ . 3 piece from London and all their songs were made up of licks.

Here in 1974 on the Old Grey Whistle Test with ‘The Martyr’

Dave Nattress… “Wally”…the first album, really wonderful, still play it a lot. The second, “Valley Gardens” was named after the public pleasure gardens in their home town of Harrogate and personally I feel it is not quite so good. These are 2 of my most treasured vinyls and after looking out for the CD versions for many years, I got the first in 2008 and then Valley Gardens in 2010. In fact I then got an absolutely mint, (I’m sure it was unplayed) vinyl of “Valley Gardens” from the record shop in Little Common for about £5.00. I also saw them at the pier. Druid – reminded me and some of my friends of the time – Iain Cobby for one, very much of Yes. Definitely the sound comparison came from the Rickenbacker bass and the Jon Anderson like vocals. Iain, I remember well you changing the Precision for the Rick!! I’ve got the 2 Druid albums on vinyl and CD. I’m sure Druid played the pier.

Iain Cobby… Yes Dave, I remember Druid from Whistle Test then seeing them on the pier. I too have both the CD’s . They were a good prog band in the wake of Yes. Like most prog of that time, they were overwhelmed by the oncoming rebellion . The drummer played with Gary Newman as Tubeway Army. and yes I still have a Ricky, not the 4001 but a 4004 …….. its the clang that’s the thang!

Janine Anne Scott… I sang for the Easter Fashion Parade that year .