Day: 23 March 2024

https://soundcloud.com/andy-gunton/dakka-dakka-dakka-dreamworld-1

Andy Gunton…Today we bring you the freshly digitised version of ‘Dreamworld’, the A Side of the single released in mid 1986. The B Side ‘Leather Jeans’ will be coming in due course.

supplied by Andy Gunton… Tonbridge local press cutting from 1985.

supplied by Andy Gunton… Rehearsal photo from c1982. Taken in the oast house that we used to rehearse in. It was also used at that time by The Anti Nowhere League. Boy, did that place get cold in the winter!

Peter Russell…. Hey. Just stumbled across this. I was looking for some pics of my best friend who was your bassist for a short while and died in a bike crash. Mark Brown. He left a group Tuesday Town to join you.

Andy Gunton… We never has a bass player called Mark Brown. The bass player throughout the history of the band was called Keith Edwards. We did try out several singers before finally getting Phil Alamo. who is in this video & who sadly died a few years ago. I’m sure I remember the name Tuesday Town though 🙂

Peter Russell… Hmmm strange. I saw Mark playing with Dakka at the rock garden I think it was? Maybe dingwalls. Phil went to marks funeral on that old moto guzzi he used to ride. I’ll dig out some pics if you like. I used to do all the promo stuff and handouts for Tuesday town.

Andrew… Hi Peter, I was the guitarist in Dakka Mk 2 – I’ve got a few photos of Mark. I probably met you at the funeral with Phil.

Peter Russell… Wow, unexpected email… I remember Alamo turning up on his Moto Guzzi at the funeral and Let it be being played as if it were yesterday. Must be 30 years ago.

Andrew… I’d not googled Dakka for a few years, so hadn’t seen this site before, hence unexpected email! I was a bit surprised with the response from Andy as I thought it was common knowledge that Phil had put a ‘new’ Dakka together with Mark? Yes, I think it was 1987 – it was incredibly tragic as we’d played a gig the night before the accident and Mark was excited about picking up his new Kawasaki the following day…… I’ve got a few band photos in the loft somewhere – i can dig them out and scan/email them to you if you want?

Peter Russell… I was even more surprised as I went to a couple of their gigs!!! that’s how I met Mark. We done some off road biking then he went and bought a Kawasaki Turbo….tragic. He had a child with a girl called Jane. Sam was his sons name. Only a few months old.If you have some pics it’d be great to see them. I worked in the print for the MoD and used to do Marks hand outs for Tuesday town, then he went to Dakka and I’d just done some art work like round stickers and stuff. Never got to give them to him he was a great bloke. Lived in Tunbridge Wells for a while then moved to London. That Wal lefty bass he had must be worth a mint now…

Andrew… It’s mad to think his kid will be 34 now…. I’ll try and dig out my photos during the week and I’ll be in touch to let you know what I’ve got.

Andy Gunton… Peter/Andrew: I had no idea Phil Alamo had formed a Dakka Dakka Dakka mark 2, unless my memory is playing tricks on me. I’d certainly have been very interested in hearing/seeing them, especially if they were playing any of the old songs. I moved away from Tonbridge in late 1988 so that might help explain it. But I don’t even remember DDD Mark 2 being mentioned at Phil’s funeral, either during the service, or when talking to friends before/afterwards. I do vaguely remember Phil forming another band, I’d have been surprised if he hadn’t, but had no idea he was using the DDD name. Sorry to hear about your friend Mark. I remember Phil having a Moto Guzzi bike. I’d certainly be interested in seeing any photo’s of DDD mark 2, if only to see if they rings any bells, and if I recognise any of the other members

Graham… I’ve just come across this post in one of those random occurrences that the internet often throws up. I remember seeing you, Andy G., at a gig in Tonbridge circa 1976 when you, Keith Edwards and John McCue were playing in a band called Mandrake Root (I assume the forerunners of DDD). You’ll no doubt remember the vocalist was David Smith-Tilley, elder brother of one of my best mates at school, Graham (more popularly known as Gig). There’s another connection in that my cousin Glynn Williams later joined the band on tenor saxophone.

Libby Brown… Hi, I stumbled across this as it included the mention of Mark Brown. Mark is my uncle though I never met him (my dads brother). Currently I’m at my grandparents and we have found a DDD cassette hidden at the back which has lead to us looking further into this. I saw that Peter Russell has commented about being close with Mark and having some pictures of him but can’t find any leads to make further contact with him. Would love to make contact!

Alan Esdaile… Hi Libby, thank you for your post, I will pass this on to Peter and hopefully he gets back in contact or the other members of the group. Email address now shared with permission.

Andy Gunton… I’d be interested to know which tracks are on the DDD cassette that Libby Brown found & whether they’re from DDD Mk2. In answer to Graham: I remember the Mandrake Root days with great affection. We used to rehearse in the Smith-Tilley house sometimes & I knew Gig very well as well as Dave. After Dave left Mandrake Root we stopped playing for a while & then myself John & Keith decided to form our own band, which is where DDD came from. Good times

Mark Randall… I remember Mark Brown, good egg, we were planning to do something, but things fizzled out. I was briefly ( a fortnight) in what became DDD: rehearsing on the first floor of a rickety barn on Mabledon farm in Tonbridge.

Andrew… Hi Libby, I was the guitarist in DDD with Mark. I’ve got a couple of photos of the band which I can email to you if you’d like.

Libby Brown… Hi, thank you all for getting back so quickly! My email is libby.brownn@gmail.comI would love to share any photos or memorabilia with the family and especially Marks son Sam. In regards to the DDD cassette, my dad is digitalising it soon. I have photos of the tracks and the art work on the front which I can send via email.

Libby Brown… photos of the DDD cassette which Andy was interested in…

Andy Gunton… That cassette is of gigs the original line up of DDD played, which I played in & remember very well. We took a coach load of fans up with us to the Mean Fiddler. I have a copy myself, which I’ve digitised

Andrew… Hi Libby, I’ve emailed some photos as promised – they may end up in your spam folder so worth checking if you’ve not received them!