Month: April 2024

Them – Witch Doctor 30th April 1965

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Ad Andre Palfrey-martin collection. photo London Records Ad 1965

John Storer…Does this get votes as one of the most influential singles ever? both tracks are now standards and both sound as brilliant today as they did back then. “Gloria” was the b-side to “Baby Please Don’t Go” when it was released in the UK but the tracks were reversed when the single was released in the States. Yet it was “BPDG” as a b-side that caught the imagination of many American bands and it was a cover of that song by The Amboy Dukes in 1967 that brought a certain Mr Ted Nugent to prominence.

Andy Qunta…..Funnily enough, Gloria was the B-side to Baby Please Don’t Go, although it is perhaps the better-known one now. I like both, but I still prefer the A-side!  By the way, they say that if you drop a guitar down the stairs, sooner or later it will play Gloria!

Len……Saw ‘Them’ in the club upstairs above the Fiesta Coffee Bar, on the day they played the Witch Doctor.

Alan Esdaile….Anyone remember seeing Van Morrison at The White Rock Theatre in 1991?

Mick O’Dowd…..Yes I was there. Fantastic show from The Master and if I remember Mike Cotton Sound were a more than adequate band.

David Edwards… Well I never knew that Them had played the Witchdoctor.

John Warner… Mike Cotton, came across him again on a cruise, great trumpeter. Them – Van Morrison. Lonely Ones – Noel Redding. Great times!

Nutz – Hastings Pier 30th April 1977

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all cuttings supplied by Sarah Harvey

Ticket supplied by Peter Houghton

Bizarre billing for the original support!

Sarah Harvey……Nutz first appearance on 30th April 1977 plus Stephen Turner’s preview of the gig. Also a quick return 3 months later on July 16th. Note the forthcoming gig with Head On and Steppin’ Out on the following Thursday.

Alan Esdaile… The lead singer Dave Lloyd was the voice of .. only the crumbliest flakiest chocolate ad.

Pete Prescott… Although I still lived in north Kent I visited Hastings that weekend and went to this gig.

Dave Weeks… Nutz. Yes I was one of the very few there. Good night though and good fun band.

Central Recreation Ground (Cricket Ground) Queens Road Hastings about 1908

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shared from Historical Hastings https://historymap.info/Main_Page

Nigel Ford… What’s the big property just down left of the chimney on horizon central? Still standing?

Peter Fairless… Nigel, Hastings Grammar School, long since gone.

Andy Davies… Peter, I knew that, being an old Hastonian but What was the chimney? Was it a power station as there was one in a similar place in the 60s?

Peter Fairless… Could be, Andy. Would need to check an old map to see if anything obvious stands out.

Roy Penfold… The chimney was indeed the power station, albeit a smaller one than that which caught fire a number of years ago.

Peter Houghton… That’s a great photo of the old Cricket Pitch

Peter Ellingworth… I believe the tall chimney seen in the distance behined HGS was the original Hastings Tramways power station in Parker Road, built around 1900-3. The chimney itself was 53.3 metres high (175 ft. for those of us who remember proper money), erected by Babcock & Wilcox Ltd. and obviously as coal was the prime source then for power stations, it was situated close to and with a spur off to the Ashford-Hastings rail line at Ore. This is covered by the way with extensive detail in Robert J. Harley’s excellent book “Trams & Trolleybuses in Hastings, St. Leonard’s & Bexhill 1905-1959”. Hope this helps.

 

Bikers – Westfield Lane, Hastings 1970’s. photo by Dave Trodd

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photos © Dave Trodd

Graham Finch… Those were the daze

John Paul Veness… Think i may have owened the bike on the left in the 80s ,can’t quite see the full reg but FSD 52 seams to fit

Dave Nattress… Graham Jolly on the Left Gary Morris on the Right. This must be early 70’s.

Heather Carter… Yep that’s def Graham and Gary…..

Heather Sidery… Wow wow wow… Yep!!!!

Yvonne Cleland… That looks like Graham Jolley and Gary Morris! xxx

Pete Houghton… Yvonne, Hi that is Gary, I remember that Bike. I know he is Back in England around this area, as we were good friend’s Do you hear from him, I have tried the Chopper People

Yvonne Cleland… Gary used to like Bexhill.

Sara Day-jolly… Love this photo of my dad and Garry

JS Bythesea… I recognised them straight away. Hells Angels, Bexhill Chapter, I seem to remember. There was also a guy called Tony who had an Easy Rider style chopper. I went for a ride on it and still have a scar on my leg from the exhaust.

Pete Houghton… I used to go to a Youth club in Bexhill and Gary used to take Kids for a ride And we became good friend’s, when he moved to Wrestwood Road where I lived we used to chat. Then he moved to Scotland. When he came to Hastings Bikers meet we would meet up. I believe he is this part of the country and I would like to get back in touch, along with Clive Heddle

Huggy Leaver… Was that his 1000 Enfield?

Patricia Sheridan… The good old days

Mike Waghorne… The 2 bikers at the front look like Graham Jolly & Garry Morris people I new from the early 70’s

John Wilde… Graham and Gary. Very cool photo

Dave Nattress… Yes defo Graham and Gary. Gary lived down the road from me in Bexhill when we were youngsters. The Hells Angels chapter was “Branded”. A guy called Tony Miller? possibly Miller, who was a quiet guy always looked really smart and cool in full leathers he was from Hastings I think had the fantastic chopper like Peter Fonda’s in Easy Rider. There was also another Tony Miller in Bexhill who I think was connected to the chapter but didn’t have the colours. Had several other mates in “Branded”. Yvonne would have known them. Hezz, was Fred in Branded and Les Hughes! Great old mates!!

John Wilde… Dave, they were a great bunch of guys.

Willie Wicking… Looks like Gary Morris

Colin Norton… Great photo!

Willie Wicking… The 80s Gary hasn’t changed much met him & the later Swanny Carlton Swan in Belgium on route to a National chopper club meet in Holland

Sarah Day-jolly… Garry still looks the same. Great photo

Dave Nattress… Sure thing John! Great characters and great friends. Did you by any chance hang out with a bunch of characters in Bexhill, Vic Pinney, Dave Wise, Andy Towner and a few others – would be 1970 – 71. I remember Gary Morris built a chopper used trike one time.

John Wilde… yes Dave I knew them all. Great bunch of characters. Great days.

Graham Jolly… Gary and myself are still building and riding bikes and trikes and are active members of the Chopper Club.  Anyone remember the name of the girl, Sue?

Graham Jolly… Still doing it

Keith Veness… A young Graham and Gary

Steve Glover… Hi Graham, just stumbled across the SMART website, for some thing completely different, no mention of your days during the 70’s and early 80’s building boats at Lochin Marine with your dad and that great car builder Frank Nichols? Good to hear you’re still going strong.

Hot Chocolate – Aquarius Club Hastings 28th April 1973

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28th april 1973 - hot chocolate

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Mick O’Dowd… Good little band. Saw them several times including this one.

Tony Davis… I was the house DJ at the Aquarius on this gig. I remember that the band went on first without Errol who was standing in the wings talking to me. We both noticed that he had missed his cue but he wasn’t bothered commenting they would get back to it in a minute. Nice guy and a good night.

Barry French… Does anyone else recall seeing Hot Chocolate on the Pier in the 70’s or did I dream it?

Alan Esdaile… Yes Barry, July 1975, great night remember it well as I did the disco.

10246537_447963015349161_5648966544186839541_n supplied by Sarah Harvey

Mick O’Dowd… Osibisa were one of the most exciting concerts i’ve worked on. They were absolutely electric. Trouble was they couldn’t transfer this exictement to disc. Great band though.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I was there at Hot Chocolate that night!

Tony Court-holmes… i think i was there