Felix – Ore Centre 1975

felix

Supplied by Roger Carey

Will Thomson guitar, Den Wootton (hidden) drums, Mike Tanner lead vocals congas, Roger Carey guitar, Wesley Magoogan sax.

Phil Gill….Mike “Snakehips” Tanner. What a nice guy.

Joe Knight….what a great photo!!!

Yvonne Cleland…..He was a lovely guy wasn’t he, Phil. Do you know what happened to him?

Andy Qunta….What a great band!

Martyn Baker….Nice pair of Lionels Del!

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Remixes & Rarities (2cd set) A Flock Of Seagulls

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REMIXES & RARITIES (2CD SET) A Flock Of Seagulls

Ah the Eighties, 1982 the year of E.T. bad haircuts, bad clothes, yuppies, I could go on….anyway to the music! The age of New Wave, synthpop, drum machines (don’t get me started!). You’ve probably gathered not this reviewers favourite era! However there are a few bands I took too and FOS is one. Ever since I saw ‘that’ haircut sported on TOTP’s they got my attention.
1982 was the peak year for Liverpudlian brothers Mike and Ali Score notching up four consecutive hits with ‘I Ran (So Far Away), ‘Space Age Love Song’, ‘Wishing (I Had A Photograph Of You’ and ‘The More You Live, The More You Love’ impressive. MTV heavily rotated I Ran, which gained them an international fanbase and they were hugely successful in America, something I must admit I wasn’t really aware of at the time as to me their sound is so very European and the States so rock orientated. Indeed the band were so successful there they later relocated to Phildelphia. This new remastered 2CD package brings together as the title suggests all the remixes and rarities, some for the first time of their work spanning 1982-1986. Four versions of ‘I Ran’, Four versions of ‘Wishing’ 2 versions of ‘Space Age Love Song’ and a plethora of other 7inch, 12inch, U.S. mixes etc etc. It really is an album for completists and die hard fans of the band and I’m sure will be warmly received by the same. For those with a passing interest in FOS or indeed Eighties synthpop it may be overkill, but I must admit I’m glad personally to have the extended mix of ‘Wishing’ which is playing (loudly) as I write, of all their tracks there is something hypnotic and addictive about it. Good liner notes, a discography and excellent sound complete a good retrospective release.

colin-head-111x150-111x150-1For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk

Til next time and a 60/70’s soul legend…

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I saw them at Maryland University (was living in US at the time) in 1982, they were supporting The Jam! Brilliant evening!

Mick Burt… Good song and good band

Jon McCallion… Mentioned on radio 2 today

Lloyd Johnson… The 80s ‘Bad clothes’…’Bad’ as in ‘good’.

Alan Esdaile… too late for Fab, I think we might have described them as Cool or maybe Wicked in the 80’s?

Chuck Berry dies

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39318602

Jan Warren… Oh Noooo, what a legend!! – R.I.P dear Chuck!! 

Pete Millington… The master of R&R lyrics – what a terrible loss but what a legacy RIP Chuck Berry

Will Cornell… Well, he was 90 so he had a great life but what confounds me is of all the original rockers, Jerry Lee and Little Richard are the ones left standing. I would have figured them to be among the first to depart this mortal coil!

Jan Warren… yes, absolutely Will, I was brought up with the “rockin’ rythms” of Jerry Lee, Little Richard, Elvis, Chuck Berry etc, all “greats” of that time!! 

Harry Randall… The father of rock and roll! Go,Go,Johnny be Good!

Wendy Weaver… Another great gone. RIP

Andy Qunta… There goes a true legend!

David Miller… He Rocked

Chris van Rock… Amazing influence on modern music

Paul Morfey… Roll over Beethoven, time for some ‘Rock and Roll’ music in heaven!! R.I.P.

Patrick Lewis… Along with Buddy Holly the greatest influence on modern popular music.

Alan Esdaile… R.I.P. Chuck Berry and thank you, we couldn’t have done it without you.

David Miller… Particularly for guitarists of a certain period, it was a rite of passage to learn how to play Johnny B Goode. Along with all the other classics, I have a great soft spot for “No particular place to go”. Love that opening – “Riding along in my automobile”. The brown-eyed handsome man knew what to do with words as well as music. A poet.

Gary Sykes… Sad day.

Mick Hawksworth R.I.P. 28th January 2017.

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supplied by Phil Little

Phil Little… Absolutely bereft to hear that Mick Hawksworth passed away this morning. Only twelve months ago he was sitting in with Mick Bolton trio at The Hastings Arms. Mick was a fantastic player with an immense pedigree going back to Andromeda who I first heard in 1969 on John Peel’s Top Gear. His grandest years were with Alvin Lee and drummer Tom Compton in Ten Years Later. At the end of the 70’s Mick and I teamed up with Mickey Jones in The Flying Pigs and the picture is from an early gig at The George Canning in Brixton. This is leaving a massive hole in my and many others lives because he was such a great person. For years he ferried me and my drums around in his multi coloured panel Ford Cortina with never once a wince or a moan. God bless you and Rest In Peace my brother.

Kathy & Sheri Berry… What incredibly sad news to have only learnt today of Mick’s passing Still in shock. So many memories flooding around. We think we will always be around to get in touch when we get around to it. Time passes and then it’s too late. So sad too that Mick played at Hastings Arms only recently. Down the road and I missed you dear Mick !! Only we know what we shared.
Deepest sympathy to Mick’s family for your sad loss. An amazing person and talented musician.
With love. Kathy and Sheri Berry xxx.

Stallion – The Way 1976

John Wilde… “Some new dreamers town” 1975. We were young and knew everything.

Alan Esdaile… Love this track.

Andy Qunta… Superb! One of their best, and I love all their stuff! Great band!

Phil Gill… Thanks Andy I love all your stuff too! And it’s cool that you’re on this album too.

Andy Qunta… Yes, that’s what I like best about it! 😉 Just kidding! I am very happy to be on it too! Thanks for asking me, you guys!

Phil Gill… Well Andy, we were desperate and cheap and you were cheap and available …. Joking aside, you probably don’t know this, but I was never completely happy with the final mix of Arsony in the UK, so in 1992, I took the 2″ 24 track master to Advision, Geoff Downes’ studio in Brighton, and remixed both songs from that session. The engineer was really young and totally impressed to hear the quality of the recordings, especially the Hammond. He actually said “Is that a real Hammond?” (“Yes son, it is. Great isn’t it?”). He’d grown up on MIDI and samples and never recorded a real Hammond before and was knocked out to be mixing one with real drums, in analogue. And rightly so, you had a great sound and and turned in a great performance. And that’s what’s on the album. It’s a fabulous contribution, so thanks.

Andy Qunta… You’re welcome! It was fun! Great story about your remixing! (Funnily enough, I met Geoff Downes recently!) For your future reference, I am now slightly less available, but just as cheap!

Geoff Peckham… How much, Andy? I know three guys who could do with your services.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Listened to this then clicked on another video of Stallion at Windsor (or Reading – seems to be a bit confusing). Very emotive seeing Steve D up there on stage 😢 Took me back to those heady days xx

Alan Esdaile… Makes me upset as well Leigh. I’m pretty sure its Windsor and Reading on the other video. Phil or John should be able to confirm.

Phil Gill… It’s a compliation of both Alan. And don’t be upset it’s a wonderful memory of Steve at one of the highlights of his life. I love how he stands up and takes a bow at the end.

John Wilde… It is to be celebrated. Heady days indeed.

Jan Warren… Haha, yeahhhhhhhh – trench coats!! 🙂

Jon McCallion… Great stuff, great memories

Dave Nattress… Great days and THE Hastings band. Supported Stallion on the pier a few times in Damaris. Looked up to and were inspired by you guys. I was delighted to get the CD a while ago. RIP Steve D and Tony B. John – what can I say. An amazing performer.

Mr Crowley – Ozzy Osbourne and Hastings connection

Pete Fisher… Not sure if it’s common knowledge here, but Mr C spent his last days in Hastings, living at Netherwood, a spooky old house just off the Ridge down Stonestile Lane, where he died in 1947, if my memory is correct. Friends of mine rented a flat in a large house almost adjacent to Netherwood, from where the landlord ran a business selling crystal balls, ouija boards and the like, and was himself a pretty weird character who would appear out of nowhere and frighten the life out of me on the stairs when I was leaving in the wee hours…Gary Kinch will remember, no doubt…

Ralph Town… I nearly had a flat in house just up from the AC house 

Jan Warren… Yes, I know about Mr Crowley and that he lived in Hastings!

Pete Fisher… In 1975, while staying at Hastings, England, with my aunt, I was fortunate enough to be introduced by her to Kathleen (or ‘Johnny’) Symonds, a charming widow in her 60s, who had not only been Aleister Crowley’s last landlady but who was with him when he died in 1947…….

http://21stcenturyradio.com/articles/03/1001231.html

Jan Warren… Yes, the amazing Ozzy Osbourne – I love him and Black Sabbath!! – probably my all-time fave heavy rock band!! 

Eastbourne bands family tree by Len Smith

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https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/PDF%20Tree%20-%20Features-Charade-Dion5.pdf?token=AWyI9QutlQwFOI7mASOd3p4DsuDXbndi-XZPCWHhzpFEzws5mbhDa4KfSE7qo-aS5JPkC0iMH9pZRf160ILzpoA3KHNOXoIi3u4j49-YN5RMWeYV-9q6p__Jlt5IWdwwvjVt7RC2_vPQmLzvXRGW6mJs

Len Smith… Another one, Charade, Features, Kaine & Abel, etc. We were blessed with some great bands back then!

Alan Esdaile… Don’t think I remember the group ‘Please’ Robert?

Robert Searle… Alan, ‘Please’ didn’t last long.I believe after we broke up Rev joined up with Centre Page then Looking Back and Bernie started Hill Street

Len Smith… I believe you are correct, Please started and broke up in 1979

 

Memories of my first ever live gig – Slade at Donington August 81 by Darren Johnson

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supplied by Darren Johnson

When I went to Monsters of Rock at Donington, aged 15, in 1981 it was not only my first ever festival but also my first ever live rock gig of any type. It still remains my favourite gig of all time, in particular the set by Slade that afternoon.

We arrived at Donington a little late and by the time we had parked and got into the arena the band More were most of the way through their set. The next band on were Blackfoot who I have no real recollection of at all. What I do remember is the anticipation of waiting for Slade to come on. After several years in the doldrums Slade had burst back into the charts a few months earlier with ‘We’ll Bring The House Down’. Their storming performance at Reading Festival the previous year (when the band replaced Ozzy Osbourne at the last minute) had already become legendary and this all meant that in the space of a few months Slade went from being a band that sang about Christmas that I vaguely recalled from my childhood to being my number one favourite band in the whole world. And that was even before I witnessed what would become (and still remains) the most remarkable live performance I’ve ever seen. Loud guitar-driven rock, commanding showmanship, unforgettable songs and sheer over- the-top-eccentricity, it was an absolute master-class in compelling live performance.

story continues here… https://darrensmusicblog.com/2017/03/13/memories-of-my-first-ever-live-gig-slade-at-donington-22881/

Curved Air – Pavilion Hailsham – Sat 4th November 2017

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Subject to contract exchange
Founding members Sonja Kristina and Florian Pilkington-Miksa are joined by Kit Morgan, Yehudi Menhuin-schooled violinist Paul Sax, Chris Harris and Robert Norton.
Curved Air was originally formed in 1969, a ground-breaking progressive art-rock band known for a unique and powerful combination of a remarkable female vocalist and virtuoso musicians.
Reformed in 2008 after a sabbatical of 18 years, Curved Air’s concert and festival appearances in the UK, Japan, Italy, Malta, Germany, Portugal, Holland and Belgium continue to thrill a steadily increasing mass of new and old fans. Their experimental blends of classical themes, electronic sounds and pop/rock energy and beautiful, timeless songs are performed with fire and passion.
The band is still fronted by Sonja Kristina, who topped the British Music Female Vocalist polls throughout the 1970s…..she has been the constant flame, leading Curved Air through the decades.  more information...http://www.spyboy.co.uk

Jan Warren… Back Street Luv!!

Pete Fisher… never got to see Police live, but saw Stewart Copeland in Curved Air in 1974…

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supplied by Pete Fisher

Jeanette Jones… Jones still talks about seeing Sonja performing in a cat suit 😉 He enjoyed the singing too! Sadly time passes, wish we could all do it again, mistakes & all 🙂 Cat suit days are sadly behind most of us now!

John Coleman… Wasn’t Sting in the original line up ?

Chris van Rock… Sting Don’t think so …. Sonja looks the same …