Lance Collins… I worked at Emma’s as a Dj in the late 1970’s. Shared the duties with a DJ called John Delaney. Reworked the sound system with DELTEC equipment. Still using Deltec speakers nearly 40 Years on.
Johnny Mason DJ
70’s disc jockey presenter, record reviewer, booking agent and promoter
Die Laughing, Johnny Mason – Speakeasy Club Hastings 1970’s
supplied by Mick Mepham
photos supplied by Clive Richardson
Yvonne Cleland….Nice shirt, Mick.
Ken Copsey…Great picture. What year is this? I think Mick is playing the AC30 I later bought off him and used in the Teenbeats.
Andre Martin talking on the whereabouts of The Speakeasy….Back in the 1970s, if you walked on the pavement side from White Rock Pavilion going west, you would have passed the old Veruum Building, information centre/students centre – built in the 1930s in the same style as the WRP. The temporary car park was on the site of the Grand Hotel, that was demolished in1965 – to clear up the site because the Queen would be coming down in 1966. Next to this was Beachcomber Café and then a few doors further The Saraceno Italian Restaurant – where we took GG after his Carnival Show in the Park – Paul and I often used this for meals, next door was the Casablanca Club.
Peter Pursglove…..I worked at the other Speakeasy in Kings Road Alan, and Tramps Disco under the Malborough Hotel,both were packed with students during the summer.
Mick Mepham….. I used to wash dishes in the Saraceno Andre! Next door to that was the Lido, used to go in there quite a bit too…. We (Die Laughing) had some great gigs in the Speakeasy and I’ve still got some pix somewhere …..
Martin Richter… speakeasy – those were the days ! joe (wossisname?)
Johnny Mason BBC radio 1 rejection letter 1979
Definitely the right decision. I was also turned down for a job in Woolworth and Green Shield Stamps shop!
Peter Fairless… With a few exceptions who slipped through (Peel, Walker, Nightingale, Kershaw) the BBC have always wanted presenter ‘personalities’ rather than knowledgeable DJs.
Leigh Mitchell… How very dare they…!
Mark Heselwood… Sent from the man who killed off radio 1 mr Beerling. He sacked all the good ones and kept tv personalities. The demise of radio 1.
Andy Knight… it wasn’t Johnny Beerling who did that it was Matthew Bannister when he took over.
Andy Qunta… Well! How rude!
Jacquie Hinves… WTF !!! How rude is that? We love you Johnny.xx
Chris Head… Did you try Mc Miller Motors?
Lance Collins… There’s only one Johnny Mason. !!!
Steve Holland… The BBC’s judgements of Disc Jockeys over the years has not exactly been Good has it, you were original for me This is nonsense .
Peter Brazier… What would he know? Never heard of him on any radio program!
Wooden Lion and Storm Crow – Hastings Pier 31st August 1974.
Chris Meachen… Don’t remember wooden lion, but I paid a visit to stormcrow’s lady vocalist in bromley before heading to an ELP gig..
Peter Fairless… Was that disco any good?
Alan Esdaile… Probably wooden like the band Pete.
Peter Fairless… Did you keep set lists?
Alan Esdaile… The only thing I would have definitely played at the start of every Rock gig, would have been In A Gadda Da Vida by Iron Butterfly. Always went down well and guaranteed to get people asking what it was and I know The Disc Jockey and Stylus used to sell loads of it.
Reg Wood… Blimey Alan weren’t we still at school when that came out!
Roy Penfold… Would that have been the full 17 minute version?
Alan Esdaile… I’m pretty sure I first heard In A Gadda Da Vida down the Hi Fi Club, High Street, mind you trying to work out the dates I was probably only 14 when I started going down the HiFI. Mum & Dad just going round a friends house to do my homework! Yes Roy, the full album track to start. Mind you most people popped in, asked what time the support are on, do I know if they are any good and then made their way to the bar.
Shaun Pont… Wooden Lion here http://www.woodenlion.com/woodenlion.php
Clive Richardson… I remember the unusual start to Wooden Lion’s set with the vocalist behind a psychedelic piece of Perspex and the synth guy vcs3 synth, wearing flying goggles, it was a really interesting set. Another band that deserved more success. I seem to recall one of the band had played in Hawkwind at some point . I saw this band 3 times including Watchfield free festival -1975 I think.
Matt Thomas… Sorry I couldn’t make it, I was only 5
Pete Houghton… Yes Wooden Lion put on a good show
Amersham Cross – Golden Sands Dymchurch 23rd August 1975
Paul Pearson… My dad was in the band Amersham Cross
Keith Pearson… Interested to see this flyer for my old band. Thanks, Keith.
Stewart Ltd Hastings Sports & Social Club 1974 and menu from 1936
Interesting as has the menu from 1974 at The Queens Hotel and the menu from Lewcock’s Hotel 1936.
Tramps Disco-Tek Club Opening Night with Bob Stewart Radio Luxembourg 11th June 1976
go go dancer Mandy from Brighton at the gig
Alan Esdaile… Don’t look!
Martin Richter… I nearly didn’t
Andre Martin… Bob Stewart Born on 3rd July 1939 in Liverpool Bob did his national service in the army and then worked in various local clubs after becoming a DJ at the suggestion of Pete Best, the original Beatles drummer. He joined Radio Caroline in 1965, spending one month on the South ship before transferring to the North. He was advised that his Liverpool accent might alienate listeners so he developed the very authentic sounding mid-Atlantic accent we now know and love. “Baby Bob,” as he was known, presented the noon-3pm show. His catch-phrase was: “This is your Bobby baby who loves you so crazy” and his theme tune was Image by Alan Haven. Bob stayed with Caroline North until about six weeks before the introduction of the Marine Offences Act in August 1967. He joined Radio Luxembourg and was there for eighteen years. In 1987 he moved to Dallas, Texas, for a time but returned to Europe and was heard again on Luxembourg as well as Jazz-FM, Red Rose Preston, Capital Gold.
Alan Esdaile… When working with Bob Stewart , I can remember doing a gig with him at Gravesend Woodville Civic Hall. We started the show with some smoke bombs and the guy in charge of the theatre came rushing down with fire extinguishers and for a second I thought he was going to spray foam all over the disco gear. He gave us a good shouting and in future please write and apply in advance if you wish to use smoke and explosions on stage.
Conan Howard… Oh my goodness , back in the days when girls were beautiful and did not look like they had escaped from a farm or been washed up on the sea Shore
Ez Allen with Colin Bell DJ’s – Vacuum Generators 14th May 1971
Ez Allen with Colin Bell at the back. Vacuum Generators 14th May 1971 supporting Alamo.
Samuel Freeman…. It was a good night
Colin Bell… Bloody hell! Haven’t seen this before! Where did the years go….
Andy Knight… I just love that pic, where are they now?
Alan Esdaile… Great hair!
Tramps Disco Club Warrior Square. 1976/1977
Pete Fairless…..I’m in shock! These belong in the museum, anyway. What a great bit of social history. Not one over eighteen, I’ll bet!
Joe Knight…..looking good Alan!!!!
Eve Neuke….How many nights did I spend there as a foreign 16-year-old student!
Jim Breeds….Whatever happened to Go-Go girls? 🙁 Gosh, Tramps. I didn’t go there very often but that’s another memory bank nudged.
Mick O’Dowd….They went! Always remember you playing Van McCoy’s The Hustle and I have never heard it sound better than at Tramps!
Jeanette Jones……Great memories:)
Peter Pursglove…..That was my last Venue with Paul Casson RIP , we used to pack them in there
Andre Palfrey-martin collection
Andre Martin…..Just look what you could get for 40p – great value eh Alan ! from Hastings Observer Autumn 1977
Dawn Leaney… Loved Tramps! The 2 girls nearest the camera in the photo in the middle are Karen and Lynn and they were in my class at school at the time this was taken! We were about 15/ 16 ! 🙂 good times!