SMART

Chat group of like minded people who are interest in 70’s music and other eras, bands who played Hastings Pier.

Expandis – Rise Of Psychomouse

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31st March – The Carlisle Hastings

To celebrate the launch of their new e.p. ‘Rise’ Expandis are back after a 30 year break.

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Now a two piece, the amazing ‘John Wilde’ aka ‘Psychomouse’ on vocals and multi talented ‘Phil Thornton’ on guitar, keyboards and any number of taped oddities. They take their influences from ‘Talking Heads’, ‘Kraftwerk’, ‘D.A.F.’ and ‘Yellow Magic Orchestra’. With a high energy mystic trippy throbbing sound that works its way into your brain and won’t go away, moving  you like nothing else. All eyes were transfixed on John, who was in full make up and Disney ears. Dancing around like a man possessed, with a nightmarish evil menacing grin and managing to contort his body in all manner of positions.  The stand out track for me is the more mellow ‘Prayer Mat’ from the new cd with John’s vocals at their very best. They also treated us to some covers ‘Prince’ ‘sign o the times’ , Pink Floyd’s ‘set the controls for the heart of the sun’ and Hawkwinds ‘master of the universe’.  Some old classics were played including the disturbing ‘everything stops for baby’  and ‘I don’t mind the noise’ which is always loved by the crowd. Expandis are back and stronger than ever. Don’t forget they will be playing  ‘The Big Green Cardigan Festival’ later in the year.

 Johnny Mason                                                                                     

Featured in Hastings Observer  19th April 2013                        

 

Barry Bumps Into…. Mick Mepham

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Barry Bumps into……………………MICK MEPHAM

Barry Taylor  I first came to Hastings in the 70’s and spent a summer promoting gigs on the pier – that’s how we met?

Mick Mepham Yes indeed, cos I always attended those famous old gigs, if I wasn’t playing somewhere.

BT You lived in an eccentric flat in St Leonards, the door to which always seemed open….?

MM Well, I was a young man who was always going out!

BT You had joined Die Laughing….and I got involved. We raised some money to make some recordings, a cassette in Bexhill, then vinyl in London. For those Chiswick sessions we travelled up in my old Jag!

MM There were some good gigs with that Die Laughing line up, especially supporting Saxon and Girlschool.

BT Yes the Folkestone gig(Girlschool) was a cracker, a big crowd and a good P.A.!

MM After Die Laughing, I formed Savage Hearts, including an interesting Pier gig supported D/L! A few years later we worked together again in the 90’s.

BT Yes, Ocean Artistes, when we scoured the local area for musical talent. You came into your own as a producer, in your little home studio…You did really well with people like Glenn Richardson and Tasha Sims. However we had no luck at all with record companies, it was a bad time to get a deal. So what are you up to now?

MM Well 90% Proof is working out really well and I still play some solo electric gigs.. At the other end of the spectrum are Titus. Folk music which I enjoy immensely.

BT Future ambitions?

MM My songwriting is very important to me and I would love to have one of my songs recorded by another artist.

Barry Taylor

 
Pipes (2)

SMART 2

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Another very good and interesting afternoon. Thanks to everyone who came. Chat was about Alan Jensen and The Disc Jockey, The Witchdoctor, Cobweb,  Expandis at The Carlisle, Beatles Day, John Peel,  Pam Dor,  Kings Country Club, Jazz FM, Roberts dab radio, Liane Carroll at St Marys in The Castle , The Crypt to reopen under the name ‘West Exit’ , Girlschool, Die Laughing  etc etc  and didn’t you used to have hair!,   Barry had some interesting talk on when Steamhammer supported Led Zeppelin. Also showed us a rare Rolling Stones  book. Mark came up trumps again and had a large collection of laminated  classic pier posters on show. I took along a collage events group prices for June 1975 and you could book ‘Judas Priest’ then for £350, ‘Shakin Stevens’ for £250 & Thin Lizzy for £450.  Also talk about the next get together being on a Sunday afternoon. Anyone up for that let me know

SMART One!

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15th February 2013

Thanks to everyone for turning up to the first coffee get together of SMART(Seventies Music And Retro Talk) and making it a great afternoon. Some excellent very rare pictures and cuttings were shown by Mark Rymell and hopefully the book about bands who have played the pier, is not too far from completion.  Some interesting chat about the Great  ‘John Martyn’ , missing out seeing Skunk Anansie, Pretty Things to play the Carlisle? and lots more. I will post details when a date is arrange for the next one.

SMART – Join Us

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We have recently set up a coffee chat group called SMART(Seventies Music And Retro Talk).As long as you are music mad, all are welcome. We do not just talk about the 70’s but cover all era’s. Like minded people, chatting about music. groups, pier talk, records, Hastings bands etc and bringing along photos, cuttings, memorabilia to talk about. After two successful meet ups we all looking for more people to join us.

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre Gig

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                                                                                                photo by Chris Meachen

Thanks to Chris Meachen for sending this to me. I think this was when I supported ‘Principle Edwards Magic Theatre’. This is a very early Johnny Mason picture which I was a bit shocked to see. Also its me in the poster on the console.  Now anyone got the photos of me wearing my stage gear of  blonde wig, glam make up and black cloak?