Guitar for sale from Les Harding

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Guitar for sale from Les Harding. It once belonged to Ray Fenwick. 1986 cherry red jackson chavel model 4, with locking tremolo, usa plate on the back,humbuck and 2 single coil pick ups, maple neck. If interested please contact Cris Kennard through Facebook, or happy to pass on any messages.

Robert Searle… Great guitar, really great sounds

Merv Kennard… also has rose wood fret.

Jacquie Hinves… I remember that guitar so well. Why don’t you see if Ray would like to buy it?

Merv Kennard… no longer for sale, Les has decided to keep it.

What’s your favourite song by Van Morrison?

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Lloyd Johnson… Here comes the Night!’ Although he never wrote it and it was when he was in ‘Them’…

Jan Deane… Moondance

Colin Fox… They’ve just played ‘Baby Please don’t Go’ here on Spanish radio. When Van Morrison was lead singer with ‘Them’, great old song.

Beki Milton… Brown eyed girl

Eileen Adams… Beki, love this too xxx

Mike Waghorne… When he was with “Them”

John Busbridge… Brown Eyed Girl

Eileen Adams…Into the mystic

Mick O’Dowd… So many to choose from but Hymn to The Silence & Have I told you Lately are stand outs.

Peter Fairless… Have to agree, ‘Brown Eyed Girl’

Steve Thorpe… Baby please don’t go

Alan Esdaile… Difficult but when he was with ‘Them’ their version of It’s All Over Now Baby Blue. On his own, the little known ‘Snow in San Anselmo’.

Rontenn2001… Whatever Happened To P.J.Proby

Mike Vawdrey… It would have to be Madame George – a lament for people and places beyond recall

Andy Davies… Listen to the Lion, the live ‘too late to stop now‘ version. Although, damn -maybe ‘Bulbs’ from Veedon Fleece which must be my favourite album…..

Colin Gibson… My old mans a dustman

Phil Gill… The last one In the show.

Colin Bell… Having seen him 3 times in concert (cos i was paid too), i heartily agree Phil.

Terry Pack… About 30 years ago, the Johnny Mars band was booked for two nights at a big hotel in Newport. After the sound check on the Friday, we were having dinner before the gig and Van appeared, asking if he could sit in. Johnny said yes, and Van asked if he join us to sing ‘Help Me’. He asked Kohn not to introduce him, but just to play a couple of choruses as an intro and he would come up. We played a couple of choruses. No sign of him, so John took a solo for a few choruses. Still no Van, so Ray took a few choruses. No sign of him. John thinks he must have misheard him, and wanted an introduction, so announced ‘Ladies and Gentlemen. Van Morrison!’ 1000 people go nuts. Still nothing. We play the rest of the set and come offstage. Johnny has to deal with half the crowd asking if they imagined the whole Van Morrison introduction. Later, in the hotel bar, Van appears looking very sheepish. ‘I lost my nerve.’ he says. ‘Could I sit in tomorrow night?’ The following night, the place is even busier. Word has got out that Van (either) is going to sit in or that he had sat in the previous night (people must have convinced themselves that he had done). We play Help Me. No Van. Of course. Years later, I renew a friendship via Facebook with a couple from South Wales. They have great memories of the two nights in Newport and Van Morrison sitting in on both nights. I don’t dare contradict them.

 

Peter Millington with Paul & Linda McCartney – 1995.

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supplied by Peter Millington

Peter Millington… 23rd November 1995

Stuart Moir… Nice pic Pete’ even McCartney looks young there

Pete Shaw… Looks like Paul and his wife Linda are approving a care home place for you Ginge!! Did you get a good deal? What’s the food like? Double room?

Peter Millington… Ha ha Pete  won’t be long, they’re putting in a bar just for me

Mark Randall… When was Cilla’s hair this long?

 

Violet Brown Decision and Spyke – Aquarius 29th Jan/1st Feb 1972

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violet brown 1972

Anyone remember seeing Violet Brown Decision?

photo supplied by David Paterson. (before Dave Smith joined)

supplied by David Paterson

Dave Smith… I was in Violet Brown’s Decision. A Mecca band no tamla.?

Matt Carter… In reply to David Smith, Dave, my father in law was also in, Geoff Wigley?

Dave Paterson… Hi Dave, I was the drummer

Dave Smith… I knew that

Dave Paterson… The above coloured photo features Dave Smith at the far right and was taken back stage at the Lyceum Ballroom in the Strand. The other was  just flyers we had made. Sadly there are only two of us left from the original VBD me and the lead singer Dave Seaton.

Jon Camp… I was in the band too!!!

Lyn… What happened to Paul Bennett and Trevor Brown.

Dave Smith… Lost contact with Trev

Sue Seward… Sue Seward (nee Thomas) I knew the boys well in the sixties. Used to sit in to practice nights in Trevor’s mums (Violet Browns) sitting room in Southbrook Rd, Lee. Then was also at all their regular Sunday night gigs at The Dutch House, on Sidcup Rd, enjoying their great renditions of The Four Seasons classics. (some of the most memorable times of my life). I would love to have an update on the boys, especially Trevor (who I dated for a while), Dave and Paul. I still have an original flyer with the Seaton- Paul Management details on the reverse

James Woodhead… Sadly, my grandfather Trevor Brown passed away in 2001 after contracting pneumonia during treatment for asbestosis.

Deborah Ford… (in reply to Lyn) Sadly, both Paul and Trev passed away. Trev, my stepdad, in March 2002. And Paul a few months after. Dave Pattison, my mum Marlene said to say hello. She’s sorry she lost touch after Trev passed. She’s now living in Spain. It was her that found this site but she couldn’t find how to respond.

Deborah Ford… (in reply to Sue) Trev carried on playing in bands for most of his life; The Wranglers, Return Flight and finally The Jaguars. He married my mum in 1988, his second wife. They have a daughter born in 1987. Sadly, Trev passed away in March 2002 after a short fight with asbestos cancer. Paul and Trev stayed close over the years. Paul also continued singing, including backing Cliff Richard and joining Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch around 2000-2001. He was also on his second marriage when he sadly passed in August of the same year. Dave Seaton was doing well last I heard, which was probably at Paul or Trev’s funeral. My mum would have loved to write you back and talk about Trev. She still misses him so much. But she couldn’t work out how to reply so asked me to.

James Woodhead… Sadly, my grandfather Trevor Brown passed away in 2001. Paul Bennett sang at his funeral.

Sue Seward… Hi James, so sorry to hear that. Quite hard for me to get my head around the fact that Trevor was a grandfather as he was a young single guy when I knew him ! Anyway thanks for letting me know, and I hope you have many good memories of your grandfather.

Sue Seward…  Hi Deborah, Thank you so much for the update, but so very sorry to learn that both Trevor and Paul had passed away. Please do pass on my sympathy to your mother, I can appreciate that she still misses Trevor, he was such a great guy. I have lived in New Zealand for many many years but hope to visit the UK again once this COVID pandemic subsides , and have promised myself a nostalgic trip back to all the old ‘Violet Browns Decision’ haunts, I guess they will have changed greatly, but I’m sure my happy memories of those halcyon days will flood back, as the sixties were such a great era. I notice that there are no posts about Dave Seaton ! Wonder if he remained in the music scene as Trevor and Paul obviously did.

Ian Summerlin… Hi don’t forget me I was on the BBC recordings all the gigs two weeks on Southampton pier the Lyceum and unit thirteen with the girl singers, Dezo Hoffman’s photographs that had to be done twice. Did you do the Buckingham palace gig …… then I left and came back to stand in for a few gigs and you had replaced seagoon with a new singer. I’m the one with the golden curls in the Lyceum picture Ian Dicky, Dwight Summerlin known to you as Joe. Check out Dwight Chesham rock reverb nation. Cool

Dave Smith… I’m Dave Smith far right with the strat. Do you remember Maggie at the information centre before we did the pier Southampton. Shanker has 5 daughters. You were very noisy finishing the toilet at rehearsal. Nice to here from you

6Ts – Hellingly Social Club 22nd November 1986

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photos supplied by Lol Cooksey

Featuring Lol Cooksey, Bruce Cameron, Tel Corder, Dick Parkhouse

Robert Searle… Great photos, another place gone

Pete Houghton… Great photos of the 6Ts

Terry Corder… It’s gone but not such a loss. My memory of that night was and audience of 4, playing cards all night and ignoring us. Oh, I forgot the bar staff of one.

Andy Qunta… not a very social social club then!

Robert Searle… I played there three times ,didn’t like the acoustics. I was lucky, I joined a Hailsham band who used to called Charade,they had a great following.The name was changed to Haze when I joined on bass guitar, then Easy Street.

Andy Qunta… Easy Street sounds familiar, now you mention it! What years were they in action?

Robert Searle… Early 70s who consisted of Me on bass,Dave Easton on vocals,Les Harding guitar,Colin Rotheroe guitar,Dave Funnel drums who was replaced by Roy Winchester. Dave Easton vocals, and me on guitar,Stuart Moir drums vocals, Mick Ingrams bass,and Rev Stockdale keyboards became Centre Page.

Terry Corder… It was social if you played cards

Rory Gallagher Irish Tour on film and Status Quo at Wembley – Curzon Cinema – 23rd Nov 1975

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rory-gallgher-review

Barry French… Saw Rory Gallagher in concert at the Brighton Dome in the early 1970’s.
Totally amazing gig from one of the worlds  finest  blues  guitarist.

Pete Fisher… my mate John Davis took this photo at Brighton Dome – could be the same concert…

Sparks & Pilot – Hastings Pier 23rd Nov 1974

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ad supplied by Sarah Harvey. Group photo: Sparks in AVRO’s TopPop (Dutch television show) in 1974. Source: Beeld En Geluid Wiki – Gallerie: Toppop 1974

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Chris Meachen….The older brother in Sparks was just SO weird…. (In real life too, not just an act..) All I can say of Sparks is the taller one was the weirdest & most unresponsive individual I ever encountered backstage on the pier.. He just stared, without speaking,with a look that suggested you were something he just stepped in… Even backstage he maintained the emotionless, slightly manic stare that I’d imagined was just his public persona.. very creepy guy…

Alan Esdaile….Yes agree agree agree, one of the weirdest guys I ever met. The other brother was fine and had a good chat but when his brother appeared I spoke to him and all I got for a reply was an icy stare and his head moving from side to side, the same as he appeared on Top Of The Pops. Well creepy!

Mick O’Dowd….Biggest egotists going. Bomb scare half way through Pilots act(they were actually higher in the charts that week than Sparks) wouldn’t come back to Pier. Had to keep audience amused until they did. Very scary! Pilot were brilliant that night. After the bomb scare cleared the Pier Pilot insisted on finishing their set when play resumed,It gave time to coax the dynamic duo back from their hotel where they had been since the bomb scare was first announced.

Bernard Jeffery….I went to this gig I thought sparks were very ordinary, the support band was Pilot I think, they had a hit with January and were the better band. Magic! that was the single January was later

Read moreSparks & Pilot – Hastings Pier 23rd Nov 1974

Des O’Connor R.I.P.

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photo: http://www.desoconnornow.com

more details... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54950051

Helena Kingshott… Oh no ,not another celebrity gone

Gareth Huggett… Legend

Jacqueline Marsh… So very sad he was a lovely man

Jeff  Belton… Never met the gentleman, but had a great sense of humour, play his music on my radio shows. Will sadly be missed

Dennis Torrance… I grew up watching his tv shows always good entertainment . Another entertainer gone from our lives just seems to be endless lately. RIP Des god bless condolences to his family and many friends.

Kevin White… My mum used to love him when she was still with us, he was a proper celebrity and all round entertainer. RIP Des

Roger Simmonds… Oh no every week or so a famous person dies lately!

Roland Clarke… A customer of mine recorded one of his albums and he told me for all the jokes, he was a consummate professional who pretty much nailed in a single take. With many years in the business, I can tell you that this is really rare and there are only a handful of pros that can do this. RIP Des.

Janet Rennie… Saw him at potters bar a few years ago . He was so good . RIP des

Rosemary Hughes… RIP Des xx

Peter Houghton… RIP Des

Alan Esdaile… sad news. All round great entertainer, that had to put up with a lot of stick over the years from Morecambe and Wise and others about his singing but his records during the heyday sold very well.

Vivienne Gibbs… Alan, they were only jealous cos he always had a beautiful younger girl on his arm. I loved Des – always had such a cheeky smile

Harry Lavender… R.I.P. Des O’Connor

John Beeching… Saw him at the Paladium in the early 60s, one of the funniest stand up routines I’ve ever seen.

Tony May… What a great guy Des was! So many smiles he gave us all and he was such a wonderful sport… A lot of today’s ‘snowflakes’ could learn a lot from his attitude! THANKS for everything Des – I won’t forget that infectious laugh of yours!

Warren Elias… What a great person sad.RIP

Steve Thorpe… I remember his Andy Pandy sketches. So full of innuendo carried off with the cheekiest grin on TV. RIP to a very funny guy.

Mick O’Dowd… Such an all round entertainer of the old school. Very few left now and there will probably be no more of his ilk. Always raised a smile and he could take stick (Morecambe & Wise) and turn it around. What a trooper. RIP Des. Thanks for the memories.

Eddy Butcher… Very sad to hear R I P sir a perfect gentleman

Nicola Dobson… RIP Des

Andy Qunta… Great entertainer and personality. R.I.P.

Jan Warren… R.I.P. Des 🙁 xx

Rontenn 2001… Des was brilliant and a real legendary super-star. R.I.P. Des O’ Connor.

Iain Cobby… Quote from Eric Morecambe; ‘The Des in Des O’Connor is short for desperate’ and, ‘Des has just done a one-man show. Let’s hope two turn up next time’. So funny guys, all those memories from the halcyon days of variety. RIP Des.

Wendy Weaver… I remember seeing Des on the Palladium the very first time he appeared as an unknown. He was filling in for somebody at short notice and he was so funny. I can still remember his routine.

Colin Norton… Des was the compere on the Buddy Holly UK Tour 1958.

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/archtops5/arch1.html

Linda Lewis… RIP

Barry French… Very sad, used to like his comic sketches with Jack Douglas (Check out the green eyed yellow God sketch on YouTube) R. I. P.

Paul Coleman… Such a brilliant all round entertainer. Good comedian. Saw him a few times, mostly at Kings Country Club. Maybe him & Eric are havin a laugh together.! R. I. P.

Hastings bus Maidstone & District and timetable memories from Sarah Harvey

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supplied by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey… I have just acquired this model, probably more for nostalgia and the fact that I caught a lot of local buses like this when I was a kid. The Leyland Atlantean / Metro Cammell in Maidstone & District livery and displaying the Service No. 151. It was introduced in Hastings in 1961. The 151, alongside the 133 was one of the mainstay bus routes serving Hastings. I have also attached a page from the 1964 bus timetable. Not sure the 31 minutes end to end timings could be maintained nowadays 🤔Their rough equivalents to day are the 20 and 22 respectively. If you have lived in Hastings much of your life, did you ever catch one of these?

Peter Fairless… That’s brilliant, Sarah

Martin Richter… the 133 – a ha’penny from Bohemia to the town as a nipper 🙂 (but usually free!)

Geoff Peckham… Being a Bexhillian I rode the 156 or the 157 to and from school from Glyne Gap. My Nan lived in Turkey Rd where they turned round, so I used them to get there, and of course for trips to Hastings or the College. Well found, Sarah. x

Colin Bell… Oh yes, some fond memories here Sarah x

Tony Court-holmes… i loved Fremlins bitter

Paul Phillips… 151 was that the downs farm bus ..i lived Churchill Avenue 133 route and 157

Andy Gunton… Strangest train I’ve ever seen

Sarah Harvey… Oooo train-spotters / bus spotters, all part of the same family of species

Patrick Lewis… 151 and 133 frequently-our life line to downtown Hastings and St Leonard’s.

Sid Saunders… This was the first bus I drove in service at the start of my 34 years in Hastings in 1972.

Marcus de Mowbray… Many journeys between Sevenoaks and Maidstone on those!

Jim Breeds… The 133 from/to King’s Head near to where I lived was my mainstay, but the 151 was a reasonable substitute if I didn’t mind the walk from Down Farm estate to home.

Nigel Sherwood… Used to get 133 from the gas showrooms up to school at Elphinstone

Roger Carey… Living on the Ridge /edge of town, the main bus for us was the 155 circular route- for school and town trips. Remember seeing 133s on trips to Silverhill where my school mate Philip Till lived. Also the 76 which went down the (to me, then) incredibly long St Helen’s Road. In my very young years I thought the song “76 trombones” was about that bus and road!

Lucy Pappas… used the 128 and the 134, both of them single decker xx

Harry Randall… Used to live in Upper Glen road so caught the 151 either way at the Victoria Inn or walked up or down the hill to catch the 133 I’m so old I go back to the tram days!

John Busbridge… The 151 used to go to town via London Road I think and the 133 the same but via Bohemia road?

Andre Martin… Yes they were both our of Silverhill Depot [old trolley depot] and were basically Council Estate to Council Estate. 151 went via London Road and Memorial,Fishmarket, Harold Road, 133 Cambridge Road Memorial,Queens Road, Mount Pleasant, St Helens Hospt, Churchill Ave or Ore and Down Road. If I remember about every 10 mins in day and 20 mins at night.

Sandra Bryant… much more frequent in those days. My Dad used to drive Atlanteans.

Phil Thornton… I remember the 156 !

Nicola Dobson… My grandfather drove the buses and my uncle too

Chris Meachen… We used to take the mick out of wannabe bikers.. “what bike have you got, M&D 133?” I used to catch that service quite frequently when without my own transport..

Jane Hartley… 133 was my bus home.

John Gale… I remember the 133. Use to catch it from The Fortune of War to town and back, later became the 433. Great photos.

Jeff Chuzz Balcombe… yep both of them the 133 & the 151, used to live in Old Church Road, they was nearly always on time, plus if you missed one you knew you didn’t have to wait too long for the next one.

Mick O’Dowd… When did M& D stop serving Hastings? I also remember East Kent that had single deckers that were more like coaches and very comfortable.

Paul Phillips… yes i remember them Mick had comfy leather seats..service was from town centre to Rye..had bus station on ridge where Alsford Timber is now

Alan Wood… Nice …same bus that came through Robertsbridge but numbered no5, happy days, used to go upstairs with my gran to have a smoke !!

Edward Adams… had a bus garage in Ore where b & q was

Nigel Ford… Rode one for 50 minutes twice a school day for 5 years from Netherfield Hill to Bexhill Grammar, Turkey Road via Sedlescombe / Silverhill progressing from downstairs front to back seat top playing my Ferguson tranny with Radio1 on for the last 3 years to the joy of many. It started from Woods Corner, Dallington, PRIVATE “B”. Similar “A” bus ran from Burwash via Crowhurst, highlight of our days as only contact we had with the girls as schools still separated then.

David Nattress… Well, like Geoff I’m a Bexhillian and do remember the Maidstone and District buses very well and Southdown? so the trolley buses around Bexhill and Hastings – not sure if these were M & D – anyway, one of those things I remember vividly was this. I recall as a young lad taking the family dog down to Bexhill seafront one particular day. It was low tide and the dog decided to eat parts of a starfish or two. For some reason – tiredness/laziness I decided to get the bus back home from the Marina. I sat right near the back, dog on the lead sitting on the entrance bit by the rear door. Suddenly the dog “honked up” the bits of starfish all over the landing floor and just as the conductor came down the stairs and upon seeing the mess threw me and the dog off at the next stop.

Lynn Graham… 151, that’s the bus I used to catch home. Stopped at the Tivoli and I’d walk to Lewis Road from there.

Martin Richter… I remember the 133 had a bizarre route – get on in queen’s rd – up castle street – around the fountain and back down to cambridge road ?

Peter Houghton… I remember the 156 i think it went frim Sidley where i caught it at Springfield to go to the old town down then down sea Rd to Bexhill then back up sea Rd to Hastings

Nick Rowland… I used to live in Lower Maze Hill and often travelled to Hastings Town Centre and back to Christchurch.

Ralph Town… I’d love one. Is it a 1/50 scale or the smaller efe 1/72 scale? I might have had one in the past but can’t remember if it was a 151.

Cliff Wootton… Used to catch the 151 every week for music lessons from Harold Road (near the Clive Vale reservoirs) all the way up to Tower Road school just short of Silverhill.

Nigel Ford… I’ve just won one on ebay for under £8 posted…. EFE 1/76th scale, gonna have to make some PRIVATE B destination signs for it. I’ll get another and give it to my best man and his wife who both were on the bus with me though for only 4 years, though I must seek out some SHEPHERD NEAME side posters for it rather than FREMLINS as he was a regular in the Abbey Hotel, Battle which was a SH/N pub. Oh! ….and I forgot to mention there was rivalry between the A & B buses. If we should ever get close to each other during the journeys (only possible at Battle & from Harley Shute Rd to the school gates) there would be foul chants of 4 letter words and mass pronging of the fingers from us on the top decks…!!!