Tony Blackburn to return to the BBC

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37703509

Mark Gilham… He didn’t like us very much. Who can blame him! Haha.

Alan Esdaile… About time. How much stress has this caused him, which can’t ever be replaced.

Chris Giles… Should never been put through that stress …shame he’s not coming back to do Pick of the Pops.

Jim Breeds… He’s taking over Desmond Carrington’s slot on Friday evenings.

Matt Thomas…  I dont normally listen in the evenings either but i have started to listen to a bit of Jo Whiley whilst doing the ironing.

Alan Pepper… That’s good news ! I’m so glad he’s got his job back and look forward to hearing him again. Great guy met him a couple of times and he’s just so funny !

Inspirational, pianist, Holocaust Survivor, Alice Herz-Sommer – 109 years old

Josie Lawson… I don’t think you will put this on your forum Alan but it’s beautiful to see and it says a lot about music.It is a true story. Classical and worth watching….

Alan Esdaile… Not our normal posting but I couldn’t miss not sharing this. Very special, the POWER of music. Wonderful.

Moya Wilson… This is so touching and beautiful, what a wonderful lady !! Thank you for posting !!

What’s your favourite Cliff Richard record?

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1973 source: Allan Warren https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Allan_Warren

Josie Lawson… Summer Holiday when I was 16 years old.”

Peter Fairless… …with The Shadows, ‘In The Country’, it was constantly on the radio when I was in the children’s ward at the RESH in ’66

Leigh Wieland-Boys… The first record I bought (we were living in Malta at the time so had to pay a bit extra!) ‘Wind me up, let me go’ 1965/66, still a Cliff fan. …and I liked ‘We don’t talk anymore’

Alan Esdaile… One of my favourites is “Miss You Nights”.

Nita Jorge… Mine too

Jan Warren… I don’t like Cliff Richard but I think his best songs are “Move it” and “Devil Woman”!!

Stephen Kolimbarides… No

Andy Qunta… I love Cliff Richard & The Shadows! They inspired me to want to be a musician. The first LP (album) my brother, Tony and I had was Summer Holiday. Took a bit of work talking Dad round to splashing out the cash, but he understood it was important to us. I still think it sounds good!

Tony Qunta… The Young Ones, The Next Time etc. etc. etc. !

Nigel Ford… “On the beach”, with the Shads.The Shadows on their own were my favourite until the Stones came along. Summer Holiday was probably the first cinema film that Mother took me to when about 7 (?) and may have been supported by another film with Heinz in.

Steve Sampson… Move It

Patricia Burgess… Unchained Melody and Blue Moon, both on his “Listen to Cliff” LP still have it.

Dave Nattress… I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but many years back now, unless I’m mistaken, in one of the bands Pete Prescott was with, he used to do a cracking version of “We don’t talk any more”. Wonderful record also.

Wakey Wakey…….who remembers sitting around the wireless listening to the Billy Cotton Band Show?

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Photo © BBC.  Source: Josephine Fowler The Yesteryears Revisited

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155274025981988&set=gm.1816800591890736&type=3&theater

Colin Norton… “Hey you down there, you with the glasses”

Jim Hobbs… Sunday’s have never been the same as when I was a boy listening to his show.

Dennis Torrance… My mum used to listen to his radio show and she loved it also memories as a kid for me

Clifford Rose… I remember him. His signature tune was Somebody Stole my Gal.

Jon McCallion… I do, then it was dripping on toast . The minstrel show , the Saint , Sunday night at the London Palladium.

Colin Fox… Oooooh toast dripping and Marmite

Paul Morfey… How long ago was that?? Dont tell me!!

Alan Esdaile… Toast, you must have been posh Jon, we had to make do with bread and dripping. Paul, Sunday lunchtime show was between 1949 and 1968.

Colin Fox… My dad used to toast the bread in front of the fire.

Jim Hobbs… Eeeeee, luxury!

Paul Morfey… We only had bread and pull-it !!?!

Andre Martin… Generally around 1.30pm/2.00pm on a Sunday Afternoon after Family Favourites

Colin Fox… …..and during the week Workers Playtime

Wendy Weaver… We were very posh, we had jam. Billy Cotton Bandshow reminds me of washing up after Sunday Dinner. It was preceded by 2-way Family Favourites – great show

Colin Fox… Sundays remind me of the house smelling of cabbage

Chris Meachen… Remember it well, listening through the separate speaker underneath the redifusion telly..

Dennis Torrance… Oh what happy days lol my mums telly 405 and 625 lines push in button bbc2 and forever getting up to turn over lol

Mick O’Dowd… Wakey! Wakey! Proper sunday roast dinners. There was also 3 & even 4 way Family Favourites at times! Wow!

Andre Martin… I am sure that one more than one occasion BFBS[British Forces Broadcasting Service & BBC] linked London:Koln:Cyprus:Aden:Singapore for specials ie Christmas.

Alan Pepper… Yes that does bring back memories on a Sunday ! Also remember The Clitheroe Kid ? And later on TV after Sunday night at the London Palladium , 77 Sunset Strip ! I think ? In black and white.

Pat Burgess… Wow what memories, Family favourites, and now I live in Canada. How about Take it from here, Dick Barton, Journey into Space…

Mick O’Dowd… Kookie, lend me your comb! We know a song about that don’t we children.

Nigel Sherwood… Clitheroe Kid , The Navy Lark and Around the Horne used to love Sunday radio

The Happy Ballroom Hastings Pier & more. 14th Oct 1966 by Andre Martin

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all cuttings: Andre Palfrey-martin collection

I am posting this week’s History a little early, as some of the most interesting activity is going to take place on Friday 14th October 1966 will be the Invasion Ball in “The Happy Ballroom”, Hastings Pier and without doubt involve “the longest bar in town” Headlining the programme this night is Georgie Fame now without the Blue Flames, Bob Knights has been able to repeat the success of having him playing in Hastings as we did for the College All-Nighter in June, as he is about to start a national tour with the Harry South Big Band also on the programme this “battle night” are John Mayalls Blues Breakers, Shotgun Express and The Gass and all for £1.00 on the night.
We would have started the night with a trip to the TV Studios in London for this week’s edition of Ready Steady Go. Headlining were Paul Jones “High Time” and Dusty “All I see is You”
The Witch Doctor this weekend added a double bill to the Saturday Night presentation – The Majority plus the Coloured Raisins, who would appear several times over the years at the Pier, Witch Doctor and other venues in Hastings. Thursday Night was as ever the slot for Steve Maxted and his own particular brand of entertainment, as good as ever.
BBC Radio for the weekend, Saturday on Saturday Club – Cilla Black, Adam Faith, Chris Farlowe, Robert Parker, the Four Pennies, Wynder k frog, The Imp-Acts, & the Arthur Greenslade Orchestra all controlled by Brian Matthew. The following programmes followed a similar format and we had edition of I’m sorry I’ll Read that Again, Swingalong, The National Brass Band Festival. Music Parade, It’s Latin, Have a Go, A night At The Music Hall, Time for Old Time, Geoff Murphy and His Music, Simon Dee and to close the evening Lennie Felix and his Trio. Sunday’s offerings would have included – Easy Beat with The Johnny Howard Band, Laura Lee, Tony Stevens and Danny Street with records by Keith Fordyce. Lunchtime would have brought a Three Way Family Favourites link up with London, Koln and Borneo. Later in the day The Navy Lark, Billy Cotton Band Show, Semprini Serenade, Pick of the Pops, Listen to this Space, Movie Go Round –First House, featuring Fantastic Voyage with Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, Edmund O’Brien and Donald Pleasance. Top of the Form, Sing Something Simple, Open House with Desmond Carrington, Sunday Half Hour. Movie Go Round – Second House with Peter Haig, featuring The Battle of the Bulge starring Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews. Later Frankie Howerd, David Hughes, The Jazz Scene till closed down. Television on Saturday always started the afternoon with Grandstand followed by Juke Box Jury and this week David Jacobs had as guests Julie Rogers, David Hughes, Scott Hamilton and Truly Smith. Later Dr Who “ The Tenth Planet”, Dixon of Dock Green, High Adventure Film “ Fort Algiers” Raymond Burr and Lelf Erickson. From Great Yarmouth The Hippodrome Circus, the Trouble Shooters, News 7 Match of the Day. The Late show and this was followed by The Conservative Party Conference from Brighton. On Sunday we had Film Matinee –“I’m No Angel” with Mae West and Cary Grant, Western the Loner Series. Wilkie Collins “The Woman in White” Pt 3,Sooty, Meeting Point, Songs of Praise and Sunday Film “ No Highway” Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Jack Hawkins & Glynis Johns. Billy Cotton’s Music Hall. The Georgian State Dance Company, News and The look of the Week. Over on the Pirates, Radio Caroline South with DLT playing this week’s top records – Georgie Fame : Sunny, Four Tops : Reach Out I’ll Be There”, Troggs : Can’t Control Myself, Herman’s Hermits : No Milk Today and NVB :Winchester Cathedral. Big L Radio London contributions, NVB : Winchester Cathedral, Four Tops : Reach Out I’ll Be There, Troggs : I Can’t Control Myself, Bobby Darrin : If I were a Carpenter, Hollies : Stop, Stop, Stop.
So there we have 50 years ago this weekend what people were attracted to in Hastings, Plus there were all sorts of addition celebrations, parades and gatherings to enjoy and remember the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. Here we are now some 50 years later doing the same and celebrating perhaps one of the Key Dates in History 1066. Whatever you are up to this weekend enjoy yourselves and take great care.
Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2016

Steve Maxted… Hard to believe, 50 years has passed. Your knowledge of the history is amazing and invaluable

Expedient Marching Band – Min, Jim & Derek

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supplied by Jeannette Wilde via Hastings groups from 1958 to the present.

Expedient Marching Band with Min, Jim Pierce & Derek Sinden.

Philip Meston…..Remember them well, haven’t seen them for a while!

Yvonne Cleland….Doesn’t Min look fine!  Bless him. x

Geoff Peckham…..I wonder when this was taken. Min took me to some of the Bonfire Boys processions (Mayfield, Crowborough etc) around 1970. I walked alongside them carrying our refreshment – flagons of Bob Luck cider. Great fun!

John Wilde…..What a great photo. A copy of which I have on my studio wall. The very Min in his finery and the great Derek Sinden both no longer with us, now kicking up a storm on the other side

Phil Thornton….a great Min shot ! hope he is jamming with Mooney and Jimi right now

Stallion – The Marquee & more..

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Supplied by Phil Gill. Promo photo 1976

Phil Gill, Steve Demetri, John Wilde, Phil Thornton & John Petri

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supplied by Phil Gill

The Marquee Club – London , Phil Thornton, Julian Carter, John Wilde, Steve Demetri & Phil Gill

Phill Gill … Stallion at the Marquee Club February 1977, taken seconds before John Alexander Wilde knocked me flat on my back whilst attempting to strangle me, during a particularly spirited performance of “Fresh Out of Borstal’. Prog Rock wasn’t just about capes and King Arthur on Ice you know…it was a dangerous sport sometimes. — with Philip George Thornton, Julian Jules Carter, Stephen Demetri and John Alexander Wilde.

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Summer 1975 with Tony Bridger in the line up, photographed at the fountain roundabout Pelham Crescent.

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Another 1975 picture supplied by Stallion Facebook page

Yvonne Cleland…..Was it cold, lads?

Phil Gill…..It was raining and cold – and it wasn’t my duffel coat, it was my girlfriend’s.

Tony Davis… Just a quick question Mr Gill – were you wearing anything else of your girlfriends cos it looks as though somethings gripping you tightly!

Phil Gill…  the answer for Mr Davis is no. I was commando.

Yvonne Cleland… Everyone looks cold apart from PGT!

Phil Thornton… my tracksuit top / goatie phase was very short lived

 

PLC – Beer Festival – Alexandra Park. around 1987/88.

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supplied by John Williams

John Williams… Derick Macey on drums, Patrick Green bass,  John Cheese rhythm, John Williams vocals and a bloke called lead Reg ?can’t remember last name.

Tim Moose Bruce… Think this was 87. I was there and Jon lent me his spare guitar and got me up with you guys for a couple of songs. Great times. I remember the gigs at the Bulverhythe pub, PLC, the Jez Gillet band, and the band I was in , the Blind Bats.