1969

The Kult & Diversion – Ninfield Hall 8th November 1969

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poster supplied by Andy Knight

Robert Searle… Yes,i remember that gig

Jan Warren… WOW, there’s a blast from the past, The Kult were so good, love it!! 🙂 xx

Paul Coleman… Yeh, loved The Kult. Mick & Pete were personal friends of my brother Martin (Coleman) & came to our house a few times. I thought their record “No Home Today” was brilliant. Unfortunately my copy got destroyed by the sun. I’d love to get another. I remember Ninfield memorial hall gig & the coach trips laid on so we could all support them when playing farther away. Great times.

Jaffa Peckham… I clearly remember this gig. What a thrill to be in a band supporting my local heroes, Kult! Diversion were Andy Knight (drums), Digger ? (vocal), me on bass and Dai Hardin (guitar). Dai was a great guitarist who was newly wed, I believe, and stopped gigging shortly after this. In 1976, in Bedford, I played in a band with another superb guitarist from Wales, David Dutfield. In passing I mentioned Dai and was surprised to learn he knew him! I can’t remember whether it as a friend or by reputation, but I think I Dave told me he was a member of a legendary Welsh band, The Deviants. Anyway, a memorable night in Ninfield, and Kult were awesome as usual!

David Dutfield… Jaffa, Just saw this post and wanted to remind you that Dai Harding, with his brother Gerry, was in a band called the Vagrants. By the way, thanks so much for your kind comment – I have no problem reciprocating – you’re a fine muso and a great guy to know

Mike Curtis… I seem to remember seeing Kult at Moor Hall in Ninfield.

 

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Julie Driscoll: 1969, Remastered Edition

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1969    Julie Driscoll

I should imagine that the vast majority of people remember Julie for several reasons. Her undoubted beauty that shone even in an era of many beautiful faces. Her 1968 psychedelic No 5 hit ‘This Wheels on Fire’ with Brian Auger & the Trinity. Or you may go back earlier to her participation in Steampacket, the band formed by blues singer Long John Baldry in 1965, that famously included a young Rod Stewart. It also included Hammond maestro Brian Auger with whom Julie would break away with to form the aforementioned Trinity. By 1969 Julie had been touring relentlessly for 4 years & was tired. Tired of the double-edged sword of fame which having a hit like ‘This Wheels on Fire’ brought, but then ground you down relentlessly as you were called upon to endlessly & repeatedly perform it as well as looking a certain way, expected of you by Press & public alike. It was time for a change. A fresh beginning, or to quote the title of the opening track of her solo album ‘A New Awakening’.  After a final series of gigs with the band, Julie left the band for a solo career. For some time she had been writing her own material with the aid of an acoustic guitar. Encouraged by her manager Georgio Gomelsky who had successfully managed The Yardbirds & owned his own label Marmalade Records, Julie set to work on what would become her solo album, named simply after the year it was produced, 1969. Georgio introduced her to Keith Tippett a jazz orientated musician & another of his stable of artistes. It was to be a special coming together. Julie was very taken with the music Keith had written for his own debut album & after seeing him play at The Marquee was rightly convinced they would make a great partnership in shaping her material. They would also become husband and wife remaining so up until Keith sadly passed in 2020. The 2 literally locked themselves away for a night in Gomelsky’s office & worked on the 8 tracks that would form ‘1969’. From the aforementioned opening track ‘A New Awakening’ it’s very clear that here is a woman literally declaring her new future, it’s right there in the lyrics ‘Today I woke up to many things’ ‘My day began in long confusion’ ‘And then we talked, you understood’ ‘I even starting feeling good’. I have picked those lines randomly, but they say it all. Starting with some accomplished strumming from Julie ‘A New Awakening’ is a complex & exciting start to the album with some searing electric guitar work from journeyman guitarist Chris Spedding, punctuated with horns quite reminiscent of something you would hear from the likes of Blood, Sweat & Tears. By the time the track has finished all thought of the ‘albatross’ that was TWOF has disappeared in a seismic shift. Track 2, the haunting & beautiful ‘Those That We Love’ is a gentle, intricate number by contrast, yet still leading us firmly into new territory. Track 3 ‘Leaving It All Behind’ with a wonderful Oboe part is self explanatory in it’s title as we continue on Julie’s new journey of personal & musical discovery. It’s with the arrival of Track 4 ‘Break Out’ that all thoughts of her previous path are now well behind us. It’s a standout track, ‘It’s a long road, when do we reach our goal’ it asks in its opening line before moving into a melodic mid-tempo number which becomes quite mesmeric & dreamy, only to be shattered about 3 minutes in by one of the most striking swooping vocal parts I’ve ever experienced, quite extraordinary, there’s some great guitar work from Jim Cregan also in the mix. Track 5 ‘The Choice’ is again a title that says it all as Julie has a dialogue with herself that we can all relate to in our personal lives. It’s probably my favourite track on the album. Track 6 ‘Lullaby’ is just that, a soft & wistful song with some very appealing acoustic guitar from Julie overlaying a delicately delicious vocal. Track 7 ‘Walk Down’ we are now moving towards the end of our journey as Julie reminds us to ‘stay on the path that leads to our goal’, the musical arrangement by husband Keith is exemplary & i love the imagery & stunning quality of Julie’s vocal performance. Track 8 ‘I Nearly Forgot – But I Went Back’ draws the album to a close in fine fashion as Julie basically sums up what has gone before, with at times some, to my mind, allusions to a past psychedelic world. It’s been a treat & a fascinating listen, & one that i have thoroughly enjoyed, I will always love her previous work with Steampacket & Brian Auger, however if it came to repeated listening i would chose this album. In keeping with her new direction the album cover is plain with no picture of that beautiful face to distract one, a move that was surely deliberate. Esoteric Records have done a fine job with the remastering & the sound is excellent. It’s accompanied by an informative booklet, with a shortish essay & full musical credits & song lyrics. ‘1969’ was supposed to be released as it’s title suggests that same year. However due to the collapse of Marmalade Records didn’t see the light of day until 1971. It may be over 50 years old but it could have been made yesterday, it’s theme is eternal. Enjoy

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time….stay safe & well……Colin  

Mick O’Dowd… Unfortu natel never got to hear much of her myself after TWOF! She was an exceptional talent but again was totally overlooked. I believe that our own Tony Bird played with Brian Auger at one time. Correct me if i’m wrong Tony.

Reid McDuffie… She was my first crush…. remember her clearly grooving while Auger soloed manically. 1969 is a great record, I spin it often

Alan Esdaile… Remember hearing This Wheels On Fire for the first time and had to rush out and buy it. Impressed with the label ‘Marmalade’ which came in a purple cover and trippy logo, when most other labels were pretty plain. And then when I saw her on top of the pops, Wow!

Rolling Stones – Hyde Park 5th July 1969

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supplied by Philip John

Philip John…..Going through a pack of press cuttings i found this Archive account of the Stones in Hyde Park back in ’69. I think it really catches the changes taking place at that time.
I remember I was there with an old school friend, Paul Dobson who later developed the RSD Sound system company. We travelled up from Cheshunt Herts by train, I was wearing a pair of curtains my mother had brought back from India, poncho style ( think Clint in ‘A Fist Full of Dollars’,) over a purple shirt, jeans and fringed boots, I really thought I looked the business till we got to the park and found ourselves surrounded by thousands of very cool London groovers who could spot out of towners right away.
That aside we had a great day, the sound wasn’t all that good but this was the Stones live in concert and me and Paul along with thousands of others were part of it.
Anyone else got memories of that concert ?

Alan Esdaile…..I was there. Loved King Crimson. I remember wearing my Woodstock armband which I got from Atlantic Records for joining the uptightoutasight club and a hippy bell round my neck!

Anne Wells……I helped run the uptightoutasight (Atlantic/Stax appreciation club) while working for Polydor (incorporating Atlantic, Stax etc) in London in 1968-69. Probably posted off your armband !(as only 3 of us ran it). Also went to the Stones Hyde Park concert.

Alan Esdaile…..Excellent, Anne. Its bizarre what triggers these odd memories. I even remember the record that was sent to me – Brook Benton Rainy Night In Georgia. Coming back to the Stones gig another great band that does not seem to get any mentions nowadays is ‘ Family’. They were really  good.

Redstar Richter….not me – but my partner is in the official film 🙂

John Wilde….Family, great band Alan, saw them many times, thanks for the reminder.

Geoff Peckham… I missed the Stones’ one, but went to the Blind Faith concert at Hyde Park. Also on the bill were: Donovan, Ritchie Havens, Third Ear Band and the ubiquitous Edgar Broughton. A fab day out

Wendy Weaver… I  was there. Long way for the stage. I remember the cargo nets up to the front of he stage and bouncers throwing girls back into the crowd.

Paul Coleman… I was there. If I remember right the “security” were hells angels recruited for the job?

Alan Esdaile… Yes remember the hells angels.

Tony Court-holmes… yes

You Had To Be There! – The Rolling Stones live 1962-69 by Richard Houghton. With memories of Hasting Pier gigs. Now available.

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The Rolling Stones Live In The Sixties

A new book about the career of the Rolling Stones, out 1st October 2015, gives a front row perspective on the group’s early live shows and includes memories of their performances in Hastings. Amongst the shows remembered in You Had To Be There: The Rolling Stones Live 1962 – 69 are concerts which took place in Hastings on 18th January, 11th April and 1st August 1964.

The book, written by Richard Houghton and published by Gottahavebooks, contains over 500 eyewitness accounts of the band’s very first performances, beginning with pubs and clubs in and around London and culminating in their 1969 Hyde Park show.  It also contains previously unreleased photos of the band. Included in the book are the memories of –

Maurice Viney, ‘The boys on the stage were very young but their music was excellent. The main point I remember was that a very nice young lady removed her pants and threw them at mick in the centre of the stage.’

Andre Palfrey-Martin,  ‘It was branded the second Battle of Hastings – the mods and rockers were just about to kick off.’

The publication of You Had To Be There:  The Rolling Stones Live 1962 – 69 coincides with the recent announcement of a major Rolling Stones exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London next year.  The group have been performing live for more than 50 years and interest in the group’s early days is stronger than ever. Richard Houghton said: “I got the idea for the book last year when I went to see the Rolling Stones perform in Stockholm.  Mick Jagger was about to turn 71 and it occurred to me that many of the people who saw the Stones when they were starting out would be of a similar vintage.  Fifty years ago they were teenagers and I thought it would be good to capture those memories of the early Stones shows before they fade.” Richard Houghton said: “This book is not just about the Rolling Stones.  It’s also a window on the past, a look at what it was like to grow up in 1960s Britain.  Teenagers hadn’t really been invented until the Rolling Stones came along and they played a part in opening many people’s eyes to what was possible.  The Stones helped to make the Sixties swing.” Richard, who lives in Manchester, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to capture some great anecdotes of people who saw the Stones on their journey to stardom.  They started out as a group of rhythm and blues aficionados sometimes playing to a handful of people in a pub and became the greatest rock’n’roll band in the world.”

Richard did not see the Rolling Stones live in the 1960s himself, although his mum did take him to see The Beatles.  He was four years old, and the Fab Four are the subject of his next book.

You Had To Be There: The Beatles

Richard said:  “I’d love to hear the memories of anyone who saw The Beatles in the 1960s, because they set the entertainment world alight when they came along and there will be lots of people out there who heard them or saw them and just thought “wow”.”  You can share your Beatle memories with Richard on thebeatlesinthe60s@gmail.com

You Had To Be There:  The Rolling Stones Live 1962 – 69 can be ordered from:

http://gottahavebooks.co.uk/stones/ and http://www.amazon.co.uk

Or email sales@gottahavebooks.co.uk

Tony Court-holmes… nice boys never get anywhere

Andre Martin… Go to page 151