Headlights, Be Bop Bella, Die Laughing, Sunstroke – Carlisle – 558 Entertainments – 12th Jan to 20th Jan 1979

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supplied by Mick Mepham

Mick O’Dowd… This was my first promotion at The Carlisle. I had previously promoted Headlights at The Caves and was very impressed with them. They came from London but that’s all I can remember about them. Can anybody else help out? As you can probably make out Be Bop Bella & Sunstroke were rock’n’roll acts and then there’s that other band that no one on this page has probably ever heard of. Die Laughing. Hi Mick, Lol & Tel!

Alan Esdaile…  Remember Sunstroke very well. Used to be managed by Cy Whitfield in Hastings. Very surprised we have not found any photos of the band so far. This is all I got.

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Mick O’Dowd… I now realise I promoted Headlights 3 times. They must have been good!

Jim Breeds… Was the audience mainly made up of transfixed rabbits? 😀

Sarah Baggaley… Hi, my dad played bass in a band called Sunstroke in the 70s. I have a pic of the band with a Hastings phone number on it so I guess it’s the same one?! Trying to find out a bit more about it as he died in 1997.

Alan Esdaile… Is Mick O’Dowd mad?

Tim Moose Bruce…  I remember Before The Storm, they were very young and new to the scene but every time I saw them ( Supporting bands like Die Laughing) they improved with leaps and bounds. I recall they changed their name to Billy Whiz later on.

Embryo, Stunshot & Cold Turkey – Hastings Pier 7th October 1978

ticket supplied by Mick O’Dowd, write up & advert supplied by Sarah Harvey

Clive Richardson said ‘Stunshot’ were excellent and he went to see them play again in London a few days later.

Sarah Harvey… I think Mick O’Dowd may have promoted the ‘Three For A Quid’ gigs during 1978 (558 Entertainment). I seem to vaguely recall seeing Embryo and can only think it must have been this particular concert on October 7th. I was always on the look out for a bargain. Embryo was not the German jazz fusion krautrock band that was reasonably well-known throughout the 1970s….its seems that this particular Embyo originated from Caterham Surrey as a new wave / punk band in 1975.

Mick O’Dowd… Yes! It was I who did this deed. Wot value! It is true that I don’t remember anything about these three only to say that they were all rock bands. Thanx for the pic Sarah as when I was updating my book of gigs I couldn’t find any pics of Embryo at all. Neither the other two so if anyone has any pics of them please post.

Sarah Harvey… Stunshot were a punk band I understand and at the Carlisle on 16.2.79 in a punk gig featuring three bands – The Piranhas/ Teen Beats/ Stunshot

Tony Court-holmes… I remember cold turkey

Gary Dorrington… Hi I don’t think this Embryo is the ’75/76 one, https://punkmusiccatalogue.wordpress.com/embryo/. I have dates for another Embryo, active early to late 78 mostly in the London area, which may be the same band which released a 7″ in 1980 https://www.discogs.com/Embryo-Im-Different-You-Know-He-Did/release/2243887 

Gary https://punkmusiccatalogue.wordpress.com/

Mick O’Dowd… It was the London one Gary. I promoted this one.

Gary Dorrington… any info on Cold Turkey, Mick?

Mick O’Dowd… Sorry Gary, nothing at all. Wait until after Xmas and there will be alot about!😜

February Frolics – 558 Entertainments – Footloose, Loggerhead, Beez Neez, Priway Music Road Show, The Piranhas, The Teenbeats, Centre Page. The Carlisle 1979

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supplied by Mick Mepham                cutting supplied by Mick O’Dowd

Tim Bruce….I went to the Footloose gig. Loggerhead if I recall were a prog type band playing their own material.

Mick O’Dowd… Here’s on of my gigs from 1979. Footloose were a very good band in the Thin Lizzy mould if I remember rightly. I know the drummer was called Will but I don’t remember any other names. Can anybody help with names/pics? The following night Will actually played drums for Beez Neez because Mark Harris (now a Likely Lad)( He was then as well!) got held up and couldn’t get to the gig. Will did an excellent job. What can you say about the Piranhas/Teenbeats gig. Then there was those stalwarts of the local music scene Centre Page whose line-up over the years reads like a whos-who of local talent!

Peter Millington… There’s a job for you Mick – create a family tree of who’s played in Suspect/Centre Page over the 50+ years they’ve been entertaining the locals and the not so locals.  Group family trees are a complicated business – I’ve just finished one for myself which goes from the CONFEDERATES – SPYKE i – SUSPECT – SPYKE II – JINKS I – EVOLUTION – JINKS II with all the members comings and goings. Not very adventurous with names were we? 53 years non-stop so no complaints!

Iain Cobby… Yes, I was the bassist in Footloose. Will on Drums (cant remember his surname) Brian Setchfield on vox, Guitars were Tony (Vic) Bridger RIP and Harry Randall. Good times were had with a mixture of covers and our own stuff. We did record one with two Saxon covers. I think we went on stage to Widors toccata in F. Such pomp!

Dave Nattress… I still see Brian Setchfield quite often along Cooden Sea-front. He walking his dog, me walking mine, and we often walk along chatting about all those old times, bands and characters. Brian was in Boulder a parallel universe to Damaris and they morphed into Footloose. Mick Kemp and Tony Barraclough played in both bands. Boulder actually earned money doing weekend gigs. Really glad you’ve “signed up” Iain – catch you soon. Loggerhead’s bassist was Steve Watson who later joined up with Mick Bridgeland, Andy Leaney, (RIP), and me in The Charts. Mick, Andy and I had been in The Prisoners for a year or two with Robin Heggie. Robin joined the Hollywood Killers and I think it was then actually Steve Watson joined us.

Mike Mitchell… I remember that gig: The Piranhas and The Teenbeats…a great night. And I found a silver Parker biro on the benches too.

Colin Fox… I like THE GENTLEMEN OF POP under Centre Page.

Mick O’Dowd… Will from Footloose took over the drumkit from Mark at this one. It’s ok Mark Harris, he was still sitting at the back!

Mark Harris… I think you might be right Mick about Will deputising.

Chris Pook… Think that was the only gig you missed Mark. Agree Mick, Footloose were a great band – Dave Neal included!!

Ernest Ballard… Piranhas Great Band