A Band Of Angels – Hastings Collage 30th October 1964 by Andre Martin

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Andre Martin… As its Halloween at the moment, if we think back – this is about the college, here is something that I know will be of interest to many, On Friday evening 30th October 1964, in the old Gymnasium at the College in Archery Road, we held our Halloween Dance – Top of the Bill, A Band of Angels, featuring Mike d’Abo and the supporting band whose name slips my memory for the moment, bass guitar one Noel d’Abo [ student and well known member of the college]. We do not have any press adverts for this, but I have found the following press cutting from the local Observer, about a visit made by the group to AJs show in Queens Road. I am sorry the photo is very dark, but Mike can just be seen in the back row.

Rolling Stones – Hastings Pier 1st August 1964 by Andre Martin

all cuttings Andre Palfrey-martin collection, pier crowd photo Coz ‘Swoz’ Booth from Alex Chapman West Marina To Hastings Pier. 

ticket for salehttps://www.tracks.co.uk/product/rs613-rolling-stones-1964-hastings-pier-ballroom-concert-ticket-stub-uk/

Dateline – August Bank Holiday 1st August 1964, and here we are all poised for another great weekend in The Happy Ballroom – headline act this weekend The Rolling Stones, making their 3rd visit to Hastings, and this was going to be a good night, as they had just had 2 weeks in the no 1 spot on the UK Charts with “It’s All Over Now “ – a number penned by Bobby & Shirley Womack and had been originally released in the US by the Valentinos. The Stones had raved about this song when they first heard this on the Murray the K Show earlier that year. For those who like FACTS – it was The Beatles, with “ A Hard Day’s Night” that had pushed The Stones off the No 1 spot the previous week. Because of the popularity the prices had risen to 10/- admission. The supporting bands were The Worrying Kind and The Sabres – both of which were well know to the patrons of the Happy Ballroom. So nothing very different than a normal Saturday night in The Happy Ballroom – but as we all know things were about to change. Because of the very recent chart success of The Stones, more than normal crowds began to arrive at the Pier, also being a Bank Holiday extra visitors, looking for a long weekend added to the interest. Because of the numbers of fans it was agreed that to get the band onto the Ballroom, different tactics should be used, and in this instance the famous disused ambulance delivery would be used. I have attached with this amongst the photos, a copy from the after-action report from the Police giving more details of this activity. Well as we all now know, this was going to be the start of a very different weekend for Hastings, and one that would be branded – Second Battle of Hastings. The night before – 31st July – Ready Steady Go would include – –The Kinks – “You Really Got Me.”
–Manfred Mann – “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.”–The Four Pennies – ” Found Out The Hard Way.”
–Kenny Lynch – “What Am I To You” (or “My Own Two Feet”). -Simon Scott – “Move It Baby.”
–Peter Lee Stirling –The Shevelles -The Leroys
This had set the musical scene for the Bank Holiday. Along the seafront at the very recently opened The Witch Doctor, was planning a weekend that would have included Saturday night – from Coventry “ The Avengers “ and Sunday “ John Lees Ground Hoggs”.         Andre Martin

Clifford Rose……I’d like to have seen the Alex Harvey Soul Band. Same Alex Harvey before the rock band.

Andre Martin… The crowd photo,  just prior to the Rolling Stones Appearing in the Happy Ballroom, this was part of the build up to the second Battle of Hastings as the press and TV branded the Bank Holiday Weekend.

Sue Verrall… The Sabres supporting wow !!!

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Tammy St John & The Trends – Sat 12th Sept 1964 – Hastings Pier by Andre Martin

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Andre Martin… The nights are closing in, and the Happy Ballroom on Hastings Pier is in for a great surprise this weekend, Saturday 12th September 1964. Top of the bill tonight is north London vocalist – Tammy St John and her backing group The Trends. Plus support from Gene Bennett & The Initials.
Tammy St John was born Judith Coster and hailed from Hornchurch in Essex, east of London. She earned a recording contract with Pye Records at the age of just 14 and released four singles over a two-year period. Each showed a very different side of the young singer as her record company tried to find a winning sound.
Her first 45, Boys, was a decent debut, and featured Hey-hey-hey-hey, a cover of a song originally recorded by Little Richard, on the flip. Issued in August 1964, it was a raucous affair, with a distinctly American flavour, loud guitars and strong backing vocals. It also gained a release in the US, on the small Four Corner of the World label.
Although she had little record success in the UK charts at the time, in later years, she would build up a big following on the Northern Circuit and several of these 1960s releases being worth £100s on the vinyl market.
Gene Bennett & The Initials are another of the many groups that acted in support on the Pier, of whom no knowledge is available; all the usual research has come up with little that can link them with Hastings Pier.
Along the Promenade – The Witch Doctor, is consolidating his position, and is offerings a really good weeks entertainment . Saturday Night – From London Steve Marriott’s Moments, supported by Brighton’s own The Alexenders, Sunday was the R&B night with Victor Brox Blues Train. Wednesday London’s own Christians Crusaders featuring Neil Christian and Friday Parlophone recording group The Contrasts.
The Weekend would have started off for us with the Friday Nights RSG and this week would have featured – Scheduled guests: Bill Haley and his Comets -Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers – “One Way Love” -Adam Faith and the Roulettes -Tony Jackson and the Vibrations – “Bye Bye Baby” -Rita Bartok -Doug Sheldon.
So there you have another week of History of not just the Happy Ballroom, but other attractions in the town for the young at heart, I hope this has brought back some memories for you all………….

The Happy Ballroom, David Bowie & The Buzz at Witch Doctor and more. 3rd September 1966 by Andre Martin

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection

All too quickly the summer season ends and we start to return a more normal schedule, although as this was 1966 this would be still hectic for a few more weeks because of the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, as I write this we are remembering Saturday 3rd September 1966. The Happy Ballroom on Hastings Pier has The Tony Strudwick Big Band for this weeks entertainment, and the variety on offer has now been reduced to just the Saturday night – the Sunday Club ended on the Bank Holiday Weekend.
Along the coast, a distance that I was informed recently was just under 1 mile, the Witch Doctor is still following the Saturday Night live bands, and this week we have some chap, called Dave Bowie ?? And the Buzz, they have advertised them as Radio London Climbers! The remainder of the week is Record, but I understand that one of the most popular record spinners would be returning later in the month after a summer break. Our regular routine would for many have been Friday Night and Ready Steady Go with the show piloted through the bedlam by Cathy & Keith, on the show this week The Spencer Davis Group “When I come Home”, Wayne Fontana “Goodbye Bluebird, The Fortunes “ Is it really worth your While” & Sandie Shaw “ Run”. Lets take a look at the BBCs offerings – On The Light Programme on Saturday we had 10.00am Saturday Club with Don Moss sitting in for Brian Matthew, and the groups appearing included Alan Price, The Spencer David Group, Small Faces and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. In the afternoon – Swing into Summer continues and this week’s artistes included Adam Faith, Vince Hill, The Ivy League & The Magil 5, for Brass Band Fans this was also the 114th National Competition broadcast live. The evening entertainments still with summer seasons in mind came from Great Yarmouth with Terry Scott & Hugh Lloyde, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Dallas Boys and The Countrymen. Later in the evening it was The Henry Wood Promenade Concert from the Royal Albert Hall. The evening ended with Dancing Over Europe and Simon Dee. Television – Grandstand, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Till Death Do Us Part, The Trouble shooters and Match of the Day. Sunday, was very much as usual – Radio – Children’s requests, Mrs Mills & The Happy Gang, Easy Beat. Three way Family Favourites – London, Koln & Singapore [BFBS were just about to move into their new studios in Tanglin Army Barracks on the island, that would be their home until the pull out of British Forces in 1972 from the Singapore Base – I remember it well] The afternoon was filled with the usual comedy, Melody and Movie times and later in the evening the main show came from Blackpool. The evening ended with Jazz Scene. Sunday was Educational till mid afternoon, then International Athletics, followed by It’s a KO – Blackpool v Lytham St Anne, Perry Mason and Ken Dodd. BBC 2 had Cricket and a feature on Animals in Trinidad.
On the pirates Tony Blackburn on Radio London Top Forty – Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers “ Got to Get you into my Life”, Lee Dorsey “ Working Down a Coal Mine”, Chris Andrews “ Stop that Girl”, Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band “ Big Time Operator & a band that I would work many times with a little later in the Decade on Hastings Pier – Episode Six “ Here There and Everywhere”. The top 5 on Radio Caroline this week – Dave Lee Travis on Caroline South – Roy Orbison “ Too Soon To Know”, The Beatles “Yellow Submarine, Manfred Mann “Just Like a Woman”, Small Faces “ All or Nothing” and Chris Andrews “ Stop that Girl”
So there we have another weeks memories of Hastings & St Leonards. I hope that it brought back the good times, even if after all these years perhaps that not quite as we remember them – memory can do some strange things to the truth.

Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2016.

Andy Qunta… Thanks again, Andre. You took me right back there!

The Mojos – Hastings Pier Sat 22nd August 1964. by Andre Martin

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ad – Andre Palfrey-martin collection. Mojos photo source: http://www.merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk/html/the_mojos.html

Well here we are almost at the end of August – a month that has seen so much happening in the town and no less than on Hastings Pier, in the Happy Ballroom andBar, Saturday 22 August 1964. Topping the bill tonight – “The Merseybeat” sound of The Mojos and in support The Orbits, making a return to the town. Originally called The Nomads, they recorded a track for the ‘This Is Mersey Beat’ LP then discovered a London group had registered the name so changed it to The Mojos. In october 1963 Adrian Wilkinson left the group and was replaced by Nick Crouch, former Farons Flamingos lead guitarist. While they were appearing at the Star Club, Hamburg,[ Many people have asked – “what did it look like – so I have found a picture and added to the images ” they recorded what is now considered one of the classics of the ‘Mersey Sound’, ‘Everythings Alright’ which entered the UK top 10 charts. The next two releases were less distinguished and prompted Stu James to say “We made our name in Liverpool as Blues specialists but were persuaded to do all sorts of lightweight pop stuff. After our initial success, we just stumbled on in a fairly aimless way, the acclaim we got was for our live performances which remained loud and raucous” . In December 1964, Stu James and Nick Crouch split from the others and formed Stu James & the Mojos bringing in Lewis Collins on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on Drums, this line-up continued till 1966 when Nick left the music business and Lewis Collins entered into a successful acting career appearing in the hit TV series ‘The Professionals’

Friday night good times would have been started off with “Ready Steady Go – The Weekend Starts Here” from Kingway Studios London – with Cathy and Keith introducing amongst others – The Cherokees – “Seven Daffodils” Brenda Lee – “Is It True” P.J. Proby – “Hold Me” ,other guests included Helen Shapiro, Brenda Lee – “Is It True” ,Wayne Gibson and the Dynamic Sounds & Duffy Power. For the adventurous amongst us, we would have a mile further west and stopped at Marine Court the home of The Witch Doctor, where the line up over the next few days would have included :-The Habits & Mark 4 [Saturday] The Voodoos [Sunday] Bern Elliott and his Clan [Wednesday] Dave Champion and The Strangers [Friday] and advanced notification for Sunday 30th – Alexis Korner. It is not difficult to see that the battle lines were drawn between the Happy Ballroom & The Witch Doctor. Until next week’s edition of the History of The Happy Ballroom, enjoy the Bank Holiday Weekend – as moved to the end of August from the following year 1965. And don’t forget to catch Matthew Banisters’ Production of the Mods & Rockers Re-booted on BBC 1 South/South East – 7.30pm                                             by Andre Martin

Glynis Phillips… Went to see Mojos on pier 1st band I ever saw.

Robert Searle… Don’t forget that’s the original Mojos on that record.

 

The Interns plus The Midniters – Hastings Pier Sat 18th July 1964 by Andre Martin

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the interns

Andre Palfrey-martin collection

It’s that time of the week again, and here we are Saturday 18th July 1964 – and the Happy Ballroom is in full swing, the attractions to night – The Interns supported by The Midniters.
The Interns were originally a duo consisting of Rikki Alan (real name Alan Smith, guitar/bass/ vocals), and his brother Gerry Alan (real name Gerald Smith, piano/guitar/vocals), playing local dances and working men’s clubs in the area surrounding their home town of Newport, South Wales. With the addition of Mark Goodwin (drums) they became the Rikki Allen Trio, playing ballroom dates throughout Wales, as well as occasional concert appearances on package shows topped by artists such as Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, and Johnny Kidd. In 1961, the band turned fully professional, and headed for London. They made their European mainland debut in Germany, May 1963, at the Star Club in Hamburg. Here they shared billings with Ray Charles, The Searchers and (Gerry Allen’s hero) Jerry Lee Lewis. Returning to London, Gerry played piano on singer Paul Raven’s (later Gary Glitter) Parlophone disc, “Walk On, Boy”. In August 1963, the Rikki Allen Trio band released “The First One” on the Decca label. Also in 1963, the band supported the Rolling Stones on their November–December UK tour. In 1964, under the guidance of musical instrument entrepreneur Ivor Arbiter, they morphed into The Interns, The group was managed by the Tito Burns Agency who also managed, Dusty Springfield and The Searchers, amongst others, and recorded for Philips Records. As a result, the band often appeared on the same bill as these artists. For example, on Sunday 23 August 1964, The Interns appeared on the third and last of three Sunday concerts organised by the promoter, Arthur Howes. Dusty Springfield topped the bill, which also featured Eden Kane as well as The High Numbers, who would soon become The Who. An event that had happened according to Whoology the week before.

In 1964, the Interns released “Don’t You Dare” and “Cry To Me” a cover version of an American record by Brenda Holloway, both singles were produced by Bill Landis. “Don’t You Dare” featured lyrics written by the wives of Rikki and Gerry Allen. The single was advertised in the NME on 20 March 1964 During this period, the group had some television success, appearing regularly on two of the big pop music shows of the time, Thank Your Lucky Stars (e.g., on 11 March 1964) and Ready Steady Go! (on 17 July 1964). The supporting group from Liverpool, who had appeared several times before in The Happy Ballroom featured an up and coming comedian as their lead vocalist – Freddie Starr who would remain with the group until 1965.

Other musical interests that we would have followed in the week would have been – Top Of The Pops – Wednesday 15th July – The Barron Knights (“Call up the Groups”); Manfred Mann (“Do Wah Diddy Diddy”). Videos: The Searchers (“Some Day We’re Gonna Love Again”); The Beatles (“A Hard Day’s Night”); Dusty Springfield (“I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself”); The Merseybeats (“Wishin’ & Hopin'”). All that I have been able to find out about RSG on the Friday night is that one of the groups appearing were in fact the Interns. But other things were afoot, as I will be telling you next week – until then enjoy the warm weather and Pirates Day in the Old Town this weekend.                                                                 by Andre Martin

http://youtu.be/-SyB2oVkbKU

Chris Brown… Hello Andre, I have read a number of your interesting bands of the 60’s & wondered forgive the liberty if you could answer a question about the stated band who came from Newport. I have a mint demo in my collection of a single they cut in 1966 titled Is It Really Want You Want. By this time they were a foursome of Alan & Gerry Smith along with future Mott the Hoople Drummer Dale Griffin & an un-known guitarist as Clive Burnett, Stuart Childs, Malcolm Bowles, Rob Newcombe & Mark Goodwin had all left by this time. Would you happen to know who the guitarist was please? and also the christian names of the songs writers messrs J Paske & B Sheppard. Thank you very much for the consideration.

Mick O’Dowd… This is your starter for 10, Andre.

David Kent… Is that Steve Coogan bottom left?

Hastings College Rag Appeal Dances Hastings Pier – Chris Farlowe & – 23/25th June 1966

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Andre Martin…..Mid Summers Day – for some of you 48 years ago, you were thinking about tonight’s offering in The Happy Ballroom.

Leigh Wieland-Boys….Chris Farlowe’s still got it! I’ve seen him live twice in the last year, his voice is amazing & his version (the original) of Handbags & Gladrags is phenomenal

Gilly Cheeb… What about Count Basie on the Sunday night?

Yvonne Cleland… Hastings College got Chris Farlowe? Wow!

Alan Esdaile… In 1966 Yvonne. Mind you he’s at Hailsham on the 18th January 2015.

Yvonne Cleland… Am I imagining it, or was Chris Farlowe the first bloke to sing with Queen after Freddy Mercury died?

Andre Martin… Chart from the pop press 1966 and this was the poster that I was looking for – came out from Immediate Records to us at the College to use for any promotion, as “Out of Time” had just been released the week before he appeared on Hastings Pier.

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all cuttings –  Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Mick O’Dowd… Chris Farlowe also recorded a single on Sue label under the guise of Little Joe Cook entitled Stormy Monday Blues. Great blue-eyed soul singer. Always been one of my faves. These were great line-ups and something you would not see today, well at leas not for 5 bob or a quid!

John Storer… In small print under Chris Farlowe’s name is his backing band … “and The Thunderbirds” … two of the members of The Thunderbirdfs in June 1966 were Dave Greenslade and Albert Lee!

Andre Martin… Yes we always went for the best in my days at the old college.That has to be one of the best ever weekends watch out for Hastings Observer in a couple of weeks.

John Warner… Great line up there!

Dermot Bambridge… I was a student at Hastings Tech doing OND Engineering at the time and was very involved in this and other 1966 College Rag events – including walking from Croydon to Hastings with a boat on a trailer raising money for charity. Our college all-nighter was an amazing gig – Chris Farlowe’s ‘Out of Time’ still resonates in my memory and stops me in my tracks when I hear it today. On the pier at the time was a dome – the ‘triodome’ I think it was called – housing a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry of the Battle of Hastings. Some of those attending the event ran onto the dome causing damage. I remember my parents being very shocked when the police came round to our house to ‘question me’ about the incident. It wasn’t me but I knew who had done it but my lips were sealed. Happy days.

Kings Country Club Posters – Eastbourne 1970’s

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Janine Anne Hemsley…Yayyyyyyyyyy I was in Meridian lol. I was 15 .

Redstar Richter… Charles case?

Robert Searle… I remember The Clarke Elsom Collection supporting many stars there, with Graham Clarke on bass guitar.

Gary Kinch…. I  only went there once, enjoyed it at the time. Does anyone remember who the owner was?

Andre Martin… Ray King owned the club, but the real Boss was Mrs King, a lady that you did not cross, only if it were your last moments on this earth, don’t get me wrong, she was a very nice person, but was in control. Ray was a great person to work for, spent 5 yrs on the Entertainments team. Here is ” The Guv ” taken at a Municipal Event in Eastbourne in mid 70s.- I enjoyed working for him.

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection – around 1979

Jane Hartley… I worked in one of the Hastings pier shops early 80’s, lots of performers at Whiterock used to wander around the pier before their show. Met many, including the Dooleys!

Gary Cripps… Bring back the club it was brilliant

Andre Martin… YES but we sadly do not have the quality of acts that were about at the time to make all these clubs such great entertainments centres. Time changes demands. All we can do is remember just how lucky we were to be part of that great generation – the Boom years.

Rick Bonner… I was virtually raised in Kings Country Club. During the 1970’s my dad was a resident performer called ‘The Peter Bonner Duo’. Later, dad’s drummer Barry Gocher formed a resident band called ‘Meridian’ which I was luck enough to join as a vocal/instrumentalist. Kings back then was a unique, amazing venue than became more like a second family to the regular members. I will never forget ‘Nan’ on the door smoking her cigarettes or the lovely Reg in the car-park directing the cars. Very special times for sure! Look on the Facebook site under ‘Kings Country Club’ for one the great reunion show that happen during the year.

Gareth Jones… Mum and dad would bring us down from Llandudno every September for a week. We’d stay (early days caravan) in a chalet and odd numbered caravans were Chelsea while even numbers were Arsenal. Uncle Sid and Auntie Jo entertained us kids with an assortment of games and activities. Evenings we’d be entertained in the showbar. The Peter Bonner Duo were always there getting people warmed up and after every number Peter would say “Thank you for dancing” My mum would point me in the direction of stars/celebrities casually enjoying a quiet drink in the bar. Then she’d get me to ask them for their autographs. Wish I had that list now! Great place, great people and wonderful memories

Karen Haggerty… (in reply to Rick Bonner) I remember your fathers group. My parents purchased a caravan in the early pre club days from Uncle Ray as I knew him when I was six . We then had a mobile home that Ray parched for his wife Betty and she’d made other plans. We needed up with chalet with a drive for dads car. Spent so many years there and have such fond memories.

Lisa Humphrey… Wish you were here. Judith Charmers. That was my family on holiday.

John Busbridge… Used to go there.

Carol Anne… Always a good night out Kings, saw many great acts, sometimes Kings, most times Sundowners, 2 great clubs. Happy memories

 

Barron Knights – Hastings Pier 13th June 1964 by Andre Martin

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all cuttings Andre Palfrey-martin collection

The month of June 1964 continues to be fairly warm if not a little wet, and here we are again on Hastings Pier eager to make our trip to the Happy Ballroom, for tonight on the bill be have the ever popular Barron Knights and support comes from a Eastbourne group who we have seen many times before The Sabres.
Hailing from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire when they started in 1959, they were a straight pop group, and spent a couple of years touring and playing in UK dance halls, before the obligatory trip and time in Hamburg, West Germany. In 1963, at the invitation of Brian Epstein, they were one of the support acts on The Beatles’ Christmas shows at the Finsbury Park Astoria in London, and later became one of the few acts to tour with both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. They first came to fame in 1964 with the number “Call Up the Groups” (Parts 1 and 2). It overcame copyright restrictions and parodied a number of the leading pop groups of the time including the Searchers, Freddie and the Dreamers, the Dave Clark Five, the Bachelors, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles. The song imagined the various artists singing about being conscripted, or “called up” into the British Army, although actual conscription had ended in 1960. The single released in the summer of 1963 entered the charts in July that year climbed to number 3 and remained in the charts for 13 weeks. As an example, the song “Bits and Pieces” by The Dave Clark Five was parodied as “Boots and Blisters”. It is quite on the cards that this number could have been introduced to the audience in The Happy Ballroom on this appearance, and as such we could have been some of the first to see the new format of Comedy from the Boys.
Back in the last 1970s, I worked many times with the group when they appeared in Cabaret in various clubs and service bases in this country, and their act by then included a lot of sketches and one liners that had been part of their Television Shows in the UK.
As with so many groups at this time, there were alway changes, and sometimes tracking down their histories is difficult, because, people at the time never kept details, photographs, datesheets etc. The Sabres, who for several years had entertained us in the south-east were about to reinvent themselves and become The Shelley and it was from mid 1964 that these changes would take place, and we would see this happen ……. But more about later in the year.

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Chris Gentry DJ (Andre Martin) Kings Country Club 1974

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Janine Anne Hemsley…..I remember it well .

Joe Knight…..GREAT PLACE!!

Andre Martin…..These were taken Summer Season 1974 in the small building next to the new club that was being built by Ray King, when that Opened the whole scene changed and we then could deal with 2500 on a busy night. I have just worked that out – These photos are 40 years old !!

Ian Hargraves….You have not changed much!

Polly…  I was just thinking about Kings Country Club and realised I have no surviving pictures of my life there. Before Janine came along I was the girlfriend of Colin and we came to Eastbourne together after Colin left the Eric Delaney Big band. Meridian was named after the local knicker factory where we came from. Pete Brent was guitarist, Barry Goacher was the drummer, Colin Hadley keyboards, Steve Devine was saxophonist. There was also a trumpeter called Keith Bolton and his wife Paula. When we first came Colin was part of the Mick Urry band. After Mick and the band parted Meridian was formed. I have many happy memories of Ray taking us for dinner on our birthdays in his Rolls Royce,as Colin was the youngest member of the band. I also remember the band who played downstairs and one of the members Laurie Broadway, who was a mate. Eddie was the entertainment manager and Lenny was one of the barmen. I remember Pete Bonner well, as we had a party at his house once and I threw up all over his prize roses! Those were the days!

Janine Anne Hemsley… Polly are you there ??? xx

Jane Hartley… Kings put on great shows, saw many a big act there. Sundowners over the road, we used to belt over the marshes after the pubs chucked out, to get there before they shut the doors! Not to be recommended kids!!!!

Mick Knights… Kings was a bit too posh, ( which really means they wouldn’t let me in) it was the Sundowners every time.

Alan Esdaile… Agree with Mick. Used to go to the Sundowners. Saw The Real Thing, Mud & The Troggs among others.

Colin Norton… We (The Rebels) were one of the first bands to play at the Sundowners. It was quite a small building at the time. When we were playing somewhere else in Eastbourne in the evening till 11 pm. We would go over to the Sundowners and play from 1 am till 3 am or something like that. We played for steak and scampi 🙂 …. Oh, and fun as well 🙂

Sandie Croft… I was singer with Meridian in 1978 & ´79. Line up then was Barry Goacher drums, Pete Brent bass, Andy Flack Keyboards.Pete was replaced by Larry Barton in ´79 & singer Ronnie Collins joined us then also. We made an album “In The Mean Time Meridian. Which I still have a couple of copies of. We were all good mates & had such fun working there.

Freddie Smith… My Mum was probably there

Willie Wicking… Used to go to kings & sundowners my 1st company dinner was at Kings 1976 & the Stylistics were the band playing also saw shawadywady at Sundowners think it was one of their 1st gigs last band I saw at kings was glitter band

Tony Court-holmes… seems like a long time ago mate