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

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

Ian Summerlin… Hi Dave, Ian dicky Dwight Summerlin here .Was everyone called Dave. ? Whose shanker ? he deserves a medal !! was Maggie one of the girls at the party on the pier. ?? I recall in the daytime going to the Isle of Wight in a boat on skies Looking round QE2 and playing golf On my 1st trip to an Indian restaurant I I had an egg and bacon, the wrestling and the Scottish drummer in the antique shop with a whoopee cushion !! Nice to have a trip down memory lane Merry Christmas to you all.

David Seaton… Hi to everyone Dave Seaton here still alive and kicking and retired, but still involved with music part time coordinating venues and representation. Hope you are all OK, any phone numbers and we could catch up stay safe you all

Debi Brown… Hi Dave, Good to know you’re still alive and kicking. Mum’s living in Spain now. Has been there for 15 years or so. Myself and my kids (they are 28 and 30 now with families of their own) moved to Scotland in 2008 and Donna lives in Liverpool. Next March will mark the 20th anniversary since Trev passed. Can’t believe where those years have gone. Glad to hear you’re still involved with the music industry and enjoying life. Mum is on Facebook Marlene Brown, if you want to look her up. All the best, Debi. (Trev’s step-daughter)

Ralph Shortland… (in reply to David Seaton) Hi Dave. Don’t know if you’ll remember me Ralph Shortland Used to live in Sibthorpe Road. Myself and Jimmy McGanahan used to load up the gear in Trevor’s Van in the Sixties and set up at the venues. I left area in 1968 but still remember vividly Trevor, Paul and yourself. Sorry to say can’t remember the name of the bass player. Good days!

First Emotion (or sometimes billed as 1st Emotion) – Aquarius 1972

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 supplied by Barry French

Barry French, Den Wootton and Cliff Wootton – supporting ‘Total’

Cliff Wootton… Great pic. I still have the Hayman 4040 bass although I restrung it as BEAD instead of EADG and reversed the polarity of one of the pickups. This made it sound like a Rickenbacker which annoyed a genuine Rickenbacker bassist who heard it and claimed it sounded more authentic than his bass did. Sometimes you can’t help upsetting folks without even trying. For the geeks, Baz is playing an Antoria Les Paul copy and Den is playing Hayman drums. The Antoria guitars were pretty good and in some cases better than the originals.

Sarah Harvey… his bring back so many memories. St.Helens Youth Fellowship, The Regent Hotel etc…. What a wonderful picture.

Alan Esdaile… Crushed velvet trousers? I used to wear a Red pair.

Dave Nattress… Sarah, did you not have an Antoria Les Paul? Crushed velvet – between me and my mates in Bexhill we had the Dulux colour chart in hideous crushed velvet flares.

Cliff Wootton… Nah – not crushed velvet. These were medium grey brushed cotton/denim/corduroy (not sure which). They replaced the faux velvet Dralon suits we bought from the Undergound Boutique. We had matching maroon velvet blazers to go with these trousers. Looked quite posh. The Dralon suits weren’t robust enough for gigging. We bought them for a season opener at Frenchmans Beach in Rye. I tore the arse out of mine, den split the back of his jacket while drumming and Baz was strumming so furiously that the sleeve came off his jacket. Shaw Taylor who was MC for the night thought it was funny. I stood with my back to the amp for the second half of the gig to hide my embarrassment. Later I also had black crushed velvet flares when I was doing some DJ gigs. They didn’t seem to last very long either and split when I leapt up onto the stage (there’s a common theme starting here). Maybe some other contributors can tell us some funny stories about mishaps at their gigs.

Barry French… Your right the Antoria was a great guitar, not as heavy as a Gibson & had a bolt on neck like a fender (I wish I still had it). Regarding the Frenchman’s Beach Gig, I got the impression that Shaw Taylor thought that the wardrobe malfunctions were all part of the act.

Alan Esdaile… I hope Shaw Taylor didn’t advise you to ‘keep em peeled’.

Sarah Harvey… I had a white Antoria Les Paul. A lovely guitar. Bought new from a shop in Bromley for £150. I sold it because I needed the cash in the early 80s. Regretted it ever since 🙁

Cliff Wootton… I  was chatting to Baz yesterday at the Beatles Day and recalling this photo I didn’t realise how much of a fashion trend setting chap I was back then. This was 1972. It took until 1977 for George Lucas to copy my hair style as a model for Princess Leia in Star Wars.

and at The Lintonian Club Winchelsea…

Lucy Pappas… All great guys! I guess this was after I left the band. We were all about St Helens Youth Club at that time! x

Mungo Jerry – Aquarius 10th February 1973.

mungo jerry 13th feb 1973

Geoff Peckham… I believe this was the night that my Factory’s Sound City amp was stolen at the end of the evening. I stupidly left it unattended on the pavement whilst loading the van. Anyone seen it?

Phil Gill… I’m sure I saw Tony Qunta using an old Sound City head recently….

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Was there that night too (to see Mungo Jerry, not steal an amp I hasten to add

Phil Gill… Graham How, wasn’t this the gig that you, me and Burke Shelley from Budgie ended up at Rock a Nore in your Reliant Robin?

Geoff Peckham… If so, where did you find the room for my amp, eh?

Phil Gill… We made two trips.

Jim Breeds… I was at the Mungo Jerry gig.

Andre Martin…  And on Friday Night – Sabotage.

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Alan Esdaile… Remember working with Sabotage a few times. They were a great pop harmony band.

Dave Nattress… Very witty Mr Gill. Like it!! Knowing Budgie well and having seen them and got albums and CD’s – amazed they should play the Aquarius! Dance to Budgie?

Aquarius with The Steve Maxted Show and Candy Choir September 1973

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ad supplied by  Leigh Wieland-Boys, poster supplied by Jozef Maxted

Chris Giles… I think it was Steve Maxted  that sometimes came into Chelsea Girl …

Andre Martin… Centre of the world for sooooo many young ladies in the 1960s!!

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supplied by Andre Martin