Anyone remember the Four Square group?

Vicki Keall asks…. Reminiscing about various bands, and unfortunately a name gets into your head like a worm and you have to find the answer! Was there a band called Four Square in the sixties and who was in it?

Alan Esdaile… I seem to remember seeing the name Four Squares but maybe confused with a group called The Red Squares which appeared locally a few times. Anyone help?

Mike Vawdrey… Completely irrelevant – so why am I writing this ? – but there used to be a brand of cigarettes and pipe tobacco called Four Square produced (I think) by a Scottish firm called Dobie’s. Might ring a distant bell somewhere

Nutz – Hastings Pier 30th April 1977

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nutz

all cuttings supplied by Sarah Harvey

Ticket supplied by Peter Houghton

Bizarre billing for the original support!

Sarah Harvey……Nutz first appearance on 30th April 1977 plus Stephen Turner’s preview of the gig. Also a quick return 3 months later on July 16th. Note the forthcoming gig with Head On and Steppin’ Out on the following Thursday.

Alan Esdaile… The lead singer Dave Lloyd was the voice of .. only the crumbliest flakiest chocolate ad.

Pete Prescott… Although I still lived in north Kent I visited Hastings that weekend and went to this gig.

Dave Weeks… Nutz. Yes I was one of the very few there. Good night though and good fun band.

Hazel O’Connor’s Band 1980

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Andy Qunta….Late 1980 – back cover of the Sons and Lovers album, I believe! Still wearing my PN Club T shirt! That’s where Factory did residencies in Munich in ’74 & ’75!

Peter Fisher…. saw HazelO’Connor with Andy and Wesley at Norwich University (81?), having moved to Norfolk from London in 1979, and I believe I grabbed a word or two with a surprised Andy afterwards….support believe it or not was Duran Duran, still sporting new romantic hair and costume, just before they got big, and they were awful….Hazel and the band were great!

Mick O’Dowd….Used to know Wes. The Will You single is on my alltime favourite list and I used the instrumental version (TV theme for Ennals Point?) as a run out groove at the end of my shows in the late 80’s/90’s. great stuff!

 

Expandis – Rise Of Psychomouse

31st March – The Carlisle Hastings

To celebrate the launch of their new e.p. ‘Rise’ Expandis are back after a 30 year break.

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Now a two piece, the amazing ‘John Wilde’ aka ‘Psychomouse’ on vocals and multi talented ‘Phil Thornton’ on guitar, keyboards and any number of taped oddities. They take their influences from ‘Talking Heads’, ‘Kraftwerk’, ‘D.A.F.’ and ‘Yellow Magic Orchestra’. With a high energy mystic trippy throbbing sound that works its way into your brain and won’t go away, moving  you like nothing else. All eyes were transfixed on John, who was in full make up and Disney ears. Dancing around like a man possessed, with a nightmarish evil menacing grin and managing to contort his body in all manner of positions.  The stand out track for me is the more mellow ‘Prayer Mat’ from the new cd with John’s vocals at their very best. They also treated us to some covers ‘Prince’ ‘sign o the times’ , Pink Floyd’s ‘set the controls for the heart of the sun’ and Hawkwinds ‘master of the universe’.  Some old classics were played including the disturbing ‘everything stops for baby’  and ‘I don’t mind the noise’ which is always loved by the crowd. Expandis are back and stronger than ever. Don’t forget they will be playing  ‘The Big Green Cardigan Festival’ later in the year.

 Johnny Mason                                                                                     

Featured in Hastings Observer  19th April 2013