supplied by Sarah Harvey
Sarah Harvey… Really digging them out from the archives 🙂 Smoke and The Blowlamps (Formerly The Soul Stars), Battle Memoral Hall. February 1st, 1969. Any ideas anyone?
battle memorial hall
Eyes Of Blond plus King Rod – Battle Memorial Hall 8th Jan 1971
photo source: http://www.eyesofblond.co.uk/index.html
Anyone remember or know anything about Eyes Of Blond?
Geoff Peckham… Yes, Eyes of Blond were an excellent band. I was at this gig with Laurie – I believe Tone and Andy too. They opened with the Byrds’ song, “Gunga Din”. I think we covered it for a while after that.
Nigel Ford… I was there too, not sure if this was their 1st appearance there or their second,the second time I was torn between giving a friend of a girl I fancied a lift back to Hollington, which I did (without reward,HUH!) only to return to find the band finishing up!! DOHHH!!! …and it was a cold, foggy night (on my GT200 Lambretta). I think it was the first time I’d seen a band with 2 base drums (well, when they first played there) when they first visited. Heavy Rock sound, from London I think. I was impressed , hence why I was annoyed at missing their second appearance!
Geoff Peckham… I saw them at the Cobweb around this time too. (Or was it a band called Blonde on Blonde?) Unfortunately their drummer collapsed mid-set and the gig was abandoned. They claimed it was because he was on strong antibiotics. Does anyone else remember this?
Alan Esdaile… Yes your right Geoff , they played Hastings, “Cobwebs”, St Leonards Monday, August 17, 1970, Hastings, Combe Haven Caravan Pk. Tuesday, August 18, 1970. I don’t know if Andre has any cuttings?
Phil Wade… (guitarist and vocalist in photo above, right hand side) comments… The drummer with the two bass drums was Harry Rix (now deceased), but it was Paul (on the left in the photo) who played at The Cobweb in 1970. Neither drummer collapsed on stage Geoff – perhaps it was Blonde on Blonde? I’ll dig out a photo of the group lineup that played at Battle.Incidentally, our lead guitarist Phil Dimitri now lives in Eastbourne.
Alan Esdaile… Geoff, definitely a band called Blonde On Blonde, I’m sure I have seen them on one of the cuttings but just found this on the web.. was a guitar-led psychedelic rock group from South Wales. The band was originally formed in Newport in 1967
Geoff Peckham… Sounds like them. I remember them being very loud and ‘dangerous’. Some time into the set I noticed the drummer shouting to the others and he was clearly in some discomfort. They didn’t notice until he keeled over backwards and it all came to a halt. Poor guy!
Phil Wade… We split up in March 1971, so you saw us close to the end. Have a look at the web site (www.eyesofblond.co.uk) to see where we came from and why we split. We’d heard of Blonde on Blonde of course (named after a Dylan album) – but our spelling is for males 🙂
Geoff Peckham… I checked it out when the website was posted earlier, Phil. Good stories. Yours is one of the few bands I remember well from that era. Very influential. Just loved “Gunga Din” and other stuff and the way you played them. My band at that time, Factory, probably learned a lot from you guys. We too have met up again recently and we were only talking about you the other day! Never thought I’d be talking to a member in the band shortly after!
Krishna Kudu – Battle Memorial Hall – 3rd September 1971
photo source & info: kentgigs.
left to right – Steve Warner, Brian Shearer,(sitting), Dave Perrins, Kevin Whitehead, (sitting), Dick Budnikas and Peter Dack, (sitting)
Nigel Ford… My favourite band that appeared there over the 4 / 5 or so years that the Battle Dances existed. Maidstone based I believe and two Battle girls dated members.They covered Deep Purple’s “Black Night”, Black Sabbath’s “Evil Woman”, Spooky Tooth’s “Better by you, better than me”, and many more of the time and favourites of mine and others were Rare Bird’s “Flight / As your mind flies by”” & “Hammerhead” plus Heavy Jelly’s ” I keep singing that same old song” (from compilation album “Nice Enough to eat” as others they did) where they used strobe lighting which was new to me then. Great memories, thanks guys wherever you are(?)
Late Night Love- Battle Memorial Hall and Pandora’s Box Hastings Pier Restaurant 18th April 1969
Nigel Ford… Reckon I must have been ill that night as I don’t remember “Late Night Love” band at all. No recollection of the name whatsoever.
Candy Choir and Mood Reaction – June 1969
Mick O’Dowd… It’s that Candy Choir mob again. Keep popping up all over the place. I must say I liked them. They are billed as a “Rye Recording Artists” did they come from there?
Battle Dance Club – Epiton Entertainments – Battle Memorial Hall 1971
supplied by Nigel Ford
Phil Gill… See, that’s 30p and 40p admission and I notice there’s no banjos. Just sayin’…..
Jan Warren… This has “stirred” some things in my very blurred memory banks??!! ……. and whether its relevant or not, I remember going to gigs somewhere in a village hall near or around Battle, also I recall a band called “Blue Condition” with Dave Gurr and a girl singer, I think they did a version of “Venus” by “Shocking Blue”?! – anyone else?? – yes, of course I remember “Suspect” and Rock Machine …….. well, I still have this album, I know it has nothing to do with the band advertised but its another old classic compilation album of the time.
Lance Collins… Symphonic Crab brings back memories Gerry Fortsch.
Colin Fox… As I recall, O’Hara’s Playboys were a great band, I saw them at the Sundowners Club in Eastbourne.
Andy Qunta… Great to have reminders of some of those names I had forgotten & others I remember really well!
Phil Wade Eyes Of Blond… The January date fills in a blank in our scrapbook – thanks! The April date was shortly after we broke up (March 24th) so we must have had to cancel it 🙁 Great to have this stuff after all this time – thanks again.
Geoff Peckham… I definitely saw your band there, Phil. It was the January date and it was pretty impressive!
Robert Searle… Some really good groups there
Mick O’Dowd… Didn’t The Bedrocks have a cover version of Ob-la-di at the same time as The Marmalade? O’Haras Playboys were also a good little band.
Alan Esdaile… Yes, well remembered Mick.
Keith Veness… Johnnie Johnson and the band wagon played there
Alan Pepper… SUSPECT 4 BARLEY 3
Oonagh Hague… I lived in Sedlescombe and Friday nights were Battle dance nights before we then progressed to The Cobweb happy times
Kevin Burchett… used to love the Battle dances i had some great times there and it was easy to get home to Netherfield then
Jason Crest – Battle Memorial Hall 19th September 1969
Gerry Fortsch… A bloody good band.
Nigel Ford… Pretty sure I’d have been there but don’t remember them at all!… Roy & my bruv recently organised a re-union of Battle nightlife frequenters from around this time with a great turnout at the Senlac Inn.
Candy Choir and Penny Black – Battle Memorial Hall 14th September 1973
Mick O’Dowd… Loved Candy Choir
John O’Hara and O’Hara’s Playboys – 28th May 1971 Battle Memorial Hall.
Mick O’Dowd… Remember O’Haras Playboys. If I remember correctly they came on the back of the Irish Showband craze even though they weren’t considered large enough to be a Showband. The Hucklebuck was one of their near-misses. Quite an accomplished band.
