beat rave

Beat Rave – The Coloured Raisins and Unabridged Telephone Directory – De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill 13th September 1967

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Geoff Peckham… Should have been “Unabridged Telephone Directory”, shouldn’t it? I saw them a couple of times at the Sailing Club; great band. I wasn’t allowed to go to the DLWP Beat Raves as my folks heard that purple hearts were being flogged there. As if!

Jim Breeds… Perhaps they were pre-empting the Red Hot Chili Peppers?

Yvonne Cleland… Wot. In the De La Warr?

Colin Fox… I never saw them, but heard they were very good. I later played in a band with the bass player Roy Sanderson.

Mick O’Dowd… The Coloured Raisins were a very good band and had an LP out on Major Minor Records. I think it was their only one.

Pacman… As mentioned before, it was definitely “Unabridged” telephone Directory. I worked with Roy at Drallims” & they were regularly playing at The Regent Hotel in St Leonards. Great band.

Beat Rave with The Suspects, The Springbeats and Mud Mulligans Big Boss Band – Hastings Pier 15th April 1967

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Dave Nattress… As well as these gigs at Hastings Pier, as remarked before, these events called Beat Raves, were often also presented (and billed as such), at the De La Warr, Bexhill. I started attending them in about 1968 when I was 15, but there wasn’t a lot of raving back then, and of course “Rave” much, much later, actually did become pretty much just that aided for some by funny little tablets. But the raving in Bexhill was assisted by gallons of weak beer and that was about it back in the 60’s in Bexhill. I didn’t get to Hastings Pier for gigs until about 1970 and certainly the beer on offer there was well watered down – a lot was needed before any raving went on!

The Clockwork Oranges and The Maze – Beat Rave – De La Warr Pavilion 8th November 1967

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supplied by Robert Valentine

Robert Valentine… Roger Cotton Lead guitar keyboards vocals, Ricky Blakeley Bass and Vocals, John Parrish Drums, Robert Valentine Rhythm and vocals.

Andy Qunta… Beat Rave! What a great phrase that is!

Alan Esdaile.. from Wikipedia… Origin of ‘rave’ (1950s–1970s) In the late 1950s in London, England the term “rave” was used to describe the “wild bohemian parties” of the Soho beatnik set.[2] In 1958, Buddy Holly recorded the hit “Rave On,” citing the madness and frenzy of a feeling and the desire for it never to end.[3] The word “rave” was later used in the burgeoning mod youth culture of the early 1960s as the way to describe any wild party in general. People who were gregarious party animals were described as “ravers”. Pop musicians such as Steve Marriott of The Small Faces and Keith Moon of The Who were self-described “ravers”.

Andy Qunta… Thanks for that, Alan! All hail to the ravers!

Dave Nattress… As I’ve remarked before “Raves” – (Beat Raves) and Bexhill never seemed to make sense. Can you imagine much in Bexhill raving? But that’s what the concerts were called for years and I don’t think any of the bands that appeared there were exactly ravers either back then. I don’t mean this disrespectfully I promise as I started creeping in to raves at about 15 in 1968. There were certainly a few biggish names appearing for sure – mainly pop. I saw The Consortium – “All the love in the world” and I think Chickory Tip – “Son of my father” and others. Probably managed half a pint of Watney’s Red Barrel as well on occasions before getting sussed. For me, and I’ve said this before, undoubtedly the best band I saw there was T2 supported by Bexhill’s own Kult. Mesmerising stuff – I’m back there right now!!

Robert Valentine… Haven’t seen that  advert Alan, then I guess I never collected posters of my old bands.

Beat Rave – De La Warr Pavilion – The Onyx and The Forbidden Fruit 4th September 1968

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Andy Qunta… I just love the phrase Beat Rave!

Catherine Ireland… Must have gone to this , who were The Onyx ? I remember the name?

Robert Searle… When i first moved to Sussex in the late 60s.i thought the expression was sort of dated.Having said that,i had some great nights at the De La Warr at the Beat Raves.

Mike Waghorne… I probably went to that ?

Beat Rave with The Sky and The Cymbaline – De La Warr Pavilion 15th Jan 1969

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15th Jan 1969 - The Sky..

Dave Nattress… Being from Bexhill I well recall the “Beat Raves” at the De La Warr, although this one was too early for me. Why “Beat Raves” though I ask!? The Rave word went out of fashion for many years but then came back into music with a vengeance!!

Jan Warren… I was thinking the same about the word “Rave”?!!