centre page

supplied by Mick Mepham                cutting supplied by Mick O’Dowd

Tim Bruce….I went to the Footloose gig. Loggerhead if I recall were a prog type band playing their own material.

Mick O’Dowd… Here’s on of my gigs from 1979. Footloose were a very good band in the Thin Lizzy mould if I remember rightly. I know the drummer was called Will but I don’t remember any other names. Can anybody help with names/pics? The following night Will actually played drums for Beez Neez because Mark Harris (now a Likely Lad)( He was then as well!) got held up and couldn’t get to the gig. Will did an excellent job. What can you say about the Piranhas/Teenbeats gig. Then there was those stalwarts of the local music scene Centre Page whose line-up over the years reads like a whos-who of local talent!

Peter Millington… There’s a job for you Mick – create a family tree of who’s played in Suspect/Centre Page over the 50+ years they’ve been entertaining the locals and the not so locals.  Group family trees are a complicated business – I’ve just finished one for myself which goes from the CONFEDERATES – SPYKE i – SUSPECT – SPYKE II – JINKS I – EVOLUTION – JINKS II with all the members comings and goings. Not very adventurous with names were we? 53 years non-stop so no complaints!

Iain Cobby… Yes, I was the bassist in Footloose. Will on Drums (cant remember his surname) Brian Setchfield on vox, Guitars were Tony (Vic) Bridger RIP and Harry Randall. Good times were had with a mixture of covers and our own stuff. We did record one with two Saxon covers. I think we went on stage to Widors toccata in F. Such pomp!

Dave Nattress… I still see Brian Setchfield quite often along Cooden Sea-front. He walking his dog, me walking mine, and we often walk along chatting about all those old times, bands and characters. Brian was in Boulder a parallel universe to Damaris and they morphed into Footloose. Mick Kemp and Tony Barraclough played in both bands. Boulder actually earned money doing weekend gigs. Really glad you’ve “signed up” Iain – catch you soon. Loggerhead’s bassist was Steve Watson who later joined up with Mick Bridgeland, Andy Leaney, (RIP), and me in The Charts. Mick, Andy and I had been in The Prisoners for a year or two with Robin Heggie. Robin joined the Hollywood Killers and I think it was then actually Steve Watson joined us.

Mike Mitchell… I remember that gig: The Piranhas and The Teenbeats…a great night. And I found a silver Parker biro on the benches too.

Colin Fox… I like THE GENTLEMEN OF POP under Centre Page.

Mick O’Dowd… Will from Footloose took over the drumkit from Mark at this one. It’s ok Mark Harris, he was still sitting at the back!

Mark Harris… I think you might be right Mick about Will deputising.

Chris Pook… Think that was the only gig you missed Mark. Agree Mick, Footloose were a great band – Dave Neal included!!

Ernest Ballard… Piranhas Great Band