Hastings College Rag Appeal Dances Hastings Pier – Chris Farlowe & – 23/25th June 1966

chris farlow

Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Andre Martin…..Mid Summers Day – for some of you 48 years ago, you were thinking about tonight’s offering in The Happy Ballroom.

Leigh Wieland-Boys….Chris Farlowe’s still got it! I’ve seen him live twice in the last year, his voice is amazing & his version (the original) of Handbags & Gladrags is phenomenal

Gilly Cheeb… What about Count Basie on the Sunday night?

Yvonne Cleland… Hastings College got Chris Farlowe? Wow!

Alan Esdaile… In 1966 Yvonne. Mind you he’s at Hailsham on the 18th January 2015.

Yvonne Cleland… Am I imagining it, or was Chris Farlowe the first bloke to sing with Queen after Freddy Mercury died?

Andre Martin… Chart from the pop press 1966 and this was the poster that I was looking for – came out from Immediate Records to us at the College to use for any promotion, as “Out of Time” had just been released the week before he appeared on Hastings Pier.

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all cuttings –  Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Mick O’Dowd… Chris Farlowe also recorded a single on Sue label under the guise of Little Joe Cook entitled Stormy Monday Blues. Great blue-eyed soul singer. Always been one of my faves. These were great line-ups and something you would not see today, well at leas not for 5 bob or a quid!

John Storer… In small print under Chris Farlowe’s name is his backing band … “and The Thunderbirds” … two of the members of The Thunderbirdfs in June 1966 were Dave Greenslade and Albert Lee!

Andre Martin… Yes we always went for the best in my days at the old college.That has to be one of the best ever weekends watch out for Hastings Observer in a couple of weeks.

John Warner… Great line up there!

Dermot Bambridge… I was a student at Hastings Tech doing OND Engineering at the time and was very involved in this and other 1966 College Rag events – including walking from Croydon to Hastings with a boat on a trailer raising money for charity. Our college all-nighter was an amazing gig – Chris Farlowe’s ‘Out of Time’ still resonates in my memory and stops me in my tracks when I hear it today. On the pier at the time was a dome – the ‘triodome’ I think it was called – housing a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry of the Battle of Hastings. Some of those attending the event ran onto the dome causing damage. I remember my parents being very shocked when the police came round to our house to ‘question me’ about the incident. It wasn’t me but I knew who had done it but my lips were sealed. Happy days.

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Chris Farlowe: Stormy Monday – The Blues Years 1985-2008, 3CD Digipack

CHRIS FARLOWE    STORMY MONDAY – THE BLUES YEARS 1985-2008

I must be honest upfront and say I’m not a die hard blues fan, I am however a die hard Chris Farlowe fan. I’ve been privileged to know him and see him work since the late 60’s. The casual fan will always think of Chris’s best known work he did for Immediate culminating in his immortal No 1 ‘Out of Time’ and his (in my view) definitive version of Mike d’Abo’s ‘Handbags & Gladrags”. Excellent raw pop/soul/r&b records. After those days, fans of jazz rock & prog rock will appreciate his work with Colosseum & Atomic Rooster. However, at heart Chris is a blues man, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the scene & may well be the finest singer of the genre this country has produced. This new 3CD set release from Strawberry Records brings together some of his greatest blues work, with his backing band The Thunderbirds, solo, & live spanning 2 decades from the 80’s to the noughties. Spanning 3 discs are 55 tracks showcasing that very special voice that remains undimmed by the passage of time. I last saw Chris just pre Covid & he was still sounding as powerful as ever. Nobody else ever sounds like him he is unique & his delivery instantly recognisable. Blues fans in my experience know their subject in minute detail & relish every nuance. As i said at the start I’m not in the die hard camp but having said that I could listen to this new compilation all day happilly. Disc1 provides us with the most traditional blues tracks culled from 1985’s ‘Out Of The Blue’ & ‘1986’s ‘Born Again’ recorded with The Thunderbirds. Produced by Mike Vernon a major figure in the British Blues scene who founded the much loved & respected Blue Horizon label. There are treats galore here from the brace of opening tracks ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’ & ‘Gamblers Blues’ through the wonderful take on Bobby Bland’s ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ Howlin Wolf’s ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’ & my favourite BB King song ‘The Thrill Is Gone’. The musicianship on display is excellent, the brass on  ‘Ain’t Got No Money’ is just awesome. The closing 2 tracks on Disc1 constitute 2 of my favourites on the whole 3 CD set with Chris covering soul singer Don Covey’s ‘I Stayed Away Too Long’ & his interpretation of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac hit ‘Man Of The World’ which I’ve heard him do live & have long admired. Disc2 kicks off in a more blues/rock vein with the storming ‘Rock & Roll Soldier’ & ‘Livin it Up’ 2 brilliant tracks with some great guitar work from the likes of Albert Lee &  Alvin Lee. There’s a choice cover of old Stax favourite ‘Private Number’ originally performed by William Bell & Judy Clay, here Chris partners with Elkie Brook’s to bring the number a fresh feel. This leads on to his storming cover of The Small Faces No 1 ‘All Or Nothing’. Elsewhere standout highlights come from the likes of ‘Gangster Of Love’ ‘Ain’t No Big Deal’ and an inspired cover of John Fogerty’s ‘As Long As I Can See The Light’. The last half dozen tracks on the album are given over to Chris’s collaboration with Van Morrison who share a mutual admiration. I remember seeing the 2 performing live in the 90’s early 2000’s when Chris supported Van on tour. ‘It Should Have Been Me’ & ‘Blues Anthem’ top & tail the 6 tracks & bring Disc2 to a satisfying conclusion. Disc3 gives everyone a chance to hear Chris at his barnstorming best singing live, backed variously by, The Thunderbirds, The Norman Beaker Band & Roy Herrington & The Rhythm ‘N’ Blues Train. Here he serves up some of his best known work with opener ‘I Don’t Want To Sing The Blues No More’ ‘Stormy Monday’ & the aforementioned ‘All Or Nothing’ ‘Handbags & Gladrags’ ‘Out Of Time’ ‘Thrill is Gone’ and a cracking ‘Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City’ before wrapping up with ‘I’ve Been Born Again’. The whole digi-pack package is as ever nicely put together, with photos & with an interesting essay from Mojo writer Lois Wilson. It has been said that Chris’s mid 60’s recording of ‘Stormy Monday Blues’ is the greatest British Blues recording ever. I wouldn’t disagree with that. As I remarked earlier I believe Chris has one of the finest blues voices Britain has ever produced. Jimmy Page wanted him as lead singer for Led Zeppelin when he was putting the band together (the two had often worked together in the 60’s). Chris turned him down. That may not have been the wisest move financially, however creatively i can see why. Chris is a blues man to his very core. Enjoy.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.uk
Til next time…..stay safe…take care…Colin

Mick O’Dowd… What a compo! Loved him since I discovered Stormy Monday on a Sue label single and found out it was him!

Alan Esdaile… I did hear Rod Stewart’s version of Handbags and Gladrags on the radio this morning but you are right Colin, you can’t beat Chris Farlowe version. Wonderful.

Chris Farlowe with the Norman Beaker Band – Pavilion Hailsham 15th Jan 2017

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Those of you who can cast your minds back to the mid sixties may well remember Chris Farlowe’s fine band , the Thunderbirds which featured amongst others the great guitarist Albert Lee and drummer Carl Palmer (later of Emerson – Lake and Palmer fame). However success for Chris didn’t come until a few years later when he teamed up with Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones’ manager, and consequently got to record some Jagger/Richards compositions that included “Out of Time”, undoubtedly his biggest hit single as it raced to number one. A string of chart successes followed, notably the Mike d’Abo (Manfred Mann) penned (and revived for Ricky Gervais & The Office!) “Handbags and Gladrags”
During his career Chris Farlowe has fronted such celebrated bands as Colosseum and Atomic Rooster and today with the Norman Beaker Band you’ll find “the white man with a black man’s voice” as he was once described, more soulful than ever
BOOKING INFO – IN PERSON AT THE HAILSHAM PAVILION – BY TELEPHONE – 01323 841414 or online…

http://www.pavilionhailsham.co.uk/liveevents.html or further information http://www.spyboy.co.uk/list

John Wilde… Wow! He is still gigging?!

Leigh Wieland Boys… Have seen him live three times in the past few years, fantastic performer!

Andre Martin… Saw him last year and he was still as good, if not better, than June 1966 when I first saw himn live in action on Hastings Pier [ we really did lead the way] a great vocalst.

Colin Fox… You can hear Jagger singing backing vocals on Out Of Time. Mike D’Abo I believe was from Bexhill his brother Noel played bass with some local bands. The band I was with supported Chris Farlowe in the 60’s at the Catacomb club in Eastbourne. Great entertainers.

Andre Martin… Noel was with Tony & The Defiants for a while, the d’Abo family leved in Bexhill Old Town and both Carol and Noel went to Hastings College and all the ususal haunts in the mid 60s – bothin Hastings 7 Eastbourne. Remember the Catacomb Club.