Stallion – Hastings Pier 1974 photo by Chris Meachen

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photo by Chris Meachen

Tony Bridger, Digger, Steve Demetri, Tich Turner, Steve Kinch.

John Wilde….great photo

Jon McCallion….Nice photo of my two friends, Steve D & Steve K.

Ian McGilvray…..Looking Good Tich And Tony

Digger… Strewth, was my hair really that long??? Drove those guys all over the country. Great times, fun times, mad times but wouldn’t change it for the world. So sorry to hear of the passing of Phil Gill. One of the good guys. Still with us in the music and our memories.

John Martyn – photos at The Lugger by Chris Meachen

 

Tony Davies…. don’t know if Andy or Tony can remember an event that took place in The Nelson one Saturday/ Sunday lunchtime session many years ago. I’d popped in for a beer and The Factory PA system was set up in the corner and the late, great John Martyn getting ready to do an “impromptu” gig. I don’t think it was advertized, but a great treat for the locals who were in at the time,,,,, great days !!

Yvonne Cleland….I rember John and Beverley Martyn doing a gig in the Nelson, but do n’t think it was in the daytime…

Jim Penfold….Lovely to see this…he used to come up to my parent’s pub a lot around 75 / 76…Royal Oak Whatlington….and he sold me his Epiphone Guitar for £30 which I wrote all (and I mean all) my songs on…..might have to sell it soon if you know anyone who will make me an offer I can’t refuse!!!!! He played a gig one night at the Royal Oak and it was packed and my mother gave him free brandy all night….he said it was one of the scariest gigs he had done as everyone was crammed right up to his feet! Amazing night even though my mother said….’I told you he couldn’t sing!’

Mick O’Dowd….I tried to evict him from The Pier once for not having a ticket. I didn’t know who he was!

Chris Meachen….This was downstairs at ‘The Lugger’, & yes, that’s Ginger…. corner of George St & High Street. It was a Portuguese restaurant upstairs, while the cellar was used as a late-night drinking dive, frequently with Min, myself, & anyone else who turned up (Including John, on occasions) providing some sort of musical entertainment. It was probably hideous much of the time, but everyone was usually so hammered, no-one cared. The pay for performing was as much as you could drink, & a taxi home…

Andy Qunta…Was inspiring to have such a great artist living amongst us!

Yvonne Cleland….Dave Reinhart was about at that time. Django’s nephew I think. Played the violin. Will took me down the Lugger and played the piano while Dave played.

Alan Esdaile…. I remember Dave Reinhart. Brilliant musician but very eccentric and difficult to get him together. Paul Casson managed him for a while and if he had a gig we virtually had to lock him up and make sure he didn’t disappear.

Steve Kinch….Chris, you must have photographed just about everyone that was around in the 70s. Well done for recording a bit of Hastings (and our) history.

Tony Court-holmes….good times still listen to him now

Wesley Magoogan… How sad he is no longer with us.

Jim Breeds… Whoever that is sat in front of him has the world record for the fastest growing beard ever

Yvonne Cleland… It’s different people. The one on the right is Ginger.

Angela Frances Gardner… It looks like Shuggy?

Mick O’Dowd… This must have been a time-lapse picture Jim!

Alan Pepper… Great man great voice sadly missed that’s for sure ! Would fit in today I think ?

 

Planets – Mins studio 1974

Paul Edmonds, Chris Meachen, Paul Waite, Les Norman, Min

Gerry Fortsch… I was friendly with min and then lost contact, can someone tell me what happened to him please?

Glenn Piper… Sorry Gerry, but Min died several years ago now, heart attack I think

Gerry Fortsch… I remember he enjoyed life a lot, as did many of us at the time, thank you.

Martin Richter… simon medhurst ?

Harry Randall… Is that Min on the Clarinet? Went onto Sax?

Chris Baker… Min always played both Sax and Clarinet AFAIK. He was an excellent gold and silversmith too. Loved him.

Peter Norman… Never seen this before but that could be my brother Les Norman in that photo…? I know he played the guitar back then, next time i see him i’ll ask! 🙁 Sadly he’s not on facebook.., 🙁 I believe he also played in a group called “SUS” or something like that!

Alan Esdaile… t must be him Peter, as it says he was in Suss in the write up, underneath the photo. It would be great if you could get some comments from him about the group.

Pete Fisher… On seeing this I thought that guy on the drums looks familiar…nestling among my photos of Pueblo (taken by Chris Meachen), the photo I’m posting below has puzzled me for decades, as I couldn’t remember who it was. It must be around ’73/’74, but I only vaguely remember we might have experimented briefly with having two drummers, and I guess it was Paul Waite. Maybe Bernard Jeffery, Roger Carey or Phil Gill could fill in more details…

Bernard Goffredo… Yes I remember doing a gig at the college and we experimented with two drummers, and definitely was Paul on the other kit

Chris Meachen…  Ye gods, I’d completely forgotten about this.. Used to bump into Les in record shops a few years ago, but not seen him in ages.. (nor anyone else in these pics..). Yes, one of my pictures, but further details completely escape me.. If I manage to find that sequence of negatives I might be able to add some context…

Phil Gill… Paul Edmonds on the far left. Pete, we played a couple of times in the college basement, where the band was you and me on guitar, Roger Carey, and two drummers, Paul Waite and Bernie Jeffries. No idea what we called the band.

Jan Warren…  I remember Min, nice guy

Sam Davies… you know I’ve never heard of this particular band so this is fascinating! Does anyone know if there are any recordings of Planets? It’d be great to hear my old man playing some clarinet. Also, where was this studio? I don’t recognise it.

Chris Meachen… no recordings, I regret, but the studio was actually your grandfather’s, & was upstairs in a building next door to St Clements Church Hall in Croft Road..

Jan Warren… I lived in Queens Road and Middle Street in the early 70s and I remember Min, he was a friend, bless him

Chris Meachen… Weirdly, I bumped into Les Norman yesterday evening, doing his Aldi shopping.. Can’t have seen him for a good 20 years, so a nice surprise..

Stephen Fletcher… The other guy in photo is Paul Edmunds you didn’t mention him

Chris Meachen… Haven’t seen Paul Edmunds since the late 1970’s when we worked together at Arbuthnot House.. He changed his surname to his dad’s, – Wojciechowska, (pronounced ‘voy-ge-hoff-ski). Always regret losing touch with him & many other mates…

Stephen Fletcher… Anyone know if Paul Edmunds is still around or if he moved away?

Cherry Longley… I used to go out with Paul Edmunds, Sus was the group he formed with Paul Waite, Les Norman another near neighbour of Paul’s who lived around the corner, younger guy can’t recall his name, and sometimes Chris Beaumont used to play keyboards. They used to jam in his music room at his parents bungalow in Park View. Happy times, lots of gigs and trips to all over to see Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, etc etc. Cherry xx

Paul Edmonds… Only three years plus late responding but forgiven as only just come across this posting and site, however, must have seen the site before as note I made at least one comment on a post before. Hi Cherry, think we last spoke in 1970 something, amazing to see your name in print and read your comments. Just to put the record right it’s Edmonds with a “o”, not with a “u” and once Chris M., I aka Wojciechowski, not ending with “a” which I believe is used for females of the name, but Chris incredible you nearly got the name right and how to pronounce it, impressed!! Was great reading through all above comments from names I recall so well. Would be fun to meet up with all who know me for a social before it’s too late!!! Food for thought. I will try and locate a Chris Beaumont taken picture of the incredible SUS and post it, unfortunately Cherry, without that youngster, basist Jim Kidman, who was not around that day!! Finally, although lots more to say really, I was never in Planets just around holding a spare skull and got pulled into the shot!! Love and peace !!!

Reading Festival – 1973

supplied by Clive Richardson

photo of Chris Meachen and friends

Chris Meachen… Wow, Julie & Claire, not seen either of them in over half a lifetime!

Andy Qunta… Pretty sure I went to this. I think I remember Genesis, & also Faces’ Rod Stewart kicking footballs into the crowd!

Chris Meachen… I also remember seeing someone prancing about the campsite wearing Peter Gabriel’s flower headgear on the last night..

Pete Prescott… I was there ! Briefly ! I took a girl there. She hated it. I had to take her home the next morning.

Alan Esdaile… I think it looks like Phil Thornton behind Chris. I asked Phil and he said… yes it does look like me – I’ve no idea if it was ! Maybe Chris would know ?

Chris Meachen… I’m pretty sure that the person behind me was Roger Sleet, but I could be wrong.

Andy Wright… Wow Julie & Claire, I remember Claire was always really friendly towards me, but I was always a bit reserved, something I regretted.

Pete Prescott… Claire Hamill was in earlier on the Saturday !

Heavy Metal Kids – backstage Hastings Pier 6th July 1974. photos by Chris Meachen

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photos by Chris Meachen.  cuttings supplied by Sarah Harvey.

Geoff Peckham……This brings back memories of supporting the Heavy Metal Kids in Swansea with Factory. We shared a changing room with them. Supported them in Swansea.  Gary (Holton) was a a very funny man. Good band, too.

Andy Qunta……What Jaffa said! What a character!

Pete Fairless…..Gary Holton was a real talent and a sad loss. Here’s one of my favourite old clips, always worth watching again…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5A4-B1mU8o

Glenn Piper…..Working with the HMK’s on a gig at the Marquee Club was a great time. The support act for said gig was Long John Baldry which led to some ‘interesting’ repartee with the HMK fans 🙂

Sarah Harvey….July 6th, 1974. Heavy Metal Kids with Leo Sayer the following week on the 13th.

Mark Syrett… Saw the Heavy Metal Kids one of my first concerts on the pier.

Pueblo – Ore Centre & Langham Pub 1973/1974

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photos by Chris Meachen

PUEBLO – Roger Carey, Pete Fisher,  Bernie on Drums.

Bernard Jeffery….Yes it is definitely Pete Fisher and I’d say it was about 1973

Pete Fisher….Pueblo: Roger Carey-bass, Bernie Jeffery-drums, Pete Fisher-guitar/vocals
I remember this photo session was at a Pueblo rehearsal, in Ore Centre, photos taken by schoolmate and fellow musician (string/electric bass) John (Dai)Davis, and developed in his dark room at home. I’m pretty sure this is 1974 – going by the hair length – Roger and me were at Hastings Grammar School – I’d left the previous year, and Roger must have been coming up to his A-levels….Bernie started with me in Black Ash in 1970….I think Roger came into the fold around 72, have to check the archive! Back then Bernie was still playing his dad’s old jazz kit, Rog had a little Burns bass through a Laney top and home-made cab, I was playing my second electric guitar, a strange no-name thing with piano key controls that didn’t do much. By then I had my first decent amp, a Vox AC15, which was just loud enough to compete with Bernie’s drums, but I used a Cry Baby wah to boost for solos.
Bernie and me both liked Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, and West Coast…..Roger used to play me Allman Brothers Live At The Fillmore in the music room at school, but he was also really into Free, ( as we all were – All Right Now was one of the first songs me and Bernie attempted around 1970/71) and his melodic inventive riffs with singing vibrato were reminiscent of Andy Fraser. Our rehearsals were in fact long jam sessions, with endless solos, on various favourite themes. We cobbled together a short set list for the few gigs we played…various covers, and a couple of my early attempts at songwriting….and singing. I have a press cutting from 17th January 1974 from the Hastings and St Leonard’s news, which says we got a standing ovation at our recent gig at Hastings College….possibly the gig where Tony Qunta, my guitar guru and friend, lent me his brand new Orange 100 watt stack, which was a bit like driving a Ferrari when you’ve only got a provisional licence – it practically blew me off the stage! The article goes on to say we’d been playing together since September the previous year, and had already also played on the Pier, where we were again to perform on Friday February 8th 1974, in a “local band bonanza”. I still have the ticket (60p!) which lists us, a band called Butch, and local heroes Stallion (with Steve Dimitri on drums and Phil Gill on guitar). I remember we were on first, and I for one was very nervous, especially with lots of friends in the audience. It was a pretty big deal back then, having seen so many great bands on that stage…..the band expanded to include a second drummer (!) for a couple of months, but then I left Hastings and moved to London in September 1974, so the band broke up. I still have some crumbly old recordings and a couple more photos….time to delve in the archive!

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supplied by Pete Fisher

Pete Fisher…an early gig, possibly 1973, guitarist Kevin’s 18th birthday party, at the Langham pub, near Quarry Road.

Terry Pack….I think I saw this band in 1974, or earlier…. Roger was a great inspiration to me aged 15.

Tony Qunta….Great band!

Pete Fisher….Thank you Tony! You and Andy, and Factory were a great inspiration!

Phil Gill… bloody hippies.

Stallion – photos by Chris Meachen

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Steve Kinch, Tich Turner, Steve Demetri, Vic Bridger

Harry Randall… Tony played lead guitar along with me in “Footloose” and “Slack Alice” still miss him!

Ernest Ballard… Slack Alice. With Paul Bourner on drums and Sedgefield on vocals. Great band

Gerry Fortsch… Brings back some great memories seeing my old mate Tony.

Harry Randall… Still bump into Brian on dog walks!

Tony Court-holmes… that does make me feel old

Glenn Piper… First band I roadied for

Alamo Leal… Tich?? I didn’t know he played the flute! I happen to know that he stepped in for John Wilde at one point, for the fact the John went down to Portugal to meet up with me in the Algarve, in 77.

Conan Howard… It was Pete Finberg that played guitar with Slack Alice when I knew them ,in the 70s

Harry Randall… Could be the other Slack Alice there was another band with same name!

Essence – Thomas Peacock School Rye and The Pier.

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photo supplied by  Chris Meachen. Essence at Rye Thomas Peacock School – Mick Mepham, Keith’Dusty’ Miller, Chris Catt, Chris Meachen and Mick Booker.

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photo Chris Meachen Essence on the Pier

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                                                                          Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

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photos  supplied by  Chris Meachen 

Mick Mepham fashion icon  and Chris showing some leg.