Unabridged Telephone Directory – Regent Hotel Ad.

969631_10200515847756730_744810979_n

Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

Josie Lawson… Regent Hotel, wasn’t that where the Reades lived, the Scalliwaggers

Kevin Burchett… his was before the Reades took over, Josie

Robert Searle… Great picture

Harry Randall… I’m So Glad, was one that always reminds me of them! Where are they now?

Lloyd Johnson… Dave Johnson ! Remember him well from Ore Youth Club!…he played with Kenny Comfort ,Melvyn & Lynn Grant for a while I think or it might have been The Redcoats …Dave had the newsagents in Westfield in later life I believe he died some time ago….

Pete Millington… Don’t remember Dave playing with The Redcoats Lloyd. Must have been Johnny Smith and the Chevs was really early. The first time I saw him he had his jean jacket draped over his floor to tom to deaden it. That was at the Market Hall.

Lloyd Johnson… Yes! You are right! I can remember him talking with Kenny and Melvyn a lot …Brian ‘Bonzo’ Redfern was Kenny and Melvyn’s drummer…I Loved The Market Hall it was so funny seeing Henry with his nose almost on the Chevs guitarist finger board saying things like “Oh! That’s how you do that” or “No! No! That’s not right” taking the piss and trying to put him off….all in a spirit of camaraderie. Is my memory right in thinking there would be The Talismen set up at one end of the hall and Johnny Smith and the Chevys at the other..I always think of it as a battle ground…’Battle of The Bands’ so to speak…Dave Bishop would get up with The Chevs and sing ‘it’s been nice’ a Marty Wilde ‘B’ side….really liked that song…silly teenage stuff trying to sound tough and grown up…

Pete Millington… Yes it was a feature of the MH to have 2 groups, one at each end, most groups had the pleasure of trying to outdo each other. We (The Confederates) had that pleasure.

Lloyd Johnson… I really liked the friendship and the good humoured pissing taking between the bands…didn’t Johnny Smith keep a milk bottle behind the amp for some reason.. Colin ‘Sid’ Tapp lived in my road…I made a guitar when I was a kid, tried to copy the Everly Brothers guitars, it was black with white binding.When it was built I painted it black and then varnished it…the vanished reacted with the paint and it ended up crackle finish…I sold it to Colin later .He told me it was his first guitar when we met up a year of so back….Barry Goodall and Pete Bailey and his twin brother were in my class at Priory road….

Dave Nattress… Great stories and some unbelievable band names in the last couple of weeks.  As I’ve remarked before, there’s me thinking weird band names only really started in the 70’s, “A Teardrop Explodes” – “Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark” – etc. etc. How wrong was I?  Where did the “Unabridged Telephone Directory” come from?

Colin Fox… they used to shorten their name to UTD, but it sounded like a sexual disease.

May 1968 Advert

Nigel Livermore… Good to see a photo of Dave Johnson: we were at West St.Leonards Primary School together, and then in the same year at HGS. Memories of New Year’s Eve pub crawl with him and Chris Jones (also ex-HGS, later on Obituaries at the BBC). A great character, skilled at writing crude verse, e.g. ‘Ode to a Bog’ which began ‘O to sit on a latrine………’ Toured Germany as a drummer around the same time as The Beatles, living on Currywurst (he said). Also worked on The Ridge as a lathe turner.

Harry Randall… Used to love watching these at “The Regent” gave me huge inspiration!

 

Johnny Smith and The Chevs

1607132_583299888411751_633422053_n

supplied by Gordon Humphries via Hastings Groups from 1958 to The Present

Johnny Smith and the DJ4 later to become Johnny Smith and the Chevs, L-R = Dave Johnson (Drums) Gordon Humphries (Rhythm Guitar) Dermot Murphy (Bass Guitar) Johnny Smith must be behind the camera. No picture of him available – YET! Played in the George Street Market Hall (Hastings) the Pier and many other local venues between 1961 and 1963

Nigel Livermore… Dave Johnson, Dermot Murphy and Gordon Humphries were in my year at the Hastings Grammar School from 1956-61. Smith was older than us, and rode around on a 350cc Douglas Mark IV motorbike with Harley Davidson ‘ape-hanger’ handlebars and scalloped flames on the tank. Always considered a very cool guy, with Steve McQueen-style hair. We used to get together at the Fiesta coffee bar in 1961. Johnson died from cancer a few years back, and Smith had a head injury after a scooter accident later on, leading to severe brain damage. Tragic! Many of us used to go every week to the Market Hall concerts, including Bob (Robert John) Lambert and Paddy (Terence Donovan) Flynn (who bought Johnny’s Douglas later on). Any of them still alive?

Lloyd Johnson… great group!…saw them along with The Talismen at the Market Hall George Street…and use to go to The Sombrero after with Henry from The Talismen…The Sombrero was a coffee bar near The Pumphouse…they had Ride of the Valkyries of the jukebox….

Rockaires & with the Rocking Devils Swanscombe. 16th July 1976 and chat on Talisman

rockaires at swanscombe

us and the devils 1

swanscombe2 Rockaires Ticket

all photos and cuttings supplied by John Breeds. Ticket supplied by Andy Knight.

Bryan Baker (Lead Guitar), Andy Knight. (Drums), John Breeds (Bass Guitar) and Dave Alderson (Vocals).

John Breeds….The line up pictures are at Swanscombe appearing with the “Rocking Devils” (pictured) and the “Flying Saucers”

Joe Knight….cool!!!

Chris Baker…..Somehow Andy Knight manages to look cool, even with that hairstyle!

Yvonne Cleland…..Like the drape coat, Andy

Dave Alderson… The photo with us and the rockin devils was at Stanford le hope rockers w/e there was also sandy ford and the flying saucers.im still in bands ie lucky strike for 15 years the switchblades and a current band

John Breeds… Dave Alderson (Vocals), John Breeds (Bass), Bryan Baker (Lead and Vocals) and Andy Knight (Drums). Rockaires was a Hastings based band . Andy left soon after these photos were taken and he was replaced with Dave Johnson (who Peter Millington would remember), and we remained with this format until the Rockaires finished in 1978.

Tony May… Brian Baker used to be in a band called ‘Talisman’. They had a single and album out called ‘Sounds in Our Minds’ ( I think). I met Brian years ago, he did some kind of teaching later on. I recall. I also saw his AWESOME vinyl Rock N’ Roll collection once!

Alan Esdaile… This one Tony?

talisman

John Breeds…. The LP was recorded at Riverside Studios in Chiswick , with a collaboration between Bryan Baker and Mark Swift of all the numbers except one. It was recorded with Bryan Baker (Guitar and Vocals), Chris Baker (Keyboards and some backing vocals), Dave Johnson (Drums and some backing vocals), John Breeds (Bass and some backing vocals) and Charlie McCalliogh (tenor Saxophone.)

The Confederates – St Clements Caves Hastings 1965

181714_187896391243496_6613901_n

supplied by Pete Millington https://pet842.wixsite.com/confeds-to-jinks

Pete Millington… The Confederates playing in the St Clements Caves, Hastings – Summer of 1965 — with Johnny Conroy, Paul Burton, Pete Millington, Dave Johnson (hidden on drums) and Trev Spears.

Alan Esdaile….Always a great sound playing in the Caves, the problem was it was a long way to take the gear and the leads ended up all covered in sand.

Royal Albert….My dads band midnight shift played there not that I was about lol

Alan Esdaile….I remember doing disco’s in the caves with Colin Bell. During the Arthur Brown song ‘Fire’ I used to set fire to my hands with lighter fluid which is fine for a few seconds but with everyone cheering you on, you left it burning too long. Talk about blisters with yellow puss, argh! That was one thing I didn’t try again.

Michael Mepham…..The very same Caves I played in with Die Laughing and where I met a young lady whose surname was Schneckenburger. Ahhhh, those were the days

Rosalie Copeland… Oh my gosh – remember them so well! We used to follow them around town when they played gigs!

Chrissie Daniels…Hi, I am the General Manager at Smugglers Adventure and would love to create a big signage board with pictures such as the above. If anyone is interested in sending me any pictures and a backstory we can of course credit you. My email is chrissied@bluereefaquarium.co.uk

Dave Nattress… Played the caves a couple of times with Samisen – it was felt to be a prestigious gig venue back in the day, but yes, getting the gear in and out was a game, even though we were young and fit back then – and the central cavern bit where the bands played was in itself quite a distance from the main entrance. But…really good memories, packed with foreign students and the sound was better – less bouncy with loads of bodies around – live bodies that is – well most of them.

Peter Fairless… Ask Chrissie if gigs are still a possibility?

Clifford Rose… Only ever went to one concert in the caves, and that was Fred Wedlock 02/05/87. He was very funny live.

Ralph Town…  I saw a chap called Strange, in the caves. He was in early eps pf Men behaving badly and the 1989 Batman movie. As well as our own Mr.Mepham 🙂

John Wilde… Yes The Breathers supported Steve Strange in the caves probably 1979/80.  Hang on maybe it was some other combo but I def remember supporting the Strange One RIP

Ralph Town… I think it was Richard Strange.  I’m not so sure it was Steve Strange. I remember the act involved this chap looking like Tom Bakers Dr.Who with movies played on a screen. Under the heading of ,”The wonderful world of …….. Strange”. I saw Mick in there with one of his bands but was probably traumatised as some scrote stole my copy of Kiss Alive vol 1.So was more focused on the loss.

Alan Esdaile… Brilliant gig with The Breathers at the caves John, I pretty sure it was Richard Strange and not Steve Strange.

Wendy Weaver… We met Fred Wedlock once when we were having a drink with the Yetties. He was an extremely funny man when he wasn’t performing too :). Good old West Country humour.

 

The Confederates 1963 and 1966

1963 Confederates1966 Confederates

supplied by Peter Millington. http://pet842.wix.com/jinks-the-group

Peter Millington… The 1963 picture of the Confederates, L-R Tony Goodman, Peter (Ginger) Millington, Dave Saunders, Johnny Conroy, Trevor Spears. This is one of the earliest pictures of the group after Conroy joined which would put it at July 1963.

The 1966 (January) Confederates pic was taken at the Grove School, where we practiced and shortly after Dave Johnson departed and was replaced by Terry Chedzoy. L-R – Paul Burton, Peter Millington, Johnny Conroy, Terry Chedzoy, Trevor Spears.

Colin Fox… Love the Hank Marvin specs. lol. Obviously worked, as I have never seen you wearing glasses before. I know a lot of guys in bands used to wear glasses in the Shadows era even if they didn’t need them, in fact I think I did for a while. What a plonker.

Peter Millington… Correction glasses or a white stick, no choice really. Good enough for Buddy Holly good enough for me, LOL. Trev looks like a Jap fighter pilot – Kamakaze lead guitarist – explains a lot. Colin – now promoted to contact lenses – kept tripping over the white stick!

 

The Confederates – supporting Rod Stewart in 1965

148628_583304175077989_862386676_n

supplied by….Jinks The Group website.  http://pet842.wix.com/jinks-the-group

Peter (Ginger) Millington (Bass and BV) Johnny Conroy (Lead Vocals) Tony Goodman (Rhythm Guitar and Vocals) Trevor Spears, (Lead Guitar and BV) Dave Johnson (Drums) — Picture taken at Southampton University – when they played with Rod Stewart and the Soul Agents.