Johnny Smith and The Chevs

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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….

Dermot Murphy R.I.P. (2020)

photo supplied by Peter Gladwish

Peter Gladwish… RIP Dermot

Linda Day… Oh no bless him x

Terry Drinkwater… Sad news.

Andy Caine… Very sad! X

Mark Harris… How sad

Jon McCallion… Very sad news.

Pete Prescott… Very sad. Lovely guy. X

Phil Gill… Oh that is sad news, he was a nice chap.

Pauline Richards… Oh dear. Have known him years. So sorry for the children

Russell Field… The gentleman bassist. Top man. Funny as hell.Very sad indeed xx

Ken Hatch… Lovely guy and a good bass man, sad news.

James Westlake… He filled in for us when Ken was away, great bassist.

Liane Carroll… Oh no. Very sad. So sorry to hear this xx

Keith Brian Goodall… One of the best

Martyn Baker… Oh what a shame he’s gone now. He was a fabulous bassist, and as lovely a bloke as you could meet.

Mark Pepper… So sorry to hear this sad news , love to Steve, Ben and Sophie xxx

Lloyd Johnson… R.I.P. Dermot….from a fellow Ore Youth club member…

Andy Knight… RIP Dermot, good Bass Player and not bad with a golf club

Jane Hartley… Lovely man and musician. Love to the family xx

Trevor Spears… Good friends since our early teens in Hollington, played lots of gigs together he will be missed, RIP mate!

Kathy Harding… What a shock to see this today, such a lovely man xx

Stuart Moir… Star man with Centre Page, played with us for many years and we even got him into singing lead vocal on one song, always a reliable bass harmony as well as one of the best local players

Chris Howard… So sorry to hear of Dermot’s passing, a great guy he took my place in Centre Page when I left the band. R.I.P.

Barry French… So sad, we have lost a real character of the Hastings music scene. A versatile musician & a lovely guy. Barry & Ness.

John Harper… Very sad news. We’ve lost a kind & so modest a gentleman of the music scene. He always seemed to underestimate his abilities although he was such a talented & versatile bass player. A truly lovely guy.

Jacqui Gibson… So sad to hear

Nigel Livermore… A classmate of mine in the 1950s. Good at team sports (which I wasn’t!). Watched him regularly playing at the Market Hall in the early sixties with the DJ Four. RIP

 

The Scratchers -1997 and 2004

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supplied by  Hastings Groups from 1958 to the present Facebook page.

Peter Millington… (photo 1) The original SCRATCHERS taken at the Fisherman’s Institute in about 1997/8 L-R Kirk Ronchetti, Nigel Davies, Dermot Murphy, Paul Burton, Chris Sayer (in front)

Peter Millington….. (photo 2) A “fun” group – Kirk Ronchetti (Drums) Dermot Murphy (Bass) Ian Williams (Lead Guitar) Paul Burton (Lead Rhythm) Peter Millington (Rhythm).

Joe Knight….GREAT PHOTO!!!

Barry Newton….I remember Kirk from King Rod days many moons ago

Robert Searle… All these great pictures.

Steve Murphy… My rock & roll pop’s

Susie Prescott… The lovely Dermot!! xx