Noel d’Abo R.I.P. (8th March 2022)

Colin Bell… RIP old friend we had some good times way back when.

Claire Lonsdale… I didn’t know him but he looks like such a lovely guy with that beaming smile. How sad

Colin Bell… Claire, the d’Abo family were local residents of Bexhill/Hastings for many years and known to several SMART members. I don’t know where Noel was living at the time of his passing. Our main time spent together was back in the 60’s & 70’s.

Andre Martin… A very sad day for many of us who knew Noel and the d’Abo family. When were were at the local college and short of money we would share a plate of chips and baked beans for our lunch – expensive 1/- in old proper money. Rest in Peace if that is possible with you – you’re going to rocking on the best of them now.

Lloyd Johnson… Laughter , Enthusiasm and kindness are my memories of Noel….many fun Saturday afternoons playing music in my old basement the ‘Kontiki Klub’ many moons ago!…Noel of course on Bass….R.I.P. old friend…

Lyn Farkley Appleyard… Look at his beaming smile….straight from his heart! RIP Noel x

John Harper… Noel was one of the nicest, most thoughtful, genuine people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing & also gigging with. His face would light up with that beaming smile as soon as he clapped eyes on you. He was good friends with Tony Kenward of The Saints & helped Tony (along with others) in organising the first of many charity gigs at Eastbourne’s Winter Gardens in the early 80’s to raise funds in aid of Cystic Fibrosis that Noel’s daughter suffered from. Many local groups from the 60’s such as The Saints, Lysander with Noel on bass, The Sabres (later to become Shelley) The Alexanders & others were reformed especially for the occasion along with guest singers & a chart topping guest group like Mud, Freddie & The Dreamers, Leapy Lee, The Searchers & others that escape me ( it’s an age thing!)
The atmosphere was electric each time.!  Keep on Rockin’ old friend!  RIP Noel

Tom Sibthorpe… Oh my goodness that’s so sad what a lovely human being and so funny. I was the tour bus driver on the Chris de Burgh tours in the early 80s rest in peace Noel

Sybille Baptista… RIP dear Noel so very very sad . You of all people with so much to give always a wonderful friend and everybody who met you loved you . Me especially because you helped me so much and encouraged me when I went through a very dark time. Life is not fair ! You had so much more to give and you were so brave.

Amanda Croucher Buckingham… So terribly sad to hear this news …We had many fun times working together at Aylesfords London ….Rest in peace dear Noel and my deepest condolences to your family at this very sad and difficult time

Ray Flacke… So sorry to hear that, Noel was a good lad indeed! We had much fun together in Orleans and Verdun France, late 60’s. I should coco? Bon voyage mon frere!

Steve Wright R.I.P.

photo and more details https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68287707#

Matt Thomas… He was a big part of my first working at Masons in the shop days. Afternoons upstairs picking orders was made so much easier with him on Radio 1. Sid the Manager, Gervais the Hairdresser and all the other characters- what a legend

Alan Esdaile… Shocking news. Fond memories of the afternoon show with all the characters. Not everyone’s cup of tea but he offered something different and certainly made me laugh and smile. Very sad news.

Martyn Baker… I worked with him on R1 from 1982-1986. I was one of the many “afternoon boys”. He was always great fun to work with and a true gent. One of the good guys. Sad now.

Malcolm McDonald… I was only listening to him the other day must of been sudden…”Mr Angry”…has gone to the radio waves in the sky..Brilliant DJ..I’m shocked

Tracy Birrell… The end of an era….So sad and too young.

Carol Anne… So so sad a loss of a great talent will miss listening to his shows, RIP

Leigh Mitchell… Was really shocked when I heard it on the news 😞

Pete Prescott… So sad. I stopped listening to radio 2 when he was taken off. I was (and still am !) A fan.

Gerry Fortsch… Another sad loss, his afternoon show on BBC 2 was pure entertainment and great company when along with my mate Malcolm we were lucky enough to be working inside during the winter months.

Ian Johnson… RIP

John Wilde… A great loss to Broadcasting. Steve was a fantastic entertainer. He will be sorely missed. RIP.

Fred Marsh… Loved Steve, didn’t quite get the no jokin stuff but loved his music and “ask Elvis”

Mick O’Dowd… Such a sad loss to the airwaves. Always personable and original .Easy to listen to and a knowledgeable about the music he was playing

Lyn Humphrey… Very sad news. For some reason, whenever I was driving, and listened to his Factoids, with Janey Lee Grace & Tim Smith, I felt everything was okay with the world.

 

Annie Nightingale R.I.P.

photo: © BBC.

More informationhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67955757

Jim Breeds… Sad news. A hugely important figure in the world of radio. I listened to her a lot over the years. 83 not a bad innings, and to think that she kept working on Radio 1 until late last year!

Roger Ferris… Met her few times with Glo Macari in 1970s: pioneer broadcaster! RIP Annie! 💛

John Gale… Sad news

Keith Veness… Great DJ sad news

Denny Laine R.I.P.

photo: https://www.discogs.com

More information… https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67630264

Jacquie Hinves… I am so sorry to hear the death of Denny Laine. He was a wonderfully talented sweet man and I remember spending time with him and the McCartney’s and Jimmy Mc at the White Hart in Catsfield when they recorded at Parkgate Recording Studios. May he rest in eternal and everlasting peace. Xxx

Peter Fairless… RIP, Denny Laine. McCartney could only have dreamed of writing something as good as ‘Say You Don’t Mind’.

Colin Bell… I am heartbroken, Denny & I go back many years, I would not have had the life in music I’ve had without him. God bless, you’ll be forever missed.

Robert Searle… RIP Denny Laine

John Wilde… Thank you Denny.

Gerry Fortsch… Peace & Love.

Alamo Leal… Denny was a talented musician! I had the fortune to see him playing once and it was a huge lesson on simplicity and taste. My condolences. RIP.

Chris Howard… RIP Denny a very talented musician.

Mick O’Dowd… Really loved this guy. He was the REAL Moody Blues and never really got the acclaim that he so richly deserved.His solo career produced some under-rated classics and we all know what happened when he joined Wings. Co-writing Mull of Kintyre. He came across as a thoroughly nice person without the egotism that posses alot of less talented people, RIP Denny You Came You Saw You Conquered!

Dave Lelliott… RIP

Angela Mitchell… Rest In Peace Denny

Neil Partrick… Musician Denny Laine’s death announced yesterday saddened me as an unembarrassed fan of Wings since the age of 9 when I heard the classic single ‘Jet’ for the first time. Laine’s contributions to Paul McCartney’s new band were important, including co-writing ‘No Words’ on probably the best Wings’ LP, ‘Band On The Run’. A fellow Beat Boom northerner, with the early Moody Blues Denny was as important as McCartney in the shaping and influencing of the ’60s UK pop group explosion. In 67 he wrote and performed the classic psychedelic pop song ‘Say You Don’t Mind’. Laine became a key prop to McCartney in forging the solo Beatle’s new musical identity in the 1970s. However, it is surely for his/the Moody Blues’ take on the song ‘Go Now’, one of the greatest musical performances/UK pop singles ever, that Denny Laine should be most appreciated.

Drew Mclauchlan… I saw him with Ginger Baker’s Air Force in Cambridge in another millennium, but I never caught him in any of the “big” bands. Always loved “Go Now” though

Shane MacGowan R.I.P.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shane.macgowan.moscow.jpg

More information...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67546785

Colin Bell… So very sad. ‘Fairytale of New York’ will take on greater significance this Christmas. RIP

Peter Bridger… Colin, Maybe they’ll actually play it, and to hell with the snowflakes.

Ray Nickson… Thanks for this update, I do not like this news.

Stuart Moir… Icon in popular music

Jan Warren… Sad news, R.I.P Shane

Mick O’Dowd… Surprised he lasted this long with the r&r extreme lifestyle he led. Loved his music though with The Pogues. My first memory of them was on The Tube and they showed a video of them parading like monks banging their heads with tin trays! That’s rock & roll for ya

Carol Wheeler… So sad love fairytale of new york

 

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

 

David McCallum R.I.P.

More details... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66919863

Stuart Moir… RIP David McCallum

Jen Jen Pen… RIP David

Bob Searle… Just turned 90 RIP

Christine Pachner…Everyone’s heartthrob in the 60s RIP

Pete Brazier… Can’t believe we were only congratulating him on his birthday the other day! He will be sadly missed by all his fans

Alan Esdaile… Very sad. Remember seeing him in loads of tv and film roles but loved The Man From UNCLE and Sapphire & Steel and not forgetting he was also in The Great Escape. R.I.P.

Kevin Carlyon… One of my favourite programmes in the 60s, The Man from Uncle

Claire Kelly-Triance… Grown up with him

Lyn Humphrey… Sad to hear. He was in so many TV series I watched with my mates in the ’60s & ’70s, particularly Man from UNCLE.

 

Mike Yarwood R.I.P.

more informationhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66758400

Ian Quinnell… So sad . What a wonderful impressionist he was

Andy Qunta… Brilliant entertainer! RIP.

John Wilde… Cheers Mike, thanks for all the laughter.

Jane Hartley… The best, no one has ever come up to his standard imo.

Alan Esdaile… Another great gone. Happy memories of watching this with mum and dad and family. Very sad.

Perri Ann Haste… He paved the way for impressionists & was top of his game back in the 70’s. First class entertainer. RIP Mike.

Claire Melhuish-Durkin… Loved him. Had a crush when I was a gal

Brendan Bourne… He was a great talent.

 

Bernie Marsden R.I.P.

https://www.facebook.com/berniemarsdenofficial.

On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness we announce the death of Bernie Marsden. Bernie died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side. Bernie never lost his passion for music, writing and recording new songs until the end.

Graham Bradley… RIP Bernie

Andy Hemsley… Total legend. Loved his playing with Whitesnake

Jean Brett… R I p Bernie

Peter Houghton… RIP Bernie

Nelson King… I played a show with Bernie, a wonderful person.. we played each others Les Pauls.. a great guitarist.. R.I.P. Bernie

Franky Appleman… another great player leaves us….. there will be be none left before long. R.I.P.

Pete Prescott… Very sad. I saw him in Wild Turkey and Whitesnake. I read his biography last year. Wonderful. A great musician and guitarist. I remember Sergeant supporting his band Alaska in Montreux in 1985. I was so excited to see one of my heroes. He was a very nice guy

Mike Waghorne… RIP Bernie

Terry Pack… RIP, Bernie.

Dave… Super player helped put the snakes on the map sadly missed rip Berni. Thanks for the memories.