More Steve Maxted photos – supplied by Jozef Maxted

282464_10150721961610541_46686_n

222429_10150721961370541_1336277_n 223030_10150721971895541_4161877_n 206085_10150721961955541_964553_n

217480_10150721973880541_890897_n 259816_10150721963855541_8144992_n 223088_10150721968850541_5019091_n 267293_10150721963755541_6620918_n

all photos supplied by Jozef Maxted

Ralph Town…. An early Nova kit car possibly.Looks like an over grown 60s Hot Wheels either way 🙂

Pete Fairless… Looks like something we used to race down Hollingsworth’s ramp, Ralph!

Jenny Tyler… Loved Steve Maxted on a Thursday night at the Aquarius. I remember he told us ” next week we’ve got Gary Glitter”. The next week there was the big drum roll, then The Leader of the Gang. Out cane Gary Glitter, he put his arms in the air, then left the stage. That was it, lol. We were really disappointed.

Alan Esdaile… I remember he started the show with various tapes of famous people like Diana Ross saying Welcome to the Steve Maxted show. Then would it have been I Can’t Explain by The Who? Same Old Song The Four Tops, Third Finger Left hand Martha Reeves, The Liquidator Harry J Allstars. Anyone remember anything else he played a lot?

Jim Breeds… The Locomotion came to mind?

Reg Wood… Hey there lonely girl by Eddie Holman.

John Wilde… Bernadette The Four Tops plus I’ll Be There and always Dancing in the Street..Martha and the Vandellas.

 

 

Potatoes from the Disc Jockey Hastings in 1976

Alan Jensen saw a marketing idea when price of potatoes went through the roof, due to a drought in 1976 and potato’s were having to be imported. 

John Busbridge… One of my regular haunts, still got every record I ever bought from the Disc Jockey!

Gerry Fortsch… Alan was always very helpful.

Kay Lobb… So many happy memories of working there on Saturday afternoons.

Shona Goobie… I used to love that shop best shops gone who is running the shops now

Chris Westgate… Big Al ,what a star, miss him. We used to go to him for our records and he’d hand out a few promotional ones for free. We ended up with such gems as “You can knock me down with a feather” by Henry Cooper, and “The Fidely Foodle Bird” by Max Wall !!!!

 

 

A Band Of Angels – Hastings Collage 30th October 1964 by Andre Martin

1502312_10201887874696546_247117827_o

Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Andre Martin… As its Halloween at the moment, if we think back – this is about the college, here is something that I know will be of interest to many, On Friday evening 30th October 1964, in the old Gymnasium at the College in Archery Road, we held our Halloween Dance – Top of the Bill, A Band of Angels, featuring Mike d’Abo and the supporting band whose name slips my memory for the moment, bass guitar one Noel d’Abo [ student and well known member of the college]. We do not have any press adverts for this, but I have found the following press cutting from the local Observer, about a visit made by the group to AJs show in Queens Road. I am sorry the photo is very dark, but Mike can just be seen in the back row.

Chris Westgate DJ – The Queens Head Bexhill 1970’s

Chris Westgate… A disco we used to run in the 70’s (and yes that’s me!!), and the landlady, Francis Burt, also hired us on a Sunday in protest of a local Bexhill bylaw that prevented dancing on a Sunday, so we’d do the disco and then tell people to sit down if we saw them dancing!!

Richard Burks… Excellent! Great Fxxk you spirit! We need more of that

 

Henry Hay – 58 Club/Pebbles Club, Winchelsea Beach around 1979/1980

Henry Hay

supplied by Marianne Hay

Marianne Hay…photo of my late husband who used to be the DJ at the 58 Club when it changed to Pebbles and knew all of the local groups including King Rod well.  It would be interesting to hear if anybody remembers him.

Linda Day… I remember going to the 58 club.

Chris Baker… Played there a few times before DJs were invented.

Virginia Davis… I remember going to pebbles

Barry Newton… If its the Henry I remember he had a brother Stuart.

Mick O’Dowd… Yes I remember him. I DJ’d there after him but still remember him. Was his brother Stuart who ran the place for a time? Same gear and the sparkly stage ribbons as when I worked there.

Rob… 58 club, do you remember the bikers from Tenterden ? Always seemed to be fighting with the skinheads – tullett boys ? !!

Harry Randall… 58 club used to be run by our manager Bill Tribe I think his name was 1968 When “The Loyd Milligan Sound ” an 8 piece soul band I was in went pro to Germany!

Gerry Fortsch… What a great picture, I remember Henry very well, had some good times together in the day, always a gentleman. Peace & Love. At a later date than this there was a Scotsman named Colin working at the club, I think he went to Australia, does any one know what happened to him?

David Edwards… I remember doing some building work for the fella who owned it. He was a bailiff/ debt collector absolutely straight as a die and a good egg. Remember rebuilding the stage which was originally ply sheets on beer crates.

Peter Smith… I have just stumbled across this site as I was doing some googling on my Dads old club ‘Pebbles’. He is John Smith the debt collector David Edwards spoke about. What a lovely, accurate description of my Dad, thank you for the kind words, it has made his day!

David Edwards… Glad to make Peter’s dad’s day hope John is keeping well and best wishes to him

Steve Cooke… I knew the venue very well but not Henry. However, he does bear a striking resemblance to Stewart Hay who was the landlord of Pissaro’s in Hastings for years. He was a great supporter of live music and hosted the first ever Beatles Day.

Mick O’Dowd… Yes Steve he was Stuarts brother. Hi Peter was your Dad Peter & His Wife Rispa? If it was I worked for them as DJ and found them both to be extremely nice folks. I’ve still got the cocktail shaker (engraved) that they gave to all their staff when they left. I think he sold it to Henry’s brother Stuart Hay.

Alan Vale… FAL = Futuristic Aids Limited great name for amps and speakers lol

Tony Vourt-holmes… i remember walking back to hastings from there one night was in the summer

Alan Esdaile… Anyone remember Venus And Mars?

Mick O’Dowd… Rings a bell. I think I worked with them at Pebbles

Deb Hoad… Looks familiar

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell. Reviewing Alcatrazz Live Sentence cd/dvd deluxe edition and John Miles – Miles High cd.

img391 img392

‘LIVE SENTENCE’ Alcatrazz (Deluxe Edition CD/DVD) HNE Records

As regular readers of S.S. will know this is my all time favourite metal band of the 80’s. A coupla months back I brought you their debut album ‘No Parole From Rock and Roll’. As mentioned in that review Alcatrazz were a HUGE success in Japan especially. To capitalise on the albums success they took to the road to promote it and Live Sentence is the result. Recorded in January 1984 in Tokyo the set list includes most of the tracks recorded for NPFR&R, minus annoyingly ‘Jet to Jet’, a personal favourite! However that’s a small niggle. Along with ‘Island in the Sun’, ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’ ‘General Hospital’, all classics in my view Graham Bonnet treats us to his solo success with ‘Night Games’ and re-visits his sojourn with Rainbow to deliver ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ and ‘All Night Long’ to the evident delight of the audience.
This release comes as 2 discs, disc one audio and disc two a DVD. At last I can dispense with my er bootleg footage! The audio and video quality of the DVD is surprisingly good for its age and stands up well. Like me you can now marvel at the 20 year old prodigy Yngwie Malmsteen in all his glory. And a glorious thing to watch it is! His neo-classical shredding is jaw dropping!
Not since I first saw Hendrix have I ever been so transfixed by a guitarist.
‘Kree Nakoorie/Coming Bach’ is mesmerising, yes he’s over indulgent at times compared to the studio recordings, but hell’s teeth he’s simply amazing even when he’s being arrogantly OTT! He knows he’s a ‘Rising Force’ and I forgive him, if I had his talent I doubt i’d hide my light under a bushel.
To cap it all off there’s three bonus tracks recorded at the Rock Palace in the USA including ‘Too Young To Die-Too Drunk To Live’. They don’t write them like that anymore, more’s the pity! For all Graham Bonnet/Malmsteen fans this is an essential addition to your library. PLAY IT LOUD!

JOHN MILES_miles high_WEB

‘MILES HIGH’ John Miles  (Lemon Recordings)

This is the first time on CD for what was John’s fifth studio album released originally in 1981, at that time it only reached a rather disappointing 96 chart position. Two singles were released from the album in the shape of ‘Turn Yourself Loose’ and ‘Reggae Man’. John is undoubtedly a fine musician, singer and guitarist and indeed a writer having composed the 10 tracks here. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the album, for me however nothing really leaps out at you. Its a polished affair and plays like a soundtrack to an American series of the Eighties (Miami Vice springs to mind) its slick AOR and maybe therin lies the problem for these ears its all a little too bland for my taste. John is without doubt a musicians musician and has contributed his skills to the likes of Joe Cocker, Tina Turner and the great Alan Parson’s project. Overall one for completists of his canon of work methinks, or fans of the Eighties slick pop genre.

For more information go to http://ww.cherryred.co.uk                 colin-head-111x150

Til next time….     Colin

 

Stephen Carson… Hi Colin. Just to let you know Cherry Red are releasing a box set of John Miles albums 1983 – 1993 which includes Play On on CD for the first time. It comes out on July 19 2024.

Who remembers Tony Kane/Simon Davies?

supplied by Andy Davies

David Kent… Remember Andy, Simon and family very well. Sorry to hear Simon no longer with us. Hi Andy.

Kevin Burchett… Simon was a very good friend of Derek Reade the owner of Scalliwags it was Simon who worked for EMI at the time gave Derek the Scalliwags song it was a demo. he connection to EMI and Simon Davies is in the video

Alan Esdaile… Happy memories of Simon. Remember him waving his plastic legs and all manner of things at his discos! Also listening to tapes at the recording studio in Denmark Street and taking me to a live Top Of The Pops show. He seemed to have access all areas and we were waved through the gates, while the fans waited outside. Sitting in the board room at EMI and would play me the latest recordings and ask my opinion. Used to see him a lot when I was working in London. When I opened the shop and struggling, he got me to make badges for The Eddie Grundy Fan Club and others. I think it was him that got The Breathers record deal? Very much missed.

Mick O’Dowd… A really nice guy and got on well with him. Gave him a few tips along the ways and he helped me as well Sad to hear of his passing. As they say the good always die young. R.I.P. Simon/Tony.

Andy Davies… Lovely to meet you Alan and Mick, couldn’t believe it’s over forty years since I met you guys. i think Simon would be delighted to know we’ve met and people remember him, and people that helped him along the way and knew him back then. I’ve got a few records that he was involved with, I’ll try and find them and bring them along another time. Incidentally I found I do have an original copy of Time Machine by Factory on the Oak label. Hi to David and Kevin too.

Andy Qunta… I remember him well as Tony Kane, the DJ at many of Factory’s early gigs. Lovely fella! Great to have met his brother Andy at the SMART meeting last week!

Tony Court-holmes… I think i went to school with me

Glenn Piper… Did you really? You went to school with yourself, nice one

Debbie… So sad to hear such sad news about Simon even though it was a few years back. Always thought about him and my family loved him.

Tramps Disco-Tek Club Opening Night with Bob Stewart Radio Luxembourg 11th June 1976

img572

25601_385492774286_7802084_n

img025

go go dancer Mandy from Brighton at the gig

Alan Esdaile… Don’t look!

Martin Richter…  I nearly didn’t

Andre Martin… Bob Stewart Born on 3rd July 1939 in Liverpool Bob did his national service in the army and then worked in various local clubs after becoming a DJ at the suggestion of Pete Best, the original Beatles drummer. He joined Radio Caroline in 1965, spending one month on the South ship before transferring to the North. He was advised that his Liverpool accent might alienate listeners so he developed the very authentic sounding mid-Atlantic accent we now know and love. “Baby Bob,” as he was known, presented the noon-3pm show. His catch-phrase was: “This is your Bobby baby who loves you so crazy” and his theme tune was Image by Alan Haven. Bob stayed with Caroline North until about six weeks before the introduction of the Marine Offences Act in August 1967. He joined Radio Luxembourg and was there for eighteen years. In 1987 he moved to Dallas, Texas, for a time but returned to Europe and was heard again on Luxembourg as well as Jazz-FM, Red Rose Preston, Capital Gold.

Alan Esdaile… When working with Bob Stewart , I can remember doing a gig with him at Gravesend Woodville Civic Hall. We started the show with some smoke bombs and the guy in charge of the theatre came rushing down with fire extinguishers and for a second I thought he was going to spray  foam all over the disco gear. He gave us a good shouting and in future please write and apply in advance if you wish to use smoke and explosions on stage.

Conan Howard… Oh my goodness , back in the days when girls were beautiful and did not look like they had escaped from a farm or been washed up on the sea Shore