supplied by Richard Best
Richard Best… Scalliwags 1977 woohoo 4 till 8
Kevin Burchett… this can only be one thing its a disco party for Brian Reades 2 children Julian and Helen
Richard Best… Kevin, spot on I went school with Helen
Edward Adams… formely The Regent
Alan Oliver… I think I saw them at the White Rock about 1988
Ronald Burgoyne… They were the first group I saw they opened first night at the Witchdoctor
Mick Knight… Me to!
Mike Wright… Saw them back Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry at Hammersmith Odeon in about 1964….what a show
Paul Huggett… Portsmouth Guildhall, about 1965 with my late mate Pete Thurlow who lived down there.
photo Keith Tooke
Peter Pursglove… I remember that
Tony Qunta… What hand?!
Pete Shaw… Can’t see either hand…still focusing….ayah…no..that’s not a hand…let me check again….well….I’ll try again later…mmm
Alan Esdaile… She does not look very happy.
Sarah Harvey… Knowing how big Sam Fox was in those days, whoever’s hand that is must have the biggest hands ever!
Monica Bane… Remember her eyeing up my son in Earls Court, he was doing the advert for Lee Cooper Jeans !
Tony Court-holmes… what a fine looking young lady
Jez… My Friends Dane and Dave and I went to Sam’s place back in the middle 80’s (Maybe even ’86). Went there by Cab from ‘Sarf’ London and I don’t think we even went in the club once we realised that we wouldn’t get to see Sam. Cost us a small fortune!
Malcolm McDonald… I took one that night, for this girl. She asked me to get her photo, so stood on side of the booth, said,Sam, she turned round, smiled and got one…
Stuart Moir… Travelled to London “Val Bonn Studios” with Ray Fenwick to do backing vocals for one of her records, Colin Fox was chatting her up and said she wouldn’t have to change her name if she married him 
Colin Fox… Stu, I didn’t chat her up, Ray wanted me to make her laugh as she was nervous.
photos © Danny Stepto shared from https://www.facebook.com/groups/126379645971567
Danny Stepto…So it’s taken me a while to find these, but as the saying goes… ‘The 90’s. So many memories. No evidence’. In a previous life, before I moved away from Hastings at the turn of the century, I used to play those cheesily cheerful charty party dance anthems to the masses across the south coast. It’s sad to see that all the clubs in Hastings I worked in have either closed down, burned down or been pulled down! Here’s a couple of snaps of me at JR’s, slightly blurry due to the humidity. Remember the condensation running down the walls when it was packed? Perhaps you can spot yourself on the dance floor? Big shout to the other DJ resident presidents who I worked with around the town back then (some of whom are still doing it now): Terry Hardwick Iggy Iggy Dave O’Regan Colin Russell Dan Boorman Paul Phillips Kevin Frost Benjamin Charles Hanny Laurie Adey. I salute you.
Any ideas who this is? Photo from a Hastings tourist brochure and listed as a modern disco.
Jim Breeds… I think it’s Hugh Grant
John Gale… Aquarius Club maybe?
Janette Morfey… I think its the Queens Hotel on the seafront
John Gale… That did cross my mind . I saw groups there in 1979 and it looked very similar .
Martin Richter… John, my first thought
John Gale… Martin, saw the Teenbeats there in 79 . In fact the fasions in that photo would have matched a 1979 Teenbeats gig.
Martin Richter… John, certainly 
looks like Sean Hodd at the front ?
John Gale… Could be, and looks like my mate Dave ‘Sam’ Browning in the white TShirt behind the suited guy
David Martin… The Witchdoctor ?
Jan Warren… My first thought was the Regent Hotel (basement) which later became Scalliwags?!
Stuart Moir… To big for it to be the Regent as we played in the basement, agree it could be the Witch doctor or Queens Hotel, can’t recall how big the Aquarius was but that looks like my Ludwig super classic kit as the colour is right Oyster blue ripple and the top toms were 12″ and 14″, the band always moaned about the over tones and would never accept that they would not hear them when playing all together but were necessary in the overall body of the final product .
photo © Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith… Does anyone remember these two, they used to put on Discos every Friday night at the hall at the bottom of Conduit hill in the early 70s it was always a great night hardly ever any trouble, great days a long time ago, & no we weren’t DC disco he was another guy around at the same time.
Colin Winn… Nope.
Franky Appleman… no… but the lad in the right looks like the guy who plays Jay in the Inbetweeners
Kevin Williams… Left is Steve Smith and right is Phil Hays. Both lived in Camber.
Stuart Moir… There was no trouble because we were all adults and appreciated all the effort the guys put into entertaining the crowd with their collection of 45s
Elizabeth Murby… I don’t, but I grew up in Northamptonshire , bangin the middle of Kislingbury a village itself in the middle of Northamptonshire, a county itself in the centre of England
Ralph Town… I well remember DC disco. Used to help Alan with his gear. Pretty sure he’d be gone by now. Nice guy.
Chris Coleman… now that brings back some memories.
Caz Simpson… I loved Bonitas!
Leigh Wieland-Boys… Moved to Hastings in 1971 & spent many evenings down Bonitas during the next few years – wasn’t Colin Bell one of the DJs? Great Memories…!
Mick Knights… Did anyone successful gain entry via the gents toilets in the Queens bar, I tried several times but was always intercepted!
Colin Bell… When I was the resident DJ there and was keeping the crowd happy i’d nip off to the kitchen to get my portion of chicken and chips and spend a happy 5 minutes flicking the cockroaches off…! Happy memories flood back, those were the days!
Gill Harrod… 25p !!!!!
Carol Tree… Omg had some great times lol
Leigh Wieland-Boys… I’m not sure I wanted to hear that Colin😏! But I’m still going strong so it didn’t do me any harm!
Janine Anne Scott… Loved it xxxx
Mick O’Dowd… I got a cockroach in a basket too when I DJ’d there. Took over from Colin. Great venue made lot’s of friends. Track I inherited from Colin was I heard it through the grapevine by Creedence Clearwater Revival, all 15 minutes or so of it Oh happy days!
Jon McCallion… Played there after recording Fooling Around good venue.
Leigh Weiland-Boys… Just heard Sex Machine on Gold..now that always reminds me of Bonitas!
Alan Esdaile… In a cold sweat.
Tony May….While we are on the subject of D.J’s in situ, here’s a pic of me D.J’ing at ‘Speakeasy’ along Kings Rd from around 1982. How things have changed these days! No, mics for D.J’s, no record decks – no records!
Pete Fairless….The DJ played a lot of ABC and Spandau Ballet, as I recall
Tony Court-holmes….i remember humping gear up into some strange places you had gigs
all photos supplied by Tony May
Advert 1981
Tony May…..Yes, wonderful days – I was busy busy busy then most of it concerning a search for RECORDS – HA HA.
Matt Thomas…..HAIR!!!!!!!! LOL
Leigh Wieland-Boys…..we always used to wait for the first person to get up on the dance floor…..so that was you, was it?! Unfortunately I can’t seem to enlarge this photo so can’t see them very well. I worked various pubs & clubs, glass collector at Aquarius 1971-1972 – Cocktail waitress at Saturdays 1975-1976, Cinque Ports 1976-1979, also Scallis during that time (as well as a full time job)
Tony May…..Thanks guys! Yes, Leigh – I was always one of the first to ‘get on up and get down’ HA HA
Pete Fairless…..It was a great little club, spent quite a bit of time there, early ’80s…
Paul Bryant… I particularly liked the cinema section they had there,always showing a dodgy horror movie. Sure it was Colin Russell djing down there but my memory isn’t as good as it used to be,plus it was a long time ago
Jeff Belton… Reminds me when I did my second disco. In a place called Marlow House, Sidcup, Kent. Had their own set up, two decks, and a lighting control. All I had to take was my records , headphones, mic. This was in the late 1983.
Notice the pop group on the poster, The Thompson Twins or is it Imagination ?
After 1983 I carried on doing discos for 21 years , 2004. Those were the days lol.
Pete Fairless… That’s Imagination, Jeff
Paul Bryant… Sorry it’s actually Shalimar.
Terry Hardwick… I was the DJ Speakeasy Colin Russell worked with me . This is where I met Tony.
Tony Court-holmes… was big willie the bouncer there
Anyone remember Lazybones?
Peter Fairless… Which one was that, under the Queens?
Jim Breeds… That rings a distant bell … was it under Queens Hotel?
Alan Esdaile… Yes Pete and Jim, trying to remember the chain of different names, was it The Flying Machine at one time? Bonitas, Emmas etc.
Chris Giles… Bonitas I remember chicken and chips on a Sunday Eve
Alan Esdaile… Thanks Chris! You just reminded me of the smell and the greasy taste. I feel sick!
Jane Hartley… Bonitas, Lazybones, Queen of Clubs, JRs.
Virginia Davis… That brings back memories
Andy Qunta… Yes indeed!
Jim Breeds… Bonitas I could have volunteered as a name but Lazybones had gone from the memory until now! Gosh yes. Chicken in the basket wasn’t it? And Scampi too, probably! lol.
Chris Giles… Yep it was in a basket.
Jon McCallion… We played at bonitas after recording fooling around the same night I think.
Mick O’Dowd… Don’t forget cockroaches in a basket at Bonitas.
Gerry Fortsch… I don’t think you would get away with this poster today?
Bookham Ally… I wonder who she was and where she is now.
Dave Nattress… Far too colourful you mean? Aah!! The Crumpet!! You’re probably right – silly, sad, sign of the times!!