factory

Half Human Band, Factory, Stackridge – Hastings Pier 20th & 27th July 1974

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supplied by Mick Mepham, HHB promo photo unknown venue, Stackridge photos from the gig by Chris Meachen

poster supplied by Peter Houghton

Andy Qunta….Funnily enough I don’t remember the Half Human Band, although I don’t know how I could forget a name like that! I remember Stackridge though! They were great! Factory supported them at least once! Thanks to Mick Mepham for finding this, btw!

Geoff Peckham…..I remember the name Half Human Band, but no matter how much I scrunch up my face, I can’t summon up a memory of them. Now Mutter Slater and Stackridge playing Purple Space Ships Over Yatton present no such problem!

Martin Waghorne…..I can remember watching Stackridge @the De LA Warr Pavilion, one track I remember is ‘Mr Mick’.

Tony Qunta…..I never realised we were a half human band!

Andy Qunta…..Which half was human, & what was the other half?

Sarah Harvey…..Super human?

Phil Thornton.….Stackridge were great !

John Storer…My abiding memory of the Stackridge gig, which was great fun. is of seeing half the band smashing dustbin lids together during one track

Chris Baker…..Saw Stackridge twice I believe. They were a great band!

Mick O’Dowd…..Saw them at Wembley Stadium with Elton John , The Beach Boys & The Eagles + others.

Terry Pack…..I  was at that Wembley gig, too, Mick. And the Pier gig above. The Wembley gig was incredible: Stackridge, Rufus, Joe Walsh, Eagles, Elton John, Beach Boys!

Phil Thornton……yes Stackridge – great band ! I was at this gig and when they played at the De La Warr Pavilion – I think Stallion supported them at one point ! btw – they are still going, I have a recent album – excellent stuff !

Martin Isaacs….Sorry you can’t remember Half Human Band. My only memory of the gig was the van (we called it The Pig) going through one of the planks on the pier, and we feared we’d not goet it out – but we did … Check out the HHB page on Facebook!

Mick O’Dowd….Yeah Terry it was a great day at Wembley including the weather. Did we actually SEE these bands as there were no large screens in them days and I was on the half-way point on the pitch? Stackridge were a highly underated band who deserved more recognition.

Dave Nattress… Stackridge – seems like they gigged everywhere constantly in the 70’s and I saw them a few times but in the hazy past I can’t recall where or when although one I’m sure was at a festival and once at the pier. Don’t remember the DLW – slapped wrist to have missed that on the home turf. Didn’t have any of the albums as vinyls but delighted to have mopped up 6 albums on CD over they years including “Radio 1 In Concert “and “The Radio One Sessions” . I used to get to London a lot – working – and Stackridge was on the list of stuff I always had with me that I wanted to get hold of, so back in the day before the WWW, Amazon and others and a lot of mail-order shops, Tower Records, HMV, Virgin all clustered in and around Oxford Street/Piccadilly – Tower I think was Piccadilly and also in Kingston-upon-Thames, used to occasionally have one or more in stock

Mick Mepham… Let There Be Lids – Dustbin Ones!

Pete Houghton… I saw both stackridge and curley on the pier and both band’s signed a poster of the gig and when I saw Half Human Band they signed a photo of themselves

Tony Court-holmes… I was there i think

Kenny 22nd Dec, Factory 24th Dec, Stallion 27th Dec 1975

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supplied by Sarah Harvey

Phil Gill… Apparently I played a Stallion gig on the Saturday. Buggered if I can remember that one….

Mark Randall… Ooooh they call you Fancy Pants!

Julie Morris… Saw that Kenny concert!

Andy Qunta.. The guy in the far right of the Kenny photo is their lead singer & guitarist, Rick Driscoll. He’s been a friend of mine since we were both playing with Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel in 1981! Lovely bloke, btw!

Darryl Way’s Wolf & Factory Hastings Pier 23rd November 1973

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poster & ticket supplied by Mick Mepham

Tony Qunta….Also remember being blown away by John Etheridge playing some of the fastest guitar I had ever heard!

Glenn Piper….Another one I worked on

Andy Qunta….Funnily enough, I remember seeing Darryl Way’s Wolf – they were great, but I don’t remember seeing Factory that night. I must have been in the bar during their set!

Geoff Peckham….I  would definitely have been in the bar with you, Andy, so Factory would have been a duo that night.

Andy Qunta….Looks like it must have been just Lol Cooksey playing that night! I’m sure he put on a great show, as always!

Chris Coleman…Music Machine Disco AKA Jon Royle.

Factory – Mallet Hall Bexhill (early rehearsals) 1970

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supplied by Lol Cooksey

‘Jaffa’ (Geoff Peckham) Bass, Lol Cooksey Drums, Andy Qunta Lead Vocals 12 String Guitar, Tony Qunta Lead Guitar.

Yvonne Cleland… Lovely x Bexhill’s produced its fair share of musicians!

Phil Gill… Nice to see a pic of Tony Qunta playing the WEM Sapphire. You sold that guitar to me about a year later Tone, remember?

Geoff Peckham… Can anyone identity the bass I’m playing? I don’t remember it.

Phil Gill… Is it a Vox of some sort Geoff? I’m more concerned that you’re apparently possessed by demons in the first pic.

Geoff Peckham… That’s right – I think it is a Vox. Yes that’s a strange picture isn’t it. I sent it to Andy as a Halloween card! I blame it on Lol. He still has the power…..

Andy Qunta… Yes, Lol has always had the power!  I don’t remember that bass at all, Jaffa! I thought you always had a Fender Mustang! Don’t remember Tone’s WEM Sapphire either! I remember what I had for breakfast today though, so no need to worry yet!

Geoff Peckham… Yes, Andy. And I still have the Fender Mustang – always a pleasure to play but the pick-ups are shot so hardly any volume. Does anyone out there know of any way I can replace or repair them without spoiling the guitar? I think I had an Antoria bass at some stage, before buying the Mustang

Tony Qunta…. Phil, thanks for reminding me re selling the WEM guitar to you – I had completely forgotten about that! I’m pretty sure that was Andy’s originally. (photo no 4) My Miles Davis pose! 🙂

Phil Gill… It was a great guitar. I liked it a lot, but eventually traded it for this:

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Steve Kinch… great to see these old shots

Mick Mepham… You can get the pickups rewound I believe, as long as they aren’t hermetically sealed …..Also, the bass looks a bit like a Danelectro (maybe)

Phil Gill… Try my pal James Collins at http://www.jamescollinsguitars.com/ I think he’s in Mayfield. Or if you fancy a pick up expert and are prepared to post to USA, I highly recommend Curtis Novak. He made me a great set of Strat pickups: http://curtisnovak.com/pickups_bass.shtml

Mick Mepham… Jaffa, are you actually the devil in disguise? Those eyes …..

 

Freeway, Sam Tripp and Factory – Summer Rave Hastings Pier – 10th July 1971

Freeway Poster 1971

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poster supplied by Andy Knight, ad supplied by Bob Shipway

Andy Qunta… Wow! Those were the days! I remember Freeway & Sam Tripp! Great stuff!

Simon Walsh… And Factory too!..Great band.

Andy Qunta… Freeway were great! Sam Tripp too!

Bob Shipway… What a Summer Rave line-up!

Ross Holter… Freeway great band and then Shaft

Bob Shipway… Indeed! I was playing in Sam Tripp with Al Turner (vocals), Jeff Hobson (guitar) and Ollie (drums) that night. I can’t remember if this was before Shaft with Dave Shaw, Colin Pearce, Andy Knight and Jim Beadle or afterwards. Either way it was a super night.

Spencer Davis Group & Factory – Hastings Pier 7th July 1973


  

supplied by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey….July 1973. Remember them playing ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ and it was superb played live. Loved ’em. And of course a great band in support!

Phil Gill….I was at that gig, watching Ray Fenwick, It was the “Gluggo” tour, and “Catch You On the Rebop”, the single form the album was all over the radio. I really liked it – here it is.

Phil Gill….I was then 17. Fast forward seven years and Steve Demetri, Andy Caine and I end up playing on When The Boys Happy by Jo Jo Laine & The Firm with Ray Fenwick, Funny old world….

Terry Pack….I  saw Ray with Fancy, supporting 10cc at The Dome in 1975. He was excellent, as were Mo, Les and Annie.

Andy Qunta….I  just checked my diary, & it says Factory got a tremendous reception & did 2 encores! Wish I could actually remember it! Always liked the SDG & supporting them was very exciting!

Bernard Jeffery….I did see the original band probably one of their last gigs as I was very young and later met Steve Winwood when I was recording with his brother Muff producing at Island studios

Dennis Torrance… Another great band Steve Winwood and band. Also Factory brill band still are.

Jacquie Hinves… A very young Ray Fenwick. Gorgeous as ever.

Peter Houghton… Yes it was a great night and seeing Stevie Winwood

Factory & Effigy – Clive Vale Annexe. Fri 7th May 1971 & YMCA review 13th August 1971

Supplied by Jon McCallion

Andy Qunta… Ah! Good times!

Phil Gill… I was there, probably with young Carey, Meachen and Shirley, as they labelled us at school. Sarah Harvey might have enjoyed the evening too.

Sarah Harvey…. I did indeed Phil and I had. completely forgotten about Effigy and to be honest cannot remember seeing them at all other than a vague memory that I didn’t think much of them. Factory as ever were THE band of Hastings at the time.

Chris Baker… Hah! Flight of the Rat was one of my “Flashy” solos! Those were the days! We only did a few gigs.

Phil Gill… As I recall Chris, you showed me how to play the pedal note riff from Flight of the Rat, one night at an Effigy rehearsal that Roger Carey and I attended. Was it School Road in Ore? Roger was buying Iain Cobby’s speaker cabinet and we came along to look at it.

Brigitte Lee… Where was Clive Vale Annex?

Chris Baker… Ha! Phil! My arthritic old fingers can’t play it so fast these days! Fun to so though. Still got that analog Park Fuzzbox too and the old Hofner!

Geoff Peckham… I remember we (Factory) were really impressed with Effigy. Didn’t they do a couple of other Deep Purple covers? Speed King, and Child in Time? According to Andy’s diary we played with them twice in 1971. May 7th at Priory Road School. Andy said that school gigs have been “…really great. This was no exception. Bit of trouble from old ladies and police about the noise but never mind. Effigy supported (or did we support them?) – not bad for their first gig.” The second was at the YMCA on August 13th. Andy mentions the awful acoustics and that “Effigy (with Tom) supported.” Could that have been the legendary Tom Jones? (The one from Stoke, not S. Wales!)

Phil Gill… And Steve’s drumming was *never* too loud. End of.

John Wilde…. Tom Jones, any info on his history or where he is now?

Geoff Peckham…. I got to know Tom in ’69 when his dad had an electrical shop in Western Rd, Bexhill. He told me stories about being in a pre-Black Sabbath band called Horny Moon (!) and other tales. He was a great character and raconteur. Like you, he had great stage presence – a great blues singer and harpist. He moved back to Stoke, and around 73-74 turned up at a Factory gig in NE Staffs University. I think he put us up for the night. Haven’t seen him since. Anyone else know anything? Be good to see you again sometime.

Alan Esdaile…yes it was School Road Ore where the rehearsals took place, in the old church hall which was full of antiques and clobber and the band squeezed somehow in the middle. I think their was a giant stuff bear but maybe wrong? Geoff Peckham date is correct as Friday 7th May 1971. Clive Vale Annex was part of Priory Road School and the gig took place at Clive Vale. Jon McCallion sung with Effigy at this gig and glad you remembered Tom Jones. I got a review somewhere which I will post on the YMCA gig shortly.

Read moreFactory & Effigy – Clive Vale Annexe. Fri 7th May 1971 & YMCA review 13th August 1971

Suzi Quatro & Factory Hastings Pier Friday 8th June 1973

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poster supplied by Mick Mepham.  Ad supplied by Sarah Harvey.

Andy Qunta...Great! Thanks for this Alan! Factory supported Suzi Quatro the week Can the Can went to number 1. Her producer, Mickie Most, came up to me after we played and shook my hand and told me to get in touch. We thought he was too “poppy” for us so we didn’t follow up on it! Often wondered if that was a mistake or not!

from the ‘classic hits’ tv show ‘Can The Can’…

Yvonne Cleland….Remember watching her do this in the pier ballroom! Front row!

Pete Fairless….Still love it!

Mick O’Dowd….Saw her do this in Alexander Park at the Beer Festival.

Alan Oliver… Saw her the White Rock in or around 1987. Average!

Martin Waghorne… This is getting bad I think I was there as well.

Di Veness… I don’t think she was very good live. Factory on the other hand were brilliant. We had fun that night

Gil Mulvey… I was there, she was amazing! Factory were good and of course Stallion!

Ralph Town… Just a week after her birthday 🙂 We share the same birthday, me and Suzi.Plus Ian Hunter and Mickey Finn of T-Rex.

Julie Morris… I remember this so well!

Pete Fisher… I was there!

Lucy Pappas… Me too!

Tony Qunta… Yes remember it very well!

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I was there too!

Lesley Brown… I thought I saw Suzi but thought I must have dreamt it until I saw this!

Alan Vale… I met her when years ago I lived in london and she played at my local a couple of times very nice lady great bass player

Keith Veness… Great night

Bourne ScunnerJulie… I was there and went to see her at the Brighton Centre in April and she can still belt them out…

Alan Wood… First gig with wife one

Kim Tilbury… I was there great night!