Johnny Mars

Bexhill Hop 1980’s photos Part 4 of 5

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supplied by Pete Prescott

Stuart Moir… Practice afternoon at the Bexhill club .Dave (Beano) Easton, one of the best front men alongside Pete Prescott on the band circuit .

Chris Howard… Totally Agree Stuart forever in my thoughts

Dean Clarke… Used to go to them with my parents

Joe Knight… Nice photos Pete

Heather Sidery… Good to see. I miss rehearsals. Long covid has knocked me down, but hope hope to get another band together before I’m 80

Johnny Mars, Harry R & The Jump Jets with Samantha Fox

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The infamous photo of Johnny Mars Harry R & The Jump Jets with Sam Fox, ends up in a German magazine.

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Pete Prescott signed photo and an early collection.

Peter Shaw…..As the German caption stated…Pete as a backing singer for Sam Fox stating she was “first class” on this her first live gig..! Why do I know? I was there too!!

Phil Gill….Well at least my leg is in the picture behind Johnny….

Terry Pack…..I was hiding behind Johnny for most of this gig.

David Easton….Yes I remember it well.Got the T shirt.

Pete Prescott….somewhere in the article Sam is called “the big titted one” Colin fox was having his photo taken with Sam and looked as if he was going to make a lunge at them.her security men moved in.he decided against it ! she seemed to be a nice person.i thought she sang well.p.j .proby was in the audience.strange looking guy in a red top and fly fishing hat.Keith Harris was there.drunk swearing and a total pain in the ass ! good night ! when she signed her photo for me i asked if she could write ” to Pete.thanks for backing me !” she smiled and said “no”

Phil Thornton…..yes very nice girl – I did a session for her with Ray Fenwick producing – I didn’t know who she was at the time …….. but it was kind of obvious that she would get noticed !!

The Mars Fenwick Band – Ash Ain’t Nothing But Trash! 1986

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supplied by Pete Prescott

Featuring Johnny Mars, Ray Fenwick, Pete Shaw, Terry Pack & Chris Cozens.

Terry Pack…I don’t have a copy of this, but I remember shooting the video on a freezing cold day in an alleyway in Wapping. The place was covered in ash and treacle (to represent tar, yuk!) and one of the extras was Nick Mason, the drummer from Pink Floyd, who spent the day dressed in rags and covered in ash because the director was his friend. I met Nick recently and we talked about this shoot. He said he had a tape of it, and would make me a copy. I don’t have it yet, but I bet Pete Shaw has it (he has everything!)..I don’t remember the session either, but I’m guessing from the cover that we did it at Park Gates(?)

Alan Esdaile….It would be great to see a copy of the video. According to Pete Prescott this track was featured on the Esther Rantzen show for the anti smoking campaign. Interesting to know if any of the band were smoking at the time!

Terry Pack….John used to smoke cigars when I first met him in about 83, but he’d quit by the time we did this. Chris had been a smoker at college, but quit in his 20s. I’ve never smoked, and I suspect that neither Ray nor Pete ever have.

Pete Fairless…..I think this it is, guys!  Anette Lyton being, of course, Mrs Nick Mason…

Pete Shaw…..Quite an exciting time being involved in this….recorded at Park Gates, video recording in both a Thameside redundant warehouse and a studio….three dancers from our Harry R and Jumpjet girls…Including Kathy (later Fenwick)…fun with Warren Mitchell who played the office caretaker in the video, Annette who arrived all in black on a motorcycle following fiancé Nick Mason in his black 5 litre Porsche 928, lunch whilst all still in “costume” in a pub right on the Thames, and later TV showings and much publicity….and Terry was right, none of us actually smoked nor had a lighter to start the burning wreaths of fags on the Cadillac Hearse! And yes, I have a copy of all!! Plus, we still don’t smoke coz… “Ash ain’t nothing but trash……!!” Haha…

Terry Pack…..just watched the video. I don’t remember any of the studio stuff, or the girls. That must have been shot on a different day(?). All I remember is the stuff in the alley, and how cold it was! I have a very brief moment on camera, looking about 18! (Dave Cottrell please take note: you’re not the only one who looked 10 when aged nearly 30). I like the bass sound on this, and the playing. My Fender Jazz (back pick up only) straight into the board.

Pete Shaw was talking about this record and song on my radio show for CHR… https://www.mixcloud.com/sarahharvey7737769/johnny-mason-60s-and-70s-show-on-chr-with-pete-shaw-291118/

Pete Prescott… I’ve got the single. on the Forcefield album,  the vocal was removed and I sang on the same backing track with a different lyric. It was called fire in the city. I think this was shown on the Esther Ransom show.