johnny nash

Bob Marley & Johnny Nash – De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill – were you there?

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The De La Warr Pavilion… In 1972 Bob Marley played at the De La Warr Pavilion – were you there? As the De La Warr Pavilion prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of Bob Marley supporting Johnny Nash in Bexhill, we are keen to hear from anyone who may have been there, or knows anyone who was. Do you have an original ticket or poster? If so, we want to hear from you. Get in touch: rsvp@dlwp.com & find out more on our blog: https://www.dlwp.com/bobmarley_1972/

Diane Patricia… Perhaps someone on here has some memorabilia from this gig?

Clive Garrard… Also the great Johnny Nash as well, i loved his music

Catherine Ireland… (Stephen Colyer) this is interesting. I know you arranged all the bands , and what a brilliant line up. But I believe the De la warr charged us so many extras we didn’t make much money for the Lions 😢 I think my step father Charles Brookes was President of the Lions at that time bless him , hope you are well xxx

Stephen Colyer… I arranged this whole show. As Head of Promotion at CBS Records UK my team and I were working with Johnny Nash and having successfully charted Johnny with the Bob Marley song ‘Stir It Up’ we then achieved the Number One spot in the Charts with ‘ I Can See Clearly’. When we visited your Mum and Charles he mentioned hoping to raise some funds for a swimming pool for children with special needs and physical challenges, so I offered to do whatever I could to help. Johnny who was No.1 at that time agreed to be the headline act and he also had his band join us who included John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick and yes, Bob Marley (Johnny & Bob were both Managed by Danny Sims). Another very successful act The Equals (that included Eddie Grant) also agreed to appear on the show. I then arranged for the high profile Radio One DJ The Emperor Rosko (Mike Pasternak) to be the Compere (Dave Most – the brother of Micky Most accompanied Rosko to the show). There were many complications and hurdles to overcome that day / evening and the bands were all brilliant, but the Management at the venue on this day created a dramatic behind the scenes conclusion to what otherwise was an amazing event, obviously long remembered on this anniversary of 50 years!!! 1972 – 2022. Wow, that brought back some memories.

 

Bob Marley’s first gig in the UK 1972 was at De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill by Mike Curtis.

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Bob-Marley

live in concert in Dalymount Park on 6 July 1980. source: Eddie Mallin

cutting Bexhill Observer 8th July 1972 source: Bexhill Museum https://twitter.com/bexhillmuseum/status/601049135161171968

Mike Curtis… A bit of local music history.
1. Bob Marley and the Wailers’ first ever UK gig was at the De La Warr Pavilion.
2. Paul Simon played DLWP 30/8/1965, with Shirley Collins.
3. Paul also played at The New Inn in Sidley at around the same time.
4. Paul Robeson played at DLWP, pronouncing it to be be the best venue, acoustically, he had ever played.

Anyone lucky enough to go to any of these gigs?

Yvonne Cleland… I thought Bob Marley and the Wailers’ first ever UK gig was in Nottingham. When are you claiming they played the DLWP? Do you have any documentary or pictorial evidence please? Oh no, hang on, he toured as support for Johnny Nash first, with Wailers as backing band. Spring-Summer 1972. However, did 2 shows at Bexhill and Bexleyheath without Johnny Nash (I think). All info gratefully received plus any documentary evidence. This needs to be in Bexhill Museum archives!

Yvonne Cleland… The first ever Bob Marley gig in the UK – at the DLWP: Found out more from an old newspaper at Bexhill Museum. On the bill were:- Bob Marley and the Wailers, The Equals and Johnny Nash. It was a charity event.

John Gale… I had no idea about this, 2 Legends there.

Pete Shoesmith… I went to the concert at Bexhill, I was 16.

Kevin White… Never knew that

Andy Gunton… I’d heard about that gig many times, but that’s the first time I’ve seen that press cutting. Great stuff.

Yvonne Cleland… Andy, the museum has the cutting.

Graham Belchamber… Fabulous.

Pete Houghton… I remember going to See Bob Marley along with Johnny Nash I was 18 had a great time Got their Autographs but I have lost them over the year’s with regret

Ian Johnson… Wow I didn’t know that

Gary Lancaster… So I am from Rye and I went to school with a chap called Jamie Tiltman. Jamie, now lives in Bexhill. As it happens, the very white Tiltman family are directly related to Bob Marley. So probably without realising it, he played in his own county. He’s got Sussex roots…. And I’m not joking, you can look this up.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I went to that concert to see Johnny Nash, didn’t know who Bob Marley was at the time, I was 16

Alan Esdaile… They did show a programme on Bob Marley a while ago, on his first visit. It showed that he played a school in London with Johnny Nash but still looks like the first proper gig here was Bexhill?

Michael Wilson… I remember watching a Paul Simon’s documentary on tv. And there was a folk concert at the De La warr in the early 1960s .He was bottom of the bill on the poster.

Jane Dorsett… Leigh, we went together, I was 15.lol.xx

 

 

Johnny Nash R.I.P.

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more information... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54444297

Paul Buxton… He was great’ God bless him

Colin Bell… Another sad loss, only last Saturday wrote a piece on him, had no idea he was in bad health. Great voice and talented song writer. RIP Johnny.

Malcolm Sharp… Great singer, still remember singing. I can see clearly now loraine has gone

Eugene Hughes… Such a lovely voice, such memories. RIP

Jacquie Hinves… So sad. Another great man gone. RIP Johnny.

Stuart Moir… All the best of music are moving house RIP Mr Nash

SMART SOUNDS by Colin Bell reviewing Johnny Nash Stir It Up: The Anthology 1965-1979

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JOHNNY-NASH

STIR IT UP – THE ANTHOLOGY 1965-1979 Johnny Nash

This is a welcome release, the first decent anthology of the excellent Johnny Nash, 2CD’s 46 tracks in pristine remastered sound. Annoyingly these days if you hear any JN on the radio its 9 out of 10 times going to be ‘I Can See Clearly Now’, I’m sure all the programme controllers are all about 15! Anyway, Houston born Johnnys career goes back to the late 50’s, but as the title of this compilation says we kick off here in 1965 with the opening track ‘Lets Move And Groove Together, a deep soul outing that would sit perfectly on an Otis Redding album showcasing Johnnys soulful vocal prowess. However after visiting Jamaica it was his fusing of soul and reggae that was to bring him to international recognition. 1968’s ‘You Got Soul’ is a personal favourite and a perfect example. As I said earlier radio sticks with ICSCN, but remember ‘Hold Me Tight’ ‘Cupid’ (best cover of a Sam Cooke song), ‘Stir It Up’, ‘There Are More Questions Than Answers’, ‘Tears On My Pillow’ ‘Dream Lover’? all great single hits. Lets not forget that ‘Stir It Up’ these days probably linked indelibly with Bob Marley was first recorded by Johnny and it was Johnny who took the struggling songwriter to London and the rest was history for Bob. Johnnys own songwriting, producing, arranging, playing talents are far ranging, read the excellent sleevenotes that accompany this set quite incredible. As well as the hits already mentioned there are great covers to enjoy ‘Groovin’ (originally Young Rascals) is a stellar example. There are also tracks released for the first time from two later 70’s albums ‘What A Wonderful World’ and ‘Lets Go Dancing’.
Although these days no longer active musically since basically ‘retiring’ in 1988 Johhny is still successful in other activities. I saw him perform live back in the 70’s along with the late Desmond Dekker and I’m so glad I did. His legacy of recorded music and his contribution to the global awareness(along with DD I might add) of Jamaican reggae cannot be overstated. On a sunny day like today as I write these words Johnny just adds to that sunshine. To sum up a great, and in my opinion, essential compilation to grace your collection.

For more information go to https://www.cherryred.co.ukcolin-head-111x150-111x150-1

Happy Easter to all, til next time…..