kent

Dakka Dakka Dakka featuring Andy Gunton on drums – Dreamworld single 1986.

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https://soundcloud.com/andy-gunton/dakka-dakka-dakka-dreamworld-1

Andy Gunton…Today we bring you the freshly digitised version of ‘Dreamworld’, the A Side of the single released in mid 1986. The B Side ‘Leather Jeans’ will be coming in due course.

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supplied by Andy Gunton… Tonbridge local press cutting from 1985.

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supplied by Andy Gunton… Rehearsal photo from c1982. Taken in the oast house that we used to rehearse in. It was also used at that time by The Anti Nowhere League. Boy, did that place get cold in the winter!

Peter Russell…. Hey. Just stumbled across this. I was looking for some pics of my best friend who was your bassist for a short while and died in a bike crash. Mark Brown. He left a group Tuesday Town to join you.

Andy Gunton… We never has a bass player called Mark Brown. The bass player throughout the history of the band was called Keith Edwards. We did try out several singers before finally getting Phil Alamo. who is in this video & who sadly died a few years ago. I’m sure I remember the name Tuesday Town though 🙂

Peter Russell… Hmmm strange. I saw Mark playing with Dakka at the rock garden I think it was? Maybe dingwalls. Phil went to marks funeral on that old moto guzzi he used to ride. I’ll dig out some pics if you like. I used to do all the promo stuff and handouts for Tuesday town.

Andrew… Hi Peter, I was the guitarist in Dakka Mk 2 – I’ve got a few photos of Mark. I probably met you at the funeral with Phil.

Peter Russell… Wow, unexpected email… I remember Alamo turning up on his Moto Guzzi at the funeral and Let it be being played as if it were yesterday. Must be 30 years ago.

Andrew… I’d not googled Dakka for a few years, so hadn’t seen this site before, hence unexpected email! I was a bit surprised with the response from Andy as I thought it was common knowledge that Phil had put a ‘new’ Dakka together with Mark? Yes, I think it was 1987 – it was incredibly tragic as we’d played a gig the night before the accident and Mark was excited about picking up his new Kawasaki the following day…… I’ve got a few band photos in the loft somewhere – i can dig them out and scan/email them to you if you want?

Peter Russell… I was even more surprised as I went to a couple of their gigs!!! that’s how I met Mark. We done some off road biking then he went and bought a Kawasaki Turbo….tragic. He had a child with a girl called Jane. Sam was his sons name. Only a few months old.If you have some pics it’d be great to see them. I worked in the print for the MoD and used to do Marks hand outs for Tuesday town, then he went to Dakka and I’d just done some art work like round stickers and stuff. Never got to give them to him he was a great bloke. Lived in Tunbridge Wells for a while then moved to London. That Wal lefty bass he had must be worth a mint now…

Andrew… It’s mad to think his kid will be 34 now…. I’ll try and dig out my photos during the week and I’ll be in touch to let you know what I’ve got.

Andy Gunton… Peter/Andrew: I had no idea Phil Alamo had formed a Dakka Dakka Dakka mark 2, unless my memory is playing tricks on me. I’d certainly have been very interested in hearing/seeing them, especially if they were playing any of the old songs. I moved away from Tonbridge in late 1988 so that might help explain it. But I don’t even remember DDD Mark 2 being mentioned at Phil’s funeral, either during the service, or when talking to friends before/afterwards. I do vaguely remember Phil forming another band, I’d have been surprised if he hadn’t, but had no idea he was using the DDD name. Sorry to hear about your friend Mark. I remember Phil having a Moto Guzzi bike. I’d certainly be interested in seeing any photo’s of DDD mark 2, if only to see if they rings any bells, and if I recognise any of the other members

Mandrake featuring Andy Gunton – 1975

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supplied by Andy Gunton Dakka Dakka Dakka Facebook site

Andy Gunton… One & only gig by Mandrake, a forerunner of Dakka Dakka Dakka, at a fete in Golden Green, Kent on Sat, 5th June 1975. L to R: Simon Flack, Andy Gunton, John McCue, Martin Fredericks & Gary Bunt.

Mick O’Dowd… You weren’t related to Mandrake Paddlesteamer were you?

More Steve Maxted photos – supplied by Jozef Maxted

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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.

 

 

Richard Coughlan R.I.P. 1947 – 2013

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coughlan

Chris Sambrook…Just to pay tribute to Richard Coughlan former landlord of The Castle Ashford and Drummer from Caravan, who has passed away. Spent many a happy time after playing going through Richard’s Scrap books from his past with a bottle of Southern Comfort to make things more amusing, and having a good laugh.Band’s from Hastings that might have played the Castle will know how friendly everyone was towards you no matter how good or bad you played. My condolences to Sue his wife and Beth his daughter, and to Caravan fans everywhere. He was a bloody good bloke.

Andy Knight….I’ll drink to that, The Jukes played many a happy gig in The Castle

Phil Gill….Agreed – there goes man who knew how to make his pub perfect for bands, from the way the room was set out, to loading direct from the street to the stage, to his hospitality.

Terry Pack….RIP, Richard. I loved his playing on the Caravan albums. We shared a manager and played several gigs together during the 1970s. A good bloke.

Neil Cartwright….Brief story to relate: We played over at the Castle a number of times – late 80’s. I drove an old Hillman Avenger, and on one occasion, at the end of the gig, I went back to my car, only to find that I’d locked my keys inside. (I think it was a midweek night, because I was worrying about work the next day). Anyway, I went back into the pub, and somebody said, ‘Hang on, I’ll get Richard’. He came, and I explained what had happened. No problem. He had a word with somebody sitting at the bar. The guy came outside with me, and produced from his pocket, a short length of packing strip, which he fed through the door seal, lifted the lock, and the car was open in less than a minute. Seriously, as quickly as that. Yes, fond memories.

Pete Shaw….. played a gig with Lianne and Roger Carey….at our short sound check I heard two guys being pretty disparaging about the band being “a bird ” and two geezers. I thought to myself, ” just you wait… ” as I well knew how marvellous Lianne and Roger worked, arranged and packaged great songs….I was of course right….we started with a Steely Dan number “Do it again”and I could see these guys spluttering in their pints of lager and Lianne went down a storm……Richard was very complimentary overall and about my playing and, following a few drinks, we had, at the end of the gig to settle our bar bill against the gig money…£220 gig, £209 bar bill….and I drive home! Richard even helped carry my gear as Lianne and Rog were booked in to stay the night as Richard loved his “latesies”….Quite a chap!