Hello – Hastings Pier 11th January 1975

hello

Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Yvonne Cleland…..Thanks Andre! I was at the front for this one!  Still young and foolish and I thought the lead singer was cute. I now realise he was a strutting little peacock hahaha  

Patrick Lewis… I was at the Barclay James gig at end of Jan 75. They were truly awesome ( to use an overused present day adjective). The opener was Medicine Man; quite stunning! Probably one of the most underrated British bands of the era.

Chris Meachen… Went backstage at the end of the Lindisfarne gig to find them standing in the corridor, with a roadie booting ineffectively at the door of their dressing room, they having locked themselves out.. I moved the roadie aside, then took a flying leap, bursting the door open.. That earned me, & the other volunteer stage hands a crate of Newcastle brown.. These were a great bunch of blokes, & very entertaining, on stage & off…

Peter Fairless… No, New York Groove is too soon, Alan. They didn’t release that for the best part of another year. The hit at the time was their version of ‘Tell Him’…

Alan Esdaile… Oops! They had a few hits and were great live. I did interview the lead singer with some questions set by Melody Maker.

img591 img590

Michael Wilson…  ‘Back in the Hastings Groove!’

Dave Weeks… Blimey. I went to that one. God knows why!!!

Gary Kinch… Think I gave that one a miss, no regrets ……went to the Lindisfarne gig on the 17th though. It would have been my 18th birthday weekend. Lindisfarne on Friday, Birthday Sunday.

 

Georgie Fame & Alan Price & compere Colin Bell – White Rock Pavilion 28th October 1973

10609682_518814918263970_9086833727439875482_n

fame-price

supplied by Sarah Harvey

Alan Esdaile… Can you remember who the support was Colin?

Matt Thomas… Probably played one of my favourite tunes ‘Rosetta’ 

Mick O’Dowd… Remember working on this one. I think it may have been Martin-Casson only gig at White Rock.

Colin Bell… I can’t be absolutely certain but I think they were called ‘Highway’, I remember the actual night very well as they were a heavyish rock band and the audience hated them! I should add that it wasn’t because Highway were bad far from it, it was just not what the audience were expecting as a support act, I liked them! The late Paul Casson and I hid in the bar til the second half when F & P did their set. Fortunately the night then ended well! Not the best night to be compere, especially in my home town..lol..Also backstage it was clear F & P didn’t get on, they arrived separately didn’t speak a word to each other and left separately without a word. On stage together chemistry, offstage………Ah the memories!..

Martin Casson Agency pier gigs September – November 1974

martin casson 1974

supplied by Roger Carey

Alan Esdaile… Interesting list of thank yous at the bottom. Anyone remember The Showstopper Boutique George Street?

Dave Nattress… Don’t recall Showstoppers but of course Huckells for hideous flares, definitely dodgy shirts and maybe even platform soled shoes and boots – or maybe the shoes would be somewhere else – what a plonker. This was my smooth stage after the weekend hippie and hair not cut for like 2 years stage. Saw Budgie and Medicine Head I think they would have played the pier more than once so not sure if either of these gigs. Don’t recall the Whistle Test gig but hey what a programme on TV. I’ve got the 3 BBC Whistle Test DVD’s – one contains 2 DVD’s so 4 total, giving an incredible number or tracks. Pu them on your Christmas list!! Also quite a few tracks recorded on the hard-drive that BBC 4 has been re-playing over the last few years. I went out and many an album, (LP) after watching Whistle Test.

Pete Prescott… Hustler were a great band !

Peter Thomson… I don’t recall that one but I’m sure Huggy Leaver worked in Supertramp – in Robertson Street, wasn’t it?

David Kent… Farmers Lung rehearsed in the basement of Showstopper for a while. One night, there was some banging on the shop door and we let in two total strangers who were somewhat inebriated. One of them asked to play my guitar and jammed with the rest of the band. He made a terrible noise and broke my B string. A couple of weeks later, I saw his picture in the NME. It was John Martyn.

Mick Calverley… I was the D J at the Medicine Head gig it was a great night.

Mick O’Dowd… Remember Esperanto were a very competent band.

Alan Esdaile… If I remember rightly, we were not allowed to call it The Old Grey Whistle Test, as the BBC held the license but should only bill it Whistle Stop Road Show on all advertising. However leaflets were done early and we weren’t going to throw them away!

 

Roy Wood’s Wizzard – Hastings Pier 9th February 1973.

wizard teaserwizzard hastings pier 9th feb 1973

wizzard album Roy_Wood_Wizzard Wizzard_-_TopPop_1974_5

middle photo source: G00labek. black & white photo source: Beeld En Geluid Wiki – Gallerie: Toppop 1974 Licentie afbeeldingen Beeld en Geluidwiki

First ad above was a teaser advert by Martin Casson Agency.

Reg Wood’s autographed single from the pier gig.

John Mcewen….I was there!

Joe Knight… A great act

Alan Esdaile… I remember seeing Roy Wood early evening and shocked to see him with a normal haircut. I never realised he wore a wig on stage.

Joe Knight… Never got to see him, got married in 1970 and very little money.

Mick O’Dowd… Brilliant artist/band.

Martin Round… I remember that night so well. Before the gig Andrew Killick  and I were in the bar and he just walked in and joined us, and he was dressed in all his finery. He was back later dressed down too. Nice guy!

Gerry Fortsch… I was there. I saw Roy Wood at the London rock & roll show when Ballpark first came out and I have seen him a number of times since including this gig at the pier.

Paul Slidel… I was only 12 in 1973 and would loved to have seen Wizard on the pier, but ‘See My Baby Jive’ and ‘Angel Fingers’ were the first 2 singles I bought from Disc Jockey in Queens Road in the same year!

Martin Waghorne… Remember it well, i was there

Peter Fairless… Of course, I was way too young(!) to have gone to this gig but Wizzard remain one of my favourite bands.

Harry Randall… He was living in Catsfield my old drummer from “Footloose and Slack Alice” did some session work for him

Di Veness… We were there Keith.

John Davis… Saw them

Be Bop Deluxe & Clemen Pull – Hastings Pier 14th December 1974

1048710_10200719971499696_793629968_o

Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

John Alexander Wilde… I was at the Be Bop gig and Bill Nelson turned my head around. Be Bop gig was excellent.

bbdaxe

from 1975 – Be Bop Deluxe on the Old Grey Whistle Test Show

Dave Nattress….Saw Be Bop Deluxe at Eastbourne Congress (of all places) about 1976, “Sunburst Finish” was out – third albumbut I think it was before “Modern Music” was released.  Their support was Krazy Kat – did 2 albums, got of which I’ve got on vinyl, pretty good support band indeed.  I do recall Be Bop were VERY loud and had a very trebly piercing sound.  Be Bop Deluxe – a truly wonderful band.

Andy Qunta… I saw them at the Pier, could have been this gig, or did they play more than once there?

Peter Fairless… Only this once, I think, Andy.

Janine Anne Scott… Omg , worked with Mick, Keith’s Brother, on the Mecca Circuit in the 70s

Andy Maby… I had no idea they were ever on the pier John! (I was 13)

Mike Cramp… Would have gone to that, had I not been 13 at the time.

Phillip Shallcrass…John’s right, it was an excellent gig. Be Bop Deluxe were a damn fine band

Lloyd Johnson… Who were Martin-Casson Entertainments?…were they Local?

John Wilde… Yes local entrepeneurs.

 

Mac & Katie Kissoon, Rubber Band and Nicky Thomas – Hastings Pier 25th August 1973

Alan Esdaile… Did Dandy Livingstone appear instead of Nicky Thomas?

Sheila Maile… Remember their song. Your my pigeon your my dove.

Jan Warren… Waaheyyyy, Rubber Band!!

Nigel Sherwood… Nicky Thomas appeared

Sylvia Sinden… Did Katie sometimes sing as a backing singer for Eric Clapton?

Alan Esdaile… Yes she did Sylvia and some great clips on You Tube.

Mick O’Dowd… Mac & Katie were a great brother /sister act. Very talented and great voices. Unfortunately they were saddled with cheesy pop songs to record which never let them express their true talents. Katie became a backing singer for alot of acts in the same mould as another wasted talent Madeline Bell. I remember seeing Nicky Thomas on The Pier Alan but i’m sure he was headlining.

Martin Richter… darn – missed it

Peter Fairless… Their hit from 1973 (in the Netherlands!) was Song For Everybody.

David Edwards… Katie became a much in demand backing singer and was with Van Morrison for a number of years

Martin Casson Agency – Hastings Pier Gigs Nov/Dec 1974

13330_369636213709_6153017_n

maxted-2

leaflet supplied by Michael Mepham

Kevin Sherwood… Went to all of them.

Phil Meston… Went to the first three!

Yvonne Cleland… Went to all but Leo Sayer.

Tony Court-holmes… only Curved Air for me

Bob Lloyd… Interestingly Steve Maxted ran a Wednesday night disco at Woodville Halls in Gravesend in the early 1970s

Dave Weeks… I think I went to all of them apart from Leo sayer. Happy days.

Julie Morris… I saw Leo Sayer and Sparks – and always there for Steve Maxted!Happy days indeed Dave!

Roy Winchester…I saw Leo Sayer what a voice if i remember it right he was dressed as a clown.

The Backroom Boys – Martin Casson Agency 1973

supplied by Tony Pettifer

Andy Qunta… The Boys!

Jan Warren… Very interesting ……… and what are they up to now? 🙂

Alan Esdaile… Sadly Paul Casson is no longer with us but Andre and Colin are still going strong and keeping the posts in SMART interesting.

Andy Knight… Boringly I still every contract with the MC Agency for Shaft, and all the accounts. Thanks MCA, we didn’t make a fortune but we had so much fun.

Reg Wood… Remember their gigs on the pier.

Eugene Hughes…  I used to buy ice creams from Paul him when he had his business in Caves Road.

Tony Court-holmes… would you buy a used car off these men

Mick O’Dowd…  No!

Julie Munday… My late Uncle Paul RIP