Damaris – Hastings Pier 22nd May 1976 & details of where the name came from (Damaris mark 1 – 1974)

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all cuttings supplied by Iain Cobby

Damaris line up – Dave Nattress, Iain Cobby, Tony Barraclough, Paul Durrant, Mick Kemp.

Pete Fisher… serious flares!!

Phil Thornton… Damaris were great ! We (Stallion) played on the same bill as them a couple of times, It was cool having a local band around who were trying to do something a bit different !

Iain Cobby… Thanks for that Phil, much appreciated. Your Elka Rhapsody inspired Paul to buy one, the first affordable string synth on the market at that time.

John Wilde… where are you Damaris peeps?

Phil Thornton… the rhapsody had a great sound ! – (mine had a mod done by Tony Bird which gave it the ability to make a great church organ sound !) more distinctive than the logan or the solina (and cheaper !!)

Dave Nattress… Yes, the pier gigs Damaris did with Stallion were really great. Personally I always looked up to Stallion and John you were world class mate!! Hopefully you still are!!  In answer to your question John – Dave Nattress – I’m still imprisoned in Bexhill but, for good behaviour, I’m hoping to get out to see Iain Cobby in the very near future – first time for over 35 years. Iain lives in Peasmarsh now. Tony Barraclough – guitar, is playing in No Exit, and still lives locally I believe, although I haven’t seen him for many years, Paul Durrant – Keys, lives in Scotland I think, and Mick Kemp skins – no idea.

Yvonne Cleland…  I remember Paul Durrant from the Lido days! John Wilde is still world class, btw!

Graham Burfield… I remember seeing them on the pier with Stallion great stuff.

John Wilde… Cheers Dave. Thanks for the compliment. They were great days and we all had inspirational ideas. Ahhh the joy of youth. Best wishes to you Dave.

Stallion, Steppin’ Out and Damaris Hastings Pier 15th January 1977

supplied by Sarah Harvey

 

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Paul Durrant…..Wow – amazing to see all this Sarah – thanks so much for posting – I played keyboards for Damaris – also great to see so many familiar names and faces that I never seem to see when I’m in Hastings (I live in Scotland now) – it reminded me of the night that Stallion won the Melody Maker Contest in London…..

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supplied by Jules Carter

Phil Gill…..And here’s the poster from the Stallion gig as it looks in my dining room. Pic stolen from Jules Carter’s Facebook collection, but he took in my house and it’s my poster, so….And I can’t be bothered to get up off the sofa and walk to the dining room to take my own picture.

Paul Durrant….The pier gigs line up for Damaris was Mick Kemp – Drums, Tony Barraclough – Guitar, Iain Cobby – Bass, Paul Durrant – Keyboards and Dave Nattress – vocals.

Dave Nattress….Stumbled into this website after years on and off trying to backtrack the good times of Hastings Rock. I feel thrilled to see Damaris and references to my old band-mates, Paul Durrant, Iain Cobby, Mick Kemp, Tony Barraclough. We had some great gigs on the pier including supporting Stallion several times – they were something else and John Wilde – what a vocalist. We were in the Melody Maker Rock Contest the same year Stallion rightfully won it. I remember well the heat at Sussex University. Great to brag about that one and the pier of course. Astonished to see so much of the old stuff posted. To all of you who have helped this along – really well done. You’ve made an old man really happy!!!

Boulder – 1960’s

supplied by Bertie Wiseman

featuring Brian Setchfield, Paul Wiseman, Tony Barraclough & Mick Kemp.

Yvonne Cleland….Tony used to play with Will in Daisy.

Dave Nattress….The fourth member of Boulder is the drummer – Mick Kemp.  Mick Kemp and Tony Barraclough used to play with both Boulder and Damaris.  Brian Setchfield is still alive and kicking in Bexhill!!  SO, am I for that matter.  At the time, Damaris consisted of Mick Kemp on drums, (Pearl full dimension kit I think), Tony Barraclough on guitar, (Gibson SG), Iain Cobby on Bass, (Fender Precision then Rickenbacker 4001), Paul Durrant on various keys including an Elka Rhapsody and one or more Synthesisers and myself on AKG Mikes and HH PA.

Ernest Ballard… Brian went on to form Slack Alice. He was a great singer.

Alan Esdaile… It was good to see Brian at the SMART meeting.

Jim Breeds… When they broke up were they the rolling stones?

Jan Warren… I think I know Brian Setchfield from schooldays, just as I knew Pete Houghton, who I’ve now “friended” on facebook!! – that’s one of the reasons I love this group, sometimes names pop up from many years ago, so interesting to catch up with the faces you knew in your youth! – I just hope I can get to the meetings again soon, then hopefully I can meet them in person! – there’s also Terry Corder, Lol Cooksley, Bob Searle and a few others who I knew back in the 60s and 70s ………… so, one day I hope to meet up with them!

Pete Houghton… Hi Jan it was great to see Brian at the meeting he hasn’t changed one bit shame he is not on Facebook

Jan Warren… Thanks Pete, I thought you might know him too, we all went to the Downs Secondary School 🙂 – I did try to find him on Facebook, but as you said he’s not on there, hopefully I can get to the “Smart” meetings one day soon and see you all

 

Split Image – promo photo 1983

Supplied by Dave Miller

Steve Watson, Steve Russell, Dave Miller, Tony Dufton and Mick Kemp

Andre Martin… Gosh that brings back memories.

Mark Harris… where am i?

Dave Nattress… Great to see some old mates again! I didn’t know Steve Russell or Dave Miller, but Mick Kemp was our drummer in Damaris and drummed in Boulder also at the time, Steve Watson, (Loggerhead) but then in The Charts with Andy Leaney, (RIP old friend), Mick Bridgland and myself. We had Tony Dufton play with us a few times – he had a brand new Les Paul Custom at one time and maybe a re-issue Gold Top – memory’s a bit shaky, but he didn’t stay with us. Then we had Lee Sulsh come in with Andy giving us 2 guitars but Andy left, (can’t recall why – moving on to bigger things I think, as there was no fall-out between us all), leaving Lee, Mick Bridgland, Steve Watson and me. We did some good demo’s at Tony Bird’s Wing Studio in Ninfield and Steve Watson’s bass was well up in the mix and Lee could certainly handle lead guitar – Yamaha SG2000 I think. Lee did a great solo on “Since you went away” – our attempt at power-pop. Eventually we went on Hiatus and never got back together! Anyone have contact details for Steve Watson. Mick Kemp and Tony Dufton?

Mark Harris… Tony very sadly passed away many years ago.

Dave Weeks… Tony Dufton. Another one taken far too early.

Dave Nattress… Thanks Mark for confirming, I had actually heard something like this a long time ago, but was unsure if it was true. I first knew Tony when he worked in Hollingsworths, Ford Dealers, Bexhill, a very long time ago.

Mark Harris… He certainly did, loved his mk 3 Cortina!!

Terry Pack… I’m sorry to read this. Tony was a very nice man.