P J Proby and The Quiet Five – Hastings Pier 8th May 1965

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Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

Mick O’Dowd….Thanx for this Andre. I was one of the “more than a dozen” that found this performance “overwhelming”. Great memories and I thought he gave a good show as well. Like Gary Gl—-r he was a showman rather than a  good singer. I fainted at this one and got passed over the heads. What an embarrassment!!!!

Ron Tennant…..Proby is a showman, also a truly great singer.

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Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

18 June 1965 – The Quite Five at The Witch Doctor.

Jenny Tyler… I  was on the pier for P J Proby. I was only 16 & thought he was marvelous.

Sally Evans… I was there…

Pauline Lindsay… I saw him as well, split trousers and all.

Rose Balp… That is so fantastic, l was there with my mum, memories… Thank you

Sonja Matthee… I was there it was fantastic

Ron Tennant… This fantastic singer was recently 80. He’s still brilliant even now!

Mick O’Dowd… Maybe I fainted, problem being a short-arse in a crowd of giants. The concert was terrific. I did not spring back to life once I got to the stage as the girlies did. Miraculous recovery!

Jan Walker… I was there with my sister. She didn’t want to go on her own so paid for my ticket.

Cindy Goodhand-Knight… I was there on the pier for Proby… waiting for his pants to split

Graham Sherrington… Cindy, Yes so was me Dad, Am I right in saying that an unknown Tom Jones took his place??

Richard Brimm… I was there too but not to see if his trousers split

Gerry Fortsch… I hope they weren’t too quiet.

 

P J Proby celebrates his 80th birthday and looks forward to more gigs in 2019

supplied by Ron Tennant

Ron Tennant… I am probably the  most tip top fan & friend of singer P.J.Proby. In the 1990’s I was his sort of manager, which I did as a favour. But after about 4 years P.J. found himself ,at last,a professional manager & I was pleased. 25 years ago he quit “boozing” & that has made his career go on & on & on, November 6th recently he was 80! WOW! I have the world’s best Proby collection & I’ve been featured in a few magazines & newspapers over the years. P.J. recently said that he has no intention of ever retiring & he’s bursting to get lots & lots of gigs in 2019. My photo collection of P.J. numbers about 7000 & plenty of the U.K. music magazines request pics from me to add to their occassional Proby articles. I’ll see if I have any photos or articles that connect P.J. to the Hastings area. A pic is enclosed of P.J. very recently celebrating his 80th birthday up in Newcastle. He was up north as part of the “60’s Gold” tour. He has been absolutely brilliant onstage. Only three more dates to go…..Nov. 28th in Brum, 30th in Manchester & the final one on the 2nd December in Carlisle. Brummie Ron Tennant (who has lived in Belgium for 40 years.)                                          

Joe Knight… Hope he doesn’t split his trousers again

Mick O’Dowd… Perhaps we ought to club together and get him a new pair of non-split trousers!

Jan Walker… I remember seeing him on the pier.

Pete Prescott… I read that he sang on a lot of demos that were sent to Elvis. which is why they sound similar. Elvis learned the song from his vocal.

Colin Fox… We, ‘Spooks’, supported him way back in the 1960’s at the White Hall East Grinstead. I think he could make a major comeback if he split his trousers today.

Mike Fyfe… My wife worked in EMI records in Manchester in the early sixties. PJ visited one day with his arm in a sling said a dog bit him. Billy cotton junr had a black eye round about the same time was it a bully dog that he hit. We love PJ Proby whenever he is in Inverness or Perth, go and see him better than Tom Jones.

Leigh Wieland-Boys… I would love to see PJP! My favourite is “Can’t make it Alone’ I have it downloaded & play it at least once a week – such a brilliant track

The Happy Ballroom – 8th May 1965 P J Proby by Andre Martin

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http://www.pjproby.net

Andre Martin… Here a little later than planned is the next episode of the History of the Happy Ballroom – Hastings Pier, it’s weekending Saturday 8th May 1965. We find that the Pier Company have decided to present another recording artiste and this act I know with bring back memories for one particular reader – more about that later ! Top of the Bill was P.J.Proby – who everybody remembers not for his musical ability but for splitting his trousers on stage during his act, and bringing down condemnation from many !! The supporting group were another of the regulars to the town The Quiet Five. All this plus the usual Bar and snacks, 7.30 – 11.45 at the door 10/- [9/- in advance from the Toll House]
The weekend would have kicked off for many with the Friday night – Ready Steady Go, from Redifusion Studios in Kingsway London – With Cathy this week were The Everly Brother, Sandie Shaw and Unit 4+2.
Live music continued at the Witch Doctor with Saturday nights offering – Johnny B Great and The Quotation who had just finished supporting The Drifters on a UK Tour, and The Equals. Sunday Club saw Johnny B Great and The Quotations back on stage for the evening. Friday night saw the first visit to the club of the Bad Boys. The rest of the week was filled with the Thumping Disco Sounds with our local record spinners in control. A good 7 nights entertainment that kept the punters flocking to St Leonards in their droves.
What was the BBC offering for our listening pleasures – Saturday on the Light Programme, we had 10.00am Saturday Club, with Brian Matthews, and this week on the show – Sandie Shaw, Tom Jones, The Fourmost, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, The Cannon Brothers, The Settlers and The LadyBirds, so it was a busy and varied show. Saturday continued with Saturday Swings at 2.00pm – Unit 4+2, Sue & Sunshine and the Bill Rayner Quartet, plus Dave Macbeth plus “ some swinging discs “ In control was Bruce Wyndham. Ed – interesting to note that the use of discs rather than records is beginning to appear more and more. Brian Matthews would be back at 4.00pm with Top Gear this week featuring The Everly Brother, Cilla Black and Sounds Incorporated.
Sundays music line up with include – Easy Beat [10.31] Keith Fordyce introducing The Seekers, The Ivy League, Migil Five and the Johnny Howard Band. Mid day would bring the very popular link up with Families in UK and with the Forces Overseas, this week it was a 2 way link with Cologne and London.
There was no Juke Box Jury on the Saturday Night TV schedule – because the BBC Light Programme was presenting a special 25th anniversary of VE day – more talk and discussion than music.
ABC from Birmingham – Thank Your Lucky Stars – Brian Matthews [ that chap certainly get around] presenting Shirley Bassey, The Birds [not to be confused with the BYRDS from US] Chubby Checker, Marianne Faithful and The Searchers.
That is what we were viewing, listening to and enjoying in the town, 50 years ago. The Pier Company keeps trying to attract a regular clientele and will continue to change their programme over the coming weeks as we will see. Until next week, you all take care out there.  Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2015

Janine Anne Hemsley… Great read x

Mick O’Dowd… Top stuff Andre. I was there and he didn’t split his trousers but I did get crushed and hauled over the heads to the stage! The shame of it!

Alan Esdaile… Were you singing ‘Hold Me’ at the time, Mick?

Mick O’Dowd… It was more like Together up and over Alan!

Sylvia Sinden… can remember seeing him at brighton it should have been the walker brothers but they couldn,t make it so itwas pj instead i was so upset at the time