pop groups

Modes-Mode plus St John’s Wood – Hastings Pier 2nd November 1968

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Modes Mode

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photo supplied by Amanda Hawkings, ad supplied by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey… November 2nd, 1968. No information regarding this group….anyone else?

Mick O’Dowd… New one on me perhaps St Johns Wood members might remember.

Ray Harper…  Saw Modes Mode at The Continental more than once and Eastbourne Town Hall. They played blues and soul music in particular Curtis Mayfield. I thought they were from Brighton but they are not listed on Brightonbeat .com site. Great band though.

Amanda Hawkings… The drummer in Modes Mode was my cousin Clifford Grensted. The manager was my uncle Brian Grensted.  They were based  in the London area. The photo was taken in Stanmore, I believe.

Mike Mitchell… That’s a fabulous suit on the right there.

Lil Fuller… Brian Grenstead ( “Mr.G”) was our neighbour in Stanmore ..we lost touch when we left for Australia in 1970. He lived around the corner but our back garden  in Tintagel Drive backed  onto his… think He was Manager of  Modes Mode then ..in the late 60’s ??? He was always wonderful to our late Mum Sheila and Us Kids and we have  many Happy Memories. Fond Regards to His Family from Old Neighbours  The Fuller’s  … now in Adelaide …Down Under  xx

Mick Gilfrin… Yep went to the E/B Town Hall gig. Does anybody remember the free fest @ Cow Gap Beachy Head 1967 ish. Skin Alley were top of the bill

Colin O’Donoghue… They were looking for a new singer and I went to about 3 gigs with them in Brian’s van and did a few numbers. They were from Stanmore – soul band – Otis Redding, Sam & Dave etc. I particularly liked The Action and these guys were similar.

Peter Seven… Leaving a message for Amanda Hawkins: My name is Peter Seven former lead singer for Modes Mode.

Martin Richter… fantastic clothes

John Stafford… Mick, Yes, I saw Skin Alley at Cow Gap, but don’t recall any of the other acts. The organiser was a young guy who looked a bit like Ginger Baker, so probably from the Art School. Skin Alley tried to kid the audience that their guitarist hadn’t turned up, so their sax player would have a go at playing guitar instead.That was rubbish of course, as their sax player (Bob James) was their usual guitarist too.

Toby Grensted…. Amanda, Cliff is my dad, I’m trying to find any recordings as I’ve never heard their music and can’t remember what label they were on. Something about it being 55 years ago.

 

The Mojos – Hastings Pier Sat 22nd August 1964. by Andre Martin

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ad – Andre Palfrey-martin collection. Mojos photo source: http://www.merseybeatnostalgia.co.uk/html/the_mojos.html

Well here we are almost at the end of August – a month that has seen so much happening in the town and no less than on Hastings Pier, in the Happy Ballroom andBar, Saturday 22 August 1964. Topping the bill tonight – “The Merseybeat” sound of The Mojos and in support The Orbits, making a return to the town. Originally called The Nomads, they recorded a track for the ‘This Is Mersey Beat’ LP then discovered a London group had registered the name so changed it to The Mojos. In october 1963 Adrian Wilkinson left the group and was replaced by Nick Crouch, former Farons Flamingos lead guitarist. While they were appearing at the Star Club, Hamburg,[ Many people have asked – “what did it look like – so I have found a picture and added to the images ” they recorded what is now considered one of the classics of the ‘Mersey Sound’, ‘Everythings Alright’ which entered the UK top 10 charts. The next two releases were less distinguished and prompted Stu James to say “We made our name in Liverpool as Blues specialists but were persuaded to do all sorts of lightweight pop stuff. After our initial success, we just stumbled on in a fairly aimless way, the acclaim we got was for our live performances which remained loud and raucous” . In December 1964, Stu James and Nick Crouch split from the others and formed Stu James & the Mojos bringing in Lewis Collins on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on Drums, this line-up continued till 1966 when Nick left the music business and Lewis Collins entered into a successful acting career appearing in the hit TV series ‘The Professionals’

Friday night good times would have been started off with “Ready Steady Go – The Weekend Starts Here” from Kingway Studios London – with Cathy and Keith introducing amongst others – The Cherokees – “Seven Daffodils” Brenda Lee – “Is It True” P.J. Proby – “Hold Me” ,other guests included Helen Shapiro, Brenda Lee – “Is It True” ,Wayne Gibson and the Dynamic Sounds & Duffy Power. For the adventurous amongst us, we would have a mile further west and stopped at Marine Court the home of The Witch Doctor, where the line up over the next few days would have included :-The Habits & Mark 4 [Saturday] The Voodoos [Sunday] Bern Elliott and his Clan [Wednesday] Dave Champion and The Strangers [Friday] and advanced notification for Sunday 30th – Alexis Korner. It is not difficult to see that the battle lines were drawn between the Happy Ballroom & The Witch Doctor. Until next week’s edition of the History of The Happy Ballroom, enjoy the Bank Holiday Weekend – as moved to the end of August from the following year 1965. And don’t forget to catch Matthew Banisters’ Production of the Mods & Rockers Re-booted on BBC 1 South/South East – 7.30pm                                             by Andre Martin

Glynis Phillips… Went to see Mojos on pier 1st band I ever saw.

Robert Searle… Don’t forget that’s the original Mojos on that record.

 

Mungo Jerry – Hastings Pier 19th June 1981

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Pete Fairless… In The Summer Time… Now, what was that lyric? “If her Daddy’s rich buy her a pier…”

Mike Guy… I’m still performing The Man Behind The Piano, Mighty Man, and Baby Jump! How many songs do you know where a bloke gets drunk, touches a woman, gets a thump from her husband, & gets peed on by a dog?

Joe Knight… See him early 80s Kings Country Club

Gerry Fortsch… Is this the gig that we the Hippo Band played support at? Mungo Jerry were a great bunch of guys.

Alan Esdaile… Not sure Gerry who the support band was. Anyone confirm?

Linda Day… We saw Mungo Jerry in a field somewhere can’t remember where

Micky Erends… he was great, saw him on Hastings Pier

Sundowners Club Eastbourne Programme

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Supplied by John Busbridge

1975 advert

John Busbridge… Who remembers the Sundowners Club? Great place to go on a Friday night back in the day. Can anyone date this?

Alan Esdaile… Sundowners was great. Thanks for posting John.

Kevin Sherwood… I saw Showaddywaddy over there before they were in the charts so it was around 1973.

Robert Searle… Nice to see my old group there, Haze, for two nights too. Great days. It was their first gig,although unofficial, at the Sundowners, comprised of two groups, Choise and Golden Hammers, great night. I was there too.

Chris Chantler… Guess this was 73 …. great place, saw Showaddy there several times (and Mud) and met my husband there too!

Pete Millington… We (SPYKE) used to zip over to The Sundowners every Friday night after playing at the Alexandra Hotel in Hastings. So many good groups played there. Dating the programme is tough but Showaddewaddy we’re formed from two different groups who played there, can’t remember their names. So I would guess this programme is from 1971/2

Willie Wicking… Remember seeing Showaddwaddy there must have been one of their 1st gigs

Peter Thomson… I’ve always been convinced we saw Karl (Carl?) Douglas there but without a band. Don’t remember it being advertised and we were surprised when he appeared on stage. Whoever it was either mimed or sang along to backing tapes, quite early on in the evening. No, not everyone was Kung Fu Fighting.

Tony court-Holmes… went there often

Sheila Maile… Used to drive over in our mates Robin Reliant after the local pub shut in 1977

Keith Veness… Great place to go car full of people good times

Leigh Mitchell… Went there a lot in the 70s

Dennis Torrance… I went to Sundowners a few times and enjoyed it there

Colin Bell… DJ’d there in the 70’s, always a good gig i enjoyed doing.

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The Dekorators – early 80’s. card & photos.

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supplied by Nastassja Kaschevsky.  with Nastassja, Doug DuggyFresh Smith and Chris Kimber.

Peter Fairless… Were they all left handed?

Ad 1984

Tony Ham… I saw them several times in Rye, I remember they played Jilted John.

Nastassja Kaschevsky… That’s right!

Mick O’Dowd… Do you do wallpapering?

Delroy Williams Show, St Johns Wood & Chris Gentry Hastings Pier – 31st Dec 1968

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection

Mick O’Dowd… excellent concert, highly underrated.

Alan Esdaile… Managed Delroy in the 70’s, always puts on a great show and a really nice guy. Still going strong as part of Desmond Dekker’s Aces tribute.

Andre Martin… Remember the night well, unfortunatly not a very big crowd, so the ballroom was a little chilly even with the Gas fires working. Good programme and headliners were excellent.

Pete Fairless… What did Chris Gentry show, we wonder?

Andre Martin… Now that would be telling.

Alan Esdaile… style, flair, presentation skills and great music.

Banned – Christ Church School 1970

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supplied by Andy Knight

Andy Knight… My recollection is this is Banned, a short lived band in about 1970, Digger Rosewell (voc) Bob Shipway (bass), Chris Baker (gtr) and Andy Knight (drms), Bob and Chris are welcome to correct or add re the date etc. It was in Christ Church School (upstairs), we borrowed a scout handcart to get the equipment from where I lived in Carisbrooke Road to the entrance in Alfred Street, we must have been bonkers

Bob Shipway… Wow, I’d forgotten this line up and band name completely!

Mike Mitchell… Not bonkers, Andy, just young!

Chris Baker… Wow! Me too! Need more info on this. I was clearly there, but then “if you can remember those days you weren’t really there!”.  Reminds me of the early days before we even had a van! Carrying all the amps and speakers from Priory Road to the Round Table Youth Club for every practice. Hands were numb from carrying the weight so it took a while to recover before we could play anything!

Sam Rosewell… Wow! My dad (Digger) looks so cool!!

Lyn Humphrey… I worked with Digger Rosewall in ’73, at Ashdown House (Works Bills).

The Big T Sound & Town Council – Hastings Pier 21st September 1968

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all cuttings supplied by Sarah Harvey

Chris Baker….Brian (Bear) Williams (Drums), Bob Shipway, (Bass), Pete Robertson (Vocals) and (Batty) Bill Willshire whose real name was Pete! Fun times! Bill joined after Steve Hersee left and we got Bob the bass player.

1901533_10151908604590264_1955605120_nsupplied by Chris Baker

Here’s Chris at his 18th birthday with the group Town Council. Harry the manager and Bob Shipway in the photo.

Chris Baker… I am not sure I’d quite developed the Rock God image at that point in my career!

Phil Gill… But the Hofner was too cool for school – do you still have it?

Chris Baker… I do indeed Phil. I had a Humbucker fitted and split to two leads for “stereo” many years ago. It can make more different tones than most! I also have a Strat which I love to bits

Mick O’Dowd… Went to school with “Bill” Wilshire and we used to get together at his place in OLd London Road that he called “Fat’s Pad”. We tried to form a band with me on vocals(ouch) , Trev Partridge on bass, Neil (can’t remember surname) on drums, “Bill” was going to be on keyboards when he could manage to buy one, Tim Purcell on guitar and I think Pete Shaw might have got involved near the end. Working name was The Thoroughbreds. First and last time I tried to be in a band so decded to become a DJ instead!

Chris Baker… Bill’s name was Peter really and Willshire not WilTshire.

Conan Howard… played my first ever gig with Chris Baker somewhere in a basement, in George street Hastings BACK IN THE 70S Conan (Len)

Chris Baker… I remember mate! 7 George St. “Showstopper” was the shop we had. The basement got “damp” when it was high tide

Iain Cobby… Nice to see you Chris! and a young Bob and Harry. Thanks for many memories.

Chris Baker… And you too Iain! Looking back at those pics makes me think we were lucky to be playing the music we loved and getting paid for it too!