New people most welcome to join us.
pop music
SMART 27 coffee meet report
Horrible drizzly day but the sun was shining inside The White Rock Hotel. Among the newbies this time were Cris and Merv Kennard and Darren Johnson. Cris had a great photo of The Krusaders from 1963 featuring Roger & David Barnett and David & Tony Booth. Merv had photos of when he was a very popular dj, running the FM Disco and also the Pirate Disco in the mid 70’s. Darren had some interesting stories to tell about the bands he has seen and shared through his popular blog. Barry French brought along a rare Focus programme from 1976, No Limit and Grundy cassettes and Lost 4 Words cd. Pete Prescott impressed everyone by arriving clutching a Disc Jockey album record shop bag, full of local related band vinyl albums & singles. Including Tich Turner’s Escalator, Jo Jo Laine & The Firm, Ray Fenwicks White Lightning, Sergeant, Forcefield, Teenbeats, Johnny Mars plus loads more and Mick O’Dowd had with him his updated pier cuttings and photos folders. Chat was about Archie’s film, the opening of the pier, BBC’s peoples history of pop, Essence, Scalliwags reunion, Curved Air, The Sundowners. Hastings Rock radio, Butch, Madness and the success of Beatles Day. Also great to see a number of people buying tickets for The Factory gig and the very first copies of the Factory cd. This is just a small bit of what I remember, anything interesting I missed or you were chatting about please feel free to add.
Jim Breeds… Sorry we didn’t make it. Driving home through the forecasted thunderstorms put us off. Fairweather SMARTers!
Cliff Wootton… Just been enjoying the new Factory CD on repeat play in the office while I work. So glad I got this at the SMART meet the other day. The more you listen the more it grows on you.
Geoff Peckham… That’s kind of you to say that, Cliff. Really chuffed that you like it!
Tony Davis… Love the new Factory CD. Looking forward to hearing the guys live on the 29th and playing something on my Hastings Rock show on 30th. Great sounds guys.
Andy Qunta… Thanks for your kind words, Tony!
Lucy Pappas… Can’t wait to get my copy x
The Happy Ballroom and more – 18th December 1965 by Andre Martin
Fifty years ago, Saturday 18th December 1965, was a fairly quiet weekend, the Pier has promised something interesting for the Christmas & New Year – but more of that next week.
Friday Nights Ready Steady Go had started the weekend off with some super tooons – The Fourmost “ Girls, Girls, Girls”: The Walker Brother “ My Ship is Coming In” – also on the show Tom Jones, Cleo Laine, Joe Tex, and Dee Dee Warwick. My spies tell me that next week is going to be something special.
Along in Marine Court, the Christmas Decorations are out amongst the shrunken heads ready for the coming weeks. This Saturday night it is the return of Pay Anton & The Peppermint Men, supported by Paul Dean and The Soul Savages! Late Bar till 11.00pm!!- Sunday it’s the Top 30 Afternoon Spin between 2.30pm-5.00pm. Tuesday its Candlelight Record Session, and the week ends with Thursday and The “Muscles” Maxted Show. I quote from the advertisement “This idiot must be seen to be believed”
Over on the BBC – The Light Programme presents Saturday Club with The Hollies : Marianne Faithfull : The Kinks : Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and The Roulettes, with compere and front man Brian Matthew in control. In the afternoon at 3.30pm its “Pop over Europe” 7.30pm from Cologne courtesy of BFBS its Home and Away and this week’s entertainers include George Chisholm, Mike Burton, The Honeys, Brian Poole & The Trems. 8.15 and its “Carols for Everybody” This is followed at 10.00pm from Butlins Holiday Camp Bognor Regis with “Dancing Round Europe” with the Eric Winstone Orchestra. Late Night Saturday features the Andy Williams Christmas Album.
Sunday morning its 10.00am – Mr Joe “ Piano” Henderson and the Sing-along’s. This is followed by Easy Beat a and lunchtimes “Two Way Family Favourites” from London and Cologne. In the afternoon its “The Joe Brown Show” and at 4.00pm “Pick of the Pops”
Television – Saturday Grandstand, 5.15pm “Juke Box Jury” this week with Cilla Black, Con Clusky, Peter Hague and Edina Rowley. David Jacobs in the Chair. 9.00pm that even ing it was “The Benny Hill Show” Over on ITV – Thank Your Lucky Stars included Jim Dale, The Mersey Beats, Freddie & Thee Dreamers, Alma Cogan, Vince Hill, Kenny Ball and His Jazz Men and Johnny Tillotson.
The build up to Christmas is now well underway, and unlike today, the advertising and decorations do not start to appear until the beginning of December, which goes to show just how things have changed. We still had Buses and Trains running throughout the holiday period, but with many not owning their own means of transport this was essential.
Until next week, make the most of the next few days in the run up to Christmas, the next episode of the History of the Happy Ballroom- Hastings Pier and subsequent stories, is due for release on Christmas Day so I will do my best ! Andre Palfrey-Martin ©2015
Andy Qunta… Fabulous! Thanks, Andre! I loved all the music in those days, but not so much now!
SMART Coffee Meet 17 – 23rd January 2015
The next SMART coffee meet is Friday 23rd January 2015 – 3.30pm White Rock Hotel.
Please bring any photos, cuttings, records etc that would be interesting for others to see and please mention it to other like minded people.
You are most welcome to join us.
Yvonne Cleland… Hiya Al. Scarily busy in January but I do hope to make this one. Have a great holiday and 2015, my dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Would love to get there – and there’s a Titus gig at the Dolphin afterwards! Too much pleasure 🙂
Mick O’Dowd… I’ll Be There. I think we know a song about this don’t we children? I’ll have my hair done especially.
Andre Martin… Gerry & The Pacemakers I’ll Be There. What Hair !!!! oh your going to get the wig out from store, is that the one that we lent to Shirley for the publicity photos ????
Alan Esdaile… or could be Michael Jackson I’ll Be There!
Archie Lauchlan… Hi Alan et al, I’m hoping to do a quick bit of filming at this week’s SMART meet for my pier documentary (below). Is that ok with everyone?
http://www.domestic-science.com/domsci/Re-A-Pier.html
Alan Esdaile… Hi Archie , I can’t see any problems but please check with everyone on the day to make sure they are happy. I look forward to seeing you.