Anyone remember Prinny’s? Next to the Pump House
Martyn Baker… Ray Darlison on drums? He was my first musical mentor. Great bloke – Fabulous drummer too.
Pauline Sims… Think it was Alan (I’d been trying to remember its name for ages!)
Tony Davis… I remember going there quite often for a while. I seem to remember it was run by a jazz musician called Ken who had an asian wife. I remember there being a drummer called Brian I think. Can anyone confirm this or am I imagining it!
Martyn Baker… Ray Darlison was my first musical mentor too. I moved to Hastings at the age of 12 from Bow, East London. Ray knew about my interest in music as I played the bass (a bit). He lived next door (on the top of West Hill) .He encouraged me and I learned a lot from him about music over the next few years, and ended up playing jazz as my first style of music in his bebop band. I didn’t know much about the history of this stuff though of course. Piers Clark played guitar in our band, and from this I soon met Roger Hubbard, Wesley Magoogan, Tich Turner, Martin Stringer and Andy Knight, who had formed a soul/funk band called Steppin’ Out. We rehearsed in the Old Town Arts Centre on the corner of All Saints Street and London Road. We were soon playing a lot of gigs – mostly in pubs at first, but we did OK, and nearly got signed to Rod Stewart’s label RIVA records. I was doing 3 nights a week in licensed premises before I was even allowed to drink alcohol, as I was too young. Ha! That did not stop me in Hastings though! I got my music biz breaks later….. But that’s another story.
Gaynor Duke… Ken with his Korean wife (Lee) ran the Safari Club in the premises
Tony Court-holmes… I worked there as a pot bar when Don Stuart had the anchor back in early 70s god I am old
Ray Davies… (in reply to Martyn) Ray Davies opened Prinny’s for Don Stewart
