Martin Casson Agency pier gigs September – November 1974

martin casson 1974

supplied by Roger Carey

Alan Esdaile… Interesting list of thank yous at the bottom. Anyone remember The Showstopper Boutique George Street?

Dave Nattress… Don’t recall Showstoppers but of course Huckells for hideous flares, definitely dodgy shirts and maybe even platform soled shoes and boots – or maybe the shoes would be somewhere else – what a plonker. This was my smooth stage after the weekend hippie and hair not cut for like 2 years stage. Saw Budgie and Medicine Head I think they would have played the pier more than once so not sure if either of these gigs. Don’t recall the Whistle Test gig but hey what a programme on TV. I’ve got the 3 BBC Whistle Test DVD’s – one contains 2 DVD’s so 4 total, giving an incredible number or tracks. Pu them on your Christmas list!! Also quite a few tracks recorded on the hard-drive that BBC 4 has been re-playing over the last few years. I went out and many an album, (LP) after watching Whistle Test.

Pete Prescott… Hustler were a great band !

Peter Thomson… I don’t recall that one but I’m sure Huggy Leaver worked in Supertramp – in Robertson Street, wasn’t it?

David Kent… Farmers Lung rehearsed in the basement of Showstopper for a while. One night, there was some banging on the shop door and we let in two total strangers who were somewhat inebriated. One of them asked to play my guitar and jammed with the rest of the band. He made a terrible noise and broke my B string. A couple of weeks later, I saw his picture in the NME. It was John Martyn.

Mick Calverley… I was the D J at the Medicine Head gig it was a great night.

Mick O’Dowd… Remember Esperanto were a very competent band.

Alan Esdaile… If I remember rightly, we were not allowed to call it The Old Grey Whistle Test, as the BBC held the license but should only bill it Whistle Stop Road Show on all advertising. However leaflets were done early and we weren’t going to throw them away!