smart coffee meet

SMART coffee meet No 59 report

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Our 59th SMART coffee meet and was a very busy and successful afternoon. Among the newbies this time were Dave Jenkins, Trevor Cawley, Elana Tree, Rod Evans and Susan Green. Dave was a roadie for Stan’s Blues Band and Nine Below Zero and had an album of very interesting cuttings and photos of the gigs that did. Trevor was chatting about the many bands he saw at Friars club in Aylesbury. Dave and Trevor are part of the very popular Pevensey Ukulele Group PUG. Elana had some wonderful black and white photos of London which she had taken back in 1975. Rod had an impressive photo album of many groups he has been involved in, including Flying Teapots, Alfie & The Alcoholics, Hot Club, The Fieldstone Boys and many more. Colin Bell had with him an early 1960’s brochure of St Clement’s Caves and Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland wanted to know if anyone remembers hop picking at Guinness’s when a grey van with a loud speaker played pop records of the day. He has happy memories of  hearing Marty Wilde’s Teenager In Love, Elvis A Big Hunk Of Love and many others. Barry French never lets us down and arrived with a Joe Brown Concert Programme from Hastings in 2009, Electric Guitar book by Donald Brosnac, as well as sheet music from Emile Ford & The Checkmates, Procol Harum, Peter Sarstedt and Manfred Mann. Monica Bane had some interesting photos and stories. Including a photo of the Charles Road building collapse in 1965, cuttings of her cousin Carole Hersee who was the original girl on the TV test card in 1967 and it was George Hersee that created it. She also had a photo of Milo’s Restaurant  after the gas explosion in 1963 at the end of George Street Hastings. Simon Falla has found a number of photos from Lazybones Disco including the bouncers and will be posting these soon. Linda Boiling has found an advert leaflet for The Disc Jockey featuring The Teenbeats, I Can’t Control Myself, as well as a Stylus Record bag, completely different to the ones we have seen before. Dave Muriel had a packed photo album which included some great photos of the skiffle group he played with, from Rye Secondary Modern School around 1956/57. Also a photo of Hastings Art School Brassey Institute from 1957 and more images from the Some People film from 1962, when he was the poster boy and interestingly they are still using this image today in a recent Vintage Rock Magazine. This is just a small bit of what I remember, if you have anything interesting that you were talking about then please feel free to add. Sorry I didn’t get round to chatting to everyone.

Lucy Pappas… So lovely seeing a few people after a break! Thanks for organising, Al x

Pete Prescott… Lucy, it was great seeing everyone wasn’t it !

Chris Meachen… Really sad to miss it, been running around all day.

Wendy Weaver… Good to see so many people

Stephen Moran… Thank you so much for organising Alan. SMART meetings are really special.

Lyn Farkley Appleyard… Wish I’d been there….next one all being well!

Mick O’Dowd… Really enjoyed this one. Nice to see some new SMARTIES. Interesting chats.

Vince Ray… I’ll come next time, glad you had fun

John Busbridge… Sorry I couldn’t make it

Mick O’Dowd… Not he best of pics but gives an idea of the informality of The Meet.

Andy Qunta… Sounds like fun! Sorry I couldn’t be there!

Dave Jenkins… Thanks Alan, for a fantastic afternoon , Trevor and myself had a great time especially talking to Dave about Peter Frampton when living in Bromley. Looking forward to the next time all the very best Dave.

SMART coffee meet no.57 – Friday 22nd October 2021

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Pleased to say the next coffee meet is on Friday 22nd October 2021.Hopefully you can make it and please mention it to other like minded people.Best regards 

Mick O’Dowd… Be there or be square!!!!!

Alan Esdaile… Not long now please mention it to other like minded people.

Mick O’Dowd… I’ll be there. That’ll probably put a lot of people off!

SMART Coffee meet report 56

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A BIG thank you to everyone who turned up today at the SMART meeting. Great turn out and sorry if I didn’t get chance to chat to everyone. This was our first meeting since February 2020 and it was wonderful catching up with old friends and lots of new ones. Among the newbies this time were Nan (Anthony Morland), Dave Trodd, Rose Watling, Rob and Maura Williams, Claire Longsdale, Dave Muriel, Melvin Grant, Lance Collins and Kenny Comfort. Nan had with him some great photos of The Temperance Seven taken at the Bathing Pool in 1961,  Screaming Lord Sutch, Cliff Bennett, Gerry & The Pacemakers from Hastings Pier, ABC and Regal Cinema and shop front photos of The Orion Cinema/WH Smith, Gifford Boyd, Malcolm Mitchell, Ken Apps and more. Claire was chatting about her very interesting version of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, as well as her music career. Kenny was talking about his happy memories of The Saddle Tramps, The Humperdinks and working with John Winch. Dave Muriel had photos of when he was the poster boy playing the guitar, in the Kenneth More film ‘Some People’, which he got paid £5! Also talking about his days in a skiffle band and the time Peter Frampton played upstairs in the Pam Dor with the group ‘The Preachers’. Lance was pleased to say that he is back doing disco’s again with a huge demand for his Retro roadshow, where the audience love dancing to the 70’s and 80’s music he plays.  Dave Trodd was pleased to hear everyone loves his photos of Alan at The Disc Jockey, The Teenbeats and the biker photos and he’s working his way through some old negatives, so expect more goodies soon. Too many other people to mention but this is just a small bit of what I remember. If you have anything else you want to add from interesting conversations then please do so.

Colin Bell… Great to see old friends and new faces, well done Alan.

Jon McCallion… So sorry Alan Julie and I could not make it. It is our grand daughter‘s third birthday but will see you next month

Stephen Moran… It was great Alan thank you.

Monica Bane… Well done from me as well Alan. Would have liked to have chatted more, was a good turnout. Fantastic Alan.

Lucy Pappas… I must put it in my diary and get to the next one!

Wendy Weaver… It was a lovely afternoon Alan. Nice to see so many familiar faces again and chatting to new friends. Looking forward to the next one.

Pete Prescott… It was great to see everyone wasn’t it!

Lance Collins… It was my first visit. But not my last. Thank you for making me welcome and meeting new friends with the same interests. And a few old mates as well

Mick O’Dowd… Alan the old magic is still there even after the enforced break. (How was it in prison?) only joking. Such a mix of people. I had trouble distinguishing between old & newbies. Great afternoon! Well done! Bring on the next! A big thank you to you for organising it.

Geoff Peckham…  I was spending a pleasant day meeting old friends and new at the exhumed – I mean resumed (!) – SMART meet in Hastings, It was a smashing afternoon in good company, with thanks to Alan.

Claire Lonsdale…I enjoyed my first visit and met some very interesting people. Look forward to the next meet. I wished I’d seen the photos of the Temperance Seven. My good friend John Watson was the banjo player in the Temperance Seven.

Lloyd Johnson… Claire, Re: Anthony’Nan’ Morland’s photos of ‘The Temperance Seven’. The are of the first gig we went to on Hastings Pier in 61/62. ‘Nan’ always had a camera with him and has an incredible archive of photos of past times 50s/60s +….he should really have an Exhibition at Hastings Museum!…

Alan Esdaile… Good to see you Claire. The images are now on the pages here.

Mick O’Dowd… All this Temperance Seven stuff is making me skiddy-iddy-iddy! I’ll just have to drop in my oolong and straighten the day!

Paul Huggett… An enjoyable get together, and a fun chat with Barry French & Lance Collins about the Band v Disco days of the 70s

Ian Mcgilvray… Great pic of Tich

Mark Reed… Holyfuckingshitballs! Tich!… those were some incredible times!

Martyn Baker… And Tich is smiling in this photo. That has to be a first!

Iain Cobby… Where were you Nick Webb!

Nick Webb… Iain, So sorry completely forgot will be at next one.

 

SMART Coffee Meet 56 – We’re Back!

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Very pleased to say We’re Back! Hope you are all doing OK and keeping well. Our last meeting was back in February 2020 and looking forward to catching up with old friends and new on Friday 3rd Sept at The White Rock Hotel. A big thank you to everyone for keeping the website and facebook page going during these difficult times. Best Regards  Alan

Keeping the memories alive…

Pete Houghton… Great to back

Andy Qunta… Excellent news!

Mick O’Dowd… It was the 3rd of September. A date i’ll always remember…….

Pete Prescott… Looking forward to it!

Wendy Weaver… At last. Normality

Colin Norton… I hope that you guys have a great time and I really wish that I could join you!

Andy Qunta… Colin, what you said! Me too!

Kev Towner… Can you do it on Zoom? LOL

Stephen Moran… Thanks Alan I look forward to seeing you this afternoon.

 

SMART coffee meet report 55

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Well the wind along the seafront was horrible and the rain was chucking down but still managed a brilliant turn out for our 55th coffee meeting. Among the newbies this time were Steve Moran and Buzz Honey. Steve was talking about starting his PhD with the London College of Music, provisional titled ‘Music By The Sea”, examination into the music history of Hastings during the 60s, 70’s and 80’s. Buzz was chatting about happy memories of Scalliwags and Saturdays. Steve Amos had with him an early postergram of Peter Gabriel, Knebworth 1978 programme and Genesis Wind & Wuthering 1977 programme. Clive Richardson arrived with scrapbooks of cuttings of all the early UK festivals, including  Watchfield, Reading, Lincoln, Bickershaw, as well as Planet Gong and Pink Fairies cuttings. He also had an autographed album of Screaming Lord Sutch from when he played The Granary Club in Rye in the 70’s, records from Gypsy, Global Village Trucking Company, Dawn Chorus and The Bluetits, Little Bob Story, Roogalator, Count Bishops, The Broughtons and others. Also a Steamhammer poster who he promoted on the pier.  Barry French had some bizarre cover version singles on the Top Six label, The Typhoons, History of The Stones vol 1 and Pinky & Perky doing Bridget The Midget! also football related records from Willie Morgan and Don Fardon. Roger Carey has been digging deep again and has found flyers for Factory, Black Horse Folk Club, The Breathers, The Johnny Francis Road Show, Nazareth, Can, Gypsy, as well as a playlist of songs from The Kings Head in 1978, when he put together a bunch of local musicians for a one off gig. I had with me Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come The Lost Ears album, Alarm, Faces and Alice Cooper flexi discs and the acetate of Rubber Band’s Moonwalker single which has Raven written on the label. Harry Randall was talking about his music equipment and he has an amp that was owned by Bert Weedon and a mixer that was owned by Cozy Powell. Martin Stoggell said he has a Frank Zappa tour programme that was printed at Hastings Printing Company and will bring it along next time. Tim McDonald was looking for support for a music resources centre for Hastings and everyone he talked too were excited by the project. Anyone who wishes to add anything interesting you were talking about, then please feel free to do so.

Jim Breeds… It was a good meeting Alan. I missed out on some of the things you describe. Too busy talking to Stephen Moran and the little group we formed with Colin, Andre and others I guess. Would it be a good idea to put aside 5 minutes (once most people have arrived) for a quick round-the-table for each of us to say what we’ve brought with us? Just a suggestion. Feel free to ignore it. 🙂 Thanks, as always, for the effort that you put into this. 

Alan Esdaile… Good idea, the trouble is people turn up and leave at different times but always open for suggestions.

Mick O’Dowd… It was indeed a good Meet Jim. Had most interesting talk with Tim McDonald and his idea for a music resources centre.

Lucy Pappas… Sounds wonderful.

Jeanette Jones… Apologies, as usual, but I really appreciate being included in the group

Reg Wood… Apologies Alan was away.

Phil Gill… Wilf doesn’t care what the weather’s like.

Alan Esdaile… Wilf enjoyed it.

Bernard Goffredo… I would love to come along one day but it seems I am always committed to something when they happen

Steve Moran… It was my first time at the SMART coffee meet and I wanted to thank you Alan and everyone I met for making me so welcome

Peter Houghton… It sounds like it was a good meeting and i missed seeing Clive Richardson, hope to make it to the next one

 

 

SMART Coffee meet report 54

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Record company leaflets supplied by Chris Saunders

SMART coffee meet no 54, a great start to 2020. Among the newbies this time were Tom Cowan and Cliff Evans.  Tom was talking about his group ‘Menticide’ and happy memories of the group and John Peel playing the record. Cliff was talking about his rock band ‘Tank’ and also when he was with ‘Chicken Shack’. Also talking about his new venture with Lauren. the Aquarius International Club with dj’s playing 60’s and 70’s rock and psych tracks at the monthly happening at the White Rock Hotel. Mick O’Dowd have with him Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys book ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ and was over the moon that people have found at last photos of ‘Jim The Jolly Fish’ that used to go along the seafront, which he has been searching for forever. Monica Bane confirmed that the band photo that Tony May could not confirm who it was, is definitely the Jazz Caverners at St Clements Caves featuring Johnny Griffiths. Reg Wood had with him a copy of Wizzard single Ball Park Incident, autographed at the pier gig in 1973. Gerry Powell had an interesting  pile of cover version singles, released on the Embassy record label and sold in Woolworth, as well as some great flexi discs. Pete Houghton had  lotsof rare autograph posters from the Hastings Pier gigs including Alvin Stardust, Zzebra, Esperanto, Stackridge, Judas Priest, Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers, Gong, Motorhead, Fusion Orchestra and a band I don’t remember ‘The Lou’s’. Anyone know them? they must have been a support to someone.Pete Prescott had some exciting rock books including the 1960s scrapbook by Robert Opie  with a great Hendrix painted cover and a Sotheby’s rock ’n’ roll and film memorabilia book with Jim Morrison on the cover. Also a special collectors e.p. of The Split Knee Loons! This is a small bit of what I remember, if you were talking about anything interesting or anything else you wish to add then please do so.

Jan Saunders… I just hope, one day I can get there Alan and all you SMARTIES ……. my legs don’t work any more, I want to take my mobility scooter maybe on the train or drive it to Hastings, if poss??!! – I love this Group and so pleased I can still be part of it on FaceBook, Thanks Alan – there’s quite a few people I’d love to meet up with again ……. Pete Houghton, Brian Setchfield Bob Searle, Terry Corder, Lol Cooksley, Mandy (from the soul band) etc etc ……………… Also, I’m aware of The Aquarius International Club that’s now going on the basement bar at The White Rock Pavilion, this sounds really great, 60s and 70s music ……… ohhhhhh, if only I could be there??!! xx

Monica Bane… Enjoyed seeing you all. Keep going Alan x

Andy Davies… Sorry I missed it.

Steve Amos… Sorry to miss it! Hope to make the next one.

Terry Pack… I was hoping to make my debut, but turned my ankle and couldn’t walk for a day. Next time.

Paul Crimin… Sorry I missed it Alan.

Mick O’Dowd… Another great meet Alan, as per usual. Nice talking to newbie Tom.

Jack Irving… Sorry I missed this one too.

Andy Qunta… Sounds like a fun time!

Tom Cowan… Great to meet you & others on Friday, our single is on You Tube, Menticide Bathroom Ideas Exhibition  there is another Menticide,  electronic rock outfit, would hate to be confused with them!

SMART 54 coffee meet – Friday 17th January 2020

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New people welcome to join us

Mick O’Dowd… Oh come all ye faithful but not until January!

Nick Warren… I had never been to Hastings until 1990s – I was in Brighton and following the music scene there in the 1960s-70s. Hope to get to a SMART meeting one day but they always seem to clash with other things up until now. Happy Christmas

Monica Bane… Hope to see you there Alan! If all goes well Monica x

SMART coffee meet report 53

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Great turn out for our 53rd coffee meeting. Among the newbies this time were David Roberts, Nick Webb, Steve Amos and Ron and Maureen Burgoyne. David had with him a copy of the live rock poster for his group ‘A21’ , as well as a collection of his own prog cd’s of Vedar and his recordings under the name The Possessed. Nick turned up with copies of Hutch Hutchings Lp and Brand X Do They Hurt? LP which had Phil Collins on drums. He also had Hastings pier gig tickets of Ten Years After and Marc Bolan & T Rex and his photo album with pictures of Damaris from the National Band Competition in Brighton in the 1970’s.  Steve was talking about his book ‘Two Sides of an Indie Dad’ and happy memories of the Black Horse Festivals and seeing Nick Cave on the pier. Ron had his Witch Doctor membership card from 1967 and talking about a band he recommends seeing ‘Man The Lifeboats’. Paul Huggett had a photo album of the many bands he has worked with including ‘Time Out’ and ‘No Limit’. Colin Bell had tour programmes from the maximum rhythm ’n’ blues gig at Eastbourne in 1999 and the Monsters Of Glam Rock gig featuring Sweet and Mud from The White Rock Theatre. Pete Houghton had lots of amazing autograph photos of Olivia Newton John, Robert Wyatt, Freddie Fingers Lee, John’s Children, Gerry Marsden & The Pacemakers, Climax Chicago Blues Band, Issac Hayes, Jerry Hall and loads more. Alan King was talking about his forthcoming gig at The Piper on Friday 13th December when he is playing with The Prisonaires and also Roger Hubbard on the bill. Tony Davis arrived with a mixed bag full of cd’s for anyone who wanted them. General chat was about Divitos, The Crypt and Clive James. Too many other people to mention but this is just a very small bit of what I remember, anyone who wishes to add anything interesting you were talking about, then please feel free to do so.

Steve Amos… Thanks Alan. It was nice to get along at last!

Nick Webb… Enjoyed the chats will be there again cheers

Paul Crimin… Sorry I had to leave early Alan. Hope it went well.

Jan Warren… Yeah Alan, I’m always sorry I cant get to the meetings but I’m always pleased to read your reports of what happened, especially from Pete (Houghton) as I think I said, I remember him from School (Downs Secondary Modern, Bexhill) and also from several record shops and “hangouts” in Bexhill in the late 60s/early70s, he was always so “into” music and I’m not surprised at the many photos he had taken with various stars of those days!! – good on yer Pete, and I really hope to meet up with you one day, whether at SMART Group or in Bexhill one day?!! – Thanks Alan, and the SMART Group for putting us in touch with our long lost friends, its amazing!!

Andy Qunta… Sounds like fun as always!

Mick O’Dowd… Great & interesting gathering as always Alan! Well done!