st leonards – SMART

Tim Moose Bruce… Tony McPhee

Judith Monk… Just seeing the poster takes me straight back.

John Winch… I did the support (I think it was on this tour of his when he was alone) for John Lee in Brighton in the Wintergarden over the Aquarium. He had two bottles of whisky in the dressing room and had drunk at least half of one of them. While I was playing and halfway through a song, he came out onto the stage holding them both and put the half-finished one down in front of me, nearly fell over, and said, “…. you drink that , I’ve got the other one here, now let’s play something boy.” (Probably thought I was crap white boy trying to play the blues) He then went straight off into one of his rhythmic half hour Blues and left me to follow where I could. Lot of blues concerts in those days, I had a chance to do a bit with Sonny Terry and Brownie in Brighton and John Hammond Jnr: somewhere up country. Also played in the back room of a club in Brighton with Blind Gary Davis. Sadly, so I heard, someone ripped off his J200 that night back in London.

Live Music – September 1988 & Lucifer – Caroline Roadshow.

September 7, 2020September 7, 2020 by Alan Esdaile

Mick Mepham…..Bloody Hell!! I used to be in Lucifer ……

supplied by Mick Mepham

Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames – The Witch Doctor St Leonards 13th August 1965

August 15, 2020August 15, 2020 by Alan Esdaile

Sid Saunders… I was at the Witch Doctor that night.

Jackie Hersee… Me too

Judith Monk… Me too!

Caz Simpson… Me too!

Nigel Ford… No, No…. (I wasn’t there….)

Peter Millington… The Confederates were the support group. Speedy, George Fame’s bongo player took a real shine to John Conroy, The Confederates lead singer. Never seen John so frightened before or since lol.

Talismen and Saxtet 65 – Dolphin Ballroom 6th August 1965

August 6, 2020 by Alan Esdaile

Playground and Jo Jo Gunne – The Cobweb 1969

July 27, 2020July 27, 2020 by Alan Esdaile

supplied by Sarah Harvey

Harmony Group from the late 60s. July 26th, 1969

supplied by Sarah Harvey

Sarah Harvey… Jo Jo Gunne (wrongly spelt on the advertisement) at the Cobweb in August 1969. However, this does not appear to be the better known Jo Jo Gunne that was formed in California and hit the charts with “Run, Run, Run” ….. this was a British based group from Feltham in Middlesex formed in 1965 whom started out at as an R&B outfit and several iterations of the band later moved towards a soul-based music genre. This is probably consistent with a group playing at The Cobweb. The band finally split up at the end of 1969 after the flop of what appears to be their final Single “Every Story Has An End. The California “Jo Jo Gunne” was formed in 1970 and “Run, Run, Run” was released in 1972….both of course after the Cobweb date.

Dave Nattress… Well described Sarah! Was puzzled, as ok I knew there was the successful single by an American band but 1969 and a local gig didn’t seem to work with the memory. Oh! My Editor has just asked me “What memory” – Can’t recall right now!