Supplied by Ken Copsey
Ken Copsey… Area Haider’s film about the inception of rock against racism White Riot, brought back happy memories of traveling up from Hastings with Dave Blackman and Mick Bacon amongst others to see X-ray Spex , Steel Pulse and the Clash at Victoria Park in 1978. The eagle eyed ever twitching Mick Bacon said he was sure he’d seen Dave in some of the footage. I thought he was deluded until he sent me the screen shot he had taken. Who else from Hastings went on the march and to the gig?
John Gale… Thats definately Dave mate, who else would have worn a shirt like that. Having said that though he was the first person I knew who owned a punk record, New Rose and played it to me in his bedroom in Castledown Avenue so what he lacked in sartorial trend setting he made up for in the musical department.
Steve Sampson… Definitely Dave … ah yes the New Rose single … that got played a few times! Quite a few of us from Priory Road went in small groups … I also remember The Clash and Stranglers playing at something … was this the same thing or another one … I know we went to London a few times on RAR
Mick Bacon… I am deluded Ken, but that’s another issue. Dave was easy to spot – he always stood out in a crowd. I remember him singing along to Tom Robinson- “Sing if you’re glad to be cough, cough..”. He was always so politically correct!
Andrew Bancock… I was there!
Martin Blackman… great to hear stories about dear Dave from his old mates after all these years, highly entertaining, he was such a character and I still miss him terribly, cheers guys and seasons greetings to all.
Peter Thomson… I was there with Perri Ann Haste and her mate Sally. I also went to the second one in Brixton.
Perri Ann Haste… That was quite a day, I still have a few pics somewhere.