poster supplied by Paul Dove, photo by Paul Wiseman
Paul Dove, Jon McCallion, Alan Esdaile(manager), Steve Demetri. Paul Wiseman is taking the photo.
Alan Esdaile… Happy days of…..Hair! Business card must have been when Harry was manager.
Jan Warren.. Oh yes, my hubby (ex) Pete Watson was the regular Saturday night DJ at The Regent ……. must have been around about 1972 to 74?! – there were lots of bands, I remember “Rubber Band” (Bowie-type lead singer called Dave, haha) they released a single called “Moon Walker”!! and many other local bands played there, many of which have often been mentioned here in SMART group!! – good times!!
Paul Dove… Well done Alan good memories,, here we are 50 years on and still living the dream,, just wish a few of our old friends could see them but I expect they are still living that dream were ever they are, we are carrying on that dream, love music love life ,love SMART,xx
Harry Randall… I used to go to school with both Steve and Paul Wiseman
Jon McCallion… Good photo Paul
Tony Court-holmes… forgot about the Regent, how about Hartnells?
Diane Knight… I remember them rehearsing in our studio in Fairlight Avenue…one recording went on all night.. pretty sure it was the same verse
James Bell… they were long rehearsals sometimes. The same verse was probably me getting it wrong.!!!! Thanks for being understanding, you guys were always supportive. Have a great Xmas jimx
Ric Hool… Rehearsing wasn’t optional with The Breathers. Chanced acts of creativity – there are those who will call them ‘mistakes’ – were pounced upon and used to flavour an established number differently, or else be the seed of a new song. Rehearsals were never solely concerned with dotting an ‘i’ and crossing a ‘t’ – they were much, much more than that. The Fairlight Studio was haven and heaven for us. Thank you for indulging us Diane.
Ray took that picture in the top end of Alexandra Park. Tich commandeered my white jacket, so we went through Ray’s wardrobe and he found me that black leather one. It was really ’70s with a huge winged collar, which was tucked under out of sight. It also had “Marlon” written across the back of the shoulders in huge white letters. We referred to Ray as Marlon for weeks afterwards…
Ken Wilson… I remember going round Tich’s house and listening to the Stones first album…..who would have thought they would be playing Glastonbury tonight !!!!! Must have been 63/64 ish. Tich did the best Mick Jagger ever , great guy !!
Bobby Walker….Ray Fenwick now head of music at a college in Lincolnshire. Still plays regularly in local pubs
Allan Peterson… Hi,I remember Tich from the sixties at the Tuesday Night gigs at Langton Hall Battle. A Mick Jagger lookalike. Used to talk to him, a nice guy. Glad he has done well for himself. If only Diana was released later on?
Mick O’Dowd…. agree Tich was a Mick Jagger lookalike & that’s one reason we hired him to front Deep Purple.
Alan Wood… Interesting again,says Tich did well,how well
Andy Maby…. A superb song! Especially played live by the Escalators.. downstairs in the Chatsworth!!! :o))
Andy Qunta… I was just listening to this yesterday on my iPod! Fun times! What has Tich been up to? Haven’t seen or heard of him in a while!
Colin Fox… I remember Tich and his band supporting us at Langton Hall Battle in the early 60’s when he was a young lad just starting out and I could see they had potential. Very friendly and eager to learn.
Mick O’Dowd… I believe he is one of “The Blues Bros” in Soul Express show and also now in The Low-Fi Sneakers or something like that?
Phil Gill… TTE, Lovely lads, but you wouldn’t want any of ’em marrying your sister.
Andy Qunta… Great to see Tich has still got it!
Yvonne Cleland… Brilliant!
Pete Prescott… I still have that record !
Virginia Davis… Remember seeing them often at the Chatsworth
Mike Gingold… I was the ‘Belsize Park Horns’ – Mike Gingold (overdubbed on recordings). Gigs were a riot.
Pete Prescott… One of Hastings best front men !
Harry Randall… Allan Peterson those were the days remember it well played a few times at Battle Hop in “The Chain Reaction”
Pete Prescott… I never understood why I was asked to be in Steppin Out (amazing band) I couldn’t see what I could do on stage to equal what he was doing. I was very envious.
photo 1 supplied by Bertie Wiseman, photo 2 supplied by Terry Huggins
Anyone remember The Black Cat Coffee Bar? Entrance in York Buildings.Here’s Steve Demetri & Paul Wiseman sitting at the window of the upstairs coffee bar. You can see Woolworths over the far side of the road. You can see the Mac Fisheries sign and also Mozley’s sign.
Yvonne Cleland… Ha! The window seat! Practically lived in this place when the Lido closed! Llonka. 1 and 6 to get in with a free drink! Table footie. Look one way – see what was going on in the cafe, look the other way – see what was going on in the town!
Alan Esdaile… I also lived in the window seat when I was not playing the pinball machine.
Martin Richter… and the “mac-fisheries” sign!
Andre Martin… Over MacFisheries
Martyn Baker… Chatte Noi
Mick Mepham… Was that the same place as the Pam Dor anyone?
Yvonne Cleland… No, Mick, the Pam Dor was in Queen’s Road. The Black Cat’s entrance was in that funny little back street that divides up the Arcade. (Not that I’m old enough to have gone in the Pam Dor but I seem to remember it being there.)
Alan Esdaile… The Pam Dor was over the road from The Disc Jockey .
Andre Martin… The PamDor did start in York Buildings, where the MacFisheries was located, I think it was where the the Chemists shop was, but it might have been in the same location at the Black Cat – must double check listings. the site in Queens road opened in 1961. Location correction – NOT Castle Street, but York Buildings, the no was either 6 Mac Fisheries or 8 which I think did become a Goldern Egg at some point.
The band was Steve Demetri, Tony Qunta, Roger Carey, Tich Turner and guest guitarist Andy Smith (From The Roaring 80’s). Put together for one night only by Roger Carey.
Geoff Peckham… I’ll bet that was a good night! x
Pete Fisher… What a great memento – I recognise Roger’s writing. Detailed setlist can be a great help, if you have time to look at it. Remember having around 30 songs/new arrangements at the beginning of a tour once, and sellotaping 3 sheets of A4 together to accomodate them…
Barry French… Last night my good friend Len Benton & myself went to see Tich performing with his band Hi Fi Sneakers, at Sidley Working Men’s Club (Great must see soul band ). Tich remembers the Kings Head Gig, & was amazed that Roger has held onto the set list all this time & that the gig is still being talked about (The Power Of SMART)
Tich Turner… Blimey! Was playing in Sidley last night with HiFi Sneakers and Barry told me, the last time he saw me performing was at The Kings Head. I thought he was talking about a gig I did there with about 11 of us, we were doing a bunch of new songs I’d written and Ray Fenwick wanted to invite some guys down from London to see it. I think it was leading into The Roaring 8o’s. The Place was packed, [mainly by the band], but a great night. I don’t recall this gig at all. I’m wondering why we did it. Perhaps Roger can recall. And….hello to all of you.
John Wilde… Hi Tich. Best wishes and keep on keeping on!
Pete Davis… Used to see you down the York Bexhill with Steppin Out, I think you was called, with Del McCoogan…..
Pete Prescott… There was a gig at the kings head with Steppin Out that Ray invited some record company guys to. It was Nov/Dec 77. They didn’t show up.
Mike Waghorne… Must be 30+ years since I last saw you Tich hope you are well ?
Ric Hool… The Crawdaddy Club. This was the first public outing of ‘No Beginner’. I’m pretty sure the gig was recorded – wonderfully RAW! Getting back to ‘No Beginner’… This, Roger (Carey – and Hi!) is the song with the chorus
indelibly imprinted on your grey cells: my apology. Every song written for The Breathers was special so in one sense
‘No Beginner’ is no exception… but it is. But before I launch into that, I have to make known that as the group’s
lyricist and tunesmith, I brought some raw fudge that The Breathers cooked into what became fabulous songs. We never ‘played’ them; we were inside them punching them out in every performance: rehearsal and actual.
Jim, Steve and John were right there and right into it. Back to ‘No Beginner’…
The Chorus:
‘You’re a breather
A soul survivor
A racing driver
A man of action
A space ship captain
An outright winner
And no oh oh oh oh beginner’
Checked out each group member but as soon as John released it on stage there became a realisation of those words moving out to the audience in the very first word of the chorus: You’re That word; that song found complete connection. It said, you are all these things… and more. It shared a limitless inspiration. ‘No Beginner’ was the ever-developing live song, in the vocal of an ‘in the moment’ singer: Izzi Peptone. Fun; engagement; field holler; call and reply, absurdism primed for exploration.
‘You’re a breather
An ice-cream cornet
A nest of hornets
A ghostly spectre
A train inspector
A Surrealist painting
An actress fainting
A rhino charging
A misspent farthing’
To infinity… The Breathers should have taken it there… and beyond. Ric Hool
John Wilde… spot on Ric, those songs were a call to Action! I would love to hear them again.
Alan Esdaile… Action!
Grant Young… I’d love to hear these recordings
Jim Bell… Good news, I’m looking to restore all of the Breathers catalog over the summer holidays.
Alan Esdaile… Great find Phil. Stringer Jones, was a duo with Martin Stringer and Malcolm Jones.
Martyn Baker… Malcolm Jones was the other half of Stringer-Jones with Martin Stringer in Hastings (1975-6). I kind of re-met Malcolm again when we both worked for Capital Radio in the 80’s. Martin now lives in the west of Ireland. Both top geezers.
Harry Randall… RIP Vic/Tony and Steve gone to young! Sadly missed I’m sure by all who new them!
Leigh Wieland-Boys… My that takes me back. Fond memories of Steve D, rest in peace dear friend.
Martin Stringer… Crikey.
Phil Thornton… wow ! Great pic. Don’t think I’ve seen the one above before. SSV&T !!!
Outside the Cavern Studios London, recording the single ‘Fooling Around. Paul Wiseman, Jon McCallion, Steve Demetri, Paul Dove and Alan Esdaile.
photo by Ray Medhurst
Paul Dove….Great times, it amazes me were these photos keep coming from,next question did that record ever survive,! look at Alan doing the 1000yd stare !!,,, It always made me laugh seeing the veins in Jon Mac,s neck sticking out when we done house of the rising sun, classic.
Jon McCallion....Good times. I still have a copy of Fooling around, will play it to you one day.
Paul Dove….Hi Jon that would be great,although cant remember how it went. ! i keep meaning to come along to one of alans meetings, but i will.Yes good times.
Alan Esdaile…We only planned to record the one song and then had just enough time for an unplanned ‘B’ side which had to be an original. Nothing arranged, so the band came up with an instrumental called ‘Freak Out’.
Paul Dove…Alan you are doing wonders for my memory , yes i remember doing the b side ,We got to do a big meet up with factory, Steve k , I know we lost Stevie D .But would be great to see all the guys from that magical 60s 70s era,!!! what was i looking at ,, think alan had dropped a 1 00 note , was good fun recording Fooling Around, same studio as the Who recorded , hope to see Jon, Alan & maybe Paul Wiseman at Beatles Day tomorrow.
Alan Esdaile… We all look tired and fed up Paul. Hanging around for ages for the studio guy to turn up.
Pete Fisher… seem to have missed something here…what did you play Alan?
Alan Esdaile… played the fool Pete! I was manager of the band or should I say humper of the gear, arranged the recording session and gigs and got paid lots of money. Well maybe not the last bit!
