Stallion – introducing the band 1974 & Stallion poster 6th November 1973.

supplied by Mick Mepham

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supplied by Phil Thornton

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 !!!

Linda McDuffie… Cottage! Blast from the past!

 

Head On promotion leaflet supplied by Digger

Supplied by Digger

Steve Kinch, Steve Demetris, Tony Qunta, Andy Qunta.

Andy Qunta… Ha ha! Those were the days! The pics were all taken in Alexandra Park, btw. FYI, here’s an exclusive – there’s a Head On album currently in the works! Better late than never!

John Wilde… Head On were special. A great line up.

Andy Qunta… John, Thanks! Big compliment from someone of your caliber!

Tony Qunta… Thank you John!

Kevin White… I remember seeing you guys in the late seventies in Hastings, you were a fantastic band and are great musicians. I look forward to hearing the album,will Laurie be the drummer?

Tony Qunta… Hi Kevin, Laurie wasn’t the original drummer. As well as Steve Demetris we had Mark Thirsk, who unfortunately also passed away some years ago at quite a young age. For the album we mostly have Roger Batting on drums and percussion, who I have played with a lot in various bands. There are also a couple of special guest drummers! (Spoiler alert! ).

Kevin White… thanks for the info, I like a bit of intrigue!! Look forward to hearing it

Steve Kinch… Always a good look, walking with folded arms Good times

Andy Qunta… & some of us with platform boots, big flares & giant mustaches!

Leigh Mitchell… Andy, spot on trend at the time

Jon McCallion… Remember it well, I printed the Head-On four-page leaflet for the band. I think I may well have some still now.

 

 

Stallion – Hastings Pier 1974 photo by Chris Meachen

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photo by Chris Meachen

Tony Bridger, Digger, Steve Demetri, Tich Turner, Steve Kinch.

John Wilde….great photo

Jon McCallion….Nice photo of my two friends, Steve D & Steve K.

Ian McGilvray…..Looking Good Tich And Tony

Digger… Strewth, was my hair really that long??? Drove those guys all over the country. Great times, fun times, mad times but wouldn’t change it for the world. So sorry to hear of the passing of Phil Gill. One of the good guys. Still with us in the music and our memories.

Head On plus Missing Persons – Queens Hotel 1st December 1979

supplied by Mick Mepham and Pete Prescott

featuring Pete Prescott, Andy Qunta, Tony Qunta, Steve Kinch and Mark Thirsk.

Pete Prescott… I remember this gig. I was very nervous. They were amazing players. Nice guys as well.

Andy Qunta… I vaguely remember it too! Pete did a great job! Unfortunately I think it was the last gig we did. Couldn’t fight punk rock with prog rock! Fun while it lasted though!

Tony Qunta… I remember it too. A line up with great potential!

Ernest Ballard… Great band saw them a few times before I started playing drums (wink wink ). Long time ago now

Pete Prescott… We played a gig at a boutique in London. After the gig I got really drunk on punch (dangerous stuff). We got back to Hastings in time for me to go to work. The green cross code man was there. Huge guy. That was (I think) the last gig. Mark was an amazing drummer. Brilliant players. I felt out of my depth. I remember loving Tony’ s voice on “only you”. I’ve still got a tape of songs like “the burning of Atlanta” it was great being in the band with guys like that. And they were so funny.

Steve Kinch… Yes Pete, absolutely agree, Mark was a fabulous drummer with a great sense of humour.

Tony Qunta… Great memory Pete! Yes the green cross code man – was he in Star Wars or something? Thank you for your lovely comments about the band. Your vocals were fantastic with the band – it’s a shame the band didn’t keep going!  ‘Dinosaur Promotions’!

Steve Kinch… David Prowse – He was only Darth Vader!!!!  Great times! Hastings in the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s was the pefect environment for young musicians learning their craft. With hindsight, the late 70’s wasn’t exactly a good time to be attempting to get a “prog” band off the ground

Andy Qunta… True, Steve, but it was fun trying! Listening to the old tapes makes me feel it was well worth it! Pretty darn good stuff!

Head On and Hat Trick – Hastings Pier 16th February 1979

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flyer supplied by Mick Mepham, poster supplied by Roger Carey, ad supplied by Sarah Harvey, photos by Chris Meachen, Hat Trick playlist Roger Carey.

Head On featured – Tony Qunta, Mark Thirsk, Steve Kinch and Andy Qunta and Hat Trick featured Barry French, Dave Shirley, Roger Carey and Dennis Wootton.

Andy Qunta….those pics do look like they could be from that gig! Can’t believe my moustache! That was a great night, as I recall! I especially like the travel arrangements at the bottom of The Hat Trick playlist.

Geoff Peckham… Thought that was the encore!

Steve Kinch….I can’t believe my hair!

Pete Prescott….you could pick up radio 4 on those haircuts.you didnt look like that when i was in the band.do you remember falling off the front of the stage at a gig andy ? when you told me the story i nealy wet myself ! over to you. . .

Sarah Harvey… One of those moments when I suddenly remembered playing in a gig! This time with Hat Trick supporting Head On! Doh! This is the set list for ‘Hat Trick’ when supporting ‘Head On’ at the Pier…. ‘The Rooter’ was a progressive rock song about derelict railway steam engines (Roger described it is an epic) …. would have appealed to Mr. Cooksie. Opening number ‘Maybe Now’.

Conan Howard… here’s to all you boys that never left Hastings in your lives.

Muller & Town Council – Executive Hotel Hastings.

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photo supplied by Jon McCallion. Hotel Ad from 1969.

Muller & The Town Council possibly? supplied by Jon McCallion. Anyone help on this one? Its definately Brian(Bear) glasses, Steve Kinch and Jon McCallion but not sure about the two guys in the middle.

Advert from 1972

Steve Kinch….”Just seen this on the SMART page – One of the earliest shots of me (2nd from left) playing guitar on stage, aged 14 or 15. You could probably count the number of gigs under my belt on the fingers of one hand . Pic courtesy of my old friend John McCallion, seen singing far right.”

Phil Gill….Three guys in the middle – I spot a bass player between Steve Kinch and the bloke with the white shirt and beard.

Steve Kinch….Well spotted Phil – looks like a Burns Nu-sonic bass – in which case, it’s probably Iain Cobby. The drummer’s left handed, so pretty certainly Steve D. No idea who the two chaps in the middle are.

Paul Dove… yes steve Ian replaced me when i formed 3 on ice with nigel dance & jed,,!!Dont know who the other two were !!

Pete Fisher….Iain Cobby  was in Black Ash, with me and Bernie Jeffery… 1970…my first band!

Tony Court-holmes….i was there

Chris Baker….The chubby chap is Pete (Bill) Willshire not sure of the others. Bill used to deliberately mispronounce his words a lot. Elvis Presley became Alfie Prescott, Dave Dee & Co became Dave Dee, Dozy, Sleazy, Dirty Bitch etc. Great fun to watch the audience doing double-takes.

Alan Esdaile…..Thinking back to some of the early local groups I saw, the most popular covers they played were ‘Hush’, ‘Knock On Wood’ and ‘Ride Your Pony’. Anyone remember any others?

Jon McCallion… Paul, 3 on ice was before Muller, you left to form Candy Stripe with Jed and Nigel Dance. Ian Cobby is in this photo behind the guy with open shirt and Steve D is definitely playing .

Iain Cobby… well spotted young Mr Gill & young Mr Kinch, ’twas me and the Burns.

Sparrow Baker… Very not the Town Council although Bear was in it. Iain Cobby was blond wasn’t he ?

Jon McCallion…Haven’t seen this in a while, great times. Yes definitely Iain Coby Steve D & Steve Kinch remember it so well at the Executive Club Wellington Square Hastings

 

Muller or maybe the beginnings of Effigy – Executive Hotel 1970’s

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Jon McCallion… Variations of this band but I think this was the first line up?
Iain Coby, Steve Demetri, Jon McCallion, Steve Kinch and Harry the manager. Photo taken at The Executive Hotel, Wellington Square

Steve Kinch….Wow! Thanks for posting this Alan, it’s a reminder of a time that I have very little memory of. Are you sure that this wasn’t the final days of Muller (I never liked that name) with Iain replacing Paul Dove on bass – I don’t recall ever being in Effigy. I think I was possibly still at school at this time, certainly hadn’t started to shave… unlike Steve D who was shaving at 6 months

Jon McCallion….Steve I have a few more pics like this. This was early Effigy I think, and like you i didn’t like the name Muller.

Yvonne Cleland….Can’t have been pleasant to think of your audiences as being Mullered.

Chris Baker….Blimey!  The “manager” bloke on the left was Harry Williams!  Brian (Bear) Williams’ Dad who used to manage The Town Council back in the day.  I never knew he went on to do anything else.  I do recall playing briefly with Steve D and Jon M for a few sessions.  Ian Cobby was a nice bloke too.  🙂

Mark Edir…..I worked the door a few times for student party’s at the executive around the 70’s

Sarah Harvey…..Harry Williams eventually ended up helping out at The Ore Zodiac Community Association, who managed Ore Centre and The Zodiac Centre at the time. Between him and me we arranged a number of fund-raiser discos and gigs, which culminated in the Ore Group Festival in the mid-1970s. Ore Centre was ok for gigs, but the Zodiac Centre in Priory Road (now knocked down and replaced by The Bridge Centre was just like the YMCA for acoustics….the sound bounced around the place like a pinball machine and was just a complete racket at times. Harry helped manage the Zodiac Centre since he lived just along the road in Priory Road itself.

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