supplied by Jon McCallion
Jon McCallion, Steve Demetri, Paul Dove & Steve Kinch.
steve kinch
Stallion – Hastings Pier – Malcolm Jones photo Hastings News 1975
Pete Houghton… Great photo
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!
Muller & Town Council – Executive Hotel Hastings.
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
Bewildered 1988
supplied by Garry King
Garry King… So, its Dave Blackman and Paul ‘Tommy’ Thomas (Teen Beats) Grant Young on bass (Steve Kinch played on Angeline). We recorded at Pilot Sound with Clive Drew-Clifton as did so many other bands and that was where I was able to get involved with Jeff Beck which, was amazing thanks to Clive. Short story on Bewildered, as you may have known back then I was in ‘Tiah Teek’ from Bexhill who I’m still in touch with. I then joined a band with James Bell from ‘The Breathers’ and we moved to London as one did! for a while but sadly the band just fizzled out even though we were working with ‘Peer Southern Music’ in the then famous Denmark Street. I moved back to Hastings and was shopping with my girlfriend in what was then Sainsburys in when Tommy who I had never met before came up to me and asked me if I wanted to do some songs with him and Dave, Absolutely!! Very quickly we rehearsed some songs with Steve Kinch on bass (great bass player) and entered the ‘Battle of the Bands’ at the Crypt with a bunch of new much younger cooler would-be superstars. After the show I went home only to woken at 2 in the morning by Dave and Tommy with a bottle of bubbly ‘WE WON !! So, after that we decided to make it into a band and do some shows, Steve had a big schedule with Manfred Mann and The Rubbettes at the time so we found Grant and off we went, I think we also had some involvement with Andy Cunningham at the time going up to London . I have actually been out of the UK now since 1998 when I moved to the States for music and now, I’m living in France for the last 16 years, was really saddened to hear about Dave but that’s the way he would have wanted to go and boy did he have a great sense of humour. Bewildered along with so many where one of those bands that helped me on the way to doing music and for a profession. Anyway, I think I have some other stuff that you might like with Pete Prescott as I mentioned so Ill see what I can sort out with that. All the best for now, my regards to all. http://www.garrykingmic.com
Grant Young… I played bass on the winning of the battle of the bands at The Crypt. Not my good friend Steve Kinch, I had to step in last minute as SK couldn’t make it. X
Paul Thomas… Wow, I haven’t listened to these songs in years! I was definitely channelling Fleetwood Mac when I wrote the coda to Julia, dreams unwind, loves a state of mind………. hey Gary hope you’re well. Tom
Dave Nattress… Interesting story, thanks for posting this.
Garry King… It was great to listen to these songs again and get them over to you guys. Hastings and the South Coast had so many talented musicians, bands and artists and I am sure still have. Without these people back in the day I would not be able to do what I do now. Thanks to all
Ken Copsey… I don’t know you could ever use the term ‘unknown’ in reference to Dave Blackman. In any situation, right back to school days his presence always made itself very much evident in any situation! Still wish he was with us so much but lovely to hear him again putting his heart and soul into doing what he loved the most.
Garry King… Tom, all good mate, hope you are well, great memories brother and helped me keep doing what we do. Grant, that’s right mate, shit forgot that you did the Crypt ohhhhps been a while I know but still great mems. Hope you are well
Stallion – introducing the band 1974 & Stallion poster 6th November 1973.
supplied by Mick Mepham
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 and Hat Trick – Hastings Pier 16th February 1979
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.
Tich Turner’s Escalator in the bus shelter! Early 80’s.
supplied by Rick Pentecost
Steve Demetri, Steve Kinch, Rick Pentecost, Paul Thomas, Tich Turner, Andy Caine
Rick Pentecost… I think this was in the bus shelter, outside The Chatsworth.
Angela Frances Gardner… Great picture
Heather Sidery… Good to see!
Alan Esdaile… What a wonderful photo. Happy times.
Tich Turner… Good Lord Rick! I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen this photo before. Alan sent it to me. Thanks Alan. What a great photo. Hope you and yours are well Rick, and what handsome chaps we were! [Still are, of course].
Jacquie Hinves… Tich, you look so young. Great days.
Tich Turner… That’s because I was!
Glenn Piper… yes, you were
Liane Carroll… These wonderful Hastings Dudes!!!
Nicola Dobson… I knew Steve Demetri…
Andy Qunta… Great photo! Good times!
Jo Turner… Great picture
Alamo Leal… Great band!
Tony Court-holmes… bloody hell all so young
Mike Waghorne… Tich looks younger there than he did when I knew him at colledge in the early 70’s
Pete Houghton… Great photo and what great day’s
Stallion – photos by Chris Meachen
Steve Kinch, Tich Turner, Steve Demetri, Vic Bridger
Harry Randall… Tony played lead guitar along with me in “Footloose” and “Slack Alice” still miss him!
Ernest Ballard… Slack Alice. With Paul Bourner on drums and Sedgefield on vocals. Great band
Gerry Fortsch… Brings back some great memories seeing my old mate Tony.
Harry Randall… Still bump into Brian on dog walks!
Tony Court-holmes… that does make me feel old
Glenn Piper… First band I roadied for
Alamo Leal… Tich?? I didn’t know he played the flute! I happen to know that he stepped in for John Wilde at one point, for the fact the John went down to Portugal to meet up with me in the Algarve, in 77.
Conan Howard… It was Pete Finberg that played guitar with Slack Alice when I knew them ,in the 70s
Harry Randall… Could be the other Slack Alice there was another band with same name!