the hollies

Screaming Lord Sutch & support The Ravens – Hastings Pier 29th February 1964

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Andre Palfrey-Martin Collection

Mick O’Dowd… Always remember the track Jack The Ripper from when I worked at Iorio Dimascio’s( now the Italian Way) when I was still at school. They had a video juke box upstairs( the only one I ever saw) and it had this on it with accompanying film. The tag on the machine saying which track was which was removed because the management thought that it was too frightening for children. We used to play it when no one else was around. I’ve got a copy of this on standard 8 colour/sound film but unfortunately cannot play it anymore.

Peter Fairless… …and look who’s here next week!

Andre Martin…. Yes those were the days !!

Lloyd Johnson… Went to both of those gigs

Here’s the autograph copy that Clive Richardson got signed at The Granary Club in Rye in the 70’s

The Hollies & The Strangers Five – Hastings Pier 7th March 1964

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection. Ticket supplied by Pete Millington

Andre Martin….Here is something from 50 years ago – The Hollies playing the Happy Ballroom on 7th March 1964 + The Strangers Five, all for 6/-

Andy Qunta…. Would have loved to see that! Big Hollies fan, then & now!

Terry Pack….I played with Bobby Sansom’s band at The Top Rank Club in Brighton for six months in 1982/3. He was a great singer

Margaret Cullingworth… Along with friends I went to see The Hollies on Hastings Pier that night. There I met for the first time the nice young man I was destined to marry. ‘Just One Look’ is definitely on the play list for our Golden Wedding anniversary party next month as that is all it took!

Peter Millington… I was there, the sound of Eric Haydock’s Fender VI through a Fender Bassman 2×12 Piggy Back Amp was stunning, never got over that and the harmonies. The drummer for that visit was Don Rathbone who left shortly after this gig and was repalced by Bobby Elliott.

Margaret Cullingworth…My husband and I go to Hollies concerts whenever they are in our area. We went to Eastbourne and Brighton on the last tour. I was pleased to know the name of the support group, The Strangers Five. I wonder if any of them went on to find fame!

Andre Martin…. The Strangers Five, were from Southampton and appeared regularly on the Pier over the years – here is a quote from their website Sometime after that, we formed the “Five Strangers”. The band comprised of me, ‘Fred Funnel’, Brian Fisher, Roy Bridle and Bill Yaldren. We did some great gigs at that time. I remember ‘The Candlelight Club’ at Woolston, and the ‘Empire Hall’ at Totton. One of the best was the Saturday morning “Gaumont Show”. Quite a few of the local bands did the show and it was just fantastic…To be 17 years old and playing on a big, real theatre stage with an audience of several hundreds screaming for more at the end of each song did make us ‘Feel Good’. Sometimes there would be 2 groups on and sometimes they might have us, plus a guest singer, such as ‘Tex Roberg’. Well….. It was just wonderful.  This group later changed their name to Wishful Thinking.

Peter Millington…Saw The Hollies twice – life was never the same after that….Yes it was 1964 although The Hollies came to Hastings Pier on 24th August 1963. Seeing them for the second time in 1964 made me appreciate just how good they were. The first time I just glazed over in amazement at the precision high harmonies. They seemed to be better than their records although live performances give you a “feel” particularly with Eric Haydock pounding out his speedy bass lines with a Fender VI through a Fender amp. There was a time in 1963/4 where all the big names were using kit that we could only see on TV or in brochures. Getting any gear locally was impossible. Eventually we (The Confederates) managed to get a full line-up of Vox gear and a shiny set of Premier drums by going up to the Vox factory and Musicland in Bexleyheath. We came back with the mother of all HP debts. Well you got to haven’t you. To quote a local musician who shall remain nameless “Well that’s showbusiness Dad”

Jon McCallion… I still print the Hollies progs every year when they are on tour. Still a good band, saw them two years ago, fantastic. They are still big in New Zealand.

Andy Qunta… Big on my iPod too!

Mick Knights… At the Crosby and Nash concert at the Albert Hall a couple of years ago, Alan Clark made a guest appearance and sang ‘Bus Stop’ to probably the loudest applause of the whole evening.

Gerry Forsch… Is this the night that the Hollies had a crash in Robertsbridge?

Lloyd Johnson… i was at this gig!..great group!…

Helena Kingshott… I remember that night x

Lloyd Johnson… fun wasn’t it!….rocks in the tree tops all night long! Rockin Robin! tweet! tweet! twiddly deeee!..

 

The Hollies – Hastings Pier 12th January 1964

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photo source: Billboard Magazine ad 1964

Terry Haddon… Those were the days ,great band.

Andy Qunta… Love those Hollies!

Gerry Fortsch…I think this may have been the night that they had a crash on the A21 at Robertsbridge?

Susan Duck… I was there, got their autograph. Graham Nash and Tony Hick’s autograph below. Did have all the others but these are the only two I could find

supplied by Susan Duck

The Happy Ballroom and more Christmas 1965 – Part 1 by Andre Martin

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Christmas 1965 Part 1
Fifty years ago it was Christmas December 1965, and like this year it is spread over more than just the usual 2 days. We see action again in the Happy Ballroom – Hastings Pier, with the first visit to the venue of The Who – in the forthcoming new book on the History of the Pier I have included this about that night –
“I remember Christmas Eve in1965 was the first visit to the Happy Ballroom of the Who. The show was coming to the end, and the boys had played their last number, but, as we all know, this was planned and they would return to give a final encore. Mr Knights sensed that Pete Townsend was just about to go into his guitar-and-amp-wrecking routine, and everybody was very hyped-up by this point. In a flash Bob is on stage, he grabs the microphone from Roger Daltry and says – “Oh look at the time, it’s almost midnight and we have to be out by then. Can I have the curtains closed please, and many thanks to tonight’s group, the Who, and to all you boys and girls out there in the ballroom. Go quietly, and take care as the deck is a little slippery with the frost, and have a good Christmas” The Who were dumb struck, but just did as they were told, as did all the youngsters in the ballroom. Truly we all knew who was in control, but that was his way of ensuring a peaceful end to what had been a successful evening”
The Witch Doctor on Christmas Eve hand put together a show with a local attraction, top of the Bill were Curtiss & Co, featuring the first professional debut from ex Talismen Chris Sayer, also on the show an up and coming act from the same stable as The Rolling Stones and to complete the show – Hastings own The Humperdinks. Prizes, Hats, Streamers and their own Father Christmas. All of this for 9/- and a late bar to 12.30am
In true keeping with Friday Nights Television “Ready Steady Go” had put together a real bumper show it was a Pantomime! The cast included – Storyteller- Cilla Black: Cindrella – Cathy McGowen: Pete Townsend – Wicked Grandmother: Peter Noone [Herman] The Prince : The Kinks – The Ugly Sisters :Hilton Valentine [Animals] Ugly Sister : Eric Burdon – Ugly Grandmother : Graham Nash & Bobby Elliot [Hollies] Pantomime Horse. The music was provided by a whole range of names from the time including The Who, The Animals, Chris Farlowe, Herman’s Hermits, The Hollies, The Kinks, DDDBMT, Denovan, Spencer Davis Group, Paul Jones & Alan Price.
Radio that Friday Night included on The Light Programme 12.00 Top Ten Game with David Gell, 1.00pm The Joe Loss pop Show featuring Brian Poole & The Trems, The Roving Kind. 2.00pm Swing Around Christmas with Paul Hollingdale and The Seekers, Billy J Kramer, Gerry & The Pacemakers and others. The Pirate stations were going well beaming 23 hours a day with a good mix of the current and previous hits from the year
Television had changed their usual schedules and included – BBC TV 1 – 5.00pm CrackerJack, 6.30pm Film “Son of Paleface”. 8.00pm The Julie Andrews Show with guest Gene Kelly, 10.00 Christmas Carols from Kings College Chapel Cambridge. 12mn – Mass from Leeds St Anne’s Catholic Cathedral. BBC 2 offered 8.00pm The Bruce Fordyce Show and 10.00 Film “Going My Way”.
Over on ITV the offerings included – 2.00pm Pickwick Papers, 4.20pm Crossroads, 5.25 Anton Ant, 6.00pm The Curcus Comes to Town, 7.00pm Take Your Pick, 7.30pm Emergency Ward 10. 8.00pm The Ready Steady Go Pantomine and 10.00pm Film “Peyton Place”
The Christmas Holiday had started well in the town for old and young alike, and there would be more for us to appreciate over the coming days. The weather was slightly warmer than average for the time of the year, but by Christmas the temperatures fell and night became cold and dry.
To be continued…………………….  Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2015

The Hollies 50 At Fifty – 3 disc collection.

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Three-Disc Collection Celebrates The 50-Year Anniversary Of The Band’s Debut Album With 50 Tracks Spanning The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer’s Extensive Career. Includes All The Hits, Live Cuts, And One Newly Recorded Song.

http://www.hollies.co.uk/CD_50AT50_press_release

Will Cornell…  have a 3 disc set (48 cuts though) already, but it lacks “King Midas. This one lacks “Long Dark Road”. Ahhhhhhhhhhh why can’t they appoint me dictator to figure the track listings on these things?