Factory & Effigy – Clive Vale Annexe. Fri 7th May 1971 & YMCA review 13th August 1971

Supplied by Jon McCallion

Andy Qunta… Ah! Good times!

Phil Gill… I was there, probably with young Carey, Meachen and Shirley, as they labelled us at school. Sarah Harvey might have enjoyed the evening too.

Sarah Harvey…. I did indeed Phil and I had. completely forgotten about Effigy and to be honest cannot remember seeing them at all other than a vague memory that I didn’t think much of them. Factory as ever were THE band of Hastings at the time.

Chris Baker… Hah! Flight of the Rat was one of my “Flashy” solos! Those were the days! We only did a few gigs.

Phil Gill… As I recall Chris, you showed me how to play the pedal note riff from Flight of the Rat, one night at an Effigy rehearsal that Roger Carey and I attended. Was it School Road in Ore? Roger was buying Iain Cobby’s speaker cabinet and we came along to look at it.

Brigitte Lee… Where was Clive Vale Annex?

Chris Baker… Ha! Phil! My arthritic old fingers can’t play it so fast these days! Fun to so though. Still got that analog Park Fuzzbox too and the old Hofner!

Geoff Peckham… I remember we (Factory) were really impressed with Effigy. Didn’t they do a couple of other Deep Purple covers? Speed King, and Child in Time? According to Andy’s diary we played with them twice in 1971. May 7th at Priory Road School. Andy said that school gigs have been “…really great. This was no exception. Bit of trouble from old ladies and police about the noise but never mind. Effigy supported (or did we support them?) – not bad for their first gig.” The second was at the YMCA on August 13th. Andy mentions the awful acoustics and that “Effigy (with Tom) supported.” Could that have been the legendary Tom Jones? (The one from Stoke, not S. Wales!)

Phil Gill… And Steve’s drumming was *never* too loud. End of.

John Wilde…. Tom Jones, any info on his history or where he is now?

Geoff Peckham…. I got to know Tom in ’69 when his dad had an electrical shop in Western Rd, Bexhill. He told me stories about being in a pre-Black Sabbath band called Horny Moon (!) and other tales. He was a great character and raconteur. Like you, he had great stage presence – a great blues singer and harpist. He moved back to Stoke, and around 73-74 turned up at a Factory gig in NE Staffs University. I think he put us up for the night. Haven’t seen him since. Anyone else know anything? Be good to see you again sometime.

Alan Esdaile…yes it was School Road Ore where the rehearsals took place, in the old church hall which was full of antiques and clobber and the band squeezed somehow in the middle. I think their was a giant stuff bear but maybe wrong? Geoff Peckham date is correct as Friday 7th May 1971. Clive Vale Annex was part of Priory Road School and the gig took place at Clive Vale. Jon McCallion sung with Effigy at this gig and glad you remembered Tom Jones. I got a review somewhere which I will post on the YMCA gig shortly.

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Tom Jones and The Squires – Hastings Pier 24th April 1965

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Sheila Maile… Can we have him again?

Peter Fairless… It’s not unusual to be dropped suddenly by the BBC…

Jill Caine… More memories! Oh yes. He is another one I saw when working in the Pier bar! Happy days.

Yvonne Cleland… Wow! I didn’t know TJ played the pier!

Carol Ann Bolton… I remember seeing him on TV for the first time. He was a sensational singer but not my type. Too showbizzy.

Sally Evans… I was there and spoke to him afterwards, lovely man.

Colin Fox… We supported him at the Whitehall East Grinstaed in 1965. In fact we played there several times and I used to take one of the posters off the wall at the end of the evening. Unfortunately I threw them all away many years ago. We also supported the Kinks, P J Proby, the Searchers and many more that I can’t remeber at the moment.

Kay Lobb… I was too young to be allowed to see him then. I had to wait over 50 years to see him live in concert on the sands in Cornwall. Still got the voice. He was on stage for nearly two hours.

Eric Harmer… Kay, Two hours. !! Its not unusual

 

The Happy Ballroom, Tom Jones and more 24th April 1965 by Andre Martin

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Andre Palfrey-martin collection

What a great weekend we have just had with the Easter Bank Holidays, we will now have to wait another 6 weeks before anything like this again, remembering back The Happy Ballroom on Hastings Pier, 50 years ago. It is now Saturday 24th April 1965, and the mood has changed with the entertainments in the Ballroom, this is going to be one of those weekends that we see future stars appearing for us { ed that the benefit of my crystal ball ] Topping the bill this week is an up and coming welsh vocalist who has been wooing the ladies, called Tom Jones with his backing band The Squires. Well supported by a new local group the Saxtet 65.
Along the promenade, The Witch Doctor is maintaining a good 7 day a week provision of the best in current music and live entertainments, this week we kick off on Saturday with The Quiet Five and the Diamonds, both of which have appeared in the Happy Ballroom at some time. Sunday it was R&B Club –The Mike Cotton Sound. Friday is going to be a big night for the club with the Belfast group –DECCA Recording act – featuring Van Morrison – THEM making their first appearance. And what a night it was, the venue was packed and the temperature just rose, I am not sure that the air conditioning had not broken down, but a simple description would have been “ it was Hot, Damned Hot “ In support were Folkestone’s own The Lonely Ones. That was another good week for us all.
Our Friday ritual of Ready Steady Go, had kicked off the weekend, this week with Cathy and Keith we were entertained by – Cilla Black “Ive been wrong before” : Tom Jones “ Once Upon a Time” :John Mayalls Bluesbreakers : Moody Blues : and The Paramounts. Another good line up.
Over on the BBC – Radio was filling the airwaves with some good stuff – Saturday Club with Brian Matthews this week included The Kinks : The Seekers : The Ivy League : Rockin Berries : Keith Powell : Lulu & The Luvvers . Later in the day Saturday Swings with Betty Smith : Tony Knights Chessmen : Jerry Allen Trio and Ronnie Brewster. Bruce Wyndham, in the chair spinning the records. Brian Matthews was back with Top Gear – described in the Radio Times as “Express delivery of Pop Packages and Discs, this week featured Dionne Warwick : Bobby Vee : Zoot Money Roll Band and The Lady Birds.
Sunday it was Easy Beat in the morning, and on the show this week Tom Jones [ Oh! He made it back from Hastings alright !!] Julie Grant : The Countrymen : The Atlantics and new releases played by Keith Fordyce.
Television on Saturday had us watching Juke Box jury with David Jacobs, and his panel this week included Val Doonican, Judy Huxtable, Peter Murray, Julie Rogers. Over on ITV we had Brian Matthews and Thank Your Lucky Stars – on this week’s show – The Zombies, Freddie & The Dreamers, Herman’s Hermits, Lulu & The Luvvers and the Moonstones.
Other mentions from the BBC radio schedules for the week, that some might find of interest, Thursday 1.00pm The Beat Show featuring Zoot Moneys Roll Band. And on Friday at the same time the Joe Loss pop Show, with special guest artiste – Tom Jones.
It does seem that we are getting back to the old days in Hastings, with presenting tomorrows future stars and current chart groups – long may it live!
Just leaves me to say a Big Thank you to an old friend and fellow DJ Colin Bell – for getting me tickets last night (Sunday) for the Sixties Show at the Congress, Eastbourne. It was a great night, and topped by both P P Arnold and Chris Farlowe with their duet – “ Private Number “ and not forgetting Mike Pender of Searchers fame with his set, I reminded him earlier that night in the Bar about last weeks (1965) appearance in The Happy Ballroom, for the Carnival Queen Dance, he asked me – “Hastings ? Is that where the Ballroom is at the wrong end of the Pier” ?? – Spot on Mike.
Also, what a great Saturday with the AGM of the Pier Trust and the update as to where they are in the programme and what we can look forward to in the coming months and it gets nearer the official Opening in Easter 2016. Till next week – you all take great care with yourselves, and watch out for all the events for the May Day Celebrations.
Andre Palfrey-Martin © 2015