Questions, Questions

Here are some things which came up on the first day of the Conference (see below) – please use the Comments and let me know what you think

1. Did you ever see the Beatles in Pompey? They played here three times. Which did you see? Specifically, how was the audience? Did they scream? Did they scream at specific points?

2. Does anyone remember being in a band which was not getting on, splitting up, changing personnel? How did that feel? What happened? (you don’t have to name names)

3. These days many fans at live gigs send ‘tweets’ and stuff like that to other fans. We couldn’t do that back then but did we do any communicating (after the gig?)?

4. Do you think that “new/original” music is “superior” to versions/covers?

Tell me anything – I’ll let Edinburgh know what Pompey thinks.

 

“Sixty Quid Mush”

‘Cult’ Album – I’ve been looking more on Popsike and there are various prices quoted for most items but recently this was around the £50/£60 mark. Sadly nothing for Frank Kelly & the Hunters or Jon Isherwood (maybe too rare?) but most other local acts who recorded seem to be there. An act like Manfred Mann that sold loads of copies is usually cheaper (eg their first album around £25/£30) simply because there’s more of them around.

I’m also intrigued by genre classifications. This Aubrey Small album gets described as “psych/prog/folk”, Harlem Speakeasy’s single is generally flipped these days and the B Side that we wrote is called “pop-psych” and Heaven’s album Brass Rock as “hard prog/psych”. I guess it does at least support my view that psychedelia was bigger around Pompey than some other places in Britain – for at least a short while at the end of the sixties. Coconut Mushroom recently had a couple of tracks on a British psychedelic reissue CD and Mick and I are talking to a nice man in Nottingham about a couple of tracks by Heaven (Mk1) and Rosemary ….

Where am I?

Jimmy the Mook got it – I’m in Edinburgh for a conference on Popular Music at the University. On Saturday morning I’m giving a paper to all the learned scholars about Pompey Pop. The presentation will be mainly images on Powerpoint but if anyone is interested I’ll email you a copy of the accompanying published paper. The conference is part of a major funded project dealing specifically with LIVE music.

Today while wandering past the Scottish parliament building (above) I found those ‘concrete’ poems. Five minutes later I came across a fine used record store “Unknown Pleasures” (www.vinylnet.co.uk). Had a nice conversation with the guy there who showed me a site at http://www.popsike.com/ where you can check latest values of records. Have a look at some of our locals (Heaven, Simon Dupree, Cherry Smash, Harlem Speakeasy etc). I bought some EPs – Little Walter, Paul Jones (“Privilege” soundtrack), “Some People” soundtrack and the Misunderstood.

I was regretting the rain here after the fabulous recent weather in Pompey but I understand Hampshire’s (friendly) cricket season due to start today at the Rose Bowl was virtually rained off, so maybe you’ve had it too?

Delightful ideas

I don’t generally cross Fratton Bridge or travel southwards beyond the seafront but today I’ve been elsewhere and I found a building decorated with poetry and ideas – this was my favourite.

Where was it? More news will follow

PS Ref Peter’s lovely comment about the Sunday post. Well Dave and I are now three times the age we were when that photo was taken and the good news is that our waistlines have not increased by any similar proportion. That’s all I’m saying!

 

 

Do You Believe in Magic?

I love this photo – encapsulates so much of the magic of it all. It’s from Trevor Jones (enjoying the cuppa) with his mates at John Pounds Youth Club around 1960 – and a young man who’s mastered barre chords (plus Malcolm and Nigel)

PS thanks to Trevor and Rod for comments below

Mick wants to know ….

(Cooper that is): “Dave – Can you ask your readers if they have any memories of The REDMAN SET. A very busy function band at one time, apparently from Paulsgrove. But where are they now? Who were they?
Also, TRUFFLE. John Bedford says they ran two bands. “Truffle” the rock band, and the MAFIA who did covers and often played at the Salutation on Mondays nights.

My own lasting memory was their manager, the drummer’s 5ft tall  mother, who swore WORSE than a trooper! What ever happened to them?”

 

Graham Bowden RIP

I’m very sorry to report that Graham Bowden (far right above) drummer in the Sons of Man has died. There will be a Memorial Service for him this Wednesday 30th at 12 noon, at Stubbington Avenue Church, North End

Sunday Fun

I love this evening when the clocks have gone forward – especially when the weather’s fine too. I’m just back from a delightful afternoon at the Cellars (Eastney) where this afternoon’s Steve Hampton Jam Session included a birthday party for Mick Eveleigh (see below). A bunch of us revisited the past with Mick singing, Steve H (guitar) and former Strawboys/Reds Dave Pittard (drums) Nick Evans (guitar) and me on harmonica. It’s always special for me playing with Dave Pittard (in excellent form) because it takes me back to the days of Rosemary in 1969/70 – they will be forever magical for me. I apologise for turning my back but above are the two Daves at the Art College 1969.

PS (Monday morning) and today it’s Happy Birthday to Dave P!

Record Sale

I know someone who is selling a private RECORD (not CD etc) collection – quite a bit of 60s stuff there. She’s checked values against popsike.com.

If you are interested in a list and contact email, please contact me first: dave.allen@port.ac.uk

I’ll let you have the info

Happy Birthday Mick

The Storms were a 60s Pompey band who did the Hamburg clubs. Centre (front) is Mick Eveleigh – we played together through the 1980s in Steel Mill, the Reds and Notorious Strawboys – Mick, born under the sign of Aries is about to reach one of those big birthdays. Happy Birthday mate and enjoy the pension!