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Monthly Archives: October 2012


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Clarence Pier Extra

 

From Mr LT – picture and memories:

Clarence Pier c.1914  [built around 1860 – 61] in response to the fantastic Picture Mick C. sent you. I love the fact that it boasts the only circular ballroom on the South Coast, and to see it from the inside in all its 1930’s splendour is wonderful – look what we got stuck with, and that applies to the ever more decrepit South Parade Pier [that’s another story though].

There’s another thousand stories surrounding Kimbells [both of them] as well. Great pics from Mick, where does he get them from? The one thing I regret is that I never saw Manfred Mann at the Corner House, I believe they had a residency of sorts, which coincided with us [Barry And The Zodiaks] playing in The Golden Fleece just up the road apiece, on the opposite side – I always thought it was on a Thursday evening, but in any case we did Thursday, Friday and Saturday so it wouldn’t have made much difference.

The grand sum of £3 per night – £9 for the three days BETWEEN US was paid, I suppose when you think a curry was about 3/- it wasn’t too bad, plus in their kindness they did give us drinks and would also let us off playing, if we had gigs at Kimbells or The Savoy.

PS: Mr T’s Italian cousin Leonardo sent me a nice link to the TV Show “Playboy After Dark”. There is a fabulous interview with a guy who looks like a ‘B’ Movie James Bond and Jerry Garcia in a multi-coloured poncho. The Dead then play the truly magical “Mountains of the Moon” with Tom Contanten on keyboards (ie post-Pigpen). In case you’ve not noticed before I am an utterly unconditional Dead-Head … (P A Dark also features other 60s acts)

 


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Good Rockin’ this Weekend

Friday: Nothin’ Yet at the Fountain in Rowlands Castle (Free pub gig)

Saturday: Grandpa Banana, Krystyna Jankowska & Five Rod Plot at Milton Village Hall, 7.30-11 (Free but with Collection)

Saturday: The Dolphins in Petersfield (free pub gig, can’t recall where)

Sunday: JR announces:

This Sunday – November 4th – at The NBESCA Club, (a.k.a The Dockyard Club) come and get down to some hot vintage swing and jive with a dash of early rock ‘n’ roll  with a twist of groovy funk, with GOOSEBUMPS!!!! This brilliant five piece band from Kent are well worth seeing, and we’re hoping to recreate that great Sunday evening party scene we’ve had before at Bullfrog events at the Dockyard Club. To help you along, great bar prices – as usual!


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Updating Rogue Star/Heaven

In case these recent comments on posts long past were missed:

From Steve Woodhead one-time vocalist with Rogue Star and later soul singer about town – I hope he sees this as he’ll have the Sheffield Steel Blues today. He tells us the band’s line-up was

Pete Ellul, Guitar; Greg Read, Guitar; Paul Nayler, drums; John Chorley, bass and me (vocals).

And from Tony Webb – I’m pretty sure this is about Heaven Mk 2. Interesting comment about Mr Farr as he gets similar treatment in the Action Book 

Heaven was without doubt, one of my all time favorite bands of the early 70s. A group of my friends, as well as other apprentices from Vospers, would make a regular pilgrimage to the Botley Dolphin to see the band.
Ray King’s sax solos were dynamite, but we appreciated the whole Heaven ‘package’. Where is everyone now? I think I used to work with Terry’s dad at Harland’s. Time has not lessened the scorn for Rick Farr. We all blamed him for the demise of our favorite band. Luckily, Brass Rock One is still available.


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Free Gigs

Friday: “Nothin’ Yet” at The Fountain Rowlands Castle (from Alan Christmas)

Saturday: Milton Village Hall second acoustic night starring Grandpa Banana (ex Youngbloods). More info to follow

Here’s Mr Banana singing Richard Thompson’s lovely motorbike song

 

 


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Happy Anniversary

 

On this day (29 October) in 1959, Ronnie Scott and Pete King opened their first ‘Ronnie Scott’s Club’. Ronnie died some years ago and is remembered fondly for the clubs and his daft MC jokes but he was a good player too and his (auto)biographies are a fascinating insight into the world of professional music in Britain in the 1940s/50s and the struggle to establish an audience for modern jazz in Britain.

Ronnie:

“I remember one town where the seagulls used to fly upside down. Nothing worth shitting on. One woman up there had triplets and her husband spent six months looking for the other two blokes”

“I’m not a Jew. Just Jewish. And Jewish people have very strong bonds of affection for each other but my uncle Ruben and his wife were constantly at each others’ throats. I remember my aunt saying to Ruben after a particularly violent argument, “What would you do if you came home from work one day and found me in bed with another man?” And my uncle said “I’d kick his guide dog”.

(Ronnie Scott, 2004 Some of My Best Friends are Blues, Northway Publications)


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March, Don’t Run

This is a delight – from Ikie – and I seem to remember from Pete USA (now we know why he’s Pete ‘Wight’) although I think I forgot to add Pete’s posting (apologies Pete)

“Very different…a rock band from the 50s and 60s and their original 17 year old drummer who left after eight months and went into the Air Force…. He’s now a four star General and came back to play with them again, in uniform. Click link below:”