Mick’s Quiztime

Mick found this on Facebook, accompanied by these questions:

a) Where is this?

b) What is going on?

c) What year was this?

It may be a hint to some of you that I knew (a) right away because I spent many happy evenings there over some decades. Many of you may have frequented it regularly in the 1960s.

In addition, I was pretty sure about (b) and guessed approximately at (c) from general appearances and ages and more particularly from the figure of the big guy standing to the right of the door frame. He was a Pompey character on a particular local music scene and died earlier this year. Lots of blokes but  I think JR and I know the dark haired, seated woman under the door frame … is it her?

On the Radio

We had a summer break but the ‘arty’ radio talk show I participate in is back tonight, 7pm on Express FM. It includes a chat about the Guildhall exhibition and my enthusiastic recommendation of the Paolozzi show at the Pallant Gallery in Chichester – it’s only on for a couple more weeks but if you like that kind of thing (Oscar? Mr Mook? …) it’s a very comprehensive show with some exciting stuff in it.

http://www.pallant.org.uk/

Book Fest & “Pompey Pop Pix”

The Portsmouth Book Fest 2013 starts on Saturday 19 October. There are brochures all over town – most obviously in the libraries and a website at

http://www.portsmouthbookfest.co.uk

The Box Office is 023 9268 8037

(and that info comes with a special apology to ‘Boyfriend’ Paul who emailed me and got no reply – sorry Paul)

I’m doing a Pompey Pop talk at the Eastney Cellars on 23 October – I hope it will be fairly informal with lots of chances to share memories and ideas. The tickets are £4 although I hasten to add this is not to cover my huge appearance fee!. I shall have with me the very last box of Pompey Pop Pix – 24 in a box and I’ve got a couple more loose, apart from which they have all gone I think (there may be a couple in Blackwell’s/Southsea Gallery). They will be £10 on the night.

To have sold out in less than two years is great and a chunk of the money made went towards the Guildhall display so the timing was perfect. The Pompey Pop account also pays the annual fee for the website (which does need updating) and other bits & pieces so my thanks for all the support. As I have always said we won’t reprint it, so soon it’ll be a good time to start sticking them on Ebay – especially the unsigned ones!!

Tommy – can you hear me?

2014 will be the 40th anniversary of the filming of Tommy in Pompey and Mick tells us

“The local am dram company called CCADS (Corpus Christri Am Dram Soc) are putting on a live show of “Tommy” at the Kings. Not sure of the dates, probably sometime in the spring, but it will be good. Last year they did “War of the Worlds” at the Kings and I saw it every night!”

Carolyn Cassady RIP

 

The lady behind Jack Kerouac and her husband Neal Cassady (“Dean Moriarty” in On the Road). She lived in England in later life and died last week. Her memoir of that life is Off the Road (pub 1990)

On the shelf – Soul Society

 

Mark II I think (?) but still quite early days

Phil tells us:

“Fantastic pics from Stewart Ward,(found in his attic apparently)….long gone pub in Kingston Crescent I am told…..Buggered if I can remember…… John Davis / Stewart Ward / Mick Cooper / Kenny Hill (on the fireplace) / Graham Parker / Doug Chalmers (he who drove a Renault Dauphine)…oh and me and me Selmer…….                                                 Those days are gone forever……….or are they???”

Well I am wondering whether they are Phil, talking of you and your Selmer and a recent purchase …

A Taster

for Monday morning

Information Day (6) Winchester

This from Mick. The gig lists include some Pompey area groups (Classics, Four-tunes etc)

http://razrazzle.wordpress.com/

http://razrazzle.wordpress.com/winchester-lido-gig-list-1963-64/

Information Day (5) Pompey’s future

Nope, nothing to do with York, this came in from the Museum guys

“Please excuse this ’round robin’  but these are very serious times for culture in Portsmouth and we are writing to all our contacts who are Portsmouth residents to ask you to complete a survey with your views for spending cuts coming up soon….

Are you are a Portsmouth resident who values the city’s museums, libraries and archives?

Portsmouth City Council is seeking residents’ views on council spending. We appreciate that museums, libraries and archives (and culture in general) might not be at the top of your list for continuing council support. However if you value the services we provide and would like to see them protected, now would be a good time to say so. You can respond via the attached link, or through the survey in the latest “Flagship” magazine.

The deadline for responses is Tuesday 1 October. Thank you for your support and would appreciate you sending this on to any of your contacts who might like to contribute.

http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/yourcouncil/30458.html

PS: ‘Secret Egypt’ a new free temporary exhibition opens on 5 October. Come and see Namenkhatamun a real Egyptian mummy in residence at Portsmouth City Museum until 23 February 2014.

Information Day (4) Help wanted

This came in a couple of days ago (Sunday is ‘catching up’ day for me)

“Hi, i have been looking through your website because i googled Jimmie Brown sound and a poster came up where they supported The Who in the 60’s (at the Birdcage). My dad was in the Jimmie Brown Sound and he passed away a few days ago. I was wondering if you had any photos of the band or other posters? My dad is David Witham.
Thanks, look forward to hearing from you – Tracy Witham”

Can anyone help?