Portsmouth Music Scene


The Portsmouth Music Scene
The Personal Histories

M to R

DAVE MARSH

1975/6 "LABYRINTH!!"
Dave Marsh drums, Steve Hampton (yes the real one!), Terry Allen guitars, Les Ayling bass.

1983/84 "BURLESQUE"
John Barker guitar, Clive Trimby vox, Dave marsh drums, Phil Roberts (affectionally known as long ugly!!) bass, Heather Trimby and dawn backing vox.

1984/85 "UNION STREET"
Clive Trimby vox, Dave Marsh drums, Heather Trimby backing vox, Dawn Trimby backing vox, Phil Roberts (affectionally known as long ugly!!) bass, Ray Cross guitar, Ray left and was replaced with Trevor Pape, Steve Williams guitar.

jazz prog band "AUTUMN"
Mark Easton guitar, Jeremy Tranter bass, Dave Marsh drums and percussion, William (BILL) Swadling keyboards...may have been others too.

"DESPERATE BICYCLES" with doug keating drums?

"THE GROWN UPS"
Derek Joyce bass, Dave Marsh drums, keith Whymark vox Richie Eason guitar John (Boy Wally) Walton guitar.

"THE SPORTING LIFE" and consisted of Rob Atwood vox/guitar, John Barker vox/lead guitar, Derek Joyce bass/vox, Dave Marsh drums.

"SPITTIN IMAGE" Dave Marsh drums, John Barker guitar,Derek Joyce bass, Graham Phillips vox.

"COUP D'ETA" ???

2014 "THE PUNK PIRATES"

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David Mussell

List of groups (as far as he can recall) as follows:-
smiling hard

Rising Sons (Youth Club group) - ? Dec 1964 - Dave Mussell, Jim Phillips
Barry and the Strollers –1965-66 -
David Mussell, Dave Gladding, Barry Fowler, Barry Gladding, Barry Shute + Bernie Morley (later)
Scheme – 1967-68 – Dave Mussell, Alf Pink, Steve Stephenson, Terry Bragg
Tayles – 1969-ish – Keith Shilcock, Graham Thompson, Pete Gurd, Dave Mussell
Whiskey River - ? 1969-ish – Dave Mussell, Pete Bugg, Bernie Fox, Denny Barnes, Rick Buckingham
Mirkwood - ?1969-ish – Pete Bugg, Dave Mussell, Rick Buckingham
Generation – 1970-71 Steve Farrow, Roger Tice, Phil Briggs, David Mussell
Thumper – 1971-73 Roy Slyfield, Alan Medland, Phil Briggs, Dave Mussell
Room Service – 1982-1984 Dave Mussell, Alan Harwood, Mick Staples, Keith Durant, Steve Poingdestre
Lifestyle- 1985-86 Dave Mussell, Alan Harwood, Mick Staples, Keith Durant, Steve Poingdestre
Clubland – 1986-87 * Keith Durant, Mick Townend, Steve Thacker, Dave Mussell
Movies – 1987-1990 * Keith Durant, Mick Townend, David Mussell, Steve Thacker
Alphabet – 1990 to present date * Mick Townend, Keith Durant, Steve Thacker, David Mussell
*The last three listed have the same band members – just a change of name!!
The first Clubland gig was 14 June 1986, so we recently celebrated 25 years together with the same line-up!
Alphabet July2006 - Steve Thacker, Keith Durant, Mick Townend, David Mussell
*The last three listed have the same band members – just a change of name!!
The first Clubland gig was 14 June 1986, so we recently celebrated 33 years together with the same line-up!
Big Band Theory (BBT) – 2012-2013 – David Griffin, Phil Briggs, John McLeod, Dave Mussell, Richard Poate/Keith Shilcock/Dave Hardiman, Steven Spilsbury/Neal/”G”
Vince Is Back – 2014-2017– Tony Sullivan, Chas Old, Ray Lucking, Dave Mussell
Class of 69 – Sept 2016-April 2017 - Phil Freeman, Keith Shilcock, Keith Durant, Martin Gritt, Steve Webster, Dave Mussell
Mokus – April 2017 to present date - Chas Old, Ray Lucking, Dave Mussell, Keith Shilcock, Dave Cairns (replaced by Terry Threadingham)

I have an old 1966 diary which lists many of the gigs we played as “Barry and The Strollers”:-
05 January – Windmill Club, Selsey - £12/12/-
17 February – HMS Dryad, Southwick - £12/10/- 8-11pm
18 February – Sinah Warren – Presidents Dinner/Dance (with Dean Maddison) £20 – 2 x 30min spots
04 March – Manor Court Youth Club - £7/10/- (filled-in at the last moment for The Klimaks)
05 March - Fratton Youth Club Dance (Church) - £12/10/-
11 March – Windmill Club again - £15/15/-
12 March – Leigh Park Bowling Alley (Excell) - £12/12/-
18 March - Barnham Hotel, Barnham – Lifeboat Dinner/Dance for Sir John Power - £20/-/-
21 & 23 March – “Practice”
29 March – Whaley Club, HMS Excellent - £11/-/-
01 April – Clarence Pier – Southsea Rowing Club Dinner/Dance £8/-/- (2 x 20min spots)
04 & 06 April – “Practice”
16 April – Leigh Park Bowling Alley - £12/12/-
23 April – Drayton Methodist Youth Club Dance - £10/-/-
24 April – Leigh Park Bowling Alley – Competition “Barry & Strollers v St Louis Checks” and “Teapots v Sons of Man”
27 & 28 April – “Practice”
01 May – Leigh Park Bowling Alley 3-4pm - £5 + free game of bowls
02, 04, 05 May – Practice
06 May – Clarence Pier Dinner Dance Dockyard Football Club £12/10/- 2 x 30min spots (ex Teapots booking, given by Doreen Parsons)
08 May – afternoon: Leigh Park Bowling Alley £5/-/-
Evening: “Pop Inn”, Brighton - £10/-/-
13 May – Curzon Rooms, Waterlooville – Leigh Construction Dance £12/12/-
19 May – RN Haslar Gosport £12/12/-
21 May – Leigh Park Bowling Alley £14/14/-
22 May – Leigh Park Bowling Alley 3-4pm £5/-/-
26 May – Central Ballroom, Aldershot £10/10/-
27 May – Kimbells Southsea – Portsmouth Football Association £12/12/-
28 May – St Francis Church Youth Club - £12/12/- + Bowling Alley later
29 May – Pop Inn, Brighton £12/10/-
30 May – Pop Inn Brighton - £12/10/-
04 June – Pop Inn, Golders Green London - £15/15/-
10 June – Manor Court Youth Club - £12/-/-
11 June – Pop Inn, Brighton - £12/-/-
17 June – Top Hat, Littlehampton - £13/13/-
18 June – Jeffrey Hall, Southbourne - £14/14/-
23 & 24 June – Pop Inn, Brighton - £21/-/-
25 June – afternoon: Excel Alley, Bitterne £5/-/- (1 hr)
Evening: Westbourne Barbecue - £15/15/-
30 June – Haslar Club, Gosport - £12/12/-
02 July – St Faith’s Youth Club, Fratton - £12/12/-
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and that’s just the first six months of the year!! Looks like we were kept pretty busy.
The fees were the total for the group, not per individual member!!

Larry Nicholas

A piece by organist Larry Nicholas of the terrific Pompey 60s R&B band the J Crow Combo “In the early 60s, I used to play in a trio at weekends in the Old House At Home in Locksway Road. I played organ with a guitarist and a drummer,and we would play traditional pub music plus all the latest offerings from popular groups of the time such as Herman’s Hermit, the Searchers and Manfred Mann.
In fact, we catered for all and the pub would be very busy, with an early arrival to get a seat. The music scene was high profile in Portsmouth in the 60s and I played with a group called The J.Crow Combo, and John Crow lived I believe in Rosetta Road, The combo were managed by Ricki Farr, who set up The Birdcage venue, firstly at Kimbells and later in Eastney, he subsequently organised the 1969 IOW Festival and is now an impresario in America now.
The group turned professional later but the managers then were not particularly scrupulous and so I left and continued playing in local clubs and venues.”

Graham Parker

My loved Trixon Luxus Drum Kit, which of course I still have, along with my Ludwig Classic. I bought this kit in Minns, Osborne Rd

The Conchords were originally formed by Doug Chalmers and I when both at the Northern Grammar, we used to practise in my parents front room at the back of their fruit and veg shop in Copnor Rd and then above "The Sportsman's Rest" nr. Copnor Bridge.
The original line up
Graham Parker on Drums
Doug Chalmers on Bass,
John Davis on Rhythm
Colin ? on Lead Guitar.
At first we only played instrumentals, so it was The Shadows, Ventures and Duane Eddy all the way
The Conchords first ever gig was at the St Nicholas Church youth club, in Battenburg Avenue.

Then the line-up changed to
Ron Binfield vocals from Portchester
Stuart Ward replaced this Colin on Lead
John Davis got proficient on his Sax
Graham Parker on Drums
In 'The Conchords' we used to get paid an extra £4 by George Turner, if we would play the "Under 14 Junior Rock and Twist " sessions on a Saturday morning at the Savoy !

I joined the 'St Louis Checks',
'Soul Society' and finally
'Amalgamation'

Re. the 70's Groups
"Amalgamation"
Barry Gladding on vocals,
Dave Gladding on on bass,
the late Pete Connor on Rhythm,
Graham Parker on Drums
Bernie ? on Lead.
We used to absolutely pack Waterlooville Football Club out regularly on a Saturday night !

Nelson Peters

Nelson Peters was a Bass player with Bill Cole, and has these thoughts and a photo

PJC band

THE NAMES WHEN WE WERE THE PJC (Portsmouth Jazz Club)
were - Front row - RON BENNET (No relation to the other Bennets) Next is CYRIL BREEZE (Tenor) next is SPENCE BROWN(Trumpet) next is TED PIGGOTT(Guitar) Behind him is BILL COLE on Piano with GEORGE GOOD and myself on Drums and BASS.
Five nights a week at the Lido Ball room. . WE Played jazz every SUNDAY at 2pm to a seated audience. .
WE WERE Joined by some Black Musicians in 1945 who were stationed here and awaiting the Invasion.
They were from well know group in America!! The Trumpet player's name was Jimmy Simpson. . .
The American band THEY were from was FATS WALLER- GREAT HUH????
ALSO - I met my Wife at the time as SHE was working in the Cloak Room"""!!!
THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!

Alf Pink.

Pete Pinkney has lived in France for some years now. He and I started in my Mum and Dad’s front room in Woodmancote Road in 1961. I think “Yellow Bird” was the first tune we played together. Later John Bullock (Bass) joined us and Alan Patterson (Rythem Guitar) and we became the original Talismen. We only played instrumentals then but had a repertoire of about 50 numbers. Pete had a unique style all to do with never letting go of the tremolo arm (He will thank me for that). John Pete and I stayed together but other members came and went including Bert Parker (Billy Storm) and Mick Reeves of Arthur Ward Band fame. I left in late1963 and joined the Dynamos and years later our singer Roger Barber left to join with Pete, John and Dick Ray, who had replaced me in the Talismen, and they changed their name to Lace. Pete was a great lead guitarist and tells me he still receives royalties from songs he has written and sent to recording companies. He was in Aubrey Small and I am sure there are some recordings out there with Pete playing for both Lace and Aubrey Small. I have many fond memories of my time with Pete and John. Sadly we lost John last year. ”

George Race 10th June 1932 – 9th April 2011

George Race, one of the Solent Symphony Orchestra’s founder members, died suddenly in April. He was a real gentleman of the percussion who will be sadly missed.
George’s early musical experiences included singing in St Thomas’ Cathedral Choir as a boy during the Blitz and performing alongside his father in the orchestra accompanying the Portsmouth Choral Union during the 1950’s. George went on to become a well-respected contributor to most of the orchestras and theatre bands in Portsmouth, Havant, Petersfield, Fareham and Chichester, and he was a familiar figure in the orchestra pit at the King’s Theatre. His many skills and his wide range of experience and instruments were in great demand over many years, extending from timpani to drum kit and many styles of music, and his skills in metalwork often saved the day when running repairs were needed in the percussion section. A true test of the expert percussion player can be his handling of the smaller instruments and here George excelled: for example he was always the player of choice for tricky tambourine parts.
George performed to great acclaim the timpani parts for the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony and the Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Timpani and Strings in Chichester Cathedral just two weeks before his death, followed the next week by a typically immaculate contribution in Orff’s Carmina Burana at a concert on Hayling Island.

Danny Rowlands

dan1.jpg dan2.jpg

THE OUTER LIMITS 1967
Trevor Price (LG), Norton Davis (BG), John Wilson (K), Richard Baker (D), John Shepherd (D), Danny Rowlands (D).

click here for SHAZAM 1976 - 1977

click here for THRESHOLD 1977

PROWLER 1983
Chris ? Bass .Andy ? 2nd Guitar Steve Jones ,Vocals .Mick Duff Lead Guitar .Danny Rowlands Drums
DYNAMITE Rock n Roll band ..( 1986 )
Ricky McKay (guitar vocals n Harmonies)...myself (drums ). ..Dave Williams (Bass Vocals n Harmonies )....Ricky now JOHNNY CASH Tribute
THE RIVALS 1988
THE STREET RODS. 50s Rock n Roll band ...1989- 1993
BILLY J LEACH n the HUMBUGS. 60 s band 1994
Danny Rowlanbds drums, Danny (dep) from Mafia days Guitar. .Carly Vocals/backing .. Andy guitar/vocals, Steve Bass /sound.
Claire Vocals / backing (Andy n Steve now ....The BOG ROLLING STONES.)
THE FENDERTONES 2015 Mark Bowles guitar/vocals, Danny Rowlands drums and Dave Williams bass.
GOING BACK 2019

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