Sunday night in Hunstantons KIT KAT

[8 boston square]

The music that just wont go away, for some of us they were the best of times musically, but, like most things in life we as individuals have own tastes and we see, hear and taste differently, good music did not end in the mid 60's of course it just changed and continued to do so as time went by, so some good times to come but this is a great place to start and some bands like the Foot Tappers decided to stay in that era so it must have been good and they were not alone. The UK produced a lot of bands playing the music of that time and some of the groups of that time, the originals managed to keep touring well into the 21st century, bands like Gerry and the Pacemakes, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats, the Searchers, The Shadows, Cliff Richard and Joe Brown to name a few and as well as that the bands like the Rapiers and the Foot Tappers who keep the music alive.
What I find surprising is that the music of this early 60's era is not confined to the UK, across the North Sea in the Netherlands ( Holland if you prefer ) has several groups that dig this sort of music, so stand by for one of them, a short clip of 4 tracks, three of which were regulars on a Sunday night at the Kit Kat and true to the time they use Fender Stratocaster guitars and Vox AC30 amps with Burns Marvin Signature guitars propping up at the side of the amps, if you are going to do it, do it right. Everyone seems to be having a good time to I think we give them a thumbs up, what do you think?

[EWW]

[Tresagreen]

https://youtu.be/YhkmOv0ziAs
Posting this on behalf of Boston

[8 boston square]

The Locomotions from Holland, been going 60 years re living the 60's and still going, there are a few other bits on youtube if you like them, seems like the Dutch do and some of those Kit Kat favourites on that short video, "Lets Twist Again", "Let's Dance" and "Johnnie B. Goode." Strangely enough we have just returned from Pattaya and have been frequenting the "Billabong" bar which have a live band and they played "Lets Twist Again." and "Johnnie B. Goode" every night. So the "Billabong Band" had a drummer, an keyboard player that sounded like it was a kids version and should really get something better, a bass guitar who thought he was the lead guitar and a chap on a stratocaster who hardly could be heard! This is typical of Thai bands though all the noise coming from the bass and drums, They were accompanied by 2 girls and a bloke, now he could sing pretty well, one of the girls was ok and the other one must have money or be related she had a seriously short musical range which is distinct disadvantage if the only ABBA track you sing is "Dancing Queen."! However, they played from 715-1045 non stop with no breaks in the tracks one merged into the next.

[8 boston square]

https://youtu.be/4EsrMk9VfeI

[Hornchurch]

The music that just wont go away, for some of us they were the best of times musically, but, like most things in life we as individuals have own tastes and we see, hear and taste differently, good music did not end in the mid 60's of course it just changed and continued to do so as time went by, so some good times to come but this is a great place to start and some bands like the Foot Tappers decided to stay in that era so it must have been good and they were not alone. The UK produced a lot of bands playing the music of that time and some of the groups of that time, the originals managed to keep touring well into the 21st century, bands like Gerry and the Pacemakes, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats, the Searchers,

The Shadows, Cliff Richard, who keep the music alive.

What I find surprising is that the music of this early 60's era is not confined to the UK, across the North Sea in the Netherlands ( Holland if you prefer ) has several groups that dig this sort of music, so stand by for one of them, a short clip of 4 tracks, three of which were regulars on a Sunday night at the Kit Kat and true to the time they use Fender Stratocaster guitars and Vox AC30 amps with Burns Marvin Signature guitars propping up at the side of the amps, if you are going to do it, do it right. Everyone seems to be having a good time to I think we give them a thumbs up,
what do you think?

'


Just before the wretched 'covid.19' kicked-in, I attended a 'once monthly' get-together of local guitarists (fans) who play nothing but "Shadows" music, "Live".

These ARE individual guitar players (many with Fender Stratocasters, but, not necessarily, or, exclusively), who "do a performance", live, to a/any given "Shadows" track.

This takes place (or, rather 'did'), once a month, at the diddy little village community-hall in TERRINGTON ST.JOHN.

I only got to know of it thru my Dad, who is friends with one of their (excellent) Bass-players there, ironically named 'John' - (in Terrington St.john )

Most of the players were surprisingly good & technically able & capable - (I know, as I play guitar myself & have done since the 1970's)

Whilst I (thouroughly) enjoyed my 'one-night' there, alas, I found it TOO "Hank Marvin" AND "Shadows-concentric" for me, by far.

I was bought-up on Paul Kossoff, Jimmy Page, Paul Chapman & Micheal Schenker (U.F.O), so Hank Marvin was too sterile, for me.

Worth mentioning it tho', as it fits the bill as to what you were saying, plus, my guess is, that, "post-covid" they're most likely still meeting up ?

(cannot find any current mention of them, here, but, in 2018/2019 they WERE very well-attended, with at least 35 folks there, on the night that I went there)

.

[8 boston square]

It is interesting what you say Hornchurch especially about the Village Hall, they were a really important of local lives as were the Assembly Halls at larges populated centres, it was something to look forward to where people could organize get togethers and I always supported these type of events if I could get there. In later times when my body could not do the dancing any more I would support the local "centres" where mini concerts were put on for the locals, mostly all seated because due to the cursed "Health and Safety regulations" and how much space each person needed, seated events meant that you could get more bums on seats than feet on the ground. Apart from my 5 local theatres around north London I managed to get to others in Brecon, the Welsh Valleys, Weymouth and Cromer that I can recall, sadly we have nothing like that here in Thailand. Hoddesdon Civic Centre was the only non seated event a great night out, a place where the ladies also used the Gent's toilet and no one batted an eyelid! Imagine if "Health and Safety" had been in operation at the Kit Kat how many would have been allowed in, certainly not the 600 that regularly attended.
I also agree with you about Cliff and the Shads music, it was great stuff and was the base for all the rest and I too much Cliff and the Shadows can be too much there was plenty of other great sounds to be had as well and our local groups around Kings Lynn back in the 60's did not disappoint with their choice from both sides of the Atlantic, happy days indeed.
The "Red Strats" are an accomplished group although the vocalist is not up to the standard of the rest of the band in my opinion but he puts in a good front man performance and if you liked that show that was part one there are parts two and three on youtube if you fancy some more, goes without saying that Fenders and VOX AC30's capture the sound of the time as always.

[8 boston square]

We are off travelling from midnight tonight so something for you coming up at the weekend whilst we will be on Koh Samui.
Rather currently newsworthy as two new countries apply to join NATO, Sweden we know as the home of ABBA but Finland? Nokia and racing drivers! So here is a Finnish band called the Mustangs who play the track I heard at the Kit Kat all those years ago played by the Offbeats when I decided , yes these boys are good, so hope you like it I still do and in true 60's tradition we have the Fender guitars and VOX AX30 amplifiers.

[8 boston square]

https://youtu.be/HpSKQjDorZ4

[8 boston square]

In the last few videos from youtube apart from the longevity of the music one of the standouts is the Fender Stratocaster guitar which was one of the great symbols of the time. When it first appeared in the mid 50's it looked so different like something out of Dan Dare pilot of the future it was that different, we had to wait to get them in the UK due to import embargoes and different rules, taxes and tariffs in operation at the time. Cliff Richard imported to the first one for Hank Marvin in 1958 I think, a red one (Bruce Welch still has it ) and after that it was every musicians dream to get their hands on a Stratocaster but what colour to choose? They were made in all sorts of colours, The Fentones had pink ones but bleus, greens, white ( seem to remember Les Judd having a white one at the Kit Kat ), Sun burst that brown to black finish. The tremolo arm which gave the "wow" effect I thought looked flimsy looking like a silver pencil hanging down and swinging about. The shape became iconic and with the strings attached to the head all one one side, following the experiment of the earlier Fender Telecaster t was the guitar of choice by so many, all you had to do was to be good enough to play it, looking the part was not good enough and then in 1962 something changed, the Stratocaster was about to get a UK rival.
Hank wanted a guitar of his own and went to see his old music teacher in Newcastle who suggested he went to see Jim Burns in London. Jim was making guitars in Romford, Essex but lets be honest London does sound better. After a couple of years and over two dozen prototypes the guitar was ready, well until Bruce said he wanted one as well and made a few more changes and so it was that after 30 models the Burn Marvin Signature arrived and at about the same price as the Stratocaster. The body was similar to the "Strat" but the head where the strings were adjusted had used 3 on either side and the frets on the neck totaled 24 rather than the more usual 22 and the tremolo arm was now a much more solid bit of kit looking more like a knife in shape. I have only seen this Burns guitar in white with a black plectrum/scratch guard and I never saw one appear at the Kit Kat, pity really but the cost of these sort of guitars was prohibitive, if you had a "Strat" you would stick with it but I was happy we in the UK could match the Americans in the guitar field. Still like Burns Black Bison though. The Strollers had them when I saw them downstairs at the Kit Kat.

[8 boston square]

Funny old world, just I said I had only ever seen the Burns Marvin signature model in white with a black guard would you believe it that the very next day something popped up showing playing an all black one, so, Hank has a black one and a white one!

[8 boston square]

In the 2000's I was living in north London and retirement was looming, my daughter asked me if I would like to go and see "ABBA the Show" in London, I declined the offer not thinking maybe it was she who wanted to go but not alone! Have seen it on the PC a few times and it is a great night out, should have gone!
In 2009 just before my first trip out to SE Asia she asked me if I would like to go and see another show I think t was at the 02 again I declined, the 02 seats 18000 and I thought we would be stuck up at the back and I would not be able to see anything so again I declined the offer, another one of those regrets - should have gone but live is not a rehearsal its the real thing cannot go back and do it differently what I can do is to show you shortly that concert which contains a host of tracks we used to lurch about to at the Kit Kat everything is from the late 50's and 60's and rather fitting end to the platinum jubilee celebrations I think. Its 2 hours long so be prepared to be taken back to a simpler and less complicated way of life and the tunes that represented those days of yesteryear, hold onto your hats.

[8 boston square]

https://youtu.be/NrQigVJNzrw

[8 boston square]

Well that was some concert and I hope it brought some memories of the late 50's and 60's for you and of course a good batch of the tunes we used to hear at the Kit Kat over 60 years ago now, but, they still sound good, they stand the test of time for me and it goes to show just how good the music was in those days, maybe they were only about 2 minutes long but it was a very good 2 minutes. I am sure there was a lso a lot of rubbish offered to us as well but the Offbeats filtered that out for us, we got the very best from the very best local bands.
A couple of things I liked about this was the label in Cliff's jacket "Made in England" when it meant something and have a look again and listen to "Wonderful Land" at 37 minutes and 59 seconds the shot from the back of the stage over the top of the VOX AC30 amplifier another lovely card of the Union Flag with "Made in England" on it, that was another nice touch and something to be proud of.
One special memory for me was the tune "A girl like you." this was a song that always brings back a memory of a hot sunny day on my only trip to Great Yarmouth, trawling through the amusements and ending up at the Funfair and being invited for a ride on the "Scenic Railway". I had no idea that "Scenic Railway" was another name for the Big Dipper and I do not like Big Dippers, I survived to remember and tell the tale and you can still ride the "Scenic Railway" on youtube, might now seem somewhat tame compared what has come since, now I watch them on youtube and leave my stomach where it is, know what I mean?

[8 boston square]

It is about 60 years ago now that i first went to the Kit Kat on that Sunday night in late June of 1962. I walked to the stage and saw the Fender guitars leaning, they have not changed much in a fast changing world apart from then they used a cable and 1/4" jack plug to link the guitar and amplifier whereas today they use a radio transmitter and receiver so no fallingl over the leads, a step forward. The amps on that night were 3, 2 small ones either side of a Selmer amp I think a 25 watt model in cream. Selmer were a London based company and at the time were the go to amplifier for most bands. Placing them on the stage wooden floor is not the best place, on a chair would be better to let the sound come out but space was at a premium at the time and they did not sound to bad at all, of course it was not long before the Offbeats had the VOX AC 30 amps and on purpose built metal stands that were tilted slightly upwards. VOX were an English company based in Dartford run by Tom Jennings and his sound engineer Dick Denney. Their first amplifier was the AC15 a square shaped 15 watt amp and its an amp that you may never have seen but will all and I do mean all will have heard because it was this amp that a very famous tune was first played in 1962 and you still hear it today, the "James Bond Theme." Listen to the guitar, what do you think sort of timeless is it not?
I went to work at John Lewis in Oxford Street in 1985 and got the job due to my interest in sound recording, a change of opening hours for the shop and a change of the leisure scheme meant I got moved into the Audio Rooms and at that time I did not know it but I my own link with VOX amplification, its a bit of a story so I will save that until next time, its strange how things happen in life but it makes it all the more interesting when they do! Crickey 60 years!