Does anyone remember the open air concert held at Portland Park summer 1970?

[willy j.]

Here's one for you Symptons. (attached file)

[willy j.]

What about these bands..............a pocket history of Prog-Rock, and there's loads more. Can you name them? The finished list should be fantastic. I mean proper Prog-Rock bands, not stupid ones like The Pink Fairies etc.

[keith lockey]

I've got the Family one, Willy. Weaver's Answer, Strange Band, In My Own Time...classics. Weaver's Answer was an ep if I remember.)

 

 

 

[willy j.]

Spot on Keith, 'Weavers Answer' was/still is a Classic Prog Rock number, we used to play it at every gig, some people would ask for it again, so we often got to play it twice, wonderful

 

Family were strange, but packed with very talented musicians. If you can remember, the bass player, Rick Gretch went on to play with Clapton, Winwood and Baker in 'Blind Faith'. How bloody good was he?

 

Keep the names coming this could be really interesting.

[keith lockey]

Shadow on the Wall...Roger Chapman & Mike Oldfield. Brill.

[willy j.]

KL Roger has put Family back together again over the last year, but as yet I have only seen gig's advertised in London. Don't know if he is going to take them out on the road, or what the line-up will be, but he is awesome to watch live.

[keith lockey]

What a voice, Willy...like sandpaper gargling whiskey.

[willy j.]

If that's the case KL, I must start drinking more whiskey. Think I'll struggle with the sandpaper though.

 

Agree with you, a fantastic voice.

[Maggie/915]

Willyj

How about your first LP picture being :-

Songs from the Wood.

Brilliant for any time of year.

[willy j.]

Maggie you must enlighten me on this one (Songs from The Wood), sounds interesting.

 

Being a Prog-Rocker you may find this strange, but you must understand that as a teenager in the early 60's, all kinds of new music was influencing us, as it probably did you. The first LP I ever bought was by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. There you have it, youth was changing.

 

How about you?

[Maggie/915]

Songs from the Wood is a Jethro Tull LP/CD.

You gave us a picture of another LP/CD of theirs

Willyj.

The first LP I bought was

'With the Beatles'

7" singles included Elvis, Bobby Darin and a few dodgy things one of which was

Manhattan Spiritual still love listening to them all.

[willy j.]

I haven't heard that Tull LP Maggie, is it one of their later ones, cos there were quite a few. The reason I put 'This Was' on here is because it was their first, and we used to play 5 of the track on it.

 

Some of those singles you mentioned have stood the test of time. Just goes to show that music is eternal.

[Maggie/915]

Songs from the Wood was later.

The first Tull we bought was 'Benefit'

It was in crates as we moved abroad and (without modern technology) was difficult to live without.

Music was not so easily available.

Cost came first, we only bought what we could afford.

Now our kids cannot believe we did not buy more LPs of the artists we liked.

Our Rega deck needs attention £125 for a new motor.

Not sure what to do.

Listening has changed to the 'Spotify' generation.

Fortunately or unfortunately we still enjoy the old Hi Fi.

[pilgrim]

..throwing a dafty in here -- about the same time or even earlier there was a 'free' (not the band !!) concert at Creswell in the dunes - I remember walking there as there was no other way to get to it and realising on arrival that I had forgot to bring the sleeping bag - oops (just as well I didn't forget the drink)

[willy j.]

This one's for Keith Lockey, High Pit Wilma, Mercuryg, Pilgrim and Maggie/915. MERLIN at the Rex Hotel 1969.

Some of you may remember our lead guitarist.......Harry Bryzinski. (from Guide Post)

The Band:

 

Harry Bryzinski     Lead Guitar

Simon Wallace     Drums

Willy Johnson       Bass

Doug Haley          Hammond Organ

Colin Hall             Vocals

Edited March 18, 2015 by willy j.

[Maggie/915]

Ah ! Good pictures willy j.

Those memories are important.

Just been to see a film called Still Alice.

Early onset Dementia, very thought provoking.

[Maggie/915]

Actually it seems Sting's wife may have been involved with the film.

[willy j.]

Yes Maggie, those pictures are good memories, a year later we had moved down to London and playing gigs we had only dreamt of, it was a fantastic time. Would love to do it all over again.

 

Just thought some of you might remember Harry Bryzinski from Guide Post, he has a sister called Eve who still lives here. He was a fantastic guitarist, had already been professional before joining us.

 

Happy days.