[Brighton] Bob Grover dead

[Seagull's Return]

Sad to hear this. Like many of Han Solo's "octogenarians" on here, I'm another who was a teenager in the late 70s and remembers the Basement and the Alhambra fondly (if kind of vaguely - it was a period of fairly universal, ahem, excess). And another who remembers Boring Bob Grover in later days in the Unity, and the Greys too, I think. RIP.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

RIP Bob

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Of course John Helmer went on to form Pookiesnackenburger with Nick and Paul Dwyer (from Nicky and the Dots) , Sue Bradley from the Reward System and Luke Cresswell who went on to form Stomp. All good and very close friends from an amazing era.

This is really random, but John Helmer also went on to write lyrics for Marillion after Fish left.

 

[Steve in Japan]

This was The Buccaneer in Brighton, it’s near the Old Steine and it had several names since and now called Patterns

Cheers for that. They also played the Buccaneer in Carlisle Rd Eastbourne a few times, don't recall when but late 70s.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

An absolute shadow of his former self in recent years but a huge inspiration to me & others when I was a teenager. Sunday night at the Alhambra was our church
Very sad

Same for me. RIP, boring Bob

 

[WATFORD zero]

This was The Buccaneer in Brighton, it’s near the Old Steine and it had several names since and now called Patterns

But was originally a boxing pub, with a ring downstairs.

Or so I've heard

But talking of old gigs, i remember them at the vault, down the steps under the old resources centre. May have even been on the same 'bill' on occasion

 

[CheeseRolls]

Managed to get The Piranhas a student gig in Birmingham, during my time at Aston ( they put on a great show) and once served Bob in Uncle Sam's (Cheeseburger and regular fries). Sad news

 

[pearl]

This is really random, but John Helmer also went on to write lyrics for Marillion after Fish left.

Yes, and isn't he a writer/journalist? Or maybe I'm getting mixed up with someone else

 

[pearl]

An absolute shadow of his former self in recent years but a huge inspiration to me & others when I was a teenager. Sunday night at the Alhambra was our church
Very sad

How do you know by the way?

 

[abc]

I went up to their top of the pops appearance. Still one of my favourite albums of that era. Tom Hark was the classic ‘novelty’ one hit wonder but the likes of Jilly Jilly and I don’t want my body were largely ignored but were much more what they were about

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yes, and isn't he a writer/journalist? Or maybe I'm getting mixed up with someone else

According to Wiki he’s written a book.

 

[abc]

Also, memorable might when they supported the jam at the centre

 

[Charlie Livesey]

Was fortunate to have a long chat with Bob when The Piranhas played at and end of season get together several years ago at Whitehawk F C. Lovely, modest, unassuming man. R I P Bob.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Of course John Helmer went on to form Pookiesnackenburger with Nick and Paul Dwyer (from Nicky and the Dots) , Sue Bradley from the Reward System and Luke Cresswell who went on to form Stomp. All good and very close friends from an amazing era.

Crikey. It is amazing how many NSC posters were in and around it all back then.

Luke (when he was about 17) had a brief liaison with a pal of ours (who was also a part-time squeeze of John from the Molesters). His older brother Addison was in an on-and-off with another pal (I used to hang around with a gang of young women back then). A couple of years later (1979) me and my GF shared a flat with Tracy 'Spenser' (née Preston, daughter of Denis, who produced Stranger on the Shore by Acker Bilk) for a bit, while Tracy hooked up with and fell out with various elements of the local scene to a mixture of our amusement and concern.

From 77, we must have seen the Piranhas a couple of dozen times, with three or 4 gigs a week at the Buccaneer, Basement, Vault and of course Sunday night at the Alhambra, with the ubiquitous blues Jim as stroppy-bollocks support. The Piranhas always did a good show, and were well regarded by the punk rock contingent of which I was an enthusiastic headbanger. The Dandies (Adrian RIP) were another favourite of mine. And of course Tom Maltby and his wrist action.

I assumed you were about 10 years younger than me - presumably not. I lost contact with most of my Brighton connections in 82 when I moved to Canada, sadly. I wonder if we knew any of the same people.

 

[Zeberdi]

Yes, and isn't he a writer/journalist? Or maybe I'm getting mixed up with someone else

He wrote Lyrics and a book - not a journalist.

How do you know by the way“

Friends.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

But was originally a boxing pub, with a ring downstairs.

Or so I've heard

But talking of old gigs, i remember them at the vault, down the steps under the old resources centre. May have even been on the same 'bill' on occasion

You're another NSCer who was probably at numerous of the same gigs as me. I remember the Poison Girls playing the Vault. There are at least 3 members of Brighton Riot Squad on NSC, and I gather they had a run in with some people I knew, down the Vault. I think Attila mentioned this in his autobiog. I seem to recall seeing Joby and the Hooligans in the Vault too. It wasn't a very commodious venue, was it?

 

[Zeberdi]

Crikey. It is amazing how many NSC posters were in and around it all back then.

Luke (when he was about 17) had a brief liaison with a pal of ours (who was also a part-time squeeze of John from the Molesters). His older brother Addison was in an on-and-off with another pal (I used to hang around with a gang of young women back then). A couple of years later (1979) me and my GF shared a flat with Tracy 'Spenser' (née Preston, daughter of Denis, who produced Stranger on the Shore by Acker Bilk) for a bit, while Tracy hooked up with and fell out with various elements of the local scene to a mixture of our amusement and concern.

From 77, we must have seen the Piranhas a couple of dozen times, with three or 4 gigs a week at the Buccaneer, Basement, Vault and of course Sunday night at the Alhambra, with the ubiquitous blues Jim as stroppy-bollocks support. The Piranhas always did a good show, and were well regarded by the punk rock contingent of which I was an enthusiastic headbanger. The Dandies (Adrian RIP) were another favourite of mine. And of course Tom Maltby and his wrist action.

I assumed you were about 10 years younger than me - presumably not. I lost contact with most of my Brighton connections in 82 when I moved to Canada, sadly. I wonder if we knew any of the same people.

I think it inevitable that Brighton NSCers will share a common heritage of the music scene in Brighton in the ’70s to ‘80s - I’m more 80s and yes, I think about ten years younger than you.

I have certainly have communicated with one person on NSC who I don’t know but we had a very good mutual friend from that era.

 

[WATFORD zero]

You're another NSCer who was probably at numerous of the same gigs as me. I remember the Poison Girls playing the Vault. There are at least 3 members of Brighton Riot Squad on NSC, and I gather they had a run in with some people I knew, down the Vault. I think Attila mentioned this in his autobiog. I seem to recall seeing Joby and the Hooligans in the Vault too. It wasn't a very commodious venue, was it?

In the early days bands used to rehearse at the vault, but a couple of dodgy shed doors with a padlock over a couple of side crypts weren't enough to stop your gear getting nicked.

And I do remember in the later days, one or two of the 'occupants' there being dug out of the walls. Probably just as well it closed when it did

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

RIP Boring Bob. I had some vinyl back in the day (album and some singles) and only last year got the CD collection after someone mentioned it on here.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Used to follow the Piranhas around all over the place. Was lucky enough to be working at the Beeb when they did that Tom Hark TOTP appearance. If I looked really close, I'm probably dancing badly somewhere down the front. Dressing Room was a veritable FOG o' ganja. Got to know them pretty well, and even promoted them once at me local, The Tam O'Shanter, half-way up Chatham Hill. Bob had the flu, the local skinheads mouthed off, Bob mouthed back, next thing the pub's a SEA of broken glass. Gig lasted three numbers. Nobody got paid. End of THPP's fledgling career as a music promoter, end of Live Music at The Tam O'Shanter. Oh well