Tag: South Parade Pier

Live Music, Music and More Music


What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

My favourite pastime is listening to music, preferably, live music.

I believe you can’t beat a live performance for moving your soul, rousing emotions, and even reducing you to tears.

Over the last fifty or so years I have been lucky enough to see many live performances.

My first exposure to live music was at Claverham County Secondary School. The “school dance”, held for those pupils leaving to begin their working lives, featured “The Equals” ! The band had just hit the UK charts with their single “Baby, Come Back”. Little did we know that a member of that band would go on to have a successful solo career. That was “Eddie Grant”.

After I left school, I did a brief stint at Battle Engineering before starting an apprenticeship at HM Royal Dockyard, Portsmouth. This was to be the start of my musical education.

I was in digs at the time when one of my co-residents invited me to a concert at Portsmouth Guildhall. On stage that night were “Led Zeppelin” supported by “Blodwyn Pig.”

After that, there was no holding me back. Almost every week, I would attend performances on South Parade Pier, Kimbels Ballroom, and Portsmouth Guildhall. Back in those days, you would have up to five bands perform in a single evening.

During those heady days I saw Black Sabbath, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Roy Harper, Van de Graff Generator, Caravan, Hawkwind, and many many more.

Back then I was into Prog Rock, but I did venture into other genres. Thanks to Joan, my landlady at the time, I saw Tony Bennett, Manitas de Plata, Roy Orbison, Dionne Warwick, and many, many more.

As time has moved on, my musical tastes have changed. I still love my prog rock, but I have learnt to appreciate all kinds of music, as long as it is performed well. Highlights have been Carmina Burana at the O2 and a classical concert, at the Royal Albert Hall, that closed with the 1812 Overture complete with the live firing of canon and musket.

Nowadays ticket pricing places restraints on how many shows I can get to. Thankfully there is vinyl, CDs and the Internet for streaming music. Much to my wife’s disgust I turn on the music most mornings and get a couple of hours listening in.

And then the TV, courtesy of Sky Arts, broadcast so many great shows. Just last night I was watching a documentary following The Grateful Dead. Pure gold.

Please excuse the misquote, but, “If music be the food of life play on”

What Is My All-Time Favourite Album ?


What’s your all-time favorite album?

Such a hard question to answer.

My first response is “On The Threshold Of A Dream” by The Moody Blues first released in 1969. I certainly play this a lot so much so that I am on my 2nd vinyl copy, the first having worn out. I still listen to the album, but these days, I stream, using Tidal or Spotify.

A more considered response leads me to offer up “Foxtrot” by Genesis first released in 1972. I still have my original vinyl version but also have it on CD. Genesis are a band that I used to see live every time they visited Portsmouth. Pretty much an annual event, either at Portsmouth Guildhall or South Parade Pier.

Many other albums are jostling for that favourite spot. Amongst them, some of the great classics. “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “Echoes” by Pink Floyd, “Led Zeppelin II” and “IV”, “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull, “Tapestry” by Carole King, and the list goes on and on.

So to truly answer the question, I think “Foxtrot” by Genesis take the honour, but only just.

Music is such an emotive subject, and to nominate a favourite will always be coloured by how one is feeling, ones mood at any given time.

Ask me again tomorrow.

Going Back In Time


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Just found this in an old jacket pocket.

Shows how long since I last wore it.

Needless to say it no longer fits me.

South Parade Pier At Risk


South Parade Pier’s owners face liquidation over unpaid energy bills. The danger is if the owners of the pier have to close it down due to lack of income then the real rot will set in. All the while the pier is in active use there is a chance for it to be maintained and refurbished. As soon as the usage declines then so does the state of repair.

Everyone knows that these structures are expensive to maintain due to the harsh, salty and damp environment that they are in. There must be an argument for Portsmouth City Council or even Hampshire County Council stepping in and providing some degree of subsidy to ensure that South Parade Pier doesn’t go the way of Hastings and Brighton piers.

Seaside piers are part of our heritage. Many have succumbed to extreme weather, arsonists and old age. We almost lost South Parade Pier a few years ago, no thanks to Ken Russel and his crew who were filming Tommy at the time. We don’t want that to happen again.

Its time for local government or even national government to step in.

South Parade Pier’s owners face liquidation over unpaid energy bills – Local Business – Portsmouth News.

Local Forums looking into community bid for South Parade Pier


I should like to wish the Eastney Neighbourhood Forum, and the East Southsea Neighbourhood Forum, the best of luck with their proposed bid to raise funds to enable them to take over the ownership and running of South Parade Pier.

Per my previous post and previous articles in The News, the pier is in dire need of some TLC and some innovative management to make it a viable and profitable business.

Forum looking into community bid for South Parade Pier – Environment – Portsmouth News.