Ketley heads up 60s revival for hospice

News

Andy Barrett Jan 28 2010, 10:27am

South Coast 'beat scene' gets behind St Wilfrid's

Some of the biggest names from the south coast's 60s beat scene are reuniting for a charity concert on February 20th at the Riverside Ballroom in Bognor Regis. The aim of the gig is to raise funds for St Wilfrid's Hospice in Chichester. Among the performers is Yamaha's senior director, Mike Ketley, who enjoyed some success in the 60s with bands including Johnny Devlin and The Detours (pictured in 1964), Beau Brummell & The Noblemen, Motivation, The Penny Peeps, and Gethsemane.

Johnny Devlin and the Detours signed with Pye records in November 63 and released Sometimes as a single getting a spot on Granada TV's pop music show Thank Your Lucky Stars, appearing with Adam Faith, Manfred Mann and Jackie Trent.

Other bands on the bill include Dave & The Diamonds, who also featured on the TV show with their debut single, The Lost City. This band also played a major role in a full-length MGM film called Swinging UK and toured extensively as backing band with PJ Proby.

Many of the performing musicians went onto play with some of the biggest acts around including Jethro Tull, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler Beau Brummell and Rhinoceros. A selection of special guest acts including D2, Jackie Lynton and Soul Intention will also be performing.

"The evening promises a rare opportunity to see and hear some of the musicians and bands that shaped the sounds of the 60s," said Ketley. "It's a great chance to experience the authentic sounds of the era."

The erstwhile Radio 1 DJ, Mike Read, who wrote The South Coast Beat Scene book told us: "This is a fantastic opportunity for 60s fans and up and coming musicians to hear the real thing – and all for a good cause too.

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The 60s was a unique time in British pop music, which was encapsulated by the huge south coast scene. It's thought that bands from Brighton, Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor, Chichester and Portsmouth even outnumbered groups from Liverpool and Merseyside at the time."

A similar event in 2005 sold out within days and raised over £5000 for St Wilfrid's so early booking is advised, The link with the hospice was forged when they cared for local man Barry Benson, who had a top 50 hit on Parlophone called "Stay A Little While" and who toured with PJ Proby throughout the sixties as his personal hairdresser . Barry lost his fight against cancer at the hospice. The event will raise much needed funds to help St Wilfrid's continue to provide palliative care for local people with cancer, Motor Neurone disease and other terminal conditions.

To aid the fundraising a 'mega-raffle' will take place, which is to include donations from local business, as well as Yamaha Musical Instruments. This is a chance for all passionate 60s music fans to enjoy a night of great music nostalgia and support a very worthy local cause.

Tickets are £8.00 and are available from Bern's Drums and Percussion (01243 816600) and the Riverside Caravan Centre, (01243 865823).