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| Disco Blue
was one of the earliest discotheques on the Island in 1966 run by Clive
Meddick son of Leo Meddick who was the manager at the Royal York Hotel.
Kite peform Disco Blue on Vaguely Sunny - Isle of Wight Rock anthology CD, price £10 p&p |
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Kite
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Originally
Kite were called Brother but had to change their name when they appeared
on ITV's New Faces and won their heat. They were New Faces winners with
their song I Love The Love You Got which was released by Decca
as a single soon after.
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An extract from Isle of Wight Rock - a music anthology:
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| After the Silver Band’s Venezuelan adventure both Doug Watson and Tim Marshall got down to holiday season work. Tim even worked as a bingo caller awaiting a call from Wilf Pine who was involved with managing Jimmy Helms. The chance of playing in the singer’s backing band never materialised but Tim Marshall and Doug Watson got together at Tim’s Rookley cellar studio with Andy Skelton. |
| The 1975 summer season had Doug Watson at the Ponda Rosa with Bob Howarth, Tom Taylor and Bob Brading whilst Tim called the bingo at Little Canada in between playing in the band. Martin Taylor a great jazz guitarist was playing in the band but left and Andy Skelton, still in the army was muted to join. Gunner Skelton had joined the Army in order to learn music but he now had problems getting out. He approached Island Liberal MP Steve Ross and within a few weeks he was out. |
| In the autumn of 1975 Tim Marshall had a call from Joe Goven who had taken over Keats Inn at Shanklin. Going out as Brother Tim Marshall, Andy Skelton and Phil Gould played the opening night with Tina St. Clair. Originally Brother used both Phil Gould and Paul Athey in the drum chair. |
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“Phil was a real dreamer, always looking for his scarf. I remember a song like ‘Fifty ways to leave your lover’ having a very complicated drum part, but Phil picked it up very quickly indeed. With the 1976 summer season coming up it was clear we needed a singing drummer and Phil Gould was upset to be swopped for Doug Watson.” - Tim Marshall, bass for Brother |
| During the winter of 1976 the managerless band phoned around the London agents. Gil Lucas (ex-Migil Five) offered Andy Skelton some work at the Black Horse pub in Dalston with the promise of Opportunity Knocks style expose in front of a New Faces representative. Alex Fison from New Faces came along and liked what he saw. |
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"One night they had tried to come into Keats. There was a fight going on and they walked out. The intended single Ain’t Gonna Hide My Love/Tomorrow Another Heartache was basically me with a New Faces backing band, although Brian Bennett from the Shadows was on drums. It was going to be released on Rocket Records but it didn’t come out.” - Andy Skelton, lead guitar/vocals Kite |
| Problems arose at Keats with the volume and Andy Skelton got an offer to record a single for Rocket Records, a Northern Soul version of School Girl Love backed by Tomorrows Another Heartache. Kite came to an end at Keats on September 2nd, 1979. Tim Marshall went back to the cruise liners, playing in the pit at Sandown Pavilion for Norman Wisdom, Jimmy Tarbuck and Tommy Cooper. Doug Watson hit the Ponda Rosa dinner dance circuit. Andy Skelton, however joined the Pumphouse Gang. |
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“John Edwards and SG came down to a gig at the Court Jester and said was I interested in joining. I’d heard their stuff and agreed to join. We thought ‘What are we all sitting around here for? Lets go back to the northern clubs. I used Kite’s experience to take us back up there.” - Andy Skelton, lead guitarist Pumphouse Gang |
| Disco Blue
was one of the earliest discotheques on the Island in 1966 run by Clive
Meddick son of Leo Meddick who was the manager at the Royal York Hotel.
Kite peform Disco Blue on Vaguely Sunny - Isle of Wight Rock anthology CD, price £10 p&p |
