They said it couldn't happen again!

THE HOP – 41 YEARS ON

If they passed you in the street you probably wouldn’t notice them. By day they are just another bunch of boring old codgers blocking the pavement and wondering where on earth they’ve put Welwyn Department Stores! It is at night that the magic happens – when they chuck an amp into the back of the Mondeo, strap on their guitars and relive those days long ago when they played at the Woodhall Community Centre Hop alongside such rising stars as David Bowie, Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck. 40 odd years may have passed since those heady days and the long hair is now ‘long gone hair’, but these survivors of local 60’s Beat Groups like Octopus, Herbal Remedy, the Trekkas, the Blue Notes, Mixed Bag and Recall still play on. Some of their former mates may have sold their instruments years ago to make room for a washing machine and a three-piece suite, others sadly may have gone to that ‘Great Gig in the Sky’ but the rest are still out there – doing what they have always done – standing up, talking back and filling the dance floor with great sounding music!

Publicity photo for this year, from left to right,
Ian Adamson (Little Henry), Danny Bacon (Hi-Numbers), Steve Townsend (Hot Maegus) kneeling, Chris Gillies (Recall), Dave Barber (Organiser) kneeling and Tony Tutton (Recall) pictured outside the Woodhall Community Centre on 20th May 2008.

Maybe the Welwyn Times will use it, ooh look, there goes a flying pig! If you want to discover the secret of "Dad Rock"…or in the case of some of these old geezers "Grandad Rock"…and sniff some of that teen spirit that keeps them and the music of the 60’s alive and rockin’ come to Woodhall Community Centre on Saturday 28th June. On the night the mighty 'Hop' will throw its doors open once again, re-awakening memories of mods and rockers, scooters and mini skirts and the host of young local groups that once played there. They may be older now and the names of their bands may have changed but the energy and excitement that drove a magical musical decade will live on, as loud and as live as you like! - Martyn Day.