Fields - Roy??

[John Creedy]

I used to drum in some bands with Roy Fields, Iggy vabn Greunen, Piet Smal, Jan van stadden, Tony Hockney, Allen Brown and Mike Creedy (The Sanddunes), Brian Broley sang(?) and we drank a lot.  Allen Brown - where is he?

[Michael Alexander]

John , Tony sent me this email a few weeks back: it might help

"Hi Mike,

Sorry I took a while to answer I'm terrible when it comes to answering e-mails (a one typing finger man).

I left O'mund in 1971 (presumably just before you were born) but I remember your parents well. I was resident in OM for nearly twenty years after arriving in 1953 (with my brother Dave - I assume you know him quite well). Dave doesn't have an email but you're welcome to contact him via myself if necessary.

I'm glad you're working on a website (about time someone did). A few years ago while surfing the net I came across a very good website all about Oranjemund - with a very active Guestbook containing entries from ex Oranjemunders from all over the world. For some reason this just disappeared!  I look forward to seeing yours up and running.

Back to your request: I remember both the Bruce families including (a then very young) Robert. I remember his sisters Anne and Jenny very well - they were closer to my age. After receiving your e-mail I googled Oranjemund (just for fun) and very quickly found a blog written by Robert (I guess you know about it). Sometime I'll post a comment and correct some of his (and others) "failing" memories. 

Robert was probably around ten years old when he heard strains of music coming from - not the rec club - but the community hall (If it was the rec club we'd have been doing a gig). We were no doubt practicing Shadows Instrumentals which was our speciality (unfortunately none of us could sing very well which is why we were a purely instrumental band). The Sand Dunes consisted of the Creedy twins Mike and John and myself Tony. Mike was on rhythm guitar, John was on drums and I was on lead guitar. Although John started out as our bass he turned out to be a better drummer so we never really had a permanent bass guitar.

Our first guitars were accoustic Valencia archtops with added pickups - which considering the cheap price had a quite reasonable sound. We progressed to electric with Gallotones - I wouldn't be seen dead with one now but they did the job in the sixties. The GRETSCH amp I used then is now a sought after collectors item worth a couple of thousand dollars (what a pity I sold it in 1970 - it might still be in OM somewhere). 

Our only claim to fame was that we backed a young girl (then Marilyn Heyns) in a teenage production "Stars of the future" circa 1962 or 1963? in the Little Theatre - She sang the "Young Ones" and "The End Of The World". After making her name in "Canticle" she went on to become Marloe Scott Wilson (she was the stepdaughter of the OM store Manager Mr Wilson - Scott might have been her married name - I can't remember). She later changed her stage name to "The pink Lady".  We did a follow up "Stars" the following year. I don't think anyone, apart from Marilyn, in either of the shows ever made it in the music world.

We played in Oranjemund at the "Bop sessions" Wednesdays and Fridays during school holidays and also at various other club venues around the town from around 1962 until about 1965 while we were still at school. Once we'd all left school and started working we still played for the school kids during the holidays but it never really worked out because we used  go to the pub during interval and Bill Fry, who was in charge of the youth club, would have to drag us back to the community hall so we could carry on playing. We continued on rather haphazardly until about 1967/68 when we split due to marriage, studies etc. I played the odd gig for dances in the rec club with Jan van Stadens boere orches and will never forget playing guitar boogie without any backing in Port Nolloth (what a nightmare). I remember doing our last gig in the very late sixties at the nurses quarters.

Mike and John are in USA and Canada respectively and I'm resident in Cape Town. As far as I know neither of them still play (at least seriously) but johns daughter (who is unsighted) is a brilliant musician (I played guitar with her a few times when they still lived in RSA). I believe she is into music production and sound engineering?

I gave up the guitar in the late sixties - but more than twenty years later - after working for De Beers for 25 years I asked for money (in lieu of a gold watch) to buy a Fender Statocaster guitar. Not long after (following a lot of catch up practicing)  I joined a rock band and ended up playing in local clubs and restaurants around Cape Town until quite recently. I've now retired - I think my  grown up kids got embarrassed - and now I only play for myself and occasionally for friends with backing tapes - Only Shadows of course. I now own about 10 guitars (wish I could have afforded them in the sixties) - some valuable vintages dating from 1955 and a pride and joy American Fender Strat acquired in New Orleans  - but that's another story.
 
As far as photos are concerned I have a few but they're somewhere in the garage I'll have to dig around and send them later.

Sorry I got a bit carried away.

Regards
Tony H "

his email address is  hockles@alternet.co.za

regards
Mike

[Bev Coates (Now Walker)]

Hi Not sure from your message if its Roy Fields you were asking about.
I went to see Mavis Fields in sept 06 during my search for Steven Fields, My mum and dad were very good friends of the theres during our time in O/M in the 60's.  Roy sadly died but Mavis is still living in Cape Town and is very well.
I can get you more info if you would like to get in touch with Mavis, please let me know.
I was bev Coates, mum and dad barbara and Doug, i lived next door to the castle twins and across the road from sandy buchannon and my very dear long lost friend Nicolene Barratt.

Its taken a long time and lots of searching but i have fullfilled my dream of finding all these very dear friends,

Thank you Mike for now re startin this newer version of the site. I have read and re-read the old site so many times.  I have now found all the friends i had been looking for apart from Steven Fields.......but will keep looking.

[Robert Bruce]

Mike,

I sent Tony an email but the old git has probably not downloaded any eamils since you scared the bejazers out of!

Regards

Robert Bruce

PS: I thing John, David Hockney, Toney etc recall my dad well.

[bobbysmith]

hi john,was alen the son of tony brown,i was born in om in year 1958,as i recall ,in my growing years there were quite a few browns in the town,no pun intended,there was a lesley brown ,cocky brown,roy brown ,to name a few,does any one have knowledge of the BROWN FAMILIES,take good care john,ps my sister kay sends her regards,cheers bud

[Michael Alexander]

There was a blonde haired girl with me in OPS in the 70's , her name was Jean Brown.....
:)

[Michael Alexander]

Compliments of John Creedy, The Sandunes.....

[Robert Bruce]

I seem to recall this Hawaii themed session! I have a photo somewhere of me dancing with my sister! Will locate it and post it here.

I also know that WBHS prevails here too! Guess who the WBHS Old Boys are!

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

I remember Roy very well, played soccer with him and son Steven. Worked with Roy at the Power Station during my apprenticeship and was a good friend of Steven. If anyone hears of their whereabouts to let me know please. Thanks, Pepe.

[bobbysmith]

pepe there are quite a people looking to get in touch with steven,by all accounts he is in the uk,if you pm bev coates,find her in the members of om,online,she actually visited aunty mavis in cape town some 3/4 years ago,she can tell you more bud

[Michael Alexander]

and don't forget Sharon (fields) Shearer is a member in here, she checks in about once a month...

[bobbysmith]

nice reminder bud

[Twiggs]

Roy Fields passed away, but Stephanie Fields, his eldest daughter is in the UK and she's on Facebook.  One of the twins are in oz and the other still in the uk.

[Bob Molloy]

@Tony Hockney: to add to your tale of local girl made good, Marilyn Heyns (or Marloe Scott Wilson if you prefer) whose mother was a school teacher in Oranjemund was cast in the London stage version of Jesus Christ Superstar in the early 70s. It was the rage musical of the time and ran for months. She understudied the principal and finally made her breakthrough when the principal fell ill.
She later went on to various singing roles and at once stage affected a biker image on a Harley motorcycle. I lost touch with the family when I left SA in the early 80s.
@Robert Bruce: greetings, also from my son Sinclair who now runs a big regional hospital in Scotland. I tried to register on your blog but seemed to come up against some kind of security screen.

[john wilson]

Roy and I performed in 1972 Oranjemund Players Variety Concert,played some Dixieland Jazz if my memory is correct some of the numbers were Basin Street Blues,Good old Summertime,Struttin with some Barbeque and a few more I cant remember. We had Les Duddy,Charles Campbell and another couple of people back us up.Concert ran all week and was a great success,I still have the Programme somewhere should look it out and send a copy   
to Mike.