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Letter: I Was a Frequent Audience Member at the Gin Mill

Published on: 17 Apr, 2019
Updated on: 17 Apr, 2019

Press ad for the Gin Mill Club as reproduced in Nigel Enever’s book Guildford The Rock ‘n’ Roll Years.

From Dave Chillistone

I have only just spotted the letter My Special Memories of the Gin Mill Club and subsequent thread of comments.

I was a frequent audience member at the venue and saw many bands, not only Duster Bennett (yes, I still have my original vinyl live recording album too!) but also Chicken Shack, Fleetwood Mac, Free, Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig etc.

There were also the lesser-known but musically brilliant bands such as Ainsley Dunbar’s Retaliation and The Keef Hartley Band. I didn’t see Genesis but Black Sabbath played there before they went “big”.

Does anyone else remember the stunningly talented Mark Kischel (spelling?) who in the early days of The Gin Mill would jam on the piano during the interval? What a superb talent! Sadly, Mark passed away within a year or so – such a loss.

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Responses to Letter: I Was a Frequent Audience Member at the Gin Mill

  1. Norman Bristow Reply

    April 22, 2019 at 4:02 pm

    I recall seeing Jethro Tull for the first time at the Gin Mill. Three of us were sat at the front with our feet propped on the stage when on came Ian Anderson in full flow, one of the most surreal moments of my music going life. I also recall seeing Chicken Shack perform when Alexis Korner turned up and started jamming in the break with me on bass. Happy days!

  2. Alessandro Borri Reply

    March 3, 2023 at 7:16 am

    I have just discovered also Alexis Korner played the Godalming Angel Hotel Sunday, June 9 1968. Perhaps also on the bill (unannounced) were the English rock band Free (internationally famous for their hit “All Right Now” of 1970). Between April and June 1968 Free played a lot of gigs supporting Alexis Korner.

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