Jon Sandys
@jonsandys.bsky.social
Hampshire born and bred, but a Man of Kent since 1997. Prog rock fan, keyboard player and pub-quizzer.
Technically, the first band I saw live, since they were support for Rush on the Farewell to Kings tour in 77 - my first ever concert.
November 20, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Technically, the first band I saw live, since they were support for Rush on the Farewell to Kings tour in 77 - my first ever concert.
I bought my first CD player in 1985 from Laskys in Tottenham Court Road. The sales promotion entitled you to two "free" CDs from their vast selection (about 20, IIRC). I got 52nd Street and Christopher Cross "Another Page" - I must check to see whether they still play.
November 18, 2025 at 9:50 AM
I bought my first CD player in 1985 from Laskys in Tottenham Court Road. The sales promotion entitled you to two "free" CDs from their vast selection (about 20, IIRC). I got 52nd Street and Christopher Cross "Another Page" - I must check to see whether they still play.
Saw them a lot during the 80s - first time at Eastleigh Town Hall in 1980 when they had three keyboard players bumping into each other as they negotiated their way around a plethora of synths in what seemed like a game of musical Twister. Really appealed to me as a teenage synth-nerd
November 6, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Saw them a lot during the 80s - first time at Eastleigh Town Hall in 1980 when they had three keyboard players bumping into each other as they negotiated their way around a plethora of synths in what seemed like a game of musical Twister. Really appealed to me as a teenage synth-nerd
Off to TB tonight too. Not seen Just Floyd before but have worked with their backing vocalist Kelly, so looking forward to it. Hope you are feeling better!
October 30, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Off to TB tonight too. Not seen Just Floyd before but have worked with their backing vocalist Kelly, so looking forward to it. Hope you are feeling better!
He sat down during Merlin at the Palladium last night, whilst Adam was doing his keytar solo and Rick was just playing a four bar repeat pattern on the Hammond.
October 30, 2025 at 12:32 AM
He sat down during Merlin at the Palladium last night, whilst Adam was doing his keytar solo and Rick was just playing a four bar repeat pattern on the Hammond.
Same. On holiday with my parents in Weymouth - went into Woolworth's and asked about a tune that went "Doo, do-do-do, doo" - another customer overheard and handed me the album.
August 13, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Same. On holiday with my parents in Weymouth - went into Woolworth's and asked about a tune that went "Doo, do-do-do, doo" - another customer overheard and handed me the album.
We should scotch the rumours that Sticky Tape Day is an actual thing.
June 6, 2025 at 5:09 PM
We should scotch the rumours that Sticky Tape Day is an actual thing.
It's long, but this is a fascinating interview with the Synclavier's co-creator Cameron Jones, charting the rise and fall of New England Digital - the company setup to build and market the Synclavier youtu.be/G5T7NBLSY0c?...
How the Synclavier & Cameron Jones Changed Music
YouTube video by Anthony Marinelli Music
youtu.be
May 22, 2025 at 4:22 PM
It's long, but this is a fascinating interview with the Synclavier's co-creator Cameron Jones, charting the rise and fall of New England Digital - the company setup to build and market the Synclavier youtu.be/G5T7NBLSY0c?...
I nodded off a bit during Zep - it was a very long day and I'm not sure anyone in the campsite got any sleep the night before.
May 19, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I nodded off a bit during Zep - it was a very long day and I'm not sure anyone in the campsite got any sleep the night before.
Ah ok - to be fair I can't recall anything about Commander Cody.
May 19, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Ah ok - to be fair I can't recall anything about Commander Cody.
Maybe you went to the first week? The New Barbarians only played the August 11th event; those of us there on the 4th got Fairport instead.
May 19, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Maybe you went to the first week? The New Barbarians only played the August 11th event; those of us there on the 4th got Fairport instead.
Still using Money 2002 edition here. Account entries going back to 1993 and still works fine.
May 16, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Still using Money 2002 edition here. Account entries going back to 1993 and still works fine.
Not sure the Styx one counts - it’s a 7” pretending to be 10.
May 8, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Not sure the Styx one counts - it’s a 7” pretending to be 10.
Great, well-researched article. Thanks for finding and posting it, Russell
April 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Great, well-researched article. Thanks for finding and posting it, Russell
Same here! Can't believe Guy Fletcher was putting all those expensive keyboards through a cheap Seck 104 mixer.
March 20, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Same here! Can't believe Guy Fletcher was putting all those expensive keyboards through a cheap Seck 104 mixer.
I've been nodding approvingly at all the responses over the last 24 hours. I guess I'd go with Seconds Out, UFO - SITN and BBT - Merchants of Light, but one that hasn't been mentioned that I have played regularly for 45+ years is Kansas - Two For The Show.
March 14, 2025 at 11:46 AM
I've been nodding approvingly at all the responses over the last 24 hours. I guess I'd go with Seconds Out, UFO - SITN and BBT - Merchants of Light, but one that hasn't been mentioned that I have played regularly for 45+ years is Kansas - Two For The Show.
I would have certainly taken a few of these off his hands.
March 12, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I would have certainly taken a few of these off his hands.
Thanks for posting these keyboard articles Chris - a great nostalgia trip. I briefly played one of these in Harrods in about 1980, before the sales guy realised there wasn't a cat in hell's chance that I had the money to buy it. Had to make do with a brochure that I stuck on my bedroom wall.
March 12, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Thanks for posting these keyboard articles Chris - a great nostalgia trip. I briefly played one of these in Harrods in about 1980, before the sales guy realised there wasn't a cat in hell's chance that I had the money to buy it. Had to make do with a brochure that I stuck on my bedroom wall.
Thanks. There's no link to this from the latest updates list on concourse page yet; the URL above is working fine though.
March 11, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Thanks. There's no link to this from the latest updates list on concourse page yet; the URL above is working fine though.
It looks like Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde. Never been there - but this looks like a simlar view
March 10, 2025 at 11:40 PM
It looks like Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde. Never been there - but this looks like a simlar view
It's great, but... Gary Brooker's cover of it is on another level (IMHO, of course) youtu.be/1phKZIB5VVQ?...
Say It Ain't So Joe - Gary Brooker
YouTube video by TheStranger67
youtu.be
March 7, 2025 at 1:17 AM
It's great, but... Gary Brooker's cover of it is on another level (IMHO, of course) youtu.be/1phKZIB5VVQ?...