Channel Islands Album ‐ 8 of 8
Jersey Channel Islands Album 8 ‐ 'Skintight' ‐ Jersey's Premium Funk Band

  

Rehearsals and Recordings
Manicou • Senators •
Bare Essentials • Crosswinds
 
  

Album 1
Exploring the Island
First Days at Les Arches
 
  

Album 2
Fun at Les Arches
Getting an Audience
 
  

Album 3
Friends at Les Arches
Whoops Upside Your Head
 
  

Album 4
Au Revoir
End of Season
 
  

Album 5
Back in Blighty
Return to Les Arches
 
  

Album 6
Feesh and Cheeps
The Geordies
 
  

Album 7
Maison des Landes
Pastry KP
 
  

Album 8
Skintight
Inn on the Park
 
  

May I dedicate this to the great Bernie ("Pierre Cardin") our steadfast bongo player, God rest his soul.

Skintight, spruced up nicely and ready for entertainment action!  First time I saw Doug wearing men's clothes.  Back row: Keith Curtis, Rob Le Quelenec, Doug Joseph. Then: Dave Andre, me.<br /> <br /> I believe that like myself, Keith and Doug might have also retired, Rob is involved with Photography?, Dave teaches Saxophone.<br /> <br /> Rob le Quelenec<br /> <a href="https://www.arthousejersey.je/news/arthouse-jersey-presents-the-distillery-sessions" target="_blank">Arthouse Jersey</a><br /> <br /> January 84<br /> <a href="https://jerseyeveningpost.com/lookingback/2024/02/12/pictures-a-night-out-at-the-hawaiian" target="_blank">A Night Out At The Hawaiian</a><br /> <br /> My favourite of Dave's among many:<br /> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s07K_DxWeM" target="_blank">Dave Andre ‐ EWI 5000 ‐ In a Sentimental Mood</a><br /> ‐ with Kurt Okeef.<br /> 82 or 83 I think it was, when I joined Skintight, through Rob Le Quelenec, who ran Bona Togs in Les Quennevais, a clothes shop along the row in the picture.  Back then, at the end of the terrace, was a surf and sports related supplier and beyond that, behind the flats was an aquarium shop that Rob frequented.  When I was working at Maison des Landes we once had to shop there in Les Quennevais, venturing out from St Ouen in thick snow in a van driven by Gerry Halsey.  It was freezing and I remember him buying a bottle of rum which me and Josh and another finished, just to get warmed up on the way back.<br /> <br /> Later on I bought clothes from Rob in a shop (also Bona Togs) in Beresford St.<br /> Doug Joseph, the most fittest person I ever did meet and for sure, one of the best.  Our lead, as Sensei he later also ran the Dojo in Fort Regent.  I sent him a recording of our gig in West Park about 10 years ago (see YouTube Playlist in further post).<br /> <br /> Facebook Links:<br /> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4920718687946774&set=a.1575776179107725" target="_blank">Sensei Doug and Sensei Dave</a><br /> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3383513825000609&set=a.1575776179107725" target="_blank">Doug Karate Dojo at Fort Regent</a><br /> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/douglas.joseph.589" target="_blank">Douglas Joseph</a><br /> Of course there had been many other versions of Skintight before I joined and after I left, I believe.  Here's a report of Doug on a Valentines do at the Inn on the Park before my time with Skintight.<br /> <br /> .. and a smashing time at Behans..<br /> <br /> <a href="https://youtu.be/CzlvdJyJre8?si=QSg7e-_vdtZPM2Y4" target="_blank">SKINTIGHT‐‐BRICK SMASHING-BEHAN,S 1982.avi</a><br /> <br /> These are the only impromptu photos of the band I have, so far.  Setting up in Thackerays.  1 of 4 Setting up in Thackerays.  2 of 4 Setting up in Thackerays.  3 of 4 Setting up in Thackerays.  4 of 4 I can't remember ‐ was Scarlets also called L'Auberge du Nord?<br /> <br /> Sally Hall to Malachy John McCauley:  Scarlets was the nightclub in the L'auberge<br /> Malachy John McCauley to Sally Hall:  thanks Sally X<br /> <br /> Skintight, with our singer, Brendan Cook who went off to London where the streets are paved with gold to seek his fortune. At the Hawaiian. I remember water coming in .. substantially when there was heavy rain !! A pass for ... ... Elsa, who came to see me at the Hawaiian. I remember the party described in this issue of Foldback.  There were two huge marquees one for dining and one for dancing and a free bar.  We were also honoured to be gourmet fed in the manor house, they had a beautifully tiled kitchen I remember.  Unfortunate about the facilities though!  We did a couple like that, around the same time I also joined a trio with Brian Hamilton, a fine flute and guitar player and did an additional marquee job. Lots of news about the local music scene in another page from the Foldback magazine. Another studio shot with our singer Brendan Cook showing his best side.<br /> <br /> Kurt Okeef to Malachy John McCauley:  where do you find this stuff ?!! I don't even remember being there !!<br /> <br /> ‐ with Melanie Fuentes McCauley and Kurt Okeef.<br /> I think this might have been before my time with Skintight. A friend of Rob's made the recording on the latest VHS camera at the time of our performance, supporting the band 'Imagination' at the Inn on the Park in 1985, May or June? The picture above is a screen dump from the recording which was first copied to another VHS tape at the time and then to a CD.  I've used Clipchamp, Da Vinci and Topaz AI software in an attempt to restore it.  The sound is not so bad but I was unable to remove all of the striping etc in the picture.  I think Rob's Mrs is in one of the scenes in the audience.  The excellent tall keyboard player is Dave Lee who ran a techno shop in St Helier, I believe.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3MlJkbi85FXN9sTMgEcw9M92EgHaqh-3" target="_blank">Skintight at the Inn on the Park in 1985</a><br /> We had a Sunday residency at the Inn on the Park ('Behans'). The idea was to pull enough people in to keep the place going, a very difficult proposition at the time.  We did our best as I remember. From various sources:<br /> <br /> "Behans" refers to the nightclub and entertainment venue, Behans of Jersey, which was formerly known as the West Park Pavilion or "The Pav".  It was a popular spot in the Channel Islands in the 1970s, run by Joyce and Hughie Behan, and was a major rock and roll venue with a stage that rose from the dancefloor.<br /> <br /> Former Name:  The venue was originally called the West Park Pavilion, or "The Pav".<br /> Behans Era:  The Behans took over in 1971 and re‐launched it as "Behans," transforming it into a popular rock and roll and cabaret club.<br /> Features:  It featured an automated stage that rose from the dancefloor and a world‐class sound system.<br /> <br /> "Whatever moniker it went under, it remains one of the most fondly remembered buildings for three generations of islanders.<br /> <br /> From its early incarnation as a lavish ballroom to its rebirth as a live music venue, and finally as an unlikely home to the 'rave' scene, it mirrored the changing social trends in Jersey.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.jerripedia.org/wiki/West_Park_Pavilion" target="_blank"></a><br /> <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/articles/2009/03/09/innonthepark_feature.shtml" target="_blank">Feature</a><br /> <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/articles/2009/03/09/innonthepark_stancorfield_feature.shtml" target="_blank">Stan Corfield</a><br /> <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/articles/2009/03/09/innonthepark_chrissparkes_feature.shtml" target="_blank">Chris Sparkes</a><br /> <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/articles/2009/03/09/innonthepark_warrenlesueur_feature.shtml" target="_blank">Warren Le Sueur</a><br /> <br /> What's there now, in my opinion owes more in style to the todt organisation than Behans.  Look at that Stalag wall.  What a pity.<br /> 1899 A few posters Posters and memorabilia. That's the end of my Jersey albums and here are the leftovers.  What a time!  I think the list was the Manicou set from Les Arches. I have no recollection of this at all! Like me, the action needs lightning, the cover is peeling and it seems much heavier.  Travelled with me quite a while before and after those wonderful days in Jersey.<br /> La Rocka.  I got this in Johnson and Johnson when it was in Kensington Market, London.  Doesn't fit too well these days ‐ a bit of a tight squeeze. Here's Melanie and our Marianne wearing it this morning.

Skintight at the Inn on the Park in 1985

Album 7 ‐ Maison des Landes
© Malachy McCauley  January 2026
Recordings and Manicou