Andy Neate died suddenly, sending a shock through the Hastings music community. A regular at the Jenny Lind pub with his Balearic chill band, Los Twangueros, and more recently the blues band Just Landed, he was a part of the town’s musical landscape.

With Jason Wilson (double bass), James Gulliver (percussion/drums), and Brendan O’Connell (guitar), along with the addition of Jem Turpin (harmonica) for the blues department of Los Twangueros, the band were exceedingly active, playing at many venues such as along the seafront at Starsky and Hatch and at the Goat Ledge music stage.

Jason Wilson, longtime band member of Los Twangueros, told me what fun it was to work with him and that it felt like a musical family. The sounds seemed to be getting better and better. At Andy’s last gig, he was on a real high, feeling that they were really getting to where they wanted to be.

Los Twangueros was its own close, entertaining community, full of jokes and fun. Jason recalls the time they had together when they shared a house on Tackleway, which they called ‘Fuck Wit Mansions’. Andy had an inventive schoolboy humour. He commissioned an original invention from Justin Ellis called the ‘Twang-O-Matic’, an ‘advanced hydration system’ for replenishing his beer glass automatically while on stage.

It’s hard to overestimate the influence that Andy has had on our acclaimed music scene: The many gigs he played, his teaching, his delightful projects. He lived close by the Jenny Lind – a pub that cherished him, and in there, we are really going to miss him. Simon Kennedy says “He was a fierce supporter of the Jenny and our music ethos, as well as being a champion of Hastings live music in general. It’s been our honour to be able to support his two exceptional bands. He was a truly outstanding musician. And friend.”

Many a toast will be raised. Legendary.