1999 obit: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka 15 Dec 1999
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Jan 24 - 05:16 AM

I remember Ian Campbell telling me he thought Cosmotheka were only really original act to emerge in the 1970's.
not sure he was right, but the genius of Cosmotheka was that they didn't bog off to isolated communities for material - they actually listened to our grandparents, who all seemed to know fragments of music hall songs. they researched the songs so they knew them totally. Then they found a performance style that communicated with folk club audiences - and explained to us the elan and humour of the Victorian performers.

They were quite brilliant.

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka 15 Dec 1999
From: GUEST,Stan Thomas.
Date: 23 Jan 24 - 05:32 AM

In 1962 I was a mechanic at Bell & Nicholson in Birmingham and Dave (or was it Alan) used to come in for a chat and to take our orders, as he was a rep for Ferodo brake linings. One day he confided in me that he and his brother who were part-time entertainers on the folk scene were thinking of going professional, and I recall saying something like "Better to have a go than in your old age saying - what if?", and as they say, the rest is history. On a few occassions in their early days I'd "do a turn" with them with a few Formby songs, but that was before they became famous of course.

They were a wonderful "turn" in what I've come to realise in my old age were the Best Times, but now sady missed, as will be Cosmotheka.

So hail to thee, for we shall never see your like again.

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka 15 Dec 1999
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 May 10 - 08:28 PM

Good Luck to Dave and Dan - I have some excellent memories of Cosmotheka - And PHFFFT! to any one who thinks Music Hall has nothing
t0 do with Folk music !

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: GUEST,Cassie Tillett
Date: 30 May 10 - 04:40 PM

I found many messages on this forum appreciating the work of Dave & Al Sealey. This is just a quick note to alert anyone who happens to tune in to the fact that Dave is doing performances of his one-man shows about Max Miller and Stanley Holloway, and that with his son Dan he is recreating some of the work of Cosmotheka, in several venues across the summer. You'll find them not only in their native Worcestershire, but in Devon, Cambridgeshire, Warwickshire & Shropshire.

I'm proud to be creating a website for them (Dave is not much of a computer buff!) and while there is only a holding page at present, I've published dates for upcoming gigs; the full site should be available very soon.

The site is at www.cosmotheka.co.uk, and if you use twitter they can be found at @cosmothekamusic.

Best wishes

Cassie Tillett

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: poet
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 06:31 AM

Oh what bad news. Cosmo the car have been great freinds to us in Guernsey. Both Festival and Club they even played for nothing when we hit hard times. Alan is going to be sorely missed over here.My heart goes out to Dave and all the family.

Graham Hyett.

Representing
GiFF(Guernsey Int Folk Festival)
and Guernsey Folk Club

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Jan 00 - 01:51 PM

Now that is really a shame. It's hard to think we'll never see them up on stage again. Cosmotheka is one of the few acts that has put me in physical pain laughing at them - great stretches of being unable to draw breath with the laughing. Any festival I went to where they were onmthe bill, I'd know for sure that they'd be a highlight.

They could make you see the tragedy in a song like Burlington Berties, and the daft fuin in a song like "I'm one of the Ku-Klux-Klan".

I hope there is some kind of adequate tribute event. And I hoe that Dave manages to carry on.

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: GUEST,Geoff Davenport
Date: 22 Jan 00 - 01:27 PM

A great loss. I've been a fan for twenty years and have been lucky enough to see them quite a few times. He will be sorely missed and sincere condolenses to all.

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: roopoo
Date: 05 Jan 00 - 03:24 AM

So sorry to hear the news. I thought they were phenomenal the only time I saw them many years ago, and I'd hoped I would get the chance to see them again. A great loss to music. My condolences to his family and to you too, Steve.

mouldy

Subject: RE: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 06:55 PM

Good band.

Bad news.

Subject: Death of Alan Sealey of Cosmotheka
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 03:49 AM

I'm sorry to have to tell you of the death of Alan Sealey, of Cosmotheka. I only found out last Tuesday that Alan died suddenly of pneumonia on Wednesday 15th December, and this is the first chance I've had to pass on the news.

I've known Al and his brother Dave for twenty-five years now, and it's a great shock to me. Dave and Al had been rehearsing for a panto, Sleeping Beauty, at Solihull Art Complex. Alan was taken ill with flu: he went to work on Tuesday but was sent home straight away because he was so poorly, and died on Wednesday night.

Steve