October 2008 Archives

OCTOBER 2008

Wednesday 1st

Along with Jasper Carrott (a best mate now for over 50 years!), drove to Patshull Park GC to play in John Richard's Charity Golf Tournament.

Our team of four was Jasper, me and ex-Wolves players Steve Daley and Kenny Hibbitt.

Steve was once the most expensive footballer in Britain when he was transferred from Wolves to Manchester City for £1.4 million. Kenny, a very keen golfer indeed, now plays off scratch.

We played well, but not well enough to win. Stayed for the dinner and lots of money raised for a local hospital.

Read on for more dates!

FOLLOWING my successful audition to become the new drummer for Carl Wayne and the Vikings, the next few days were hectic.

I handed in a week's notice at the store (which went down like a lead balloon) and needed to get myself a passport, which entailed taking a train to London and a taxi to the passport office.

Before I knew it, along with Carl Wayne, Ace Kefford, Johnny Mann and Terry Wallace - plus Carl's mate Allen Harris, acting as unpaid road manager - I was on my way to Germany.

We packed all our instruments, equipment, suitcases and ourselves into the band's Commer van, drove to the East coast and boarded a ferry.

I had never been outside of England or Wales before in my life, so I was naturally excited at the prospect of spending a month in a foreign country.

On rare occasions, for all of us, a day comes along that can change your life forever.

I believe that such a day happened to me in June 1965.

Following the demise of The Diplomats at the end of '64, I found myself, for the second time, with a "proper job", working at the classy and rather snooty Kean and Scotts in Birmingham city centre.

I was fast becoming a nine 'til five man. I'd managed to keep up my hire purchase payments on my Ludwig grey stripe drum kit and found the occasional semi-pro gig, including a stint with ex colleagues Nicky James and Phil Ackrill in Nicky James and the Wild Cherries.

(When I left that band my replacement was Led Zeppelin drummer to be, John Bonham!)

This band was never going to be more than a temporary gig though - more like a paid hobby than an actual career in the music business.

Meanwhile, much to my chagrin, fellow Birmingham beatsters were faring much, much better than me.

The Moody Blues had hit the top of the UK charts with Go Now (although the follow-up I Don't Want To Go On Without You only made No 33).

The Applejacks, meanwhile, had had three top 30 hits during 1964 - Tell Me When, Like Dreamers Do and Three Little Words.

Tuesday 2nd

Played in the Johnny Briggs Celeb / Am Golf Day at the Belfry, on the monster Brabazon course. All proceeds going to the Mcmillan Nurses appeal. Photo shoot first, along with Johnny Briggs ( Coronation Street's Mike Baldwin ), athlete Kris Akabussi, snooker legend Willie Thorne, 50's rocker Jess Conrad and former Wolves striker Don Goodman.

Too wet for buggies and took five and a half hours to play 18 holes !

Another charity golf day, this the "Sniffers" event at Stratford upon Avon golf club. Got rained on again. Rehearsal with my band ( The Move - featuring Trevor Burton and Bev Bevan ), at the "Madhouse" studios in Birmingham. Went well, and added to our repertoire, the Beatles "Got to get you into my life", the Everly Brother's "Price of love" and Free's "A little bit of love". All five band members together in our Mercedes mini-bus for the 250 mile drive to Anwick, a beautiful and ancient little town well north of Newcastle. Good show at the town's splendid theatre. Found a local pub right opposite our quaint little hotel, for a couple of after show nightcaps. Hit the road at 10am for the drive back to Birmingham. Heavy Friday traffic and took us 5 hours . Just made it in time for our 3pm band photo shoot at a studio in Digbeth. On then to Solihull Arts Complex for a quick sound check. Good show on the night and my old friend and former colleague in Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi , along with his lovely wife Maria, amongst the audience. Drove to the "Mailbox" in Birmingham to record a one hour show ( going out on Sunday October 9th at noon ), with my old friend Ed Doolan, at BBC Radio WM. Bumped into fellow presenters, and old buddies Les Ross and Jenny Wilkes as well. Got the 10.45 train from Warwick Parkway to London Mareylebone, writing up cd reviews and a blog for the Sunday Mercury along the way. Cab to Capital Radio in Leicester Square for 2 hour show with David "Kid" Jensen and then a one hour "Desert Island Discs" type show. On then to a studio across town to record an interview with "Emirate Airlines". Lots of plugs for the new Move 4 cd box set, which comes out at the end of October. Along with my good friend Don Givens ( manager of the Irish under 21 team ), went to Molineux to see Wolves beat Bristol City 2.0. Sat in the directors box and former Wolves owner Sir Jack Hayward in the row in front of me. Move gig at the splendid Garrick Theatre in Lichfield. Good show and the new songs went well, Another standing ovation at the end from the crowd. In the afternoon drove to the Lickey Hills to find the location for the latest short film to be directed by Martin Nigel Davey ( last year I was a featured extra in Norman Wisdom's last ever on screen performance ). This time I did the same kind of thing in a very funny sketch featuring Solihull comic Don McLean and actor Geoffrey Hughes ( "Onslow" in "Keeping up Appearances" ). Also met for the first time actor John Alderton, who was just as nice as I thought he would be. All profits from the cd sales of this movie going to the "McMillan Nurses" charity - which is where we came in !