A real Christmas Cracker with my old friends Jasper Carrot and Tony Iommi

The backstage of any "Cracker" always has a lovely atmosphere, being so close to Christmas and everyone giving their services for free to raise money for always very worthy charities. This time the backstage area was bigger than normal, well laid out with festively decorated tables and chairs to relax in and a non stop supply of food and drink.

There were two large screens too, showing what was going on onstage and as we sat down to coffee and doughnuts, UB40 were going through their soundcheck.

Due to work commitments my band trio ( Phil on bass, me on drums and Gordon Healer on guitar), had had little time to rehearse with our "Special Guest" singers and musicians, so I had arranged a couple of hours rehearsal next door to the Arena at the "Pavillion".

Firstly we had to teach our guest keyboard player Rick Wakeman (recently arrived back in the country from Chile), the arrangements to the songs we were going to play. Then Dave Berry arrived to run through his two songs. (When I was 17 years old and drummer for Denny Laine and the Diplomats, we once opened a show in Nuneaton for Dave Berry and the Cruisers).

Next it was the turn of my great friend and former colleague in Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi, to run through his two numbers. As usual Tony had his amp turned up to eleven and shattered a few glasses in the Pavillion bar.

Finally the lovely Toyah Willcox , along with her talented young guitarist Jordan Bracewell, joined us to run through her two songs. (Toyah was born and raised in Kings Heath in Birmingham, the suburb next to Moseley, where Jasper and I went to school).

Lunch was next - a rather good mushroom and peppers vegetarian concoction. Soon after that I spotted Roy Wood and his Rock'n'Roll Band about to take the stage to do their sound check. Woody and I have not being seeing eye to eye for over a year now, so I took the opportunity to go over to him and shake his hand. It's good that Roy and I are at least back on speaking terms.

As I said to him (and I say it to you) --- The older we get the more precious our old friends become. Never let them slip away!

At 7pm Jasper opened procedures by taking the stage to the sold out 12,500 crowd to introduce the opening, surprise act of the evening - the always excellent Elkie Brooks and her fine band.

They put on a very good 20 minute set, with Elkie in fine voice. I watched on one of the backstage big screens, sitting next to Toyah, who is obviously a big admirer of Elkie's singing. Stourbridge comedian Lee Wilson was his usual funny self and thoroughly enjoyed playing to the biggest crowd of his long career. Sexy, all girl classical quartet Escala put on an impressive show, before local heroes UB40 closed the first half with a confident performance in front of their home crowd.

After the interval, Jasper introduced a few members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet - and what a talented and super fit bunch of young dancers they are.

The always hilarious Bobby Davro was next, just making it in time after finishing his pantomime performance in Bristol.

And then it was our turn ! Jasper introduced us a "unique supergroup", which was fairly accurate I suppose. Firstly, the four of us ( Phil. Gordon, Rick and myself), played the opening riff of Chuck Berry's "Memphis Tennessee" before Dave Berry walked on to take the microphone.

Following that I strolled to the front of the stage to first get the audience to put their hands together to thank Jasper for putting together this extravaganza, and then I introduced on stage my mate Tony Iommi and we launched into "Route 66", with Dave again taking lead vocals.

Dave Berry then left the stage and we blasted into Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", Tony's blistering guitar and my two bass drum pedals kicking up some thunder. Phil Tree took lead vocals and Bobby Davro staggered on to the stage to do his superb Ozzy Osborne impersonation.

He and Tony left the stage to a huge ovation from the crowd before Jasper introduced Toyah Willcox, looking spectacular in some outrageous black feather outfit, and we kicked into Alice Cooper's "Schools out", followed by Toyah's great arrangement of Guns 'n' Roses "Sweet child of mine".

It was all over far too quickly and we took our bows to a wonderful reception from a hugely appreciative crowd.

Next up was that fine comic Lee Mack , before Roy Wood and his band brought the show to an end, with everyone, including Santa Claus, joining in on Woody's seasonal humdinger "I wish it could be Christmas everyday".

Afterwards friends and family joined us all backstage for a few after show drinks. Many wishes of "Merry Christmas and a happy new year", lots of hugs and kisses and promises between everyone who had appeared on stage that night that "We must do this again sometime soon"! Let's hope that we do.

And on that optimistic note, may I wish you and yours and me and mine --- a happy and healthy 2009!!!