Bev Bevan: The last week in January - over the years!

1970
Recording at Phillips Studios near Marble Arch. Also found time to go see my favourite jazz drummer Buddy Rich at Chesford Grange, plusThe Beach Boys at the Birmingham Odeon.

1973
Some recording with ELO at the legendary Abbey Road studios, plus gigs at Stoke's "Heavy Steam Machine" and Weston Super Mare's "Winter Gardens". Also an appearance to promote the new single, a re-working of Chuck Berry's "Roll over Beethoven".

1976
Flew to Los Angeles for rehearsals for ELO "Tour of North America '76" Checked into the famous Hyatt House Hotel on Sunset Strip and met up with my old mates Robert Plant and John Bonham from Led Zep. We went to see Dobie Gray at one of my all time favourite clubs, The Troubadour.

1977
On tour with ELO. Great gig in the "Old Western town of El Paso" to around 9,000 people. On to Albuquerque, New Mexico to play at Johnson's Gym. Next stop San Francisco and a brilliant night at The Cow Palace to about 14,000 people. On then to Las Vegas for a show at the Convention Centre. Another mega gig after that, The Forum in LA to massive crowd of 18,000. A day off the following day, and I went shopping at the huge Tower Records store and bought latest albums by The Eagles, Emmy Lou Harris, Al Stewart, Janis Ian and Boz Scaggs,
Recorded TV spots for "The American Music Awards" and "The Captain and Tennille Show". Found time to see The Pointer Sisters at the Roxy Club. Ended the month with two more gigs - another sell out at the LA Forum and a show in one of my favourite American cities, San Diego.

1978
Flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Checked into spectacular Hyatt hotel , which had it's own dolphins, penguins and turtles ! Played concert in Honolulu to around 7,000. Flew then to New Zealand, crossing the International Date Line, instantly losing 24 hours - weird ! Press conference in Auckland and presented with gold and platinum discs for "A new world record", "Out of the blue" and "Telephone line". Huge gig on the evening to about 20,000 people at the town's speedway stadium.

1984
Rehearsals in Los Angeles with Black Sabbath for second half of North American tour - me on drums, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, Ian Gillan on vocals and Geoff Nicholls on keyboards. Added the excellent "Neon nights" to the set list.
Appeared on TV rock show in LA, miming to "Zero the hero" and "Digital bitch", from the new album "Born again" ..Flew to San Francisco for gig at the huge Cow Palace", then back to LA for show at Long Beach Arena in Anaheim. Left the 85 degree heat of Los Angeles to fly to Salt Lake City, where it was minus 8 ! On then to beautiful Denver, Colorado to play at the University theatre.

1985
First ever appearance on stage of "Belch", at a charity gig at Edward's Number Eight Club in Birmingham First line up was Jasper Carrott , Roy Wood, Phil Tree, Phil Ackrill and myself. An eclectic mix of talent on the night --- Cannon and Ball, The Rocking Berries, Jim Davidson, Lionel Blair, Dustin Gee, Cissy Stone, Steve Gibbons, Clive Lea, Marti Caine and Belch !

1994
On tour with ELO Part 2 in Poland. Sold out show in Katowice to around 7,000 people, then very long and boring coach trip to Gdansk, watching videos of "Spinal tap" and "Naked gun". Cold gig at the town's ice rink.

1997
I appeared on the BBC TV show "Noel's telly years", along with actor Denis Quilley, comedian Barry Cryer and host Noel Edmunds. In the famed BBC Green Room also met athlete Steve Cramm and comic Tom O'Connor.

1998
On mini tour of USA with ELO Part 2. Gigs in snowy Toledo, Ohio at a nice little theatre and a casino show at the Mohegan Centre in Uncansville, Connetticutt.

2006
Flew to Holland for gig with the Bev Bevan Band ( Phil Tree, Neil Lockwood, Phil Bates and me ). Good show to around 3,000 people. The Rubettes also on the bill.