I went to a Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers gig in Holmfirth recently. It’s true, I did. And here’s Les and me backstage at the Picturedrome before the show. My good friend, Judy, was a huge fan in the 70s. Wore the tartan as a teenager. And her husband, my friend Mike, didn’t fancy it one bit. So I said I’d organise things. Les and I socialised a little at the end of the 70s and early 80s in Los Angeles and London, so he was quite happy for us to visit backstage. And it was Judy’s great moment: her Mohammed Ali moment. Her Bob Dylan moment. She met Les. Her teenage idol. And Les was as nice as could be to her. Judy now has her own small gallery of pix with Les. It’s good to make people happy, isn’t it…

There are some tickets left for the 2nd Nell’s show next week, and if you like an old-fashioned rock venue with the band close-up, it’s the one.

Had wonderful times during our three-night season at the Holborn Pizza Express. Steve Norman joined us on the middle night and Florencia came from Argentina and collected the T-shirt she had paid for almost a year earlier. The Buenos Aires postal system takes some beating. Twice her shirt was returned to our office, unopened. I handed her the shirt, still in its wrapper, on stage on Saturday, and she beamed and hugged me. Someone else made happy, and it cost nothing. Playing with dear Stella Day right in front of me made us both happy. We’ll go back to that venue next year. The promoter wants 5 nights. It’ll be like having a proper job, same dressing-room each day for so long. 

We’re organising rehearsals and travel for the Glasgow Orchestra concert next May. Steve Norman is “highly likely” to be on stage again, on sax and percussion and vocals. I hope so. That would make me happy!