Not long to go to the new album !,here is a passage from my unpublished book written in 2004,when as a 15 year old waiting for Timeless Flight was almost unbearable !!

"HEAR THE MUSIC,SEE THE SHOW,STEVE HARLEY AND COCKNEY REBEL LIVE IN CONCERT AT THE MANCHESTER FREE TRADE HALL ON FEBRUARY 16TH.DON'T MISS IT,AND DON'T MISS TIMELESS FLIGHT THE NEW ALBUM FROM STEVE HARLEY AND COCKNEY REBEL OUT FEBRUARY 7TH ON EMI"
As I was getting ready to go to School in early February that was the message on the radio advert,as played on Manchester's Piccadilly Radio- it sounded fabulous.It proved to me how important an act Steve Harley now was,and the new album was only days away!
I had no idea what the music was behind Roger Scott's voice as he mentioned the gig I was about to attend and the album I was desperate to get hold of,but it sounded stunning.There was a high screeching noise,the sound of waves crashing and I could hear Steve's voice coming in half way through the advert " mean,mean colourrrrrrr".This was obviously new music from Timeless Flight,how was I going to make it to the weekend?
I decided on Tuesday that I'd buy all the four music papers that week.There was the new album reviews to be read,bound to be adverts,and hopefully news of Radio and Television apperances to promote the record.Steve and the band would be all over the papers I thought,and i didn't want to miss any of it.
Melody Maker had a brilliant large advert,which went straight on to my bedroom wall " COME ON A TIMELESS FLIGHT,THE NEW ALBUM BY STEVE HARLEY AND COCKNEY REBEL" It screamed at me each time I went into my room! Reviews of the album were excellent.Sounds especially loved the new recordings "Timeless Flight,his new lp is far and away his best yet.It's an important work by a critically underrated artist.Few people it is indeed who are able to write startingly honest and commercial material" said the reviewer Jonathan Barnett.I also gleamed from the music press that Steve was to be on the Johnnie Walker show next week every lunch time playing tracks and talking about the new album,now how was I going to get home from School to record that each day,became my number one issue of consideration for the rest of that week!
By the time Saturday arrived, I could escape no more from Timeless Flight,I just HAD to get the album and play it! I'd ordered it a couple of weeks earlier from Play Inn Records in Prestwich.It was a great record shop- the owners knew their stuff and their customers.
Over the previous 12 months,I'd got a lot of my musical education from Play Inn Records,every Saturday and during School holidays,there was only one place to be and the owners had quickly got to know of my love of the music of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel.
As I got close to the record shop,I Began to feel a little nervous and also great excitement.Their had been quite a build up in the last few days..the radio advert,the reviews,songs on the radio and I knew i'd be in for a major dissapointment if Timeless Flight had yet to arrive in stock.
As I entered the shop,I had no time to waste and was straight over to the counter "Allright Stewart?,here for the new album" sid John The owner " Sure am " I replied anxiously," It arrived yesterday,do you want me to play something from it ?",I could hardly speak as i replied " Great,yes please!"
Suddenly through the Shops great Sound system came the screeching noise and drum sound that I recognised from the radio advert,shortly followed by Steve singing " He can remember hearing words of wonder,failure is on the inside" I picked up the album sleeve,this was the first track Red Is A Mean Mean Colour,it sounded amazing!
My fears were over not only did they have the new album in stock,but they were playing it for me.12 months ago when i'd bought The Best Years Of My Life from the same shop,i'd found the album sleeve from the racks took it to the counter and paid for it,now they were asking me " Did I want the album?,and did I want to hear a track?"
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel had arrived and so had I.

34 years later,that little 15 year old has seen a bit of life and local Record Shops don't exist anymore.The anticipation may be totally different,but it will still be a great pleasure to hear the new album by Steve Harley and his Cockney Rebel's !!

That was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Stewart .... almost like I was there!!

Why not serialise your book via these pages and maybe Steve will give you royalties

Rachel has let me in here, gave me her password! -

Dear Stuart, your story is touching, and you know we've all been there, all had our heroes, our bedsit wall posters; could have been Dylan in graphic frizz; Hendrix, left-handed and cartoonish; Che Guevera; Athena ruled..... but not on the airwaves. On the airwaves we got Motown and Beatles and Led Zep, The Who, The Moodies, and Jethro Tull, Blood, Sweat And Tears and Chicago and more momentous Motown, and Stax and Otis and Carla and Lee Dorsey and The Drifters; and we got record shops on the corner and managers who let us listen first. But sometimes we listened only to stay, to hang about, because we felt in touch, sort of the king bee for a few moments, there, in that place, like the artist would feel up there, at The Free Trade Hall, in his spotlight, away from the real world; away from dreams, but living them. And who could have known, so many years later, half a lifetime, we'd still be connecting: the schoolboy from Prestwich and the Timeless Flight romantic,still looking for the great song, the lyric and tune that together shatter the fabric of a room, until we simply say "enough of searching." Because when the young writer jotted down his own father's unspoken philosophy (failure is on the inside) a light came on. It has never been extinguished. Stranger comes to town. The young writer, the outsider then (red in a yellow sea), may still be the outsider, the "stranger". But, Stuart, the sky is blue across Morecambe Bay, so there is an horizon to reach out for. This writer has never lost the dream. The Timeless Flight you speak of, where the women come and go, speaking of Michelangelo (Eliot), and Papa wanted him to live in his Bull Ring life (my dad), is a bloody road I still travel on. In the new songs you might discover a man at unease with this mediocre world, but at ease with his dreams, his beliefs, and as you probably know, that might just be good enough. Your story is touching. Tell me, are there tracks from the album I should play on tour? And tell me, do you believe for one moment that you are feeling greater anticipation than that lad with the swallow mask on his chest from 1975 where the release of his new album is concerned? I live in a tight, cling-film grip of a world at the moment. Nervous? Yeh. It was written as though a Last Hurrah. And will be played on stage just that way. If you feel a sense of anticipation, spare a thought for an old songsmith, will ya Guv? Your story is touching, and I shall do my best not to let you down. Steve H.

is that really Steve ?

groverhead wrote:
Unless someone has hacked into Rachel's account, then it surely is.

I loved your posting Stewart: I can remember the anticipation of a new Cockney Rebel album back in the 70s when I was younger (in body, if not in heart!!). It's the same anticipation I'm feeling now...........Adults are only children, grown up!!!!!
If Steve is really asking should he include songs from "Timeless Flight" in the up and coming tour, dare I ask him to consider "All The Men Are Hungry".......The lyrics of that song are, in my huimble opinion, beyond beautiful.