Hey AJ,
I appreciate your efforts. Was good to say hello in Plymouth (I think it was Plymouth!?). Steve H

I hope I haven't offended anyone, especially Steve with my previous comments. I 'm afraid I just open my mouth and put my foot in it sometimes.
Anyway,I feel I must add (because I've just remembered) that far from oblivious of all the 80's tours I did see Steve Harley live (and for the first time in my life) at the Central Hall in Chatham in May 1989. It blew me away. I couldn't believe that I was there in front of the idol whose posters I'd had firmly stuck to my bedroom wall until I'd left home in 1980 to elope with John.
I remember meeting the band members at the stage door and getting all the band's signatures......and then finally Steve's.....along with a kiss that I can still feel on my cheek.
I've bought every album Steve's released and every single except for Ballerina Prima Donna and the charity ones you've mentioned including "Whatever You believe" so I'd say I'm a pretty dedicated, if opinionated fan.
Anyway. I found this on Youtube which might be interesting for anyone who hasn't already seen it

RachelPAtoSH wrote:
Hi Steve,

Many thanks - such underrated material certainly deserves all the attention it can get.

It was the Plymouth concert, and was great to meet you. The show was excellent and the two friends I dragged along certainly enjoyed it too. We were all just as pleased to get a setlist each at the end of the show. One of my friends, who is no stranger to going to concerts, was more than thrilled to get his setlist signed too. He definitely made it his mission before we left! In fact he was so enthused by the end of the show that we had no choice but to let him 'lead the way' when it came to waiting around afterwards and getting the signatures etc.

AJ (Ashley)

The 1980's were a funny old time. The music and the fashion of that decade seem slightly more dated than the 70's, 90's and the noughties etc. Steve's musical output from that period in the context of all the other stuff that was around was pretty good. Not in the same class as 80's bands such as The Smiths, The Cure, Kate Bush but a worthy inclusion in the Harley catalogue of songs. Has anyone ever asked Steve what his favourite and least favourite Steve Harley/Cockney Rebel album is?? The easy answer would be is that they all have some musical value (which is true of course !!) Would be interested to know thou. Can anyone have a guess? Perhaps based on songs performed live. Hobo With a Grin doesn't get much of a live 'airing' but it's a pretty good album I think. Steve's favourite album? Timeless Flight perhaps?? That would be my choice with least favourite album being Poetic Justice. How about you Stella...and everyone else??

Mr Raffles wrote:Favourite and least favourite? What a question! There are a heap of good songs on every album and just a handful I can't stand. Human Menagerie, Psychomodo, Best Years, Love's a Prima Donna and Timeless Flight I'd happily play from beginning to end. Then we get to Hobo which begins with Roll The Dice but happily brings us Living In a Rhapsody and Rididng The Waves(for Virginia Woolf). The rest of the album I could take or leave. The Candidate brought us Audience with the man which I love and Woodchopper (OMG )amongst others. Then in 1992 something happened. Steve got his groove back and released Yes You Can...not a bad song on it and from then we got Poetic Justice in 1996 which was a triumph, I think and then we have Steve's muse on holiday apparently until 2005 when he brought out Quality of Mercy which I love. Stranger Comes To Town is a great album. It's always in the car (and there's one in John's car for holidays ) but I have to confess to always skipping the last two tracks of the album to return to the beginning unless Martha's in the car in which case she seems to think the playing of an album in its entirety is sacrosanct
I also have Steve Harley Live at the BBC which Steve kindly signed for me. I really love that album but wasn't sure if you wanted to include "lives".

So. In brief.

Favourite: Psychomodo (also always in the car)

Least Favourite. The Candidate.

So who's next?

Be brief


I'd really like a new album!

Probably my all time favourite album is TIMELESS FLIGHT,with PSYCHOMODO and THE BEST YEARS close behind.
But really HOBO WITH A GRIN and THE CANDIDATE ,are an essential and integral part of The STEVE HARLEY story. I absolutely loved both of these albums when they came out,AND STILL DO,..take another look and have a listen to all the songs on them.....

1. Roll The Dice • 2. Amerika The Brave • 3. Living In A Rhapsody • 4. I Wish It Would Rain • 5. Riding The Waves (For Virginia Woolf) • 6. Someone's Coming • 7. Hot Youth • 8. (I Don't Believe) God Is An Anarchist • 9. Faith, Hope And Charity

1. Audience With The Man • 2. Woodchopper • 3. Freedom's Prisoner • 4. Love On The Rocks • 5. Who's Afraid • 6. One More Time • 7. How Good It Feels • 8. From Here To Eternity • 9. Young Hearts (The Candidate).

I honestly believe there is not a poor or 'weak' song in there, in truth I would love to hear all these songs on a regular basis in a live concert setting,quite a few are heard on occasion.
But what I would give to hear the following in concert...(in no particular order)*****

ONE MORE TIME. WOODCHOPPER,YOUNG HEARTS,AMERIKA THE BRAVE,HOT YOUTH,LIVING IN A RHAPSODY,LOVE ON THE ROCKS,and Steve's superb cover of the Motown classic I WISH IT WOULD RAIN.
Fans opinions will obviously vary tremendously ,that's what forums and discussion boards are for,but really these two albums were a great segue from the seventies to the nineties for me,and are up there with the best of Steve's music.

***** Steve you said you were hoping to come up with something different for Holmfirth on December 28th,maybe you could make me (and a few other old rebellers very happy),by chucking one or two of them into the set ???. Would be an interesting challenge for the boys in the band too!!

Anyone with me on the above thoughts,or am I just being a daft old fart as usual? LOL.
JIMBO.