Sorting through some old cassettes the other day ( remember them?) I found an interview with Linda Lewis talking about how and why Jim came to leave Cockney Rebel to join Rod.It appears Rod was in the audience when Rebel played The Bottom line in 1975 and he was very impressed with Jim and the rest is history...I've often wondered what would have happened if Cregan had not joined The Rod Stewart Band,would Cockney Rebel have split in 1977? or indeed would Steve and Jim have continued to work together even if Rebel had split?...Linda of course was married To Jim for quite a while and they both appeared on The Best Years Of Our Lives! Talking of that great album I agree totally with Hobo With a Grin and Jolly Roger that it really would be superb if next year dates were played with the album in full,plus extras! After all it was a top 4 album in the Uk and also features one of the most well known singles in Uk music history.FACT!!
Obviously it would have to be staged in a much different way than The Menagerie/Psychomodo shows but I'm sure it would be just as good! Call me an old romantic fool if you'd like and whilst I'm aware that ( sadly) there was no way Milton or John would have been back for the Menagerie/Psychomodo shows,I think it would be really good to see Stuart,Duncan,Lyndsey and Jim back somewhere in the fold for these shows.Not instead of the fine Cockney Rebel who have played so brilliantly for years but just to add a little bit more magic!
Steve's most popular year in the Uk (75) needs a big anniversary push in 2015 and hopefully with The Remastered Best Years album and Dvd? coming out in 2015 that was discussed on Peter's site a little while ago it could and should be another great year for Rebel Fans?..and how about Linda Lewis doing a little support act to get things going?.....

I hope Steve and the band consider performing The Best Years of Our Lives in it's entirety for early 2015 to celebrate it's 40th anniversary. The idea of performing complete albums live has worked brilliantly for the Human Menagerie and Psychomodo enabling Steve to sell out big venues like the Royal Albert Hall and Bridgewater Hall. Surely on the back of Make Me Smile's 40th birthday a 'Best Years' revisited tour would be a huge success. The complete album live with overdue performances of Back to the Farm, 49th Parallel and Another Journey thrown in for good measure. I'm excited by the prospect already! Make it so Steve!!!