Remember Charlie from my footballing days in the Hull Thursday league and when he was at city, he used to play for his employer's Humberside fire brigade in the Thursday league.
Shared a bottle of brandy with Joe Strummer (at UEA gig of Mescaleros). (Posted elsewhere!) Had dinner with Richard Branson. Met Aloysius 'Lucky' Gordon at Sarm West (ex-Island) Studios. He was once Christine Keeler's 'boyfriend'. Been in the same studios/at same time as Chrissie Hynde, Tom Verlaine, Freddy Mercury and Roger Taylor.
Got to wonder about people that own boxed toys in mint condition. Especially if they're from their own childhood.
being ex nightclub and Butlins personnel I have met a lot of famous people so I thought it might be easier to name a couple who stood out. The first is the cockney singer Joe Brown. He did his gig at Butlins and we shared a drink afterwards. He then returned to his hotel (we were full). After a few minutes he called and asked if he could come back and have another drink as he was Bored. As the manager I said fine. He then sat with his fans for 5 hours with a guitar and a tab behind the bar and paid for all the drinks all night for the people who had paid to come and see him. He sat and sang all his songs with his fans who were obviously delighted. The man was absolute class and made everyone's weekend. The second is Kevin Rowland From Dexys midnight runners. He was in a nightclub in Scarborough which I ran, although it was my night off and, I was a little pissed I started to talk to him. He was great. I used to write for the local paper and asked if I could do a quick interview which he was fine with. Now, due to my less than sober state I asked the usual questions I asked then took it no further and carried on drinking the profits. I thought I had a bit of an exclusive as the paper came out on the Thursday and was quite proud. What I did not ask him was why he was in Scarborough as they were not performing anywhere local. On the Sunday, front page on the NOTW was a story of his secret love child who lived in Scarborough, and I knew her!! talk about missed chance to shine. also met take that a few times...Robbie is a nob, Gary is ok, Jason has a great attitude to life (doesn't give a ****) mark loves Robbie but Howard is the easiest one to talk to and get on with. I actually met my wife whilst talking to him after I booked him to dj before the reunion happened. all true stories and have many many more.
John Renbourn (who recently died) once slept on my settee after a gig at the old Blind Institute. (Back in the Sixties.)
Oh dear I have to admit i had photo taken with him when he did it at Bolton. Imagine an Allam doing that.
The piano player on this died recently. He once lent me his bed for the night and slept on the couch.
Whilst working for the Finance Branch of the Department of Education and Science, in 1971, in Darlo, when processing payment authorizations to grantees, I regularly changed the fiscal date from 71 to 70 (cos dick heads in London didn't know enough to put 1970 on the form as altough in calendar 71 it was still fiscal 70). The new fiscal began on April 1 and in mid March, I changed 71 to 70 on a form and as it turned out, the payment was intended for fiscal 71. This resulted in The Arts Council being overpaid by £1,000,0000 in fiscal 1970 and serious questions raised in the House of Commons. This, I am proud to say, led to the great embarassment of my minister as she didn't have a ****ing clue. Yes, she was the one and only great but not soon enough deparrted, Margaret Thatcher.
