Well on Tuesday night I had an incredible experience.
I flew a former Romanian fighter jet around the North Wales coast……took off from Anglesey, crossed over the Menai Straights down to Conwy, back across Llandudno and over the Britania Bridge back to Anglesey.
Not in real life of course. Who’d be mad enough to let me loose in a jet plane but thanks to Ian Brooks I now know just how difficult it is to fly a plane. You have to have 8 hands and 10 pairs of eyes to keep everything level, press the right buttons and see where you’re going !!
If you’re sitting there thinking it sounds easy then I encourage you to have a go and to make it easy for you, Ian has kindly given me two vouchers to give away so that you can see how difficult it is.
This isn’t an arcade game. Ian has spent months converting a genuine fighter jet into a simulator complete with working dials, warning buzzers and switches and the genuine RAF flight suits and helmets only add to the realisism.
I’ll be giving the vouchers away on Saturday the 11th so make sure you listen in for a chance to try out this unique experience.
The Summer Sessions is on Saturday at Manchesters Heaton Park and it promises to be a great 80′s evening……if the rain stays off !
I’m be there with all of our competition winners and my super duper new producer mat (with one T) will be around and about recording interviews and getting your pictures for the website.
Well this week I’ll be talking to Scarlet Fantastics Maggie De Monde
And keep your ears peeled because on Friday I’ll be speaking to former ‘Allo ‘Allo saucepot Vicki Michelle and that will be broadcast on the 1st of July.
You’ll also notice a new menu at the top of the website saying “Interviews” – over the next few weeks I’ll be re-editting all of the interviews that I’ve done in the past 12 months and making them available from here…..only Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown done at the moment but keep checking back.
This weeks show features interviews with Heaven 17′s Glenn Gregory (and a exclusive acoustic performance of Temptation !) and I’ll also be talking to Chris Bailey of IML Concerts about the Summer Sessions at Heaton Park Manchester.
And as if that wasn’t enough, there will also be an episode of A Scouser In New York with Michael X Wilkins.
Well the sun is shining over here in Gran Canaria and I’ve managed to burn all over – I look like a lobster !
On Monday morning I’ll be speaking to Heaven 17′s Glenn Gregory and interviews are in the pipeline with Marc Almond and Fred Fairbrass of Right Said Fred. More details as they are confirmed.
I’ll be back on air (live you’ll be glad to know) on Saturday from 7pm with more 80s and 90s classic songs so let me have your requests.
Happy to say that I’ve finally managed to get Glenn Gregory to agree to be interviewed on the show after 12 months spent trying to tie him down ! Due to be recorded on the 5th of July it should be broadcast on the 10th.
I’ve also been offered an interview with the man responsible for one of the most recognizable songs of the 1980s – Mr Marc Almond. I’m sure that you will agree that Soft Cells Tainted Love should be on any 80′s based top 10.
Sunday night brought the highlight for me with seven 80′s acts….plus Stavros Flatley !
As always Ben was his charming self and quite happy to chat to anybody who would listen – despite having a headache and not being able to find any Peach juice ! He’s trying to put a new band together as well so hopefully there will be some new stuff soon.
We caught up with Kim in her dressing room thanks to her manager Nick Boyles. She was chatting about what she’s up to and talking about her families involvement in the entertainment business.
Nick was a friendly guy responcible for that “I just died in your arms” song thats always on teh oldies channels on Sky ! Still touring around teh UK and Europe its always that song they want to hear….and he still loves to play it !
Rick had literally just come off stage when we caught up with him and his manager Tops. He’d come fully prepared including a swiss army knife to get the cork out of a bottle of red wine !!
A great night including quick chats with Belinda Carlisle, Boy George and the guys from The Real Thing.
A big thank you to everybody involved in the IOM Bay Festival for 2010 and the good news is that it will be back even bigger and better in 2011
Saturday night over and what a great night it was – Calvin Harris was great even though he’d been throwing up backstage all day. The Feeling did about an hour set with the crowd dancing and singing along.
Earlier in the day DJ Ironik and BGT winners Diversity were keeping the crowds entertained and then posing for photos in the VIP area.
Highlight though of course was Saturdays headliners, 80′s legends Spandau Ballet who also enjoyed Calvin Harris !!
Drummer Joh Keeble promised me that “our performance will be better than Englands” and he wasn’t lying !!
I’ll be catching up with Tony Hadley later in the year at Heaton Park in Manchester so there is more Spandau Ballet to come.
Later today we have BGT vs X Factor which doesn’t mean much to me but then the final part of the festival is “Here & Now” with some old friends :
Rick Astley
Ben VP (Curiosity Killed The Cat)
Cutting Crew
Kim Wilde
Boy George
Belinda Carlilse
The Real Thing
There will be loads more posts on here shortly telling you all exactly what I’ve got planned over the summer…..and theres lots including meeting up with some celebrity friends from the 80′s including :
Spandau Ballet
Rick Astley
Kim Wilde
Ben VP
Belinda Carlisle
Keep checking back on a regular basis as more news will be posted as and when it happens !!
