Thursday 17 December 2020.

Thursday 17 December 2020. Happy Birthday to PAUL RODGERS who is 71 today. Happy Birthday to TOMMY STEELE who is 84 today. -------- 17 Dec 1979 - 41 years ago today. I saw Bon Scott play his last ever London show with AC/DC at Hammersmith Odeon. It was the 4th time I had seen AC/DC that year , and the 19th time I had seen them with Bon Scott. Bon was found dead just a couple of months later, in Feb 1980. Who,Stranglers,AC/DC,Nils Lofgren Wembley Stadium, London 18.08.1979 AC/DC,Def Leppard Hammersmith Odeon, London 01.11.1979 AC/DC,Def Leppard Hammersmith Odeon, London 03.11.1979 AC/DC,Pirates Hammersmith Odeon, London 17.12.1979 -------- It was 10 years ago this week I went to a couple of mega PAUL McCARTNEY with band shows, which included an intimate show at the legendary 100 Club. 18 Dec 2010 - Hammersmith Apollo - on stage for 2 hours 20 mins. We had excellent seats 5th row of circle dead centre.Twiggy and Sharlene Spiteri are sitting in the row in front of us.Nearby are Paul Weller,Ali Campbell,comedians Steve Coogan,Rob Brydon and Frank Skinner.Also here were artist Sir Peter Blake and dj Chris Moyles. - 17 Dec 2010 - The 100 Club - lunchtime show - on stage for 1 hour 55 mins. This was when the first news of the threat of The 100 Club being sold off came out. Paul did not respond to a couple of chaps who shouted out a few times between songs, "Paul, why don't you buy The 100 Club". Thursday lunchtime I will put a photo up on Facebook of the ticket and special edition t-shirt. ------------------ Friday 18 December 2020. RONNIE BIGGS passed away on this day in 2013. See my Facebook page of a review and photo from when i attended Ronnies book launch event in 2011. ------------------ PAUL McCARTNEY releases his third solo album today. Looks like a deal was made so Macca could be number one for Christmas as Taylor Swift brought her album out a week early , so as not to outsell Paul in his first week. -------- Happy Birthday to KEITH RICHARDS who is 77 today. Keith looked on deaths door in the 1970s with his heroin habit , but he is still out there rockin'. The Rolling Stones 2020 American Tour has been postponed to 2021. I have seen The Rolling Stones over 20 times since 1976 , when I saw four of their six shows at Earls Court Arena. ------------------ Saturday 19 December 2020. Looks like the Paul McCartney pr machine goes into full action this week, to plug his new album. Macca hoping to be the number one when the next charts are announced on Christmas Day. Starting with , BBC1 9.20pm to 10.20pm Idris Elba meets Paul McCartney - recorded at The ICA, London. It will be up on BBC iPlayer to view over the next month. Update - Idris made a bit of a blooper during his intro as he said " I saw Paul perform a great show at Wembley this time two years ago " - that was fake news as it was The 02 Arena - I was there. Paul also did a phoned in interview to Howard Stern in New York. --------- CHAN 4 at midnight - Carrie (1976) I saw this great film in Hammersmith when it was first released - still in my Top 10 fave films of all time. ------------------ Sunday 20 December 2020. We need a bit of cheering up these days and it was great that BILL BAILEY delivered. The comedian & singer was the winner of this year's Strictly Come Dancing, becoming the oldest celebrity to lift the glitterball trophy. The 55-year-old shared his triumph with partner Oti Mabuse, the first Strictly dancer to win for two years in a row. He had danced to Metallica and Queen over the weeks and strapped on a rocket firing guitar. Bill has headlined Hammersmith Apollo in the past but I did see him a few years ago at The Hexagon, Reading. -------- SKY ARTS 9pm - The Eagles live at The Los Angeles Forum 2018. ------------------- Monday 21 December 2020. Very sad news that the legendary West End venue CAFE DE PARIS is to close after more than 90 years, due to covid ,which has crippled their income. I have been to loads of very nice events there at this 500 capacity venue including 2005 - the first ever Classic Rock Awards 2006 - INXS 2018 - Kylie Minogue launch party gig for her "Golden" album. Paul Raymond Publications party every year was good fun. On 8 March 1941, the café was bombed soon after the start of a performance ,and at least 34 people were killed and around 80 injured. Two bombs fell into the basement ballroom down a ventilation shaft and exploded in front of the stage. The victims included 26-year-old bandleader Ken "Snakehips" Johnson,his saxophonist Dave "Baba" Williams,other band members, staff and diners. The venue did not reopen until 1948 but re-established itself as one of the leading theatre clubs in London, playing host to Judy Garland, Josephine Baker, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, James Mason, David O. Selznick, Jennifer Jones, Tony Hancock and Grace Kelly. In the 1950s Noël Coward often performed cabaret seasons at the Café de Paris as did Marlene Dietrich. It was also used in the 2006 music video for I Think We're Alone Now by Girls Aloud. ------------------- Tuesday 22 December 2020. Happy Birthday to Cheap Trick guitarist RICK NIELSON who is 72 today. Rick is the lead guitarist and primary songwriter of American rock band Cheap Trick. He is well known for his numerous custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, including his famous five-neck guitar. I have seen Cheap Trick several times since 1979. Rick throws out dozens of guitar plectrums at every show. --------- JOE STRUMMER sadly passed away 18 years ago today...he was aged only 50... Joe Strummer, was a British musician, singer, songwriter, composer, actor, and radio host who was best known as the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of punk rock band The Clash. After a break he formed Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. I was lucky to have seen The Clash 20 times and his other band several times. ------------------- Wednesday 23 December 2020. Happy Birthday to Pearl Jam vocalist EDDIE VEDDER who is 56 today. Pearl Jam play two massive shows in Hyde Park in July 2021.

Posted 17th December 2020