Thursday 11 March 2021

Thursday 11 March 2021. Mainland Europe seems to be struggling with putting on summer festivals and the vaccine rollout. Ticket seller and promoter CTS Eventim has announced the cancellation of seven of its festivals including some of Germany’s biggest – Rock Am Ring (cap. 80,000), Rock Im Park (70,000), Hurricane (68,000), Southside (60,000) and Deichbrand Festival (60,000). While in the UK, more and more festivals are being confirmed for July, Aug, Sept. ---------- 40 years ago this week, my band Gun Control played 3 gigs in 4 days. Normally we would play once a week, or once a fortnight, but this was our mini-tour. Pretty amazing how I still got along to see other bands between our own gigs and rehearsals. Hopefully we will be playing another gig in West London at the end of the year. Krokus,More Hammersmith Odeon , London 07.03.1981 Gamma,Preying Mantis Hammersmith Odeon , London 08.03.1981 Jeff Beck Band Hammersmith Odeon , London 09.03.1981 Gun Control Roebuck Pub, Chiswick , London 11.03.1981 my band on tour = 3 gigs in 4 days Gun Control Bedford Pub , Balham, London 12.03.1981 our first gig in south london Status Quo Hammersmith Odeon , London 13.03.1981 third of four sell out ham odeon shows Gun Control Clarendon (basement),Hammersmith ,London 14.03.1981 ---------------------- Friday 12 March 2021. Happy Birthday to STEVE HARRIS who is 65 today. I have seen Iron Maiden around 30 times since 1980. They would play multi-nights at Hammersmith Odeon in the 1980s , when I worked front stage security. ----------- Happy Birthday to JAMES TAYLOR who is 73 today. I have seen James Taylor four times since 1986. ----------- Happy Birthday to PETER DOHERTY who is 42 today. I have seen Pete several times on stage as part of The Libertines, Babyshambles and solo. ----------- Happy Birthday to LIZA MINNELI who is 75 today. In 2002 I saw three of her five shows at The Royal Albert Hall. In 2008 I saw two of her three shows at The Coliseum. ----------- SKY ARTS 9pm - Brian Johnson meets Paul Rodgers. SKY ARTS 11pm - repeat of last week's Poly Styrene documentary. BBC4 11pm - repeat of the Robert Plant documentary. BBC2 10pm - Paul Weller is the main guest on the Jools Holland show. ---------- Japan "Quiet Life" album entered the UK chart at number 13. Loyal fans buy the album in the first week for many acts, then it drops dramatically. Alice Cooper "Detroit Stories " entered at number 4 last week, and this week dropped to number 52. ---------------------- Saturday 13 March 2021. Sad news that MURRAY WALKER has passed away. Legendary commentator Murray Walker has died at the age of 97. Walker commentated on his first grand prix race for the BBC at Silverstone in 1949 and became a full-time F1 commentator in 1978. He became synonymous with F1 through his commentary, first with the BBC and then ITV, before retiring in 2001. ---------- SKY ARTS premiere 9pm - the Story of the 1980s Blitz Kids. ---------- Happy Birthday to ADAM CLAYTON who is 61 today. I have seen U2 around 20 times since 1980 when they were the support band to Talking Heads. I have seen them at... 1985 - Live Aid 1987 - Cardiff Arms Park 2005 - Dublin Croke Park ---------- Happy Birthday to NEIL SEDAKA who is 82 today. I have seen him half a dozen times. Three times at Hammersmith Odeon in 1975, 1976 and 1979. Then later shows at The Royal Festival Hall and a couple at The Royal Albert Hall. ----------------------- Sunday 14 March 2021. Happy Birthday to JONA LEWIE who is 74 today. Jona Lewie is an English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his 1980 UK hits "You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties" and "Stop the Cavalry"....both released on Stiff Records.

Posted 10th March 2021