Sussex Express Back in time to a magical night in the pub garden Published on 23/09/2012 10:19 LAST week’s unique picture in the Sussex Express of the one and only public appearance on stage together of rock legends Jimmy Page and Ronnie Wood captured the public imagination. Not least from the BBC as they sought to interview the owner of the negative, local antiques expert Vernon Ward. So here’s another image from that magical summer’s night in the garden of The Half Moon at Plumpton way back in 1977. It shows Vernon himself, caught slightly off guard by photographer Fernando Valverdie, after chatting with Wood just before the Rolling Stones guitarist went on the makeshift stage to perform with the Led Zeppelin front man. Wood is understood to have been a weekend guest at Page’s mansion, Plumpton Place. The evening made a big impression on antiques man Vernon –who also has something of a rock and roll past of his own. So much so that he and his girlfriend Hayley chose the venue for their wedding reception two years later. And he will be back at The Half Moon next week when the Vernon Ward Antiques Roadshows come to the pub on Sunday and Tuesday, both 10am-4pm. Vernon will give free valuations on all kinds of antiques and collectables brought along to the pub, from china to art and from jewellery to books. And if you’ve got any unusual old photographs he might just be interested in those, too. For private valuations he can be contacted on 01273 502097.

thametoday.co.uk Stairway to good times at this rock‘n’roll show Published on 22/09/2011 10:05 THERE’S a whole lotta tribute acts out there – so many, in fact, that it is difficult to tell which ones are worth seeing. Ropey Elvis impersonators are generally good for a laugh, but not much of a tribute to the King. Then there are long standing acts like the Bootleg Beatles and Rumours of Fleetwood Mac who come fully endorsed by the artists they impersonate. Hats Off to Led Zeppelin are seeking to match the sort of success achieved by the latter bands, and though they have a long way to go they have made a good start since getting together two years ago. “Once we started rehearsing together the sound was electric,” said Kevin Jones, who plays his namesake John Paul Jones. “We’ve been playing it as a theatre show and it has been going really well. Marshall, the amplifier manufacturer, invited us to play a gig in Milton Keynes and gave us a load of equipment, and we sold out The Stables in MK as well.” Unlike some other theatre rock‘n’roll shows Hats Off don’t try to impersonate Robert Plant and his merry men. Instead Kevin and his cohorts – Peter Eldridge as Plant, Jack Tanner as Jimmy Page and Simon Wicker as John Bonham – pay tribute to the rock legends through a celebration of their music. “We don’t try to act like them on stage it’s more about doing justice to the music,” said Kevin. “We talk to the audience as ourselves telling them things about Led Zeppelin and the songs we are singing.” As well as some classic rock songs, the show includes impressive pyrotechnics and audience interaction. The foursome have good pedigree in rock‘n’roll theatre shows, with acting credits in Thriller, Dancing In The Street and We Will Rock You between them. Kevin was also musical director on Thriller, the Michael Jackson tribute show, on its international tour. “Because it’s a theatre show we get a different audience than if was a straight forward rock gig,” he said. “We get the rockers, but we also get people coming with their children or grandkids who want to listen to some good music and watch a great show.” Hats Off split the concert into two acts – the first part is a straightforward gig, as Led Zeppelin would have played in pub venues when they were starting out. Then the second act has all the bells and whistles, with big set pieces and OTT rock poses. And at the back of the stage you can see Kevin loving every minute. “John Paul Jones is a great part to play as he played so many different instruments, but the focus was on Plant and Page. “I get to rock out at the back and play all these great songs, it’s really fun.” Hats Off to Led Zeppelin play at The Limelight Theatre, Aylesbury, on Saturday, October 1, and The Bucks Herald has a pair to tickets to give away.

Sunday Mercury: LED ZEPPELIN ALBUM OF THE WEEK CELEBRATION DAY Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) - Sunday, November 18, 2012 IT seems a lifetime ago that the clock on the Led Zeppelin website started counting down to the big announcement. Now, a worldwide cinema screening later, Celebration Day arrives on the high street tomorrow. The band's sensational 2007 reunion for the Ahmet Ertegun memorial concert at London's 02 Arena (that's the Millennium Dome in old money) has been captured on two CDs and a DVD - and it's a barnstormer. It sits comfortably alongside the previous landmark live sets, The Song Remains The Same and How The West Was Won, bringing the Zeppelin story to what many still believe is a premature conclusion. Robert Plant , Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham - son of late, lamented John - are on fine form as they power through a setlist of classic Zeppelin anthems, and the odd surprise. As befits a great gig, it's a memorable movie, too. Director Dick Carruthers keeps camera trickery to a minimum, allowing the music to do the talking, only occasionally inserting mobile phone fan footage. So how can they possibly still cut it? After all, the original Zeppelin high-fliers are spring chickens no longer. Plant 's vocal isn't what it once was, hence his more melodious work of late with Alison Krauss and Band Of Joy, and some of the songs have been lowered in key to make things just the right side of comfortable. Page's fingers aren't as nimble as they used to be either. Sure, some of the guitar solos are sloppy - he admits as much himself - but they emerge gloriously messy in very best live rock and roll tradition. Jones, however, is the constant. Solid, sure-footed, the glue that binds his bandmates to the revelatory powerhouse drumming of Bonham Junior, whose Rock And Roll concert closer is a manmade thunderstorm. Opening with Good Times Bad Times - you won't be able to wipe the smile off your face - Zeppelin serve up Ramble On before letting the song ramble on into the opening of Black Dog, rock's most impossible guitar riff. There's a spine-tingling In My Time Of Dying, during which Plant and Page excel, then the first curiosity of the night: a live debut of For Your Life, unprepossessing in the Presence studio but better onstage. Trampled Under Foot, with Jones' keyboard funk, ups the game again. After the bluesy Nobody's Fault But Mine, he's back with No Quarter, shimmering soundscapes slowly unveiling the underlying riff. Since I've Been Loving You is nostalgia incarnate, Dazed And Confused gives Page the opportunity to bring back the violin bow, and Stairway To Heaven, well, Stairway To Heaven brings the house down. The Song Remains The Same races along like a runaway train before Misty Mountain Hop boasts a surprise vocal duet between Plant and Bonham, Plant explaining how John loved to sing. They save the best 'til almost last. Kashmir proves an epic performance, Led Zeppelin after all checks completed, surely ready for take-off again. The gig closes with a playful Whole Lotta Love and that Rock And Roll thunder. Don't let this be their swansong. PC

ZEP'S WHOLE LOTTA LOVE FROM OBAMA - Midland legends honoured at White House awards ceremony Birmingham Mail (England) - Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Author: Brett Gibbons STAFF REPORTER THE hard-rocking reputation of Black Country legends Led Zeppelin struck a chord with Barack Obama when he thanked them for not wrecking the White House. The President drew laughter from guests at a lavish Kennedy Centre arts awards when he praised the former band members for behaving themselves because of their history of "hotel rooms being trashed and mayhem all around". Obama added: "These guys also redefined the rock and roll lifestyle. So it's fitting that we're doing this in a room with windows that are about three inches thick - and Secret Service all around. "So, guys, just settle down. These paintings are valuable." Dressed in smart black suits and bow ties, the band's three remaining members Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page were among a group of artists who received the prestigious honours at the swanky dinner. West Bromwich-born frontman Plant , aged 64, replied he was flattered and overwhelmed by the award, adding that he was glad to see Jones and Page using "good table manners". In his tribute to the band, Obama went on: "When Jimmy Page, Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham burst on to the musical scene in the late 1960s, the world never saw it coming. "There was this singer with a mane like a lion and a voice like a banshee, a guitar prodigy who left people's jaws on the floor, a bassist who was equally at home on the keyboards, a drummer who played like his life depended on it. "It's been said that a generation of young people survived teenage angst with a pair of headphones and a Zeppelin album. "But even now, 32 years after John Bonham's passing - and we all I think appreciate the fact - the Zeppelin legacy lives on." Led Zeppelin, whose songs include Stairway To Heaven, Rock And Roll, Whole Lotta Love, broke up in 1980 following Bonham's death. Since then they have performed together just once at a 2007 tribute show with Bonham's son Jason on drums. The awards show will be broadcast on US TV on Boxing Day.

THE DAY THE RITZ PUT ON THE Fab Four - Gig marks 50th anniversary of Beatles gig at city historic venue Birmingham Mail (England) - Monday, February 4, 2013 Author: Ben Hurst STAFF REPORTER WHEN The Beatles arrived at The Ritz in Kings Heath 50 years ago they hardly made the most dignified of entrances. Beatlemania hadn't yet arrived when the band turned up at the small Birmingham ballroom. The concert had been booked before the group had really taken off - but by the time of the show the single Please Please Me had just been released. This meant hordes of girls were now lying in wait at the small venue - so that when they arrived, the band were forced to climb over a fence at the rear to get in. In fact, legend has it that the four were in fact only three when the numbers were counted after their arrival on February 15, 1963. It was soon discovered that George Harrison was in the process on being hauled out of a black cab by a mob of screaming girls, after he arrived late. After the final Beatle had been rescued they were all ready to go on for the delayed show. To mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark event, a special concert is being planned in Birmingham featuring local musicians playing their favourite Beatles songs. The Ritz Ballroom in York Road is long gone, and is now a Cash Converters, and the event is taking place in Fletcher's Bar, opposite the former concert venue. The original concert is well-remembered in the area by local people who were present at what was the dawning of the Fab Four's huge popularity. Originally it was meant to take place three weeks earlier but the band had been forced to cancel following heavy snow. In between The Beatles made their debut TV appearance on Thank Your Lucky Stars singing their new single. Owner Joe Regan made them tea and sandwiches before he realised George was missing - and went to rescue him from the fans. The Ritz was one of four Midland venues run by Irish couple Joe and his wife Mary. After eating their sandwiches the band began to practice before the gig - which didn't go down well with owner Joe Regan. According to accounts at the time he is said to have shouted: "Tell them to turn that racket down". But Mr Regan was a good negotiator - he persuaded their hard-nosed manager Brian Epstein to allow them to perform for their previously agreed fee even though they had stormed the charts in the intervening period. Residents Bob Prew and Ken Whittaker who are campaigning to recognise the heritage of Kings Heath, said: "We want as many as people as possible to come along on February 15 to celebrate a key event in Kings Heath's musical heritage. "Later in the year we will also be organising a similar event on September 14 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones playing the Ritz. "We will also be creating further pavement stars for Fuzzbox's Jo Dunne and rock legend Trevor Burton following on from the first last year for King's Heath-born Toyah Willcox. All the money raised from the Beatles event will go towards establishing the Walk of Fame as a registered charity." The Ritz has been recognised by Birmingham Civic Society with a musical heritage plate, which was unveiled last June to recognise how large a part the venue played in the city's heritage. Most of the major artists of the '60's played there at the start of their careers including Robert Plant on April 24, 1966, The Kinks on June 11, 1966, Pink Floyd on December 16, 1967 as well as The Beatles on February 15, 1963 and The Rolling Stones on September, 14, 1963. The Ballroom closed down at the beginning of the 1970's when the Regans converted it into a bingo hall. Mr Regan died in 2004 and his wife in 2008, and after this the building was vacant until it became a Cash Converters shop. Any local musicians or DJs interested in playing at the Beatles event should contact info@kingsheathwalkoffame. org.uk Fletchers Bar on York Road will host the event from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Friday, February 15, exactly 50 years after the appearance of The Beatles at the ballroom. Tickets only cost £2.50 and can either be purchased on the door or in advance from the Kitchen Garden Cafe on York Road. Space is limited so booking is advisable.

MUSEUM REVIVES GOLDEN MEMORIES - Tale of football triumph and woe in latest attraction at Wolves' Molineux ground Birmingham Mail (England) - Thursday, February 14, 2013 Mail reporter and Wolves fan STEVE BRADLEY gives a supporters' verdict on his club's new museum. THE timing couldn't have been worse. The decision by Wolves to open a new museum celebrating the club's illustrious past coincided with a nosedive in the fortunes of the Molineux men. Fans already paying around £30 for match tickets were unhappy at being charged another £7 to wallow in the club's golden past, which includes four FA Cups and three league titles. Some demanded the £1 million attraction open for free, prompting the kind of stout defence from chief executive Jez Moxey and owner Steve Morgan that fans could only dream of on the pitch. So with new manager Dean Saunders now at the helm, bringing a promise of honest graft in the city of honest grafters, it's time to ask: is the museum worth the admission fee? To this fan, who cowers in an armchair when his beloved Wolves are in action these days, the answer is a big 'yes'. Museum boss Sophie Cawthorne gave the Mail a guided tour of the 600sq m facility. Created by Manchester-based museum designers Mather and Co, it has individual displays at its centre dedicated to club greats Major Frank Buckley, Stan Cullis, Billy Wright, Derek Dougan, Steve Bull and financial saviour Sir Jack Hayward. "Quite a few former players came to the opening and the response was really good from them," said Sophie. "There has been a genuine sense of pride from them and from fans who have been in. "It's the first dedicated football museum in the Midlands, although other clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea have them." The club used specialist software to catalogue 24,000 items ripe for displaying, Sophie said, with only a small proportion currently on show. Reams of paper records, programmes, photos and administrative material remain stored in rented space at Molineux House, the city's archives resource. "We're looking to change the exhibitions, to keep the museum fresh, but we'll keep it as it is for maybe a year so that more people can visit," Sophie said. The entrance area is dressingroom themed, with artefacts including Billy Wright's peg, FA Cup winning midfielder Billy Crook's shirt, and rightback Kevin Foley's boots. Technology gives the visitor the chance to beat cartoon depictions of goalkeeping heroes Bert Williams, Phil Parkes, Mike Stowell, Matt Murray and Wayne Hennessey by swinging their foot at an imaginary ball in the direction of a big screen. And the reverse process allows fantasy footballers to step into incumbent shot-stopper Carl Ikeme's boots, facing piledrivers, dinks and carefully-placed efforts from a virtual Bull, Kenny Hibbitt, Johnny Hancocks, Dennis Westcott and John Richards. There is also the chance to pose as a Wolves player or man-ager, answering post-match questions from commentator John Motson on a video, which can then become part of the fans' wall at the museum. The physical exhibits are too numerous to mention, but include one of Joleon Lescott's England shirts, a Republic of Ireland top fron Robbie Keane, and city ref Jack Taylor's kit from the 1974 World Cup final. There is the Wrekin Cup from 1884, that looks like it should have been handed to the best in Europe, and a match ball from the 1893 FA Cup final, when Wolves beat Everton 1-0. A minute book from the 1920s shows that Major Buckley was paid £650 a year to be manager, while there is a stern taped denial from one of his successors, Stan Cullis, that Buckley had given his team controversial, performance-enhancing 'monkey gland treatment'. Pictures and documents trace the club's moves from pitches off Goldthorn Hill, and in Lower Villiers Street and Dudley Road, before the arrival at the Molineux Pleasure Gardens in 1889, the last decisive uprooting taking place with the help, strangely, of the Northampton Brewery Company. There is Ron Flowers' World Cup winner's medal from 1966, loaned by the midfield star, a South Bank turnstile from the 1930s, and a chunky 50s physiotherapy machine. Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant , a season ticket holder in the Steve Bull Stand, has also loaned the museum a Wolves head sculpture by artist Bruce Larsen. A spellbinding experience for a fan, all in all, the cost of entry holding up well against admission to Wolverhampton's semirural National Trust properties Wightwick Manor (£8.60) and Moseley Old Hall (£6.45). Worth foregoing a half-time pint and pasty so you can afford to get in, or a special journey, even? I would have said so. ¦ Details are available at www.wolvesmuseum.co.uk or on 0871 222 1877. Rivals: No plans to follow club lead WOLVES' Midland rivals have no plans to create their own dedicated, stand-alone museums. A Villa spokesman said: "We have several display areas around Villa Park to show the trophies and memorabilia from the club's rich and storied history. "At present there are no plans to build a museum as such." A Blues spokesman also said there were 'no plans' for a museum. An Albion spokesman said: "Since 2004, we have displayed our memorabilia collection, of which we are very proud, throughout the East Stand. "Our collection is extensive and dates from the birth of the football club to the present day. "Supporters can view the memorabilia collection by booking a place on a behind-the scenes stadium tour, which also takes in the match day media areas and the inner sanctum - the players' tunnel and dressing rooms."

FAB FOUR FANS GET BACK TO 60s AT GIG Birmingham Mail (England) - Saturday, February 16, 2013 Author: Brett Gibbons STAFF REPORTER BEATLES fanatics managed to Come Together for a Magical Mystery Tour of musical memories to mark the 50th anniversary of the Fab Four first playing Birmingham. Bands, ranging from tribute acts to teens, performed a homage to John, Paul, George and Ringo yesterday - half a century from the day they played at the Ritz ballroom in King's Heath, which is now a Cash Converters. The tribute show took place at Fletchers Bar, directly opposite the site of the legendary venue. The Ritz gig on February 15, 1963, coincided with the group's second single Please, Please Me, topping the charts and it was the first time Brum had witnessed Beatlemania. Originally the concert was intended to take place three weeks earlier, but the band had been forced to cancel following heavy snow. In between, The Beatles made their debut TV appearance singing their new single. The Fab Four were only able to enter the Birmingham venue by climbing over the rear fence in Milford Place because screaming girls had laid siege to the ballroom. Dance hall owner Joe Regan made them tea and sandwiches before he realised George was missing and went to rescue him from the fans. Martina Gagan, of Fletchers, said the tribute was a 150-strong sell-out. "We've had fans young and old and a host of different acts singing Beatles' songs. "It is fantastic to see everyone enjoying the Beatles' music," added the Fab Four fan, whose favourite song is Hey Jude. The Ritz has been recognised by Birmingham Civic Society with a musical heritage plate, which was unveiled last June. Most of the major artists of the 60s played there at the start of their careers including Robert Plant , The Kinks, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones, who will also be the theme of a tribute later in the year. The ballroom closed at the beginning of the 1970s when the owner converted it into a bingo hall. It was empty for several years until it became a Cash Converters.

Tribute act Fred Zeppelin to perform in Catshill Bromsgrove Advertiser (England) - Monday, February 25, 2013 TRIBUTE band Fred Zeppelin will be heading to a Bromsgrove venue this Friday, (March 1). This year marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of the group which was started due to admiration and love its four members had for Led Zeppelin’s music. Fred Zeppelin were recently voted one of the 10 best live bands to see in a Kerrang poll, and were the only tribute band listed in any category. During the decades they have had the honour of Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant attending three of their gigs, and they have even played with John Bonham’s son Jason. The band will be performing at Catshill Working Men’s Club in Meadow Road, from 8pm. Tickets for the show cost £6 in advance, £8 on the door.

Sunday Mercury: I'm going gun-ho for charity! Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) - Sunday, October 21, 2012 Author: 10PM TO MIDNIGHT EVERY TUESDAY BEV BEVAN'S PHOTO ALBUM WHEN my rock and roll pals and I played the Heartbeat charity concert at Birmingham's NEC in 1986, little did we realise just how much enthusiasm would be drummed up. We were raising cash to help the Birmingham Children's Hospital and the show boasted a who's who of Midland rock and pop, including ELO, Roy Wood, Robert Plant and The Moody Blues. From there our charity campaign snowballed, and soon we had all manner of events taking place. Here I am, raising a firing pistol to start a bicycle ride. Imagine if I wandered into the city centre carrying a gun these days. I'm sure armed cops would pounce on me!

When jazz and blues ruled at the Mercer's - YOUR nostalgia MUSIC historian Pete Clemons, from Keresley, this week looks back at the live music years of Coventry pub The Mercer's Arms. Coventry Telegraph (England) - Monday, October 29, 2012 BUILT in the early 1930s, and on land that was once allotments, The Mercer's Arms public house used to sit on the corner of where Thackhall Street meets Swan Lane and across the road from the Coventry City FC's Highfield Road ground. Of course, for many years, it was used as a meeting place for Coventry's football fans and a chance to get 'a last one in' before a match but there was another side to The Mercers. By night, and after the nearby floodlights had been turned out, this famous old pub had a country wide reputation as being a prestigious jazz and music venue. From the mid 1950s through to the mid 1970s weekends at this venue were dominated by jazz of one form or another. You could choose to visit a Friday night club or attend either a Saturday or Sunday session. And then, from the mid 1960s, it found itself embroiled in the R 'n' B explosion that happened across the UK. One of its earliest clubs was the Weary City Jazz Clubs and included guests like Chris Barber, The Jazz Makers and The Jazz Couriers complete with Ronnie Scott. The pub's esteem must have been incredibly high for these acts to have travelled up from swinging London. The Abracadabra club of the early 1960s continued to build the pub's reputation as they secured regular Friday nights and attracted guests such as Tubby Hayes, Nat Gonella, Alan Ganley, Harold McNair, Cy Laurie and Terry Lightfoot. During November 1963, and after much preparation and rehearsal, Club Harlem was opened by trumpet player Dud Clews along with his Jazz Orchestra. This incredibly popular band performed in the style of the 1920s/1930s Chicago jazz era and took up a residency on Saturday nights. However, within a few months of the club opening, Dud himself was fatally injured in a car accident at the age of 26. Despite this massive loss, and with the blessing of Dud's family, the band managed to regroup and continue at the Mercers through till the end of 1973. Even then that was not the end for the band. They moved to the New Inn (later renamed The Fiesta) in Longford. The band eventually folded in 1981. 1966 saw yet another new jazz club establish itself. The Yardbird Club was opened by the Mercer's Arms veteran Ronnie Scott and his Quintet. The Yardbird Club again attracted high calibre quartets led by Stan Tracey and Dick Morrisey along with acts such as The Johnny Patrick Trio and continued until mid-1967. Of course some musicians at this time were experimenting with rock rhythms and electric instruments and some were beginning to incorporate elements of jazz into their blues and soul music by experimenting with extended free form improvisation. And as such jazz clubs, to the horror of traditional jazz enthusiasts, were becoming more eclectic and broadening their horizons. Inevitably and in parallel to the traditional jazz, that still took centre stage at the weekends, early 1967 saw Monday night sessions spring up. The venue had seemed to quickly latch onto the fledgling British blues scene that was taking off country wide. All of a sudden bands such as The Jeff Beck Group, complete with Rod Stewart, and Robert Plants Band of Joy were appearing while other weeks would see local bands Jigsaw and The Ray King Soul Pact. In fact Rod Stewart would play at the venue several times. The next club night appeared at the end of 1967. This was known as the Tudor Club and continued to build on the success of its predecessor. The Mercers by now had a country wide reputation as a leading venue and was attracting regular Sunday evenings with Chris Farlowe, Jimmy Cliff, Herbie Goins and Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. The Tudor Club continued to flourish until it ceased operating during November 1969. The end of the 1969 also saw, I guess, an attempt by The Mercers to replicate Birmingham's Mothers Club as the next club night to appear was called Fathers. It may have only briefly existed but Fathers attracted bands like Fat Mattress and Atomic Rooster to their Sunday evening slots. Coventry's own Beverley Jones, who deserves a story in her own right, also played the venue several times during this period. The final major club night, and again one that had a Birmingham connection, began toward the end of 1970. Henry's Blues House existed till mid-1971. This particular club staged bands like Tea and Symphony, Medicine Head and Coventry's Indian Summer. The Birmingham connection being that the second city also had a Henry's Blues House run by promoter, jazz musician and Big Bear record label owner Jim Simpson. Jim was also manager of Indian Summer. By the end of 1971 the R 'n'B, the rock music and the soul bands had all but finished at the venue yet the jazz music, that had initially given the Mercers its reputation continued for several years after. Interspersed between the live music clubs were the sporadic activities of several folk clubs, that including the Tavern folk club which had moved at some point in the 1960s from the Swanswell Tavern, and other folk related events. For the rest of the 1970s the pub was kept very busy by way of the various discos that The Mercers staged. These included an early residency for Coventry's Pete Waterman. The 1980s saw an attempt to breathe new life into the venue again by way of a cabaret style club called the Nite Inn. However, the good times did return by way of the thriving local scene at the time. Bands as diverse as Bob Brollys Calvary, Sammy Earthquake and the Volcano's and the Travelling Riverside Blues Band continued to play there on a now and again basis till the end of the decade. Toward the end of its life The Mercers became known as The Sky Blue Tavern before being bulldozed just after the turn of the millennium to make way for an overflow car park for football parking. Eventually though the land, along with the land made vacant by CCFC when it moved to The Ricoh Arena out at Rowleys Green in 2005, was used as part of the housing development that is now known as 'The City'.

Sunday Mercury: The Tube broke the mould and a few new bands too Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) - Sunday, November 11, 2012 Readability: 9-12 grade level (Lexile: 1130L) Author: ROZ LAWS RIK Mayall vomiting over Jools Holland, Ozzy Osbourne propped up in a coffin and Iggy Pop wandering around bandaged like a mummy. That was all in a normal night's work for Chris Phipps as an assistant producer on The Tube. It is 30 years since the groundbreaking music show burst on to Channel 4 screens. For five years it became compulsive Friday night viewing for youngsters and music buffs, as it featured a host of famous names. Madonna made her TV debut on The Tube - and was then given GBP37 in an envelope to cover her train fare. Ozzy startled drinkers in the Egypt Cottage pub next door to the studios by standing in an upright coffin next to the bar. "Then there was the time that Rik Mayall decided to throw up at the beginning of the show," remembers Chris. "He drank a whole tin of chicken soup, then vomited straight into the camera and all over Jools. We had a lot of complaints about that. "The studio was in a big complex and people got lost. One night Iggy Pop completely disappeared. Then I got a call saying 'Could someone please collect the mummy in reception'. I found Iggy wrapped in bandages, for some reason. "I had tried to interview him before at the Albany Hotel in Birmingham and just had to give up, because he kept grabbing pate from a passing food trolley and moulding it into shapes. It was the only interview I've abandoned." Chris is returning to his native Birmingham this week to share his memories of The Tube and the Midlands music scene. He'll be talking on Wednesday at an event run by Birmingham City University. The Tube was filmed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and hosted by Jools Holland and the late Paula Yates. "It wasn't just a gig in passing for the artists, it was the show they all wanted to get on," says Chris. "When The Tube was first commissioned, a lot of people said 'Newcastle? They're never going to get people up there'. But we did. "We had everyone from Paul Mc-Cartney, Whitney Houston and Tina Turner to Elton John, The Police and The Jam. "We had comedy stars on too - we gave Vic Reeves his first TV appearance and French and Saunders were regulars. They posed as Paul Young fans and got him to sign a Tampax box. He didn't know who they were, he thought they were real fans." Chris tried his best to champion Midland musicians on The Tube. "The first series of films I shot were in Birmingham. I filmed interviews with Robert Plant , who had just left Led Zeppelin, and Grace Jones in Birmingham Botanical Gardens. "I shot a punk group called Charged GBH on top of the Central Fire Station as their single was called Give Me Fire. "Giving Fine Young Cannibals their first TV appearance was my decision. They were a unique band with an extraordinary sound. I shot them singing Johnny Come Home at the Zella Studios on Carpenter Road in Edgbaston. That brought a record deal to their door. Unsigned "The important thing about The Tube was how we gave unsigned bands the same video treatment as major artists, we made no distinction. "Viewers tuned in for the big stars but on the way they saw unsigned bands like Frankie Goes To Hollywood. "We'd gone to Liverpool to film Dead Or Alive but couldn't find Pete Burns and his band anywhere. Someone in a pub said 'There's a band round the corner you might be interested in', which is how we found Frankie Goes To Hollywood and shot Relax." The Tube film with Robert Plant was by no means Chris's first encounter with the Kidderminster rocker. He knew him when he was starting out, in various bands with outlandish names, playing Birmingham pubs. "I saw Robert play to about 14 people in the Black Horse in North-field in 1967," remembers Chris. "I think that band was called Hobbstweedle. Another was called Listen. I also remember him getting up on stage at the MAC to perform with Alexis Korner, that was my greatest memory of him." Born in Northfield 63 years ago, Chris grew up in Bournville and attended King Edwards School, Camp Hill. The very first record he bought was Catch A Falling Star by Perry Como, but he soon graduated to rock and roll.

I bought a new all-in-one printer/scanner/copier today. It took five hours to set up and get it to work properly. I ended up having to phone Hewlett Packard for assistance. I have since looked up Amazon, and umpteen people are giving feedback saying it only took them 10 minutes!

Dan, The excerpt above from Rhythm magazine quoting your dad is from 2009. Yet, you say he passed away in 2007. I'm slightly confused here. By the way, welcome to the forum.

jbfyipi, Excellent post!! Really informative and enjoyable.

Bayougal65, Your question is not a 'bullshit' question. I haven't participated in any of Richard's Q&A sessions, but I have read all of the questions posed by others. Your question is more interesting than many. Both Cookie0024 and myself have put links earlier on this thread for people to place their questions direct to Mr Cole, and I suggest that you go ahead and do so. Richard can either confirm the story, deny it, say he cannot remember, or not answer. There is no harm done in asking. You have not made any mistake. Kind regards

I don't see what there is to apologize for. The alleged incident is in a published book - you were doing no harm in asking for verification/clarification. If the story is untrue, it should be B Lefevre who apologizes.

Test-tube baby pioneer Professor Sir Robert Edwards dies aged 87 Sir Robert's work resulted in the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, born in 1978 Since then, five million IVF babies have been born worldwide Was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2010 and knighted in 2011 Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2306898/Test-tube-baby-pioneer-Professor-Sir-Robert-Edwards-dies-aged-87.html#ixzz2Q5IBeQHZ

For anyone who wants to post a question direct to Richard, here is a link to the page at the Richard Cole Appreciation Society. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-Cole-A-Springtime-Question-Answer/349177751849868

Scylla, Thanks for sharing this with us.

Yes...... I am happy that you did so, but I got confirmation re the photographer from another source.

I have copied this here from Ross Halfin's diary entry for 6 April 2013 because he refers to used record stores in London that he visited with Jimmy. "Beautiful day, warmish and sunny - perfect. Well I had two choices, travelling to the far north (where people speak a form of English) to see Tesla "Kick some ass", or Soho to meet The Dark Lord (James Patrick Page), who I hadn't seen for at least a day, and go for a wander. Decided on London - I tend to only go south or the far east. After eating some real food at Balans in Old Compton Street, did what all addicts do and went record shopping. Started off at Reckless, then Sister Ray, and ended up at our favourite, JB's in Hanway Street...."

aen27, Here is more detail about the trip. From Halfin's Diary 5 April “I have been in New York all this week with Jimmy Page, hanging out record shopping. We went to Peter Mensch's (manager from the stars) birthday party which also had Lars, Brian Johnson, Matt from Muse with Kate Hudson, it was rather nice. Jimmy and I looked at Cliff Burnstein's record collection – I even got Cliff to give me a copy of Too Fast For Love on Leathur Records. That made my trip with Jimmy saying 'How could you take that, that's awful'? Ran into Gene Simmons in The Four Seasons bar, and the next day Billy Gibbons straight from New Zealand. Back home I'm missing New York already." Photographs all copyright of Ross Halfin

Stones hint at guest stars and more shows. I wish Jimmy was one of the guests. http://www.nme.com/news/the-rolling-stones/69587

Courtesy of Cookie0024's twitter account LedZepNews - a photo of Jimmy with fan while out record shopping in New York today. .

aen27, Cookie0024 was informed by Louise Mensch that Jimmy was in NY for Peter Mensch's birthday party. JPP had gone with Ross Halfin (surprise!!)