WEEKS COM DECEMBER 26 AND JANUARY 2
It was back to business just after Christmas when I was interviewed by Radio Berkshire’s Bill Buckley and Radio Kent’s Harvey Cook. They both did a great job and it was a pleasure to be on their shows. Both conversations were about the release of my new book, The John Hannam Interviews.
I have also taken the opportunity to get my head down and write more chapters of my next book, due out in October. I am now up to 29 chapters,
On Thursday January 5th we went to Christchurch to visit my long time friend Wilf Pine. Our careers have been very different but we enjoy each others company so much – and so it proved on this occasion. Elkie Brooks rang him whilst we were there. They have become great friends in recent years. It all began when I interviewed Elkie a few years ago. She had just read John Pearson’s book on Wilf and wanted to meet him. I managed to set it up and what an occasion that was. Wilf then got her both a record and book deal.
Two days later I went to the Mayflower, Southampton, to interview one of their panto stars, Peter Piper. We had not met for 27 years. He gave me a great interview which will soon be on a podcast. When I got home I found a card in the post. It was from Sir Tim Rice to say how much he liked my book. His exact words were “it’s a fabulous book.” I was so thrilled that he likes it.
Went to the Mayflower, Southampton on Wednesday to see Buddy. Not the best version I have seen of this musical. Sadly, the guy who played Buddy was a little too old and not really slim enough to get away with it any more. He has been playing the part for many years. I never, for one minute, thought of him as Buddy Holly doing the entire production. On the other hand, the guy who played Richie Valens was quite superb. Amazingly, this professional show was not as good as the Ventnor Theatre Group’s production a few years back, at the Winter Gardens, which won an award as the best musical by an Isle of Wight amateur group.