TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Andy started this because he was at the vets one day and Kate Bush was there.

My small claim was that I was standing watching a match on court 4 at Wimbledon and looked around. I was standing next to Venus Williams. She was lovely and friendly, but still terrifying.

Any more?

Cliff Morgan dropped his cigarette on my foot once.

The first time I met a certain "lady" football director (on business) her baby had just been sick on her.

At a festival, many years ago, Jim Moir (Vic Reeves) cadged a cigarette from me.
Same venue,different year, couple of minutes discussing the football results with John Peel !

Way back when in my early student days, I got a summer job as a Betterware brush salesman  (door to door), I  sold a back yard broom and a lawnmower brush to Violet Carson aka Ena Sharples. She was delightful, even had me in for a cuppa...

As Has been mentioned elsewhere I played table football with Stacia.

a) I had a pee next to Phil Lynott backstage at Reading Festival in 1983.

b) I played pinball with Derek Dick and Lemmy (the latter wasn't playing) backstage at Reading Festival in 1983.

My life has been downhill for 4 long decades.... ;) ;D

I witnessed Ritchie Blackmore chatting up my brother's girlfriend in 1972 (when I was 16) She was the same age as me. My brother was torn between being angry because Ritchie Blackmore chatted up his girlfriend and being pretty chuffed because......Ritchie Blackmore chatted up his girlfriend!

Sorry to sound snobbish  ;D but I was in a Country & Western venue in Nashville in 1978, having a pee next to George Jones.

I once knocked Jane Birkin's (full) wine glass over. I said sorry, and she said "don't worry, it saves me from getting smashed!"

A few encounters with muso's and actors when working in a South London hotel in the eighties mainly from Catford town hall and Bromley Theatre, Gino Washington was a late night regular, also met the Stranglers and a few other bands of the time, 50's heartthrob Anthony Newley stayed quite a while loveley but quite demanding, Gary Wilmot who was in Panto and our only guest over Christmas, he even came to our Staff Xmas Party, Lovely chap, in fact they were all nice, apart from maybe the actor  Alfred Marks who was a complete a*$e (to me at least).
Sat on the next table to Norman Wisdom and Linda Lusardi in a Dartford Curry house after panto, What lovely, lovely people.
And finally, had the honour !!! of giving room service to the one and only Madame Sin, Cynthia Payne, Loads of Champagne courtesy of a National newspaper. Happy days....

I encountered Mick Jones of The Clash in a Covent Garden pub Gentleman's.

He was indeed a gentleman, probably because I politely asked him a question about something he was doing at the present time (Carbon/Silicon with former Generation X man Tony James) rather than bothering him with some dumb Clash-related enquiry. He even held the door open for me on the way out...

I walked past Rory Bremner on a bridge in London in the 80s, exclaiming ‘Is that Paddy Ashdown?’.

My flatmate Tom and I went to see Motorhead on the Another Perfect Day tour.  Walked into pub near theatre in Derby and we ordered two pints.  saw Lemmy having a pre-gig drink at the bar, so asked him if he fancied a beer.  He simply said,

"Vodka.  Large.  Ta."

So I asked the barman for a large vodka.  Said cheers and were about to swig from our pints when a voice rumbled,

"Drink lads?"  After hearing us say yes, he continued, "Vodka.  Large.  Three."

We drank and once again heard,

"Vodka.  Large.  Three."

This continued until he went to play what was apparently the best gig of the tour and we were put in a taxi by the landlord who knew Tom and sent to his sister's where we were staying for the night.  Apparently our beers were completely untouched.....

.....also had a row with Mel Smith when working in Brighton over his hotel bill.  After he shouted at me for a few minutes about an overcharge, I turned the page and showed him where we had taken the charge off.  He went VERY quiet all of a sudden!

In the 80s, Clement Freud was on the same flight to Nice as me. As I had only a backpack, I walked straight out without going to the baggage claim. He followed me, then looked puzzled and said "where do I get my case?" I pointed to the area behind him upon which the doors had just closed.

Last I saw him, he was banging on the doors wanting to get back in to his luggage.

I almost cycled into Joanna Lumley, who stepped into the road just as I was going round the corner. She was mortified and very apologetic, bless her.

Around 1977 I was on a narrow boat holiday on the River Wey with a group of friends.
We managed to run aground right under the Yvonne Arnnaud Theatre in Guildford.
In our efforts to get free we managed to snap a barge pole in two.
In the end, two of us had to get into the river and pull on ropes to release the vessel.
All the while we could hear someone bellowing with laughter at our predicament.
It turned out that it was larger than life actor Stratford Johns.

Tony Gubba poked me in the back with his umbrella once, he did say, and I quote, "Sorry mate" when I turned around looking wounded.
We were in the queue at the Old Trafford ticket office.
It would have been before he moved to national tv, early 70's

Peter Howitt (Joey Boswell in Bread) before he was a big star was great fun at a rugby club i used to manage, he came in once with one of the first mobile phones, size of a breeze block. and on occasion did wear the leather trousers just like Joey. Great bloke.

Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners was doing a show at the Irish Arts Center for a few weeks here in the early 2000’s. A pub I used to go to was where performers and audience typically went after the show. I had seen Ronnie one evening, but one night while coming out of the bathroom, which was in a narrow hallway that led to a back garden I almost swung the door right on Ronnie who was carrying a cup of tea. I apologized profusely and he was gracious and asked me where I was from, which for the Irish typically means what part of Ireland was I from. When I told him what part of Donegal my mom was raised in he knew all about it. So luckily I avoided being in the Irish papers as being ‘Man scalds Dubliner Drew in NY drunken debacle!

My small claim is that I have been winked at by 3 different celebrities.

1) Frank Muir , complete with pink bow tie, crossing the road opposite me outside Green Park tube station. Around 1975.

2) Prince Phillip , when I came face to face with him during a Royal Visit to Bromley  in the early 1980s

3) Freddie Garrity, of Freddie and the Dreamers, around 2004, Fairfield Halls Croydon  whilst he was flogging cds behind a merchandise stall and I was skulking around waiting for Mrs Jim G to finish nose powdering duties on our way out from one of those Solid Gold 60s shows.

I exchanged smiles with Donovan as he exited the gents at my B&B in New York, following his performance at Yasgur's Farm in 1998.

This was decades before he became my texting buddy. :)

I stood behind Kate Middleton at a supermarket checkout in St Andrews about 20 years ago. William was there too and he had to wait with a multi-pack of loo roll under his arm as herself was having problems getting her bank card accepted. I don't suppose she has that sort of trouble these days.

But neither of them winked at me.

Swindon Brunel Centre (early 90s) listlessly attempting my Christmas shopping & about to abandon all hope, when I spotted Andy Partridge (XTC) also out doing his Christmas shopping...It was just the tonic I needed & my day was a success from that moment on! :)

About 1977/8, Frank Muir and Denis Norden were at a gig in the Feathers, Datchet. They graciously let me (and many others) buy them drinks.

Frank lived round the corner in Egham Hythe, no idea where Denis lived.

I met Arthur Lee and Mick Head of Shack in a pub near the T&C2/Garage in 1994 (where Arthur was playing with High Llamas as his 'Love').  Both were clearly 'very under the influence'.  I got Arthur to sign a cassette copy of Forever Changes to me and offered to buy him a drink.  He asked for a Baileys.  He then proceeded to pour water into the glass, watch the disgusting mixture separate and congeal and then slowly downed the lot thanking me profusely.  He looked like he was about to slide under the table....an absolute shambles.  About 3 hours later he came onstage looking raring to go and kicked musical arse.  I've never seen such a recovery.  He pointed and thumbsed up at me and my mate.  Amazing what you can do with the right powders and potions...

One of my small claims is that the only time I have met you was at a Love gig, although I didnt realise until a few weeks ago , when i let you know. Still got the evidence.  ;D

Oh God, now you're making me doubt my sanity.  There's a lot going on.  Remind me!

A friend and I hustled our way backstage after an R.E.M. gig in 1985. We interviewed Michael Stipe for our college newspaper, and then took him out for a curry. It was Hallowe'en and Michael gave me the mask he had been wearing, although I sadly lost that.

After eating (Michael had dahl and lots of coffee), we walked him back to his hotel. When we shook hands to say goodbye, he told me that my handshake was too limp, and proceeded to teach me how to give a firm handshake, and tell me how important that was.

Jules

I felt sure that was leading up to the old “That’s me in the Korma” joke!

I once nearly bumped into Su Pollard at Nottingham station.

Or was Jules trying to curry favour with the REM singer.  ;D

Wow - that’s amazing! On a much less exciting  level, I sat next to Christopher Biggins at a wedding reception. He was charming, very funny and had lots of great stories about his life in ‘the business’

Lorraine Chase in the loos of the Albert Hall, where I was singing with a choir for a Born Free anniversary event. I remarked on her stunning embroidered jacket and she replied with something suitable in cockney then raced off.

I met a lot of other celebs that day, but they were all part of the concert so that would cheating a bit as, for a few hours, I was "one of them"  8)  8)  8)

 ::)

That was the concert that my daughter, Rachel sang in too. She rang us in the afternoon to say they'd arrived ok and she'd met some celebrities, including Rolf Harris - her exact words were 'He's a bit of a perv, a bit too touchy feely!'

I didn't know Rachel was there Mick! And yes, Rolf was a toucher  :(  :-[  :o  

About 10 years ago I was at a gig in The Prince Albert in Stroud, Mike Peters fronting Joe Strummer's old Meslcaleros band, playing as Mondo Bongo. The pub was absolutely rammed. On the way into the toilet, a familiar face came out towards me, foolishly, I said "you're famous" and with a smile and a wink, the reply came "you're not, now f*** off out my way". I quickly found out it was Keith Allen, who apparently lives in the area.

This story doesn't change my opinion of Keith Allen.

Jules

Yes, she worked for Admiral Insurance for a while and was in the Admiral Choir, although, if I recall correctly, they were renamed The Elephant Choir on this occasion

Once found myself travelling to Guernsey on a small plane most of whose other occupants turned out to be the Lords Taverners Cricket team and friends...
Willy Rushton in a shirt Carey Hancock would have been jealous of, Elaine Page, Time Rice, Judith Chalmers (absolutely charming) ... the banter flew loudly back and forth, it was like a live 'Sorry I Haven't a Clue'.

They were the snappily-named Elephant.co.uk Inspire Choir and that was why I was there! I'm off to look at the video to see if I can spot her.... :)

Sorry to x2 post but I would have loved that! Very impressed  8)

Hugh Cornwell was appallingly rude to my girlfriend in 1973.

However, Mick Jones from The Clash offered profuse apologies when he trod on my foot as he came off the stage at Eric's club in Liverpool.

Many years ago, I was in Glasgow on a work trip; after a meal and a few beers with colleagues, I returned to the city centre hotel about 1130pm, got in the lift, but as the doors were closing, I heard a male voice call "could you hold the lift, please?"  He sounded familiar.  I held the doors, the chap - slim, wearing a woolly hat - jumped in, and I asked him "which floor, mate?"  "Oh, top floor please".  Doors closed, we started ascending - we reached my floor, and I went to step out... "Thanks for that" said.......... Mick Jagger.  At which point we exchanged a grin and a wink - he knew I'd clocked him, but I didn't feel I should invade his privacy, and I guess he appreciated that?

Haha! Love it!

Jules

I once stood on Graham Gooch's toe in the Pavillion at Old Trafford. Fortunately, he was uninjured and still able to bat!

While collecting a hire van from Robinson Goss of Tredington, Shipston-on-Stour (purveyors of luxury tour transport for Fairport Convention !), bumped into Gareth Williams who was dropping his car off for a service........

I interviewed Jenny Agutter whilst at uni. She was staying with Judy Geeson - she was going out with Kate O'Maras son at the time Dickon,and he was there too. Melvyn Hayes popped round halfway through.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we may have a winner!

I was working in a bookshop in oxford when an elderly, tall, stooped slightly familiar looking man left his umbrella behind. Dispatched to return it to him I was stunned to find he was half way up Broad St in a matter of moments. A quick sprint and I called out "excuse me sir, you left your umbrella in Parkers, I thought I would never catch you",

"Thank you young  man" he replied, "you're not the first person to think that".

Only on returning to the shop was I told who it was – Sir Roger Bannister.

We were debating this at work once and we all in turn recounted encounters with various soap stars and C list celebrities when a quiet voice at the back uttered "I met Nelson Mandela once" - game over.

In about 1979 when I was 12ish I sold Alec Guinness (who lived locally) a copy of the Telegraph and some cigars at the paper shop opposite Petersfield Station.  He was absolutely delightful and asked me if I was enjoying the magazine I was reading which had fallen on the floor in the excitement of him walking in.  Let's just say that this was not an age-appropriate magazine...  ;) ;D  12 year olds left running businesses while their owners 'visited the owner of the nearby florist' - what could possibly go wrong?

He is definitely the winner!!

I'd be surprised if you could type this without blushing, this many years later.

Jules

Pah! I'm a middle aged man who's had prostate cancer.  Embarrassment is a thing of the very distant past...  ;)

Good point, well made.

Jules