Don Woods

I watched a programme called "It was alright in the 70s" where various programmes were shown from that era which would be regarded as sexist or racist these days....y'know...now we are the Nanny State.........programmes like The Black and White Minstrels and Benny Hill type stuff....with so-called "celebs" looking totally shocked at what they were watching....foe goodness sake GET REAL!!!...the likes of that silly old sod Bill Oddie shaking his head in disbelief saying "They wouldn't get away with that now... as if he hasn't seen it all before....personally I object to being told what I can and can't watch....it was called ENTERTAINMENT which has sadly vanished these days. 2.Also we had to suffer one of those whinging feminists on the morning news programme prattling on about how badly women are treated....then a picture of the bloke who plays Poldark was displayed....with no shirt on... which had apparently delighted our female population...and she was asked about the reaction to male strippers at women's hen parties.....oh it's FINE that way round....and she was asked about the young ladies who lost their jobs as glamour girls at formula one events because a handful of female do-gooders were offended.....it was good viewing watching her squirm....we KNOW how you feminists feel ladies we don't need telling every 10 minutes....fortunately most women enjoy being who they are and straight blokes (which most of us are) will continue to look at females in the same way as we have done since time began....some of you girls need to get over yourselves....and as for the "Men At Work" sign being sexist just about sums it all up....what next PERSONCHESTER UNITED? 3.The recent drama about Jeremy Thorpe has caused quite a stir...I must admit I didn't know a lot about this...it was very interesting and well acted by Hugh Grant who played the politician really well.....I do like to see and actor actually looking like the person he is portraying.........apparently a lot of facts have been "hidden" over the years (now there's a surprise) and it's all come out in the wash....it covered how old Jeremy allegedly hired a hit man to kill his boyfriend....all very enlightening...I think Hugh will get an award for this. 4.How about the guy in France who climbed up the side of that building to rescue a baby who was hanging off a balcony...what a hero...and he was am immigrant and has quite rightly been offered French citizenship....and the soldier who has received an award for bravery for taking on the enemy single handed....nice to see a bit of positive publicity as opposed to the usual terrorists dominating the news.....and because of changes in the railway timetables there is total disruption on the northern trains....displaying what a bunch of idiots we have in our wonderful government. 5.The song this week was the first record I produced when I formed my record company in 1980...I wrote it for my pal Pauline Daniels who went on to make a name for herself over the years....listening to this brings back a lot of memories....I had just built my studio and had made my mind up that I was going to "layer" my recordings....in other words play all the instruments myself (I'm actually playing the drums on this one as well) which solves a lot of problems as I can arrange stuff as I go along....so I give you BD 001 on Big Dee Records...."You're No Good To Me If You Can't Boogie"...

.We are experiencing 25 degrees each day which we are not geared up to....there are the standard thunderstorms and flash flooding in various parts of the country but mostly blazing sunshine....personally 15 to 20 degrees suits me....but it has worked well for various big events like the tall Ships which have been in Liverpool over the weekend and the Wirral Bikeathon with cyclists hurtling round Birkenhead Park and massive family events with brass bands and those wonderful young ladies marching around and spinning their sticks and throwing them in the air....so for once the weather has been kind. 2.I had to laugh (mainly in despair) when I heard that Stanstead Airport had been brought to a standstill because the unit which refills the planes with fuel had been struck by lightning and was out of action...thus all flights had to be cancelled...then we have the outcry...angry passengers who had been left stranded...and were going to miss their holiday...I'm not quite sure what the airport was supposed to do....perhaps have a word with the lightning and tell it not to do it again....or let them all get on the plane and see if they make it off the ground?...IT'S FOR YOUR SAFETY YOU PLONKERS !!!!....the plane can't fly without fuel...get it? 3.However the nice weather also attracts the morons to the beach where they all gather together in close proximity and eventually go home leaving their trash behind them...ranging from plastic water bottles to baby's nappies....what never ceases to puzzle me is why they all gather in a cluster....we have a 5 mile beach here but the neanderthalls all roll up and set up next to each other....crammed into about 50 yards....with miles of empty beach either side....and the media have been going on about the litter ...coming out with wonderful statements suggesting on the spot fines.......it won't make any difference....you can't legislate for idiots...because they can't see what they are doing wrong....they have yet to evolve. 4.I watched an audience with Cliff Richard from 1999....I must say I enjoyed it...he sings well he moves well ....he looks good and is squeaky clean...so I don't know why I'm not a fan....I did like his early stuff with The Shadows...and his later stuff with those John Farrah productions....but there's something that doesn't quite click with me.....it was nice to see Sir John Mills in the audience...I had the pleasure of meeting him when I worked on Radio Merseyside....he was a delightful man...and I told him how much I enjoyed "Ice Cold In Alex" when he downs that pint of bitter at the end....he put his hand on my arm and said "Lager...it was lager...and the take you saw was about the 15th and I was p****d"....great bloke. 5.The song this week is was the first one I wrote for wrestler Adrian Street back in 1980 and led to a very interesting musical journey....he used this to enter the wrestling ring and we ended up making two albums with me going to the States and appearing on TV....this song and some of the others got MTV coverage and were featured in a film called Grunt-The Wrestling Movie...and all from a chance meeting in a recording studio in Chester.

The BBC blanket coverage of the build up to the royal wedding was totally ridiculous ...it started a 6 a.m and connsisted of several presenters standing in various positions along the route trying to get us all exited by interviewing onlookers and showing the same piece of film of Harry shaking hands with members of the public over and over again....then it was "now here is the news headlines"...and off they go telling us that it was the day of the royal wedding...plus a bit about the cup final...then back into the street...not a mention of ANYTHING else going on in the world....mind you I have come to expect this third class reporting from the BBC. Then we had the wedding which you HAD to watch ... it was interesting to say the least....I thought the preacher guy was great...all that was missing was James Brown moonwalking on...."HAVE YOU SEEN THE LIGHT".....and you have to love Harry...what a great lad he is, 2.Still on the subject of the royals...I watched the spoof programme called The Windsors .. The Royal Wedding...which was a mickey take of the family and to be quite honest was a disgrace...it was unfunny and insulting....I am not a royalist but I don't like fun being made out of those who can't answer back....I don't know how channel 4 gets away with this tripe...good job Henry The Eighth is no longer around...they would find themselves in the Tower....I have a good sense of humour which was not required for this nonsense. 3.We have the tall Ships back again this year with the wonderful parade of sail down The Mersey which is always a spectacular sight...this encouraged me to watch a video I made of the event in 2008 when Liverpool was the capital of culture ....and I was reminded of s situation which I had captured on film...it was some bloke who had converted his Ford Fiesta into an amphibious craft...he was in the river travelling at about 5 mph...against a current of 10 mph....so he wasn't making much progress...and with the complete collection of Tall Ships in his rear view mirror (which he was drifting backwards towards) a rescue was required...so out comes the lifeboat...a helicopter...and a beach patrol jet ski...who managed to get him out of the way so the parade of sail could get under way....so funny...and what an idiot. 4.And on the same subject I watched a programme called Cruises From Hell where nightmare situations were captured on camera showing the unpredictability and power of the sea...to take a boat (or a converted car) on to a river you have to know the rules especially if the river is tidal...I've seen people get into all sorts of trouble...for example when the tide is travelling in the same direction as the wind things can look quite calm...but when the tide changes and flows against the wind everything changes...and you have to know that or you'll have problems...and rivers don't recognise bravado. 5.The song this week takes us oldies back to our younger days which seemed to vanish so quickly...it is called Taxi To The Past and is a track off my DooWop Album....should bring back a few memories.

I have recently had personal experience of the work of the NHS....my wife required care in The Liverpool Women's Hospital after an operation...I was totally humbled by the kindness and dedication of the staff...selfless first class care and they ask nothing in return...they are Earth Angels....I've always had the greatest of respect for our doctors and nurses but when you are actually involved you see them in a new light....and it was my pleasure to organise a donation to their mums and babies section of £2000 on behalf of The Cheshire Cats which is our weekly rock and roll fundraisers organisation...I cannot praise them enough...thank heaven for the NHS. 2.I watched The Eurovision which was three hours out of my life I won't get back....it was pretty bad and makes you wonder what sort of music gives these countries pleasure because it's beyond me.....and surprise surprise we came third from bottom...why do we bother?....when that idiot jumped up on the stage our girl should have smacked him in the teeth with the mike...that would have made great TV and made her famous...but she did well......in future we should have Anthony Joshua singing our song and hope someone tries to grab the mike off him...now THAT would be worth watching...I remember back in the day when The Stones were on stage doing a concert and some dope came running on to the stage and Keith Richard undid his guitar strap and whacked this guy with his Les Paul as he ran past and was diverted into the crowd...so funny....Keith later said he didn't know whether he was friend or foe and couldn't take the chance. 3.There wouldn't happen to be a royal wedding this week would there?....Off we go....Meghan this and Meghan that...and her poor old dad has come in for it...for trying to make a few bob out of the press...HAS HE NEVER HEARD OF TREASON!!....it really is pathetic...I often wonder whether the girl actually knows what she's letting herself in for.....everybody is jumping in on the bandwagon with their opinions.....simply proving that we are indeed a nation of sheep....I like Harry but he is is beginning to look a bit punch drunk with it all...if I was him I'd do a Prince Albert. 4.I watched a programme on The Monkees....I couldn't STAND them at the time...I thought the programmes they made were really bad ...but I thought the songs were good....the programme showed how they were actors playing the parts of a beat group but suddenly believing they were one....however the producers of the records wouldn't let them play on them...because they weren't good enough which virtually finished them off in the end.....a record is something that has to be right as it is there forever...and time is money in the studio...thus you have session musicians who get it right in one go.....with live performances mistakes are gone instantly...but not on a record....but The Monkees couldn't see this....I remember their manager explaining how he had a huge argument with them over a song he had for them called "Sugar Sugar"....he ended up ripping up their contract and inventing a cartoon group called The Archies...made the record....which sold 15 million.....no doubt he rested his case. 5. The football season is over and the fans can have a rest from throwing missiles at the opposition coaches as they arrive at the ground....and there have been major celebrations in Manchester...HOWEVER...there has been celebrations on Wirral....Tranmere Rovers are back in the football league so I couldn't resist sending you this song..."We Are The Rovers" which I was asked to write for them around 1978 when they also won their league....this was the demo which was to be used in the studio for the players to learn and sing....however none of them could sing so this demo became the final job.....I had the pleasure of meeting Johnny King at his house and discussing the song....the first time I ever drank whiskey....just about found the front door on the way out....the song was played at the ground at home games and on the coach at away games for several years.

.A few days of hot sunshine has taken us by surprise....hottest place in Europe we are told...it won't last but while it does it creates some strange male species....the females are fine ..they appear in their shorts and T shirts and are easy on the eye...but the men...hmm....out come the huge baggy shorts...the stripped T shirts over their generous guts plus huge trainers....not forgetting the baseball cap and sunglasses....these are middle aged men trying to look trendy...and failing...they even have this strange walk proving they have "still got it"...what puzzles me is what do they see when they look in the mirror?....and they are everywhere....but generally after a few days the weather breaks and it's back to normal. 2.When I formed my recording company I had a demo service whereby I would advertise for people to send me their rough tapes of their songs (some VERY rough) and I would knock them into shape for them to present to publishers etc....I did 200 of these which paid for my studio...I had to deal with guys singing in the bath...answering the phone halfway through without turning their tape off etc etc....most were hilarious and sadly going nowhere but occasionally I would get a classic....an example was from a regular customer who was a judge in Ireland....his songs weren't commercial but very clever....one in particular which I can still remember was called "Time Flies By" and asked the question as to why we fought wars against each other for reasons that few of us know when the real enemy is time...which is the true relentless foe......I orchestrated it and sang it with my girl session singer Sue Young....a very interesting song by a clever man... 3.I had to laugh at the ANSWER to the Scottish alcohol problem....they are putting the prices of the booze up....brilliant.....a £1.50 small bottle of cider is now £5.....oh yeah that will solve the problem I don't think ...all this will do is give the breweries £3.50 clear profit.....who do they think they are kidding??....the answer is to STOP selling it !!!....alcoholics will buy the booze one way or another which creates the worry as to where they get the cash....I'd love 5 minutes with the bonehead who came up with this idea....I'm sure those who are not alcoholics...which is the majority...are delighted with this idea. 4.I have been watching the world snooker on the telly...and really enjoying it....I can play snooker but not very well so it is great to see these top class players making it look so easy....and how they have the concentration and stamina to go the whole distance...it really is good stuff BUT...what we can do without is the constant unnecessary so called commentary from the likes of John Virgo and a few others....constantly predicting what shot will be played next and getting it wrong....let's just watch the game !!!....there are times when silence works ... it doesn't need filling with drivel....and it's nearly time for the Eurovision again....don't hold out much hope for our entry but we never know....they had the Brotherhood of Man on telly discussing it....looking a bit worse for wear ...aren't we all. 5.And speaking of past pop stars the song this week is one I wrote a while back remembering some of the forgotten stars...some of which have re-emerged since I wrote the song.....should bring back a few memories "The Ballad of The Forgotten Pop Stars"

I watched the final episode of last laugh In Vegas where a selection of aging celebs from this country were invited to Vegas to appear there....it was a pretty rough ride for some of them with all the rehearsing etc but the final show was really good....they all fulfilled their dream....and got the ultimate buzz....I had a similar experience when I was asked to do a Ricky Nelson tribute concert backed by the guy who played the solos on his records...James Burton...to sing Hello Mary Lou etc backed by the guy on the records was surreal.....I have always been a massive fan of James (who also backed Elvis) since the 50's and although I ended up doing 8 concerts with him it was the first one I will never forget. 2.The news in this country is obsessed with the royals.....headline news about Kate and William's latest addition with huge proportions of the news spent standing outside the hospital....then we have the up and coming royal wedding with everyone guessing what she might wear etc....THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WHICH ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT GOING ON IN THE WORLD!!!....the media goes worse by the minute....I think most of it is run by star struck teenagers. 3.ABBA have reformed to record a couple of songs...which I haven't heard yet....to me they were the ultimate group...they never wrote a bad song...musically and lyrically brilliant....considering the are Swedish....and also back on the scene is Gilbert O'Sullivan who is another brilliant songwriter...I really enjoy good lyrics which tell story...an art which seems to have been lost these days...I know we are from a different universe but even now the likes of Jailhouse Rock still stands the test of time...it is a masterpiece....I remember Gilbert O being ripped off by his then management..... 4.which brings me to the next subject...The Bay City Rollers....there was a documentary on their rise to fame which was very interesting....I didn't realise how huge they were at the time...they always looked like a bunch of barbie dolls to me...but they were virtually as big as the Beatles concert wise....it was a very interesting insight into the reality of showbiz...ending up with them seeing nothing of the millions they must have made....and they were just one of many....I actually did a gig with Eric Faulkner a few years ago...he played folk stuff and songs he's written himself.....no John Lennon I'm afraid. 5.The secret of surviving in the pop world is to keep control of you material....youngsters are too anxious to sign anything to get famous.....I have sent you one of my songs which illustrates how to do it....it is called Urban Cowboy and has a very interesting story concerning a cowboy organisation (in every way) in Birmingham back in the day....had I not been tuned in U could have lost a lot of dough.

.Cliff Richard is quite rightly suing the BBC for their biassed coverage of his alleged sexual assault....for which he was never charged.....poor old Cliff had to watch on TV his house being searched by the police while he was away on holiday... with the BBC reporting from a circling helicopter.....he was found to be completely innocent but has said it wrecked his life and career....in this country the gutter media wade in without any proof thus anyone involved is tainted straight away....I despise these little revolting creeps who have achieved nothing in their sad lives and try and make a name for themselves off the back of those who have earned their fame. 2.Ant McPartlin...of Ant and Dec fame....has been found guilty of drink driving and has been fined 85 grand and band from driving for around 18 months after causing a three car crash....it's easy to call him an idiot but he has had a few problems in his life but there is no excuse for getting behind a wheel when you've had a few....he was lucky no-one was injured....which all goes to prove it's not about money....his millions haven't solved his problems. 3.I watched a programme on guitarists and was informed that Ry Cooder played guitar on the Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Woman....it wasn't Keith R.....I also remember Jimmy Page playing the solos on The Kinks stuff which upset the young brother and caused problems....also the original Brotherhood of Man who made United We stand...which was great....were also Edison Lighthouse...The Pipkins....and White Plains....same line-up....The Brotherhood of Man as we now know them were in a different league and not for me....not forgetting Hermans Hermits who were Herman and session men.....it just goes to show the kidology that goes on in the music biz....mind you time is money. 4.I was discussing age with a young fella in the gym....I have discovered that ageing isn't a gradual process...it happens all of a sudden....suddenly you realise that you no longer want to go out partying...then you realise that a lot of your past friends aint around anymore...modern technology has left you behind...and TV entertainment only exists for the young....as does modern music.....you suddenly realise that the over 70s are not really altered for....the young chap had a polite smile on his face because like me when I was age he doesn't think he'll get old. 5.The song I have sent you this week is another I wrote for wrestler Adrian Street and is entitled "I'm In Love With Me" and although it was perfect for him I originally wrote it for Bobby Sox and The Prizeguys who performed it on a TV comedy show in the 70's....Adrian had a video made of the song in the states and we got it on to MTV....how I'll never know.

.Is it me or has modern pop music totally lost its way?....I know I come from a different age and perhaps I am indeed past it....but most modern music has no point....there is no content to listen to....my problem is when listening to records I know how it is all done and understand all the technology....bit like watching a conjuror when you know how he does his tricks....but to me there has to be a point to a song....instead of the repetitive lyrics we seem to get these days....come back rock and roll...all is forgiven. 2.Are we not all sick of adverts telling us how much these banks and insurance companies care about us?....telling us they will get us compensation for any accident we have ...or sort out PPI etc etc....with the no win no fee statement....what they don't tell you is how much THEY will make.....banks are not your friend their aim is to squeeze as much money out of you as they can....it's like the friendly car salesman who is a great guy until you tell him you don't want the car....when he turns into a different bloke altogether. 3.They keep going on about how it is so hard to get on to the property ladder....or how one parent families are struggling to survive...or newlyweds having to struggle...which is very sad but in my day you settled for cheap items not top of the range televisions or brand new cars ...or fancy expensive holidays.....if we couldn't afford it we did without....but not these days....which seems to me to be the problem....and there is always someone there to cash in on your "big day"....by draining your bank account....while people are so gullible there will always be millionaires. 4.Our national treasure,The Lake District,has been awarded the the same status as The Taj Mahal and other world wonders....quite rightly so...I spend a lot of time there particularly through the Winter and it really is a spectacular place to visit....I have been to many picturesque places within Scandinavia and Europe and The U.S.A.....and have yet to find better views than in The Lakes....yet a large proportion of our population want to go abroad and sit beside a swimming pool and fry....when this is on our doorsteps....it's beyond me.....Prince Charles was brought in to present the award.....however I think he was ill advised when he bought that overcoat....it was huge and would weigh a ton if he got caught in the rain. The song I have sent you this week has an interesting story....it is one I recorded round about 1980 for Blackpool council....it was originally called "Blackpool Magic"......they neither liked it nor wanted it....so I simply went back into my studio and changed the words to "Long Live The Isle Of Man"....and I sent it to Norman Wisdom who lived there....to my delight he phoned me up and and said he liked the song and would record it when he got the chance....and we had a chat about his films and career....what a lovely man....a short time later I met him back stage when he was on a theatre in Liverpool.....I don't know whether he ever got round to recording the song but it was worth it all just to meet him....that's showbiz.

.I spent the weekend in Caernarfon in Wales and paid a visit to the Llanberis Slate Museum which is so interesting...I have been before but it never loses its fascination....it is situated on an old disused quarry and shows the history of Welsh coal mining with the unbelievable conditions they had to work under....it really is a credit to the area and it's FREE !! I also went to Holyhead to have a stroll around the harbour which was a strange experience....the recent weather has really taken its toll on the place....there were sunken boats all over the place and luxury yachts which had been hauled up on to the quayside totally wrecked....it was like a horror movie....never seen anything like it. 2.Maths has hit the news with some bright spark in the government has deciding that the results are well below standard and is arranging courses to help students get to grips with the subject.....I was pretty good at maths because we had a good teacher who made it interesting and we learnt our tables parrot fashion in junior school so my age group can instantly multiply two numbers without thinking....I think maths wrongly has the scary factor which defeats students before they start. 3.Oh dear the Aussies have been cheating at cricket....SHAME.....they have been tampering with the ball which has created world wide news......when I played cricket in our school team we used to polish one side of the ball on our trousers and rub the other side in the dust which had the effect of making the ball swing....I suppose it adds a bit of spice to a very boring sport....and this has brought up the "it's not the winning...it's the taking part" old chestnut.....I have played a lot of sport over the years ... mainly one on one...tennis...squash...golf... and to cheat is only fooling yourself....but then again here was no big money involved with me....and kids should be taught how to lose and get over it. 4.I saw your Facebook entry featuring Emile Ford....I saw him in 1961 on the Liverpool Empire...also on the bill was Bob miller and The Miller Men...Clyde McFatter....Duane Eddy...and Bobby Darin....Emile Ford totally stole the show....I loved his records with the minimal sound of his group The Checkmates...great stuff... I also watched a programme on Ritchie Blackmore who to my mind was and still is one of the best guitarists ever....and what a stage presence.....and this was before Hendrix and all the others...I do enjoy a bit of heavy rock and I thought Deep Purple were ahead of their time and when Blackmore formed Rainbow it was the ultimate rock band....he now plays olde English ballads with his folk group and is still brilliant...the programme was a fascinating insight into a great guitarist. 5.The song this week is another jingle I did for Norman Thomas on Radio City.....he used to have a daily competition where the listeners have to guess what he is holding in his hand....with Norman giving them clues....it was very popular at the time....the song is called "What Have I Got In Me Hand?"....sadly Norman is no longer with us....he was a great guy.

.I watched with interest a programme about the making of the Beach Boys album Pet Sounds....I was a big Beach Boys fan back in the early sixties and bought this album when it came out....it was heralded as a masterpiece...BUT....I didn't get it...I thought it was a bit ofa mess and felt the band had lost its way...shock horror....the programme described how Brian Wilson loved Phil Spector's "wall of sound" and modelled the album on that....but in my opinion he got nowhere near.....HOWEVER during the programme Mike Love (Beach Boys front man) said he couldn't understand why they never stuck to the surfing songs which were going well...so SOMEONE agrees with me. 2.The soaps have come under criticism for their violent storylines etc....I only see the adverts for them which make me want to throw up....to me they are a dumping ground for over the hill pop stars and out of work third rate actors....and the sad part is viewers think it's real life....oh dear.....they had the producer of Coronation Street on answering the comments which was a complete waste of time as she looked like she had just come home from school.....it strikes me that these days everyone wants to use so called entertainment programmes to make political points and social comment instead of doing what they are supposed to do.....entertain us. 3.Ant McPartlin (one half of Ant and Dec) seems to be going through a rough patch.....he has recently been arrested for alleged drink driving...there was a three car pile up and fortunately no-one was badly injured...a kiddie apparently received minor injuries.....but there is no excuse for drinking and driving and luckily for Ant there were no serious injuries or he might have found himself in jail....the price of fame I suppose....and this weeks "Saturday Night Takeaway" has been cancelled (maybe we will get something worth watching) but we are supposed to feel sorry for him....and someone on ITV said they feel sorry for Dec because after all HE has to make a living....a LIVING!!....he's worth millions.....PLUS ITV have stated that they are their biggest stars....which says it all....maybe I am missing something....they do their saturday night show....which they do actually work hard on...then stand giggling in the wings on Britains Got Talent...which anyone can do...and present the jungle thing...which anyone can do...and they are the BIGGEST stars?...do me a favour....television in this country has gone past its sell by date ... it can't get much worse. 4.Driverless cars?...this is like something you hear about on April Fool's Day....what is the world coming to?...this has to be the most ridiculous invention in the history of time....they are saying that these objects will cut down accidents on roads....but apparently if they swerve automatically they won't allow for a passing cyclist....wonderful....the answer to road accidents is to increase the penalties for idiots who have no consideration for anyone else....ban them for 10 years or even life...problem solved.....I would no sooner get into one of these vehicles as I would into an aeroplane without wings....but I suppose this is modern technology and someone somewhere will make a fortune. 5.The song this week is one of the many jingles I did for local radio....it was for a daily competition on Radio Merseyside on a programme hosted by Debbie Jones....she would play a sound and the listeners had to guess what it was....hence the title of the jingle "Worrizit?".....I did lots of these things for both radio Merseyside and Radio City.

.The great Ken Dodd has sadly passed away.....to me he was the greatest comedian of all time...the funniest man in the world....I saw him many times on stage and left the theatre with aching sides.......I had the pleasure of meeting him and having a chat about 10 years ago at a friends 80th birthday party....he was a true gentleman and quite serious....I told him my dad and I used to listen to his radio show in the 50s and laughed so much and I asked him if he would ever go back to radio to he said he would if asked....he was a perfect example of being bestowed a knighthood far too late in his life....when they were too busy giving gongs to ten a penny pop stars and sportsmen.....Ken was the real deal. 2.And on the subject of great entertainers I watch the tribute show to Bruce Forsyth....which was brilliant and a fitting tribute.....again he had to wait virtually all his life to receive a knighthood....I was never a massive fan of Brucie but appreciated his huge talent...he could sing and dance,play piano,present and perform stand up.....I don't think he will ever be replaced....these guys are worth every penny they make unlike some of the "modern" stars who seem to think they deserve it. 3Jamie Carragher has been in the news for spitting at a football fan.....he has apologised to the fan....obviously trying to save his overpaid job with Sky TV....it was a 14 year old girl who copped for it in her dad's car while her dad was giving Carragher some stick....before videoing the event on his phone....OOPS....again another example of a multi millionaire who thinks he is above it all and not realising that he is actually a yob.....I hope he is brought to task over this as these sports stars have a big influence on the young and should be eternally grateful for being where they are......it was like Cantina a while back when he jumped over the barrier and kicked a fan in the chest.....if these sports stars can't take stick from those who put them where they are they are in the wrong business. 4.What I find insulting to my intelligence is how we are supposedly led to believe that by putting the prices up on cigarettes and junk food for example....this will stop people smoking or getting obese.....and there will be extra tax on Diesel cars in order to save the planet.....who are they kidding??....it's about GREED that's all....people will still smoke and buy diesel cars and the companies will make even more money..........................and Meghan Markle will be wearing a 400 grand dress for the wedding....heaven knows how much that lot will cost.....and I had to laugh at the headlines in magazine on a shelf in our local supermarket "Is Meghan getting cold feet?.....will she go through with it?".....amazing the depths these trashy mags will go to to sell their product. 5.The song this week entitled "The Magic Of Wales" is one I composed for my pal Paul Damian back in the day and is a tribute to my ancestors.....this was the follow up to my now famous "How To Say Llafairpwll...etc" which has had nearly one million seven hundred thousand hits on YouTube.....I originally brought this out as a single which sold very well at the time...it is now on an album with other songs of Wales....and still sells.....the line I like is "The sunrise in the morning lighting up Treadurr Bay....the waterfall at Dyserth with a rainbow in its spray"......I don't know where these lines come from.....strange.

1.We are going through a cold spell here...but the media can't just accept that...they have to magnify everything in order to cause the maximum panic and distress...they have called the cold snap "The Beast From The East"...and unless we prepare ourselves we could get seriously ill with Pneumonia ...or even DIE !!!...it's a few days of icey temperatures that's all...then it will get back to normal before we have the annual drought scare...it would be nice if the weather bods just told us the forecast (and perhaps got it right for a change) instead of trying to write a script for a disaster movie. 2.According to recent headlines Brendan Cole was kicked off Strictly Come Dancing because he danced with Camilla at a royal function which is AGAINST protocol...purely designed to get our nation of sheep all worked up...however it was fake news (surprise surprise) and it wasn't the case....as could be seen by Camillas beaming smile....those responsible for inventing this rubbish should be brought to task...they would have been thrown in the Tower back in the good old days....and Prince Harry has invited two of his ex's to the wedding....I wonder if Meghan knows what she is letting herself in for?...in any case he's got two reserves on the bench.....and I doubt if I could care less................on a good note I watched the one-off return of The Old Grey Whistle Test and enjoyed a performance by Albert Lee who stole the show with his incredible guitar playing....a few years ago I had the pleasure of rehearsing with him and James Burton (at the same time)....tasty backing or what. 3.In the absence of anything else worth watching on TV I tuned in to Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway....oh dear.....poor old Ant looked a bit worse for wear (mind you he is going through a bit of a hard time lately) but I'm sure he'll cheer up when he gets his cheque.....I KNOW they are very popular and have awards bestowed on them....but what I DON'T know is why?...the show has some decent guests who have to share their input with A & D who are NEVER off the screen...poor old Kylie Minogue sang a selection of her hits which was going well until the dynamic duo jump in dressed like two idiots and completely spoiled the act with their unfunny antics...it really is dreadful. 4.Big news...is Cheryl Cole (or whatever her name is now) and her husband splitting?...or are they staying together?....and do I give a flying toss??...She is a perfect example of how to make millions with no talent whatsoever....I must say I salute her....and the latest trend is to have "ordinary" people (if I can call them that) featuring on programmes like The Chase...Tipping Point...even Ant & Dec's weekend contribution....and we are supposed to get excited about someone who we have never seen or heard of winning a load of cash....I blame past programmes like The Generation Game which started it all...it's cheap TV....for goodness sake let's have some talent on our screens....and to add insult to injury the licence fee is going up!!!! 5.And the song this week is a track off my doowop album DooWop Days and is called "Rock and Roll Princess" and is a description of a girlfriend I possibly had back in the rock and roll years....and I utilise the titles and names of our stars back then...sweet memories.

.I watched a bit of the BAFTAS until I got bored with all the gratitude and compliments flying around...and what on earth does Prince William look like with his £180 haircut?....oh dear....I could have done a better job with a knife and fork...and we still have the odd political remarks...when will these "stars" get it in their heads that they are about ENTERTAINMENT not politics....they should be grateful to those who put them where they are but some of them seem to think they deserve their lavish lifestyles and feel they belong on the political stage. 2.I watched the ITV news programme from 8a.m. to 8.30 am where the three women presenters interviewed a female ex soldier who claimed she was sexually harassed during her career (here we go again)....interspersed with a bit of local news read by a girl and a local weather forecast by a female presenter....the only bloke to appear was the national weatherman....now am I missing something regarding women needing more equality?....then it's over to Lorraine Kelly for her show featuring interviews with a plethora of ladies.....the whole thing its a joke. 3.Even worse.....on Monday the three women presenters spent most of the programme interviewing three gay blokes who wanted to increase their surrogate families which is of no interest whatsoever to me...it is NOT news...so I switched over to the BBC where we had some poor soul who had a rare terminal illness......so thank goodness I had a third option...the Winter Olympics.....I might consider selling my TV....I didn't think it could get worse...but it has. 4.I also watched programme called "It Was Alright In The Seventies" where they were showing comedy clips which were actually funny but NOW regarded as racist or sexist....with various celebs viewing it and looking HORRIFIED...which just proves that we are moving backwards in this country.....what happened to "funny"?.....and the main problem is most people are so easy to manipulate...for example they go on about how they hate Donald Trump and ridicule his hair etc....but when you ask them why...they haven't got a clue...it's time they left the flock and start thinking for themselves....and when we are told we can't say this or that because it's sexist or racist I would like to know the act of parliament and regulations that it offends? 5.The song this week is one I wrote way back for my session singer Sue Young who used to do the female parts on my records...she was a great singer and I used to call her "one take Sue"....she did the clubs back in the day and I recently bumped into her after nearly 20 years....great girl...great voice. catch you Wednesday amigo Don 12 I'm On My Way Sue .wma

First off....I am not a believer in ghosts and spirits etc....I like to think I am a realist....but last week I sent you my song about Bobby Vee which you played....the next day I woke up to find my photo of me and Bobby Vee on the floor...it had fallen off the wall where it has been for several years.....that is some coincidence or what??.....still on the music scene I notice Bruno Mars swept the board at the Grammys....we discussed him a few weeks ago and s far as I'm concerned he is as good as it gets....at the other end of the spectrum The Spice Girls are threatening to re-form...so it's time to get out the ear plugs. 2.We are being overdosed with the Winter Olympics which sadly I don't have much interest in.....mainly because we never do too well in them....then we have the six nations rugby which I quite enjoy...especially as England are doing well...the problem with rugby is if you don't know the rules it all looks a brawl....they should have a programme at the outset explaining the rules for those who require to know?.....I also noticed the ladies rugby was played to a sparse stadium...maybe the men stayed away in case they were accused of sexual harassment?....and on that very subject members of the French national team were accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour on a night out after their game with Scotland....and as usual nothing was proved and no-one charged.....surprise surprise. 3.Sony have been heavily criticised for their cartoon of Peter Rabbit where poor old Peter was pelted with blackberries because he hated them....this...according to "worried" parents could effect their children who might have allergies....the nanny state strikes again...forget Popeye and Tom and Jerry...it's time we STOPPED enjoying cartoons....so there !!.....I despair for the future of our children...laughter and enjoyment will become a thing of the past...but only for the sheep. 4.What we should be moaning about is the total misuse of the English language we have to suffer on television....with Cockneys with their "I Fink it's on Fursday"....there's a TH in there !!....or "There's a par'ee....on sa'adee"....there's a T in there.....also we have our wonderful northerners with Keith Lemon's "Froo keyhole"....THROUGH THE please....or "It were really grand...it really were".....this is what the nanny state should be worried about...........and it's time blokes realised that long hair is for the young...not for wannabe ex rockstars in their 70s....not forgetting the scrawny pony tail....or man buns....and shaved heads which are supposed to make onlookers think they actually have a full head of hair but have decided to have an egg on their shoulders because it's trendy man....only my opinion... if I'm allowed to have one in this P.C.age. 5.The song this week is about one of my favourite ladies..."The Ballad of Una Stubbs".....I have put this on YouTube and have had thousands of hits so obviously I am not alone in my opinion.....I have a signed picture of Una on my wall...I have never met her but I have spoken to her on the phone after sending her the song....so if this falls off the wall I'm leaving town.

I watched an interview with Jimmy Osmond which was really good...what a nice unassuming guy he is...it's always nice to see those who have been to the top being grateful as opposed to being a diva....back in the day I thought The Osmonds were brilliant...clean cut showman...and when I worked on local radio I met Donny Osmond who was a delight and had time for everyone...I got a photo of me and him and put it on my Christmas cards as The Two Donnys...great bloke. 2.I watched the film of The Beatles rise to fame called "Eight Days A Week" produced by Ron Howard....it is pretty unbelievable watching the impact they had on the world....as I have said in the past I never got the reason for the mass hysteria ...I thought they were good and liked most of their songs but to have hundreds of thousands of screaming teenagers trying to storm the stage when you couldn't hear a note over the noise was fascinating...and I had to laugh when George said that Marshall built them bigger amplifiers for their stadium gigs....100 watt....nowadays 100 watt would be fine for a cafe....the film is well worth watching as it pulls you in to a very odd time in entertainment....still don't get it though. 3.The feminist crisis is still boring us on the TV....what is funny is the glamour girls are now complaining about being removed from the motor racing and the darts championships announcing "no-one is going to tell ME what I can and can't do"....so now all the women are starting to argue with each other...TAKE COVER LADS!!...it's just a matter of time before they self destruct....with a bit of luck....I had to laugh at Naomi Campbell on morning TV...she was asked if she was a feminist...to which she replied with a firm YES...she was then asked what she thought of the models parading around at the formula 1 meetings....to which she said that it was a nice job for attractive girls to make some money...then she was told they had all been sacked...." I didn't know that!!" she exclaimed.....just about sums it all up. 4.Back in the 80s they introduced American football on Channel 4 TV....they put on highlights of the games between 6 and 7 p.m. every Sunday....like a lot of viewers I started to watch it and became moderately hooked....I even got a book of the rules....it started to gain huge popularity then some genius member of Chanel 4 shifted it to 10.30 at night....which lost all the viewers and it was goodbye to American football.....there have been many attempts to get it off the ground in this country...even having major games at Wembley but it will never take off here...it's too long winded...highlights are fine....I tried too watch the recent Super Bowl but lost interest before falling asleep. 3.Speaking of great blokes I'd like to drop another name...Bobby Vee....who I worked with on two concerts..one at the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton and the other at the North Wales Theatre in Llandudno in Wales....I opened the show on both occasions and we had some nice chats over coffee in between sets....I was a big fan of his wonderful songs in the early sixties and we discussed his rise to fame and of course the songs of Carole King...we hit it off straight away and I was sad to hear of his passing a few years ago....he was one of the nicest people I have ever met.....and as a small tribute to him I wrote the song I have sent you....it is from my DooWop album and is called "The Bobby Vee Song"....which takes a light hearted look at the days he stole our girlfriends hearts.