JUST FOR ONE HOUR

This is a book telling my story of 45 years in the music industry.

First of all begging to get into the industry and then becoming a ‘player’ in it, in different roles and at different levels, and on the way ‘pinching’ myself as things happened that I could never have expected in my wildest dreams.

• Watching Bob Geldof grow from a musician to a global statesman.
• The thrills and fears of putting on Live Aid and Live 8.
• Being called an ‘idiot’ by Princess Diana.
• Being given the cold shoulder by Björn and Benny from ABBA, but then being part of the story that led to 70 million people seeing Mamma Mia.
• Nearly being blown to pieces in the Guildford pub bombing.
• Nearly going to jail so that the Stone Roses didn’t have to.
• Shooting the breeze with Tony Blair, Peter Gabriel and Bob Geldof in 10 Downing Street – to Gordon Brown’s dismay.
• A hug from Paul McCartney over backstage beers.
• Sharing a salad with Pavarotti.
• Crossing swords with Richard Branson.
• Selling 33 million records with Elton John.
• The joy of working with Sinéad O’Connor.
• Laughing with the Dalai Lama.
• On the other side of an argument with George Michael.
• Lending Bill Clinton my Bic pen!Getting Richard Curtis an ‘access all areas’ pass!
• Ensuring I was not on Morrissey’s Christmas card list.
• Presenting Ringo with a life time achievement award without mentioning the Beatles!
• Asking Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to do the decent thing!
• Ending chart hyping.
• Representing one of the UK’s biggest ‘supergrass’  witnesses – nothing to do with the band!
• Flying on Concorde for U2 negotiations.
• Avoiding a revolution in Sudan!
• Telling Bob Geldof that I had told Pink Floyd that it was ok if they didn’t turn up for Live 8!