I've just interviewed Chris Montez for his forthcoming A&M years CD. He told me a great story about back in the early 60s and segregation. He braved the hostility by touring with soon to be legends such as Smokey Robinson and Sam Cooke and during one of these gigs he needed to use the toilet. being a Chicano (American born of Mexican parents) he wasn't sure whether to use the black lavatory or the white lavatory. He got strange looks whichever he used.

A timely reminder that it wasn't so long ago a certain country -one which preaches human rights and criticizes and invades other countries- deprived people of their human rights for no other reason than the colour of their skin.

Chris Montez the A&M years will be out soon. Not many guys of thast era switched from rock n roll to MOR ballads so easily and to top it all, he's probably the nicest guy I've ever interviewed.

nm