On the plus side, incredible he can do this at 80 (I couldn't at 77). He is simply extraordinary as a songwriter though far better with a foil (John). He shows how much more mass appeal music was (and sadly how much it has declined since I left it in 2000). On the minus side - his voice has gone and his backing singers don't have star quality vocally. His choice of songs was too self indulgent and the weaker solo numbers dominated.

As one of his worst critics musically for years, he really won me over when we bumped into each other at breakfast one day after my release (I was quite fragile mentally) when he was lovely, supportive, kind.

Most of all, the contrast with the limited talent and appeal of others (Celeste???) was frightening - even just hearing the different crowd reaction. And much of that was for very average flop songs. 95% of today's music stars have tiny fan bases and no appeal at all to the rest.

Oh I should add - we share the same music heroes - Buddy Holly and Bruce Springsteen. He has great taste! Bet he loves Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan too (why wasn't he in the Wilbury's?). But then again, for me George was the best SOLO writer in The Beatles though John and Paul together were about eight leagues higher in the writer stakes.

JK2006 wrote:
Oh I should add - we share the same music heroes - Buddy Holly and Bruce Springsteen. He has great taste! Bet he loves Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan too (why wasn't he in the Wilbury's?). But then again, for me George was the best SOLO writer in The Beatles though John and Paul together were about eight leagues higher in the writer stakes.

George Harrison was the best singer and song writer IMHO, I love his solo albums.

I find John Lennon stuff very hit and miss and I can't listen to an whole album without skipping. I have tried and tried to listen to them like I do with any album.

Interesting thoughts J.K. about the way music has gone downhill since Macca's day, with which I quite agree. I've been playing Heardle for the past couple of weeks. (It was a bit of a shock to read some young female commentator saying she didn't recognise the intro of ''Bridge Over Troubled Water''!!! I got it in the 1 second of course.) That title was No.1 in the U.S. AND U.K. singles AND album charts, all four simultaneously. I don't know if that feat has ever been equalled. Today's Heardle plays a track from the past decade - horrible. There will always be good sounds sometimes but the bad ones are really switch-off mush. Even Kenny Everett's World's Worst Records were half reasonable. (The L.P. of twenty of them is actually not so bad - think ''Surfin' Bird'', ''My Feet Start Tapping'', ''This Pullover'', ''I Want My Baby Back'', Mrs. Miller, more Jess Conrad ... what - no J.K.? he-he. Only kidding.) p.s. I've just acquired Kenny's ''Little Train Number'' (which may be the B-side) on Deram. No bad records on that label!

Kenny should of recorded an LP. Little Train Number is a decent song and Kenny could sing.

My eldest sister was obsessed with the band Bilbo Baggings/Bilbo. I am shocked they didn't make an LP but only several singles.

Maybe Cherry Red might release a compilation CD.


bilbomusic.co.uk/music/singles.htm