Waiting Impatiently to See Steve and the boys Next Thursday at Southend, got me thinking of the first time I heard Steve sing. I was on a school Skiing Holiday in Italy early in 1974. We couldn't ski (wrong type of snow) so we were holed up in the local cafe and it had jukebox.
A couple of the local teenagers came in and put some money in the Jukebox and it loaded a record and began to play "Radiate simply, the candle is burning so low for me"
My mate and I were Gobsmacked, we had never heard anything like it. We found out from the locals who it was and they were surprised that we had never heard of the English Cockney Rebel as they called them. Needless to say that Jukebox got a lot of our coins for the rest of our time there and when we got back I went out and ordered the single and the album from our local record shop.
It took a week to come and when I eventually got it back home and played it to my younger brother he was equally hooked and we have been fans of Steve ever since.

Do you have any memories of the first time you head Steve Sing

I came to all this a bit late Barry and only had 'Come up and see me' in my mind until just over a year ago when we went to see Steve at the Arches in Glasgow ( a chance decision of mine) and I was overwhelmed, best night for a very long time.

There are so few artists who can enthrall and hold the audience without lights, lasers and drama which has nothing to do with the song!

as you can imagine I have a lot more than one song in my head now and cant wait for the tour. I'm especially excited as to how Steve will deliver the songs he has not performed live for many years.

Doncaster isn't till next Sunday so I'm looking forward to the chat on here as to how everything is going.

Dorothy

my first memory is same year as yours Barry early 1974, i went to one of my school friends one evening and he was playing the Human menagerie album, It was so different to the mainstream stuff at the time and i was hooked, i bought the album the very next weekend and later on that year i was to be spellbound again when the Psychomodo came out. Still to this day i get that very same buzz when Steve releases a new track. As for seeing him live, well that takes it to different level, i can't wait to hear the Best years in full live especially with the old rebel boys back in the band

I posted this when this site was first started, but thought it worth reposting in answer to your question.

Back in 74 I went with one of my mates (Dave Baker) to buy what I thought was going to be 'Band on the Run'. Once in HMV Dave picked up Psychomodo and despite my protests he insisted on buying it, instead of the aforementioned Wings Album.
I had never heard of Cockney Rebel, despite Dave trying to convince me otherwise by humming the tune to Mr Soft all the way home. I wasn't impressed, since 'Band on the Run' had to be better than this Cockney whatever.
However, once home and the album on my record deck, it was quickly apparent that Dave Baker had taste. The LP was played repeatedly for about 5 hours (especially Ritz, which was just mesmerizing). As a 13 year this was the best music I had ever heard. I was totally hooked and have been eversince.

It seems like yesterday, that I can still remember the screams of dismay from my mum when I felt tipped the word 'Psychomodo' on the back of my brand new Wrangler jacket. Oh to be 13 again!

I quickly brought my own copy of Psychomodo and then Human Menagerie, which if possible, was even better. Even today, HM remains my favourite LP of all time and although my wife says it is inappropriate, I long for 'deathtrip' to be played at my funeral. Not that I'm dying but can you think of a more majestic song to go out to.
Mind you the wife will no doubt have the final say, as she did when vetoing my wish to call one of our kids 'Sebastian' as and when they were born. Calling them Emma and Lucy instead!

Cockney Rebel songs have seemingly become integrated with my life. I even once finished with a girlfriend by putting the receiver of the phone to the speaker, as the words 'I said get lost, disappear, get out of my life' (mad mad moonlight live) blasted out.

Sadly Dave Baker died a few years ago. The day after his death, I saw SH and Cockney Rebel in Leamington Spa, which in itself was poignant enough. However when they played Ritz (the first time I can ever remember them doing so in the many concerts I've seen), I can honestly say it brought a tear or two to my eyes.

Having had the music of SH & Cockney Rebel in my life for so long, it seems that every song evokes some sort of memory of days long gone.

Am I just a little obsessive or maybe a little sad or have Cockney Rebel actually gotten under the skin of anyone else?