In February 1978 Brian Longley came up with the idea of recording a song featured in the current OXO advert on TV, called "Only OXO Does It". Obviously we couldn't use the word OXO as it would not get any radio plays due to blatent advertising so we changed it to "Only Loving Does It". We recorded the song and it was released in April 1978. On 10th May 1978 I was due to go to Wembley to see Liverpool play Bruges in the European Cup Final. I had met David Johnson the Liverpool striker a couple of years earlier when he played for Ipswich and we had stayed in touch. He often came to our gigs with other Liverpool players like Steve Heighway, Ray Clemence and Phil Thompson . Dave had got me a ticket for the match in a private box (10 pounds, how times have changed). The day before the match, Brian our manager phoned and said we have "Top Of The Pops" which was recorded on the wednesday and broadcast on thursday. It meant I would miss the match and I threw a wobbley. I told Brian they could do it without me and I was going to the match. After a while common sense prevailed and I realised that I would have to miss the match.

The Musicians Union had a stronghold at "Top of the Pops" and where most acts could mime to a backing track that they had supposedly recorded for the programme (most of them swopped tapes and sang to their record), one act a week had to sing live with the "Top of the Pops" orchestra. Because we were a vocal group this nearly always happened to us. In this instance there was a guitar solo which I had played on the record and I was playing it live on the show. The only problem was that the orchestra were about fifty yards away on the other side of the studio and we had to hear them through a small ancient monitor speaker in a grey box that was wheeled around the studio so that the groups could hear the playback of their backing tracks and in our case the live orchestra. This clip has been shown several times on UK Gold and you can see the grimace on my face in the solo where I am trying to keep in time with the orchestra.

There was only one TV set in the building showing the match as it was on ITV and we were at The BBC,and while we were performing I missed the only goal of the match that Kenny Dalglish scored for Liverpool to lift the European cup for the second time. Dave Johnson had invited me to the after match party at The Holiday Inn Swiss Cottage and I got there before the team coach. It was great to see them all arrive with the European Cup. I still have the unused ticket and Dave Johnson signed the back saying "What a minge to miss this final".

On Monday 11th September we had one of the highlights of our career, a week of concerts supporting Frank Sinatra at The Royal Festival Hall in London. Sinatra would arrive dressed in his tuxedo, minutes before he was due on stage. The first night we had done our spot and sat in the room just off stage when he walked in. I have never particularly been a fan but it was quite something when one of the biggest stars in the world walks in and says "Hi Kids I'm Frank". I resisted a strong urge to reply "Frank Who"? We were privelaged to see all seven shows from the wings, and every night in the middle of his act he would light a cigarette and talk to the audience for about five minutes. He would talk about his films about Dean Martin, each night it was different. When he finished his chat he would walk to the wings and throw his half smoked cigarette off stage. One of us would pick up the cigarette every night and I think Martine still has a couple of Frank Sinatra's halfsmoked cigarettes. (Sotherbys here we come). I can't say we had any in depth conversations with him but he was pleasant enough and on the last night agreed to have pictures taken with us. Another great memory.

1978. Oxo - Sinatra - Japan.

(Click to enlarge plus more photos)