Over the past year I have been asked to speak at several functions about my life in the record business. This had been something I had not previously considered, given my mantra, the stage is for our artists and record company personnel should remain in the background. However, the success of these talks, the enjoyment it seems to bring to the audience and certainly to me, has made these opportunities a great pleasure.
Sometimes I’m asked to speak for forty five minutes with a fifteen minute question and answer session, sometimes shorter, depending on the event. I’ve also been able to visit schools and colleges and address the assembly; this normally revolves around my belief that in life, if you refuse to give in, almost anything can be achieved. I am living proof that your dream can become a reality, sometimes against all odds.
On radio, I’m often asked about my initial break into the record business, my favorite artists, and favorite records from my career, and usually discuss the records that influenced me.
The press is infatuated with Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Justin Timberlake but some give equal billing to Billy Ocean, The Stone Roses and R.Kelly which brings back memories I have not thought about in years.
The TV interviews are in the main shorter and can cover anything from commenting on today’s record business to moments over the past three decades.
On reflection, I’ve been addressing record conferences for many years all over the world, and with the early days spent as a DJ and Compere in the West Midlands nightclubs, this has made these opportunities comfortable and pleasurable.