1985 ~ 1987
U2 | Live Aid | Our Album
I met U2 and was invited to open Live Aid with Status Quo
Another unforgettable year - of missed opportunities!
In 1985 we were in Germany recording our first album when I heard that U2 were playing down the road on their ‘Unforgettable Fire Tour’. Check out the full story of the U2 demo, and… why I didn't call them back… it’s just… well. Read it 🤣
We got the album recorded - just about. Then I headed back to the UK and met with Status Quo; lovely guys indeed. They invited me to play The Jamma with them and open Live Aid in July for fucks sake! My Live Aid Story tells another massive, massive, missed opportunity! It turns out that they were in a bit of a low point, so I'm guessing having me play The Jamma live with them would add 'something'?
Meanwhile, I was working as a tech at Battery Recording Studios in North West London.
That's where I got to know that lovely man Billy Ocean, and got stoned with the Stone Roses. I arranged a sponsorship deal for Billy with Dynacord, and of course he had a free Jamma (the Dynacord version).
In Febuary 1986, my band 'performed' as the highlight of the trade music fair in frankfurt; Musikmesse '86 where I was awarded the Dynacord 'Golden Microphone' award (= best innovation for the year). Now that's a story worth reading!
I'm searching for an article in 'Fachblatt Musik Magazin' that shows me getting the award, becasue some complete twat burned down my home and the actual microphone melted.
This image is of some other guys being awarded the 'Golden Microphone'.