I GOT TO MEET DON POWELL everyone …… can you believe it!  He touched my shoulders, and had his picture taken with me ……… Even Dave Hill, and Steve Whalley (whom I’d seen just a couple of weeks before) thought I was famous enough for them to have their picture taken with me!!! Ha ha ha ha!

So, on to Clumber Park.  We were very lucky with the weather, it didn’t rain at all inspite of all the bad weather we had seen during the week previous.  In fact, I was threatened with a beating if one member of our group got as much as one raindrop on him – lucky for me he didn’t!

I couldn’t believe how many people were there, not all of them were there to see SLADE II (were they MUM!!).  First up was Mickey Finn’s T.Rex (alright Mum, you can stop fainting all over the place, I’ve only said his name!).  Considering they were T.Rex, I suppose they weren’t too bad (well, actually they were rubbish, but hey, I’m a SLADE fan aren’t I).  They had two special guests on with them, one was a guitarist from Saxon, and the other a guitarist from the Glitter Band, but I don’t remember their names, although one of them was a very ‘pretty boy’!!! ha ha.  Mum seemed to like T.Rex, as did one or two other people, AND Mum got Mickey Finn’s autograph, but not his photo ….. you’re in for a bashing Glenn!!!

Next there was Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers, okay, but nothing to write home about.  Then Alvin Stardust – who?  Yes, that’s what I said too!

Finally, the group I was waiting to see …… I’d never before seen SLADE II play (I have seen Steve Whalley’s group before) – what can I say?  They were EX, BRILL, FANTASTIC, every word you could ever think of, and more!!!  I have never in my life seen such energy, and the crowds were behind them all the way.  They sang loads of old favourites such as ‘We’ll bring the house down’, ‘Everyday’, ‘Far far Away’, ‘My oh my’ ……. I was so impressed.  And I have to give special thanx also to Phil Heath who very kindly let me sit on his shoulders so that I could see, until we all managed to elbow our way to the front!!!!  All too soon it was over, it seemed as if they hadn’t been playing for longer than five minutes, but I suppose it was longer than that. And we were playing our air guitars and air drums just to help them along weren’t we Dougie, (PP), and I won’t tell anyone you danced will I!!!  Oops!

However, I got to meet Don Powell (see photo) before SLADE II even started their set, and then I got to see them a second time when Dougie and Andy gave me a leg-over the security fence to go with Gwen to see them again!  I couldn’t believe my luck.  I can’t remember what I said to them, or what they said to me, I was too excited!

There was a firework display after SLADE II had finished their set, but to be honest I didn’t take too much notice of it as I was on such a high from watching my favourite group play.

I want to say a VERY BIG THANK YOU to Dougie and also his pal Andy, for everything.  Also to John, Glenn and Gwen for getting me backstage.  Hi also to Maz and Steven (great to meet you for the first time), Melvin and Pat, Alan and Sue, Pam and my special pal Phil (have you recovered yet Phil?), Bill and Katrina (great to meet you too), Wayne (are you still dancing Wayne?!), and thank you again to Dougie and Andy ……. You are stars!

Just think, it was only a year ago that I first met Angel on the Internet, and through him he introduced me to all these people ……. I really feel part of the gang.

THANX FOR THE MEMORIES gang, hope to see you all soon!

Loads of luv

Rhyane