Adrian was a professional wrestler who I met in a recording studio in Chester in 1980.He fancied making a record and was looking for a song.His gimmick was to camp it up with his long blonde locks and face make-up so I came up with an A and a B side …”A Mighty Big Girl” and “I’m In Love With Me!!”
He recorded the songs which to my surprise sold very well considering he couldn’t sing!!
They were purchased mainly to throw at him in the wrestling ring – but we had their money!!
I went on to write and produce two albums for him which included titles like “I’m Only Happy Breakin’ Bones”…”Imagine What I Could Do To You”…”Merchant Of Menace”…”Violence Is Golden”…”King AND Queen Of The U.S.A.” and so on.
I went over to the States to put the finishing touches to one of the albums and he insisted I had to be his “Barrister from London”…Sir Cedric Everhard Hathaway –and I reluctantly went on the circuit with him around the southern states…in pink tights and glittering gold waistcoat (HIS idea not MINE!!)…having to make legal (and totally biased) decisions on certain aspects of a wrestling match was a very frightening experience – as the Yanks thought I was REAL!!…we promoted the songs on TV and radio and got airplay on MTV no less…and four of the songs were featured in a Hollywood movie called “Grunt – The Wrestling Movie”.This all proves you don’t have to be able to sing to sell music.
The wrestlers over there were terrific blokes and it was a great experience to look back on.
I am still in touch with him and in August 2016 the original album “Shake Wrestle and Roll” was re-released in the States by a company called Burger Records….it is in it’s original state except it is on clear vinyl with blood splatterings…and on CD AND cassette…..I knew that one day this would come back to haunt me
Adrian with “Miss Linda” his valet…(his wife really,thank goodness!).
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JET HARRIS
I met ex Shadow Jet on a Radio Merseyside programme after which we went over the road for a beer (several in Jet’s case)….he was a great guy and so funny…I got a few inside stories about his days in The Shadows which were very educational…it was a joy to have spent time with him….sadly no longer with us…another sad loss.
DICK EVANS
If you visit the village of Moelfre on Anglesey (North Wales) you will see a bronze statue of Dick Evans who was the most decorated lifeboat man in history….his bravery over the years earned him the lifeboat equivalent of the Victoria Cross….I was introduced to him by a friend of mine when we visited his house…over a cup of tea he showed me the book he received from Eamonn Andrews when he was featured on This Is Your Life….after he sadly passed away the statue was erected in his honour…I am proud to regard him as a friend