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Steve Wicketts - Biography - Continued
In 1985, the following year, I sought to get my music off the ground and purchased my first amplifier, PA system, mike and stand, and began entering various talent competitions. It was around this time that Prince was making a huge impact on the UK chart. I was totally bowled over by Prince’s music. I bought the album “Purple Rain” and I've been hooked on Prince's music ever since. I truly believe he is one of the Worlds most creative song writers, he's also an incredible multi-talented musician, a brilliant vocalist and the best live performer I've ever seen. He is without doubt one of the all time greats! By the age of seventeen, I was so knocked out by my love of music and my ambition to be successful as a musical artist, that I quit my three year college course after just twelve weeks, contrary to the advice of virtually everyone I knew. I left college and it didn’t take me long before I was performing two to three nights a week. By this time I had purchased four full size keyboards which I used to arrange in a two tiered L shape on stage. This was before the age of modules, Controller keyboards and Soft Synths, so if I wanted some new sounds, I had to buy another keyboard. When I was 18 I entered a big talent competition that was being run by one of the newspapers. I won the competition, however, I was starting to realise that they are not quite as fair as they should be. There was a Beatle band who were brilliant, but the agent who was in conjunction with the newspaper, didn't want bands so I won instead. People who say that these competitions are fixed are usually the losers, however, even at the time, I knew that the winning prize had gone to the wrong act. I have since watched many competitions and seldom have I seen the best performer win. At nineteen I was still performing at least 3 shows a week, and getting reviews in the club gazettes such as, “Book him now while you still can afford him”. We had some funny things happen, I played one gig where I could hear Fire Engines outside, I was trying to focus on my performance but couldn’t help wondering what was going on outside? Everyone was looking out of the Club windows, My bloody Van was on fire in the Club car park! The people who had owned the Van before me had tried to fit an alarm and left some loose wires. We were lucky it caught fire in the Car park.
I used to perform songs from out the Charts, most of them had been out the Charts for 20 years or more. It was Rock ‘N‘ Roll and Pop music. An Agent who had never heard me but had heard I played keyboards booked me thinking I was an organist. I turned up at his venue only to find all the Women were wearing Ballroom dresses. The Manager of the Venue said, “They like to start the night with a Fox Trot.” I replied, “I don’t have a clue how a Fox Trot even sounds, let alone play one.” He wasn’t best pleased and gave everyone their Money back. I told him that I may as well just play as I’m already set up. Once I started playing, they Rock and Rolled the night away in their Ball Gowns. Everyone had a really good night. The same Agent then sent me to a Heavy Metal venue. These guys were into Guns and Roses and Iron Maiden and my set had songs by Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison and Billy Fury. I decided wisely to stopped taking any work from that Agency. It was around this time I met a beautiful girl called Liana. I was really happy; I'd got everything I could have wished for, plus, I was really excited about my future prospects. It's at times like this that life reminds you that you are not fully in control of your destiny and that it's not always a clear road ahead. When
I was twenty my brother and I were involved in a Road Traffic accident.
I was hit first and thrown
up and out of the way of the car, and so was not seriously
hurt physically. My brother
was thrown up and onto the bonnet, where he hit the window screen.
He was lying on the road unconscious and was rushed
straight to hospital. The Doctors weren't sure whether he would survive the night,
or if he did survive, whether he
would have permanent brain damage, as the bang to the head had bruised
the brain and caused it to swell. He
had to have several stitches to the back of his head and he needed to
undergo physiotherapy, as
due to the damage of the nerves in the brain,
he temporarily lost the use of his left lower leg. The driver wasn't hurt in the accident. He admitted to lying on three different Police statements, plus he hadn't got a driving license. He was charged with reckless driving and got a hundred and forty pound fine. My account of what actually happened was completely backed up by the Police report. My Brother has no recollection of the accident and he is very successful in his chosen career. I couldn't help feeling responsible for what happened to my brother. I never thought anything could affect me so bad, I gave up performing live and spent my time writing songs and recording fellow artists in my little studio. Nine years passed, I was going nowhere fast. I wouldn't let anyone out side of my circle of friends hear me perform. The truth of the matter was, I didn't think I was capable of performing live anymore. I tried to convince everyone around me that all was ok, laughing and joking with friends. Liana was the only person who really knew what I was going through, she was so understanding and supportive. At the age of twenty-nine I heard some news that changed my life. Liana told me that she was pregnant. It's strange, I never wanted children, however, I felt a sweet confusion. I couldn't understand my feelings, I was over the moon and yet it was everything I didn't want in my life. Two days after my thirtieth Birthday, Liana gave birth to a Beautiful little girl. Having our own little baby change my life in every way imaginable. I could not believe that this beautiful little girl was ours. I stayed at home and looked after our baby whilst Liana went back to work. Liana wanted to stay home, however, I was not earning enough money with the studio to enable Liana to give up work. I knew that she desperately wanted to be at home. This was the kick start I needed, I took the bull by the horns and set to recording all the backing tracks so I could make money performing live again. I used to look after our daughter until Liana came in from work, then work on the tracks throughout the evening. It took me only four months to record and rehearse the show. I decided to use an AX keyboard so that the audiences would be able to watch my fingers. I sent out demos to Agents and it wasn't long before I was performing all over the Midlands. Everything seemed to be going well, Liana was able to cut down her hours at work and spend more time at home. In April 2000 Liana and I got Married in Cyprus. It was a Beautiful Wedding. In 2002, cracks started to show in the marriage. By 2003 it was getting harder and harder to hide the cracks. We'd been together for sixteen years and maybe complacency just crept up on us.
In August 2004 I got my own place and moved out. The hardest part was being away from my Daughter. The only way I can stop myself going down hill in situations such as this, is by putting all my energy in to some kind of work project. I decided to work on something so big that it would take up all of my time. I started working on my Jerry Lee Lewis tribute, writing the backing tracks and studying Jerry Lee Lewis's innovative piano style. I listened closely to Jerry Lee Lewis’s vocal phrasing and the texture of his voice so that I could recreate that electrifying Rock 'N' Roll sound. I liked the idea of wearing the red suit that Jerry Lee Lewis used to wear however, you can’t just buy this suit so I got Stage Ware Unlimited to make me one. I had my Jerry Lee Lewis wig made by a Company in Edinburgh as I was told that they are one of the best theatrical companies in the UK. I flew up to Edinburgh a couple of times, the first time was so they could accurately measure my head, the second time was for adjustments and final fitting. The wig was very good for pictures and posters but it lacked movement, I needed the hair to be able to fall over my face when I shuck my head. I had a second wig from David Hough in Wolverhampton. Maggie (one of the Consultants) knew exactly what was needed. The new Wig is Fantastic! I listened to many different electric pianos before buying the Korg stage piano as I wanted a piano that sounded like the piano Jerry Lee Lewis used to play at Sun Records (this is where Jerry Lee Lewis recorded classics such as “Great Balls of fire”). The poster was designed by Clifford a very good friend who is a Senior Designer at Asprey of Bond Street London. Finally all I needed was a quality Sound System and a powerful Lighting System to make the show complete, these were also chosen carefully. The whole project took me over two years before it was ready to show to the agents. It was during the second year, I got a call from a friend of mine, saying that he had come across something I may find interesting. He told me that Amanda (My first Girlfriend) was on the Friends Reunited site, I couldn’t believe it and took a look, sure enough there she was, I emailed her and eventually she gave me her number. I put on my best talking voice (as it was my voice that caused her to finish with me all those years ago). As soon as we started talking, the Years apart just disappeared. We started meeting up and everything between us is Fantastic! We’ve been together for almost three years. What’s really lovely is Amanda’s Daughter and my Daughter are as close as Sisters. The relationship between Liana (Ex-Wife) and myself remains very amicable. I get to spend a lot of time with our Daughter. I love having her here with me. The last two years have had really good times and sad times. The reaction to my Jerry Lee Lewis Show, is better than I could have ever imagined. This is the best music direction I’ve ever taken as I love performing as Jerry Lee Lewis. In January 2006 I was asked would I performed my Jerry Lee Lewis tribute on the Lord Mayor of Birmingham’s Show at the Barn in Birmingham. It was a Brilliant night, TV Comic Billy Pearce was on the show and so was Bjorn Again (the most successful Abba tribute band in the World). We raised £3000 for charity and had a Brilliant time. In February 2006 I was delighted when I was asked would I like to perform my Jerry Lee Lewis tribute at The Tysley Working Men’s club for the President’s Show. I was the headline act and once again I had a Brilliant response. In March 2006 I supported the Union Gap (the band who had the hit, “Young Girl”) I couldn’t believe the response I got.
Although things were going well in my career, things wasn’t so good away from the Stage. A few days before the show at the Oscott Club, I lost a best friend to Cancer, he was only 37. I’d known Neil Edginton Since he was 5 years old, he was a really dear friend. Only a few Weeks before that, I lost my Nan, she was the Centre point of our family. She supported all her Children and Grand Children with such conviction. She really loved music and came to many, many of my Shows. My daughter’s swimming instructor passed away this year. I hadn’t known Les long, yet he touched my life like I’d known him forever. At one point this year we had both my Mom in Hospital having the tumour removed and my dad’s partner Maria was in the same Hospital at the same time having her Kidney taken out. Mom and Maria are both doing well. I mentioned earlier how I always put myself deep into my work when things around me are complicated or upsetting. In the latter part of June 2006 I started work on my next project. I was writing and recording the backing tracks for a friend of mine who performs as Buddy Holly. We’d talked about working together and creating a Rock ‘N‘ Roll show. This seemed like the perfect time for me to start writing and recording the tracks. In the early weeks of July, I happened to mention to a friend of mine who is an Entertainment Secretary that in October I’m going to be promoting a new show with a Buddy Holly tribute, and he said, “It’s a shame you can’t get it ready sooner as I would like to put that show on at my club on the August Bank Holiday.” I took him up on his offer and worked day and night to get it ready. I completed all the backing tracks for the Buddy Holly tribute one week before the Show. The Show is called: “Goodness Gracious! That’ll be the Day!) This Show has Buddy Holly on stage with Jerry Lee Lewis. The first Show was on august 27 2006. The night was a huge success! In September 2006 I took Amanda and the two girls off on Holiday to Turkey. Amanda’s Daughter was looking forward to getting a nice tan, unfortunately it rained most days. However, the rain didn’t stop us from swimming everyday, I’m sure my Daughter is a fish. 2007 has been another very good year in both my personal life and my career. The Jerry Lee Lewis Show is getting better and better and I’ve decided to put even more financial investment into this Show as I believe I can make my Jerry Lee Lewis Show one of the most enjoyable and entertaining tribute Shows in the UK. I’m pleased that this Year, the Hotels, Theatres and Casinos have started booking the Show. I’ve recently been working with an amazing tribute Artiste, who performs as both Elvis Presley and Gene Pitney. In my personal life, I’ve been over to Vegas twice, the first time My Mom treated all the family, we stayed in Vegas for four days. Vegas is an amazing place. Whilst we were there, we went on a trip to the Grand Canyon Via Helicopter. We all spent the last 10 days of this Holiday in Florida, My daughter loved the magic of Disney land, it is a truly magical place for young and old, (sorry for sounding like a commercial). Whilst in Florida we spent a day in Sea World, we all swam with the Dolphins. I think that was the highlight for my Daughter. I was impressed with Sea World, the Dolphins really seemed happy and very playful. If they don’t want to swim with you, they just Swim away and the Guides call over another dolphin. The second time I went to Vegas, I took Amanda, and whilst we were there, we stopped for one night in a Ranch in the Grand Canyon. That night we sat around a campfire, and a Cowboy (Casey Adams) played guitar and sang, it was beautiful.
The Theatre (situated in the Venetian Hotel and Casino), has been designed especially for Phantom of the Opera to be a permanent installation. The theatre installation cost approximately thirty Million Dollars. We finished off the Holiday by going to Memphis where I Recorded at Sun Studio! I couldn’t believe I was recording tracks in the same Studio where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins had recorded. It was so overwhelming, I could hardly focus. I wouldn’t say I was overly spiritual but, I could really sense something special about Sun Studio. It was like the walls some how had absorbed the energy of the Rock ‘N‘ Roll Legends. We visited Grace Land, I was touch by just how peaceful it is. It felt really homely and you start to realise just how remarkable Elvis really is! This young Country Boy became a giant that sold a Billion Records! He really was so talented and taken so young. The experiences I’ve had this year will stay with me for ever. I have wonderful family and friends, and a job I love. Who could ask for anything more. To Be Continued |
The
firemen put the fire out and the Club shut for the night. My driver and
I were left sitting outside waiting for the AA Man to arrive. It started
to get cold so, my driver put on my pink Stage jacket and I had the
Electric Blue one, I’m surprised the AA man didn’t just drive past!
I
don’t understand why but, soon after we were Married we started
treating our relationship like it was made of Rock. We should have
treated it as if it was as fragile as glass. We were careless and the
glass eventually broke.
In
June 2006 we organised a Charity Show to raise money for a research
Nurse for Dr. Rae head of Oncology.
Whilst
in Vegas this time, we went to see The Phantom of the Opera. There
isn’t anything I’ve ever seen in Show Biz Circles that even comes
close to this spectacular Experience. The Vegas production simply dwarfs
the production in London.