Visit this link Alternative Black Country Night Out - in Wolverhampton

for a feature about the Wolverhampton launch of the 'Alternative Black Country Night Out' at The Newhampton Inn, Riches St, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton on Fri 3rd June.

The evening features music spots from GOJO' MUSIC and Alex Vann, Poetry from Billy Spake Mon and Ian Henery, and Literature spots from Paul McDonald and Anthony Cartwright.

Tickets £5 - show starts 8-15pm.

Tipton Town Football Clubs - End Of Season Review is available. It includes a feature from Gary O'Dea. Anybody wanting a copy can obtain more info on how to get one from this link to 'The Toons' web site http://www.web-teams.co.uk/NewsItems.asp?team=tiptontownfc

One last crescendo of emotion from the peoples game last night - Liverpool (somehow) becoming European Champions. You'd got to have watched it to see why this so called 'game' is the greatest sporting spectacle we have. Luck play's its part - (both good and bad) but it does in all kinds of success / failure. The unifying thing this morning is that the AC Milan fans and team must be sitting there thinking HOW? - and the Liverpool fans and team must also be sitting there thinking HOW?

Liverpool outplayed and 3-0 down at half time, came out in the second half and somehow scored three goals in approx 10 mins and then hung on while AC Milan bombarded their defence. The game moved to extra-time - Milan missed an absolute sitter at the end (a great save from Dudek for the first shot - but the second one just hit him and went over the bar). Liverpool were outplayed all game - I'm glad they won but they were outplayed (Chelsea semi-final game as well). It goes to penalty's and Milan completely miss one, then Dudek saves two (Liverpool scoring 3 out of 4 taken - Milan 2 out of 5 taken) - by turning the rules of the game on it's head (right under the refs nose) - he advanced so far of his line he was nearly as close to the ball as the penalty taker - not once but twice - but he got away with it - Scouse scallying at it's best - ha ha).

To Tipton Towns FCs very own 'SCOUSER' - who's about to be a dad anyday know (probably gave birth himself last night) WELL DONE YA' SCALLY - get the beer in.

I've never seen a game like that in my life. Man Utd's last minute winning of it in 1999 was special...but this was...

For Football see - emotion...desolation...elation...thrills...despair...love...hate...luck (good and bad)...cheating...honour...LIFE and all it offers.

Roll on August when it starts again.

Gary O'Dea

Well that 'funny old game' took me on a rollercoaster ride again this afternoon...and this time it ended in disaster. Five minutes to go - The Celts 1-0 up at Motherwell (managed by Terry 'The Hun' Butcher) and Martin O'Neil (who announced this morning that for family reasons he was taking a year out of the game) must have been watching the Scottish FA tie the green and white ribbons on the championship trophy. Well the Celtic team on the pitch must have been watching them as well because bloody Motherwell equalized and seeing as Rangers were 1-0 up at Hibs - the title was now going their way. A final nail was added to the top of Celtic's coffin - when Motherwell scored again with a minute of injury time left. I don't know what happened after this because my radio suddenly disintegrated (owing to being flung against the wall). My phone is also 'out of order' now so don't bother trying to call me (especially Stevie 'Square Heed' Greenfield and any other Billy Boys).

Woe betide anybody telling me 'it's only a game' - get ta' f**k as they say in Glasgie'.

The Tipton Tim & Baggie Bhoy.

Football euphoria continues...Tipton completed a West Midland Premiership League and Cup double last night with a 2-1 win in extra time against Ledbury at Wolverhampton Casuals ground. Good battling performance from the lads. Congratulations to manager Johnny 'Bonk' Hill - Chairman Kev 'Jenna' Jennings and all the players and staff associated with the club - it's been a great season. Looking forward to the Midland Alliance next season.

I'd also like to confirm the rumour that Steve Mills did lend me a tenner last night when we got back to the club. Some people were shocked and stunned at the news and were in total disbelief. But, as the last few day's have shown - football achievements can have a drastic effect on how people react (Albion result etc) and with emotions running high last night (love and human kindness overflowing) and the 'feel good factor' continuing in the Tipton camp - MILLSY DID LEND ME A TENNER...IT'S TRUE - YES I KNOW IT'S ALMOST AS UNBELIEVABLE AS THE ALBION RESULT - BUT IT DID HAPPEN.

Just need Celtic to bring the Scottish Championship home this weekend and that'll do nicely.

Here's a link to the match report from last nights final on the Tipton Town web site
http://www.web-teams.co.uk/Match.asp?team=tiptontownfc&mid=match139.xml

Gary O'Dea

SUNDAY 15TH MAY 2005...HISTORY IN THE MAKING...THE GREAT ESCAPE...WEST BROMWICH ALBION FOOTBALL CLUB AVOID RELEGATION FROM THE PREMIERSHIP...FIRST CLUB TO DO SO AFTER BEING BOTTOM AT CHRISTMAS...

BOING BOING YA' BEAUTIES.

Also...Tuesday 17th May see's the West Midland Premiership Final Tipton Town V Ledbury @ Wolverhampton Casuals Ground, Brinsford Lane, Wolverhampton (just off the Stafford Road near Coven). 7-45pm kick-off. Tipton on for a double - already crowned Champions...c'mon The TOON.

Then it only wants Celtic to beat Motherwell and that's another Championship for The Celts...is that asking too much? What a week it could be.

This may surprise some of you...but there are some people out there that think football is just a game!!! I know - some people leave you speechless...a 'game' - I ask you. It's about...it's about...well I don't know what it's about because after the highs and lows of yesterdays relegation battle it's hard to sum up the effect that football has on our lives. I'm just glad it's a part of my life. Bill Shankly said "it's not about life and death, it's much more important than that" - I don't agree that its more important - but I think if you embrace it - it becomes an integral part of it.

Still can't believe yesterdays developments. To Palace, Norwich and Saints fans - sincere commiserations. To everyone connected with THE BAGGIES...

'The Lord Is My Shepherd...and JESUS IS AN ALBION FAN'!

C'MON.

Gary O'Dea

Here's a link to a feature published on the BBC Birmingham web pages
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/voices2005/dudley/

It promotes a programme recorded for BBC Radio 4 (and BBC Radio WM) to be broadcast in August (exact date to be announced) called Voices - that features Gary O'Dea (GOJO' MUSIC), Brian Dakin (aka Billy Spake Mon - contemporary Black Country dialect poet), Greg Stokes (author and publisher with Kates Hill Press) and Brendan Hawthorne (Black Country based beat poet) - all performers who take part in the Alternative Black Country Night Out shows - talking about the local Black Country dialect, it's development and it's future across a multi-cultural Black Country region.

We Want The Airwaves...Baby.

GOJO' MUSIC are live on BBC Radio WM this evening (Sunday 8th May) between 7 & 8pm on Saul Abners 'Wolverhampton Show.' Tune in on 95.6FM.

Well it seems that another great character from the 'engine room' of the British Music / Entertainment Business has sadly passed away after a fight against illness. Laurie O'Leary was someone I came to know during my days presenting a radio show in Wolverhampton on WCR 1350AM - the show was called The Secret Public Cafe Show and ran for a couple of years from 2000 -2002. I occasionally did 'theme' shows or tributes to particular artists or styles of music on the show and had decided to do a show about the career of one of my idols Steve Marriott.

My old mate Gary Lammin knew Laurie (who had been Steve's personal manager and had known Steve since his beginnings with The Small Faces) and approached Laurie for me about giving me an interview - well I got more than an interview, I struck gold. Laurie was great - I ended up getting him to take part in the live broadcast of the show via a telephone link to his home in the East End of London on 31/1/02 - the show was a great success, but the biggest compliment anyone could pay me came from Laurie himself when he said "I loved that show it was a real heart n' soul production Gal".

We talked at the time about doing a series of shows on his memories and associations / work in the industry - he was a gem and had worked in many fields behind the scenes. I said at the start of this piece that Laurie was from the 'engine room' - what I mean is that Laurie was the guy who got things done - the hustler / promoter / manager who spanned the whole spectrum of entertainment, from the rock n' roll world to 'showbiz' in general. A guy who managed Esmeralda's Barn - The Kray's first night club. Laurie had grown up with the twins in the East End. He then managed the exclusive Mayfair nightclub Sybilla's - a club set up by George Harrison and Alan Freeman before moving on in the late 60's and into the 70's to manage the legendary London venue The Speakeasy and worked with Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Marc Bolan amongst many other's. At the Speakeasy (through the persisitence of Island records mogul Chris Blackwell) Laurie helped launch Bob Marley in London and to the British press and public with an unprecedented 4 night run at the legendary venue. You can imagine with all this material to work with what a great series of radio shows that would have made, but unfortunately my time as a presenter at WCR came to a premature end (not my choice - but circumstances changed).

Laurie became the road manager when the Small Faces reformed in 1976 and toured Britain / Europe (with Cocksparrer featuring Gary Lammin as the support band). Laurie had also managed London rock n' roll greats The Heavy Metal Kids (featuring Gary Holton) in the early 70's, he'd also toured as road manager with international soul greats such as Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Barry White etc, etc, - but here's the beauty of Laurie - he also looked after the career of celebrity medium Doris Stokes!!! - Yes. That is the measure of Laurie - he was a 'real person' - and looked for that in others. All the egotistical tossers that are rife in the circus of rock n' roll soon got given a taste of East End no nonsense realism with Laurie - ego's had to be checked in with their hats and coats so to speak.

I had many 'long' chats with Laurie over the past few years over the phone - he always used to say "I'll send you something towards your phone bill Gal" because I'd be on the phone hours to him sometimes - laughing my head off as he recalled stories about this, that and the other. I hope that someone somewhere has documented Laurie's life - he covered some of it himself in his own excellent critically acclaimed and award winning book he did (oh yes - he was an award winning writer as well - I forgot to mention that) on Ronnie Kray called A Man Among Men, which became a best seller when published by Headline in 2001. He recently contributed some of his memories of his times with Steve Marriott to the book about Steve that John Hellier and Paolo Hewitt produced called All Too Beautiful.

After Laurie had appeared on the radio show I did on Steve Marriott he sent me a hard copy of his book on Ronnie Kray with this message written inside from him to me -
'To my good friend Gary O'Dea, best wishes mate , God bless - Laurie O'Leary.'

Laurie - the privilege has been all mine.

The deepest sympathies of both myself and Gary Lammin go out to Laurie's wife Iris and his family and friends (especially to his secretary Sharon). As well as the tears of sorrow that have been and will be shed - make sure some of them have been tears of laughter as well in memory of Laurie, because he certainly gave me some great laughs. Have a bloody good East End knees up in his memory... I'll raise a glass or two (three or four and may be more) up here in the Black Country to his memory.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Gary O'Dea.

PS - here's a link to the Bob Marley web site that features a published interview withLaurie.
http://www.bobmarleymagazine.com/interviews/leary.htm