Amazing to recall it now, but in the mid-50's, Tommy Steele was at the cutting edge of UK rock 'n roll - on a par with Elvis for those of us who didn't know any better. Then the film 'The Tommy Steele Story' came out, and his reputation was secure for all time. That lasted until 'The Duke Wore Jeans' and 'Tommy The Toreador' were released, which left me feeling like Monty Python's lumberjacks: something had changed, our hero had feet of clay, and there was no way back.

Anyway, I got my first guitar - a blue, plastic four-stringer with Tommy Steele stickers on the front. Now I know several chords and read the Mudcat each day.