Val, ah now there.... a conundrum wrapped in a mystery, as someone said about the the Soviet Union.

First of all you have the voice, which was brilliant, and the albums which were also very good. He used to do great material like Hoyt Axton's Bony fingers.

Then you have that TV show which blighted the life of a nation. One remembers with particular anguish the way he used to make a litlle gesture like he was ringing a bell to stop a bus, at the end of every song. The dance routines featuring strange men of questionable looking sexuality and fixed grins. the inevitable duets with guests who really were best undiluted - like John Williams for example. The censorship - the come on from the whores on 7th avenue in The Boxer, became the girls on 7th avenue. Well perhaps that last one shows he was more sensitive than we were.

I was doing an Irish pub in Nottingham one time, and this guy asked for Carrickfergus. we got into a chat and I told him that I'd first learned it from Val, and the requestee took two steps backwards. I don't think my sources were pure enough for him!

yeh I agree. Welcome him back. Give him an OBE, buy him a drink and cheer him up. Come back Val! We love you really.