Oldies show misses the bullseye

I see that Tales From The Woods is spreading its wings and is now promoting an oldies show at the Lakeside Country Club at Frimley Green in Surrey - a venue perhaps best known as the former home of the World Darts Championship. Fortunately Keith Woods is not bearing the financial risk himself, or so I believe, which is a good thing, since it's hard to believe this will be a sell-out. Craig Douglas? Terry Dene? Wee Willie Harris? Give us a break. This must be the ultimate in has-beens and never-wases.

I remember when I joined the Croydon Advertiser as a trainee reporter in 1965 one of my first jobs was to interview Craig Douglas, who was playing a gig locally. I felt vaguely embarrassed to be given this particular job as Douglas was already well past his sell-by date, and I had always hated his anaemic cover versions. He seemed a pleasant enough chap, but I guess it was indicative of his by then lowly status that the news editor gave this job to the greenest of cub reporters. Wee Willie Harris (pictured) was a joke in his heyday, with his brightly coloured suits and hair and he remains one today, despite his obvious enthusiasm. As for Terry Dene. there's probably been enough debate already in the blog on his second rate cover versions.
Apparently the Lakeside won't admit groups of men unaccompanied by women - a policy that understandably outrages Tony Papard. But they'll be lucky if they get any paying punters at all, male or female. Maybe I'm misjudging the good people of Frimley Green though. They may turn out in droves and pay good money to see this dross and Keith and the artists will be laughing all the way to the bank. After all, it's almost as exciting as a game of darts.