Well, when I got the call from my friend Jed Doherty to see if I was free to TM a tour for Paul Young, I was delighted. Their long term TM Stan Tippens also worked with the Pretenders and had to bow out of a huge year for Paul Young, but only for 30 days.
30 days though around the World, the fastest World Tour I have ever done. Flew out of London and did shows in Japan, Australia, Canada and West and East Coasts of the USA.
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The Australian promoters, all now personal friends, created the June '85 tour itinerary for this tour. A great example of a great itinerary.
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When we arrived in Japan and went to reception to check in to the Century Plaza Hotel Tokyo, the staff had already put up a welcome sign, it was so funny
"Welcome Royal Family"
It was back in February that Jed asked me to tour manage this 30 day trip around the globe. It was a busy period for me with loads going on. I'll explain in more detail below in an audio clip, but I've put the date sheets leading up to this tour in the gallery above along with a few photos of the guys that I can't fit on this page.
Japan was a feature of this year for another reason apart from touring, as Kaz Utsonomiya, a good friend of mine in the business, and Mr Udo the legendary promoter in Tokyo were part of a plan I had with Kaz to start the first sushi making factory in London. A little ahead of Yo Sushi I've got to tell you.
I started setting up the tour, having met up with Stan Tippens, who had to jump ship to The Pretenders and that is why I was called in.
I also met with Rick and Sue Davies early March as they ask me to tour manage the next Supertramp World Tour, being planned now but to kick off in September.
The management had created a great itinerary for the tour, please check it out in the gallery above. It has a lot of great detail and I personally love the continental background drawings on the pages.
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UDO Artists, our promoter in Japan created these passes for our tour there.
They transported us from city to city by bullet trains and eveywhere we went there were fans snapping photos, presenting gifts or just waiting patiently for an autograph. Very politely ....
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Here below we have the Stan Tippens ceremony I believe at the end of the tour but I could be wrong here. Paul presents a framed picture of Hereford United with all their thanks to Stan for all his help over the last year or so.
Jed Doherty and Ian Kewley in the frames too, and not forgetting 'Youth' in the back of the top picture.
Very nice to get this framed Thank You from the guys. I was a small part of this amazing year for Paul and his band, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them all, a really great bunch of blokes.
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