And now here they are, Nick and Sue on Chatterbox.
When the stars talk, they talk to Nick and Sue.
Hi there, welcome back to the Chatterbox Redux
Podcast with me, Nick. Today my guest is Tony
Christie. This is Nick and Sue, a chatterbox
giving you all you need to know about music.
And now on Chatterbox UK, we're just lucky enough
to welcome Tony Christie. Tony, welcome. How
are you, sir? I'm good. Yeah, I'm busy, busy,
busy, which is good. Yeah, you're looking good.
You're looking really good. Oh, thank you. I
was delighted a few weeks ago to receive a press
release from your promoters on this thing. And
we've got an album and we've got reimagined versions
of... Is this the way to Amarillo? yeah tonight
um okay what made you after all these years want
to reimagine the songs um well we did decide
if you're gonna do them what's the point in doing
them in the old way we just fancied um doing
different versions you know making them more
up -to -date let let uh the musicians have a
go and do what you think then it just it just
turned out great we let them do their thing and
we We loved it, I think. Oh, plus the fact that
we put in two songs which I've been doing on
stage for donkey's years, Chess the Bell and
Mr. Bojangles, and that's been recorded now,
so that's part of it. The album's called A New
Life. My wife is our new wife is it You may be
getting yourself into trouble Well what we've
done we also do a show called hit or miss and
I'm sure you know the station because back in
the 70s Radio North Sea International was bobbing
about on the North Sea when you were having your
first string of hits in the 70s so you may well
know the station but that like Radio Caroline
Radio North Sea International is now a proper
radio station and where we do our live shows
as well and we do one called hit or miss and
We played your reimagined version of is this
the way to Amarillo? It went down really really
well and a listener on the beach in Spain of
all places said That is a chillout song. That
is absolutely amazing and to be perfectly honest
with you that and walk like a panther If I'd
heard them for the first time in the reimagined
version. Yeah would actually be some of the greatest
soft chilled songs of all time Well, I think
so I mean, you know, that's why we did it we
said what's the point of Free redoing them and
in the same way we so, you know This is just
we said let's do and let the musicians as well.
Have it. What do you think any ideas? If they
got any good ideas, so they'll keep that keep
that keep that and we did it that way. Let's
Just make it different I think it's worked out
fantastic. It has worked out fantastic and it
is like just so, so refreshing as well. I mean,
obviously is this the way to Amarillo is obviously
later you Craig became an anthem, didn't it?
Through obvious things, but the football version
of it. But I could never have imagined it coming
out like. it's been presented on A New Life.
I couldn't have imagined it at all. You've done
an amazing job. In fact, one I haven't played
yet, and I must do that's on there. It's all
different. You know, as we said when we were
planning it, what's the point of doing it in
the old way? Let's do it in the new way, you
know, because everybody knows the old versions.
Let's try and update it, make it sound different.
OK, you've got some concerts. Quite a lot. You're
having a very busy time at the moment. So If
I was to go and see you in manchester or one
one of the big cities you are What would I be
expecting because obviously you'd be promoting
the new album, but of course then again people
They also love the they will Amarillo course
walk like a panther and avenues and alleyways
are anthems basically And are concerned. So do
we get both versions or what would we be expecting?
um It's a mix, really. You can't really ruin
them. We've kept it as near as possible. I think
we've done better versions, to be honest with
you. And we're doing, well, the show now, we
put songs I've been singing from like the 60s.
Jezebel, you remember Jezebel? Yes. and Bojangles
I do that in the live show and I've never never
recorded them but they're on this new album.
I see also because I did what I did for Maria.
Vegas, Amarillo and Avenues and Alleyways, we've
mentioned already. Let's go down to Reno, all
the way down to our mansions, drive safely darling,
sweet September, happy birthday baby. We got
that, right. Now... If somebody really wanted
something I mean is that do you say some of the
things for on calls? Maybe when you do a concert
now is it? Yeah, are you expecting things to
be asked for and you you really do save it to
last like the faster version of Amarillo something
I do do you like expect it to be asked for? Yeah,
I do things that if you know people send messages
backstage. Can you do this and if I've got them?
I know if I know them and the piano player knows
I'll I'll just do it with piano and voice You
know if they want to hear it I'll do even if
it's just a half version But I always try to
I try to do the show that people want to hear
so, you know all the songs that they want to
hear and They're going down. Well, which really
is and I'm doing now Different shows I'm doing
like with with three or four musicians instead
of a full band And people are people are liking
that better because it's more in it's more intimate.
Yeah Yeah, it's unplugged. We call it the unplugged
versions and they're going down an absolute storm.
Wonderful, yeah. I do like the orchestrations,
a little bit dramatic perhaps, but I do like
the backing on that. Orchestrated sound are saved,
it's probably totally wrong, but that's how I
would describe it. It does sound very good. And
you can hear those instruments in the background,
you know, you really can and it's just... Makes
the whole package great. You know, I'm sure I
found the whole thing totally refreshing although
if you're available for the interview today You
hadn't done this album. I still love to talk
to Tony Christie, but it is nice to have this
This delightful new New concept of your songs,
which is good. This is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox
giving you all you need to know about musical
entertainment Chatterbox Chatterbox Chatterbox
I've got one question I would like to ask you
from a listener. This guy, Norman Peacock from
Stockport. Now, he's been seeing you I think
since the 60s, 70s, whatever. He says yeah, I
see Tony live in clubs of quite a few times really
great But how does Tony feel about Peter K? Bringing
him back to new audiences to revive him again.
Is that actually what happened? Did Peter K really
make you a superstar or or how did it happen?
Well, I mean at the time one kicked my Peter
K did that You know for that for that comedy
thing My wife and I have been we were living
in Spain. We've been living there for like 15
years Because we had a place there because nothing
was happening in the UK for me It was happening
everywhere around Europe and the rest of the
world. I was touring Australia New Zealand all
these places But nothing in the UK and then suddenly
when PDK did that It really made that cause my
wife and I to return to the UK I think was to
that was it 2005 I would say 2008, but then you
go the years, no, it wasn't, no, no, 2005. 2005,
yeah. I do it with my... Yeah, we came back and,
you know, to do a tour and all that kind of thing.
And we just fell back in love with the UK and
we just said, we've got a place in Spain, but
I, you know, I do miss the UK. And 2005, I think
we came back and we've stayed ever since. I mean,
it was something amazing, like seven weeks, eight
weeks at number one. It was an incredible stay
ahead, didn't it? It was quite amazing. Oh, it
was, absolutely. I mean, awful. Frightening.
It was great. It got me back into the UK, which
is great, you know. So who selected it? Was it
the BBC selected it? And did they then come to
you? Or how did that come about to be their song
for 2005? I don't know. I think it was Peter
Gale, wasn't it? Oh, he was down to him who came
up with it. Well, it was... No, we'd asked him
if he'd be in the video. Sorry, you'll have to
edit this. We asked him if he'd... Universal,
we're going to release the album for Christmas
2004, and release Is This the Way It's Going,
Marillo? And I wrote Peter's manager and said,
would he be in a video for it? And they said,
yes, that would be possible, but would Tony do...
Would my dad sing? a thing for Max and Paddy,
which we did. And then when we asked if we could
do that, he was busy, so fortunately he couldn't
do that, the video for us. But then he approached
the label again in early 2005, saying that he
wanted to do a video for the Is This Where John
Rillo?, which is the original. hmm a lot of people
think it's re -recorded which is it's not it's
the 1971 original with just a video that peter
did you know um and that's how that happened
but it's it's quite a long it's fine no it's
a great it's interesting i wasn't aware that
peter was only miming but now that's great there
you've answered it you didn't know i was miming
no i did know i did I knew Peter Kay was miming.
I didn't think that was Peter Kay singing for
one minute, but a couple of people I do know
that did think it. I mean, it kind of gives the
game away as well. Not only does it sound like
Tony Christie, it also says, mimed by Peter Kay.
Gives it away a bit, doesn't it? Oh, right. Okay.
I did know that much, I assure you, but no. Now
we know the whole story. Thank you for that.
Yeah. Brilliant. It takes two to tangle And two
to present a radio show So here's Nick and Sue
Your musical duo Now, one question. Let's come
to see my other half. Now, I've seen how it was
filmed on YouTube and they're all on these sort
of like treadmills and that. There is one scene
with you, Tony, against Peter Kay. Now, has that
all been a bit of a wonderful early AI or were
you actually on a, for that little clip that
you were on next to Peter Kay, were you on a
treadmill yourself during the war? Yes. Yes,
I was, yeah. Oh, wonderful. Great. And it was
one take. I thought it was a rehearsal. I did
one take. I said, OK, I was filming. No, that's
finished. I said goodbye. Oh. That was it. One
take. Well, look, I'm the age you were when you
did that now. And even just those three, you
were certainly there. I've been exhausted after
a little bit of that, you know. Oh, yeah. You
made, yeah, you made a lot of people very, very
happy. I'll tell you what, it's just that the
whole thing was just light, wasn't it? It's light
and it leaves everybody from memories of that.
When I think of that now. Yeah, it was brilliant.
I really enjoyed doing it. Perfect. If I could
ask you now, it's actually personal, but it's
an important question. My father, for the last
eight years of his life, had vascular dementia.
Now, obviously, it's been announced in the news
that you have been diagnosed with dementia. I
mean, obviously, at this moment in time, it's
not affected you at all. But I mean, what's your
advice to other people that are also Getting
diagnosed with vascular dementia because it seems
to be an awful lot these days. It seems incredible
What what is your advice to them to carry on
because obviously you're doing your concerts,
but What would you say to them? Because that's
a big shock when you get told that news. Yeah,
what I do I was I was told by the doctor You're
very fortunate here in the music business because
music it's one thing that That helps listen to
music stop stop Let's stop worrying about it
and have music playing, which then takes your
mind away from it. And that's what I did. And
that's what I tell people to do. I ignore it.
I don't. I put it to one side and it's not there.
I ignore it. No, that's amazing. I mean, I think
that's very important to ask you, even if it
was might have been a bit awkward because it
goes to a lot of radio stations. There's a lot
of people will. It was good to ask you that advice
because when you're known to the public for half
century 60 years, you are a person they can look
up to, so brilliant advice. Thanks for answering
that for me. It's very important to come from
somebody like you, I really do. Well, if you
can ignore it, that's what I was told to do by
a lady doctor. she says and you're very lucky
that you're in the music business because that
helps music helps so if you've got it play music
have have music in the background or in the car
or whatever or a radio on your kitchen have music
playing and it takes your mind off it that's
what i was told Well, in your case, it's been
a life of music as well. So nothing's gonna change
there is it so that's that's what's wonderful
This is Nick and Sue with Cheddar Box giving
you all you need to know about musical entertainment
You've got a wonderful website Tony Christie
comm and I'm looking at it now and You've got
a really busy time I can see, which is good.
Yeah, I mean you've gone to some great places
I can see. where are we so this will go out friday
so yeah we we get most of them uh i've got i
could see just just off the top of my head yeah
i could see places like canock and over uh kingston
upon the whole some great places briar on the
hill and wow you were i think you're watching
germany quite hard in the in the middle of may
as well so yeah yeah yeah yeah because it's like
yeah i'm busy i would i like i like being busy
that's you know i'll get that it's perfect um
and also uh other social media i can see here
uh so people what they want to find you on facebook
uh there's the facebook symbol there they can
click on that they go straight to tony christy's
facebook and then we have twitter now known as
x we can click that and they can find your x
twitter account as well so one place all they
got to do tonychristy .com and they can find
the rest there so yeah and a great website i
must say um not only that we got some videos
of you wonderful gallery photos and everything
people want to know so that's a great little
website there tony so now this before i let you
go this tour yeah there's the great farewell
it doesn't look like you're looking at you it
doesn't look like you're going anywhere anytime
soon I find this hard to believe it's a great
farewell at all. It is, but it's... It's just
going to go on and on. It's going to take years.
It's a farewell to the world, basically. So that
includes Australia, New Zealand, and all these
places that I've been touring for donkey's years.
So, you know, there's going to be... Suddenly,
when they said, when it came out, the farewell
tour, suddenly, my manager, my son's job... was
getting phone calls. Can we book in for the Australia,
New Zealand, this, blah, blah, blah. And there's
about two and a half, three years booking already
ahead. So I'm going to be very, very busy. It's
great. And no doubt, I'm sure you're an artist,
because I've always been aware that you're one
that you've always been there for the for the
audiences. You just love it. I can't imagine
you not not doing it. So if you live to 95, i
still i see or even older i see you'll still
be doing your great farewell to her is that how
it's going to be yep absolutely i love it tony
i mean i've been doing radio a long time you've
been singing a couple of decades longer than
i've been doing radio and i don't know how we've
not met yet but i'm so glad we have now good
Be great chatting Tony and I hope there's a next
time but every success with the health you've
got a great manager there in your son I could
tell and it's great to have him on the hand I
know so you got him for everything you need haven't
you said and uh yeah love it and um I'm looking
forward to whatever you're doing next and I know
this tour is going to go on and on but another
re -imagine something whatever it might be let's
have a chat then Tony and I appreciate your time
so much it's been great having you on Chatterbox
UK. It's been fantastic. Thanks a lot, mate.
And thank you. And a big thank you to you, Sean,
as well, sir. That's great. Thanks, Mick. Yeah,
thanks a lot. Appreciate your time, Sean and
Mick. Good guys. Thank you. Bye -bye now. Cheers.
Bye -bye. This edition of the Chatterbox Redux
podcast was presented by me, Nick. I thank my
special guest, Tony Christie, who was accompanied
by his son, Sean, who is also his manager. Anyone
who's affected by dementia and its effects, or
whose family members are affected, may like to
contact Alzheimer's .org .uk or DementiaUK .org
Alternatively, for younger people, there's the
youngdementionetwork .org My email address is
nickelbum at myyahoo .org Alternatively, our
postal address is P .O. Box 26, the old Observer
Building, Telford Road, St. Leonard's -on -Sea,
East Sussex, England, TN38 9LZ Thank you very
much for your company and look forward to welcoming
you again next time when our special guest is
Lee John of Imagination. See you then. Bye bye.
This is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving you
all you need to know about musical entertainment.
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