OK -this pic is entirely gratuitous… or nearly completely gratuitous. She is Sharlene Speteri, formerly of the extremely popular pop group Texas and co-manager, along with Johnny Mcelhone, of rock nyc and about to blow up big Ramona
This is Johnny
Last Sunday I had lunch with the members of Ramona -all except the guitarist, who was busy getting his carpets laid, along with Ginger. Ginger must have been much more aptly named in his youth. Today his hair is white and he can discuss just about anybody in the UK, despite marrying a Yank in 1991 and moving here. I mention my debacle with Banarama back in the day and he knew Siobhan and co well.
And of course he knows Johnny Mcelhone well as well. The good buddies are meeting up because Johnny, co-manager and co-songwriter for Ramona, is buying us Brunch.
Johnny has connects. I mention the Strokes are playing a private gig that night at Lincoln center, a tix I couldn’t my hands on with $5K and a promise, and Johnny manages it with a phone call. That’s what happens when you spend 30 years leading three huge UK bands -Altered Images, Hipsway and Texas.
Altered Images I’ve written about loads of times here. The early 80s fashion horses fronted by Clare Grogan. remember Clare?
Where is she? Where is she? Apparently she is a talking head on UK TV. As for Johnny he went from Altered Images to one hit wonders Hipsway to the more popular than I was aware of Texas. I thought they had a hit and disappeared but apparently Texas hung around for a coupla more hits and are still together now. when Johnny is not co-writing material with Karen.
The Mcelhone connect explains a lot about the Columbia signees ability to fashion knock out pop rock song after knock out pop rock song. And Johnny is a pleasure to speak to. His stories of a 17 year old kid winding up behind Clare at the top of the charts is ripe for writing by some lucky fella, and, in the time when it mattered, he was a major UK scene maker. In the Specials bio Dammers speaks of a member of Altered Images repeating over and over again how much he loves the Clash. That would be Johnny.
The guy knows his stuff backwards and it is really the story of a career in pop. From guitar to bass, writing pop songs and getting inside baseball with Siouxie And the Banshees, to the cool edge of Britpop and on to what has every chance of being a very big deal, I note, as the ever superstitious Johnny knocks on wood…
Obviously, Ramona is the next chapter.
I’ll get round to the interview this weekend.