Neal Kay - 12/04/06

Hi all!

Captain Kay here and reporting for duty once again!

Even though it has been a while since our last get-together, (4 months and a bit!!!) I would firstly like to thank those wild Italians for posting on the Web a real fun-packed Vid of their experiences when they came to London to be a part of our show!! The short film includes great footage of their visit around London by day and, of course, the show by night!-Well done lads and my personal thanx to you for a job well done! I am sorry that I didn't have the time at the end of the show to sit and meet with you-as you could probably see, I was under a lot of pressure at that time! Hopefully, that's one that I owe you whenever the time arises!!

Also, as well as all our regulars, let me thank all who travelled in from Europe for the Reunion Show, especially those from Germany and Switzerland as well!!

As you all can now see, our Webmaster has updated the photo galleries with your pics received to date, of the 2005 show, and they are now in their rightful place for all the world to see!!!! please check them out and, if you have contributions to add, then feel free to upload them to Webmaster on the site, but, also, please be patient, as it takes a while to process and sort everything.

For those of you that haven't already heard, it falls to me to remind you that the Rayners Arms is no more. It closed it's doors for the last time sometime in January of this year, and I believe that the site is up for demolition and re-development. This means that at this moment in time the Reunion Show is homeless for the moment!

Our erstwhile Promoter-in-chief and Grand Poobah, one Gerry Kelly, is trying desperately to find us another venue in the area that suits our somewhat old-fashioned requirements-i.e. our door control, at least 1-1.30am finish, reasonable bar facilities, car park, nearby tube station, no monkey-suited security staff on the door but our own(!!!), and a stage large enough with ample electricity supply to run sound and lighting. Of course, it goes without saying that it also has to be somewhere within the boundaries of the old "homeland area" of Kingsbury-Harrow, and is readily accessible to all!! Quite a problem in this day and age, so although the search goes on, I am not sure by any means that there WILL be a Reunion Show this year.

We will continue to do our best, but, as you are all aware, venues in general are a "dying species", and our requirements are, in fact, even harder to meet, so we keep looking, and if any of you know of a place that might suite our cause, with legal licensing for at least 350-400 people, plus all of the above, then let me know through Webmaster on-site!!

Finally, and for the time being, please keep your site additions coming. More and more people around the world are using the "artefacts" and photos displayed in our pages as a reference point for their various books, films, and in some cases, even their Thesis on Social and Musical change Through the Seventies at both University and PHD level in Europe!!!!!-Hard to believe but perfectly true.-Who would have thought that all those years ago, what we did, mostly in fun and on the "spur of the moment" would have had such a far-reaching effect so many years later!

I can only thank you for your support then and the continuing efforts of all concerned today to ensure that our piece of history remains here, on the Web for all to enjoy and, in some cases, learn from!!

We will keep you all updated here as time progresses.

I wish all a Happy Easter!!

Neal Kay.

VH1 Rockumentary ... Neal Kay 12/10/05

I am delighted to let you all know that I was invited recently, to take part in an interview to be used in a forthcoming  4-part serialised TV Rockumentary to be broadcast next year in the States on VH1 about the history and beginnings of Heavy Metal, and, specifically, the part played by The Heavy Metal Soundhouse and the Bandwagon in all this!! Apparently, what we all went through together so very long ago  is of great social and musical importance to a lot of folk today!

Along with my broadcast mate from Total Rock, Malcolm Dome, and old Soundhouse mate Geoff Barton, late of Sounds and Kerrang, I completed a three hour interview, outlining how it all came to be, the humble beginning at The Wagon, the whole Soundhouse Story, including how some of you, the originals, first came to my attention, with your crazy and extrovert floor behaviour!!!!!

Also included were the bike runs to the coast that we organised with the Colindale Bike Club, the coach trips to the various seaside towns of the South, the coming of the bands to the Soundhouse, including, of course, the Iron Maiden and Praying Mantis sagas.   The various "Spirited Individuals" of the front row, and, of course Headbangin' Bands, the whole thing from scratch, including The Great British Headbangin' Band of The Year Final, to prove, of course, that 30 odd years ago, Rob Yeatman, better known as Rob Loonhouse, was undoubtedly the very first human (?) to play the -Ahem- HARDBOARD not CARDBOARD guitar!!!!!!

I also covered The Wagon request chart and the various prestige personal appearances, including, of course, Ted Nugent and Sammy Hagar.

In short, I tried to convey how very much the Wagon and Soundhouse was much more than just another club-how it was our social club, our place............our home, our alter of fun and laughter, of tears and pain, and, through the music, how very very much it meant to all of us, as today's Reunion Show demonstrates.

By the time that I had finished, the interviewer thought that it was a truly great story ........................ and it belongs equally to all of us.

If I missed anything out of it, and I am sure that I did, then I apologise now, and should the programme eventually surface over here, then I hope that you will all approve!!!!  If I hear any more on the subject, I will let you all know.

Lastly, of course, I am much looking forward to seeing everyone on the 3rd, and confirm that we are just waiting for the confirmation of music and bar times before announcing that tickets are on sale...............sorry about the delay, but it is out of our hands.

Finally, as it is the 30th anniversary of The Bandwagon, I have decided to do this year's show on my own on stage...............just for old times sake! To see if I can still remember how to and what follows what, so if I screw it up, there is no one to blame but ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have been warned!...................See ya there...........

Neal Kay.