0:00:07 > 0:00:11MUSIC: Shake, Rattle and Roll by Big Joe Turner
0:00:13 > 0:00:15# Get outta that bed
0:00:15 > 0:00:18# Wash your face and hands
0:00:20 > 0:00:22# Get outta that bed
0:00:22 > 0:00:24# Wash your face and hands
0:00:25 > 0:00:27# Well, you get in that kitchen
0:00:27 > 0:00:29# Make some noise with the pots 'n pans
0:00:31 > 0:00:35# Way you wear those dresses the sun comes shinin' through... #
0:00:37 > 0:00:43I first heard this on the radio by a DJ called Paul Raven
0:00:43 > 0:00:45and I couldn't believe my ears.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Erm, you know...
0:00:47 > 0:00:52really strong snares, like a stick hitting a cabbage, you know?
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Great, great phrasing he's got,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58and, for me, erm, this is the only version.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03Joe Turner's Shake, Rattle and Roll, yeah!
0:01:03 > 0:01:06# The faster my money goes... #
0:01:06 > 0:01:11In the 1980s, Shakin' Stevens spent the equivalent of five years in the UK singles chart,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14had more hits in Britain than Michael Jackson, Duran Duran
0:01:14 > 0:01:16and Madonna,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18and reached the Top 30 no less than 30 times.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22He entered the Guinness Book of Hit Singles and Albums,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26following the Beatles for the 1960s and Elton John for the 1970s,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29by becoming the biggest selling UK artist of a decade
0:01:29 > 0:01:33and he's got the gold and platinum discs to prove it.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35They don't make them like that no more.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41# I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store
0:01:43 > 0:01:47# I'm like a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store... #
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Two, one, two. Is the mic as it was?
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Is the mic...it seems to be quiet.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Shaky's back in the studio recording a new album,
0:01:59 > 0:02:0230 years on from his first Number One.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06# You've got one way out I'd go down that tunnel
0:02:06 > 0:02:08# Ooh, ooh
0:02:08 > 0:02:13# You've got one way out I'd go down that tunnel... #
0:02:13 > 0:02:18In 1981, it appeared as if Shaky had come from nowhere and become an overnight success.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23Hold it!
0:02:23 > 0:02:27But when he hit the top spot in the UK singles chart for the first time,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31he was already 33 years of age, with a story to tell.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42Michael Barratt was born into the proud, close-knit suburban estate of Ely in Cardiff
0:02:42 > 0:02:45at a time when teenagers were lapping up skiffle
0:02:45 > 0:02:48and the great American '50s import - rock 'n' roll.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Local venues were staging regular nights
0:02:51 > 0:02:53with live music as the main attraction.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58'I sang at a very, very early age. I used to sing in the house.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03'We'd have records from, basically from Bobby Darin, Queen of the Hop,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07'you know, erm, Larry Williams and Little Richard and stuff like that.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12'Jerry Lee and, erm, great stuff, you know. Fantastic.'
0:03:13 > 0:03:17OK, this is where I grew up, at 36 Marcross Road, there.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I think it was a different coloured door.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21No, it wasn't green.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26May, a hospital cleaner, and Jack, a building site foreman,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30had 13 children and Michael was the youngest.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34By the time he came into the world, one brother and one sister had passed away
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and several had already left home and started their own families.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Six children remained at Marcross Road.
0:03:39 > 0:03:45With Michael, he always had this thing about him.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49He's a cheeky little bugger, you know?
0:03:49 > 0:03:50But, erm...
0:03:50 > 0:03:54He seemed to know more about music than other kids.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57They just knew music from their time, sort of thing.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01I suppose our time would be The Beatles and stuff,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04but we knew further back and we liked music further back.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- The old...- The old music as well.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- My father used to make us sing anyway, didn't he?- Yeah.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13"Oh, you're not a Barratt if you don't sing. C'mon."
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- Even if you couldn't. - Even if you couldn't(!)
0:04:24 > 0:04:27# I've found my freedom
0:04:29 > 0:04:32# On Blueberry Hill... #
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Just coming up now is the, where the traffic goes across,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41that's Wilson Road - the top end of Wilson Road to the right.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45In fact, that's where Leslie and myself used to go up
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and get records, there was a record shop up there.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51The first record I bought was Blueberry Hill, Fats Domino.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52# ..Blueberry Hill
0:04:55 > 0:04:58# It lingered until
0:05:00 > 0:05:03# My dream came true... #
0:05:05 > 0:05:09One of the important live music landmarks on the local scene
0:05:09 > 0:05:14was the Church of the Resurrection, known locally as "The Resurrs",
0:05:14 > 0:05:19where Michael would make some of his first stage appearances in a band called The Denims.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28There was a great sound in here. Fantastic acoustics.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31We used to have Kia-Ora soft drinks there
0:05:31 > 0:05:35and soft drinks over there, and it was jam-packed in here, basically.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Very sweaty.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42There was no lighting shows, it was just very limited lights on stage,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and, erm... no, they were good times.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47# You make me frantic when you rock and roll
0:05:47 > 0:05:49# Frantic when you do the stroll
0:05:49 > 0:05:52# Frantic at the record shop
0:05:52 > 0:05:54# Frantic at the high school hop
0:05:54 > 0:05:55# Frantic
0:05:55 > 0:05:59# Baby, you make me feel frantic. #
0:05:59 > 0:06:03When I left school, the first band I was in was, they were called The Olympics.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05The reason we were called The Olympics
0:06:05 > 0:06:08was because the drummer had an Olympic drum kit
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and we were just learning, basically.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14I started to learn guitar as well and so forth.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16I was mainly the singer.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18And then, from there, erm...
0:06:18 > 0:06:20we did a few gigs.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23But then I was in a band called The Bandits, The Velvets,
0:06:23 > 0:06:27erm, we used to wear red sashes with a 'V' across here,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30and we did a few gigs like that.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32And then The Denims came along.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36When I first met him, erm, obviously, a little bit shy,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39but as soon as we, you know, we got to know each other,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41he was quite an extrovert, you know?
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Especially when he had a few drinks
0:06:43 > 0:06:45and started playing, you know?
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Yeah, I found him a really nice person.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51We seemed to be like two brothers together.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55We seemed to...just gel together, you know?
0:06:55 > 0:06:59It was the Catman's idea for Shaky to lose the guitar,
0:06:59 > 0:07:03which freed him to become a real frontman and work on his trademark moves.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Now, all that was needed was a new name for the band,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09and it was the memory of a childhood friend that would provide it.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17Steven Vandewalker, it was him that thought of the name Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21When he was having his innings, or whatever, with the bat and that,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25he used to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets."
0:07:25 > 0:07:29The name impressed me and that was a name that he came up with.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33I thought, this shambolic band with this ludicrous equipment,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36and yet that name, I like it.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39I thought, it's so out there it's good.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I was impressed with Shaky.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44He was a young kid,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46he was good looking
0:07:46 > 0:07:50and he was singing '50s rock 'n' roll
0:07:50 > 0:07:53and he was singing it like '50s rock 'n' roll.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Legs, the manager - Paul Barrett,
0:07:57 > 0:08:03erm, eventually, sort of, got the back beats in one by one...
0:08:04 > 0:08:06..to back Shaky.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Basically, that was it. Yeah.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20By 1968, Shaky was playing more and more shows around Cardiff and the Valleys,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24but still having to hold down a variety of day jobs.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27I had many, many, many, many day job, you know,
0:08:27 > 0:08:33from working in warehouses stacking beer or whatever...
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I worked on the buildings and so forth.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41I was a milkman for a short time and I also was an upholsterer.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43I liked that job.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47It was a trade and the great thing about it, there was a radio there,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50so you had the radio playing while you worked.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59In this room is more stuff.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04It's where I keep my records and awards and posters and so forth.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Urgh! That's quite a wild poster, isn't it?
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets. I don't know if you can see that.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21And that's the...of course, it's The Silver Surfer.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23It says on the bottom, here,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26"Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28"number one band, New Musical Express."
0:09:28 > 0:09:30And that's April 1972.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Yeah, we were a hard working band, basically.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37We turned professional in '69, we gave up our day jobs,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and we got on the road in our tin van and off we went.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59In the hot summer of that year, the manager saw an opportunity
0:09:59 > 0:10:01to break into the London circuit.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04In the back pages of the Melody Maker, a rock 'n'roll fanatic
0:10:04 > 0:10:09was looking for bands to play his pub - a well known hang out for die hard musicians
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and dedicated music fans.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13With Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15he was not going to get the traditional song list,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18but something a little bit different.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22We used to do a lot of obscure material like, you know,
0:10:22 > 0:10:27like Johnny Burnette's The Train Kept A-Rollin', Lonesome Train,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Flying Saucers by Billy Riley, Cast Iron Arm, Peanuts Wilson.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Little Queenie by Chuck Berry, that used to go down very well.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37A show stopper at the end, yeah.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40# Go, go, go, little queenie
0:10:43 > 0:10:46# Go, go, go, little queenie... #
0:10:46 > 0:10:49They were great days, you know, they really were.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50It was a great place to play.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Good acoustics, lots of sweat on the walls and people were thirsty,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58and we had a great night every time we came here.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01We couldn't afford hotels then.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05There was a car park there and we'd go out in our van at the end of the evening
0:11:05 > 0:11:10and just try and get comfortable somehow and fall asleep.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15And wake up in the morning and on to the next public convenience,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19you know, quick shave, wash up and on to the next gig
0:11:19 > 0:11:21and rock like hell.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28How we really got out of South Wales was,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32when John Lennon had played at the Toronto Peace Festival
0:11:32 > 0:11:34in 1969,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38there was a lot of coverage and he did traditional rock 'n'roll.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40He wore a white suit
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and I wrote to the Melody Maker as a half joke, really,
0:11:44 > 0:11:45saying that...
0:11:45 > 0:11:51If John wants to come down to one of our gigs and sing a song or participate,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55but, don't forget, you must bring the suit,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57we'll look forward to it, you know?
0:11:57 > 0:12:01The Melody Maker played it up pretty big,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05and the next thing I know, the Rolling Stone's office is in contact.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08We were playing Cardiff University and somebody came down
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and watched us play and it was a good night,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14we were pleased with the sound and the audience loved it,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17and they said, "Yeah, we'll have them."
0:12:17 > 0:12:20So it was straight from Aberkenfig Non Political,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Beddau Rugby Football Club, straight up there.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25We travelled up in our van,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29we had little amplifiers and unloaded the van and went in
0:12:29 > 0:12:34and I think Mick and the guys were making us feel at home
0:12:34 > 0:12:37because they were doing a... kind of, you know...
0:12:37 > 0:12:40a rocking blues type song, or whatever,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44and we got in there and we set up
0:12:44 > 0:12:46and they had this massive PA.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I remember Shaky singing Mean Woman Blues
0:12:49 > 0:12:53and he's doing these great bumps and grinds across the stage.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57He gets to the piano where we've positioned a chair
0:12:57 > 0:13:00for him to step on and get on top of the piano, you know,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02and do the whole number, you see?
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Of course, he gets his foot there,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and there's not enough microphone lead.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10The stage is too big, much bigger than we're used to.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13For a few moments he was, sort of, like that.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17I think Shaky was aware we had gone up a big league
0:13:17 > 0:13:20from local band to, sort of...
0:13:21 > 0:13:25..big potato, sort of thing, so things were good. Yeah.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29I think he grew with the knowledge that he had to grow, you know?
0:13:29 > 0:13:32We just played with...
0:13:32 > 0:13:35with all of the... we played with Roxy Music.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Chuck Berry in Leeds, Locarno Ballroom.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- David Bowie.- Mott The Hoople.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- Free.- Marmalade. - Bill Haley and the Comets.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- Sweet.- Georgie Fame, Alan Price.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48All that sort of stuff, you know?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50We played with Wishbone Ash,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53erm, The Pretty Things, erm...
0:13:53 > 0:13:55loads and loads of people.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59# ..tongues were screaming out "more and more"... #
0:14:01 > 0:14:06By 1972, the band began its first forays into Europe,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09at a time when they were getting a serious reputation
0:14:09 > 0:14:11for some very wild stage shows.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16It was a band to listen to.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20You could look at the band as well and get a lot of enjoyment from it.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25The sax player we had used to throw his sax up in the air and catch it.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29If he dropped it, I mean, he wouldn't be playing sax for the rest of the night.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33They were a power house. Everybody moving on the stage, you know?
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Shaky jumping on top of the piano.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38A great voice. He looked great.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42The piano player used to go for it and I used to stand on the piano, jump off the piano.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47The piano player used to pick up the bass player on his shoulders.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50The bass player jumped off the stage with a 50 foot lead.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52The sax player's climbing up the scaffolding.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55The piano player seriously did somersaults.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Shaky danced on the piano, Louie standing up playing the drums.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02At the end of the night, he'd normally climb on the piano
0:15:02 > 0:15:06as he's singing Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09The next minutes, "Bloody hell, where's Shaky going?"
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Up the curtains he went. Climbed the curtains to the ceiling.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15The mic in one hand. # Shake it, baby, shake. #
0:15:15 > 0:15:19I was climbing up this curtain and looking up. It was like a cartoon.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I'd look up and see these things going ping, ping.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25I thought, "I'm going to go down here."
0:15:25 > 0:15:27I went, crash, on this piano.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- I heard something go... - MAKES SNAPPING NOISE
0:15:30 > 0:15:32..and I thought, "Oops!"
0:15:34 > 0:15:36# Sweet little rock and roll... #
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Between 1970 and 1976,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets released six albums,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45all of them failing to chart.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I'm sure Shaky always expected success,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50considered it his birthright.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55But, to become the man he became,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58he needed his apprenticeship, he needed what he learnt,
0:15:58 > 0:16:03he needed all that rehearsals, all the practices, hundreds of gigs
0:16:03 > 0:16:05that got him good - that taught him.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09# Going to the barber's shop Gonna have them do me up
0:16:09 > 0:16:12# Gotta get clean for my little buttercup... #
0:16:13 > 0:16:17It appeared the big break had finally come when Track Records,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21the original home to The Who and The Jimi Hendrix Experience,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24signed Shaky as a solo artist in 1977.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26But the luck didn't last long.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31Track were to fold soon after his first solo album, Shakin' Stevens,
0:16:31 > 0:16:32was released in 1978.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37However, in the middle of all this, an opportunity would come knocking
0:16:37 > 0:16:40that would change Shaky's life forever.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Right, let's try it again.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46ROCK 'N' ROLL INTRO
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Up.
0:16:52 > 0:16:53In August 1977,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57the death of Elvis Presley shook the world of rock 'n' roll.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02Legendary television producer and impresario, Jack Good, had been working on an Elvis musical
0:17:02 > 0:17:07and was looking for three singers to play the King in the different stages of his career.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09# He goes by the name of King Creole... #
0:17:09 > 0:17:13It was on the last run of gigs of myself with The Sunsets
0:17:13 > 0:17:18and one of the gigs we were playing was The Greyhound in Fulham.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19A very prestigious gig.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Jack Good came down, watched and liked,
0:17:22 > 0:17:26and he offered me the part, basically.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28I think Jack said,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31"As far as I'm concerned, you've got it. It's yours."
0:17:31 > 0:17:36As soon as I saw him, I knew I wasn't going to get anything better.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39# He lays down a beat like a tonne of coal
0:17:39 > 0:17:41# He goes by the name of King Creole
0:17:41 > 0:17:44# You know he's gone, gone, gone... #
0:17:44 > 0:17:46You didn't want somebody coming on
0:17:46 > 0:17:50with some sort of sideburns and guitar
0:17:50 > 0:17:52and trying to do fake American.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56You wanted somebody who was going to excite like Elvis.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59To have genuine excitement,
0:17:59 > 0:18:04not a performance of waxworks, Madame Tussauds Elvis, you know?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06# The warden threw a party in the county jail
0:18:06 > 0:18:09# The prison band was there and began to wail
0:18:09 > 0:18:12# The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing
0:18:12 > 0:18:14# You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing
0:18:14 > 0:18:16# Let's rock... #
0:18:16 > 0:18:20I remember one Saturday night he just leapt off the stage.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24People were sitting in their rows and he'd leapt on to the back
0:18:24 > 0:18:28of somebody's seat and walked about three rows out on the back of the seats.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30He could have fallen on anybody.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Health and safety and all of that!
0:18:33 > 0:18:35He could have killed people there and then.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39There was a bit of a rebel in him, but it was terrific stuff.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42It was great theatre, even though it was outside the rules.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46The show played to 8,000 people a week for nearly two years,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48winning the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical
0:18:48 > 0:18:51and a nomination for the Society of West End Theatre Awards.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53"Elvis!"
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Clearly he was hungry by then to use this as a platform
0:18:59 > 0:19:02to get elsewhere.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07And I can remember that I would visit him in his dressing room
0:19:07 > 0:19:09and he would...he would...
0:19:09 > 0:19:12he would play me his latest effort at getting a hit record.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14He'd say, "What about this one?"
0:19:14 > 0:19:17# Baby works in a hot dog stand
0:19:17 > 0:19:19# Makin' them hot dogs as fast as you can
0:19:19 > 0:19:22# Up steps a cat, now don't be slow
0:19:22 > 0:19:25# Get me two hot dogs ready to go
0:19:25 > 0:19:27# Hot dog! She's my baby
0:19:27 > 0:19:30# Hot dog! Drives me crazy
0:19:30 > 0:19:33# Hot dog! Don't mean maybe
0:19:33 > 0:19:35# You ought too see my baby in a hot dog stand... #
0:19:35 > 0:19:40The success of the musical encouraged influential music industry executives
0:19:40 > 0:19:43like Muff Winwood to come and see Shaky in action.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Muff, an original partner in Island Records
0:19:45 > 0:19:49and responsible for signing Sade and The Clash to the major CBS Epic label,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53signed Shaky in the late 1970s.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57The thinking behind signing Shakin' Stevens
0:19:57 > 0:20:01was just purely that he was an extremely good artist,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04regardless of the style of music that he did.
0:20:04 > 0:20:11He was just a great artist and did his music extremely well.
0:20:11 > 0:20:17The song choices were often sifted through by Shaky
0:20:17 > 0:20:20with his producer at the time,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23who also helped him a lot, Stuart Coleman.
0:20:23 > 0:20:29We did a song called Hot Dog which was a Buck Owens song in the '50s
0:20:29 > 0:20:35and it had a very basic verse line but the chorus was so anthemic...
0:20:35 > 0:20:38# Hot dog! She's my baby... #
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Of course, Shaky just nailed it when we came to record.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46Shaky...had this...
0:20:47 > 0:20:50..other sense about certain songs
0:20:50 > 0:20:53that were very difficult for the rest of us to see.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57There are two classic examples here, I think.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01This Ole House and Green Door,
0:21:01 > 0:21:06which were both songs that had been done to death as far as I was concerned
0:21:06 > 0:21:12and were, kind of, ordinary songs, but Shaky felt
0:21:12 > 0:21:16that he could give them something that they'd never had before.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18# This old house is afraid of thunder
0:21:18 > 0:21:20# This old house is afraid of storms
0:21:20 > 0:21:23# This old house just blows and trembles
0:21:23 > 0:21:25# When the night sticks out its arms... #
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Shaky's reworking of This Ole House in 1981
0:21:29 > 0:21:33topped the UK charts and became a huge international hit.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37We were a big, big success then.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40The tours came fast and furious,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43here, there and everywhere, and it was big, big, big.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45It was massive, yeah.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48With an extensive knowledge of music,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50years of touring with The Sunsets
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and a successful run in a West End theatre show behind him,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Shaky was able to draw on a mix of very different experiences
0:21:57 > 0:22:01to take full advantage of his success.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07He had all of this history, if you like, of rock 'n' roll to choose from
0:22:07 > 0:22:11and, again, he chose correctly.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14He dressed himself in a way that worked for him
0:22:14 > 0:22:16and worked for the songs.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21But it was nearly always his vision of how he saw it
0:22:21 > 0:22:24and it was a very focused vision.
0:22:27 > 0:22:28Well...
0:22:28 > 0:22:30we all know what these are.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33This jacket is pretty beat up now, as you can see.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36I think I've lost a sleeve... and patches and things.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40The first time I wore these was, erm...in front of camera
0:22:40 > 0:22:44was in Cambridge, where I did the This Ole House video.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Nobody said, "What are you gonna wear?"
0:22:47 > 0:22:51so I thought, "Well, I'll just pitch in there."
0:22:51 > 0:22:55So I thought, "I'll shove these on", and I did.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58I don't think they quite fit me now, but erm...
0:22:58 > 0:23:01there you go, it's memories.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Another testament to the level that Shaky reached
0:23:07 > 0:23:11was that he was the first person to notch up
0:23:11 > 0:23:1550 performances on Top Of The Pops. That's phenomenal.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22Hello, we're the Westenders and welcome to another Top of the Pops.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25A special Top of the Pops because it's Shakin' Stevens' 50th birthday.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29No, you've got it wrong. It's his 50th appearance on Top Of The Pops!
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Shakin' Stevens!
0:23:31 > 0:23:32- Shakin's Stevens.- Shakin' Stevens.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- Shakin' Stevens.- Shakin' Stevens. - Shakin' Stevens.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Shaky!
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Which means that Britain's Number One must be Shakin' Stevens for the third week.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Behind The Green Door.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49# Midnight... #
0:23:49 > 0:23:52He sat well at Top Of The Pops. They loved him.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Very colourful, very fresh, upbeat
0:23:56 > 0:24:00and a contrast to ballads and "yesterday's music"
0:24:00 > 0:24:02which was still flowing around.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Shaky, as far as I know, did between 50 and 60 Top Of The Pops.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08As a presenter you'd MAYBE expect to do that.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13# There's an old piano and they play it hot
0:24:13 > 0:24:15# Behind the green door... #
0:24:16 > 0:24:20As an artist, a most extraordinary feat, really.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Erm, but he was very acceptable.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25A great entertainer, great performer,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29always delivered, very professional, so they knew they could count on him
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and the record was probably going in the charts as well.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36The success came quite quickly. I mean, when it came.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39And it came at a massive, massive level.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44You know, here's a guy that was selling records, certainly singles,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46all the way around the world.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48This doesn't happen by chance.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Pop was going through a massive renaissance,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55certainly in terms of the way it was covered.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57There was loads and loads of magazines.
0:24:57 > 0:25:03While Shaky didn't really fit quite into that pattern
0:25:03 > 0:25:05of interviews, et cetera,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08we did a lot of photo sessions.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19I never thought about being on people's bedroom walls and things,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23but, erm... I knew in my heart of hearts
0:25:23 > 0:25:26that, erm, I dreamt...
0:25:26 > 0:25:31and I wanted to make it in the music business to perform.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I never thought of this side of it at all.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36The pressure was unbelievable.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39How he handled it without diving into a pool
0:25:39 > 0:25:41and never coming up again, I don't know,
0:25:41 > 0:25:46because he probably had more pressure on him than any other act of the time.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50# What do you wanna make those eyes at me for
0:25:50 > 0:25:53# If they don't mean what they say? #
0:25:55 > 0:25:59You then get everybody and his dog telling you how wonderful you are.
0:25:59 > 0:26:05Putting their arms around the shoulders and saying, "You are great. I've loved you forever.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08"And there's nothing that you do that isn't brilliant."
0:26:08 > 0:26:13A lot of artists have difficulty dealing with it.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18You know, drugs can often alleviate the problem to them.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21And so can alcohol, alleviate the problem to them.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25He took the alcohol route and, erm...
0:26:25 > 0:26:27he went through two or three years
0:26:27 > 0:26:30where he was a bit difficult to deal with.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33But then, when you thought that here was a guy
0:26:33 > 0:26:36that was spiralling out of control...
0:26:39 > 0:26:41..he stopped it.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I don't know how it happened,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47but...he...
0:26:47 > 0:26:49golf suddenly took over.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53"Easy does it. Look at that. Oops. A little bit too much.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55"A bit of body English."
0:26:55 > 0:26:59One day there was the President of the United States playing,
0:26:59 > 0:27:00all kinds of things,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04it was a massive do, on this golf course right behind my shoulder
0:27:04 > 0:27:08And then, all of a sudden, I saw this incredible crowd of people.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Incredible crowd of people!
0:27:10 > 0:27:13And I wandered towards it and it was Shaky.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17"He's in the bunker at the ninth and he's given it a dirty hit.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20"Will it get up there? Yes, it will. Good shot."
0:27:20 > 0:27:22And he had around him
0:27:22 > 0:27:26hundreds of fans and they were all wearing badges.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30And wherever they went they were clinking and clanking.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33I can always remember, he was playing with a professional golfer,
0:27:33 > 0:27:38who was complaining all the time that these people were making so much noise.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42And Shaky, every shot he made, you know, fantastic applause,
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and that changed his life, I think.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49It turned him around fantastically well.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55With a string of chart hits, live shows, television appearances,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58photo shoots and constant worldwide travel,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01life for Shaky in the 1980s became a blur.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05And, as one of the UK's most successful recording artists,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09renewed interest in the records he'd made before he was famous was inevitable.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12On the back of his solo success,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15some of the records he'd made with The Sunsets were re-released.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18They re-issued it?
0:28:18 > 0:28:21It's in the Top 30 singles charts?
0:28:21 > 0:28:23An album? Ours?
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Ooh, great!
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Get the royalties. Where's the royalties?
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- SERIOUS TONE:- Where's the royalties?
0:28:30 > 0:28:33I certainly didn't authorise the release
0:28:33 > 0:28:35and it was released by EMI.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38I was dashing here, there and everywhere in the early '80s.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Apart from recording, doing interviews, and so forth,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45I was doing gigs throughout Europe, Australia - everywhere,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47so I had no time for any of that.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51On my side, I think management and a lawyer were saying,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55"Well, somebody's getting money, you should have your share."
0:28:55 > 0:28:59And I think they set about getting my share.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03I strongly believed that the rest of it was taken care of
0:29:03 > 0:29:06and everybody else was getting their share.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10But as time went on, many, many, many years went on,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12erm...I found out that wasn't the case.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Shaky's lawyers attempted to settle over one of the albums, A Legend,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19before it got to court, but The Sunsets weren't happy
0:29:19 > 0:29:22with what was offered and wanted a judge to decide.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27The long-time friends now found themselves on opposite sides of a complicated dispute.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31"The band, who are all from Cardiff,
0:29:31 > 0:29:35"claim they never received a penny in royalties on that re-release of the album.
0:29:35 > 0:29:40"They're suing Shaky and the record producer Dave Edmunds for breach of contract.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42"The Sunsets want a share of royalties.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46"Their former manager Paul Barrett is taking out a separate legal action
0:29:46 > 0:29:49"against Dave Edmunds, the producer, on behalf of The Sunsets."
0:29:49 > 0:29:53It took over a decade for the case to come to court.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55The judge ruled in The Sunsets' favour
0:29:55 > 0:29:59and they were awarded compensation to reflect their loss of royalties.
0:29:59 > 0:30:06At the end of the day, the court offered them less money than what I offered them.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10In a mass of bootleg releases and royalty grievances,
0:30:10 > 0:30:12the division between Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets
0:30:12 > 0:30:14has never been resolved.
0:30:23 > 0:30:24After the whirlwind of the '80s,
0:30:24 > 0:30:29the 1990s saw Shaky's UK career begin to slow down.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31His international success continued, however,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35with compilation albums hitting the top end of the charts in Norway
0:30:35 > 0:30:37and Denmark in 1999,
0:30:37 > 0:30:41the same year he took on a new manager, Sue Davies.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57During the '90s, Shaky probably went a bit of the radar in the UK.
0:30:57 > 0:30:58He has been doing tours
0:30:58 > 0:31:03but until you bring out a release and have that success again,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06then, you know, people do think you're not doing anything.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09You're at home, probably, watching TV, I don't know,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12but not doing anything in the industry.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Shaky began the new century as determined as ever
0:31:15 > 0:31:18to continue his international and UK success.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20A UK compilation album went platinum.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23He topped the album charts in Scandinavia
0:31:23 > 0:31:27and made landmark live appearances in both the UK and Europe,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30including a show headlining to 100,000
0:31:30 > 0:31:33on home soil in Wales to see in the new millennium.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37However, his professional resilience was severely tested during this time.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41It'd been over ten years since he'd last recorded a new album
0:31:41 > 0:31:44and he wouldn't get the chance to do so again until 2006.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47I was re-signed... Hello, guys!
0:31:47 > 0:31:50By this time with Rob Stringer.
0:31:50 > 0:31:56Rob Stringer, one of the most powerful figures in the music business and head of Sony BMG,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58who had bought Shaky's old label, CBS epic,
0:31:58 > 0:32:02was the perfect person to back Shaky's new album.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07# In a second
0:32:08 > 0:32:11# Everything could change... #
0:32:11 > 0:32:15I was very, very pleased with the album, so was a lot of people involved with it.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20It was a kind of a bridge, really, because I had an album out for quite a while, a new album.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24It was the right move, you know, it was perfect. Much excitement.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27We were over the moon, we thought, "Yes!"
0:32:27 > 0:32:30# So if that's all it takes
0:32:30 > 0:32:34# We can learn from our mistakes... #
0:32:34 > 0:32:38For Shaky, the Now Listen album was an ideal opportunity
0:32:38 > 0:32:42to move into a new phase and leave the image of '80s behind.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46You know, the hits are the hits. I'm proud of that time, you know.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51But if people look at YouTube and Top Of The Pops,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54it's not like that any more. You know, it's not.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58We thought, "Crikey, if we can get this record away,
0:32:58 > 0:33:03"we can stop people thinking just This Ole House and those hits."
0:33:03 > 0:33:05It's more about the music.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08# Make your emotions
0:33:08 > 0:33:09# Shelter from the cold... #
0:33:09 > 0:33:13Despite the best of intentions, an unexpected twist,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16would thwart Shaky's plans for the album.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19What happened was that it was all systems go
0:33:19 > 0:33:24and Rob was called to go to the States
0:33:24 > 0:33:27with his brother for a position out there.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31It was left with people to take care of the album,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35but nobody took care of the album at all.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39So, yes, that was a low one for me.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Like a skittle, you knock him down, he gets up.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47I think it comes from his family. I think they had a very hard time.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51You know, it was a very poor time for them
0:33:51 > 0:33:53and there was no money around.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56I think, you know, he's just learnt from that
0:33:56 > 0:34:00and he's got a spine of stainless steel in that way
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and he will just keep on doing what he wants to do.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06# Somewhere in the night... #
0:34:07 > 0:34:12Thanks to his loyal fans in the UK and Europe, Shaky bounced back,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16performing to 200,000 in Poland and to a record audience
0:34:16 > 0:34:20for an opening act on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury in 2008.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24And, as a symbol of his enduring popularity,
0:34:24 > 0:34:29he was invited to appear on the 2011 Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing
0:34:29 > 0:34:32to perform his perennial hit, Merry Christmas Everyone.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36# Time for presents And exchanging kisses... #
0:34:36 > 0:34:40But in 2010, we nearly lost Shaky forever.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51I was actually working in the garden, I was lifting these bags,
0:34:51 > 0:34:53very heavy bags.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55That was a very silly thing to do anyway.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00From there, I went down and did some recording
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and had a very light dinner and came back and I just felt,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06I didn't feel very well at all.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10Then I closed my eyes and after that I don't remember anything.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19I heard a very strange sound coming from his throat
0:35:19 > 0:35:22and I turned around and his eyes had rolled up
0:35:22 > 0:35:24and he stopped breathing.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Erm, I didn't know what to do.
0:35:34 > 0:35:41So I just pushed my hand into his chest and he breathed,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45but it was just getting rid of the air that was in his lungs.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49I did it again and he breathed and then stopped again.
0:35:49 > 0:35:55So a rang from my mobile and dialled 999.
0:35:55 > 0:36:00It was really lucky that Sue spoke to the right person
0:36:00 > 0:36:06because he knew exactly what should be done.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13He said do it very, very hard and keep doing it 60 times, or whatever.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17I was thinking my rib was broken as well and Sue said,
0:36:17 > 0:36:19"I think I've broken his rib..."
0:36:19 > 0:36:22"It doesn't matter, you're doing it right!"
0:36:22 > 0:36:27It took three hospitals to get him right and he was very poorly
0:36:27 > 0:36:31but, I think, now he's safer than any of the rest of us now.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33So, that's good.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42With an unwavering focus, and a dedicated commitment to rock 'n' roll,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Shaky's never been swayed by the prevailing musical trends.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50He is determined to continue playing live
0:36:50 > 0:36:54and recording his roots music for as long as he can.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04We're having fun making the new album.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07I'm very pleased with what we've got.
0:37:07 > 0:37:12There's some new songs on there and there's some rooty stuff as well
0:37:12 > 0:37:15and we tried a lot of the tracks out within the audiences
0:37:15 > 0:37:18and they go down very, very well.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Yeah, I'm very, very pleased with it.
0:37:22 > 0:37:23# Raise your window
0:37:23 > 0:37:25# I got out that door
0:37:28 > 0:37:30# Raise your window
0:37:30 > 0:37:32# I got out that door
0:37:34 > 0:37:36# Cos there's a man outside
0:37:36 > 0:37:39# He might be you, I don't know
0:37:41 > 0:37:44# Raise your window... #
0:37:44 > 0:37:46'I feel good about what I've done.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51'You know, there's certain things that maybe could have been done differently, I suppose.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53'But you can't change that, you know.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58'The early days was one stage, Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets were another stage.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02'The solo artist with Epic Records was another stage.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04'Now, I'm on another stage.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08'So, moving on from the hits and so forth,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11'and going on to the next stage of my career.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16'There's still a lot more, I feel a lot more to give, music wise.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19'And, er, with a lot more substance
0:38:19 > 0:38:24'within myself and my music.'
0:38:24 > 0:38:28I enjoy it and I'll continue to do it
0:38:28 > 0:38:32until I can't do any more.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42# I won't be kind no more... #
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Yeah!
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd