Music keeps me young, Lulu tells Rewind fans

EVERGREEN pop singer Lulu says music keeps her young.

The 70-year-old Scot, still best known for her 1964 hit Shout, probably echoed the refrain of many of the veterans appearing at this year’s Rewind South festival at the weekend.

She told the crowd: “If anybody says to me, ‘you look good for your age, you’ve been around for a long time’, I say, ‘it’s because of the music’.”

Lulu was among the 21 acts at the 11th annual festival, which was held at Temple Island Meadows in Remenham on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday.

The headliners on Saturday were the Four Tops while The Waterboys took the place of Michael Bolton on Sunday when the 66-year-old American pulled out due to illness.

Other performers included Rewind regulars Midge Ure and Belinda Carlisle.

A total of 36,000 people from around the country and abroad attended the event.

Many of the visitors wore colourful outfits, including Day-Glo leggings, wigs, headbands and skirts.

Others paid tribute to popular films and TV shows of the Eighties, dressing as characters such as Beetlejuice, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Maverick (Tom Cruise) from Top Gun and the cast of Baywatch.

Members of the audience danced and sang along as their favourite pop stars from yesteryear performed their best-known hits on the main stage.

Some fans had brought along chairs or blankets to sit on in a nod to their own advancing years.

Saturday’s opening act were The Undertones, best known for their 1978 hit Teenage Kicks, followed by The Dire Straits Experience and Anglo-American group Johnny Hates Jazz. UB40, featuring founder members Ali Campbell and Astro, then took to the stage.

Astro announced: “I’d like to take the time to say happy birthday and happy anniversary to my wife Dawn — love you, babe.”

Next was singer/songwriter Kim Appleby, one half of sister act Mel & Kim. Her sibling died from cancer in January 1990.

Kim told the crowd that she had only started performing again last year.

She said: “I’m getting better, I know I am. It’s still so nerve-wracking but you’re a great crowd, thank you.”

American singer Tiffany then performed a short set which she closed with her 1987 hit I Think We’re Alone Now with which the crowd sang along. Former M People lead singer Heather Small wore a tight-fitting leopard print one-piece, which she had to repeatedly adjust during her energetic set, and a curly blonde wig.

She began with One Night, followed by Search for the Hero and members of the audience waved pictures of Small’s head on sticks as she sang.

Small told the crowd: “I see quite a few hair accessories. Suddenly I don’t feel so alone. It’s a little bit disconcerting to see my head on sticks but I’m getting used to it.”

She then performed Proud before finishing with Moving On Up.

At the end, she theatrically yanked up her outfit, while patting her chest and smiling with embarrassment.

Heaven 17 performed next and lead singer Glenn Gregory told the crowd: “You know what — my mum and dad are here? Come on, mum and dad, let’s have a dance!”

He and bandmate Martyn Ware closed their short set with their 1983 hit Temptation.

Lulu’s microphone wasn’t working when she began to sing Relight My Fire, her 1993 duet with Take That, so she stopped.

She said: “Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop, shut it down, they couldn’t hear. I mean, they’ve paid good money for God’s sake!”

The problem was solved and she then completed the song before singing her 1974 hit The Man Who Sold the World.

Lulu said: “I’ve worked with many legends in my time, none greater than the man who wrote this song.

“He wrote the song, he produced the record for me, he played sax on it, he sang harmonies on the record with me. We did have a unique relationship — the late, great, David Bowie.”

The Four Tops, led by original member Duke Fakir, performed a selection of their Motown classics including Reach Out (I’ll be There) and Baby, I Need Your Loving.

On Sunday, compere Clive Jackson — aka The Doctor from Doctor and the Medics — welcomed some people who had paid to see Rewind North in Cheshire earlier this month but it was cancelled due to flooding.

He said: “You deserve this, more than anybody else — God bless you.”

Later he performed an impromptu version of his band’s hit 1986 hit Spirit in the Sky.

Jackson thanked the audience, saying: “Festivals bring people together in very divisive times.”

The day began with a performance by Bruce Foxton, the bassist from The Jam, followed by the Neville Staple Band and The Selecter, led by original members Pauline Black and Arthur “Gaps” Hendrickson.

They were followed by The Wailers, Bob Marley’s band in the Seventies. Their set featured I Shot the Sheriff, Buffalo Soldier, Is This Love, No Woman, No Cry and Jammin’.

Hazel O’Connor, who performed next, told the crowd: “Watching The Wailers and Doctor and the Medics and then I have to follow. I’ll make a vain attempt!”

She performed Blackman, Big Brother and Will You?

Next was Ure who had the crowd singing along to the chorus of Ultravox’s 1981 hit Vienna.

Paul Young was up next and greeted the crowd with: “Nice to see you all out there, even the Honey Monster!”

He was folllowed by Carlisle, the American former singer with the Go-Gos, who performed Summer Rain and Heaven is a Place on Earth.

Kathy Sledge, from the original Sister Sledge, was the penultimate performer and the evening ended with The Waterboys, best known for their 1985 hit The Whole of The Moon.

Mike Scott, leader of the folk-rock band, told the crowd: “It’s great to see you at short notice. You were expecting one Michael but you got another.”

Bolton wrote on Twitter: “I hope to see you all again very soon when I’m back to 100 per cent. All my love, Mb.”

Event manager Katt Lingard said: “It has been yet another brilliant year of Rewind and we want to thank the Rewinders for all their support and passion for the festival.

“It is because of them that this festival has such a feelgood and welcoming atmosphere, where everyone can escape and embrace the magic of the Eighties and beyond. We have already started working hard on Rewind 2020.”