August 26, 2025 • 35 mins
In this, the second part of Me’sha Bryan’s interview, listeners are taken on a captivating journey through the life and career of Mike Nolan, a key member of the iconic band, Bucks Fizz. The discussion delves into the origins of the band's name, the whirlwind experience of winning Eurovision, and the dynamics within the group.
Mike shares candid thoughts on his solo career and the creative freedom it brought and a heartfelt recount of his final performance with Bucks Fizz and the emotional standing ovation he received.
Key Highlights:
The story behind the name "Bucks Fizz" and its connection to a celebratory drink. Mike's reflections on the rapid rise to fame after winning Eurovision. Insights into the personal and professional relationships within the band. Mike's candid thoughts on his solo career and the creative freedom it brought. A heartfelt recount of his final performance with Bucks Fizz and the emotional standing ovation he received.
#MikeNolan #BucksFizz #Eurovision #MusicJourney #Podcast
Takeaways
The name 'Bucks Fizz' originated from a casual conversation after a studio demo.
The band was formed quickly, and their success hinged on winning Eurovision.
Group dynamics were complex, with members not always gelling personally.
Fame brought both recognition and challenges, affecting personal interactions.
Transitioning to solo work was not initially planned but became a natural progression.
The experience of performing solo is nerve-wracking compared to being in a band.
Celebrity life involves constant recognition and the need to be gracious to fans.
Personal growth often comes from overcoming challenges and feedback from peers.
The importance of maintaining relationships with fans is crucial for long-term success.
Navigating fame requires humility and an understanding of its transient nature. Everyone goes through challenges in life.
The impact of fame can be surprising.
Memorable moments often come from unexpected places.
Independence is a significant milestone in life.
Leaving home can be both exciting and emotional.
Recognition from family can validate one's career choices.
The journey of a musician is filled with ups and downs.
Reflecting on a long career brings mixed emotions.
It's important to appreciate the audience's support.
A heartfelt farewell can be a powerful experience.
Sound bites
"Where did that come from?"
"It's a brilliant feeling."
"You can't be rude to them."
"I want to be a singer"
"Eat it baby, eat it"
Chapters
00:00 The Origin of Bucks Fizz
01:00 Formation and Early Days of the Band
03:21 Dynamics Within the Group
07:42 Transition to Solo Work
11:58 The Impact of Fame
17:05 Navigating Celebrity Life
18:06 The Impact of Fame
21:07 Memorable Moments in Music
27:01 The Journey to Independence
30:50 Reflecting on a Long Career
34:04 A Fond Farewell
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
So, so the name Bucks Fizz, where did that come from?
Now that came when we finished doing the demo in the studio and Didn't take very long acouple of hours.
We're okay with it.
I says everything fine Everything's great and he's just gonna mix it down now.
He says fancy a drink I said, yeah, we've got he said fancy Bucks Fizz and and I said Iwhat's that is champagne with orange juice in it and Andy was so sitting there drinking
(00:31):
Bucks Fizz's and Andy finishes mixing didn't take very long
And he said, and so me and Nick were just chatting away and he said, um, what, what's thename of the, what's the name of the act?
We're going to put this on.
And she said, Oh, stick down Bucks fizz.
oh
(01:00):
Because obviously it was it was a huge transition, you know, you'd been in a couple ofgroups before and then Nicola called you in to do the demo and then next thing you know,
you're on Eurovision, then you've won it.
It's like, what was the time frame that all happened in?
Well, the band was formed in January and then we met up at Nicholas' place and she said,right, you all know each other, Cheryl, Jay, Mike, Bobby For the next three months, you're
(01:28):
going to be known as Bucks Fizz.
for the next three months.
think it was January, February, March, yeah.
Did you think it was only going to last that long?
If we hadn't won the song for Europe, we wouldn't have done any more after that.
Really?
No, nothing would have happened with the song.
Because they'd have but the song that won is the one the BBC would push.
I guess So they would have pushed ours.
Yeah, but the thing is it would have been weird because you would have, within the threemonths you would have gelled as a group of people.
(01:53):
Well no, we never really gelled because there never a gel there.
It wasn't that kind of band.
We looked like we all loved each other and we just didn't.
We just, we used to work, it's working.
It's a job and that's how we all looked at it.
When we used to go home, Cheryl and I got a good relationship together, we really did.
(02:16):
I had never had relationship with Jay or with Bobby.
Right.
know, was just, it was a turn up, it used to be great.
When we're on the coach, going everywhere, we all look like one big happy family.
When we got home, we all just said, bye.
Off we went.
Really?
Whereas I go and I say, Cheryl, I'll you a call tomorrow.
Got you.
And we'd always meet up.
We'd always meet up.
The thing was, I didn't want Cheryl in the band, but I wanted Jay.
(02:41):
Yeah, I remember saying that.
When Jay came, I said to Nicola, she's really good.
We've got to have her.
She's really, really good.
And Jay is very good as a solo performer, I think.
but she's not right for a band.
Because when you're in a band, you've got to, you have to be able to blend in witheverybody.
(03:04):
never really blended with us.
She was very quiet.
you mean blenders in personality wise?
On the road and things like that.
She was alright.
On stage she was so extrovert.
off stage she was very introvert.
So how did it work when you were in the studio and trying to decide what tracks you weregoing to record on, who was going to sing lead on what?
(03:30):
Did some of the issues that you were having personally, did that come into the recordingside of things as well?
Did you have to fight to sing leads?
No, no, no, no.
That's one thing I never did.
I never ever did that.
I don't think any of us ever had a fight for the lead vocal.
Andy knew what he was doing.
(03:51):
I remember he did our second album, Are You Ready?, which had two songs on it, two balladson it.
One was Now Those Days Are Gone, and the other one was Love Dies Hard.
And I absolutely loved Love Dies Hard.
And I said to Andy, can I sing Love Dies Hard?
I remember Bobby, he'd already tried Bobby out Bobby said, no, I'm going to do that.
(04:14):
And I turned around and said, yeah, well, you're not the producer, Andy's producer.
Andy said, no, want you to do Now Those Days Are Gone, And I didn't even flinch about it.
I said, OK, fair enough.
And I loved Bobby's song more than I loved Now Those Days Are Gone.
But when it was played to the record company, they all cheered it.
They just loved it.
(04:34):
This is a beautiful song.
But was very good how Andy did it.
It's just all the vocals on it, it all vocal at the beginning.
It was a perfect song and it is a lovely, and it is one of my favourite Bucks Fizz songs.
Not because I sung the lead on it, because the kind of song that it is.
you could hear, you know, when we do it in concert, I mean, you know this, don't youDarren, you could hear a pin drop in it.
(05:02):
It's really, really good.
It's really lovely because Darren has taken pictures from his drum kit and if one turnsthe lights on on their phone and they're kind of you know swaying the light around it's
just beautiful a little stars.
didn't like him doing that because now I could see my face.
(05:23):
Actually, saying that, saying that, how does it feel to be a heartthrob?
And that's what you are, Mike.
No, I tell you what, I never ever felt like a heartthrob of the band.
It's so odd.
It's funny how you perceive yourself, isn't it?
And how other people see you, because I know that people just go, my Nolan.
(05:43):
I know I was I know my mom I was when the show is to introduce the band I used to get theloudest cheers But it didn't make any difference to me.
It really did it never went to my head.
I didn't like that good the end of the day You're not getting any more money for it.
Well, it's all split four ways That's all that mattered there if I was the only onepulling the crowds in which I wasn't because everyone Everyone had a favorite.
(06:07):
Everyone had a favorite that band
Yeah, and Bobby was very popular.
We were all very popular with the audience.
But I the teeny-bops that liked him.
All the Mums used to love Bobby.
Oh really, you were the young crowd.
And the...
I used to see all the dirty old men used to like Cheryl...Jay.
Because she was the sexy one.
(06:29):
They really did.
Not dirty old men, the old men used to like Jay.
So where was Cheryl sitting then?
Oh right, isn't that nice?
Everyone's got their little...
Yeah, one little thing there like that and it was nice.
But when we got together and we were in the studio and things like that, we used to sit inthere listening to what everyone was doing so you could learn the song because you didn't
(06:51):
know the song we went in.
Yeah.
bit by bit.
Yeah.
And you just, and I'd learned mine as we're going over it.
Even working with Mike Stock, he, Cheryl went and put the vocal down first and then Jaywent and doubled her and then
Then Bobby go and put his vocal on, that was the last one to go in.
So I'd learnt the whole song.
Okay.
(07:11):
Was that what was the order that you did things in?
we should do it that way in the end, yeah.
when he was doing it, I said to Mike Stock, I said, right, we've got a gold and you've gota silver album there and a gold album there with those vocals.
When I get him, I'm going to go double platinum.
used say, in you go Mike.
And he used to go da da da.
(07:32):
He used to really laugh.
But now he was another person who liked my sense of humour.
He really did.
It was nice.
It's just, I don't go around...
This is my sense of humour to make you like me.
It's just the way I am.
You know, sometimes, like after the accident, my whole personality really, really changeda lot.
(07:54):
in what way.
Yeah, was in a big way.
mean, Cheryl said this to me.
We often talked about it.
Where my humour used to be very...
Not sarcastic, very...
had a dry sense of humour.
but it had gone really, really dry into a stage of sarcasm.
(08:15):
And I didn't think I was being sarcastic, I thought I was being funny.
Right.
But I wasn't being funny.
Okay.
And Cheryl, I used say, did trouble with you, you just moaned at everything.
And then one night, the two of us were sitting there talking about it and she explained itto me.
I said, I would never say that to you, just because you used to be a very, very funny guy.
(08:39):
You're not funny anymore.
You're sarcastic.
I said, but I'm trying to be funny, Cheryl.
She said, it's not Mike.
You just got to be yourself.
You're trying to impress people and that's not how you do it.
And that's when I really started to get into what I was doing, thinking how to speak topeople again.
And this is all part and parcel of getting yourself back together after what we've beenthrough.
(09:04):
Absolutely, because you weren't aware that you were becoming completely sarcastic untilsomebody told you.
No idea about it at all.
Cheryl used to go to pick the phone up, because we were phoning each other all the time.
She'd go to pick the phone up to call me, she'd go, um, pick the phone up to...
and she'd put it down again.
Really?
Yeah, she was too nervous to talk to me because she said, he's going to come up with somesarcastic comment and it's just going to annoy me again.
(09:28):
And she would tell that story herself.
And I don't feel embarrassed about it.
I feel sad about it because I never thought I was like that.
But it was nothing to do with me, it was part and parcel of healing.
When I came out of hospital, they put me on pills.
(09:48):
When you have a head injury, give you pills, they're for epilepsy.
No, I didn't have a fit or anything like that.
They put you on them for safety.
And these pills used to bring you right down, hence the sarcasm.
You know, light yourself up, try and, you know.
join in, I didn't want to join in, nothing like that.
(10:09):
So I became like, I was on these pills for a long, long time.
And when I moved down to where am now, I had to get a new doctor.
When I saw the doctor, he said, we have to do blood tests, we'll do this, do that.
You need to come off these pills you're on because you've been on them too long.
There's new pills out now for what you've got.
And so we put you on them.
(10:30):
so gradually, easing off on a of pills, put on these new pills and all of sudden this newlease of life came in.
And then I met up with Cheryl and she said, so she kept to it, she said, what are you on?
She said, not on anything, are you drinking?
So said, no, I don't drink, you know I don't drink.
She said, you're changing.
So I said, I ain't changed, I've always been like this.
(10:52):
And she turned and said, no, you haven't, you used to be very laid back.
I said, ah, it's the old pills, did that.
I said, what do mean your old pills?
She I'm not taking my new pills now.
She said, oh my God, go back on the old ones, please.
because the other ones made you so down and these ones do.
They haven't brought me down.
(11:12):
They've given me a new lease of life.
And so all of a sudden, this new guy turned up again and Cheryl was really happy about it.
She's like, glad the old mic's back.
It was you again, right?
When Jay came back to us, I was already on these new pills.
She grabbed them and she said, it changed, it?
(11:34):
23 years!
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Now back to the show.
So when did you start doing solo work?
(11:58):
Well the only one they can look up and they can listen to is In My Life.
Okay.
MIke Nolan In My Life.
The other ones is Rose of Cimeron and first, it's not called the first one right?
Time on my side Time on my side.
That was it.
Yeah, yeah, okay.
uh
And Time on my side is a good album.
But you're saying we can't get it anywhere?
(12:19):
The only way you can get it is off my Facebook.
All right, go to the Facebook.
yeah on Facebook Tasha Tasha sends them all out for me really I think Tasha or Tasha willnotice two of them doing it for me Tasha and Lara doing it i see it coming up on Facebook
and Tasha will now put it out advertising it as well
(12:41):
And we can still get all three albums.
Yeah, perfect.
Yeah, that's really good And so why did you feel the need to go solo?
Were you harking back to the early years when you were just?
Gigging around on your own or what was the inspiration behind making album?
No, was never ever thinking about going on my own.
The agent that was with us at time, Dave Hahn, he had come up to me at one of the gigs.
(13:05):
was sitting there chatting, because I always talk, I talk to everybody.
And I sat there chatting to him.
And um he said something to me about an album.
said, yeah, I'd love to do a solo album.
He said, would you?
So I said, yeah.
He well, you plan on leaving the band?
So now I wouldn't leave the band.
Just to do a solo album would be different, because bands...
members of bands release albums of their own, but said, but I've never really thoughtabout it enough to want to go and do something about it.
(13:33):
So he said, what about if I sort something out about it?
So I said, yeah, do you want to do that for me?
Like joking with him.
And he said, yeah.
Next thing him and another guy got together and introduced me to a producer guy calledMartin Jay, who's brilliant.
And went into the studio and we just did it.
They chose most of the songs.
(13:54):
which I wasn't very happy with, but I wasn't paying for the album, they were paying themoney for it.
So I went along with that, I put a couple of songs on it.
But then after that, Martin, I got friendly with Martin, being in the studio, and I phonedhim up said about doing an album, just me and him in the studio, because I didn't like the
(14:15):
idea, because Dave was really good, but I wanted to be in the studio on my own.
dealing with the producer and not have somebody in there.
And so I went in and this time, David paid for the first album, I paid for the secondalbum myself.
And so I did that and the third one and it worked out really, really well.
(14:40):
Did you ever perform any of your solo stuff live?
I did once, a fan came over from Australia to have a do with her family.
She came home after being Australia for a while and she got a family to go and ask herwould I do a show.
There was another one I did for a charity and I sang two songs at that.
(15:00):
But I really wanted to do it.
It was a nice feeling.
It was nice doing it because I did it all before but being in a band for so many years.
You do depend on each other.
That's it.
All eyes are on you then.
All the banter's down to you, even though I you're the banter-meister.
But it's quite nerve-racking.
I was really, I was so, so nervous.
(15:23):
I'm nervous when I go on stage, even with a band, still.
But when you go on on your own, it's 10 times worse.
Well the thing is it shows that you're alive.
It shows that you care, doesn't it?
About it.
you're kind of like, yeah whatever, I'm just gonna do a gig.
don't understand someone who goes on stage and says, are you nervous?
No.
You're going to do a great performance.
Yeah, awful.
(15:44):
Terrible.
know, you are nervous.
You're nervous when you're on stage with us.
Yeah?
want to hear from you, Bubs.
Darren's trying to be shy over there.
Are you nervous, Bubs, when you go on stage?
I suppose the confidence in knowing what you're doing helps...
that's where I get nervous because everyone else goes on stage, you don't know whatthey're doing except me.
(16:09):
That's what it is.
a pig fly, did you see the pig fly?
You're the glue aren't you Mike...
I'm the worst, on stage I mean, when we do our shows, we've been doing it for so long, youjust go wrong, just change it a bit.
Just make a bit different.
You know, it's just sort of, you know, I believe that's when you're completely relaxedwith everything.
(16:31):
You can sod around all you like.
And no one can rollock you over it.
So get lost.
You're not my manager anymore.
can't be told off.
Can't turn off the turn.
Tell off the turn.
Turn off the turn!
Could be worse, we've to go there.
making things up now.
(16:52):
The instant fame okay like the kind of instant like I'm Mike and I'm just gonna sing thisdemo oh and now I've won Eurovision and now everybody knows who I am like how is that
that's mad isn't it
It's a brilliant feeling.
I remember when we were in the studio doing the album, I used to say to Cheryl, let's gofor a walk.
Well, because there are going be ages doing this.
(17:13):
Let's go for a long walk.
She where do want to go?
I said, let's walk down Oxford Street and see how many people recognise us.
Really?
We went out for about an hour and we were like, I'm bored with this.
Come on, let's get back quick.
Because we were really getting recognised.
I bet.
And it was a great feeling.
But today, when I go out on my own, I notice it.
because people started looking and go...
(17:35):
If I'm with somebody, we're chatting So I don't take any notice, but they noticed it witheverybody else.
My brothers did.
Saw my brothers, a couple of weeks ago, went and had lunch together and they could reallysee it.
And they hadn't seen it for a few years.
They said, oh my God, it's still going on.
How do you live with it?
I said, live with what?
They said, they're all looking at you.
(17:56):
I've never ever looked at anybody that's ever come up to me.
One time I don't like it is when you're a meal and they come up and ask you for anautograph or if they're taking photographs of you.
But at the same time, you can't be rude to them because the way I look at it, they're thepeople that actually put you there.
That's it.
And so you remember them on your way up because on your way down, you're going to needthem.
(18:20):
Absolutely.
And that's how I've always looked at it.
So I've never ever been rude to anybody.
But you know, it happens all the time and it's part and parcel of your life.
and you get used to it and it's not just, you know, everyone is anybody, everyone goesthrough it.
Well, that's the thing.
The thing is, it is how you handle it.
(18:41):
also,
Because you're modest you yeah, I don't think you've realized the impact that you've hadon people's lives It's like you don't and like like in the 80s and stuff.
It's like, you know There would have been what top of the pops and there would have beenlike the the top 40 and whatever like on the radio and everything like that You're on the
(19:02):
covers of all those magazines.
I know like I'm sure there were people
in your outfit.
So much publicity we didn't realise how much we were getting.
But that's the thing and the impact that you had because I am arranged for my old Italianteacher to come to one of the gigs I remember where the gig was and I said yeah come along
(19:22):
I said you know when we married then Bubs, I don't think we were married then and I saidyeah my fiance is the drummer in the band and she was like He plays for Bucks Fizz and I
was like yeah it's cool I can get you some tickets and so I got the Access All Areas passI was like yeah come back
Did we meet her?
Yeah.
The whole time walking towards the backstage she was like...
(19:45):
You see that said that surprised me how they shake and they come.
One woman started crying.
I said, it's you.
What have I done?
It's just seeing you.
I I'm human like everyone else.
It's It's huge.
And like you said, the publicity and there was just less kind of like stimuli coming infrom all areas.
It was like no Netflix and there were like 800 million channels.
(20:06):
And not that that's not the reason why you've had such an impact is because, you know, youwere there and in front of people, but because of the personality and who you are and your
look and just your energy.
You're one of those people who walks into a room and then we know that you're there.
You're not.
I'm here.
Oi!
(20:27):
No, I'm here.
What was it actually hearing yourself coming out of the radio like in a shop or somewhere?
remember the first time I heard that.
I remember the first time I heard it was the day after we won the song for Europe and thatwas on a Thursday the 12th of March and I was traveling up in the car and Mike Reed was on
(20:49):
the radio with the breakfast show and he played Making Your Mind Up.
Wow.
I'm really like...
I was like a lunatic in the car.
Really?
Yeah.
Brilliant.
I was such a lunatic, I opened the window and said, put your radio on.
I'm proud of it.
You know, I remember that morning so I remember everything about that time.
(21:12):
I really I you know, my mind goes back to like years and years ago.
I can't remember what I did last week.
Things like that, but my mind goes right back to when I was a kid, right?
Goes right back to then.
And like when you talk about it, do you still get the feeling?
the feeling still bubble up?
Because you've had three number ones.
(21:32):
Like that's massive.
We've had a lot of yeah, the success we've had has been, the first three, four years ofour career, was just, it was non-stop.
We were so young then, it didn't bother us.
We weren't flying home.
Why we came home, I don't know, because you have to at the airport again the next morning.
(21:53):
So we're backwards and forwards all the time.
we spent, it must have been 300 days abroad and 65 back here probably.
Yeah, it was just...
on the go all the time.
uh
How often did you get to see your family, friends and family but hardly?
Hardly got to them.
But I was still living with my parents at the time.
(22:14):
I because I couldn't afford to buy my place at the time because I was going from job tojob all the time and just about managing to survive on it.
Then all of a sudden you start to take off.
And I never left home until I was 20...
I was 28 when I left.
Really?
83.
I was 28, yeah.
(22:35):
Oh, wow.
When I moved out.
I should have moved out in 81 but we didn't have chance to go and look for properties.
Because I'm a go all the time.
Then one day I just went and looked for somewhere and in 83 I moved into my first place.
And it was like heaven.
Was it?
I loved living with my parents at the time but just having your own place, living on yourown.
(23:01):
It was just like I can't believe this.
This is my house.
Yeah.
or my apartment at the time because I moved into an apartment up in London and it was justbeautiful.
I bet.
Yeah.
How was it for you, Mum, when you left?
Well, at that time when I left, they moved back to Ireland.
But they moved over to Ireland in June and they came over for...
(23:24):
em
That was in 83 and they came home, I think it must have been about March time thefollowing year.
She hadn't even gone a year.
Oh, they were like...
And it was at the end of that year.
Imagine if they were living in Ireland when the accident happened.
Of course.
That would have been just, well, it 10 times worse than that would have been.
(23:47):
So they, but they couldn't settle over there because all their boys were over here.
my Mum wanted to move back and she just wasn't settled over there.
And I said, you're not going to settle over there, we'll roll over here.
Well, I never see any this.
None of you's come and seen me.
I remember we're at work and we come and see you the weekend and things like that.
And I did say to her, she said, I remember saying to her, I remember one thing, I'm a starnow, you can't see me as much of me, she said, I'm your mother.
(24:14):
Is that how she said it?
I'm your mother.
There'll never be another like your mother.
That's what she said.
Very true though.
There will never be another like your mother.
m
And did you, because we were talking about this before we started filming, did you sayyour Mum wanted you to be an electrician?
Yeah, you're not a singer, you're to be an electrician, going to do a proper job.
(24:38):
m
Did she ever say, actually, well done for not listening to me?
You were right.
tell you what happened in 1974.
I was doing my first proper show, my proper performance at the London Palladium.
The real thing were on the bill.
Yeah.
Right, I was first on and then the manager went and got my Mum from the audience when Icame off.
(25:05):
Mum wants to see you, Your Mum wants to see you.
so I turned around and she said, you were really, really good.
So now do believe I want to be a performer?
She said, I believe you now.
That's what it took to make her believe because she never thought I was a really a properperformer She knows I was a performer but not to be at the palladium Okay, just couldn't
(25:26):
believe it but it was great.
My whole family were there.
They came over from Ireland from it They just came from everywhere
would, wouldn't you?
You would.
to London Palladium and that was it.
This one show I did, was my big break.
It wasn't a big break.
Next day I went back to work in the warehouse where I was working.
(25:47):
Stacking up cat food.
And it's in all the local papers.
All the local papers could see it.
And I've got a little bit of recognition.
No, the recognition came from the people in work all laughing at me about it.
When I left, I said to them, the next time you sing, no that's what I said to them when Ileft school.
When I left school, I said to the teacher, I'm no point in my staying on here to these Olevels, things like that.
(26:12):
said, because they're gonna be used to me for my work.
He said, but you're gonna be an electrician.
So I said, no, I'm not gonna be an electrician.
I wanna be a singer.
He said, you're not a singer.
And I said, well, Cliff Richard's a singer.
Cliff Richard's a singer.
I said, I want Mary Hopkins a singer.
These were stars in those days.
And they turned, so they sent me my Mum and Dad.
come and talk to me about it.
(26:33):
And they said, you tell them people you're going to be electrician.
I got in there and met the guy and he said to me, Nolan, have you decided what you'regoing to be?
So I said, yes.
He yeah, he's decided, on, tell them what you want to be.
He you're to still be a singer.
He said, you're not going to be a singer, meant, because your parents would hit you inthose days.
And I left school the following year when I went back to the fifth year.
(26:59):
And I said to the teacher,
I don't want to stay here anymore, I'm going to go home.
I said, I'm leaving school today.
And he said, sit down, you've got your exams coming.
So I said, no, I've decided I'm going to leave.
I said, what are you going to do with yourself?
So I said, I'm going to be a singer.
He said, I'm not that story again.
So I said, I'm going to be a singer.
(27:21):
And the next time you see me, will be on the telly.
The next time they saw me was on the song for Europe.
So you're one of those people aren't you kind of speaks things into existence Are you areyou like that like like you have your mind set on something and it's gonna happen I'm
thinking about things in life.
(27:42):
Like when you were like, I want to buy my flat Did you have that in mind and it happened
Yeah, definitely wanted to do it.
When I went into London, my Mum says, can't afford to do it.
I said, I found an apartment I really liked.
She said, how much is it?
I said, at that time in 83, it was £64,000 pounds, £65,000 pounds.
(28:03):
And she said, you can buy my place off me for £38,000.
She said, you're paying twice the money for a flat up there.
And my brother and I bought the house from my Mum.
I bought it off her.
Did you?
And I ultimately sought this place in London, bought it, and my brother said, I'll have itoff you.
So he bought it from me.
(28:25):
You bought?
I bought my Mum's house and before they left I'd sold the house to my brother and I movedin to London and when I moved in there um they loved it they thought it was absolutely
beautiful
I bet.
bet.
Which part of London was it?
Darling.
Sorry.
Of course it was.
(28:46):
What was I thinking?
It wasn't going to be East Acton, was it?
Just off Edgeware Road But you know, didn't know, the estate agent took me to it.
I didn't know where I was going to live.
We just went, me and Cheryl went to one of the estate agents and she said we could takeyou to see three places.
The first place they showed me was the place I bought and I walked in there and I justloved it.
(29:09):
He said well we think you need to see the other three, the other two because never go onfirst place you see.
So said but I love this place.
They took me to see the next place.
I just put my head in and said, nah, I don't like this.
Awful.
She said, you haven't seen it yet?
So I said, can see it.
Just like the colour of the wall.
And she said, just come and have a look.
(29:29):
So we walked in and I said, no, this ain't nice.
The ceilings are too high.
Makes me look like a midget.
And Cheryl went, hmm, like that And then the next place I saw, didn't like that either.
So said, nah, I'm going to take the first one I saw.
There you go, one and done.
and I moved into it and I absolutely loved it.
(29:50):
Lovely.
Maida Vale It's nice up there.
Yeah.
And at the top floor...
Well, Penthouse is one that's on the top floor on its own, isn't it?
Oh, OK.
There's another block on the opposite of me.
Come out my door, there's another flat opposite.
right, OK, OK.
On the same floor.
Nice lift in it,
(30:10):
You like a lift Mike?
Well, no, these actually went to places I bought, both had lifts in.
It just happened to be...
But I never used my lift.
I always walked the stairs, always.
No, I always use the lift because that's what old people use.
Don't you say anything.
Yeah.
(30:31):
Well Mike, you've been part of one of the most iconic bands for the last 44 years.
You've been through name changes, line up changes, but you've been there steady this wholetime.
And you finally did your last gig in November last year.
Yeah, November the 20th it was.
(30:54):
It's been a few months now.
Yeah.
And how are you feeling about the transition?
Were you ready to go after all that time?
Oh yeah, I definitely was.
I mean it was on my mind for a I tell you where...
Nothing happened within the band for me to want to leave.
you know, the lockdown time when we were off work for nearly a year.
(31:18):
I began to realise it's actually nice not working.
And then when you went back, it seemed like a pressure.
Right.
You know, we got back into it okay because we'd be carried on for further three years.
But I was just starting to get to a stage with it.
I just wasn't enjoying it anymore.
I just had enough.
(31:38):
I remember when I told Cheryl and Jay, Jay was fine about it.
Cheryl really wasn't.
She just wasn't.
But you know, when you say to me now, but how do I feel about it?
I'm still glad I've left.
I would never want to go back.
And the reason I don't want to go back is because
(32:02):
It won't be the same.
And what I've got, as far as that group is concerned, all the lovely memories.
There are bad memories, but the good memories totally outdo the bad memories.
all the nice memories are there.
And I talk about it and people speak with me about it, like you are now.
And I can talk about it with pride.
(32:22):
I was really, really happy in it.
And the moment to say I wasn't happy, it's time to back off.
And they always used to wonder why people are leaving these groups.
It must be a terrible thing to do.
They must really regret it.
I understand them now.
Yes.
And so until it happens to you, you don't understand.
(32:42):
Yeah, I mean, I know it was hard for the the fans because it was like, Mike's leaving andpeople were crying and don't go and all of that stuff.
But you've got to do what you need to do for you, haven't you?
I thought the loveliest things that happened, you remember this one Darren, when we didthe night, the Stagg Theatre was where the last gig was and I sang Now Those Days Are Gone
(33:06):
and when I sung I got a standing ovation, it went on for 10 minutes didn't it?
We couldn't stop it.
Lovely.
And I just stood and looked at Cheryl so I said, what can we do?
She said, eat it baby, eat it.
Love it.
Just drink it in.
Yeah, because, and I stood there and eventually they did stop clapping.
They were quite emotional, but someone said to me, came back in the car and said, did thatmake you feel that you'd done the wrong thing, Mike?
(33:32):
So said, no.
But you can't regret it because that 10 minute standing ovation was everyone showing theirlove to you and kind of saying thank you for.
m
was really, really nice.
And it made you, it made you feel as an artist that they appreciate what you've done.
it's all, and I said to them, I want to thank everyone.
(33:54):
The most important people I can thank are you, the audience, because without you we haveno career, which was a true saying.
I've always said it, and I still stick by it.
Thank you so much Mike.
You're welcome.
will give you a kiss and a hug.
There you go.
You've got to be on the outside because you're the star.
You're the star.
(34:15):
uh Thank you so much.
We're going to go and edit that eight hours now.
Eight hours.
Oh my god.
Oh, see how it turns out.
I'm joking it's not 8 hours..
Eleven!
So, so the name Bucks Fizz, where did that come from?
Now that came when we finished doing the demo in the studio and Didn't take very long acouple of hours.
We're okay with it.
I says everything fine Everything's great and he's just gonna mix it down now.
He says fancy a drink I said, yeah, we've got he said fancy Bucks Fizz and and I said Iwhat's that is champagne with orange juice in it and Andy was so sitting there drinking
(00:31):
Bucks Fizz's and Andy finishes mixing didn't take very long
And he said, and so me and Nick were just chatting away and he said, um, what, what's thename of the, what's the name of the act?
We're going to put this on.
And she said, Oh, stick down Bucks fizz.
oh
(01:00):
Because obviously it was it was a huge transition, you know, you'd been in a couple ofgroups before and then Nicola called you in to do the demo and then next thing you know,
you're on Eurovision, then you've won it.
It's like, what was the time frame that all happened in?
Well, the band was formed in January and then we met up at Nicholas' place and she said,right, you all know each other, Cheryl, Jay, Mike, Bobby For the next three months, you're
(01:28):
going to be known as Bucks Fizz.
for the next three months.
think it was January, February, March, yeah.
Did you think it was only going to last that long?
If we hadn't won the song for Europe, we wouldn't have done any more after that.
Really?
No, nothing would have happened with the song.
Because they'd have but the song that won is the one the BBC would push.
I guess So they would have pushed ours.
Yeah, but the thing is it would have been weird because you would have, within the threemonths you would have gelled as a group of people.
(01:53):
Well no, we never really gelled because there never a gel there.
It wasn't that kind of band.
We looked like we all loved each other and we just didn't.
We just, we used to work, it's working.
It's a job and that's how we all looked at it.
When we used to go home, Cheryl and I got a good relationship together, we really did.
(02:16):
I had never had relationship with Jay or with Bobby.
Right.
know, was just, it was a turn up, it used to be great.
When we're on the coach, going everywhere, we all look like one big happy family.
When we got home, we all just said, bye.
Off we went.
Really?
Whereas I go and I say, Cheryl, I'll you a call tomorrow.
Got you.
And we'd always meet up.
We'd always meet up.
The thing was, I didn't want Cheryl in the band, but I wanted Jay.
(02:41):
Yeah, I remember saying that.
When Jay came, I said to Nicola, she's really good.
We've got to have her.
She's really, really good.
And Jay is very good as a solo performer, I think.
but she's not right for a band.
Because when you're in a band, you've got to, you have to be able to blend in witheverybody.
(03:04):
never really blended with us.
She was very quiet.
you mean blenders in personality wise?
On the road and things like that.
She was alright.
On stage she was so extrovert.
off stage she was very introvert.
So how did it work when you were in the studio and trying to decide what tracks you weregoing to record on, who was going to sing lead on what?
(03:30):
Did some of the issues that you were having personally, did that come into the recordingside of things as well?
Did you have to fight to sing leads?
No, no, no, no.
That's one thing I never did.
I never ever did that.
I don't think any of us ever had a fight for the lead vocal.
Andy knew what he was doing.
(03:51):
I remember he did our second album, Are You Ready?, which had two songs on it, two balladson it.
One was Now Those Days Are Gone, and the other one was Love Dies Hard.
And I absolutely loved Love Dies Hard.
And I said to Andy, can I sing Love Dies Hard?
I remember Bobby, he'd already tried Bobby out Bobby said, no, I'm going to do that.
(04:14):
And I turned around and said, yeah, well, you're not the producer, Andy's producer.
Andy said, no, want you to do Now Those Days Are Gone, And I didn't even flinch about it.
I said, OK, fair enough.
And I loved Bobby's song more than I loved Now Those Days Are Gone.
But when it was played to the record company, they all cheered it.
They just loved it.
(04:34):
This is a beautiful song.
But was very good how Andy did it.
It's just all the vocals on it, it all vocal at the beginning.
It was a perfect song and it is a lovely, and it is one of my favourite Bucks Fizz songs.
Not because I sung the lead on it, because the kind of song that it is.
you could hear, you know, when we do it in concert, I mean, you know this, don't youDarren, you could hear a pin drop in it.
(05:02):
It's really, really good.
It's really lovely because Darren has taken pictures from his drum kit and if one turnsthe lights on on their phone and they're kind of you know swaying the light around it's
just beautiful a little stars.
didn't like him doing that because now I could see my face.
(05:23):
Actually, saying that, saying that, how does it feel to be a heartthrob?
And that's what you are, Mike.
No, I tell you what, I never ever felt like a heartthrob of the band.
It's so odd.
It's funny how you perceive yourself, isn't it?
And how other people see you, because I know that people just go, my Nolan.
(05:43):
I know I was I know my mom I was when the show is to introduce the band I used to get theloudest cheers But it didn't make any difference to me.
It really did it never went to my head.
I didn't like that good the end of the day You're not getting any more money for it.
Well, it's all split four ways That's all that mattered there if I was the only onepulling the crowds in which I wasn't because everyone Everyone had a favorite.
(06:07):
Everyone had a favorite that band
Yeah, and Bobby was very popular.
We were all very popular with the audience.
But I the teeny-bops that liked him.
All the Mums used to love Bobby.
Oh really, you were the young crowd.
And the...
I used to see all the dirty old men used to like Cheryl...Jay.
Because she was the sexy one.
(06:29):
They really did.
Not dirty old men, the old men used to like Jay.
So where was Cheryl sitting then?
Oh right, isn't that nice?
Everyone's got their little...
Yeah, one little thing there like that and it was nice.
But when we got together and we were in the studio and things like that, we used to sit inthere listening to what everyone was doing so you could learn the song because you didn't
(06:51):
know the song we went in.
Yeah.
bit by bit.
Yeah.
And you just, and I'd learned mine as we're going over it.
Even working with Mike Stock, he, Cheryl went and put the vocal down first and then Jaywent and doubled her and then
Then Bobby go and put his vocal on, that was the last one to go in.
So I'd learnt the whole song.
Okay.
(07:11):
Was that what was the order that you did things in?
we should do it that way in the end, yeah.
when he was doing it, I said to Mike Stock, I said, right, we've got a gold and you've gota silver album there and a gold album there with those vocals.
When I get him, I'm going to go double platinum.
used say, in you go Mike.
And he used to go da da da.
(07:32):
He used to really laugh.
But now he was another person who liked my sense of humour.
He really did.
It was nice.
It's just, I don't go around...
This is my sense of humour to make you like me.
It's just the way I am.
You know, sometimes, like after the accident, my whole personality really, really changeda lot.
(07:54):
in what way.
Yeah, was in a big way.
mean, Cheryl said this to me.
We often talked about it.
Where my humour used to be very...
Not sarcastic, very...
had a dry sense of humour.
but it had gone really, really dry into a stage of sarcasm.
(08:15):
And I didn't think I was being sarcastic, I thought I was being funny.
Right.
But I wasn't being funny.
Okay.
And Cheryl, I used say, did trouble with you, you just moaned at everything.
And then one night, the two of us were sitting there talking about it and she explained itto me.
I said, I would never say that to you, just because you used to be a very, very funny guy.
(08:39):
You're not funny anymore.
You're sarcastic.
I said, but I'm trying to be funny, Cheryl.
She said, it's not Mike.
You just got to be yourself.
You're trying to impress people and that's not how you do it.
And that's when I really started to get into what I was doing, thinking how to speak topeople again.
And this is all part and parcel of getting yourself back together after what we've beenthrough.
(09:04):
Absolutely, because you weren't aware that you were becoming completely sarcastic untilsomebody told you.
No idea about it at all.
Cheryl used to go to pick the phone up, because we were phoning each other all the time.
She'd go to pick the phone up to call me, she'd go, um, pick the phone up to...
and she'd put it down again.
Really?
Yeah, she was too nervous to talk to me because she said, he's going to come up with somesarcastic comment and it's just going to annoy me again.
(09:28):
And she would tell that story herself.
And I don't feel embarrassed about it.
I feel sad about it because I never thought I was like that.
But it was nothing to do with me, it was part and parcel of healing.
When I came out of hospital, they put me on pills.
(09:48):
When you have a head injury, give you pills, they're for epilepsy.
No, I didn't have a fit or anything like that.
They put you on them for safety.
And these pills used to bring you right down, hence the sarcasm.
You know, light yourself up, try and, you know.
join in, I didn't want to join in, nothing like that.
(10:09):
So I became like, I was on these pills for a long, long time.
And when I moved down to where am now, I had to get a new doctor.
When I saw the doctor, he said, we have to do blood tests, we'll do this, do that.
You need to come off these pills you're on because you've been on them too long.
There's new pills out now for what you've got.
And so we put you on them.
(10:30):
so gradually, easing off on a of pills, put on these new pills and all of sudden this newlease of life came in.
And then I met up with Cheryl and she said, so she kept to it, she said, what are you on?
She said, not on anything, are you drinking?
So said, no, I don't drink, you know I don't drink.
She said, you're changing.
So I said, I ain't changed, I've always been like this.
(10:52):
And she turned and said, no, you haven't, you used to be very laid back.
I said, ah, it's the old pills, did that.
I said, what do mean your old pills?
She I'm not taking my new pills now.
She said, oh my God, go back on the old ones, please.
because the other ones made you so down and these ones do.
They haven't brought me down.
(11:12):
They've given me a new lease of life.
And so all of a sudden, this new guy turned up again and Cheryl was really happy about it.
She's like, glad the old mic's back.
It was you again, right?
When Jay came back to us, I was already on these new pills.
She grabbed them and she said, it changed, it?
(11:34):
23 years!
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Now back to the show.
So when did you start doing solo work?
(11:58):
Well the only one they can look up and they can listen to is In My Life.
Okay.
MIke Nolan In My Life.
The other ones is Rose of Cimeron and first, it's not called the first one right?
Time on my side Time on my side.
That was it.
Yeah, yeah, okay.
uh
And Time on my side is a good album.
But you're saying we can't get it anywhere?
(12:19):
The only way you can get it is off my Facebook.
All right, go to the Facebook.
yeah on Facebook Tasha Tasha sends them all out for me really I think Tasha or Tasha willnotice two of them doing it for me Tasha and Lara doing it i see it coming up on Facebook
and Tasha will now put it out advertising it as well
(12:41):
And we can still get all three albums.
Yeah, perfect.
Yeah, that's really good And so why did you feel the need to go solo?
Were you harking back to the early years when you were just?
Gigging around on your own or what was the inspiration behind making album?
No, was never ever thinking about going on my own.
The agent that was with us at time, Dave Hahn, he had come up to me at one of the gigs.
(13:05):
was sitting there chatting, because I always talk, I talk to everybody.
And I sat there chatting to him.
And um he said something to me about an album.
said, yeah, I'd love to do a solo album.
He said, would you?
So I said, yeah.
He well, you plan on leaving the band?
So now I wouldn't leave the band.
Just to do a solo album would be different, because bands...
members of bands release albums of their own, but said, but I've never really thoughtabout it enough to want to go and do something about it.
(13:33):
So he said, what about if I sort something out about it?
So I said, yeah, do you want to do that for me?
Like joking with him.
And he said, yeah.
Next thing him and another guy got together and introduced me to a producer guy calledMartin Jay, who's brilliant.
And went into the studio and we just did it.
They chose most of the songs.
(13:54):
which I wasn't very happy with, but I wasn't paying for the album, they were paying themoney for it.
So I went along with that, I put a couple of songs on it.
But then after that, Martin, I got friendly with Martin, being in the studio, and I phonedhim up said about doing an album, just me and him in the studio, because I didn't like the
(14:15):
idea, because Dave was really good, but I wanted to be in the studio on my own.
dealing with the producer and not have somebody in there.
And so I went in and this time, David paid for the first album, I paid for the secondalbum myself.
And so I did that and the third one and it worked out really, really well.
(14:40):
Did you ever perform any of your solo stuff live?
I did once, a fan came over from Australia to have a do with her family.
She came home after being Australia for a while and she got a family to go and ask herwould I do a show.
There was another one I did for a charity and I sang two songs at that.
(15:00):
But I really wanted to do it.
It was a nice feeling.
It was nice doing it because I did it all before but being in a band for so many years.
You do depend on each other.
That's it.
All eyes are on you then.
All the banter's down to you, even though I you're the banter-meister.
But it's quite nerve-racking.
I was really, I was so, so nervous.
(15:23):
I'm nervous when I go on stage, even with a band, still.
But when you go on on your own, it's 10 times worse.
Well the thing is it shows that you're alive.
It shows that you care, doesn't it?
About it.
you're kind of like, yeah whatever, I'm just gonna do a gig.
don't understand someone who goes on stage and says, are you nervous?
No.
You're going to do a great performance.
Yeah, awful.
(15:44):
Terrible.
know, you are nervous.
You're nervous when you're on stage with us.
Yeah?
want to hear from you, Bubs.
Darren's trying to be shy over there.
Are you nervous, Bubs, when you go on stage?
I suppose the confidence in knowing what you're doing helps...
that's where I get nervous because everyone else goes on stage, you don't know whatthey're doing except me.
(16:09):
That's what it is.
a pig fly, did you see the pig fly?
You're the glue aren't you Mike...
I'm the worst, on stage I mean, when we do our shows, we've been doing it for so long, youjust go wrong, just change it a bit.
Just make a bit different.
You know, it's just sort of, you know, I believe that's when you're completely relaxedwith everything.
(16:31):
You can sod around all you like.
And no one can rollock you over it.
So get lost.
You're not my manager anymore.
can't be told off.
Can't turn off the turn.
Tell off the turn.
Turn off the turn!
Could be worse, we've to go there.
making things up now.
(16:52):
The instant fame okay like the kind of instant like I'm Mike and I'm just gonna sing thisdemo oh and now I've won Eurovision and now everybody knows who I am like how is that
that's mad isn't it
It's a brilliant feeling.
I remember when we were in the studio doing the album, I used to say to Cheryl, let's gofor a walk.
Well, because there are going be ages doing this.
(17:13):
Let's go for a long walk.
She where do want to go?
I said, let's walk down Oxford Street and see how many people recognise us.
Really?
We went out for about an hour and we were like, I'm bored with this.
Come on, let's get back quick.
Because we were really getting recognised.
I bet.
And it was a great feeling.
But today, when I go out on my own, I notice it.
because people started looking and go...
(17:35):
If I'm with somebody, we're chatting So I don't take any notice, but they noticed it witheverybody else.
My brothers did.
Saw my brothers, a couple of weeks ago, went and had lunch together and they could reallysee it.
And they hadn't seen it for a few years.
They said, oh my God, it's still going on.
How do you live with it?
I said, live with what?
They said, they're all looking at you.
(17:56):
I've never ever looked at anybody that's ever come up to me.
One time I don't like it is when you're a meal and they come up and ask you for anautograph or if they're taking photographs of you.
But at the same time, you can't be rude to them because the way I look at it, they're thepeople that actually put you there.
That's it.
And so you remember them on your way up because on your way down, you're going to needthem.
(18:20):
Absolutely.
And that's how I've always looked at it.
So I've never ever been rude to anybody.
But you know, it happens all the time and it's part and parcel of your life.
and you get used to it and it's not just, you know, everyone is anybody, everyone goesthrough it.
Well, that's the thing.
The thing is, it is how you handle it.
(18:41):
also,
Because you're modest you yeah, I don't think you've realized the impact that you've hadon people's lives It's like you don't and like like in the 80s and stuff.
It's like, you know There would have been what top of the pops and there would have beenlike the the top 40 and whatever like on the radio and everything like that You're on the
(19:02):
covers of all those magazines.
I know like I'm sure there were people
in your outfit.
So much publicity we didn't realise how much we were getting.
But that's the thing and the impact that you had because I am arranged for my old Italianteacher to come to one of the gigs I remember where the gig was and I said yeah come along
(19:22):
I said you know when we married then Bubs, I don't think we were married then and I saidyeah my fiance is the drummer in the band and she was like He plays for Bucks Fizz and I
was like yeah it's cool I can get you some tickets and so I got the Access All Areas passI was like yeah come back
Did we meet her?
Yeah.
The whole time walking towards the backstage she was like...
(19:45):
You see that said that surprised me how they shake and they come.
One woman started crying.
I said, it's you.
What have I done?
It's just seeing you.
I I'm human like everyone else.
It's It's huge.
And like you said, the publicity and there was just less kind of like stimuli coming infrom all areas.
It was like no Netflix and there were like 800 million channels.
(20:06):
And not that that's not the reason why you've had such an impact is because, you know, youwere there and in front of people, but because of the personality and who you are and your
look and just your energy.
You're one of those people who walks into a room and then we know that you're there.
You're not.
I'm here.
Oi!
(20:27):
No, I'm here.
What was it actually hearing yourself coming out of the radio like in a shop or somewhere?
remember the first time I heard that.
I remember the first time I heard it was the day after we won the song for Europe and thatwas on a Thursday the 12th of March and I was traveling up in the car and Mike Reed was on
(20:49):
the radio with the breakfast show and he played Making Your Mind Up.
Wow.
I'm really like...
I was like a lunatic in the car.
Really?
Yeah.
Brilliant.
I was such a lunatic, I opened the window and said, put your radio on.
I'm proud of it.
You know, I remember that morning so I remember everything about that time.
(21:12):
I really I you know, my mind goes back to like years and years ago.
I can't remember what I did last week.
Things like that, but my mind goes right back to when I was a kid, right?
Goes right back to then.
And like when you talk about it, do you still get the feeling?
the feeling still bubble up?
Because you've had three number ones.
(21:32):
Like that's massive.
We've had a lot of yeah, the success we've had has been, the first three, four years ofour career, was just, it was non-stop.
We were so young then, it didn't bother us.
We weren't flying home.
Why we came home, I don't know, because you have to at the airport again the next morning.
(21:53):
So we're backwards and forwards all the time.
we spent, it must have been 300 days abroad and 65 back here probably.
Yeah, it was just...
on the go all the time.
uh
How often did you get to see your family, friends and family but hardly?
Hardly got to them.
But I was still living with my parents at the time.
(22:14):
I because I couldn't afford to buy my place at the time because I was going from job tojob all the time and just about managing to survive on it.
Then all of a sudden you start to take off.
And I never left home until I was 20...
I was 28 when I left.
Really?
83.
I was 28, yeah.
(22:35):
Oh, wow.
When I moved out.
I should have moved out in 81 but we didn't have chance to go and look for properties.
Because I'm a go all the time.
Then one day I just went and looked for somewhere and in 83 I moved into my first place.
And it was like heaven.
Was it?
I loved living with my parents at the time but just having your own place, living on yourown.
(23:01):
It was just like I can't believe this.
This is my house.
Yeah.
or my apartment at the time because I moved into an apartment up in London and it was justbeautiful.
I bet.
Yeah.
How was it for you, Mum, when you left?
Well, at that time when I left, they moved back to Ireland.
But they moved over to Ireland in June and they came over for...
(23:24):
em
That was in 83 and they came home, I think it must have been about March time thefollowing year.
She hadn't even gone a year.
Oh, they were like...
And it was at the end of that year.
Imagine if they were living in Ireland when the accident happened.
Of course.
That would have been just, well, it 10 times worse than that would have been.
(23:47):
So they, but they couldn't settle over there because all their boys were over here.
my Mum wanted to move back and she just wasn't settled over there.
And I said, you're not going to settle over there, we'll roll over here.
Well, I never see any this.
None of you's come and seen me.
I remember we're at work and we come and see you the weekend and things like that.
And I did say to her, she said, I remember saying to her, I remember one thing, I'm a starnow, you can't see me as much of me, she said, I'm your mother.
(24:14):
Is that how she said it?
I'm your mother.
There'll never be another like your mother.
That's what she said.
Very true though.
There will never be another like your mother.
m
And did you, because we were talking about this before we started filming, did you sayyour Mum wanted you to be an electrician?
Yeah, you're not a singer, you're to be an electrician, going to do a proper job.
(24:38):
m
Did she ever say, actually, well done for not listening to me?
You were right.
tell you what happened in 1974.
I was doing my first proper show, my proper performance at the London Palladium.
The real thing were on the bill.
Yeah.
Right, I was first on and then the manager went and got my Mum from the audience when Icame off.
(25:05):
Mum wants to see you, Your Mum wants to see you.
so I turned around and she said, you were really, really good.
So now do believe I want to be a performer?
She said, I believe you now.
That's what it took to make her believe because she never thought I was a really a properperformer She knows I was a performer but not to be at the palladium Okay, just couldn't
(25:26):
believe it but it was great.
My whole family were there.
They came over from Ireland from it They just came from everywhere
would, wouldn't you?
You would.
to London Palladium and that was it.
This one show I did, was my big break.
It wasn't a big break.
Next day I went back to work in the warehouse where I was working.
(25:47):
Stacking up cat food.
And it's in all the local papers.
All the local papers could see it.
And I've got a little bit of recognition.
No, the recognition came from the people in work all laughing at me about it.
When I left, I said to them, the next time you sing, no that's what I said to them when Ileft school.
When I left school, I said to the teacher, I'm no point in my staying on here to these Olevels, things like that.
(26:12):
said, because they're gonna be used to me for my work.
He said, but you're gonna be an electrician.
So I said, no, I'm not gonna be an electrician.
I wanna be a singer.
He said, you're not a singer.
And I said, well, Cliff Richard's a singer.
Cliff Richard's a singer.
I said, I want Mary Hopkins a singer.
These were stars in those days.
And they turned, so they sent me my Mum and Dad.
come and talk to me about it.
(26:33):
And they said, you tell them people you're going to be electrician.
I got in there and met the guy and he said to me, Nolan, have you decided what you'regoing to be?
So I said, yes.
He yeah, he's decided, on, tell them what you want to be.
He you're to still be a singer.
He said, you're not going to be a singer, meant, because your parents would hit you inthose days.
And I left school the following year when I went back to the fifth year.
(26:59):
And I said to the teacher,
I don't want to stay here anymore, I'm going to go home.
I said, I'm leaving school today.
And he said, sit down, you've got your exams coming.
So I said, no, I've decided I'm going to leave.
I said, what are you going to do with yourself?
So I said, I'm going to be a singer.
He said, I'm not that story again.
So I said, I'm going to be a singer.
(27:21):
And the next time you see me, will be on the telly.
The next time they saw me was on the song for Europe.
So you're one of those people aren't you kind of speaks things into existence Are you areyou like that like like you have your mind set on something and it's gonna happen I'm
thinking about things in life.
(27:42):
Like when you were like, I want to buy my flat Did you have that in mind and it happened
Yeah, definitely wanted to do it.
When I went into London, my Mum says, can't afford to do it.
I said, I found an apartment I really liked.
She said, how much is it?
I said, at that time in 83, it was £64,000 pounds, £65,000 pounds.
(28:03):
And she said, you can buy my place off me for £38,000.
She said, you're paying twice the money for a flat up there.
And my brother and I bought the house from my Mum.
I bought it off her.
Did you?
And I ultimately sought this place in London, bought it, and my brother said, I'll have itoff you.
So he bought it from me.
(28:25):
You bought?
I bought my Mum's house and before they left I'd sold the house to my brother and I movedin to London and when I moved in there um they loved it they thought it was absolutely
beautiful
I bet.
bet.
Which part of London was it?
Darling.
Sorry.
Of course it was.
(28:46):
What was I thinking?
It wasn't going to be East Acton, was it?
Just off Edgeware Road But you know, didn't know, the estate agent took me to it.
I didn't know where I was going to live.
We just went, me and Cheryl went to one of the estate agents and she said we could takeyou to see three places.
The first place they showed me was the place I bought and I walked in there and I justloved it.
(29:09):
He said well we think you need to see the other three, the other two because never go onfirst place you see.
So said but I love this place.
They took me to see the next place.
I just put my head in and said, nah, I don't like this.
Awful.
She said, you haven't seen it yet?
So I said, can see it.
Just like the colour of the wall.
And she said, just come and have a look.
(29:29):
So we walked in and I said, no, this ain't nice.
The ceilings are too high.
Makes me look like a midget.
And Cheryl went, hmm, like that And then the next place I saw, didn't like that either.
So said, nah, I'm going to take the first one I saw.
There you go, one and done.
and I moved into it and I absolutely loved it.
(29:50):
Lovely.
Maida Vale It's nice up there.
Yeah.
And at the top floor...
Well, Penthouse is one that's on the top floor on its own, isn't it?
Oh, OK.
There's another block on the opposite of me.
Come out my door, there's another flat opposite.
right, OK, OK.
On the same floor.
Nice lift in it,
(30:10):
You like a lift Mike?
Well, no, these actually went to places I bought, both had lifts in.
It just happened to be...
But I never used my lift.
I always walked the stairs, always.
No, I always use the lift because that's what old people use.
Don't you say anything.
Yeah.
(30:31):
Well Mike, you've been part of one of the most iconic bands for the last 44 years.
You've been through name changes, line up changes, but you've been there steady this wholetime.
And you finally did your last gig in November last year.
Yeah, November the 20th it was.
(30:54):
It's been a few months now.
Yeah.
And how are you feeling about the transition?
Were you ready to go after all that time?
Oh yeah, I definitely was.
I mean it was on my mind for a I tell you where...
Nothing happened within the band for me to want to leave.
you know, the lockdown time when we were off work for nearly a year.
(31:18):
I began to realise it's actually nice not working.
And then when you went back, it seemed like a pressure.
Right.
You know, we got back into it okay because we'd be carried on for further three years.
But I was just starting to get to a stage with it.
I just wasn't enjoying it anymore.
I just had enough.
(31:38):
I remember when I told Cheryl and Jay, Jay was fine about it.
Cheryl really wasn't.
She just wasn't.
But you know, when you say to me now, but how do I feel about it?
I'm still glad I've left.
I would never want to go back.
And the reason I don't want to go back is because
(32:02):
It won't be the same.
And what I've got, as far as that group is concerned, all the lovely memories.
There are bad memories, but the good memories totally outdo the bad memories.
all the nice memories are there.
And I talk about it and people speak with me about it, like you are now.
And I can talk about it with pride.
(32:22):
I was really, really happy in it.
And the moment to say I wasn't happy, it's time to back off.
And they always used to wonder why people are leaving these groups.
It must be a terrible thing to do.
They must really regret it.
I understand them now.
Yes.
And so until it happens to you, you don't understand.
(32:42):
Yeah, I mean, I know it was hard for the the fans because it was like, Mike's leaving andpeople were crying and don't go and all of that stuff.
But you've got to do what you need to do for you, haven't you?
I thought the loveliest things that happened, you remember this one Darren, when we didthe night, the Stagg Theatre was where the last gig was and I sang Now Those Days Are Gone
(33:06):
and when I sung I got a standing ovation, it went on for 10 minutes didn't it?
We couldn't stop it.
Lovely.
And I just stood and looked at Cheryl so I said, what can we do?
She said, eat it baby, eat it.
Love it.
Just drink it in.
Yeah, because, and I stood there and eventually they did stop clapping.
They were quite emotional, but someone said to me, came back in the car and said, did thatmake you feel that you'd done the wrong thing, Mike?
(33:32):
So said, no.
But you can't regret it because that 10 minute standing ovation was everyone showing theirlove to you and kind of saying thank you for.
m
was really, really nice.
And it made you, it made you feel as an artist that they appreciate what you've done.
it's all, and I said to them, I want to thank everyone.
(33:54):
The most important people I can thank are you, the audience, because without you we haveno career, which was a true saying.
I've always said it, and I still stick by it.
Thank you so much Mike.
You're welcome.
will give you a kiss and a hug.
There you go.
You've got to be on the outside because you're the star.
You're the star.
(34:15):
uh Thank you so much.
We're going to go and edit that eight hours now.
Eight hours.
Oh my god.
Oh, see how it turns out.
I'm joking it's not 8 hours..
Eleven!
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