Book of The Year

Well it should be..another cracking read from music entrepreneur Simon Naper Bell who discovered some of the biggest names in rock music including WHAM and the late George Michael as well as penning a legendary hit for Dusty Springfeild and Elvis Prseley. Napier Bell in the 80s was also the first perosn to stage a rock concert in China when WHAM ! appeared there. Napier Bell also discovered Australia's Jean Paul Young and was responsible for his massive hiy "Love is in The Air. His latest book is full of fascinating anecdotes as many of his previous best-sellers : You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, about the 60s; Black Vinyl White Powder, about the postwar British record industry; and I’m Coming To Take You To Lunch,and is a guaranteed rollicking look at the music busines along with his other numerous interests and escapades. Recently he's directed three major documentaries. 'To Be Frank', about Frank Sinatra (Netflix). '27 Club', investigating the psyche of creative music artists (Netflix). And '50 Years Legal', marking 50 years since the UK decriminalised homosexuality. To order the book go to Simon's FACEBOOK page.. https://www.facebook.com/simonnapierbell

A tale from the world of pop

 Legendary rock manager and author Simon Napier Bell (he's half Australian) writes a story about his involvement with a promising Aussie band WA WA NEE and the death this week of the singer of the group, Paul Gray (second left in the photo below).


WA WA NEE - PAUL GRAY
In April 1987 I got a call from Dennis Handlin at CBS in Australia telling me I ought to manage a band he’d signed - “Come to the CBS conference next month and hear them play. They’re bloody marvellous. They’re called Wa Wa Nee.”
Meanwhile he booked me a first-class ticket.
A month later on a Thursday, I was due to leave home for a 9pm flight
when I got a sudden lurch in my stomach. I’d clean forgotten that since I’d last been to Australia they’d introduced visas for UK citizens. And I didn’t have one.
A bit panicked because I had to leave for the airport in half-an-hour, I called the airline and asked if exceptions were ever made. “Absolutely never!” they said. “Not even for the bloody Prime Minister”
Which didn’t sound promising.
With some help from my very well-connected squash coach, I managed to get the home number of the Australian ambassador. By which time there was only a few minutes left to get things sorted out.
I told him who I was, that I’d managed Wham! and had taken them to China. But it turned out he wasn’t a pop fan and didn’t know who Wham! was. “What d’you want exactly?” he asked bluntly. He sounded put out to have been called at home by someone he didn’t know.

I said I’d been invited at very short notice to go to Sydney to sign an Australian pop group who, if I signed them for management, would undoubtedly become a substantial earner of foreign currency for Australia. But I needed a visa.
“No way,” he said. “You’ll have to go to the visa office tomorrow morning. It will take at least 48 hours, and we’re closed over the weekend. So that means Monday.”
I could tell he wanted to hang up but before he could I politely repeated the whole story again.. “They’re called Wa Wa Nee,” I said. And by a piece of good fortune he repeated the name out loud.
Immediately, from the other end of the phone came a cacophony of screams .
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“My two daughters.”
Two hours later I was on the plane with a handwritten visa. Thirty-six hours later I’d become the manager of Wa Wa Nee. They were a four-piece band who wrote their own songs. The singer was Paul Gray, blond and starry, and the musicians who played with him were Steve, Chris, and Mark.
I must say it went rather well. With unusual speed, I extracted a substantial budget from CBS and flew the group to London where we made a video of their latest single, Sugar Free. I then persuaded Epic in New York to give them the full monty promotion-wise.
In September Sugar Free went into the Billboard Hot 100 and by the time we arrived in New York to do promotion it had climbed to 35. I had discussions with the Epic marketing department re its onward progress. They planned to put it into the Top Twenty the following week, the Top Ten the week after, and if things still looked good the week after that, they’d go for a Number One.
In New York the group played a gig that went exceptionally well and we moved on to LA. After an equally good show at the Whiskey, I had to tell Paul he’d be having dinner with the wives of a couple of CBS executives. “They’ve rather taken a fancy to you,” I explained.
He didn’t like the idea at all. “I’m not a piece of meat,” he said. “I’m an artist.”
“It’s only a dinner. Be nice for a couple of hours, then you can go home to Australia knowing your record will be in the Top Ten.”
“N-O!”
It’s what everyone wants to say but in the end doesn't. But Paul did. And he refused to go to dinner.
By the following week Wa Wa Nee’s record had disappeared from the Billboard chart and the group’s career in America was over. You couldn’t really fault Paul. He was principled and stuck with what he believed in. His life was about music, not PR. He was a charming fellow, wrote amazingly good music, and sung brilliantly.
For me - for the rest of the band - for Paul too - it was just one more rock experience. Sometimes that’s how things work out.
Last week Paul died and everyone is very sad. Me too. For the musicians who were in Wa Wa Nee, he was for a while the focal point of their lives. He was funny, witty, and delightfully self-deprecatory. When Steve, the guitarist, learned he had cancer a couple of months back, Paul said, “Don’t worry. It’s nothing. Just a little setback. I’ll soon be over it.”
But unfortunately he wasn’t.
 The funeral is on Thursday. RIP Paul. You’re much missed.

TheTruth about George Michael

On September 11th legendary British music entrepreneur Simon Napier-Bell will appear at Leadbelly in Newtown to give an after dinner talk.
Among Napier-Bell's many music discoveries are Dusty Springfield, The Yardbyrds, Marc Bolan & T-Rex and of course, George Michael and Wham who he turned into world superstars.
Simon remained a close friend of George Michael's and is threatening to tell the real story of Michael's life. Once when visiting Napier-Bell at his Thai villa where he now lives, Whispers found George Michael hiding from the world's media after yet another druggy car accident in the UK.
                                                            

Simon will have plenty to say about the Same Sex marriage issue having recently married his male partner in the UK and having recently directed a fascinating documentary "50 Years Legal" which is currently being screened in UK cinemas. In the film he interviews a host of famous British gays including Elton John, Stephen Fry, Matt Lucas, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Ian McKellan , David Hockney and many more.
He has now written 5 best-selling books about music which have received rave reviews. One "Black Vinyl White Powder" was included in the UK school curriculum. His current book Ta-Ra-Ra-BOOM De-Ay tells the history of commercial music from the 1700s onwards. Napier-Bell's last visit to Sydney was in 2016 when he accompanied Sinead O'Connor who he was then managing.

AN EVENING WITH SIMON NAPIER - BELL Monday 11th Sept Leadbelly 6-12pm

Below is the famous song Napier-Bell wrote for Dusty Springfield which was also a mega hit for Elvis Presley

Let's Get Real

Following Whisper's revelation that colourful Sydney artistic duo Charles and Christa Billich are headed for the USA, a Sydney newspaper has called into question the claims about several planned reality TV shows.
(left : Christa & Charles Billich)
Whispers only knows what we have read about the Billich's show which reputedly follows the duo as they attempt to set up a Los Angeles art gallery. Former Sydneysider James Maas who hails from the North Shore is reported to be starring in the series which has the blessing of Hollywood director Adam Shroeder.

As to former Sydney gumshoe Frank Monte and his partner Sharon Sargeant's The Private Eye & The Madam we know a bit more. Monte has received some flack for originally trying to raise funding on Kickstarter. But it did in fact pay off with an LA film investor ponying up $250,000 to finance a pilot and one episode which are now in the can. We can assure readers the financier is genuine and has confirmed the deal but wishes to remain anonymous at this stage.

We also know a South American TV network ( we checked !) offered to purchase the series from Monte but Monte says the price offered along with restrictions on distribution didn't make the deal viable. Making the pilot is almost the easy part. Selling it is the hard part.
                        (right: Frank Monte & Sharon Sargeant)
Whispers more than anyone knows how difficult it is getting a film project off the ground. Having moved into the Moving Picture Industry five years ago we have worked on two successful documentaries. Another project we have in the pipeline has been thirty years in the planning.

Hollywood heavies Cassian & Cary Elwes

It's taken that long to get a biopic based on the life of The Who manager Kit Lambert written by Whispers with famous UK rock manager Simon Napier-Bell and former MOJO editor Pat Gilbert to the stage where powerful  US independent producer Cassian Elwes has picked up the project for a new production company he has formed with his brother actor Cary Elwes.
The film has the enthusiastic backing of Pete 
 Townshend and Roger Daltrey. The Who are still huge stars in the US and can pack stadiums giving The Rolling Stones a run for their money.

Elwes is specializing in low budget films, although the expected budget $US18M isn't chickenfeed, in Hollywood terms it's low. Elwes sells the rights to his films to cable TV to cover production costs where they end up following a cinema release. But it's almost like the old studio system with a production line. He has 8 films on the go and where ours is in the pecking order is complicated
by whether a name actor is available seeing they are obligated for years ahead. Every actor that reads our script wants the role including  Colin Farrell but will they be available?
It gets to the point where all you care about is- as long as the cheques roll in. Hopefully one day we'll get to attend the premiere.
 Right: Simon Napier-Bell & his famous discovery George Michael

Death of a Superstar : George Michael

In the 1980s Whispers had quite a bit to do with George Michael.  Working for Wham's then manager Simon Napier-Bell (pictured above left) we filled the UK media with endless tales, sometimes they were true and often concocted but always, always harmless. In fact we named this column in honour of Michael's much loved song Careless Whispers.
In 1985 Whispers traveled to China when Napier-Nell pulled off the most extraordinary feat and convinced the Politburo that Wham should be the first foreign pop/rock band to perform there. It was a surreal experience after European concerts where fans went berserk over any Wham song while in China, each song was accompanied by polite claps from  the audience who were made up of youngsters from the emerging middle-class.
Simon later recorded his efforts in getting Wham to China in a fascinating book I'm Coming To Take You to Lunch.

George was the intellectual of the duo while Andrew Ridgley was the fun guy and together they were a perfect compliment for each other. When Wham finally split the pair remained firm friends as did both with Simon Napier-Bell. Indeed the last time we say George Michael was when he was staying at Napier-Bell's Thailand villa a few years ago while yet another media controversy raged over a London car incident.
George  Michael was a superstar in the true sense and probably one of the world's greatest writers of pop songs. In person he was self effacing, friendly and shy but underneath, a troubled soul who was just pulling his life together following the death of his long-time partner and various bouts of drug abuse. He will be missed.

Missing the Party

He was hoping to be in Sydney for tomorrow's Mardi Gras but alas business has delayed his visit. British music entrepreneur Simon Napier-Bell says he is disappointed to be missing his first Mardi Gras particularly as he was named as the UK LGBT (gay) Personality of The Year in 2009. .
Napier-Bell has discovered and managed some of the biggest names in pop music from the Yardbirds, Marc Bolan & T-Rex, Dusty Springfield and Wham and George Michael.

#In 1985 Whispers was a guest at the very first pop/rock concert in China- Wham- a ground  breaking event that had taken Simon two years of schmoozing Politburo members to pull off. It was a surreal occasion as several thousand Chinese audience, mainly party bigwigs and their families politely clapped after every song including Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.
Napier-Bell has now written several best-selling books about the music business and his 2003 book Black Vinyl White Powder is regarded as the definitive book on the pop music business. But he has now gone back even further with his latest book Ta- Ra -Ra- Boom- De Ay-the dirty business of popular music which charts the history of music from the 18th century.
(left : Simon with Sinead O'Connor)
Napier-Bell will be in Sydney on the 19th of this month with Irish singer Sinead O'Connor who he manages, for her one and only Australian concert at the Sydney Opera House.
Below is the song Simon penned with Vicki Wikham for Dusty Springfield and which was a hit for Elvis Presley also :  You Don't Have To Say You Love Me.
 Says Simon wistfully :"if I only had $1 for every time around the world I see drag queens miming to that song"!

Colour & Movement in Kings Cross

A new luxury Italian eatery with a Brazilian themed opening night was always going to be a must attend bash and the launch party for Janus in Bayswater Road, Kings cross did not disappoint.
JANUS owner George Michael threw his doors open for 300 media and VIPs for a decadent party full of food, sparkle, gyration and tons of truly wonderful food..
Jesinta Campbell looked elegant in a Ferragamo dress and cosied up to  racing driver Aaron Zerefos to sip champagne and taste chef Marcello Guzzo's great nibbles.

Michael & Angela Moore                                                 George Michael, Jesinta Campbell & Aaron Zerefos

 Guests included designer Steven Khalil and Georgia Osborne, Donny Galella, Josh Flynn and Bianca Venuti-Hughes who tasted dishes from a table of antipasto, cheeses, salamis and an amazing array of sweat breads.

Sydney Mardi Gras Line-Up

Jake Shears,Heather Small,Wayne G,Delta Goodrem

February 10^th signals the beginning of the Sydney Mardi Gras season (they dropped the moniker 'Gay & Lesbian' last year after 2 decades of scolding the media if they got the name wrong) with Fair Day.

 Fair Day really shouldn’t be missed. It’s a chance to run into your favourite 6' Sydney drag queen in the daylight. You might even see your accountant or as the Shuttle did one year, our normally conservative solicitor in a fetching sun yellow frock and Christian Louboutin pumps.

drag races at Bondi Beach

Queer Thinking is on Saturday 16 Feb and Harbour 13 ( a huuge party by the harbour) on the 13^th & 23^rd Feb and our very favourite event, the Drag Races at Bondi Beach on March 1st.

There are films , plays , art shows and so on culminating in the parade and after party on Saturday 3^rd Match. 

A few slebs will be in town to entertain at  the party including Heather Small from M People and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears , DJ Wayne G who will be joining local entertainers like Garcon Garcon and Delta Goodrem. And Mitzi McIntosh returns from London where she has wowed audiences.

As always the Social Shuttle is spot on in predicting special guests who will be in town to party which will include George Michael ( as if he’d miss it !) and this year- Ricky Martin who will also be here as a a judge on the 2013 The Voice.

The Only Gay Is In The Village

exclusive : We can reveal that Little Britain star Matt Lucas has quietly slipped into town and will be a guest at this Saturday's Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.

And plans are afoot to get Matt to join George Michael, (living in a  Potts Point apartment and not the Northern Beach's house he didn't buy last year as reported by a major daily newspaper) on the beloved Kylie Minogue's  own Mardi Gras float on which she will travel from Whitlam Square to Fox Studios via Oxford Street during the parade.

Rev Fred

The Shuttle has also had a confirmation from the Reverend Fred Nile that he will pray for rain this Saturday and reading the weather report, Fred's prayers sound like they will be answered.
 Sadly for Fred whenever they are it simply means more clothes are taken off as the Mardi Gras participants love nothing more than cavorting and dancing in the rain.
Still, it's the thought that counts.

Clover

There are also major rumblings over the Mardi Gras committee's insistence that the media pay a $200 fee per person for covering the event. This fee which it's claimed 'covers expenses' has long outraged much of the media particularly as the parade takes place on a public street with large injections of money from the NSW state government.

The Shuttle's round of inquiries have produced little response apart from Lord Mayor Clover Moore's office where a representative expressed "shock" at the fee. Wake up folks, it's been there for 15 years now. As for the Media Alliance, they ignored our request for a comment but that's the usual way for them.
This is the same union which purportedly looks after the affairs of professionally employed and freelance journalists and photographers who are union members. Yet they famously went into battle for the non-union paparazzi when police claimed they had found bugging devices outside Nicole Kidman's Darling Point house in 2005. Note to Media Alliance-you can find the Leveson Inquiry here.

Below is Kylie's Mardi Gras message:


Feature: Kylie Sydney Mardi Gras 2012 Announcement from mardigras on Vimeo.

Elton John Goes Potty

The Hope Estate in the beautiful Hunter Valley produces not only excellent wines but has become the venue of choice for visiting performers including Neil Diamond, The Who, Whitney Huston, James Taylor and Carole King. Last week Dolly Parton sang there and this weekend Elton John gives two concerts.

Any excuse to visit the Hunter should be grabbed and vintner Michael Hope by combining with promoters like Michael Chugg has won big time with this concept and is cleaning up. Over the past year he has built a brand new amphitheatre and early next year has George Michael and Rod Stewart in his line-up of star acts.

Hope Estate

Now the local Cessnock Council wants in on the action. Visitors to the Hunter always marvel at the glorious landscape but the roads are a real shocker and full of potholes. Over the past month the council has taken heed of local’s complaints and has been discussing a $50,000 levy to be charged to the concert promoters which would add an extra $3 to ticket prices.

The powerful Tourism Transport Forum says it’s an “absolutely appalling” idea : “you have a council that’s reaped a benefit from having a vineyard on its doorstep for decades and now it wants to tax people for having fun”, seemingly ignoring the notion that Hope has now over taken the Sydney Entertainment Centre for staging large concerts.

Small local business owners are backing the council and one who wished to remain anonymous and who says he represents 30 others told the Shuttle today:

“We have no problem with the Hope Estate concerts but they bring an extra 35,000 people to the Hunter on concert days and few other businesses see a benefit from that. The visitors spend all day at the Hope Estate which controls all their spending. Food and drinks must be purchased at Hope. Hampers cost about $100 and some tickets cost up to $699. The thousands of extra buses and cars are causing havoc on the already creaking roads and we are expected to subsidize the roads for Hope”

Looks like this one may be destined for the courts.

Look Who Is Coming to the (Mardi Gras) Party !

2 unique acts are lined up for personal appearances this month in Sydney and to ring in the after party at Fox Studios at the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday March 5th.

Courtney Act (left) who has been touring the UK & US and internet sensation Chris Crocker.

Those who have been living in a wardrobe for the past few year may not know Crocker who started his own club of one : the Britney Spears Extremist Committee.

Both Courtney and Crocker will be performing at the new Oxford Street venue Nevermind ( George Michael was there last Saturday nite) where Chris will sing his chart topping single Freak Of Nature.

Below is Chris Crocker's video-Leave Britney Alone. It launched Chris to international stardom. The poor lad gets a bit upset and over 37 million people have watched it on youtube. You should watch all his youtube offerings. The lad is very funny.

Saucy Bunting For Mardi Gras ?

From the 19th February the 2011 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival season begins with live musical shows, dance parties, fairs, art shows, a movie festival and international celebrity appearances.

Amongst those who will be here this year-writer Armistead Maupin, comedian Lily Tomlin and gay activist Peter Tatchtell. Last year's special guest George Michael has already slipped into town and taken up residence on the Northern Beaches.

Lasting until March 6th the festival culminates in the spectacular parade up Oxford Street watched at times by crowds of up to 750,000. The after parade party always features a special guest whose identity is still a secret. In the past entertainment at the party has included Kylie Minogue, Cyndi Lauper and Olivia Newton John.

This morning the official Mardi Gras guide arrived in the post and while it isn't at first obvious, the cover tells a raunchy story. Often the cover of the guide is reproduced in posters and flags that run throughout the city for the duration of the festival. Will this year's cover be featured fluttering from hundreds of flagpoles on Sydney's streets?

To view the on-line version of the festival program click here.

George Michael, Real Estate Fantasies & Serial Killers

It's laughingly referred to as No Idea in the trade. Pacific Magazines hugely popular weekly New Idea magazine which has around one and half million readers each week.

Unfortunately it doesn't, unlike a few British tabloids and several News Ltd publications scour the Social Shuttle for tips. Otherwise they would have known as we reported on the 10th October that Oprah Winfrey would be staying at the Hotel Intercontinental when she booked into Sydney to record her 2 shows at the Sydney Opera House.

New Idea brought it's readers the fantasy story (pictured) on December 6th of how Oprah would be choosing from one of several million dollar harbour side mansions lining exclusive Wolseley Avenue.

Their choice was home loan's king John Symond's new $60M glass palace which was a surprise to him when we contacted him a week after the story was published and he told the Shuttle he wouldn't be moving out for Oprah or anyone else.

The usually reliable Real Estalker website informs us that George Michael has purchased a $6M house in Whale Beach (left-and not Palm Beach as they call it) which may come as a surprise for Michael who next February is booked into the same Icon apartment in Kings Cross where he stayed for 6 weeks earlier this year when he was the guest at the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras- as exclusively revealed by the Shuttle 5 weeks before anyone else.

As George spent nearly every night partying on the Oxford Street gay strip, ten minutes from Kings Cross it's a mystery why he would buy a house on the Northern Beaches when it takes a good two hours to travel into the city.

In a city obsessed with property, how appropriate then that the Darlinghurst Theatre brings us a musical about real estate titled 'Open For Inspection' opening on the 21st January 2011.

It's a rollicking tale of a real estate agent who becomes a serial killer as 2 rival agencies battle for customers during a property slump and go to extreme lengths to literally make a killing. Nice. Here is a number from the show :


To book seats for Open For Inspection go here.

 

Tracey Emin's Dud Dinner Party

It was billed as the dinner party of the social season for art connoisseurs. A chance to meet and sup with the

enfant terrible and leading light of the YBAs ( Young British Artists) Tracey Emin at just $750 a snip.

Sadly it wasn't to be. There were 5 takers in all. The dinner was cancelled due to 'lack of interest'.

Art consultant Amanda Love was to host the bash at her Woollahra home where she is also showing Emin's latest works. The art show, along with the cancelled dinner is to raise money to benefit the collection of contemporary Australian art at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Emin has been in town for a fortnight now and her art is for sale but you have to go through Ms Love to purchase a work. Or know the right people who know Ms Love and wangle and invitation and you will be granted the rare privilege of being able to purchase a Emin art piece.

 Tracey Emin swept to prominence in 1999 when she was nominated for Turner Prize after exhibiting My Bed which was apparently her own unmade bed surrounded by condoms and blood stained underwear.

My Bed

Her wikipedia entry says she was "raped at the  age of 13 . In a "loosely autobiographical" film to be made of this event she only asked, in true documentary fashion, that "The extras will all come from Margate and I'll hire a church hall there to hold auditions. I'll ask each of the girls: 'What is it you really hate about your mum?'."

It's no surprise that Elton John and George Michael are collectors of her work.
Tracey, who returns to the UK early next week has given 2 talks-at the NSW Art Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Others who may wish to view her works will have to track down Mizz Love's house and press their noses up against her living room window.,

A Swell Party-One Missing Guest !

It was one of the smartest bashes Sydney has seen for some time.

The 75Th Birthday party for one of the top producers of pearls in the world-the famous Paspaley Pearls who dominate the industry in Darwin and Australia.

Thrown at the magnificent Great Hall (part of the snooty gel's school SCEGGS) in East Sydney.

Models stood very still in nice poses on marble plinth's wearing beautiful pearl and diamond creations valued at millions of dollars and a host of well heeled Sydney-siders and Paspaley customers trotted out for the evening to view the gems, scoff Darwin oysters and quaff the finest French champagne.

We counted ten multi-millionaires in the room including the Man From Uncle-publisher Matt Handbury , (he's Rupert Murdoch's fabulously rich nephew) hotel csar Terry Schwamberg and heiress Anna Lisa Klettenberg who quietly informed us that she has just purchased a few chalets in her favourite skiing town Aspen, as one does-"so much nicer than hotels my dear". Quite.

But there was an undercurrent coursing through the room. The magnificent decor had been put together by designer Edward Coutts Davidson.

For the unenlightened Coutts Davidson swept into town from London eighteen months ago, took up residence and brought his well thumbed CV to impress the locals. That includes designing and decorating houses for Madonna, Kate Moss and George Michael and a dozen glitzy magazine articles told us all about it.

Paspaley's 75th was to have to been a superb showcase for Coutts Davidson's exceptional talents with it's genteel guest list, wonderful location and the Chiparus tableau living statues in a 1920's hall decorated as a speakeasy complete with a lively floor show of black musicians specially flown in from Harlem for the evening.

In a town where the party decorator James Gordon reins supreme, Gordon may have found a rival to his unique talents. But it seems it isn't to be. Coutts Davidson appears to have vanished and was certainly not at the party he designed which was a credit to his skills.

It seems Mr Coutts Davidson has fled these shores unexpectedly and some prospective clients are a tad unhappy, others extremely disgruntled. Something about large deposits paid, goods undelivered and so on. There is talk of Inspector Knacker getting involved.

Apart from that minor detail, we can assure you that not only do Paspaley's deserve their reputation as one of the world's finest jewellers-they know how to give a memorable party !

Marylynne Paspaley poses with a bunch of hoofers from Harlem