Famous people from Watford

I once went out with a chap named Ian who claimed he wrote some part of ' Club Tropicana' I think.
I used to coach in Radlett and at one time Hank Marvin,Brian Bennett,Alison Moyet,Nick Mason and Alan Hawkshaw lived there too. Not all in the same property you understand!

 

I can picture it now.
"Hey Babe, can I buy you a drink?"
"Thank you, but no thank you"
"Oh please......(on spotting the WHAM "Choose Life T shirt") you know I co-wrote "Club Tropicana" with my friend George ??
"Bacardi and coke please....what's your name....when are you next seeing George....do you have your own place....nearby ?"

 

George wrote CT with 'Andrew' Ridgeley:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Tropicana

So it's Ian Ridgeley.

He becomes less cool by the minute.

No offence, IBB.

 

But if other people have alternative favourite Partridge moments, I am sure they will free to post.

 

It would have been a G&T or a Pangalacticgargleblaster possibly.

None taken RD!
He claimed to have been in Wham in the pre fame days but who the blazes knows?!
He was a friend of a lady I used to coach.
He played table tennis quite well and played his forehand in that style on the court.
I can't remember anything else.

 

That's what Pangalacticgargleblasters do to you, I understand.

 

As claims to fame go, that's up there I must say.

I used to live 4 doors down from a chap who won a George Michael look alike competition. God he was gorgeous. He was a minor celebrity around the pubs of croxley for a while. Barry was his name.

I wonder if Wham would have been such a smash if it had been fronted by Barry Michael and Ian Ridgeley?

 

Sadly RC we shall never know.
In other news I hear we are linked with Marco Garibaldi!

 

wait WHAT!?!?

 

Being pedantic it was not quite on Vicarage Road, it was one block back on the plot bordered by Exchange Road, Ladys Close and Kings Close. A row of 1990s terraced housing there now.

All, and I really mean all, the best people were born there. Graham Taylor is the one exception which proves the rule.

 

Nicky Moran the actor ( lock, stock and two smoking barrels) was in my class at school (South Oxhey) also our champion boxer Reece Belotti is from South Oxhey. Simon LeBon lives in Bushey.

 

Wire are a brilliant band, basic but suave. Drill, French Film... etc etc :-D

 

Excellent to hear from you, KL. You’ve been a bit DL of late, maybe.

I drove to pick up my son from uni a couple of weeks ago. Not a long drive but I was able to play Pink Flag twice.

That’s 42 tracks, pop pickers. In about an hour & a half.

It was also my soundtrack driving around Iceland a while back.

A long shot, but are you au fait with Outside by Bowie?

 

Pope Adrian IV was born AD 1100 in Bedmond, not Abbots Langley. Bedmond is only in the Parish of Abbots Langley.
He was kicked out by the Dean of St Albans Abbey and went to Paris then on to Rome.
He was said to be a bit of a **** as Pope. Rumoured to be the architect behind the land issues in Ireland.

 

Abbots Langley Parish Council decided to demolish the buildings/farm where he was born in the 1960/70's?
Just in case anyone from Abbots or ALPC does not agree, Bedmond is mentioned in the Doomsday book, so did exist as a Village before AdrianIV was born. It was then called Bedmont (Hill of Graves). The Romans from Verulamium (St Albans) were rumoured to bury their dead here.

 

I was born there! My Mum told me she shocked the midwife with her language during the event. 1948.
That means I was born within hearing distance of the stadium, a bit like cockneys are supposed to be within listening distance of the Bow Bells.

 

George wrote part of Careless Whisper at the Empire Cinema in Merton Road.. just round the corner from the Vic. He worked there as an usher.
Back around that time we used to park up in Cassiobury Drive, for the post match getaway to the A41.. and we would walk past the Empire on the way to the ground.
I have visions of George being in the foyer when we went past.

 

I remember the cinema well!
I think I saw Grease there,way back,almost ironic,given George's heritage!

 

Martin Rossiter grew up in Croxley Green. I knew him at Cassio College in the late 80s. He became lead singer with a band called Spin who went on to change their name to Gene and they became the darlings of the NME and their first album went platinum. But he was criticised for sounding too much like a Morrissey tribute act. Personally I quite liked them. He’s doing his own solo stuff now.

 

Only if the stadium was a sight more noisy than it is now.

 

Presumably that inspired your passion for Classics.

 

No that was Mrs Luke my teacher at STAGS.
I don't think she was in Wham!

 

I thought Pink Flag a bit too minimalist. Chair's Missing though...
Outdoor Miner still one of my favourite songs ever.

 

Ridgeley and Yog (as he was known) formed a cod-ska/reggae band at Cassio College called The Executive. I wonder if the soulless housing estate which occupies the site has a blue plaque?

 

It was quite a few years after seeing (and enjoying Lock Stock...) that I realised why he looked so familiar!

Also, he was always "Nicky" at school rather than "Nick."

 

How about Ray Cooper born in Watford, very famous percussionist, worked with Elton John and Eric Clapton with everyone in-between!

 

I'm actually reasonably famous and from Watford but really can't say who I am.

 

What's the definition of " reasonably famous " to you?

 

Having your name and number written in sharpie on every men’s room wall in Watford.

 

Why is there a picture of Alan Partridge for this thread? Was Tony Hayers from Watford?

 

You're mixing up the terms "famous" & "infamous" again.

 

He's actually mixing up the terms "famous" and "known to the police"

 

I went to primary school with Simon Le Bon (in Pinner). His dad's name was Norman Le Bon. Not very rock 'n' roll.

 

Pritti Patel is from Watford as is Liz Kendall MP.

Same year as Geri Halliwell at WGGS.

Shagged all of them.