Van Morrison almost quit music in the Seventies but was inspired to continue performing after seeing blues star Taj Mahal command the stage.
Van Morrison almost quit music in the Seventies.
The iconic performer - whose real name is George Ivan Morrison - became disillusioned with the music industry in his early twenties, but revealed he was inspired by his support act, 72-year-old blues star Taj Mahal, who gave him the confidence to continue to perform live.
He recalled: ''In the early Seventies, I was trying to get out of the music business but promoter Bill Graham kept pressuring me to do gigs. He says, 'Why don't you do one more gig before you retire?'
''I said, 'I can't do this' and I was going off. Then Taj came on the stage, took the microphone and said, 'Can you turn the f***ing lights off?'
''So they did it because this guy was about 6ft 6in. I could do the show.''
However, nowadays the 69-year-old singer/songwriter - whose 35th studio album 'Duets: Reworking the Catalogue' is out now - confessed performing live in small venues is ''like breathing'' because it has become such an important part of his life.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper: ''I can't do tours any more ... too exhausting.
''Even when I was in America doing big gigs, I still did small clubs as well. I've always done it. For me it's like breathing, something I need to do.''
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Electronic music pioneer and producer Annie Elise says that the release of her first EP - 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' feels "both vulnerable and...
The Band were one of the best rock groups of the '60s and '70s, creating...