(Sorry about it being in two parts - but I am sure you will want to listen!!!)
To hear a soundclip of Michael singing the Clash song go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/audioreplay/index.shtml, scroll down to Michael and click on the button. If you right click on the button and choose 'save target as' you can save the soundfile to your computer.
Jonathan: It's great to have you.
Michael: It's great to be here.
Jonathan: The first time I met you I didn't realise what a huge star you were.
Michael: (Laughing)
Jonathan: No I didn't realise because afterwards, Liza Minelli was on the show, and I think she fancied me, Liza.
Michael: But why did I end up in the dressing room with her?
Jonathan: Exactly, but you obviously knew her from before.
Michael: Yeah!
Jonathan: And I went, Liza, have you met Michael? And you two were sort of chinwagging. I thought this is ridiculous.
Michael: Yeah, we met in New York.
Jonathan: And you performed with her.
Michael: We danced!
Jonathan: Wow
Michael: And she came to the opening night of Aspects of Love and we bonded.
Jonathan: But you know, she invited me back to her hotel room.
Michael: Did she.
Jonathan: She did.
Michael: She had that Katy Manning with her didn't she.
Jonathan: Yes, but I didn't go back because she had just had her hip replaced and I did not ...
Michael: (Laughing)
Jonathan: ... I did not want to be responsible ...
Michael: And I know why she had to.
Jonathan: Oh, God bless you.
There you go. Liza if you are listening, obviously you're not.
Liza was in a band, probably, with
one of those dodgy names. Were you ever in a band?
Michael: I was, but I thought it was actually quite a good name - it was called Prime Suspects, 'cos it was about the time The Police were out.
Jonathan: Yes, that's pretty good, Police - Prime Suspects. You could have supported them and they could have arrested you afterwards.
Michael: Yes I could.
Jonathan: Sting could have come on and interrogated you halfway through one of the songs.
Michael: Bless him. Yes. But it was quite a good name, I thought, but it didn't happen.
Jonathan: Crime Suspects pretty
good. 'Cos it all happened for you - when was the first big thing,
was it working with Cameron Mackintosh
or was it Les Mis.
Michael: No, Les Mis. The first big thing I suppose, well musicals are very isolated, I mean only 4% of the country go to them and see them. So it was having a hit with "Love Changes Everything" that got me noticed. Michael and Jonathon start singing Love Changes Everything. Not at this time of the morning Ross, please.
Jonathan: I think we should do a duet together.
Michael: Yeah?
Jonathan: Release it.
Michael: What one?
Jonathan: Just to see if we can scuffer both of our careers?
Michael: We could do that, we could be a double act and call ourselves The Symbolics, I'll be Sim you'll be yourself, it'll be great.
Jonathan: I know, let's do a version of Come Outside.
Michael: Yes. Laughing
Jonathan: (In a strange voice) Come outside, give over, come outside. I think Denise Van Outen and Jay Kay should do that.
Michael: They have done, haven't they?
Jonathan: Have they? They definitely should.
Michael: Someone did it recently.
Jonathan: I bet that's what they sing at home. Denise and Jay Kay.
Michael: They're getting married now.
Jonathan: Are they?
Michael: Yes, that's what they say. Ah lovely. And Cherie is having a baby.
Jonathan: Let's talk about you Michael. We've only got you for half an hour. So let's have a look you've got a new Live Album out.
Michael: Yeah, I have. It's a double album. It's Live At The Albert Hall and, it's on video as well, I did it in April, and then there is a Christmas Album there as well.
Jonathan: So you're basically hitting both markets at the same time.
Michael: Well, I'm just giving, I'm just the most giving, loving person you could possibly imagine.
Jonathan: I was looking at the track listing, and you do quite a lot of the modern tracks obviously, it's not just the Christmas album on that side, you do Hot Stuff, quite a lot of these are Movies tracks aren't they?
Michael: Yes.
Jonathan: (In a strange singing voice) Love on the Rocks, you do that one, ain't no surprise, Oh What A Circus, that's a show tune of course. You do Millenium.
Michael: Well, yes. The thing you can do, that's why I wanted to put out a live album, you can do stuff in a show that you wouldn't go into a studio and record. I wouldn't automatically do Millenium, but what we do with that, I'd recorded All The Time In The World, the James Bond theme, and put that great string riff that John Barry wrote, (Singing) der duddle der duddle der ....
Jonathan: Fantastic.
Michael: Which take it up a tone, goes straight into Millenium, and it's a good sort to wind up an audience
Jonathan: Yes I bet it's an audience pleaser
Michael: It is actually
Jonathan: You have to tailor, you do presumably, I remember talking to Tom Jones about this about looking for songs that suit your style of singing, your voice in particular, and you do great with the ballads of course. You do some opera and stuff but would you consider doing something really raw and raunchy, a punk song?
Michael: If it was a good
song. I had a problem with punk when it first came out, I always
liked
melodies, I always liked eh ...
it didn't matter if it was rock, fast or whatever, it
doesn't have to be a slow song,
but I like a good song, I like a good melody, you
know, a three chord scream wouldn't
do much for me.
Jonathan: So you wouldn't do for example
Michael: Pretty Bacon?
Jonathan: Looking through Gary Gilmour's eyes
Michael: Now that was quite
good wasn't it. There was a Sham 69, Ursham (?)
Boys, I could do that, couldn't
I?
Michael and Jonathan: (laughing)
Jonathan: I would like to
see Michael, for your next project, may I suggest you
cover all the Sham 69 singles.
Michael: OK OK
Jonathan: While we're at it, which are the ones, there was Borstal Boy, If The Kids Are United
Michael: We'll never be divided, yes
Jonathan: There was Hurry Up Harry. On second thoughts let's just spare the people.
Michael: OK
Jonathan: We had a very strange night together, once.
Michael: You promised you wouldn't talk about it.
Jonathan: We were both on the Royal Variety Show, when was it, about three years ago. But you had a reason for being there because you do have a talent, and you do stuff, and the Queen likes what you do, but I was just there because I was doing the Big, Big Talent show on ITV
Michael: Yeah, you were chatting up most of the, well, the Spice Girls, they were in the dressing room next to us.
Jonathan: I was whipping Scary up to a frenzy.
Michael: She was actually. And it was one of Ginger's last performances
Jonathan: We hoped.
Michael: (Laughing)
Jonathan: But we were in this dressing room and it was the weirdest night of my life, because we went in and I didn't know we shared dressing rooms, I didn't know anyone else from the show, I assumed the Queen just wanted to see me, such was my ego. I went in there, and there in the dressing room, I see you getting changed into a spot of Gucci. And sitting over there Joe Pasquali, with no shirt on, it was horrible, that was really unpleasant.
Michael: He supported me on my second tour, I remember meeting him for the first time, I'd seen him on the Des O'Conner Show. Oh, I said, great gag, they said oh Mike, this is Joe. He said (In a strange voice similar to Joe's) " Hello Mike, how are you". He does talk like that. I said, no, you can drop it now, and he said (in the same strange voice), "No, it's alright, it's great". (Laughing)
Jonathan: But with no shirt
on, I thought you had special dietary requirements, like Bernard Matthews
had bred an especially large boneless turkey for your pleasure. But
it was just like an enormous turkey,
you know when a turkey is freshly
plucked and cold, it was like a big turkey in a pair of khaki pants.
I meant in the 'Gap' sense of khaki, not in the soiled way. It was
so unpleasant. Anyway, so you're sitting there and I came in and
said, "Oh, hello Michael". "Hello Joe" and then who should walk in
to share our dressing room, which was a dressing room about 4' by 4' by
the way, Jim Davidson, with a minder, on the phone to whatever wife it
was at the time in a furious row, f-ing and blinding like there was no
tomorrow, "You, I'll tell you what, you dont talk to that way or I'll ....."
and we're just sitting there, aren't we? So we all sort of edged
out of the room
Michael: Yeah, we went into the Spice Girls dressing room.
Jonathan: Went down to the Spice Girls dressing room, and left him shouting, the whole building rocking to him.
Michael: They're great those things, you have to, you're supposed to leave your ego at the door, and everyone does have to. You know what happened to me after it?
Jonathan: What?
Michael: 'Cos I'd been out .....
Jonathan: I know part of what happended to you afterwards but we can't talk about that
Michael: But actually on the
gig, I'm singing this song, because it was the Queen's Golden Wedding Anniversary,
it was a special night, and they said to me, I was singing with the woman
who was originally in Carousel, Barbara Cook, and that was where they first
went on their date, Prince Philip and the ...
and this is your song, "If I Loved
You". Michael and Jonathon start singing "If I Loved You". So
I said oh lovely, we'll do that, so in the line up the Queen came up and
said like "muttering something" how she goes, and you're just looking
at the diamond. Up comes Prince Philip, "What was that you were singing?"
I said, "Well, your song". Prince Philip said, "Well, I've
never bloody heard it in my life, not my song at all"
Michael and Jonathan laughing
Michael: Cheers mate, lovely.
Jonathan: Well, they told you this, and you were saying in a parody, this was their song on that night, and this is for you and this is how it all started. And Prince Philip is looking down and thinking "What on earth is that idiot on about?"
Michael: He's looking to see whether the horse is coming on.
Jonathan: But you must have met the Royals many many times because that was my first time to meet the Queen. I'd met Prince Charles once before and I was at a premier or something, and I was in the line, no it was a Prince's Trust thing that I was hosting and he walked along the line, and he came to me and he went, "Hello, good to see you, and what will you be singing for us tonight?"
Michael and Jonathan laughing.
Jonathan: And I went, anything you want your Majesty. I thought maybe he'd heard me in the shower. He'd heard good things.
Michael: I like him, I do. I like him. I do a lot of work with the Prince's Trust and I rate him.
Jonathan: Do you ever think when you see the Queen though, because that was first time ... because I just couldn't take my eyes off, I just kept thinking "I've licked the back of your head".
Michael: Laughing hysterically.
Jonathan: You're on stamps. You're not a person, you're on stamps.
Michael: Do you think she ever goes into the Post Office, and sees herself, rows of her, and thinks "That's me".
Jonathan: Let's have some more music, we are going to play something from Michael's album. We are going to play "Love On The Rocks" from The Movies. I would love to hear that, because this is from another album which I believe you still have out at the moment. We'll play one of these, we didn't want to play a live track
Michael: Why?
Jonathan: Because live you're not very good.
Michael: I'm fantastic.
Jonathan: I played the bass Michael but you're not hitting the right notes. I've got tone perfect ears.
Michael: Is that why I didn't get into that show that you did.
Jonathan and Michael laughing
Jonathan: We'll play some of that later. Let's have this one first
PLAYING LOVE ON THE ROCKS FROM THE MOVIES ALBUM.
Jonathan: That was Michael Ball and Love On The Rocks, that's a great song.
Michael: It is, yeah.
Jonathan: Is that Neil Diamond?
Michael: Yep
Jonathan: You met him.
Michael: He was doing his gig .... first time I saw him live earlier in the year at Wembley, I went and saw him afterwards and said, "I've done your song" and he said "Yes, I have it here" (impersonating Neil Diamond)
Jonathan: Oh wow
Michael: I was really chuffed.
Jonathan: Did he have it there 'cos he was cross with you for doing it.
Michael: He said, an abusive letter follows (Michael laughs)
Jonathan: We are going to the news now but if it is alright with you Michael ... Have you got that CD ... Karaoke CD
Michael: OK Cool
Jonathan: We have loads of karaoke CD's. We're going to get Michael to do a karaoke track for you after the news so stick around.
Michael: That'll turn them off (Both laugh)
Jonathan: On second thoughts no we won't do ... (Michael laughing)
Michael: Unless you stop us ...
Jonathan: Give us a call ... No don't give us a call
Michael: It's the news. It's the news.
NEWS
Jonathan: My guest this morning so far is Mr Michael Ball. Michael it is great having you on. You are a bit of an old tart when it comes to clothes aren't you Michael?
Michael: A tart?
Jonathan: Yes, you've always got the flashy outfits on.
Michael: Which reminds me, I have got to give you your gingham hotpants back
Jonathan: (Laughing) you were groping there to make that joke work
Michael: I'm very tired and I have a cold.
Jonathan: Were you up late last night?
Michael: I was up late and I had my Godson, Cath's grandson, staying with us. He is seven months old and likes getting up at 6.00 in the morning.
Jonathan: It's always good for you
Michael: Yes, terrific (Laughing) I was eating rusks for breakfast
Jonathan: That is always a good start to the day. But I remember when we did that Royal Variety Show, you came along ... everybody has a few suits. You had about thirty (Michael laughs) You looked at them and said, "I don't know", you phoned Gucci, "Could you send a couple over?"
Michael: They did.
Jonathan: They delivered a, we heard it outside, it was a long vehicle (reversing sound) open up the coal shute and 400 suits came pouring down for Michael to go and rummage around and you bought two like that - He paid £2000.
Michael: The reason I did that was I did the Royal Variety about two years before and I was opening the second half and Barry Manilow was closing the first, and he goes on to rehearse in the same suit I'm going to be wearing!
Jonathan: No!
Michael: A really nice Terry Mugler. Ah, what, so I came off wearing mine so his people came and (impersonating) "Michael, marvellous you're just really great, did you notice by the way that Barry and you were wearing the same clothes?" Yeah, and I look better! (Laughing) I haven't got any other clothes so they had to go and buy him something else so I thought I am going to have that option.
Jonathan: I've been to Barry Manilow's house
Michael: You have?
Jonathan: There's a restraining order now against me. No, I went and interviewed him there once, we set the whole thing up and we were going to do an interview with him and um, and accidentally one of the guys when they were setting up, put a big scratch on the top of his piano so we put a small towel on top of it hoping he wouldn't notice.
Michael: Then you rang Yellow Pages (both laughing)
Jonathan: We are going to do some karaoke - we have found a track which we think is appropriate ... the Clash song, "Should I Stay Or Should I Go", it's going to be Michael Ball singing live on your radio down your gramaphone
Michael: Can I have reverb please love?
Jonathan: Not now, we are going to play another track first.
Michael: The anticipation
Jonathan: I'm going to back you with Andy OK, we are going to back you all the way
Michael: Thank you, I can really, really rely on you
Jonathan: You can, first of all this is ... what made you dig this old track out?
Andy: One I remember from somewhere. I think my Dad liked it and I liked it so I put it in.
Jonathan: Well, if it's good enough for your dad it's good enough for the rest of the Radio 2 listeners.
Andy: It's Allessi with Oh Lawry.
MUSIC
Jonathan: Back to the good old days when you can get stuff like that on Top of the Pops, thumping garagejungledanceboggieboggiemusic was merely a tiny dot in someone's ... anyway
Michael: Go with it
Jonathan: I was throwing then
Michael: You were
Jonathan: I have the best command of the language of anyone on Radio 2
Michael: Fabulous
Jonathan: We have Michael Ball with us, we are at the moment you have been looking forward to, or dreading, according to your musical tastes, it is Michael's interpretation of the Clash classic, "Should I Stay Or Should I Go".
Michael: Which I've sung for so many years now ... I've never seen it before in my life.
Jonathan: Would you mind putting
the Phantom of the Opera mask on while you do this (Laughing)
You never played the Phantom did
you, you played Raoul
Michael: Raoul (Correcting the pronounciation)
Jonathan: Raoul, I've never seen Phantom of the Opera
Michael: Well go and see it, it's really good
Jonathan: Is it good?
Michael: It's really good, you can't get tickets though, well you probably can 'cos you're in Showbiz
Jonathan: What I do is wait by the exit and when someone comes out I run in
Michael: You can get someone to go in and let you in the back door.
Jonathan: Found that works.
Michael: Or you could join the cast
Jonathan: Do you seriously think there is a future for me in Musicals
Michael: Well I think ... not a hope is there
Jonathan: Because they can do things with the desk (laughing) they can fill the gaps in. Can they sample my voice then put it in the right order and the right tune?
Michael: Yeah, well they did for me
Jonathan: I would like to get one of those vocoda units that Stephen Hawking had do the Phantom by that
Michael: (Stephen Hawkins impression) The Phantom of the Opera is here
Jonathan: No, you are thinking of the daleks
Michael: Oh, it's there I was going
Jonathan: My wife tells me off for this but I wonder when Stephen Hawking got the voice box why they didn't program it to speak like Sean Connery or give it Brad Pitts voice (laughing) (Sean Connery impressions) The black hole is enormous, Stephen Hawkins here
Michael: Who the hell is that?
Jonathan: That's Sean Connery. I tell you if there are Scottish people listening they would think that was Sean Connery right here in the studio, my special guest is ... Sean onnery
Michael: Onnery?? (Laughing)I
Jonathan: That's spot on
Michael: That's Frankie Howard
Jonathan: Close your eyes, its like Sean is here. OK, are you ready for this?
Michael: No
Jonathan: We will back you
Michael: You will have to tell me when to come in
Jonathan: No, you have to do it all on your own. There is a guide vocal to get you in. Cast your mind back to those heady days of the late 70's, early 80's and the Clash were the wildest band in town, sadly Joe couldn't make to to one of the gigs so they called for a replacement and in the crowd they found a young, fresh faced youth by the name of Michael Ball, punk name Johnny Abuser. He leapt on stage in his flared Gucci pants, stole the microphone and he became the Clash's front man. History was never the same again, this was the song.
SINGING (Sort of)
Michael: Are we going on. Actually that's enough. Fade it for goodness sake, the nation doesn't deserve this.
Jonathan: We've lost all our Clash fans
Michael: Gained some others
Jonathan: I'm going to get rid of you now. It's been great having you on the show
Michael: I'm not going
Jonathan: You've got some frocks to buy. They do special shopping days for you.
Michael: Yes, they close off the whole of Bond Street
Jonathan: Get ready Mr Gucci, here he comes.
Michael: I'sa coming!!!
Jonathan: The one, the only, there will never be another Michael Ball. Let's play a track from the Christmas Album shall we?
Michael: OK
Jonathan: Introduce this one for me, I'm not familiar with this one.
Michael: This is a song which is like, unlike most of the songs that I do. It's not a big old belter, it's a song by Joni Mitchell which is a favourite singer/songwriter and it's a sad little song that was done in one take at 3.00 a.m.!
Jonathan: Michael, it couldn't be as sad as the one you just did for us. Michael Ball, thank you very much!
