Hi everybody……

A few days have gone by now since HV08 and we are still here in Spain……
I have to say, that Heepvention went further than any expectations I had, when Alan and I first
plotted the event, over a year and a half ago, it was just fantastic…..
To stand on that stage and be able to relate to most people by their first name is a very
humbling experience….

To everyone who took part in the jam sessions…..absolutely wonderful, it just shows how talented
some people are. I know a lot of you were nervous, but it really didn’t show…
In this respect, a load of thanks goes to Phil for holding it together tighter than Joe Keenan’s wallet ;-)

Circle Of Hands were absolutely awesome, but I knew that from the gig in Holland last year.
The Deiggj band (family) were also a delight, and I am so glad they made it. If any of you get the
chance to go to the Faroe Islands, do it, you won’t be disappointed, but don’t eat Puffin, there’s
no meat on the legs…:-))

I think the addition of the Flamenco dancers was a success, especially to Pete Wharton and all
those who sat at the front. We wanted to give a little taste of Spain, and that most certainly worked.

Highlight for me, was the impromptu unplugged set, together with Lee and Ken…..
I was kind of hoping Lee wouldn’t let it go with out joining in ;-) and that he most certainly did.
I had no idea he was on stage with us (had my eyes closed as is normal for a blues singer)
but then to hear his voice joining in, it took me right back to the recording days, when Ken, Lee
and myself, would be in the studio doing backing vocals…priceless…

Unfortunately, vocally I did over do it a bit during the 3 days, too much talking at high volume,
the air conditioning in the building, the auction, joining in with the jams, sleepless nights at Alan’s
(he knows what I’m talking about) barking dogs, Spanish Cockerels who have no idea what time
to crow, somebody tell them its only 3 am..not dawn yet..;-)
So sadly when it came to the HLKND set, there wasn’t much left (everybody say YES JOHN !!)
but I managed to struggle through…..

To all of you who came from far and wide to be there…LOTSA HUGS…
Will we do it again ?? another 8 years and I will be 70 J, maybe on my Zimmer frame….
Everybody say NO JOHN !! :-))
Take care and if you see me on the road somewhere drop in to say Hi….

p.s. Thanks Esa, for this fabulous site!!!

John.

Views: 169

Comment

You need to be a member of Heepvention! to add comments!

Join Heepvention!

Comment by DEIGGJ Band on August 28, 2009 at 5:29pm
Hi John ! It was great to meet in Finland!. You did a great show! Thank You for being our true friend!. Please come back to the Faroe Islands some day! See You
Comment by Wee Joe on October 9, 2008 at 7:29pm
Well John what can i say that has not been said , except it wouldnt have been a show without the star ,and you were the star !!!!!!.......and im still waiting for that drink !!!!...All the best to you and Iris .
Wee Joe
Comment by Anna on October 8, 2008 at 8:31am
Hi John,
Even if you will be 170 J, even without your fantastic voice, I’m sure that we all will be glad to see you.
I know now your friends consider that you are a wonderful human at all, extraordinary.
Your job is the great pleasure for us. I will be always grateful for all that you've already done for us.

You are the best :-)))

Ana
Comment by Andy Naish on October 7, 2008 at 4:40pm
Hi John,

Just wanted to say a big thank you to you and Iris and indeed Alan and Margaret for arranging Heepvention 2008. It was absolutely brilliant and enjoyed it a great deal!

I have great memories that will stay with me a long time especially flying in and back to the UK with Lee Kerslake which was a special treat that only very few of us had! Priceless! What a great character Lee is - full of fun! Sat next to him on the plane both ways! Was also picked up from and delivered back to the Airport with Lawton/Keetley Taxi's! :-)

What can I say, the whole event was brilliant.

Many tanks

Andy Naish
Comment by Mike "Muzzy" Fedysky on October 4, 2008 at 5:28pm
Hola John, I can't thank you, Iris and Alan enough for all the help you had given me when I jumped into helping with the jamband. Above all, thank you for making this Vention idea of yours a reality and bringing us all together. Gail and I had a wonderful time seeing you and Iris, all past friends, and we made so many new ones. Until next time, I send you my best and I will definately keep in touch. Muzzy & Gail
Comment by Phil Baker on October 4, 2008 at 5:24am
May I add (and I didn't mean to leave them out from the last post) that it was a pleasure to meet Paul and Jan aswell. We had a good chat over the days and hopefully I will meet them again very soon or see them play.Well played guys.

Cheers
Phil
Comment by Phil Baker on October 4, 2008 at 4:54am
Hi John
Its an honour to have helped you,Iris,Alan and everyone else behind the scene's at the Vention. Uriah Heep played a very important part in my life when I was young and put me on the road to making music right through my life. I was more nervous coming to the heepvention than I have been singing in front of thousands of people in the past. I had seen you sing with Uriah Heep those many years ago and standing up there at the sound check on the Friday playing and singing B/V's on Stealin was a moment I will treasure for the rest of my days you still have a fantastic voice.
To meet Lee, (whom last time I spoke to was in the late 70's with Mick after a gig) was something special aswell. Ken was a great influence with my song writing in the 70's and 80's and I cannot say how important that means to me and to be able to have a proper chat with him.
I would help out tomorrow with the next one if you wanted me to.
I met so many special people who have become friends from those 6 days and if I had the money now I'd be off around the world to say hello to each and every one of them.
What I thought was so special is the fact that you are all so down to earth and that this business hasn't changed your perspective in life and you treat everyone with dignity. That is a rare gift. It was a pleasure to help and a pleasure watching everyone enjoy themselves and hope that if I can help in anyway in the future just let me know.
Respect.
Phil Baker
Comment by Joseph Schembri on October 4, 2008 at 2:43am
Hi John, or as we in Malta say 'kif inti'. It was great for me and Conny to be there and this was all due to you, Iris, Alan and all the organising clan. You all did a great job and during our stay, we only heard encouraging talk about the event. For sure it was a success. I also have to add a comment on the jam sessions, which really went well and I admire them for that. They were really good. Hope to meet someday again. Thanks once again, for giving us the opportunity to meet the UriahHeep of our school days. Best regards to all.
Joseph and Conny.
Comment by Simone Samaran on October 3, 2008 at 5:39pm
Hi John, thank you for this wunderfull time in Granada, my first heepvention !!!! I also will never forget this great event. And thanks to all the people who help you to realize this great work !!

Best regards,

Simone
Comment by Kev and Yvonne on October 3, 2008 at 3:25pm
Hi John and Iris,it's an honour to be your friends.Thanks for a great weekend and especially for looking after us after we had one too many beers.To have a lift with our hero and his lovely wife seems unreal.The magical power of music to unite people and take you back to carefree times still amazes.Will a dvd be available of HV08 as I would like to see how badly I performed during Why did you go (many thanks to Phil for looking after me).We'll post our pics this weekend.
Cheers Kev and Yvonne

© 2024   Created by Esa Ahola.   Powered by

Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service