“Vince Eager speaking”, said the voice on the phone. Vince Eager! Not the 1950s pop icon, rival of legends such as Billy Fury and Marty Wilde? “Yes, that’s me.” Vince is now agent for rock legend Alvin Stardust, who is appearing at nearby Bedworth civic hall on December 1 and wanted to know if the school’s choir could perform as backing. Luckily Rod Steward, the school’s head, is a bit of a rock expert. Among other musical exploits, he had been the drummer in Shakin’ Stevens’s first group and knew all about vicissitudes of the music business (“We broke up because he wanted to wear rock clothes and I was Rod the Mod.”) After careful consideration, Rod gave the go-ahead and the Canon Maggs singers were in business. The Diary understands other schools will get similar chances as Stardust’s tour goes on. Ageing rockers, stand by your phones!

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