Just so those who weren't there can get an idea of what it was like, here's a recap in a nutshell....a very BIG nutshell! Michael mentioned how far it was for him to come to the Event....”nearly a mile”....much to everyone's amusement. (He doesn't live very far from Earl's Court).

He then asked who had come the furthest.....answers such as 'Somerset, Belfast, Arizona, Seattle (”does Seattle beat Arizona?” he asked). One was from Valencia, Spain “we should have come round to your place” was  Michael's reaction to that. He then asked “why is it whenever we do these things, its always the most beautiful day”' (I muttered under my breath...”because I bring the sun with me!” I live in Miami in case you didn't know.) Then someone said they were from Tokyo. “Tokyo? Sorry, luv. Seattle's impressive. Seattle, Tokyo, Somerset, Tokyo...blimey!” were Michael's comments. He continued with “Tokyo the farthest? Canton?” (laughter). “Well, THAT'S brave, isn't it?” (more laughter). “Spain? I love Spain”. Violeta told Michael “you need to come more often!” Michael laughed and said “I do come quite often!”) (more laughter).

 

Keith then asked about the new album. Michael explained how, when a  'turn' comes out with a new album....a” turn is a performer....I'm not actually a 'turn', I'm a TOP 'turn” (cheers from everyone.) Michael explained “if I can't say 'turn'.....when serious artists come out with a new opus...so I'm not going to lie to you...it's the best! Music was my second highest selling record...it kind of shocked me... I wanted to make an album in that same vein, something that would surprise people.” Michael talked about how he gets the ideas for the album and the songs. 'Like last night, we did 'One Voice' because we had the choir and it went down really really well and we hope to perform that in concert. 'Hero', 'Home'...I love that new song.  And 'Since You've Been Gone'...I've got to find a way of replicating that song on stage 'cause I'm going to be rockin' to that one.....I'm really really pleased with it....I can't wait to hear your feedback! I'll be singing a load of new songs on tour” (cheers from everyone again.) He mentioned the release date of the new album is October 30 and also a new DVD will be coming out. He explained the new DVD as a 'best of' which was split into sections: best of party time songs, best love songs, personal favorite songs, musical theater songs....”and there's one other section, isn't there”....to which everyone replied “unplugged!” Michael told us “I introduce every one of the songs myself and explained why I liked doing the song, what the song means to me--a personal anthology, a personal favorite of all my live performances.”

He explained about the idea of the unplugged section (”guess how many songs we used” “Seven!” replied everyone. “YES!” he replied to everyone's cheers). Michael said it took two hours to film the unplugged section...they just “kept doing them and doing them....this is what we do when we're sitting around rehearsing a song....a genuine 'one take' take it as you find it” is a big section of the video.Michael continued “it was lovely seeing the old videos and seeing how thin I was (laughs) except in the Cafe de Paris...that size? What the hell? The voice was cracking.....but I stuck a couple in there, I'm not proud, not me.” (laughter). Michael said the release date for the DVD was November 30.

 

Keith asked Michael if there was one specific song that meant more to him than others. “The Michael Buble song 'Home'...beautiful song when I heard it, I was in America. I was a bit naff to be homesick but I was” (awwww's from everyone.) “You can't expect everyone to up sticks and follow you wherever you go...you do a show and you're all full of excitement and then you go back to your apartment and you kind of sat there watching the telly and there's no one to share it with” (more awwww's). “You see places and meet people and feel priviledged but...I love my creature comforts. I missed the end of Big Brother!.....I'm obsessed with reality programs.....I heard this song and it absolutely says what you feel...you want to be home....you can face anything knowing you've got that to come back to...you get your strength to carry on.” Keith mentioned a good cup of tea. Michael told him about Lipton tea in America. “Lukewarm water, tiny bag...they get a broom and sweep around the corners...and ship that to America. I'm sorry for the Americans out there but you need to learn to make tea! Coffee? No problem, you're a genius at that! Tea? Awful! Cosmopolitans they do really well. (laughter). A cosmopolitan is .....a 'beverage'...I had one or two.”

 

Switching subjects to the outdoor concerts, Michael mentioned the great weather 'except bloody Dyffryn Castle!” especially in Scotland at Crathes Castle, Bath and Southport...then when he drove down to Wales, he woke up to “sheets of rain” and the only thing worse than that being Hampton Court a few years before when he walked out onto stage to sing 'Don't Rain On My Parade'. Michael thanked  everyone for “sticking it out.”

 

He mentioned Last Night of the Proms. “Did you see it on the telly? Very posh until this 'anarchy' at the end” and said that would be the last gig for awhile (another round of 'awwww's from everyone). Keith asked Michael if he'd been rehearsing for Kismet, to which he replied (very quietly, I might add...) “No. I've watched the movie”. He mentioned about the Coliseum Theater being “done up” and the ENO being “posh.” Michael said he asked the co-conductor Simon Lee, who was also the musical supervisor in The Woman In White, ”is this right for me?” He said there were great songs, great music and ”the right place for my voice” and that the character is so funny....”musically, it's going to sound thrilling”...and that it ”was nice to be back in theater as well.” He then turned to the fans in the room and said ”you know what you all bloody did?..... being the big mouth that I am, at Menier Chocolate Factory, I said I was going to do this and tickets were going on sale in November. The day after that interview, we had a panicked Coliseum, ENO calling up saying no one can get through to the box office to buy any other tickets for any other production because Michael Ball fans have (flooded) the lines....can we announce we're doing it? Yes.” (laughter).

 

Keith asked Michael if he was going to tour again. “Yes, we're going back on the road”. He loved the last tour and the annoucement will be made around the time of the album coming out....”the end of March through April so it'll be spring....I think we've got 23 dates” (whoo hoo! from everyone). “I love tours, I love concerts as much or more than anything else I do...come see us!” Keith asked what songs would he do....to which Michael replied “new stuff from the album..some old,  some new, it's hard to keep a balance.”

 

Someone shouted out 'Goldfinger' so Michael talked about the Anthony Newley tribute that he did a few weeks earlier. He said of Anthony “he wrote 'Goldfinger'  or Shirley so I tried....if I walk out to an audience and started doing Goldfinger,  You'd think I'd gone mad or auditioned for 'Stars In Their Eyes' so I don't know but I very much doubt I'll be doing that...(more 'awww's and laughter). Michael sang the first line to 'Do You Mind' and talked about Newley's “most profound song” 'The  Man Who Makes You Laugh' telling about Newley's cabaret performance in Vegas and how he sang that song while putting on white face makeup, and how trying to please an audience ruined relationships because of his love of an audience. Michael said that “the very first series of 'Stars In Your Eyes', they asked me if I would do it....I actually thought 'who could I do?' There was Gene Pitney..has everyone heard of Gene Pitney? Yes? No, you haven't.” He then did a crude imitation of 24 Hours From Tulsa, a la Gene Pitney to rolls of laughter, then Johnny Mathis 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. (Michael could do an entire show of impersonations, he was hysterical!). He explained that “it was really difficult doing this concert to not go into a Newley impression”. Michael sang (in his own style) “What kind of fool am I, who never fell in love.....but I want to go”....and repeated the song a la Anthony Newley....brash and loud in Newley's trademark accent. 

 

We thought our sides were going to split laughing so much. Michael said it was really difficult NOT to do an Anthony Newley impression and that he wasn't sure when the show would be on (he was reminded Sept 22 but that's apparently now been changed to Sept 29 on BBC2's Friday Night Is Music Night.) He said he might do a 'Newley' section on tour  Michael then told Keith that he never seemed to age (”who's your surgeon?”) Keith then told Michael “we've spent the whole day  watching and admiring your talents” which got a 'whoo hoo!!' from everyone. Michael replied 'it's great to be here again!”

 

Keith asked, “apart from the new album, is there a special song that you could never leave out?” Michael said “loads! Albums?....'.This Time It's Personal' is one of my favorites. Song? 'If Tomorrow Never Comes' and 'The Dance' on the unplugged thing.”

 

Michael said he got a letter from Cameron Macintosh saying Les Miz would be 21 years old on October  7 this year and it's a “special gala night for Les Miz and a few of us come back to just be on stage...I don't know actually what we'll be doing.”

He then told about being in Swansea the night before and how a young guy in the choir told him “if you don't feel like singing 'This Is The Moment' I'll go on and do it for you!” Michael said “Great! He wasn't born when I was doing Les Miz!” He told about working at the RSC with the best directors and best people 21 years ago in Les Miz, “the best musical ever written” and how they were learning “still wet bits of music”. 

Michael said “songs that I really want to perform, that I really want to do for mysef....'Changes' (Love Changes Everything) is a great example even though you think 'oh, not again!' It's such an important song for me, such an important song for other people for their own personal reasons.  And it's a good song and it would be wrong not to sing things like that....I go through different periods of time when songs mean more to me than others.” He said one song that he does very rarely 'River' by Joni Mitchell was one of his favorites performances of himself and “one of the few I listen to. I remember so clearly (he heard it the first time when he was 17) what a talent this woman was.” Michael said hearing your own songs on the radio “takes your breath away when you hear it and you think of the journey you've been on....all the songs are special to me but there are songs that are more special than others--it changes at different times with my own personal situation...what I'm into at the moment, what I've rediscovered.”

 

Keith told Michael he had a very powerful voice and “have you considered singing” and before he could finish, Michael said “I've considered singing!” to much laughter. Keith finished his sentence with 'American Trilogy'. Michael told him that he had sung 'American Trilogy' and how they had dug out the arrangements before the Scotland concert and how “literally the afternoon of the sound check, we tried it. We went horribly wrong ,we lost it but we did it and it had a fantastic response. It's an amazing song. I worried it was much too iconic...too connected with Elvis” but that he might put it in the tour. Keith said to Michael that he played a lot of characters but “is there a specific character you've enjoyed?” Michael: ”well actually, if I'm truthful...I loved Count Fosco but before that....(with a sigh!) doing Patience....Reginald Bunthorne! I don't know how I got away with that!” Michael explained how it was a Gilbert and Sullivan operatta at the New York City Opera ”they're not straight laced at all!” and how opera was the forefunner of musicals. He said it was the popular entertainment and that you have to ”approach it in an idiosyncratic way... is the best way to put it...to make it relevant. People at the New York City Opera were just lovely. How do I make the character my own? Every camp comedian...Frankie Howard, Kenneth  Williams...Americans don't know who these characters were...they thought I was being the most inventive....and they just let me go with it...all the rest of the cast around me started doing their own thing as well. I would have love to have seen it....” Michael told about Bunthorne reading 'Memory' and the audience going 'what the hell is this??? and 'I Dreamed A Dream'. ”I loved doing him....he was very, very funny!”

 

It was then question and answer time. I have to admit that a moment of panic set in....'should I or shouldn't I ask him a question? Gulp! Oh why not???' It's all just for fun....(I hope). Michael said if anyone has an interesting or relevant question to raise their hand (”I may ignore you”). The first question came from a lady who asked if he would go on 'I'm A Celebrity'. “No way” was Michael's reply....”I'm a punter....Celebrity Big Brother? No way! No! No! No! No!.....I love X Factor and the 'Maria' program....you feel kind of safe in your own front room watching them. The idea of someone watching me for 24 hours...I'd never go to the loo! (laughter). I'd be very nervous. There was a question just after that but unfortunately I was unable to hear it and unable to hear Michael's complete reply but he did say something about skeletons in his closet and how his great great grandfather on his mother's side was hung for sheep stealing or smuggling! He recounted how he remembered going to his grandparents diamond anniversary (”60 years! Bloody hell!”) and that his grandad was one of ten children and his grandmother one of eight children. ”Imagine how many cousins and second cousins....some of them.....I think they've stayed married within the family....(hysterical laughter from us). Another lady asked Michael if he was going to do Jean ValJean at any time.
“I did that thing at Windsor...no is the answer, I don't think I will...I certainly don't think I'll do it in the show....don't wanna! Never say never...it would be really difficult for me. First of all, watching some other bloke play Marius....it was great doing one off but to be there night after night....really a tough part and quite difficult to do....and with memories of being in the show in the beginning, I kind of want to keep those precious.”

The next question was “have you ever turned down a role and regretted it?”  ”Um....there was a time...when men were kind (Michael singing)....not regretted but really wished I'd been able to do it....Sunset Boulevard is the case...(they) asked me if I was interested in doing Joe Gillis.....(but with) the tour, album and all of that, it was impossible for me to do and I would have really loved to have done that. What was fantastic was the opportunity to do it in Cork with Petula Clark. So I got to act the role and sing the role and see what it was like...fantastic musical, beautiful score, great story and to work with Petula who is a great kisser! (laughter). That's something I would have loved to have done.” Someone then asked if he would record some Al Jolson. “Like what?” Michael asked back....she told him a song and he said '”sing it!” (laughter) “Now you know what it's like! I don't know....I won't go out and search” .(Michael then heard someone's cell phone ringing). “Who's phone is that? Who is it? (he asked with a little laugh) Who is it? Two missed calls? So I don't know.” (to get back to the question).

 

Laura C then told Michael she didn't have a question but wanted to thank him for the friends, “many sitting at this table.” Michael said “don't know if you heard that” and repeated what Laura said. (I'm going to write out his entire answer here because I think it underscores the entire day and just what the fan club means to everyone.) Michael: “Don't thank me, you need to thank Maureen and Gill. Thank the fan club for bringing people together with friends”. (clapping from everyone). “And it is really lovely to hear, I know that so many really great lasting enduring friendships have been forged because of the fan club and uh, it's really the joy of it and the beauty of it, the fact that you can pick up the phone to a mate when you've got a problem, who's maybe not in your immediate circle of friends...people who've been through the same sort of things, people who really do care, people you can just have a laugh with, you know, that every now and then you can meet up and say 'look, let's go and see Michael, he's doing a gig', have a bit to eat and have a laugh and misbehave... Hi Jen!” (laughter and clapping).”You know and I really love that bit...you've been ill or members of your family have been, there's always someone you can get in touch with who's been through the same thing who's got advice who can maybe point you in the right direction and if you don't take advantage of that then I think you're mad because within here and all the people who have been able to make it, there's a wealth of kindness, of caring and of support and knowledge, you know, the best gift we can all give to each other I think is the gift of support and the gift of sharing our knowledge and if you've been through something, the kindest thing you can do is to share that knowledge, to guide someone else, to help someone else, you should never be afraid to ask for that because none of us are particularly strong on our own, we all need support and sometimes we can't find that from you know, the people who are the closest to us we need to look somewhere else so if you can take advantage of that, that truly is the best thing about it, we can have a laugh and we do....it's inspiring...look to those around you and yeah, it's great to have support from people....” (Bless you, Michael!).

 

A lady asked him what the best piece of advice he'd ever been given (oh no, we could hear this coming...LOL!) “Wash up as far as possible, wash down as far as possible and ALWAYS wash possible!” (laughter, clapping....of course!)

(Gulp! Here goes....) Me: “um, on your birthday last June, fans were posting things on the fan club board and I'd like to know what your reaction is to being referred to as a 'dee-licious dollop of muffin mix.” (laughter from everyone, including Michael....thank goodness). “You didn't hear that, did you?” he told everyone and proceeded to repeat the question, as Gemma claimed 'ownership' of the original phrase. (Good one, Gemma!). Michael's reply was....”I have absolutely NO problem with that!” (laughter). Then I said....”can I lick the spoon?” (Yikes! Did I really say that????)  “Can you lick the spoon?” (clapping and cheering). “Absolutely!....oooooohhh!” Then he said something about all the lumps in the mix and laughed to himself but I just couldn't quite catch it amidst all the laughter. (I'm so glad he's a good sport!).

Michael then said “I'm going way over time but I don't care” (neither did we!). There was a request....a lady said she was getting married in Las Vegas and wanted to know if Michael could come along. Michael asked “what's the bloke's name?”  ('His name is Mark'). “Oh...she's mad! Don't do it! (jokingly). What's a good Elvis song?” (as he broke into 'Crying In The Chapel'). “you want me to come to the reception? Yeah! I'll be there!” (I think he was joking....). “Congratulations darlin' and many many years of happiness!” A lady said she turns 30 next year and if Michael could come? “Write a list of where I'm to go and I'll get around to all your houses.” (we wish!).

Someone asked about Howard Keel. “Did I get to meet Howard Keel? Yes I did!
He came to see Aspects of Love. When Paul McCartney came to see Les Miz, we all came on and the whole show....Paul McCarney over there”....(singing to the Les Miz overture). “Howard Keel asked if he could come backstage afterwards and Iwas thrilled and he walked in and had a tear in his eye and he was quite emotional and he said “I can't tell you what a thrill it was seeing that show and seeing you young guy up there with a voice like that. I feel I'm passing on the mantle of proper musical theater.” (awwww! from us) “That really, really meant something to me, it's one of the reasons I'm doing Kismet.” Michael mentioned Vincent Minelli and how he had apologized for doing the movie so poorly.

 

Michael asked for the last question....”this will be the last one...Jen....don't! Come on, Jen....” (laughter....poor Jen!) He repeated her question. “When will you all see me again? What? Live and in person? Oh God, I don't know..what are you doing next week?” (laughter) He said he'd be doing lots of promotions for the album. Everyone asked about a record signing but he didn't know....that was up to the record company. Michael said the next gig he's doing would be a ”charity thing with Maria Friedman in a couple of weeks.....it won't be long I promise and we'll seriously get together obviously when we do the tour...and maybe there will be a surprise along the way, there may be a few little things up my sleeve, who knows...” (I hope Michael has short sleeves!) To be continued....next slide,please!

“I better get on, I want to draw the raffle! And I brought something” (everyone is now looking for their raffle tickets). “I'm going to present things first...thank you for listening.” Keith then announced “first of all, we did have a hat competition earlier on, the lady who won it, as I promised her, if she would come to the stage, my love, to receive your prize from Michael” (FROM Michael? Why can't I just HAVE Michael? ...oops....) “It was Carol Cox.” Michael then shouts “Carol Cox, come on down! Where's you hat? We need your hat!” (oh dear, I had to have three people quickly help me get my 'hat' onto my headand balance it while tying the ribbon to keep it on....hold on, Michael! I'm coming, I'm coming!... I was thinking to myself.) “'Bring your hat” Keith tells me. “Michael hasn't seen it.” Michael: “no hat, no pressie!” (laughter) “Got to have a hat to have a pressie!” (more laughter)

Keith also asked that Joan Johnson make her way to the stage as she was the winner of the limited edition print. At this point, I had made my way to the stage and Michael's first reaction was...”Lovely!” (much laughter) “Blimey!” Michael was um, flabbergasted or 'gobsmacked' might be more appropriate.

 

 

Keith then said if anyone else had presents for Michael to bring them up now but Michael was still 'engrossed' in my hat. “Could we have a round of applause?” he told everyone as he gestured towards my hat. “Congratulations, luv....that's....barking! You know, you really are.....well done.....fantastic!” Michael seemed to be at a loss for words for my 'creation' at this point. “Only in America” he said as he turned his back to everyone and chuckled a few more times.

He gave me my prize (a beautiful framed collage of his solo albums with a  handwritten note in the center. Something I'll always treasure!) and a kiss (now THAT was the BEST part of my prize!).

I wanted to warn him not to poke an eye out on my 'hat' but instead uttered
some ridiculous thing about his name now being on a security risk list and how he can never come back to America...did I really say that??? Good grief! I hope I at least thanked him! I tell you, there's not enough money in the world that could ever take the place of all the fun I had last weekend! But moving on…..Michael announced the raffle prize and said “whoever wins, I will sign it for you!” (Ooooooohhhhh! from everyone. “I only got it three days ago, it’s a gold disc.” (clapping) Michael told about how it was presented to him for over 100,000 sales (“we actually sold 250,000” he said.) (more clapping) Then he joked “I’ve changed my mind, you can’t have it! Okay, let’s do the raffle and whoever wins, I’ll sign it for you, alright?” Michael then said to stand up if your 5 digit number on the top are two zeroes…(no one stood up). He then asked “nobody’s stub begins with zero?” At that point, everyone stood up because EVERY ticket begins with zero! “Stay standing if the second digit is a 2….stay standing if the third digit is a 1, stay standing if the fourth digit is a 6 (awwwww! from most everyone at that point!), stay standing if your entire number is…02166…..a winner! (clapping) The winner was SharonA. “Congratulations….there you go….could I just have a pen?” (why does Michael NEVER have a pen? We need to get him a pocket liner and pens for Christmas! LOL!) “All signed, congratulations!” Michael told her as
he handed her that wonderful prize. (clapping)

Gill then introduced Pat Webb and her folk art painting, which was absolutely lovely. Michael then told how when he first met Pat some ten years ago that he “loved, loved her style and was fortunate to have a few things you’ve made for me.” He told her this painting was “exceptional” and “really really beautiful and is the best way for me to remember what has been a really special day for me… thank you so much indeed….thank you all!” (clapping) (Thank YOU, Michael!)

Maureen then said the winner of the competition to spot the ‘Michael’ connections
in the painting was Joan and asked Michael if he would sign it. “Of course I will!” he told her. Lucky Joan! “There we are! here we are, Joan, be careful, this is glass.” (clapping) And then…..Michael said “well, that’s it” (Awwwwww!!!!!) As he launched into a verse from ‘Tie A Yellow Ribbon’….“I’m goin’ home, I’ve done my time….and I’ve got to know what is and isn’t mine….” at which point one lady shouted ‘WE ARE!” He laughed and said “thank you ever so much for making this s always such a great event….thank you and thank you Keith and Gill and Maureen and thank you all for making the effort to be here….you all are really the best, I’m the luckiest ‘top turn’ that I know. God willing, we’ll be back here for years to come… take care” (clapping and cheering)

 

As Michael left, ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ echoed around the room, much to everyone’s enjoyment! What a day! But it wasn’t over yet! We were then treated to clips of Michael’s new DVD showing him introducing a few songs…but very  conveniently cut off when the song started…nothing like a ‘teaser’ to keep us on the edge of our seats until the new DVD comes out! The day finished with more eraffle drawings….I searched everywhere for my ticket but alas, it was gone…(it
must be somewhere on that ‘hat’…LOL! …one anecdote….when I got home, I had lost my monthly train pass to get to and from work. When I told my supervisor, he asked ‘did you look on that hat????’ Who knows WHAT may be in there!)

The Event 2006 was over and we were all tired but very happy! So many people have told me I should give my ‘billboard of a hat’ (thanks for that phrase, Suebee!) to Michael to help promote his new album since it has ‘One Voice’ flashing in green neon but somehow I don’t think it would help sell many albums…maybe get him committed but not sell albums…LOL! So I broke it down and stuffed it back into my suitcase and it now has a permanent place in my ‘Ball Hall of Fame’. Strange, no one at Heathrow questioned 28 feet of wire attached to 4 battery packs in my suitcase…that’s brave!

It was a magical day needless to say and everyone was so pleased with what was another successful, well thought out, marvelous way to spend a gorgeous (sunny!) day in London! Thank you again to Maureen and Gill and Chris and Keith from all of us! And to all my wonderful ‘Michael friends’ and especially to ‘our’ Michael! He was ‘spot on’ when he said “this is what the fan club is all about!” Roll on 2008! (don’t let Maureen and Gill hear that!)

 

Dee-licious dollop of muffin mix, indeed!