John D Hastings
Slide Two
Celebrating original pop & rock music
John D Hastings | Singer | Songwriter | Songs

John D Hastings

John D Hastings

Tommy Vance, British Forces Broadcastings Service UK – Interview Two with The Stilettos November 1979

Tommy Vance, British Forces Broadcastings Service UK – Interview Two with The Stilettos November 1979

Transcript read: 11:00 mins (without music)

Podcast interview (with music, three songs) ends at 22:24 mins

Introduction by John D Hastings, 2022:

Hi, I’m John D Hastings a singer songwriter from North Yorkshire living in South London. I moved down to London in the 70’s for my music career. This is the second of two podcasts of interviews with seasoned DJ Tommy Vance, as broadcast by radio station British Forces Broadcasting Services UK in November 1979. The station followed the music journey of The Stilettos from no record deal to the release of our first single on Ariola BMG. From sleeping rough on Wimbledon Common to living and getting parking tickets in Mayfair London, listen and enjoy!

[Dedication by Tommy Vance to radio listeners]

Tommy Vance: The Tremeloes, from many years ago, it’s called “Silence is Golden” and that‘s especially for Fiona and also for Charles and Yvonne, who are over there with the first RTR ACC/ATT in Hereford. Hope you’re having a good day today. [Music jingle, BFBS UK]

Read more

Tommy Vance, BFBS UK Interview August 1979, with The Stilettos (interview one)

Tommy Vance, BFBS UK Interview August 1979, with The Stilettos (interview one)

Transcript read: 10:00 mins (without music)
Podcast interview (with music) ends at 18:12 mins

Introduction by John D Hastings, 2021:

Hi I’m John D Hastings a singer songwriter from North Yorkshire living in South London. I moved down to London in the 70’s for my music career. This is the first of two podcasts of interviews with a brilliant DJ called Tommy Vance, on a radio station called British Forces Broadcasting Services UK. It’s a rare recording from August 1979. I was lead singer in The Stilettos, and I had just signed a publishing deal. For a funny and nostalgic insight into why four naïve lads from Yorkshire jacked their jobs in to seek fame and fortune, listen and enjoy!

[Music intro]

Tommy Vance: BFBS UK on a Thursday, it’s time for an experiment on BFBS UK. What we are going to do is we are going to adopt our own group and follow their fortunes, and believe me I know, the hard world of the music industry. Now we’re not going to cheat by taking on an established group with a recording contract signed sealed and delivered. We’re starting out with The Stilettos, two days before they go into the recording studio to record their first professional demo. Now John Hastings and Tommy Atkinson are here from The Stilettos. Gentlemen, welcome to BFBS UK.

John D Hastings/Tommy Atkinson: Hello Tommy

Read more

Podcasts

As featured in the podcasts above:

The exciting new versions of "Game Of Life" (Interview One), "This Is The Way" and "Who Can It Be?" (Interview Two).

Please remember when you buy and download from my website, you support my music by enabling me to create even more songs for you. It's a Win Win!

These podcasts will describe my inspirations and goals as a singer songwriter in the "new music industry". Let's share the challenges and wins together. As my fans, I appreciate you and need your support. So it's very much our journey and we're on a rocky road together as I know the pandemic has hit every one hard.

Other singer songwriters, musicians and music industry bods will contribute their thoughts and feelings about music. Come back for those podcasts or email me about the type of podcasts you would like to listen to. I welcome your comments too!

Read more

Tommy Vance, British Forces Broadcastings Service UK – Interview Two with The Stilettos November 1979

Tommy Vance, British Forces Broadcastings Service UK – Interview Two with The Stilettos November 1979

Transcript read: 11:00 mins (without music)

Podcast interview (with music, three songs) ends at 22:24 mins

Introduction by John D Hastings, 2022:

Hi, I’m John D Hastings a singer songwriter from North Yorkshire living in South London. I moved down to London in the 70’s for my music career. This is the second of two podcasts of interviews with seasoned DJ Tommy Vance, as broadcast by radio station British Forces Broadcasting Services UK in November 1979. The station followed the music journey of The Stilettos from no record deal to the release of our first single on Ariola BMG. From sleeping rough on Wimbledon Common to living and getting parking tickets in Mayfair London, listen and enjoy!

[Dedication by Tommy Vance to radio listeners]

Tommy Vance: The Tremeloes, from many years ago, it’s called “Silence is Golden” and that‘s especially for Fiona and also for Charles and Yvonne, who are over there with the first RTR ACC/ATT in Hereford. Hope you’re having a good day today. [Music jingle, BFBS UK]

Read more

Tommy Vance, BFBS UK Interview August 1979, with The Stilettos (interview one)

Tommy Vance, BFBS UK Interview August 1979, with The Stilettos (interview one)

Transcript read: 10:00 mins (without music)
Podcast interview (with music) ends at 18:12 mins

Introduction by John D Hastings, 2021:

Hi I’m John D Hastings a singer songwriter from North Yorkshire living in South London. I moved down to London in the 70’s for my music career. This is the first of two podcasts of interviews with a brilliant DJ called Tommy Vance, on a radio station called British Forces Broadcasting Services UK. It’s a rare recording from August 1979. I was lead singer in The Stilettos, and I had just signed a publishing deal. For a funny and nostalgic insight into why four naïve lads from Yorkshire jacked their jobs in to seek fame and fortune, listen and enjoy!

[Music intro]

Tommy Vance: BFBS UK on a Thursday, it’s time for an experiment on BFBS UK. What we are going to do is we are going to adopt our own group and follow their fortunes, and believe me I know, the hard world of the music industry. Now we’re not going to cheat by taking on an established group with a recording contract signed sealed and delivered. We’re starting out with The Stilettos, two days before they go into the recording studio to record their first professional demo. Now John Hastings and Tommy Atkinson are here from The Stilettos. Gentlemen, welcome to BFBS UK.

John D Hastings/Tommy Atkinson: Hello Tommy

Read more

Podcasts

As featured in the podcasts above:

The exciting new versions of "Game Of Life" (Interview One), "This Is The Way" and "Who Can It Be?" (Interview Two).

Please remember when you buy and download from my website, you support my music by enabling me to create even more songs for you. It's a Win Win!

These podcasts will describe my inspirations and goals as a singer songwriter in the "new music industry". Let's share the challenges and wins together. As my fans, I appreciate you and need your support. So it's very much our journey and we're on a rocky road together as I know the pandemic has hit every one hard.

Other singer songwriters, musicians and music industry bods will contribute their thoughts and feelings about music. Come back for those podcasts or email me about the type of podcasts you would like to listen to. I welcome your comments too!

Read more

My wife Frankie and I grew up in places where people looked out for each other and connected through social activities.

We all thrive in a caring community. It’s important to share our success and talents, help build a fair and happy environment in which to live, work and play.

As a singer songwriter I craft songs and sing lead, harmonies and backing vocals. I set up my own music and fan site with Frankie to show music is universal no matter what your age or background. Please join our journey, buy and download directly from our website. We promise we will reinvest into making and sharing with you fantastic original music and more. From us and our music friends and collaborators: Thank you so much!

Music is truly universal. It brings joy, helps us express our emotions. Music connects people.

Community projects

♥ Pride in London 2021:

To celebrate Pride in London 2021 when the parade was cancelled, I performed at FEASTY FEST Surrey's biggest food and drink festival. In front of 5000+ people! My songs "Lions" and "The Unspoken Words" (November 2022 release) acknowledge the courage and dignity of people in the face of prejudice and persecution, who are simply trying to express their true selves and identities. Often our life choices remain hidden, so "Lions" is an opportunity to celebrate our diversity with pride when I sing "let's put the kind back in mankind"!

♥ "Ice and Fire" Eston Hills Yorkshire project:

My song “When It’s Gone” supports a rescue community project, North-East England by highlighting environmental issues. 

I heard about Cleveland Archaeology Trust (CAT),  formed by Spence Carter an archaeologist leading a rescue excavation called “Ice and Fire” on Eston Hills, with the Archaeological Society. It’s a “rescue project” due to the damage caused by fires, vandalism and quad bikers churning up the earth.

Frankie and I got in touch with Spence, to support CAT whose own funding streams have now been put on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. We will make a donation from UK digital sales of “When It’s Gone” from this website, to the “Ice and Fire” Eston Hills project and community work. 

Initially written about the Eston Hills' fires, the song's message became much bigger: worldwide arson attacks causing wild fires and bush fires in the US and Australia last year highlight the destruction of the natural habitat of wildlife. Climate change is a big part of the problem too: longer periods without rainfall create higher densities of dry land.

Yet the current world pandemic helped us rediscover our open spaces: the simple joy of sharing them with family and friends. We need to care for our natural landscapes for future generations to enjoy. As the song’s bridge says, “Together we must change it: You and I”

Cleveland Archacology logo

Cleveland Archacology

♥ Other projects include unpaid performances for Sutton Salvation Army Community Centre, and free-entry gigs to support the "Art For All" initiative, encouraging communities to support music venues and local independent musicians, singers and bands. Artists like me write and perform original self-penned songs, keeping the creativity within the music industry fresh and energised.

Keep track of events and news and please support our community activities! Contact us if you have a special cause which might benefit from our help.

This is how we give back. Especially when you, the fans support us, we will pass on that goodwill to our community and charity partners. Thank you!

I could only achieve this website and continue my journey as a singer songwriter with “a little help from my friends”.

A big thank you to:

Frankie my wife, so talented in ways I can only dream of! For her spirit of adventure, courage and her boundless belief in me and the music. “You stand out in a crowd”, you really do.

Mel Gillman, an amazing graphic designer who designed our logos and gave us so many ideas on visuals and branding. He is so insightful and intuitive. Contact Mel on all things graphic design, branding and visual creation: www.letsimagine.co.uk

Mark Walford, our incredible tech guy! He digitally remastered the recordings ready for download. There’s a lot of them, what with different versions and mixes. No mean feat with family and volunteering commitments, and a job which takes him across the UK each week.

Mark Neal, a talented photographer who’s mad about music. He shot the fantastic photos of me and my guitars! He’s great for all types of shoots, I’m looking forward to working with him again on capturing my hometown landscape up North. Check out his portfolio: https://www.marknealphotography.co.uk

Yes we do websites, because yes they did do our website, interpreting our musical, creative and technical needs with patience and ingenuity. Thanks Eleanor!

We will spotlight other support acts further on, the people who help us on our journey to creative success!