This Rodney Bewes story about Jimi Hendrix and the Likely Lads theme tune will make your day better
Rodney Bewes has died aged 79 and you can see lots of people’s favourite clips of the Likely Lads star here.
Bewes had a bit of a reputation for embellishing a story or two, and yet this is one of his that we really, really want to be true.
Thanks to @prodnose on Twitter for remembering it, and @herring1967 for writing a piece about it in Metro.
Here’s what Herring had to say after meeting Bewes in Edinburgh.
“Bewes claimed that Jimi Hendrix had played on the theme tune to the Likely Lads. Pull the other one, mate; it’s got Bob Holness playing the saxophone solo from Baker Street on it. Bewes has something of a reputation for exaggeration and I expressed disbelief. However, he stuck to his guns.
“He said that they’d been recording the theme tune at a studio with Mike Hugg (the drummer with Manfred Mann who also wrote a few TV theme tunes), when Jimi knocked on the door. He’d been recording in the room next door and had liked what he’d heard and asked to join in.
“Bewes said that he went home that night and told his wife he’d been jamming with Jimi Hendrix and she said: ‘Oh Rodney, why do you keep making this rubbish up?’ Bewes looked at me with his wide and innocent eyes saying: ‘But this time it was true.’
“He was admitting that he was known for his bull shtick but was this a clever ruse from a practised weaver of yarns or the truth from a man hoist with his own petard? ‘Why were you in the studio?’ I queried. ‘That wasn’t you singing the theme tune, was it?’ Bewes smiled and said that it was.”
You can read the full article here.
Sad to hear Rodney Bewes has died. He was quite a character https://t.co/iL2RkTD9B5
Likely Lads is hard to beat— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) November 21, 2017
Yes, Rodney Bewes could certainly 'embellish' a tale but this one may indeed have something about it. Here's @Herring1967 piece about it https://t.co/aBCMVIYboT
and here's the song in question:https://t.co/hGszRnPZ5Y— Danny Baker (@prodnose) November 21, 2017
To be filed under ‘Too good to check.’ Let’s just take the great man at his word.
Don't know about Hendrix but I'm impressed by Rodney Bewes' singing voice – he could handle a psych-infused ballad with style.
— Ian (is writing) (@ian_fryer) November 21, 2017
Christmas Number One. (Well at least Top 10) Come on people. Believe!
— ROB CHAPMAN (@rcscribbler) November 21, 2017
That's a great story. If they didn't maybe they can jam together now.
— bruce dessau (@brucedes) November 21, 2017
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RIP Rodney Bewes. People have been sharing favourite clips and memories of the Likely Lads star