Tony Mortimer re-releasing East 17’s iconic Stay Another Day & reveals why bandmates no longer talk to each other
THIRTY years after EAST 17 bagged the Christmas No1 with Stay Another Day, TONY MORTIMER is bringing the track back for another crack at the top spot.
The re-release, which will be out on vinyl on December 13, is not for an ego-boost, however.
Tony is teaming up with the brilliant music charity Nordoff and Robbins — with £1 of every 7in sold going to the charity.
And as we settle down at London’s posh Century club for a catch-up, my first concern is the whereabouts of that famous white coat he wore in the 1994 music video.
“Mine is in the garage,” says Tony with a laugh.
“I weighed 9st back then, I’d never fit in it now.”
Tony is no longer in touch with his bandmates Brian Harvey, Terry Coldwell and John Hendy, telling me: “When you’re that close it’s intense.
“We were very young and people forget how young we were. It was a great time but it’s a huge change.”
While the re-release may not have unified East 17, who notched up 11 Top Ten singles in their time, it certainly will help the young people who benefit from Nordoff and Robbins’ music therapy work.
“The record company said they wanted to do something for the 30th anniversary,” Tony explains. “I said I couldn’t just stand there, people would pelt me.
“They suggested getting Nordoff and Robbins involved.
“Seeing how much good they do, I wanted to do it for them.
“I was then introduced to Ruby, who uses Nordoff and Robbins, and to see that first-hand was incredible.
“She plays bass and it reminded me about how I feel when I play guitar.
“I got on to the piano as she played bass and I absolutely destroyed it.”
The pair will perform Stay Another Day together on December 10 at Nordoff and Robbins’ Christmas Carol concert.
Tony adds: “I spoke to Ruby’s mum. You could see the weight lifting off her shoulders because of Nordoff and Robbins. When I played Stay Another Day she started to cry.
“I just want to raise awareness of the amazing work they do and if people haven’t heard of them, I hope they reach out.”
Stay Another Day has a very special meaning for Tony. He wrote the song for his brother Ollie, who took his own life aged 19 in 1989.
“Stay Another Day wasn’t supposed to be released,” Tony tells me.
“It was so personal. It was a little ballad inspired by him and I changed it into an ambiguous love song. But the pain came from there.
“As soon as the label heard it they said, ‘That’s going to be Christmas No1’.”
Pulling out his phone, Tony shows me a photograph his sister had found of him and Ollie with their late dad.
Smiling, Tony explains: “That’s me aged ten with dad and that’s Ollie at 13.”
To create a lasting legacy for his brother with such a beautiful song is something, I tell Tony, that he should be proud of. But ever self-deprecating, he says: “I want to apologise because it’s so sad. I wish it was a happy one I wrote.
“It was a painful story. But if you can use that to write something that’s a sort of love song, it’s going to be quite powerful. This is my little gift to the world.”
- You can get your special vinyl and help Nordoff and Robbins at stayanotherday.co.uk.
Christine red hot
Christine McGuinness looked on fire in this mini-dress and tights at The Beauty Awards, so it’s no wonder her love life is flourishing.
The reality star and model has revealed that she’s got a “busy dating diary” two years on from her split from husband Paddy.
She told us: “I’m just dating. I don’t want to do anything too serious; I’m just figuring out what works for me.
“I was single for a long time, and I stayed on my own, and I loved it and I loved having that time to myself.
“But I’m a woman. I want some company; I want to be around adults.
“Right now I’m not ready to enter into a relationship or anything,” she added.
She attended the bash in central London on Monday evening alongside Ekin-Su Culculoglu, Lottie Moss, and Stacey Solomon.
The event celebrates the best beauty products on the market, so I imagine they were all dashing to grab a goodie bag at the end.
Rod a Glasto legend
Sir Rod Stewart will celebrate his epic career by playing the prestigious Legends Slot at Glastonbury next summer.
Rod, who last played at Worthy Farm in 2002, said: “After all these years, I’m proud and ready and more than able to take the stage again to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury.”
Organiser Emily Eavis said: “Bringing Sir Rod Stewart back is everything we could wish for.
“What a way to bow out with the final Legends Slot before we take a fallow year.”
I, for one, cannot wait for a good old singalong.
Lana in studio
Lana Del Rey will have new music out in time for her stadium tour next summer.
The US singer, who shocked fans when she wed an alligator tour guide in September — just one month after their romance was revealed — will release The Right Person Will Stay on May 21.
It comes after Lana scored her sixth No1 album with Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd last year.
Wicked’s spellbinding debut
Wicked has cast its magic on audiences with the biggest opening weekend of the year at the UK box office.
It made £13.7million in its first three days, which is £1.1million more than what Deadpool & Wolverine made in July.
The movie, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, also marks the best-performing opening weekend for any stage-to-screen adaptation in the UK.
Jack’s wrestle mania
Jack Whitehall isn’t exactly the most buff bloke in showbiz, but he harbours secret ambitions of becoming a wrestler.
The comic said: “I’ve always liked wrestling. I also had a couple of wrestling lessons when I was in my early 20s.”
Jack would love to get in the ring, just like Cruella and Black Bird actor Paul Walter Hauser does.
He told the Proper Tasty Pub Quiz podcast, out today: “Paul’s obsessed with wrestling, and that’s something that we bonded over.
“He once, after he won a Golden Globe, went straight to AEW Wrestling at the Forum in Los Angeles, and they put a chair through his head, which was great.
“I’d like to do that at some point, if I ever win an award.
“Maybe go and get on stage and get put through a table or something.”
Drake’s diss war hots up
Drake is going to war with his own record label over his spat with rap rival Kendrick Lamar.
The Hotline Bling singer has launched legal action against Universal Music Group and Spotify, alleging that they conspired to make diss track Not Like Us, by Kendrick, more popular.
He has filed legal documents claiming they “launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”
It’s pretty remarkable given Drake has been signed to the label for his entire career, and it leaves question marks over his future in music.
Spotify and Universal both deny the claims.
In a statement to Billboard, a Universal rep said: “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
Ouch.
It’s ouch-o for the Groucho
It is the hedonistic private members’ club where Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Robbie Williams, and Liam Gallagher have all partied.
Bono even serenaded Bill Clinton there in the old days before camera phones, which, I hasten to add, are banned.
But the Groucho Club could close for good after being associated with “serious” crime.
The venue shut on Monday after the council suspended its licence with immediate effect.
Boss Elli Jafari emailed members, saying they expected a full review by Christmas.
As the news bandied around my industry mates and celebrity pals, there was genuine horror.
The Groucho has in recent years been hammered for being “too corporate,” but to me, it trumps the Soho House laptop brigade, who clog up their London venues with their boring work lunches.
I visit regularly for a bit of celeb spotting, and the last party I snuck into there was held by Blur earlier this year to celebrate their new film.
Last week I ate at the club with comedian Stephen Bailey. As he texted me yesterday: “The only serious crime I can think of was us murdering those steaks on Friday . . . ”
God help me when my boss sees the bill.
If the Groucho closes for good, it would be a sad day indeed.
I hope Elli, the first female CEO of the club, which opened in 1985, can turn it around.
Hooraye to collab with Tom
Tom Grennan will be hoping to team up with Raye in 2025 after revealing the singer is his dream collaboration.
Tom told Hits Radio: “I’ve known her for a very long time. And I think what she’s done, and what she’s always done, is brilliant.
“I remember we spoke about it ages ago. Then she went and done what she’s done now.
“So I haven’t seen her for a while.
“But I would love to work with Raye.”