Pop legend backs Sunday Mercury's Roy Wood campaign

May 17 2009 by Paul Cole, Sunday Mercury

POP genius Graham Gouldman today joins our campaign to get Midland pop legend Roy Wood a star for Christmas.

Graham, who has written hits for The Hollies, The Yardbirds, 10cc and many others, reckons Woody is a “genius”.

And that’s from a man who should know. His songs include record-breaking chart classic I’m Not In Love.

“Roy is a great bloke who also just happens to be a songwriting genius,” said Graham, who’s back on the road with 10cc and visits Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre on June 3.

“I met up with him just recently and we were bemoaning the state of songwriting these days. It seems they just don’t make them like they used to. Good songs are few and far between.

“I’m delighted to add my voice to those calling for Woody to get a star. He’s a real star himself!”

Roy Wood has written hit after hit with The Move, Wizzard and Electric Light Orchestra – not to forget I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.

So the Sunday Mercury has launched a cracker of a campaign: Get Woody A Star For Christmas.

We want Roy to be immortalised with a star on the Birmingham Walk Of Stars, the Broad Street attraction honouring entertainers from the world of showbiz and sport.

So far, there are stars bearing the names of Ozzy Osbourne, Jasper Carrott, Noddy Holder, Tony Iommi and Murray Walker.

There’s been one for Norman Painting from The Archers, another for the radio soap itself – and Julie Walters has accepted the honour.

The pop mastermind was born in Kitts Green, and played in The Falcons, Gerry Levene & The Avengers and Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders.

He next joined The Move, for whom he wrote a series of classic hits including Flowers In The Rain, the first song ever played on Radio 1.

Roy was one of the founders of the Electric Light Orchestra, but left to form Wizzard, enjoying huge hits including Angel Fingers, See My Baby Jive and that Christmas song.

Since then, he’s released solo albums and fronted a number of bands, the most recent of which – Roy Wood’s Rock & Roll Band – appears at Birmingham’s NEC on December 5 as special guests of Status Quo.

The Birmingham Walk of Stars is organised and funded by the Broad Street Business Improvement District, which represents the 260-plus businesses in the area.