Alfie Read online

  Ros, Edmundo, ref 1

  Rosewell, Mike, ref 1

  Royal Albert Hall, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Royal College of Music, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12

  Royal College of Music Jazz Band, ref 1

  Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, ref 1

  Royal Festival Hall, ref 1

  Royal Northern College of Music, ref 1, ref 2

  Royal Opera House, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8, ref 9, ref 10, ref 11, ref 12

  Alfie’s souvenir from, ref 1

  Marine Hall compared to, ref 1

  refurbishment of, ref 1

  Royal Variety Performance, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Salt Lake City Police Department, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Salter, Frank, ref 1

  Sanders, Sally, ref 1

  Sanderson, Gordon (‘Donnie’), ref 1

  Sarple, Adrian, ref 1

  Savile, Jimmy, ref 1

  Schofield, Phillip, ref 1

  Schönberg, Claude-Michel, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Schubert, Franz Peter, ref 1

  Schuman, Bill, ref 1

  Scottish Chamber Orchestra, ref 1

  Scottish Opera Go Round, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Shovelton, Joe, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Sit Thi Deawn, ref 1

  Skye, Robin, ref 1

  Skywalker Ranch, ref 1

  Sleep, Wayne, ref 1

  Smith, Alan, ref 1

  Sondheim, Stephen, ref 1

  Sophia (Plant’s girlfriend), ref 1

  Specktor, Fred, ref 1

  Staats Opera, ref 1

  Stage and Television Today, ref 1

  Stainer, Dickon, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Staunton, Noel, ref 1

  Sting, ref 1

  Strasbourg Opera, ref 1, ref 2

  Sully (dog), ref 1

  Sumner, Mr (teacher), ref 1

  Swan Lake, ref 1

  Sydney Opera House, ref 1, ref 2

  Taft, Dominic, ref 1

  Talk of the Coast, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Tauber, Richard, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Terfel, Bryn, ref 1

  Thatcher, Margaret, ref 1

  Thornton Cleveleys Operatic Society, ref 1, ref 2

  Tom (band member), ref 1

  Tony Awards, ref 1, ref 2

  Tosca, ref 1

  Tristan and Isolde, ref 1

  Turandot, ref 1

  Turnbull, Donald, ref 1

  TVR, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Universal Classics and Jazz, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Van Allan, Richard, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4

  Vilar Young Artists Programme, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6, ref 7, ref 8

  Watson, Russell, ref 1, ref 2

  Welsh National Opera, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  West London Karaoke Championship, ref 1

  West Side Story, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5

  Whisky Train, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3, ref 4, ref 5, ref 6

  Wilkinson, Colm, ref 1, ref 2

  Wilkinson, Mark, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Williams, Darren, ref 1

  Williams, Don, ref 1

  Williams, Jonny, ref 1, ref 2

  Williams, Steve, ref 1

  Wilson, Chas, ref 1

  Woodward, Justin, ref 1

  Wright, Laura, ref 1

  Wright, Lynn, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  Yamashiro, Dr, ref 1

  Young, Kirsty, ref 1, ref 2

  YouTube, ref 1, ref 2

  Zion National park, ref 1, ref 2, ref 3

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  1. Mum and Dad get married. Fleetwood, March 31, 1954.

  2. My manager Neil and I with our first cars. I’ve always loved my cars.

  3. Me and Dad in the summer house we built together in the back garden. Our family would sit out there all night eating dinner and hanging out, it was wonderful.

  4. Me and most of the Boe clan on holiday in Keswick, the Lake District. We went there every summer for years and years – I’m very fond of Keswick.

  5. That’s me hanging from our garden swing, our neighbour Colin demonstrating the correct usage. I used to sit on that swing and wait for Dad to come home from work.

  6. Me, aged nine, as Paddington Bear at the Fleetwood carnival. Despite being hidden inside that fur head you can still kind of tell how uncomfortable I was. Hot? You have no idea.

  7. As Joseph in the nativity play, four years old. ‘Yes, I said he would be born in a stable,’ was my one line, which I just about got right. Don’t worry by the way, that was a plastic baby.

  8. Ah, my first Guinness. At my sister Anne’s wedding. I was 11 – she gave me a quarter pint with lemonade. I loved it!

  9. On the drums in my first band! Michael Gawne there on guitar – he’s a great guitarist, still plays in Fleetwood.

  10. With Mum at my Royal College of Music graduation, 1997.

  11. On my beloved white drumkit that Dad bought me. Couple of hired hands posing with me on the brass there.

  12. Singing Neapolitan songs with a busking band in Piazza San Marco, Venice 1998. I’d lost Mum and my brother Michael and got up to sing to attract their attention.

  13. Singing at Castle Howard, August 1997, during my Royal College days.

  14. With baritone Sam McElroy, Scottish Opera Go Round, 1999. Fantastic tour.

  15. Performing in Don Giovanni, Royal College of Music, 1997.

  16. Clockwise from top left: Me, my brother John, Mum, Sarah’s Mum, Sarah. Christmas 2005 in Fleetwood. Sarah and I had been in Strasbourg, Sarah had a haircut she didn’t like and kept going to get it fixed until there wasn’t much left. I thought it looked cute.

  17. Dad and me at home in Fleetwood, 1994.

  18. In Kismet at the London Coliseum, 2007. The horror.

  19. Singing ‘Stranger In Paradise’ on Parkinson, London 2007.

  20. In La Traviata at the Millenium Centre, Cardiff, 2009. I’d bulked up to 14 stone as I had to spend quite some time topless.

  21. As Rodolfo in Jonathan Miller’s La Bohème, London Coliseum, 2009, one of four Bohème productions I’ve performed in.

  22. As Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette, Royal Opera House 2010. The first opera I did after performing Les Misérables at the O2.

  23. As Camille in The Merry Widow, London Coliseum, 2008. That was a wonderful production. I loved singing all the Lehár/Tauber music Dad used to play on Sunday afternoons.

  24. The Pearl Fishers, London Coliseum, 2010. The one that nearly killed my spirit for good. I basically felt like I look in this photo.

  25. As Valjean in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, 2011. An incredible five months.

  26. Singing ‘The Impossible Dream’ with Matt Lucas at the Royal Festival Hall, London for the Bring Him Home tour, December 2011. I asked him why he’d come dressed as Toad of Toad Hall; he told me he’d come dressed as someone wearing a tie. Touché.

  27. Soaking it up at the Les Misérables 25th anniversary concert, the O2, October 2010. One of the best nights of my life.

  28. Onstage and in my dressing room. Who am I? I’m Jean Valjean!

  29. With Sarah at the opening night of Betty Blue Eyes, 2011. Just guests!

  30. Me and Neil with our Bring Him Home gold disc!

  31. My managers Neil and Jilly with their beautiful Pointers!

  32. Painting in Fleetwood with Mum. We’re both keen painters.

  33. Sarah, Grace, and Sarah’s brother Alex in Salt Lake, looking down at the canyon. One of my favourite places in the world.

  34. With Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. In 2007 I was made an ambassador of The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, which means so much to me.

  35. Getting all Christmassy on ITV’s This Morning, 2011.

  36. Promo, promo, promo . . . chatting and singing on Daybreak and Loose Women.

  37. As
Nanki-Poo in a revival of Jonathan Miller’s The Mikado, London Coliseum, 2011. Inspired by Stan Laurel on this one!

  38. On the edge of Hotel Caruso’s infinity pool, Ravello, Italy. I really wanted that shot for the back of the Passione album! Was terrifying, but worth it.

  39. With Grace at the O2 for Les Misérables rehearsals.

  40. Arriving at the Laurence Olivier Awards at the Theatre Royal, London, March 2011. I presented a couple of gongs and sang ‘Some Enchanted Evening’.

  41. Photo by Neil Ferris! At a Decca shoot for the Alfie TV commerical.

  1. Mum and Dad get married. Fleetwood, March 31, 1954.

  2. My manager Neil and I with our first cars. I’ve always loved my cars.

  3. Me and Dad in the summer house we built together in the back garden. Our family would sit out there all night eating dinner and hanging out, it was wonderful.

  4. Me and most of the Boe clan on holiday in Keswick, the Lake District. We went there every summer for years and years – I’m very fond of Keswick.

  5. That’s me hanging from our garden swing, our neighbour Colin demonstrating the correct usage. I used to sit on that swing and wait for Dad to come home from work.

  6. Me, aged nine, as Paddington Bear at the Fleetwood carnival. Despite being hidden inside that fur head you can still kind of tell how uncomfortable I was. Hot? You have no idea.

  7. As Joseph in the nativity play, four years old. ‘Yes, I said he would be born in a stable,’ was my one line, which I just about got right. Don’t worry by the way, that was a plastic baby.

  8. Ah, my first Guinness. At my sister Anne’s wedding. I was 11 – she gave me a quarter pint with lemonade. I loved it!

  9. On the drums in my first band! Michael Gawne there on guitar – he’s a great guitarist, still plays in Fleetwood.

  10. With Mum at my Royal College of Music graduation, 1997.

  11. On my beloved white drumkit that Dad bought me. Couple of hired hands posing with me on the brass there.

  12. Singing Neapolitan songs with a busking band in Piazza San Marco, Venice 1998. I’d lost Mum and my brother Michael and got up to sing to attract their attention.

  13. Singing at Castle Howard, August 1997, during my Royal College days.

  14. With baritone Sam McElroy, Scottish Opera Go Round, 1999. Fantastic tour.

  15. Performing in Don Giovanni, Royal College of Music, 1997.

  16. Clockwise from top left: Me, my brother John, Mum, Sarah’s Mum, Sarah. Christmas 2005 in Fleetwood. Sarah and I had been in Strasbourg, Sarah had a haircut she didn’t like and kept going to get it fixed until there wasn’t much left. I thought it looked cute.

  17. Dad and me at home in Fleetwood, 1994.

  18. In Kismet at the London Coliseum, 2007. The horror.

  19. Singing ‘Stranger In Paradise’ on Parkinson, London 2007.

  20. In La Traviata at the Millenium Centre, Cardiff, 2009. I’d bulked up to 14 stone as I had to spend quite some time topless.

  21. As Rodolfo in Jonathan Miller’s La Bohème, London Coliseum, 2009, one of four Bohème productions I’ve performed in.

  22. As Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette, Royal Opera House 2010. The first opera I did after performing Les Misérables at the O2.

  23. As Camille in The Merry Widow, London Coliseum, 2008. That was a wonderful production. I loved singing all the Lehár/Tauber music Dad used to play on Sunday afternoons.

  24. The Pearl Fishers, London Coliseum, 2010. The one that nearly killed my spirit for good. I basically felt like I look in this photo.

  25. As Valjean in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, 2011. An incredible five months.

  26. Singing ‘The Impossible Dream’ with Matt Lucas at the Royal Festival Hall, London for the Bring Him Home tour, December 2011. I asked him why he’d come dressed as Toad of Toad Hall; he told me he’d come dressed as someone wearing a tie. Touché.

  27. Soaking it up at the Les Misérables 25th anniversary concert, the O2, October 2010. One of the best nights of my life.

  28. Onstage and in my dressing room. Who am I? I’m Jean Valjean!

  29. With Sarah at the opening night of Betty Blue Eyes, 2011. Just guests!

  30. Me and Neil with our Bring Him Home gold disc!

  31. My managers Neil and Jilly with their beautiful Pointers!

  32. Painting in Fleetwood with Mum. We’re both keen painters.

  33. Sarah, Grace, and Sarah’s brother Alex in Salt Lake, looking down at the canyon. One of my favourite places in the world.

  34. With Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. In 2007 I was made an ambassador of The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, which means so much to me.

  35. Getting all Christmassy on ITV’s This Morning, 2011.

  36. Promo, promo, promo . . . chatting and singing on Daybreak and Loose Women.

  37. As Nanki-Poo in a revival of Jonathan Miller’s The Mikado, London Coliseum, 2011. Inspired by Stan Laurel on this one!

  38. On the edge of Hotel Caruso’s infinity pool, Ravello, Italy. I really wanted that shot for the back of the Passione album! Was terrifying, but worth it.

  39. With Grace at the O2 for Les Misérables rehearsals.

  40. Arriving at the Laurence Olivier Awards at the Theatre Royal, London, March 2011. I presented a couple of gongs and sang ‘Some Enchanted Evening’.

  41. Photo by Neil Ferris! At a Decca shoot for the Alfie TV commerical.