LULU: PLENTY TO SHOUT ABOUT

ANDY RICHARDSON CHATS TO THE SINGER AHEAD OF A THEATRE RUN THIS YEAR IN WHICH SHE TALKSABOUT HER INCREDIBLE LIFE

Asmile spreads across her face as she considers thenear-60 years that have passed since Shout.

Lulu can’t quite believe it’s been that long. Wasitreally 1964 that she saw John Lennon and Paul McCartney tell the nation howmuch they loved her debut single on Ready Steady Go!?

Cathy McGowan had turned to the two Beatles and asked them about their favourite new release. They both looked at each other and said: ‘Welove Lulu’s Shout.’ In an instant,Lulu’s life changed.

“Can you imagine, 14 years of age and The Beatles are saying that my record’s their favourite. It was incredible.”

It was. But it simply foreshadowed a life that was to be filled with incredible moments. Frank Sinatra offered to coach her in vocal warm-ups, she recorded a Bond theme song with 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun, she married a Bee Gee, the late Maurice Gibb, and worked with David Bowie. There was To Sir With Love, with Sidney Poitier,she hadher own TV show,which featured aparticularly unruly performance from Jimi Hendrix, and then there was an embarrassing encounter with Eric Clapton, which still causes her to blush

The music didn’t stop. The girl who grew up in atough Glasgow environment, won the Eurovision song contest with Boom Bang-a-Bang, created an LGBT anthem with Independence, was propelled back into the charts with Take That and Relight My Fire and was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II.

From charthitstoThe Commonwealth Games, from West End musicals to Absolutely Fabulous, her’s has been alife that has been filled with hits and remarkable work.

And now she’s heading to theatres around the UK where she’ll be able to talk about some of thoseexperiences and sing some of her best-loved hits. A70date tour,called ForThe Record, started in April and will run through spring until May 28. It will resume in October, concluding on November 12.

She’ll tell stories about her chart success in every decade since the 1960s, her number one hits on both sides of the Atlantic, Ivor Novello Awards, Grammy nominations and writing an international hit for Tina Turner

“I can’twait to get started,” she says. “This will be my first tour in six years and I’m raring to go.”

The only question will be how she fits so many stories into a90-minute performance that features songs aswell. “We’ve been working on this for ayear now and we’ve got afew surprises for later in the year

“I’ll tell you something that’s true. I’ve been performing now for more than 60 years –Iwas gigging in Glasgow as agirl, long before Shout. But in all thoseyears, this is by far my most intimate show.I’ll be telling stories about parts of my life that I’ve never spoken about before, from the stage.

“And I’ll also be peppering the show with some of mine –and theaudience’s –favourite songs. It’s going to be areally special tour,with really special shows. We’ve put alot of work into this.Iam really looking forward to it.”

Her first memories of singing came long before Shout became ahit. Her dad had been agreat singer and Lulu channelled that, in her own way

“I really felt his voice when he sang. Then Ichannelled it, in away,and added my own youthful vibe, which people loved. Ithink Iwas really attuned to music because of my dad. From the minute Iwas born Iwas tuned into melody and sounds.”

She remembers the first time she ever sang in public, which was at the time of Queen Elizabeth II’sCoronation. She

CLOCKWISE FROM TOPLEFT: sang asong called In AGolden Coach, when she was four, and when her father had lifted her high on his shoulders. Later,she’d si at parties that her mother and father hosted. From there, it seemed perfectly natural to make aliving from it. She joined local bands in Glasgow,before auditioning at EMI and Decca.

Lulu with Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon; Lulu and Maurice Gibb on their wedding day; the singer with her Honorary Degree from GlasgowCaledonian University, in November,2002; performing on Cannock Chase; posing with her OBE at Buckingham Palace, in November,2000; singing at Wolverhampton Civic Hall; Lulu in her role in thefilm To Sir With Love;the performer with her trophy after coming joint first in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song, Boom Bang-a-Bang in 1969; singing with Jools Holland on Cannock Chase.

Shout followed, when she was 14, and her life was forever changed.

“Shout was released, it was the first single, and JohnLennon and Paul McCartney jumped on it. They were on Ready,Steady,Goand they said it wastheir favourite release of that week. Iwas still living athome in Glasgow at the time. IthoughtI’d died and gone to heaven. That was affirmation. Ididn’t realise it then but Idonow; those 1960s bands were all on the same path. Ididn’t want to do some of the other stuff.I was judgemental for atime about Boom Bang-A-Bang, but now I’m very grateful for that. I’m grateful for what it came to mean and for the fact thatpeople love it.”

Her first manager,Marion Massey, helped to mentor her through the swinging sixties and they worked together for two decades. Lulu became amovie star, starring in To SirWith Love, as her popularity rose on both sides of the lantic. She became part of pop royalty,touring with The Beach Boys, partying with The Beatles, and hanging out with household names whose popularity endures to this day.The men came and went, but there was always the music.

“I was at the centre of arevolution. If you’d have asked me at the time what Iwas feeling, I’d have said: ‘Oh, Idon’t know,Idon’t know what I’m feeling. I think I’m happy,but Idon’t know.’ Now, Irealise Iwent through all thefeelings possible. Iwas ateenage girl with pictures of The Beatles on my wall, then Igot to meet them, do acouple of gigs with them, and hang out with them. It’s mindblowing. It’s quite heady stuff.” n Lulu plays Telford The Place on November 9. Tickets are available at the venue and full listings are at www luluofficial.com

And now she’s getting ready to tell some of those stories –for the first time, in ForThe Record.