The year 2016 was a kick in the teeth with the rock legends lost to us. David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Prince, George Michael amongst others. 2017 has already given us a punch in the gut with the loss of Chuck Berry and now prog rock master, Brian Pern.
What was his final interview with Rhys Thomas is now a celebration quickly cobbled up by the BBC.
Pern died in a tragic Segway accident, this tribute is introduced by admirer and rival Phil Collins, who seems more interested in flogging his autobiography.
The program goes through Pern's highs and lows both in his professional and personal life. His divorce from his first wife after he caught Mike Batt doing an Orinoco Flow on her.
The ill advised attempt to get into acting. Pern played a Doctor Who villain in the days of John-Nathan Turner's tenure as a producer where a star guest was bought in for every story, almost like the star of the week in the The Morecambe & Wise show. Pern was clearly nervous and kept repeating his lines.
Then there was the misconceived collaboration with ska legends Madness for the James Bond theme song, The Living Daylights. Cubby Broccoli vetoed the song and bought in A-ha instead.
Not to forget his expensive lawsuit against his record company which turns out that he actually owned, so he sued himself to get out from a record contract.
Still there were good times with his plasticine inspired hit videos, his rebirth in the 1990s with the Madchester pop scene and now after his death, his records have been re-released. Thotch are embarking on a tribute concert with Mike Batt as the guest vocalist and lots of Wombling around.
However just as their are rumours of Elvis being seen regularly down the chip shop, some people maintain Pern is actually in the Brazilian rain forest gigging with Sting or heaven forbid even with Peter Gabriel.
