Was sorry to read yesterday that Dave Dee had died. I knew he had cancer a few years ago but thought he'd beaten it. When Virginia and I first moved to London when I managed the Four Pennies, we began to live in the Madison Hotel in Sussex Gardens. It was run by a woman, I think her name was Peggy, and her son. Virginia and I were able to rent a room with an en suite bathroom for £9 a week. The hotel was small, but all the clients were from the business. Apart from Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, there were the Four Pennies, Hedgehoppers Anonymous, Ayesha and others. We used to have long chats at breakfast over the cornflakes and I remember I often played cards with Peggy's son and the wagers were paperback books - and I built up quite a library! I often think it would make an interesting theme for a comedy tv show to have a small hotel crammed with pop artists, just like the Madison. There was a similar small hotel where disc jockey Jimmy Saville stayed.
I also remember Suzi Quatro lived in a hotel in Earls Court and was very lonely. She passed her time by painting and sticking her work on the walls.