I was already a fan of Southside Johnny in 1979 when I left my home town of Aylesbury in England to become an au pair in Stockholm, Sweden. I did not know the language, the country or, in fact, anyone who lived there and was generally feeling quite low and isolated when I saw a poster for a Southside Johnny gig in central Stockholm. I plucked up the courage and bought a ticket and went along entirely on my own. Within the first few minutes, I realized that none of that mattered because I had a great time! Together with everyone around me I sang along to the tracks and found myself dancing in the aisles with complete strangers- I guess we all had a common language that night. The gig put me in a totally different frame of mind and gave me the confidence to stay in Sweden longer.

Twenty five years later I went with my husband to see the Jukes at the Stables in Milton Keynes, England, and it gave me a lump in my throat to remember what a great night I'd had all those years ago. The lyrics came straight back to me and I was overwhelmed to be part of such an energetic experience. I'm thrilled that my 16 year old son often plays Southside Johnny and considers "Hearts of Stone" one of his all time favourite tracks and is spreading the word to his friends. Yes, there's a whole new generation of fans now growing up in England!

Catherine Disbray