March 2024

It was really devastating losing dad but the day my mum left was when my world came crashing down as the realisation that I was an orphan hit me. Those moments stay etched in your brain and I always feel especially vulnerable on the day. I think of my mum all the time but the memories are always joyous ones but the anniversary floods me with images of mum dying, images of her dead, the funeral, the cremation and the reality that she is gone forever.

No matter how many years have passed, a grief anniversary triggers powerful emotions and trauma but it isn’t just an emotional process, it is also physically exhausting and can leave you tired, restless, tense, and burnt out. This can last for weeks which is why I always dread February having lost both mum and dad in the same period.

This year in particular it hit me just how much I have lost over the years, not just mum and dad but my gorgeous brother Mitch and also my health. I have to admit to feeling very sorry for myself but devastated for my parents. Dad worked so hard from the outset trying to carve a name out for himself and even when he’d had his first hit records and the gigs came in from abroad there wasn’t the money in the pot to take mum with him. The long separations were hard on both of them, they both gave up so much in the hope that things would come good. And they did in a way. More hit records followed and that meant mum could go with him on some of the trips but then she was torn because of leaving us behind at home with an au pair.

In 1984, having broken through in America in a huge way and a six-month residency in Vegas looming, dad was ecstatic. The children were grown up and living their own lives, they had bought a house in Florida a few years previously and for the first time in his life dad felt he could take things easier and he was looking forward to spending quality time together with mum. Sadly, it never happened and I think that was the saddest thing about their whole story. They both had very hard childhoods, they both worked constantly to try and improve their lives and just when everything looked good it was snatched away.

When I look at my parent’s friends in the business, a lot of them didn’t have happy marriages and had subsequently divorced or were off having affairs but mum and dad’s story was the true fairy-tale.

On the night of November 30, 1956 off-duty busmen and clippies attached to Holloway Bus Garage gathered in strength at their dance in Athenaeum, Muswell Hill. The star entertainment of the evening was provided by their popular colleague Terry Parsons and towards the close of the evening Terry exchanged farewell handshakes with his friends and said an official goodbye to his old name and career.

The next day Matt met up with his new publicist Les Perrin who had been appointed by Decca to promote their new star. Perrin had recently left the Southern Music Group in Denmark Street and had opened his own premises with Lew Levisohn on Bond Street. Matt was a marketing dream to him, for as well as the ‘overnight success’ story of Matt with Decca the fact that he was just about to start with Stapleton’s Showband gave him plenty of material to write about.

Things were certainly looking up for Matt. He was eagerly looking forward to hearing the master for his new album and the following day together with Les they were due to go to Winifred Atwell’s offices to collect the acetate.

Les was also great friends with Mickie Schuller who worked out of Mills Music on Denmark Street and Les thought it a good idea to invite her along to Winnie’s office to hear the new singer on the block.

Mickie Schuller waited for her day at Mills Music to finish. She had agreed to go to a record launch in the evening with Les Perrin but she wasn’t her usual enthusiastic self. Being an established high-profile song plugger who was deeply respected in the business, Les was eager to gain her opinion of his new client and Mickie didn’t want to let him down. But she was having trouble concentrating. There were problems within her marriage that had been there almost from the beginning. The fact was that soon after the wedding day she realised that she hadn’t really loved her husband and it was increasingly evident that they had different interests and ambitions. That morning they had had another argument about the hours she worked. He wanted a wife who would have dinner ready on the table when he came home from work and she wanted excuses not to go home in the evenings. Her work meant that she travelled away from home and Bill was resentful of coming back to an empty flat. She couldn’t blame him but her job was exactly what it had been prior to their union. Bill had made the assumption that once married he would change all that but the presumption was incorrect. Mickie’s mother had told her the marriage was a mistake before the paperwork was signed but she had ignored the advice and was now loathe to admit her mistake.

At the appointed time she made the short journey to New Bond Street to meet Les Perrin. She had only met Ms. Atwell once before and found her to be great company. Lew and Winnie were terribly excited about their new discovery and with a pretend drum roll they played tracks from Blue and Sentimental the new album that had just been delivered by Decca. Each track received enthusiastic approval from the invited crowd and it was the general consensus of opinion that Winnie had picked a winner.

Listening to the song with this strong romantic voice Mickie tried to picture him… big, broad shouldered, a real hunk of a man. She couldn’t wait to meet him but the initial meeting left her disappointed.

It wasn’t long before Winnie’s new prodigy arrived. As Matt Monro walked through the throng, applause rippled the air, and people vied for a chance to congratulate him. Mickie had a different opinion. Although she couldn’t fault the voice she was hugely disillusioned because he was much shorter than she had imagined and he bit his nails. The man did not go with the voice. The girls in Winnie’s office were swooning all over him and her instant opinion was that he was cocky although he didn’t really say or do anything wrong. While not impressed with Mr Monro she loved the album and thought his voice was beautiful.

I first met Matt late in 1956 and hated him. He was being launched as Matt Monro, his new name, at a party being thrown by Winifred Atwell in her Bond Street offices. A number of people in the music business had been asked along. First we ‘heard’ Matt. He had made an LP as his first disc for Decca and Winnie played it. We all thought it was great.  Winnie said Matt would be along presently. He arrived half an hour later. But when Winnie introduced him, what a let down I had. The voice had given me the image of a strapping six-footer. Here was this short man. Five foot six as it turned out. But it wasn’t because he was short that I hated him, it was something I vaguely sensed then and later came to realise clearly: it was that deep down I was attracted to him. There was a deep, subconscious clash between that attraction and my wish not to get involved. That produced the hate.  A man might find that hard to understand, most women will understand.     Mickie Schuller

Having spotted Mickie across the room Les came over to say hello with the singer in tow. Les made the introductions and as she looked at Matt’s features more carefully she noticed his clear hazel eyes, his mink coloured hair and broad shoulders. He was easy to talk to and half way through a conversation he was pulled away by Lew to be introduced to important contacts. Mickie was niggled by the fact that everyone was fawning over him and her irritation grew. It didn’t dawn on her that in the strange workings of the mind; the dislike probably sprang from the fact that deep down she was attracted to him.

The party ended soon enough and with heavy heart she went home determined not to carry on the argument she had had with her husband that morning. She couldn’t have known that tonight was the start of the end of her marriage.

A couple of days later Les and Matt popped into her office, it wasn’t unusual to see Les there, he practically lived in Tin Pan Alley but she hadn’t expected the other visitor and was slightly put out. If she was honest it was purely because she hadn’t looked her best. Fred Jackson had asked Les to bring the singer in for an introduction.

Mickie saw Matt several times over the next week. He was due to start with the Showband shortly and would pop in to discuss his work and ask her advice. Each time Matt would come to the office he would ask Mickie if she wanted to go for a coffee but she turned him down, even with a crowd in tow. She automatically refused.  She realised that every time she heard his cheery voice greeting the doorman, she would reach for her powder compact and check her hair. She was more agitated than ever when she learned he was married.

But events were to keep them together. Mills Music was throwing their annual festive social gathering later that month. Mills Music had asked Mickie to put his name on her list of contacts – the idea being to get Matt to feature their songs.  Her first step was to ask him to the Mills Christmas party of 1956 at her firm’s request.

Christmas loomed and with it came umpteen invitations but the one he looked forward most to was the Mills Music annual event. Everyone in the business attended the occasion; it was an important date in the publishing world’s calendar. Matt was to meet several people would later play an important role in his life. Mickie introduced him to Pat Brand who was the editor of Melody Maker as well as Maurice Kinn, the editor of New Musical Express. Maurice ran a column called ‘Alley Cat’ which was well known for causing great embarrassment to certain artists who had been caught in compromising situations. There were also several other publishing companies representatives there, Hal Shaper, David Toff, Bob Kingston from Southern Music, Ernie Ponticelli who worked for KPM (Keith Prowse Music) and Jimmy Phillips who was their manager. The room was packed with important contacts and making a late entry Dick Rowe from Decca arrived with Winnie and Lew. Winnie pulled Matt aside and told him she had something she wanted to discuss with him and offered him an invitation to her New Year’s Eve party the following week.

The evening had been hugely successful from Matt’s point of view but it wasn’t just the contacts he had made. He had gone to the party alone but left with Mickie. They shared their first kiss in the alley and a passer-by shouted out that they should get a room. Although they were both married their attraction to the other was too powerful to resist and for the time being they resolved to carry out their friendship with phone calls limited to Mickie’s office.

I was appearing with Winnie at the Kursaal in Southend and I phoned Mickie and asked her if she would like to come to see the show.  That was the start of a happy romance.      Matt Monro

Matt kept asking me out, I kept saying No. Then one day in January 1957, when it was clear that both marriages were coming to an end – I said yes. How many times I have thanked the Gods that I did.       Mickie Schuller

No matter how many years pass, the pain of losing family never fades. I cannot see or touch them but I can always feel them in my heart. I thank destiny that their lives came together, that every minute since they met were happy times and at least I am now content that they are again together.

No goodbyes, just passages of time…. Till we meet again.

*******************************

Dad’s YouTube channel is going from strength to strength and I thank you all so much for your support. To recognize all the loyal followers, we launched a fabulous Raffle on 9^th February which is running for six weeks.

Every month for more than a decade I’m asked where can you buy the special edition of The Singers Singer. With only 500 printed it sold out immediately but now it’s part of the first prize bundle. The Special edition comes with a second volume called Special Reserve. This book is the ultimate Matt Monro companion. It contains details of all dad’s recording sessions, Radio and TV appearances, Discography and more.  It also contains a great many rare photographs and even more excitingly a rare CD of never released tracks.

It also includes the latest CD ‘The Complete EMI Recordings 1971-1984”, Despite taking more than two years to put together and get clearance, it was worth all the blood, sweat and tears to finally see it available.

Two albums – For the Present and The Other Side of the Stars had been issued on CD before (as an old EMI 2on1), but large chunks of these, for reasons unknown, were dubbed from vinyl and not very good quality vinyl either. What makes it worse is that these travesties are what is available on download and streaming services these days so avoid at all costs!

The other two albums, The Long and Winding Road and If I Never Sing Another Song had never been issued on CD in their entirety and again some of the tracks from the latter LP had also been taken from vinyl when issued on compilations.

If you like to listen to the raw tapes and then compare them to what Richard restored and remixed then go to his website page

Complete EMI

The release presents as a digipack which unfolds to reveal some great portraits of dad – some not previously seen – and each disc sits on the cover of the LP featured on each CD. The final flap contains a booklet with extensive notes and more photos. Designed by the ever-brilliant John Sellards and with an incredible previously unpublished front cover photo by Neil Dalrymple, it looks as good as it sounds.

https://amzn.to/4c7H0sQ

The first prize bundle keeps on giving. There is also the DVD of “The Man and His Music” and lastly “Words & Music”, never before released which includes an abridged version of the book all on a USB stick. Bound in leather and offered in its own presentation box it also includes nine music tracks and two video performances.

The DVD includes two videos, “A Portrait of Matt Monro” which tells the full story of dad’s amazing rise to fame with exclusive unseen performances for dad’s career with personal reflections from Sir George Martin, Don Black, Tony Christie, Bruce Forsyth, Sir Cliff Richard and the Monro family. This program is a unique insight into what made millions of fans and singers admire both the voice and the man who was Matt Monro.

“The Ultimate Performer” is a celebration of all things Monro, introduced by my brother Matt Monro Jnr, which consists of the feature length program, “Matt on TV”. This is a musical journey through the decades showcasing some of dad’s greatest TV performances with his appearances on the Tony Bennett Show, Mr & Mrs Music, The Liberace Show, Tarby and Friends and more.

And there’s a fabulous second prize bundle on offer which includes the out-of-print hardback of “The Singers Singer”, a never publicly released song book “The Words Behind the Melody”.

This has lots of pictures of daddy within as well as some of his song lyrics. It doesn’t end there; I’ve also added the CD “Operation Santa: Live in Hong Kong 1962” and lastly the USB stick “Words & Music”.

Operation Santa has 13 tracks and among my favourites are “(Won’t You Come Home ) Bill Bailey”, “When the Saints Go Marching In”, “Look For a Star” and “Christmas Magic”

Most of the prizes are not available to buy anywhere and with a value of over two hundred pounds it is certainly worth the price of a £1.00 raffle ticket In fact the more you buy the more free tickets you will receive so what are you waiting for.

Enter Here: – https://raffall.com/352660/enter-raffle-to-win-matt-monro-books-and-collectables-hosted-by-michele-monromatt-monro-estate

I am very proud of Dad’s YouTube website and it has given me a chance to give back to the fans. This was highlighted by offering free of charge ‘The Boy From Shoreditch’ the four-part audio documentary Richard and I made to celebrate dad’s special 90^th birthday. The programmes were written and narrated by myself and feature an intimate portrait of the man behind the voice, drawing on previously un-broadcast interviews, extremely rare recordings previously thought lost, interviews with his family and friends and messages from some of his more famous fans.  

To celebrate Eurovision in May we will be uploading a unique video reconstruction of dad’s entry which is awesome and all thanks to Dani at awuga ESC. I am extremely grateful that he has given us permission to use this wonderful historic piece of Eurovision nostalgia which I know you will all enjoy as much as me.

There is a wealth of content on the site and new material is added regularly, and being a subscriber, which is totally free, means you are informed when new content is added so you never miss an exciting new arrival.

https://www.youtube.com/c/MattMonroOfficial

Finally last December the last four Capitol albums were uploaded. It’s been a long time coming but it was a fitting present to dad on his birthday.

At the moment there is nothing new in the pipeline record wise but I look forward to catching up with you in April. In the meantime, stay safe and keep spreading the MM legacy.

Much love

Michele xx