Wednesday 20th December 1995 - Glasgow Barrowlands.

Better Than The Green. So it came the 20th December 1995. 4.30pm and we clock off the dayshift. My good mate ‘Grapey' and myself are standing sour-faced and sullen as we can’t find a ticket in the whole of the West of Scotland...well, not for under 150 quid. I don't know what made us jump on the train and head straight into Glasgow that night, but is seemed a good idea at the time. We had no tickets, hardly much cash and no way of getting back home. It would be eventful, that's for sure.

On reaching the Gallowgate at about 6.45pm, the place was absolutely buzzing. Mop Tops everywhere, T-shirts and Beanie hats as far as you could see. ‘The Barras’ is always in good spirits on gig nights but it was absolutely electric. ‘Resurrection’ was pumping out of ‘Baird's Bar’ and ‘The Saracen's Head’ was singing along across the other side of the street. There were fans everywhere. Probably more without tickets than had, and to go along with them, touts in every door every 10 yards. "200 quid per pair" was the first quote we got; a polite "No thanks" was the reply this Mancunian got. And then anything from 70 pounds to 120 pounds a single ticket and then the guy who was really taking the biscuit claiming to all who listened 250 pounds would get them backstage for the full night. "Aye right ye are mate". Finally we decided it was a lost cause - we had 50 pounds each. Sure, one of us could have got in if we chipped together, but who would it be?

As we walked away a small tap on the shoulder changed the night completely.
"Are you guys wanting in there?" He was about 5 ft 2", 60 year old and not very well dressed. He had a nice wee wooly bunnet on his head.

"Aye we want in but they're wanting 80 pounds each, we cannae afford it Mr?"
"How much can ye afford? Coz I can get ye in, without a ticket. All these punters are daft, they should just have spoken to me!"

After a little discussion and to assess whether we thought this jake was the full shilling or not we decided we could afford 30 pounds each.

"30 pounds each," I stated, waiting on him knocking me back. "But you don't get the cash until we are in that building at the top of the stairs walking into the arena. How you getting us in anyway?"

"The wife she works the ticket booth, she phoned me a wee while ago. Come down she said I have the guestlist in front of me. You escort as many as you like past the security, come over to the booth I will sign them in, no questions asked. The guy on the door is cool with it, will give him something later for his trouble. It's going to be a goldmine she said".

Well this wee chap's wife was right. A goldmine it certainly was, he was unwilling to discuss how many he had previously taken in and for how much but you just knew a lot of those high-to-do guestlist punters weren't getting in. Good enough for them I say, they should buy a ticket like everybody else. So we starts the walk, past the security door as he said, up to the booth where the woman asks: "Who is this then the Willie?" "It's Billy and BiIly," the wee guy replies, and the wife duly scores another two names off the list. I nearly wet myself. Coz I knew we were only 20 yards away from getting in.

And ‘Grapey' and myself did our best to keep our laughter in. We then went past the final ticket check with the words: "On the guest list then, I've to show them where the hall was" We were ushered through I couldnae believe it, walking up the stairs getting greeted by the oversized picture of Wendy James that's still there to this day into the Bar area by the cloakroom.

"Well how easy was that?" asks our new friend. "No bother big man" and I gave him the 60 pounds as promised. "You guys have a good night, I've some friends to be seeing," and away he went never to be seen again. Now think of this. The guy has probably been taking people in all night, from around 7pm - 9pm say, when the band come on. The whole process took about five mins from intro to inside, most people probably gave him more than the 30 pounds each we did and he probably wouldn't accept any less. You lot do the math, a great night's work on his part.

We were now in the gig. Yeah, 20 pounds left in my pocket meant 10 pounds for a T-shirt, two beers and bus fare up the road with a fish supper. See the gig first of course.

When the Roses do appear at roughly 9.15pm the place goes absolutely ape- shit electric and we cannot help talking about 1990 ‘The Green‘ and how this will compare. At ‘The Green’ though, I am only 15. It is the third ever concert of my life, too many idiots are out of their tree for my liking, the band play good but not great, the sound is muffled slightly and it is more about the event and not the music and that has never sat well with me, even to this day.

Somewhat cheated was how I felt by the whole thing. And quite clearly at this time of his career Ian Brown could not sing live for his dinner at his aunties. A FACT. But tonight. Tonight will eclipse ‘The Green’ and there are many factors and opinions I will put forward for this....''