Playing with Bootsy

There's no one in music that funks like Bootsy!

I met Bootsy Collins when I went to the Ivor Novella awards in 2001. I was sipping some champagne and chatting, when I saw what can only be described as a delicious, vision, walk into the room ! It was Bootsy Collins, looking exactly as you would expect Bootsy Collins to look, only better. He was so tall and shimmered from top to toe in the coolest outfit in the room.

I had been an admirer of Bootsy and his music ever since a friend had played me his song, 'Holly Wood Squares' and I couldn't believe that the man himself, had just seated himself on the table opposite.

I asked my friend, Jill who was working with B.M.G. at the time, to introduce us. She did and Bootsy greeted me with the kind of warmth and humility that only the best possess. Their is an immediate feeling of ease around Bootsy, he exudes a good vibe.

We were talking about music and Bootsy said that he was making a new album, he must have got a good feeling from me too because he asked me right there and then if I wanted work on a song with him. Man! I was elated and ecstatic at the thought and for the rest of the evening, all I could think about was getting home and waiting for the call.

Bootsy called me a few days later and said that he had a track in mind for me to work on. I heard the music and loved it instantly, it was so Bootsy and spacey. Bootsy had already done a lot of music and vocals and guitars and Johnny Douglas who was also working on the track, asked me to think about some lyrics for the song and come back in a few days.

I took the track home and instantly grabbed any books I had on the subject of space and astrology because I already knew that this should be a song all about this girl from another planet who is bored with the music scene on her own planet. She turns on her space radio which picks up a radio signal from Earth of Bootsy's music. Instantly, the little space cadet summons her robot and jumps into her space ship to go and play with Bootsy.

We were all very happy with the song and later on, Bootsy released it as his first European single release, 2002. We went to meet him in Hamburg, to do the video shoot for the song and some interviews and Top Of the Pops. The video shoot was fun and if you get chance you should check it out, Snoop Dog's in it at the beginning and the whole thing is a Bootsy and Kelli fantasy ! It was so much fun hanging out with Bootsy and his lovely wife Patti. Everyone was cool and they were so kind to us. We had a wonderful time.

Bootsy Collins new album ' Play With Bootsy', will be released in the U.S. on June 8th 2004 on Thump Records