The following memories are from the personal history of Ian Grant (born in 1951, raised in Lancing, West Sussex and now living in South Godstone), which he wrote in 1998.

The Year -- 21st April 1967. The Town - Brighton. The venue -- The Dome. The night I saw my first gig.

Wasn't too impressed with the opening acts (Crispian St Peters & The Merseybeats) but when CREAM hit the stage I was transfixed.

When THE WHO performed their set I was totally blown away. I felt I had to be involved in some way. This was the night it all started. I would have never dreamt the 30 year journey I have been on since.
In the chain of links that followed, the first was running an 'arts lab' (69-70) in my local town of Worthing, West Sussex with a bunch of likeminded people. Promoting Rock and Folk in pubs and soon in the local halls. Deep Purple, Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Kevin Ayers, and lesser known hippie bands of the time.
By 1973 I was entering the world of management/agency for local acts and continued to promote. Atomic Rooster, KC & The Sunshine Band, Wizzard, John Peel, Jeremy Spencer (a founder member of Fleetwood Mac whom I co-managed for 5 minutes until he had another 'call from God'), Leo Sayer (Leo aka Gerry was around in the arts lab days) and others.
In 1975 I teamed up with Derek Savage & Dai Davies to form Albion Agency & Management. At inception we looked after Roogalator & Rocky Sharpe and The Razors and ran The Nashville pub in West Kensington (which became the most popular pub venue to play in 76/77) The Red Cow & The Hope & Anchor.
We booked AC/DC (first UK gig), The Police, Sex Pistols, The Damned, Pretenders, Nick Lowe, The Jam, Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds, Rockpile, Dire Straits, XTC, Aswad, Ian Dury and The Blockheads, Dr Feelgood, 101ers (Joes band pre-Clash), and many others in their formative years.
Some played many times, but none more so than THE STRANGLERS who we took on for management and agency representation in 1976. 999 were our second management act, but I departed in 1978 with The Stranglers and set up on my own.
Our agency had represented The Jam, Frankie Miller, Neil Innes, The Vibrators, Johnny Thunders, Wilko Johnson and briefly The Ramones & The Flamin Groovies who we brought to England for their first visit in 1977.
In 1980 I quit Albion and teamed up with my long time friend Alan Edwards from Worthing days and Stranglers publicist to form Modern Management (which became Grant-Edwards) and partner Alan in Modern Publicity. Eight fabulous years followed.
Our management roster consisted of HAZEL O'CONNOR, THE SKIDS, THE MEMBERS, THE PASSIONS, SMILEY CULTURE, BIG COUNTRY, THE CULT, MAXI PRIEST AND EUROPEAN REPRESENTATION OF ALICE COOPER. Alan already had a prestigious press agent roster when I joined him.
During my era the company represented THE ROLLING STONES, MICK JAGGER, DAVID BOWIE (whom Alan manages today), BLONDIE, LUTHER VANDROSS, THE BORDERLINE(as consultants & agents when first opened), LONDON HARD ROCK CAFE, GREGORY ISAACS, HALL & OATES, EURYTHMICS, INXS, OZZIE OSBOURNE, and JOAN JETT to name only a few clients.
We also had a brief flirtation with a record label, HEDD RECORDS (through Virgin Records) and signed The Gay Bykers on Acid, Soho, Muscle Shoals & The Seers.
In 1989 I went on my own again, continuing with BIG COUNTRY whom I still manage today. I also look after two new bands - THE DIVERS (with Mark Nicholson their discoverer & co-manager) & SNOWDOGS. My son James works with me in several departments. He helped create the Big Country website, does Graphic Design and has been getting 'road' experience. Big Country is about to make its 8th studio album with RAY DAVIES.
STUART ADAMSON has just completed a new project with Nashville songwriter MARCUS HUMMON (writer of TIM MCGRAW'S recent US country number one song 'One of these Days') known as THE RAPHAELS. Snowdogs & Divers first single will be released on my independent label I have formed -- TRACK RECORDS.
My favourite all time artists are: The Who - Jimi Hendrix - Pink Floyd - MC5 - Iggy Pop - Neil Young - The Rolling Stones - The Beatles - Bob Marley - Eric Clapton
My favourite new(er) bands are: Kula Shaker - The Prodigy - Dreadzone - Dem Brooklyn Bums - Johnny Lang - Eels - Porcupine Tree - Dave Matthews Band - Ben Folds Five - Ozric Tentacles
The Top 12 albums I have worked on as manager are:
(Highest UK album chart position in parenthesis)
Rattus Norvegicus - The Stranglers (4)
No More Heroes - The Stranglers (2)
Black & White - The Stranglers (2)
The Raven - The Stranglers (4)
Absolute Game - The Skids (9)
The Crossing - Big Country (3)
Steeltown - Big Country (1)
The Seer - Big Country (2)
Through a Big Country (2)
Peace In Our Time - Big Country (9)
Love - The Cult (4)
Electric - The Cult (4)
Some memorable career experiences are: -
Stranglers, Rattus Norvegicus album debut at number 4 * Stranglers, Black & White launch in Iceland. * Stranglers in Portugal * Stranglers at Wembley Stadium with The Who (AC/DC opening) * Sex Pistols at The Nashville * Joe Strummers reaction after that Pistols set * The Roxy *

Stranglers at Battersea Park * First tour of Japan with The Stranglers * Stranglers in Australia * Visiting Hugh Cornwell in Pentonville * The Stranglers in Nice * Amsterdam Hells Angels * Skids & Hazel O'Connor both in Top Ten singles and album charts in the same week * Big Country signing to Phonogram & five years later getting them off Polygram USA & then the million dollar fight between Warner Bros & CBS *
Big Country in Moscow * Big Country playing at The Grammies and being nominated for three * Kate Bush guesting on The Seer * Big Country opening for The Stones on Voodoo Lounge European tour
* Steeltown going to Number 1 * Big Country at Wembley Stadium with Elton John, including the night before * The Cult/Billy Idol tours of America * The Cult with Guns & Roses supporting in USA * John Miller *
Big Country on the Howard Stern show * Richard Branson giving me two weeks free holiday on his Necker Island * Maxi Priest going to number 1 in USA with Wildworld * Alice Cooper * Flirtation with Sports Managment and Ralph Coates (Gerry Armstrong, Steve Foster, Steve Perryman etc) * Stuart Adamson singing Knockin on Heavens Door with U2 * New Music Seminar 1985
* Big Country's performance @ Soviet Embassy 1988 * Big Country second on bill at Knebworth with Queen * Page/Plant tour 1995 * Cult in OZ * Club IG * Stuart Adamson guesting with Jerry Lee Lewis at Hammersmith Odeon 1989 * Concorde * Big Country & Ray Davies performing together at Glastonbury 1997
* Shep Gordon * Arthur Brown at Whitby 1997 * Advising Lynda La Plante on crime scenes when writing Widows * Richard La Plante *
Phonogram UK conferences circa 83-86 * Live Aid * Stranglers 5 nights at the Roundhouse * Princes Trust 10th Birthday Party * Cliff Busby & team at U/A * Briggs,Shepherd & all at Phonogram * East Berlin 1987 * And many more........