In 1980 he founded the Swinging Laurels with college friend John Barrow. 'It was the musical equivalent of a last-minute goal-line clearance in a play-off final. Back in 1983 Leicester's nearly-men, The Swinging Laurels, had been signed by big-bucks Warner Brothers. Gaz Birtles and John Barrow were putting the finishing touches to their second single, Lonely Boy, when their producer ushered in the man he had in mind for some backing vocals - Boy George, then one of the biggest names in music. Surely all they had to do now was crack open the champagne and wait for tabloid hacks to start rummaging through their bins. Gaz, now 42, remembered: "It was stunning. We thought 'we can't fail'." John added: "I was absolutely gobsmacked. It was worth an extra 20,000 sales." But then George's record label got wind of his spot of moonlighting and threatened legal action. And just a week before the release date his track was hastily muted. The synth-sax pioneers had formed the band in 1981, flicking the rhythm button switch on a home organ as they waited for someone to invent a drum machine. A month of gigs at the legendary Hope and Anchor venue in London started a buzz among the A&R men, and they were signed to Albion Records before moving to the giant Warner Brothers. The Laurels were also building up a solid reputation as session brass men, adding horns to the Fun Boy Three's The Telephone Always Rings and backing them on Top of the Pops. The Lonely Boy mix-up didn't stop Culture Club singer taking his favourite band out on two sell-out tours. Gaz said: "We walked out after one gig and we were mobbed by girls. After each gig we spent an hour and a half signing autographs and snogging." But a change in behind-the-scenes staff at Warner Brothers spelled doom. Gaz said: "It still happens now - there's a new A&R bloke and it's 'last one in first one out'. And that was us. "It was downhill from then on." The Laurels' last stand was a tour of Europe with Iggy Pop as Crazyhead's horn section which turned the struggling musicians into, erm, hundredaires. These days John has gone back to his job as a sales manager for an engineering firm, and has written a book based on his tantalising brush with the big time. You'll recognise Gaz - he earns his keep playing sax for The Beautiful South.' Taken from thisisleicestershire.com To contact Gaz email him at: gazbirtles@ntlworld.com