Vince Eager kindly gave me permission to use this edited version of an article that he originally wrote for another site.

Billy Fury arrived on the scene and we began sharing an apartment in Knightsbridge. I had been the only non-Londoner on Larry's books. Marty, Tommy and Colin were all Londoners and went home at night. They had their parents to confide in. I was a loner and it was very difficult at times. I had no one to discuss anything with. It was this loneliness and Larry's lifestyle which made me seek the company of females at every opportunity. The stable was known as "Larry's boys", an expression which was very often used in a derogatory manner.

We were on tour with Larry's show Extravaganza - Marty, The John Barry Seven and me. When we had completed the sound check at the Birkenhead Essoldo, John Barry's drummer, Dougie Wright, and I decided to have a Wimpy burger. We walked out of the stage door and there stood this James Dean look-alike. Raincoat collar up and looking very moody.

Sound file: Vince on Radio Caroline

He asked me if Larry was in the theatre. He had sent Larry a tape of some songs he had written and he wanted to know if Larry liked them. I told him I would go in the theatre and check if Larry was there. He was, and he asked me to bring the guy in.

Upon meeting Ronnie, Larry asked him to play a couple of songs. Larry commandeered the Hofner Committee guitar of Marty's guitarist, Kenny Packwood, and Ronnie played Maybe Tomorrow. We all stood there for a moment, we were gobsmacked. Singers didn't write their own songs, especially the good-looking ones. Eventually we all applauded. Larry asked Ronnie if he had any more. Margo Don't Go was the second to be judged. It received everybody's approval. It was then that Larry suggested Ronnie should go on stage that night. The name Billy Fury appeared to come very easy for Larry and that evening Billy went on stage and stole the show.

The following morning a contract was flown up to Liverpool Speke airport for Billy's parents to sign.

The following night the show was at the Essoldo Stretford in Manchester. The sign in the theatre foyer read: " Tonight! The New Teenage Rage - BILLY FURY". Bill had arrived.

The next day we flew to London. Billy was sick all of the flight. He moved into the apartment with Larry and me. It was great, I had someone to talk and have fun with. Did we have lots of fun?

Dickie Pride was a wonderful artiste and a great guy. I was not aware that he was so heavily into drugs. Due to his being more of a complete singer than the rest of us he tended to hang out with jazz and blues musicians. Those guys were more into drugs than the rock n rollers.

Dickie and Billy were inseparable during 1959-61. They would travel together, room together and spent any spare time they had together.

Dickie and Billy took their relationship to extremes when, at a Wolverhampton Sunday concert they cut each other's hands, rubbed the wounds together, mixed their blood and declared themselves "blood brothers".