Quite earth shattering news. Well, on Rubettes Earth that is. Chrissie announced that Tony had left the band. Ironically the
'Still Unwinding' album hadn't been released at that point. Tony had contributed several songs, lead vocals, guitar and keyboard
performances but it's Bob Benham who appears on the album sleeve photograph. It was later revealed that most of Tony's lead
vocals had been removed with the exception of the song 'Does It Gotta Be Rock 'n' Roll'.
John gives a little clue in his handwritten message to the main reason for Tony's departure (which wasn't completely for
health reasons). Happily, it wasn't the last we would hear of Tony Thorpe. He was soon back in the UK in the UK charts with
The Firm and performed his own concert live on BBC 'Sing Country' television seriesreleased solo recordings. as T J Thorpe.
The 'Little 69' single referred to in the newsletter fared quite well in the French charts. The single did feature Tony on
the sleeve though Bob Benham was present in the surviving tv appearance promoting the record. Strange but true: The backing
track was slowed down and used for John's song 'Goodbye Dolly Gray' released in the UK as a single.
