Bryan Ferry at Lykke Li, ICA last year. Noel Gallagher at many gigs, but always the beta band. Johnny Marr, also at the beta band. Adam Clayton at an echoboy gig at the garage, islington.

Morrissey at a very early Lloyd Cole gig at a small place on Tott Crt Road.

Coxon and James at The Charlatans at The Astoria.

Liam Gallagher & the guitarist from Oasis at Cornershop at Shep Bush Emp.

Stella McCartney, Kate Moss, Fran Healy, the bloke out of Aerosmith's daughter, Louis Theroux - all at Kings of Leon, Brixton Acad (VIP bit, got lucky).

Clare Grogan tripped over my feet one night, BEFORE SHE WAS FAMOUS! Bungalow Bar, Paisley, about 1981.

However the world is so awash with slebs that after a while you stop caring. The first Mrs. Doods and I used have a spotting game when we visited London , i.e. spotting celebrities in the street like you spot squirrels in the park as a nipper. The last time it was 2-0 to me : Dave Allen and Boy George, though since for the latter it was Old Compton Street at midnight this was a tap-in from close range.

At Springsteen at Arsenal, in the pit bit at the front. Lots of young ladies more interested in him than the man on stage, strangely.

Anyhoo, I once saw Nick Hornby at Aimee Mann, Andy Kershaw at Linda Thompson and Ken Stott at a Fairport Convention gig, and I'm pretty sure Harry Shearer was at Richard Thompson at the Barbican earlier this year.

I saw Kate Moss at The X Factor. Does that count as a gig?

at a Pretty Things gig back in the day.

Asked my mate and me at a Divine Comedy gig if the seats next to us were taken. They were.

Sat in front of Mark Ellen at Robyn Hitchcock's "Train" gig on the South Bank. Andrew Harrison standing in my favourite spot at the Shepherds Bush Empire at a Sparks gig, as it was him I let him off a thumping.

Other not so high profile Celebs...oh, that Noel gets about - seen him a few times at Soundtrack of Our Lives gigs, I know he's a big fan of theirs but they do attact other musos - guys from Jet, Razorlight, Primal Scream, Nicolai Dunger, Hellacopters but most stunningly beautiful of all, Nina from The Cardigans and A Camp...I was reduced to a blubbering wreck!

Stood next to Charlie Harper from the UK Subs watching The Ruts with Henry Rollins at the Paul Fox benefit gig...now that was cool!

at an Ian McCulloch gig (his teeth, God ...), Paul Gambaccini at Steve Forbert, Simon Day at a Kew Garden concert (can't remember who was on), Mike Mills at the Soft Boys, Michael Stipe at 10000 Maniacs.

I sat next to Nick Faldo at a Pink Floyd gig once.

at a interpol gig once! he was more impressive than "the one of casuality" a friend of friend tried to point out, I think she did turn round to see me mouthing "haven't the foggiest".
Oh and I was up to my knees in mud at glastonbury once cursing a tall get who'd rocked up in front of us only to realise it was Mark Ellen and pal.

pre-megastardom, ie when he was only George Dawes and Sir Bernard Chumley, at Ben Folds. Very nice chap.
Stewart Lee and Kevin Eldon at an XTC tribute band in Camden.
Bobby Gillespie at Big Star.
Mr Gillespie again, plus Nick Lowe (seperately) at Brian Wilson.
Fran and Dougie from Travis at Jason Falkner.
Richard Ayoube at Prince.

Exclamation mark only in that this follows the Matt Lucas post - was stood almost next to D.Walliams watching The White Stripes at Glastonbury 2002.

Also...

Peter Kay was a couple of rows in front of me at an Eels gig last year (Manchester Bridgewater Hall) and I was stood next to the bassist from I Am Kloot when Elbow last played Manchester Academy.

Gallagher and Thunderbirds that is, respectively. He sloshed some beer on my arm and apologised very nicely.

... she was lovely. I had a vague urge to ask her to lie down and dance. She may well have been less lovely had I asked that.

As for celebs at gigs I used to live in Glasgow and quite frankly in those days if you chucked a stick into a crowd it would generally bounce off of members of Arab Strap, The Delgados, Mogwai, V-Twin and Teenage Fanclub before resting at the foot of a BMX Bandit.

I did once see John McLean of The Aliens and Beta Band at a Spiritualized gig in Edinburgh though. Plus the bloke from Supergrass who looked like a monkey at a Brian Wilson show at the Royal Festival Hall.

Not great spots I know, but I am the man who once sold Kelly "Trainspotting" MacDonald a video without recognizing her...

... but I did find myself sat next to Mariella Frostrup at the press screener for Stuart Little 2. She arrived at the last moment, under cover of darkness (with someone wrangling her glass of wine) and while I only confirmed it was her on the way out she exuded an unmistakable air of lovely Mariella Frostrupness, a kind of Hitchcockian blonde halo frequently punctured by an exceedingly filthy chuckle.

...with his (then) partner/wife (Cait?) who was in the Pogues, I think. They were in the bar pre-gig at the Birmingham NEC. An eclectic lineup - HalfManHB, Pogues, Gene Loves Jezebel, Ruby Turner, Latin Quarter and headlined by Love & Pride hitmakers, King.

Went to see Jackson Browne's great show at the Albert Hall last week. Standing in the Gents' at the urinal during hte interval, I was slightly shocked when our esteemed Minister of Transport Geoff Hoon started unzipping next to me ! (Can you claim gigs on expenses ??!!)

stood next to them at the bar during one of Eric Clapton's final night gigs he did in Guildford a good few years ago.
they were not together though, in case you were wondering...

At a Neil Young show in late eighties, I was shocked to find myself seated directly in front of Dave Gilmour. I was most shocked that I had a better seat!

The best I can come up with is Danny Baker at the Richard Thompson gig at the Roundhouse in 2007 (and that probably doesn't count, because it was actually on the platform of Chalk Farm tube station afterwards. For all I know he'd just been having dinner at Marine Ices.)

Stood next to the White Stripes all night last time I saw Bob Dylan at the MEN Arena (I was on the front row, they were stood straight in front of me at the side of the stage, Jack looked a right wally with his hat and cane)

Paul Heaton showed up at a Hem gig in Manchester. Nerina Pallot at a Jonatha Brooke gig, and Mr & Mrs Chris Martin at Kylie at Wembley Arena a couple of years back.

My Mrs informs me that we were stood next to someone who had been in Big Brother the other night, but given that she was loud and obnoxious and I didn't recognise her anyway, I won't give the oxygen of publicity. (Yeah, I can't remember her name and can't be bothered asking)

in a taxi rank.

Bob Hoskins and I stood at adjoining urinals at Crosby, Stills & Nash at the Albert Hall.
Actress Sylvestra Le Touzel (not the most famous name I know) sat in front of me at Emmylou Harris at Shepherd's Bush Empire. The reason it was memorable was that I'd seen her on TV only a week or so before doing a full frontal nude scene.

Sorry if I gave the impression that I wasn't profoundly affected by the wonderful Ms Grogan's presence. She'd been that 'ideal' girl since she wangled her way into young Gregory's life. Unfortunately I wasn't next to her all evening, just in the long queue for the loos which met in the middle and parted all too soon.

at the 12 Bar Club. I was DJ for the night and segued a Sandy Denny tune into one by Nick Drake. As I did so, Joe Boyd and Linda Thompson came into the 'VIP DJ area' (a curtain, a table, a bench) and stayed in there with me for a while as Teddy began his set. They were both extremely friendly and down to earth.

...I'm sure I've once stood next to the all-but-mythical Carol From Luton at a couple of gigs.

On a more believable level, I was once plucked, with my pal Helen (not from Luton), from the utter obscurity of a back row table at an Irish awards do to, effectively, BE Mr & Mrs Larry Mullen Jnr at a top table (within the line of TV camera sight, thus no-one wanted to leave the seats conspicuously empty), as said U2-ster and his GLW were obviously not in much of a rush to get there.

There were four other people at the table, to whom, 'So, who are you guys?' to which one, very humbly, said 'We're Radiohead'. I thought they were nice chaps (Yorke was the missing one) - and we spent most of the time talking about Fairport Convention and progressive rock. And eventually Mr & Mrs Mullen turned up and I drifted back to the oblivion from whence I came. In fact, I can hear it calling me again just now...

comedian Steve Frost while watching 'The Commitments' at Greenwich cinema in 1991.

Er, that's it really.

Though I will swear BLIND that David Gilmour pulled alongside me in a BMW at the traffic lights outside Sainsbury's in Maidenhead last summer. If it was him and he reads this he may remember a chiselled if slightly overweight chap in a little 106 casually looking over to his left and involutarily yelling out 'Christ that's Dave Gilmour!' just as he pulled away.

If it wasn't him then either way I still looked like a knob.

Oh, also sat alongside Jarvis Cocker and Parrot (All Seeing I) at a Tony Christie gig at Birmingham Ronnie Scott's years ago.

I stood next to Mark Gardener from Ride at a Teenage Fanclub gig. And the drummer from Radiohead at some other gig (can't remember who it was playing now). Also, my mum and dad saw Mike from the Young Ones at a James Taylor concert.

Went to a slightly strange lunch and a gig type event at which Thea Gilmore was playing. Mark Radcliffe was on the next table, and just hearing his voice in the vicinity convinced me that someone had left a radio on - it was very distracting!

I turned round in the Old Vic Row 6 to see none other than Felicity Kendal sitting in the row behind, 1975. So there. Oh... Hamlet with Albert Finney.

Have seen Ade Edmonson/Saunders at Be Good Tanyas. Jarvis Cocker at Nick Cave. David Walliams with Neil Tennant at Rufus Wainwright. Beth Orton at M Ward. Stewart Lee is always at Howe Gelb gigs.

One of the most bizarre was Paul Simon was at a Menlo Park (whatever happened to them?) gig at a masonic lodge in a hotel near Liverpool St. Before the gig all the boys and girls got separated and had to put on outfits with hoods and sit on opposite sides of the room. Simon was hanging around at the back sans outfit.

Found myself standing next to him at a Hellecasters gig at the Half Moon in Putney. Here is a man I have admired inordinately since I taught myself to play along to Apache, although we went our separate ways around the time of The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt. So I felt I had to say something. I said, 'Can I buy you a drink, Hank?' His answer? 'No thanks.' I know he's teetotal, but he could have said 'I'll have a tomato juice, please...'

HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway at the Kalvøya Festival in Oslo in 1991. The only thing worth remembering, as it occured during the set of not very sorely missed Australian agit-rockers Midnight Oil. They were a last-minute replacement for Sinead O'Connor, and were probably hired because they had a bald singer, too.

God I love sleb spotting.

Stood next to David Gedge at a Bleach (remember them?) gig in about 1990/91, although he only lived up the road at the time and was often spotted.

Accidentally sat in Jenny Agutter's seat on a train from London to Leeds a couple of years ago. She was charm personified as she informed me that it was her seat. Never quite recovered my composure for the rest of the journey.

A few years ago Sterling Moss walked past me and my wife in London. My father-in-law, also with us and a massive motor racing fan, didn't notice. Two minutes later a car comes past...."That's Sterling Moss' car!" shouts f-i-l.

My wife also reports Peter Ustinov once giving her a double take as if HE knew HER.

Saw Lily Allen's dad walking out of a Gang Of Four reunion gig at Leeds Uni, wearing a coat that resembled a dead sheep. I had earlier been in the pub where the band formed, er, with the band. Peter Blake at the Who live At Leeds 2 gig at Leeds Uni.

Curly Watts climbing onto a lighting tower at an Oasis gig at the G-MEX to escape his fan. His TV wife at the time, y'know the one wot got murdered on Corrie, was enjoying the special guest area at the front at the same show while New Order stood at the back unhindered. Oh and I stood next to Robbie Williams at a Wet Wet Wet gig in G-MEX.

...was Robbie Williams at a Ryan Adams show at the El Rey Theatre in LA. He rolled into the balcony surrounded by bodyguards a bristling soon to discover that the only person in the building who had any idea who he was was, er, me...

Sat in front of Mick McCarthy at a James Taylor show, saw Duncan Goodhew at a Cramps gig, Strummer at a Springsteen one, Robert Plant & Bobby Gillespie at the Forum in Kentish Town to see Keith Richards

Oh, and here's one that must win some sort of award for being almost as Word as is humanly possible...5 or 6 years ago I went to see Bob Dylan play a Nashville club and was standing at the bar with Emmylou Harris. We were chatting when the bloke next to us introduced himself; it was Bobby Keys, the Stones' sax player.

sat behind me on a rail at the Roundhouse at a very early Clash gig (in both senses - it was about 5.00 p.m. and Keith Levene was still with them). Mr Lowe appeared to be 'in an altered state', but of course I could have been mistaken.

O/T Mr. Strummer was haranguing the audience, so I shouted 'What about the 101ers' to which he disingenuously replied 'Never 'eard of them!'

at the bar during many a birmingham pub gig will often turn out to be the very charming Steve Gibbons, always happy to chat. First such time I met him was not a pub tho, it was the gents at the B'ham Odeon, pre- Richard Thompson in about 1981. I only knew it was him because a fellow, um, piddler asked what he was doing there, to be told he was checking out the guitarist, tho' it "wasn't his usual cup of tea". Now, of course, he plays Cropredy, in the Dylan Project, nearly as often as RT himself.

Jonathan Ross appeared beside me at the Sparks Kimono My House gig in Islington last year. He was very nice to the kids that came up to him.

Was at a BDylan gig at the Point in Dublin a few years back, Bono arrived and sat down a few rows in front of me. As we were up in the flank balcony seats, everyone standing below saw The Fly (for it was him) and started cheering and pointing and as I recell, they got a peace sign in return.

Kylie sat about 4 seats beside me at the play The Show What I Wrote. She crept in and out just as the lights were going up/down, but she was unmissable, emitting a radiant glow of fabness. Gave me a clearer understanding of the notion of x-factor.

As noted elsewhere, R.Hitchcock was sighted at Nick Lowe last week.

was Michael Stipe wandering through the crowd at a U2 gig at Landsdowne Road the day Diana died. And did I ever tell you about meeting Marianne Faithfull back stage at a Van Morrison gig? No? Well you must be the only one ...

...at a Strokes gig at Manchester Academy 3 (the Hop & Grape). He wasn't difficult to miss as he had the blue and white wooly hat on that was/is permanently on his head. John Robb, the music journalist, was at the same gig. He has a distinctive 'flat-top' haircut so we couldn't miss him either.

at WOMAD about ten years ago, I noticed the middle aged guy next to me seemed to have a serious Iggy Pop fixation: the same style, hair and everything. Very incongruous I thought, this guy who was obviously into punk was really getting down to the mellow sounds of Tahiti. After 20 minutes of surreptitiously dropping into his conversations, I realized it really was This Month's Cover Star. What next, Richard Hell takes up knitting?

Once went to see Noel Coward's masterly wartime weepie "In Which We Serve" on a wet Sunday afternoon at the NFT and found myself sitting next to Robin Gibb.

Managed to refrain from quipping that as they all clung to the oily liferaft, they could have passed the time by singing "Staying Alive"...

Seated in the row in front at a Rowan Atkinson one man show.

Spoke to Black Francis - he was standing in the audience during a Pixies support act back in 1989.

Steve Punt - yesterday at Malvern swimming baths!!

...at a 70s Ian Dury gig. Sat next to emaciated rock journalist Nick Kent at a 70s Rockpile gig. Sat close to Derek Jacobi at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford. Stood close to Kate Nash whilst watching John Cooper Clarke at the Summer Sundae festival in Leicester a couple of years' ago.

Stood near Bobby Gillespie, Kevin Rowland and Martin Fry upstairs at Crown and Two Chinamen (or similar name) pub in Soho in mid '90s for Beth Orton gig. Bobby was hanging out by the ladies with some 'admirers'. I recall thinking what a large face Kevin has. Stood near Noel Gallagher at promo for Three Colours Red album. Sat near Kate Moss and Pete Doherty in Oxfordshire pub garden. Pete had a hand-raised pork pie. They were filmed by paps, I later appeared on Channel Five in background during crappy doc called Kate Moss years or some such.

Kamila Thompson (daugher of Richard & Linda) stood next to me (not me choosing to stand next to her - I got there first) at her brother Teddy's gig at the SageGateshead.

She'd been the support act for him that night, and after she'd finished her set, her and a female friend appeared next to me to watch big brother do his stuff.

I've stood next to Paul Heaton at the urinals at a nightclub (L. A.'s I seem to think it was called) in Hull in about '93.

At an early White Stripes gig at a dingy pub in North London, summer 2000 or 2001 or thereabouts. This was of course well before their meteoric rush to fame. Not a great gig, as I recall, in fact I left before the end having gotten fed up with the ridiculous swarm of a "queue" at the bar, but I'd already seen them the previous week at Dingwalls, where they were ace, so I wasn't bothered.
Anyway during the proceedings a tall gangly bloke looking like he needed a good wash was standing next to me and well there's a clue in the title. Also spotted at same gig: The Rev J Peel, off the wireless, and something called Kate Moss, apparently, altho I wouldn't recognise her myself.

Once shared a flight with Al Gore from Los Angeles to Chicago (with his security entourage in tow).
Stood at the baggage carousel at Heathrow with the lovely Sharon Davies after arriving on a flight from Hong Kong - I think her husband may have been the pilot.

I mentioned this thread to a friend at lunchtime and she confirmed a sighting of Jonathon King resplendent in a purple track suit in Daunt's bookshop. Sadly she was unable to say if he was hanging out in the children's section (Ba-da-bing!).

I also went through security at Dublin airport last summer with Ralph Feinnes. They made us both take our shoes off. Even so he remained very, very tall.

I once shared a small Rome - Stansted flight with Martin Stephenson, The Daintees, Desmond Dekker, and The Aces. And no one else but me. I was definitely the odd one out.

I was stood next to him at a Horrors gig at cafe 1001 a couple of years ago.

Nick Ross ordering champagne at Leonard Cohen at the RAH last year - faffed about with a choice of sandwich much to the annoyance of the queue behind him.

Irish funnyman Andrew Maxwell stood infront of me to watch Iggy & the Stooges at Glastonbury 2 years ago - tiny man, so perfect as a person to stand behind.

Adele and Damon Albarn at Vampire Weekend at ULU in 2008. Not together.

Maybe the oddest - Jeremy Hardy the only person not in fancy dress at the Scissor Sisters Halloween gig at Brixton Academy in 2006. Thinking about it, he was probably with his kids.

Miles Hunt out of The Wonderstuff, hanging out at the back of The Borderline watching Canuck punk-funk-folksters Spirit of the West. Well, he was famous at the time.

John Peel, Gang of Four, Portsmouth Locano 1980

Stewart Lee, Shellac, Tottenham Court Road (can't recall name of venue) 1998

Mark Thomas, Sonic Youth, Brixton Acadamy, sometime in the 1990's.

who played Catherine zeta jones suitor in darling buds of may (and the sergeant in heartbeat) in theatre a while a go, it was quite alarming as I was joking about him being my celebrity stalker (I'd seen 3-4 times in the previous month) to my friends in the bar beforehand not knowing he was there, only for him to pop up next to me. We where giggling all the way through a fairly serious play.

We also once got shown to seats in famous restaruant in Madrid that had the names of notable previous diners on the back. so Myself and Gary Kemp have tucked into the very good suckling pig on the same faux rustic chair, True.

Some years ago Mrs. F and myself went to see George Jones and the late Tammy Wynette at Hammersmith. (Obviously she wasn't deceased at the time, although she was clearly not well.) (And stop sniggering: George Jones has to be one of the greatest singers of all times and his lifestyle would make many rock stars seem like teetotal hermits.) Elvis was in the row in front of us and got there earlyish so was instantly recognisable as he made his way to his seat. No airs and graces, he signed autographs, posed for photos, chatted away and was the most pleasant and amenable chap you could imagine.

At the Hay Literary festival waiting to see John Updike interviewed, Mr Ellen, I think, was in the queue. It was in mid 2004 and the Word was still in it's early days.

I was hoping we'd see something special in the Word to mark Updike's recent death. He was a wonderful writer.

....standing behind me whilst I watched Lush play the Melody Maker tent at Reading Festival circa 1992. He kind of glared at me, tall bugger he was. Wouldnt want to argue with him.

ms minogue at a Boys Own rave in Northampton

my mate put his beer on top of her head for a pic.

*amazing scenes*

When I was at university in Sheffield in the early 90s, I stood next to Mr Cocker on more than one occasion at The Leadmill.

Because it was a regular occurrence, I can't even remember which ones, although I have a feeling one was Galaxie 500.

I also sat next to Mariella Frostrup at a screening - Wild Things from what I remember. She had a terrible cold and was stifling coughs throughout but we exchanged words towards the end, after the completely nutso denouement. Very nice lady!

Circa 1971, Lee Marvin in Oxford Street. Fuck me, what a size he was!

as Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Judy Garland, Brigitte Bardot, Alan Alda, Cliff Richard, Frans Beckenbauer, Sammy Davis jr, Marlene Dietrich, Bjorn Borg, Alice Cooper, Abba and Lenin. Not at the same time mind...

How do I know? I was put up in the Elite Hotel Residens in Malmö for one night by a company I was working for last year. At the side of the lift is a large wooden plaque with small engraved brass plates for all their famous guests and I had to take a photo of it. Wonder if they have added one for Beany? Nah!

Not the first time I have slept in a four-poster bed though but I would like to think that Brigitte or Agnette might have been there before me.

It was at the world premiere of Lord of the Rings 3 in Wellington though!

Mike Vennart of Oceansize, at an Allan Holdsworth gig in Manchester.
(pauses momentarily to doff hat)

He was so astounded to be 'recognized at a jazz gig', he couldn't wait to tell his dad!

AND... later, Mr Holdsworth was kind enough to give me... The Pick Of Destiny

Back in July ’74 I took my new girlfriend to see the mighty Ducks Deluxe and the workmanlike Brinsley Schwarz at Liverpool Stadium (44p per head, a solid investment I thought at the time).

After watching the supports we decided to step across the road to the pub for a quick gin & orange. It was typically mobbed so I duly took up my position at the bar taking care to ensure that my girl was left somewhere that I could find her. Eventually, drinks/crisps in hand, I returned to find that she was being chatted up by a rather tall, good-looking if scruffy bloke.

Imagine my surprise to find it was none other than a clearly refreshed Basher. Terrified he might muscle in, I gave him some sort of short shrift and he soon pottered off to annoy someone else, muttering. My companion had no idea who he was (so she said) and was suitably unimpressed at my revelation during their 'turn' later that night.

I wonder what ever became of him? Anyone else been bothered by him in the pub?

I once found myself standing behind none other than Ursula Andress in a queue at one of the tills in HMV on Oxford St.

She was with a blazered heavy who watched me while she fumbled for a credit card to pay for a George Benson cd.

No-one else seemed to realise who she was.

She's tiny.

I was waiting for my mate outside the Borderline. I couldn't go in because I had the tickets. Half a dozen people come walking towards the door and asked me if I would take a picture of them. I duly obliged, making sure I got the Borderline name in.
An hour or so later inside the gig, as Kathleen Edwards gets on stage I realise it was she who had asked me to take the photo.

David Quantick was next to me when Teenage Fanclub 'did' Bandwagonesque at Kentish Town Forum, July 2006. He was wearing a fabulous shirt. The best one ever was association footballer Stuart Pearce at a Stiff Little Fingers recital at Gloucester Guildhall; the fellow sung every word of every song and looked hard as nails.

After a Brian Jonestown Massacre gig in Oxford I was chatting to the band and my wife wanted a photo with lead singer Anton. I duly obliged and just as I was putting my camera away this shaven headed, trampy guy put his arms round Anton and asked if I could take a photo of him too.
I did the decent thing and said to the chap I'd send him an email with the picture. In the usual aftershow chaos I realized I forgot to get his email address.

Back at home the next day I checked the band's website and put a comment on their forum to say I had the photo if the fan wanted to claim it.

Comment came back saying "That's Mark Gardener from Ride with Anton"!

I had no idea, I vaguely remember the Ride singer being a floppy haired shoe-gazing jessie - he has NOT aged well!

This is also a slightly embarrassing one... Rivers Cuomo (of Weezer fame) watching Slipknot of all people! He was a bit of a pain in the arse to be honest. Really into it...just a little bit too much...

Sir Elton John at one of the 21 Prince at the O2 nights.
Sat just in front of us. He unfortunately went on stage with Prince at one point to do an awful rendition of 'Long and Winding Road'. Truly excruciating.

Paul Mccartney and Heather Mills at the Comedy Store pre-wedding. He was wearing the same suit as me and I shook his hand. Heather laughed as I walked away because I came at him with such a force and then had nothing to say...oh well, she can f**k off she got her 50million.

Oh, Laurie Anderson at Elvis Costello's meltdown watching Moondog. I wasn't wearing the same suit as her though.

to the 6f7 Stephen Merchant at a hold steady gig. Bearing in mind I'm 6f3 and built like a brick outhouse,I pity anyone who had the unalloyed misfortune to stand behind us...

A certain member of the Brookside cast beside me at Glastonbury in 1987 - he was, ermmmm, spliffed up, in the parlance of the herb cogniscenti. He inhaled; I didn't

in LA is the place to go. As frequented by Morrissey, David Hockney, George Michael. And me. It's also one of the very best bookshops in the world. To be confused with a film of a similar name...

Elvis Costello and, inevitably, Pete Wylie, at Bob Dylan at the Summer Pops in Liverpool a few years back.
One of the Emmerdale Dingles at Brian Wilson a year later.
Every Mancunian sleb imaginable at the New Order return gig at the Liverpool Olympia, prior to the Get Ready album (maybe 1999). Ain't Bez tiny and able to smoke a ton of weed?
Pete Wylie at the worst gig I have ever seen, Carbon Sillicon at Liverpool University about three years ago. Once in, no leaving for other bars. Unbelievably terrible support and a rambling Jones/ James fuck about jam for mains. Shocking night all round.
Pete Wylie (plus 1) at every Liverpool gig of any import for the last 15 years.

of Waterstone's. It took all my restraint not to say "Hello, you're Michael Caine."

...at The Stones at Twickenham about 6 years ago. He was on his feet along with everyone else but the awfully sniffy look never left his face all night.

at Rosanne Cash's gig at the Royal Festival Hall a couple of years back.
I was leaving the gents as Bill walked in. My wife is a fan of his so when I got back to my seat I told her. We were scanning the auditorium trying to see where he was sitting, then I turned round and found myself staring into his face as he was sat directly behind us.

In a lifetime of gigging, ligging, loitering, queuing, counter-jumping, sitting and sideling I have somehow managed to be in proximity of amongst others-

Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithful, Eric Clapton, Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Princess Margaret, Brian Ferry, Roger Taylor, Walter Becker, David Gilmour, Clare Grogan, Ewan McGregor, Elton John, Bobby Moore, Anthony Hopkins, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Susie Quattro, Jon Anderson, Terence Stamp, Roger Daltry, Ronnie Wood, JPR Williams, Jet Harris, and David Hepworth.

I am alarmed that I can remember this. I have certificates to prove I am not a stalker.

All of it was by chance or accident, literally in the case of Mick and Marianne, who ran over my toes in an E-type Jag on New Year’s Eve 1966. The finest wound of my career.

.... at Friars in Aylesbury for the first Stiff Tour, the one with Wreckless Eric, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and possibly Ian Dury ( don't remember the exact line up ). Anyway the concert wasn't anywhere near full, I was quite near the front and it didn't take me long to recognise Elton standing next to me - he was really enthusiastic nodding his head - he wore a big cap and was clapping most everything he heard.

Someone must have spotted him from the Stiff road crew as I remember him being invited onto the stage for the Grand Finale when everyone got on stage and Elton played piano. Naughty Wreckless whipped Elton's cap off revealing a mostly bald head with a Ralph Coates style combover - that's about all I remember.

It changed my opinion of Elton John though - I've never dreamed of buying any of his records but he looked a jolly bloke that evening who'd come along for some new music and a good time - a million light years from the prima donna they showed in the documentary some years later.

Under similar circumstances I saw Stevie Wonder join Osibisa on stage at the Imperial College. It was pre Talking Book but already writing his own stuff Stevie - I think Where I'm Coming From had just come out.

Those two were my favourites but there's been a few others.

.. watching Paul Weller at Glastonbury. Smoking a "home made cigarette". After 5 minutes he got spooked by a couple of people making comments and donned a black balaclava .. and yes he carried on & finished his "turkish style" cig !!

australian cricket captain - during the lillee thomson reign - you know - when the english cricket team were scared to come out to bat

but i digress - it was a jimmy ray vaughhan texas boogie concert at a stand up bar venue- i was impressed

I was working in New York a lot during 2006 and 2007 and stood in a cinema queue in Battery Park with James Gandolfini plus partner and children. He looked the same as TS and very scarey! Also saw Hilary Swank filming and Forest Whittaker in Columbus Circle chatting and signing autographs. Other notables .... stood next to Nigel Kennedy in the gents urinals at an Edgbaston test match once. Sat next to Kevin Rowland at a Van Morrison gig at Birmingham Odeon, probably around 1980ish. A friend of mine spent a whole afternoon chatting with Eric Clapton at Worcester New Road during the Botham era and had no idea who he was! Also saw Steve Earle at the Blue Note club in Greenwich Village with Alison Moorer so intimate a venue that you can chat to the artists during the show!

Bobby Moore once gave me a pen in my youth and I have been in Dublin airport with Ronnie Wood. Also chatted to Bob harris's wife after Joe Bonamassa set at last years Cornbuy Festival. Have also met / played against/ been aneighbour of a wide range of Worcestershire county cricketers.

Was watching an interesting programme on BBC4 last night on Celts and early Christian history in Britain presented by Dan Snow which prompted this memory.

I remember I met him once when he was a lad and I briefly 'trained' him on the IT system I was in charge of while I worked at the Foreign Office. This was sometime around '93 or '94 long before his boat race successes and subsequent TV career. I assume either his Dad or his uncle arranged for him to browse around the Foreign Office departments looking at things to pique his interest in a future career after uni.

Whatever, one afternoon he was trooped in to meet me and I showed him how our IT system worked. He was perfectly civil and very bright. I don't think what he saw impressed him greatly though.

Used to work with someone who dated the Blur axeman back in the days of "ParkLife", so there were a few work "dos" where Mr Coxon was to be found propping up the bar!

Only 1,009 to go ....

Once on Oxford Street in the early 80's after coming out of Air Studios and then more recently with Mucca in my local Tescos on New Years Eve (his brother lives nearby). Best thing about both was the look on other people's faces when they clocked him. The two japanese tourists in London who he walked past as he came out of the building nearly had heart attacks and the lad collecting the trolleys in the supermarket car park lost all sense of direction and almost crashed the lot.

Actually, it wasn't a bar as such, but they did regularly coincide when settling their paper bills at the newsagent's on Hampstead High Street.

Michael Foot would often be loitering on the pavement outside, no doubt prevented from joining in the fun by the NO DOGS sign on the door. (He was forever going walkies.)

Got a dirty look from Vannessa Feltz at a screening of a David Mamet film in SoHo once...sorry, I'll go now

While on the way to see him back in 1984 - does this count??

I stood next to Elvis Costello watching Ian Dury during the Stiff Tour at Kings Hall Aberystwyth in 1977. or maybe 1978. He chatted to me and my them g/f for 20 minutes or so.Really nice guy.

Following day I held the door open for him at Woolies. He did say thank you. Which is more than Ian Dury did!

A few years ago I found myself briefly standing next to Percy Thrillington himself at Coldplay gig at Crystal Palace, until a steward intervened and showed him to what was his proper seat. (It was the EMI VIP section and I'd won tickets) Incongrously enough, he was carrying a teddy bear and was accompanied by Geoff Hoon. And no, I wasn't taking drugs.

Siouxie Sioux was sat in the seat directly behind me at the Goldfrapp teenage cancer trust gig at The Albert Hall a couple of years ago.
She looked fierce!

Shortly after Cornbury 2006 was in Browns department store in Chester when my eight year old pointed out "that singer you like". EC was with a lady I took to be his Mum (very smart, with a stick); she was finding it difficult to negotiate the small stairs and platforms in the store so he was at the perfume counter on her behalf dutifully bringing back samples for her consideration.

Stood next to Peter Gabriel at an REM gig at Hammersmith Odeon, 1989. We were standing behind the mixing desk. Nice bloke. Good sound, too.

I once stood next to Elvis Costello at a Hubert Sumlin show at Antoine's in Austin. Robert Plant was there too.

This was a funny old gig, and no mistake.
William Burroughs just sat at a desk, giving an interminable reading from one of his books in a drawling monotone.
Luckily, the audience was a little more interesting, as I found myself 'hanging out' with Peter Hook, Mark E. Smith and Paul Morley. Didn't engage any of them in conversation, though.

at an Embrace gig ICA. (numerous people kept offering the multi millionaire drinks, Meg stood her round and got em in for us.)

short bloke out of Manics, at a Doves goig. Kentish Town forum

once found herself standing next to Harry Seccombe at baggage collect in Glasgow Airport. She was so taken aback, she came out with 'Good heavens, imagine bumping into you here'

He assumed that she must be an acquaintance, and a strange conversation ensued, with him making several '...and how are the family?' type enquiries. Ma was too embarrassed to 'fess up and went along with it till she could make her mistake.

Similarly, I bumped into a rather nice looking American early one morning as I was going into a London Hotel to meet a client (no, I'm not a hooker). We had quite a nice conversation as he explained that he wasn't going out for long, but early mornings were 'obviously' better for him.

It was only when a gushing concierge met me and asked if I was with XYZ law firm that the lightbulb came on. Brad Pitt.

He left Jennifer shortly afterwards.

with him out of UB40, also met Terry Reid emerging from a, ahem..... toilet cubicle at a Terry Reid gig, once gave Arthur Negus directions and promoted an Altered Images gig and you know what, think I could have pulled La Grogan.Broke up a fight involving members of Showadywaddy and quite liddrally bumped into Eddie Izzard in Sauchiehall St' Glesgae

*stares wistfully into self delusional space*

Elton John in the row in front at David Bowie at the Rainbow in 1972.
More recently...queueing up at the bar next to Robert Plant at the Incredible String Band reunion in 2000.

I just remembered the time I held the door open for Teenage Fanclub up at the bar of the Town & Country Club.
It was before they were due to go on stage and I know TFC have problems with their directions, getting lost, taking the long way round and finding their way home. I felt like the janitor in that wonderful backstage scene in Spinal Tap when the band get lost trying to get to the stage..."Hello Kentish Town!"