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Vic Kings 60th Birthday Surprise Michelangelo's Restaurant Ryde Monday 16th June. Fitting tune for Vic's birthday which was actually on Saturday 14th, right in the middle of the festival. Karen wrote this tune about six years ago and its a prime example of where she is coming from, a very special place indeed. She thanked Vic just after this air for introducing her to the island and so say all of us. Vic is the "king" pin of Vaguely Sunny Promotions and has been booking bands on the island since the 70's. In the beginning there were three guys on a mission to promote rock music on the Island, Vic King, Pete Turner And Mike Plumbly. They attended the Isle Of Wight Technical College together Pete and Vic ran the students union in those days and that's where they got there first experiences in booking bands. Pete I think it was had a dream in those days of writing the Isle of Wight Rock Archives but then marriage and family life and work became the order of the day. Time went by and in 1995 on the 25th anniversary of the Afton Down Isle of Wight Festival, The Isle Of Wight Rock Archives were published after two and a half years hard research and with Mikes experience in graphic design and publishing, it wasn't a problem. It was a limited edition, a thousand copies I think and after the launch at Northwood House it soon sold out creating a budget. A new name was required as, IOW Rock Archives didn't look right on gig advertising etc. and in 1996 Vaguely Sunny was born after a telephone conversation by the then secretary Lynn Clarke to the mainland, when asked what the weather was like on the Island she replied, vaguely sunny, it stuck. These boys were pushing hard in those days to revive the festival with promotions like Bring Back The Festival at Newport football club but to no avail, the council, Boo Ooh, weren't having it. In 1998 they changed there direction and booked Fairport Convention to Medina Theatre, the council began to play ball and all manner of musical events started to materialise all over the island with local musicians involved in various venues indoors and out. Even little old me who had just started to play went on the boards for a couple of half hour sets one weekend at Ventnor Winter Gardens and again one Saturday afternoon in St Thomas's square in Newport (an act had cancelled at the last minute and I happened to be there) all thanks to Vic King. The rest is unwritten history , I think ? Pete retired from Vaguely a couple of years back and started his own Sea Pie Promotions, Mike is still backwards and forwards from the mainland and gigs are still being booked (there's well over 200 been booked to date). Old mate Tony O'Nions helps on admin and stuff. Well I think I've got it right,. If any of the boys would like to add or edit please let me know and long may you all run,