BONE IDOL....By Raymond Wilson
I was born into a very poor family in South Wales in a small mining village where having a pair of shoes was a luxury. I was used to going out to play in ragged clothing and shoes that wet my feet every time I splashed into puddles, like young kids do, but I was happy. My mum and dad were always telling me that they loved me and I sure did love them back I didn’t like school much, but I did enjoy playing rugby. When I was twelve years old my dad took me to see England playing Wales in Cardiff. The atmosphere was tremendous and the singing was thunderous. It was a great joy to be there especially as Wales gave the English a good hiding. If I remember correctly the score was something like 55 points to six. My eardrums took a battering from the Welch voices which rang out every time Wales scored a try. My dad told me he thought I had a lovely singing voice and he took me the next Sunday to the Presbyterian Church and introduced me to the Minister. The minister was well impressed with my vocals and I was drafted there and then into the Church choir to sing as a soprano. This of course only lasted for a year until my voice broke and my angelic voice disappeared into past memory. The minister the very Reverend Owen Jones was disappointed to be losing one of his choir members – me that he arranged for me to have singing lessons. I was never then too keen on the idea as my school mates relentlessly teased me about being mamby pamby and girlie and this even though I played on the school’s first rugby team.
Well! I showed them I was not a mamby pamby for on leaving school at the age of seventeen I was picked to play for the Welch second team at scrum-half as well as going to Cardiff to obtain a place in the X factor programme. If you have been watching this real time TV show you might not have noticed me under my real name of David Bone. I was asked by Simon Cloud, once he had heard me sing, to change my name to something far more fitting for a potential winner of the programme. Life then became very exciting for me. I had never been to the United States before but to go and live in the luxury of Simon Cloud’s house in Florida was beyond anything that had ever happened to me. I was on cloud nine in Cloud’s house. I’m not sure that to call his pad a house was correct. I had that strange feeling that to call it thus was to commit an insult to a beautiful abode.
Enough of talking about his property, I’m not an estate agent; I was there to sing my heart out. So when Simon told me I was to be in the finals in London I did a double summersault. When I arrived back in England to the usual cold weather I opened an official looking letter informing me that I’d been picked to play for Wales in the six nations. I was delighted to be selected, but to the disappointment of my mum and especially my dad I had to turn it down. For me to win the X factor was the most important thing in my life.
I hadn’t realised that Simon as well as being a music mogul was also a fanatic rugby supporter. He called me in to his office and said, “Look David, I want you to play for Wales as well as taking part in the X factor. I believe you will walk into the finals and they will be held on a Saturday when Wales don’t have a fixture.”
I told him that it was too late now as I’d already sent my letter turning down their invitation. “Don’t you worry about that David two of my best friends are Welch rugby selectors and a word from me will see you playing next week and gaining your first cap.”
Well life became hectic from that moment. Not only did I have to practice my songs I also had to take part in rugby practice as well as vigorous fitness training. I told Simon that he had set me an impossible task and I was proved to be correct when I was injured during me first international and told I would have to rest for at least two weeks to facilitate my recovery. The next Saturday I was in the last two and had to sing again against a duo who were the laughing stock of the X factor. Simon told me not to worry as my prowess on the rugby field would see me through and this was the case, the dreadful duo were sent home. The next week I was off rugby training and was able to concentrate on my singing and after I’d sung my song there was rapturous applause from the audience and I had no trouble getting through to the next round.
It was great seeing my name on the front page of various papers and when I won I just couldn’t believe the fuss made about me. My greatest moment was when I read that I’d become an idol and my latest record would hit the number one spot at Xmas.
Yes I was disappointed that I’d had to give up playing for Wales, but the money is brilliant and I’ve been able to provide for my parents in ways that has compensated for having to give up my rugby career.
I’ve also been able to return to my original name of Bone and for those of you who might just want to buy my records, and please, please do, I’m now known as Bone Idol.
I was born into a very poor family in South Wales in a small mining village where having a pair of shoes was a luxury. I was used to going out to play in ragged clothing and shoes that wet my feet every time I splashed into puddles, like young kids do, but I was happy. My mum and dad were always telling me that they loved me and I sure did love them back I didn’t like school much, but I did enjoy playing rugby. When I was twelve years old my dad took me to see England playing Wales in Cardiff. The atmosphere was tremendous and the singing was thunderous. It was a great joy to be there especially as Wales gave the English a good hiding. If I remember correctly the score was something like 55 points to six. My eardrums took a battering from the Welch voices which rang out every time Wales scored a try. My dad told me he thought I had a lovely singing voice and he took me the next Sunday to the Presbyterian Church and introduced me to the Minister. The minister was well impressed with my vocals and I was drafted there and then into the Church choir to sing as a soprano. This of course only lasted for a year until my voice broke and my angelic voice disappeared into past memory. The minister the very Reverend Owen Jones was disappointed to be losing one of his choir members – me that he arranged for me to have singing lessons. I was never then too keen on the idea as my school mates relentlessly teased me about being mamby pamby and girlie and this even though I played on the school’s first rugby team.
Well! I showed them I was not a mamby pamby for on leaving school at the age of seventeen I was picked to play for the Welch second team at scrum-half as well as going to Cardiff to obtain a place in the X factor programme. If you have been watching this real time TV show you might not have noticed me under my real name of David Bone. I was asked by Simon Cloud, once he had heard me sing, to change my name to something far more fitting for a potential winner of the programme. Life then became very exciting for me. I had never been to the United States before but to go and live in the luxury of Simon Cloud’s house in Florida was beyond anything that had ever happened to me. I was on cloud nine in Cloud’s house. I’m not sure that to call his pad a house was correct. I had that strange feeling that to call it thus was to commit an insult to a beautiful abode.
Enough of talking about his property, I’m not an estate agent; I was there to sing my heart out. So when Simon told me I was to be in the finals in London I did a double summersault. When I arrived back in England to the usual cold weather I opened an official looking letter informing me that I’d been picked to play for Wales in the six nations. I was delighted to be selected, but to the disappointment of my mum and especially my dad I had to turn it down. For me to win the X factor was the most important thing in my life.
I hadn’t realised that Simon as well as being a music mogul was also a fanatic rugby supporter. He called me in to his office and said, “Look David, I want you to play for Wales as well as taking part in the X factor. I believe you will walk into the finals and they will be held on a Saturday when Wales don’t have a fixture.”
I told him that it was too late now as I’d already sent my letter turning down their invitation. “Don’t you worry about that David two of my best friends are Welch rugby selectors and a word from me will see you playing next week and gaining your first cap.”
Well life became hectic from that moment. Not only did I have to practice my songs I also had to take part in rugby practice as well as vigorous fitness training. I told Simon that he had set me an impossible task and I was proved to be correct when I was injured during me first international and told I would have to rest for at least two weeks to facilitate my recovery. The next Saturday I was in the last two and had to sing again against a duo who were the laughing stock of the X factor. Simon told me not to worry as my prowess on the rugby field would see me through and this was the case, the dreadful duo were sent home. The next week I was off rugby training and was able to concentrate on my singing and after I’d sung my song there was rapturous applause from the audience and I had no trouble getting through to the next round.
It was great seeing my name on the front page of various papers and when I won I just couldn’t believe the fuss made about me. My greatest moment was when I read that I’d become an idol and my latest record would hit the number one spot at Xmas.
Yes I was disappointed that I’d had to give up playing for Wales, but the money is brilliant and I’ve been able to provide for my parents in ways that has compensated for having to give up my rugby career.
I’ve also been able to return to my original name of Bone and for those of you who might just want to buy my records, and please, please do, I’m now known as Bone Idol.