It was on the stroke of midnight, New Years Eve 1999, the dawning of a new millennium that the idea for this book began. For over forty years the youngsters of the Wyre Forest area had produced so many great groups and those good times needed to be re-visited and recorded for prosperity! So in 2000 John began the lengthy but exciting task of researching twenty or more years of musical history. Interviewing the famous, chatting with the not quite so famous and remembering friends no longer with us, whose love of music made a few small towns in Worcestershire shine.
For two years John worked on the book and all was going well until October 2002 when a mystery virus struck and after many months in hospital he returned home in a wheelchair, with the completion of the book the last thing on his mind. But with the encouragement and support of family and friends he began to pick up the pieces and happily this book is a testament to both the musicians and people of this area and to John Combes determination to overcome all the odds and complete a book which has become an important social document for the Wyre Forest. John Combes worked for many years as a roadie for groups such as Crazy World of Arthur Brown before returning to live in Kidderminster with his family. Since that time he has played an important part as a promoter bringing live music into the town. John also takes a keen interest in local history and the preservation of the town is a member of Kidderminster Civic Society.