A PENARTH man who managed Shakin' Stevens for ten years and won a court battle against him in 1999 has spoken of the good and bad times on the road with the man who revived rock n' roll in the 1980s.

Paul Barrett and members of the Cardiff singer's backing group, the Sunsets, won a court case against Shakin' Stevens in 1999 after they were denied loyalties for an album recorded in the 1970s but rereleased in the 1980s when Shaky found fame.

Paul Barrett is the husband of Penarth AM Lorraine Barrett and owner of music agency Rock'n' Roll Enterprises.

Paul said he was alerted to Shakin' Stevens' potential in 1967.

He said: "Shaky was playing with a band called the Sunsets, who, at the time, were frankly a little bit amateur.

I knew that I had to bring in better musicians to make the most of Shaky's talent.

"Soon after I became the group's manager and brought in some very able musicians from two Penarth rock'n' roll bands.

"Ex-Backbeat Robert'Rockin' Louie' Llewellyn came in on drums and vocals. Then there was Robert Peterson and ex-Skyliners Steve Percy on bass and Paul Dolan on sax. Later Trevor'The Hawk' Hawkins joined as pianist.

"Michael Barrat had got the name Shakin' Stevens from an Ely roadsweeper who would jump around strumming his broom. Michael adopted the name."

In 1969 the band was spotted by record producer Dave Edmunds playing at the Drope community centre in Ely,.

Paul said: "Edmunds approached us to record the album A Legend, released in 1970, which comprised offbeat Rock'n' Roll covers."

It was this album that was to cause friction between Shaky and the other band members who, it was claimed, were just session musicians.

Paul said: "The band had ten action-packed years together playing at venues across Britain and Europe. Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets had a good following in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Sweden.

"I remember the band played at an anti-Vietnam war concert in Amsterdam. At the end a huge docks worker jumped onto the stage and shook Shaky's hand so hard he broke his finger.

"After ten years on the road, boozing and eating fast food, our bodies needed a break and by the late 1970s we were going our separate ways.

"Shaky was married at 18 and had a child. He was very much a family man but somehow managed to combine that with touring."

In 1977 the Daily Mirror ran a campaign to find a singer to star in the West End musical Elvis.

Shakin' Stevens won the part, and played the role for two years - a move which was to launch his solo career.