Elaine

Thank you for all the tweets, I had an amazing two hours of Will, a fabulous production - 100% perfection. Can't wait for tomorrow now to see the charts, I see The Hits is doing well, I would love to see Jealousy go up to the top where it belongs. Elaine xx

Thanks for this Bev, I hope you don't mind but I have taken it over to BD. Elaine xx

So Will isn't it Bev! :lol: Lots of us are missing you, wish you would come back.

I have typed it up The Times 22.08.2011 These rioters are not mindless neanderthals. Young people can switch quickly from bad to good. They need a bit of belief and direction. Will Young (Picture of head and shoulders). I am not going to start with a long-winded account of my personal experience of the recent rioting in London, apart from saying that my one moment of potential bravery ended with my crossing the street to avoid a group of young people who were carrying sticks. On closer inspection my friend did point out they were a youth hockey team and not a mob of looters. But, I pointed out, they could have looted the hockey kit as a cunning disguise. There are so many theories being bandied around as to why young people reacted as thy did. Modern Britain is a blamocracy: people look to pass the buck. Governments, we are told, have created a society of idleness, in which a mood of entitlement has fermented. Add to this the onward march of capitalism, family breakdown and a fettered education sector and things look bleak. Yet there is an opportunity for something that could leave the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats with an impressive legacy. For within this helpless cloud, there is a sliver of a hint of a silver lining. Young people learn very quickly, they really do. There is a malleability about them that means they can switch rapidly from the bad side of the path to the good. All they need is for someone to show belief in them and respect for them and to be provided with a suggestion of what direction to go in and they will do it. I’ve seen this. Through the work that I have done and witnessed with Ctch 22 (the charity that works with young people across the UK) over the past 18 months, I have seen young people blossom - young people who came from broken families, had no one in their lives who treated them with an sort of respect, found it hard to communicate and felt little or no direction in their lives. I’ve seen them get their lives back on track. One example was a project in Dagenham, Essex, in which a group of young people embarked on a community project to do up people’s gardens. The idea was to improve relations between young people and the adults in their community and create an environment of achievement and personal responsibility. Such was the success of this project that the kids went on to offer their services to a local shopkeeper who had been injured as a soldier. They relished their sense of achievement. I am not saying that all problems can be solved by a pat on the back and an uber-liberal approach to youth culture. Some lives are so broken they take longer to mend, or they occupy a space in society that none of us wants to inhabit. But change is attainable, despite some commentators’ use of words such as ‘ferel and ‘sick’. Less than two weeks after the riots I have concern that all young people will be tarred with the same brush. But most of them are not mindless neanderthals. Yes, some people were complete opportunists and have to learn their lessons. (Incidentally, evicting people from the housing is not the most sensible way to do it). There are people who have to learn to take responsibility for their actions. But there are also so many young people who in my opinion are heroes to be able to stay on track surrounded by all the shit that modern society throws at them. These kids learnt quickly, saw what the right path was and remained on it. Others can follow suit, I know. I’ve seen it. Will Young is a singer and actor.

I believe the first song from the album was played at 4.30 this morning - Val stayed awake to listen - and it was Jealousy!

Thank you for responding, I was hoping some fans were invited to ask Will a question so that is good news.

I think it could be Beyonce Will is 'jealous' of, he does seem to have total admiration for everything she does. Do we know anyone who actually asked Will questions please?

The night is long waiting for news. Anyone know who the winners of the video comp for priority tickets were? Elaine xx

Gareth Gates has been spotted sitting in reception. Whoops I see I am too late. Heaven forbid he is there to sing but Will did say he had bumped into him recently. Elaine xx

Just popped over to say a massive thank you Bev for sending us the link via Sunday - we all absolutely love it on BD, some prefer it to Jealousy. Can't wait to see what else is on the 2nd album, it says on Amazon the album is called 'The Way I See' too, released yesterday but maybe they just mean this song. Who knows. Exciting day, thank you again! Everyone should hear this! Elaine xx

I got my copy from Sainsbury's last night - so very high on the shelf I had to stretch to my limits to reach it. My grand-daughter asked why was I buying a fitness magazine.

What a lovely welcome, thank you very much. Moby is on her way too, for the same reason. Bev you brought such joy to the site, I can't help but feel sad but I do feel a bit better now by keeping in touch over here. Sunday, I will never forget that lovely overnight stay in London with you all. Munchkin (or Truly Talented), I think I saw that you are AKA Chris T, I need to write a little list I think. Yes it is a fantastic day in Will's World, I haven't heard/read one negative post about the video - quite the opposite - and I cannot stop watching it. Do we know who directed it please? Elaine xx

Hello everyone, I have finally got around to joining this site, prompted by the sadness of not seeing Bev posting on BD. (I need to find the sad emoticons). I am going to enjoy getting to work out how the forum works, seeing some old Devotee names, and how I can hopefully add something. Now let's see if this has worked for starters..... Elaine x