18.05.04 SINGING IS MY THERAPY The show must go on...Joe talks exclusively to Dawn Pickering about how he's balancing his latest battle against cancer with a UK tour. The man with the big voice cuts a very slight figure in real life. Having never previously met Joe Longthorne, I had built up a mental image of him from glossy promotional posters and brochures. It meant I had to take a long hard stare before recognising the frail hospital patient walking towards me, attached to a drip as Joe, the Blackpool based singer and impersonator is once again undergoing treatment for cancer. He is spending three days a week on Blackpool Victoria Hospital's haematology and oncology ward. But he's a star that refuses to stop shining...Remarkably despite his intensive treatment, Joe is still managing to pack in audiences by night as part of a UK tour. Joe said: "There's nothing like going on the stage for me - it is like therapy. Money is the last thing I'm after, I just want to get out there and perform." Joe's now halfway through his two month spring tour. It's obvious he's lost weight - the brown cords he wears are baggy on his waist. But his voice has not faded. "The voice has not been affected by the treatment fortunately," says Joe. I actually feel, in fact, that it's held up better on this tour than any other to date." It might appear a foolhardy move to stage a major tour at the same time as cancer treatment, but this was by no means the original plan. Zeb White, production manager for Joe's UK tour, explained: "We had anticipated that Joe would have undergone treatment by February, so we booked the tour to run through April and May. This did not pan out obviously. But despite what Joe is going through personally, he won't let his fans down." As with all tours, Joe has been carefully plotted to follow a logical route around England, Scotland and Wales. But this did not, of course, account for Joe having to return to the Flyde for his cancer treatment thrice weekly. Zeb tells: "We spent the whole day in hospital a couple of Fridays ago. We then flew him down to Biggin Hill and travelled for a couple of junctions on the M25 to make The Orchard Theatre at Dartford for a performance that night. The logistics of the tour have proved extremely difficult throughout." Joe performed in Portsmouth on Thursday night and then had to travel back to Blackpool overnight for another course of his treatment yesterday. So far, only three of his dates had to be cancelled - Salisbury, Kidderminster and Aldershot. Joe and his crew are using a luxury coach, which acts as a home from home, to travel to the venues. James Moran, the tour's company manger, said: "There is a bed on the coach which Joe normally lies in up until 20 minutes before he's on stage. He will then shower, shave and put is tux on. There are times when he will say I'll only do an hour as I'm really tired, but I've not known him yet to leave the stage before performing for at least an hour and 40 minutes. Joe is able to take his mind off the cancer when he's on stage." Joe is renowned in the industry for his boundless energy. Even though today he appears a jaded reflection of his normal self due to his treatment, his drive radiates through his fast-paced chatter. It's hard to keep up as he verbally leapfrogs from one topic to the next at breakneck speed. He's had to learn to pace himself on the stage. "I have to put a stop to gyrating when I'm doing my Tom Jones impersonation!" He jokes. "But I have always overdone it where work's concerned, even when I was in the best of health. I've also suffered with pre-show nerves, but for this tour these have been 100 to 200 times worse than normal. What used to be a flutter of nerves is now like a rush of adrenaline and this just sees me through the show". My head is in a whirl. I take a rest while Joe takes for a cig break - a vice he hasn't managed to pack in although he claims to have dramatically cut down. Joe puts on a brave face in public but admits private anguish. He has been battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma since 1988. Alongside this he's been bankrupt with debts of more than £1 million (finally cleared last summer) and appeared in court several times (including in 2000 when he was cleared of assaulting 2 Blackpool men). And his 82 year old father, who lives in Hull, is now so also ill with cancer. "My mother is obviously carrying a lot of pressure while worrying about me and my dad," remarks Joe. "So we both worry about her. I do cave in from time to time. I was told this morning that it ;looks likely one of my Rottweillers will have to be put down as they've found a growth, and I just broke down crying. I try to fill my days so I don't have the time to get down. I feel fortunate that I'm not on my own - I have the support of all my friends and family. There are some people being treated for cancer who are totally on their own - that must be awful." Joe has received hundreds of cards and presents from his loyal fans throughout his treatment. His official website gives regular updates on his condition as the chatroom is always bombarded by concerned emails from around the world. It is anticipated that Joe's latest course of treatment will come to an end at around the same time as the tour's finale on May 31 (also Joe's 49th birthday). Zeb said: "The logistics couldn't have worked out worse if I'd tried!". Joe is then to headline a traditional variety show at the Blackpool Opera House over nine weeks from July. Blackpool-born and based former Grumbleweeds member Tony Jo is part of the team staging The Joe Longthorne Summer Spectacular. Tony comments: "There aren't many artists of Joe's ilk. He knows most of his fans on a first-name basis and will always take the time to talk to them. It cannot be easy for Joe at the moment but he takes what is happening as part of the job and just gets on with it. He's a true professional." Company manger James added: "We've just tremendous respect and admiration for the way Joe's been having this treatment by day and then going on stage by night and getting standing ovations. Most people in his situation would naturally just want to stay at home and lick their wounds." ©2004 The Blackpool Gazette. If you would like to help the fight against cancer please send donations to: Macmillan Cancer Relief c/o Dr. Kelsey's Secretary The Macmillan Windmill Unit Victoria Hospital Blackpool FY3 8NR For more information regarding the Macmillan Cancer Relief please visit: www.macmillan.org.uk back to top site design_navajo media