TOTP was end of star bid for John

When John Bradford became the first Wolverhampton man to appear on Top Of The Pops, he was billed as the next Tom Jones.

What he did not realise, however, was that his career had just peaked and was about to go into freefall.

Arriving at the BBC studio clutching Good Luck telegrams from his family in Penn, he thought "I've made it." And as the show's presenter Tony Blackburn called out Eli Bonaparte – the name his manager insisted he change to by deed poll – Bradford knew he'd hit the big time.

But he could only look on as his former Highfields Secondary Modern classmate Dave Hill made it big with Slade, going on to achieve six No1 hits, selling more singles in the UK than any other band in the 1970s.

John eventually gave up the music business and now runs his own building maintenance company.

But he is swapping his overalls for a stage outfit when he makes a comeback after 20 years with his new band The Sun Kings at the Robin 2 in Bilston on Sunday. Now 62, he had to be coaxed out of retirement by the band's drummer Eddie Taylor, founder of the Formula 1 rock and roll group, made up of personnel from the world's racing circuit.

Looking back, he wishes he had stayed in a band – for a while he shared a stage with Hill in their fledgling group Brad Ford And The Sundowners – instead of going solo.

He can now laugh at the name he went by on the 1970 show. John says: "It was a ridiculous name but it was the era of Engelbert Humperdinck and I did as I was told. All my family and friends, including Dave, were chuffed when I made it on to the programme – it was a big thing round here – but Dave did say 'you beat me to it'.

"I was gutted things didn't work out. The song, Never An Everyday Thing, was withdrawn from the charts after rumours that it was being hyped to the official chart shops.

"I got a bit of stick when the lads at work found out a couple of years ago I used to be a pop star."

The Sun Kings, who also feature bassist Pete Manzini, lead guitarist Terry Guy and pianist Graham Taylor, are also playing at St Bartholomew's summer fair in Penn tomorrow night.