ONE of Hollywood’s poshest hotels had an unexpected guest. A global icon was relaxing in his executive suite, preparing for the party of all parties and the concert of all concerts.

Outside, Keith Williams, from Neath in South Wales, padlocked his rusty old bicycle in the bike rack. The two-wheeler was all he could afford as he tried to make a name for himself, creating ideas for pop videos. Surely bands could do more than just stand there, strumming, he told everyone. Could they maybe act out a story?

Keith nipped into the toilet to adjust his plastic yellow bow tie and bright red spectacles. He was ready. What was this invitation all about? He glanced again and again at the mysterious, gold-embossed invitation card. Just the address and time. Was it a prank?

Burly bodyguards appeared and ushered Keith along a grand corridor to a suite fit only for millionaires. Keith peered into the lavish surroundings. There, waiting with his entourage, was Elton John. Megastar of the 1980s.

‘I saw you cycling down Santa Monica Boulevard, dear, and wondered whether I should knock you down in my Bentley,’ Elton joked.

Memories came flooding back. The last time Keith and Elton had met was five years earlier at the star’s house in Windsor. Keith was sleeping on a bedroom floor while he worked on videos for Elton’s early tracks.

Now the great man had seen Keith’s credits on MTV. Was Keith’s video really the first to appear on the groundbreaking channel? Yes, it was. The video to promote the hit by the Buggles, Video Killed the Radio Star, was all down to the aspiring Welshman.

The evening had only just begun. Keith was ushered downstairs by elevator to the hotel car park, where a chauffeur awaited. His car was due to follow Elton’s limo as it snaked out of the hotel grounds.

A hefty police escort had been assembled with red flashing lights, blaring sirens, helmeted cops on motorbikes and more officers holding back traffic at junctions.

Their destination: The Universal Amphitheatre, venue for the evening’s concert.

Keith found himself in the middle of a pre-concert party. Elton appeared in a massive purple wig. His new wife, Renate, was there too, smiling gracefully at everyone.

A dazzling Indian buffet had been prepared by leading chefs, especially flown over from England.

The concert was beyond spectacular, with Elton performing at the peak of his career. It was far from a one-off reunion. Keith could look forward to thoughtful birthday cards, sent on the dot from Elton every year.

Thriller

Keith’s telephone started to ring non-stop. Soon after arriving in Hollywood, with his dream of creating pop videos for the stars, a music producer was on the line. News of that MTV video was spreading.

‘Have you heard of Michael Jackson?’

‘Er…no…who’s he?’


‘One of the Jackson Five.’

‘Oh, I’m not really into Motown.’

‘He’s gone solo. He’s got a new album coming out. Something called Thriller. Sounds promising. Needs storylines for the videos.’

‘I’m up for that,’ Keith answered enthusiastically.

‘Have a listen to two of the tracks. Billie Jean and Beat It, they’re called.’

Another chauffeur-driven limo appeared, whisking Keith to Michael’s home in Encino, an upmarket part of Los Angeles.

Inside the palatial property, there were flowers everywhere. Michael appeared, gliding into the reception lounge as if on roller skates.

When Michael spoke, Keith stared at him, aghast. No one had told Keith that Michael talked in a high-pitched squeak, like Mickey Mouse. Keith’s pitch for the video was tricky, as he tried to keep a straight face.

Keith had listened to Michael singing on the two tracks, but they sounded like a normal, impressive singing voice.

‘Hey, you’re talented, I really like those ideas,’ Michael squeaked.

On the set of Billie Jean, a surprise lay in store. Michael approached Keith. What did the star want on such a busy day?

‘Can I touch you on the forehead?’

Keith was mystified, never having had such a request before.

‘Sure,’ Keith nodded, allowing Michael to prod his brow.

Michael smiled, then walked back onto the set to continue singing. What was all that about?

It turned out that Michael was a fan of ET, in fact anything by director Steven Spielberg; touching the forehead was all the rage in LA. Keith had just had a close encounter with a future giant of the music industry.

Keith was now a long way from Neath. Back home in his bedroom, he recalled how he wasn’t allowed to put up posters of his idols. Now he was being whisked from exotic location to exotic location, working with them, and calling the shots.

Soon, Keith was filming Holding Out for a Hero with Bonnie Tyler when the downdraught from the helicopter almost blew her over the edge of the Grand Canyon. She was reluctant to venture close to the sheer drop again. Luckily, Keith’s mum, living just up the road in Skewen, had sent over some Valium for her son. Keith gave a pill to Bonnie, and she was able to perform her worldwide hit on the edge of a precipice.

His next phone call with an emerging singer proved to be fruitful, but there was a downside.

‘Hello, is that Madonna?’

‘Hi, Madonna here.’

‘Hi, I’m Keith.’

‘Keith?’


‘Keith from Neath. It’s in…it’s in Wales.’

‘You’re the guy who does the videos? You’re from…Wales?’

‘Yes, and I know you’re going to be very famous in Wales!’

A few ideas from Keith, delivered to the bamboozled Madonna, and then: ‘Oh, I like that…oh, I like that.’

Keith composed the video story for her 1984 hit, Borderline. Madonna plays the girlfriend of a Hispanic man. Keith’s idea was to break taboos about interracial relationships.

All was not plain sailing with Madonna, though. Keith had no idea she was going to be a global sensation and pursued other projects instead of sticking with her. Also, he was given custody of the master tape for another future hit. Keith admits in his book…he lost it.

Calls from agents flooded in. The promotional video for the Ghostbusters film was Keith’s creation.

Then, another call out of the blue from a prominent agent.

‘Would you be free to meet Barbra Streisand?’

‘Let me check my diary.’

A microsecond later: ‘Yes, I appear to be free.’

The next day, a black limousine pulled up, whisking Keith along the Pacific Coast Highway to Ms Streisand’s beach residence in Malibu.

Five residences, actually. Not on the beach itself; her estate was set well back, lying at the end of a one-track lane. Streisland, more like it, Keith thought.

Barbra appeared at the door. ‘Would you like some coffee?’

Keith took a while to get his head around sitting in Barbra Streisand’s kitchen while she put the kettle on.

As they discussed potential videos, Barbra paused and said: ‘You’re brilliant.’

Keith wanted to know what she did with so many houses.

‘Well last night, I had dinner in the house over there, I had a bath in another, and then slept in this one!’

The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Billy Idol, Phil Collins and so many stars of the ’80s used Keith’s concepts for their videos. Olivia Newton-John adored the Welsh ‘ideas man’, taking him all over the world on her video shoots while he came up with more and more story outlines for her.

Keith was thrilled to be credited as the writer on Olivia’s Twist of Fate collection of music videos in 1983. That was some honour, working with Olivia and John Travolta.

Keith’s many other memories include Tina Turner on his lap in the back of an opulent limousine, glugging from a rapidly emptying champagne bottle, and sheer elation as one of his videos made it to No. 1 in America.

One of the funniest incidents in a tragic and shocking situation stayed with Keith, and he related the story many times.

TV presenter Peter Ivers was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in Los Angeles. Keith was dragged into the affair because one of his best friends, David Jove, happened to be a main suspect. The late Mr Jove was also implicated in a drugs bust involving the Rolling Stones in England.

Actor Paul Michael Glaser, who knew Peter Ivers well, turned up at the crime scene, heartbroken over the brutal crime. A rookie cop recognised Paul, who starred as Detective Dave Starsky in the all-action TV cop series, ‘Starsky and Hutch’.

‘Excuse me sir, what should we be doing to find the killer?’ the rookie asked Starsky, loud enough for everyone to hear.

‘I don’t know!’ Paul Michael Glaser replied as laughter was disguised as polite coughs. ‘I’m not a real cop. I’m an actor!’

Keith Williams died in 2023 at the age of 73. He had written his memoir, The Boy Who Went to Hollywood, including many of these fascinating stories and more.

His friend and collaborator, Disney producer Paul de Vos, decided that Keith’s escapades in Los Angeles would make a fascinating book.

With more than a little help from Paul’s friends, Keith’s adventurous life is now published for music fans to read.

The Boy Who Went to Hollywood was an Amazon hot new release and bestseller as soon as it came out. Keith would be delighted to read the reviews!

The Boy Who Went to Hollywood is edited by David Meikle and Paul de Vos. You can purchase it HERE

Article by David Meikle

Since cryptocurrency first emerged it has grown significantly in popularity, particularly in recent years. However, as an outsider, it can be difficult to understand what it is, how it works, and why it’s used. So, here’s a quick guide to cryptocurrency. 

What is cryptocurrency? 

Cryptocurrency is a type of digital currency that allows for secure transactions online. Traditionally, currencies like the US dollar or euro are operated by a bank or a central authority. Crypto, however, operates independently and negates the need for a middleman (a bank), in turn making transactions faster and more secure. 

How does cryptocurrency work? 

Cryptocurrency works on a decentralised network and uses blockchain technology – a shared ledger that records all transactions and assets (both tangible and intangible) across a network of computers. Users (also known as miners or validators) maintain this ledger whilst each transaction is approved by a protocol known as a ‘consensus mechanism’. 

Types of cryptocurrencies 

There are several types of cryptocurrencies available. Bitcoin, created in 2009, was the first and is the most widely known cryptocurrency. 

Other notable cryptocurrencies include Ethereum, Tether, XRP, BNB, and Solana. Some cryptocurrencies, such as Tether (USDT), are set to the value of a traditional currency to minimise the unpredictability that’s often seen in the cryptocurrency market. 

How cryptocurrency can be used

Cryptocurrency is used for a variety of purposes. Here are some of the most popular:

Investing and trading 

Cryptocurrency is commonly used for investment purposes. Investors can purchase cryptocurrencies and if their value increases over time, they can sell them on and make a profit. They can also be traded using sites like Coinbase.

Online purchases 

Numerous businesses now accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. For example, PayPal now lets users buy, sell, and use cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services online. 

Gambling 

Crypto casinos have seen an increase in popularity, and are used as a more secure method to gamble online. If you plan on using crypto casinos there are a few things to look out for: 

• Licensing

Licensed and regulated casinos follow certain standards for fairness and security based on a regulatory body such as the UK Gambling Commission. Unregulated casinos are often sought after because they usually have better bonuses and fewer restrictions. However, they do come with an increased risk of security threats. 

• KYC (Know Your Customer)

KYC is a legal requirement that verifies user identities and helps ensure no illegal financial activities take place – for comparison, crypto casinos with no KYC don’t have this extra step in security. As such, casinos with KYC are typically more secure, however, those without avoid users going through the longer verification processes. 

• Customer support 

Having helpful and responsive customer support is essential. You need to be able to raise and dispute any issues you run into, whether it be unfair gameplay or trouble with payments.

The future of cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is just one of the many financial advancements that have been made in recent years to keep up with the digital age. This digital currency offers freedom, security, and transparency with online transactions and as they evolve, they are set to play an increasingly significant role in the financial world. 

FAMILIES in Haverfordwest are in for a treat as the Easter Funfair rolls into town, offering colourful rides, sweet treats, and affordable fun for all ages.

The fair, presented by Andrew Holmes, officially opened on Friday (April 18) and runs daily until Saturday (April 26) at the Rifleman Field Car Park, SA61 1SF. Today, Sunday (April 20), the fair is open from 2:00pm to 8:00pm and is already drawing large crowds enjoying the lively atmosphere and family-friendly rides.

Entry to the event is free, with tokens for rides starting from just £1, making it a budget-friendly option for a family day out. A wide selection of attractions are available, including teacup rides, funhouses, and the popular ‘Puppy Catcher’ game. There are also refreshments sold on site, and car parking is available nearby.

The fair operates weekdays from 4:00pm to 8:30pm, Saturdays from 2:00pm to 8:30pm, and on the Bank Holiday Monday from 2:00pm to 8:30pm.

Organisers have kept a “price freeze for 2025”, ensuring that families can enjoy the fair without worrying about rising costs.

For more information, updates, and competitions, visitors can follow Andrew Holmes Funfairs on Facebook or visit www.funfairshirewales.co.uk.