Watts, the story

Ron was there when the band started their set with the song at the now legendary Punk Festival at London's 100 Club in 1976 - sadly remembered as much for the violence caused by punk bad boy Sid Vicious as the music - and he'll be there when the 'Pistols' play at their celebrated reunion tour beginning at the Brixton Academy on November 8.

"They've invited me as a special guest - well, I should think they should," says Ron.

He's come a long way from the heady days of needles through the nose and spiky hair.

But Ron is preparing to relive those times when he meets up with the iconic and influential band whose controversial antics for a brief period in the 1970s led to them being labelled the most hated group in the country.

The music, clothes and attitude combined to make them the definitive English punk rock band and pioneers of an exciting musical revolution.

But their flirtation with fame and subsequent influence on music may not have happened if it wasn't for Ron.

Relaxing at his cottage in the most unlikely of rock and roll joints - leafy Sutton Poyntz on the outskirts of Weymouth - father of five Ron, now 64 and 'happily divorced,' recalls his days as a music promoter.

For three decades he organised concerts at pubs, colleges and large music venues that attracted thousands, and his ability to spot up and coming talent helped to shape youth culture in the UK.

He is arguably one of the most influential men in the history of British music, responsible for bringing many American blues artists to Britain and organising gigs that kick-started the career of bands like The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned.

"I'm proud to have played my part," Ron says. "You come to realise just how important music is to people - it changes their lives."

Ron admits the Sex Pistols reunion will be 'a real blast from the past,' and he is looking forward to it immensely.

He has only kept in touch with Glen Matlock from the band, who wrote an introduction to Ron's colourful autobiography Hundred Watts, A Life In Music which was published last year.

The book is a must-read for anyone interested in popular music. It is a revealing and funny account of his days at the cutting edge of the music business.

Born in Slough into a household 'of music and laughter,' Ron was attracted to jazz and blues at an early age, buying records, reading the latest magazines and travelling far and wide to see concerts.

Later living in High Wycombe, Ron's interest in the music business grew although he continued to work as a bank clerk. Still a passionate live music fan and witness to the early performances of some great musicians of the British blues boom, he started helping to organise events at local clubs and dabbled in a bit of singing.

During the 'Summer of Love' in 1967 he decided to start promoting full-time; organising live music events which included arranging advertising, security and handling the takings on the door.

For 25 years he ran many a successful night out of the Nag's Head pub in High Wycombe, initially promoting the venue as the Blues Loft.

Ron became the only promoter outside London organising events on such a big scale, securing great blues artists like John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf. And he has a story for every one of them.

Later, after moving to London he would help to form the National Blues Federation which helped to bring other well-known artists to the UK.

Among the many fans who were attracted to the venues in London and the suburbs, Ron remembers Bill Clinton, then an Oxford University student, popping in to watch a blues band. Colonel Gadaffi, who attended military college in England for a few months in the mid-1960s, also became a club regular for a while.

Towards the end of the 1960s Ron recognised changes in the music scene and with the advent of 'prog rock' he booked acts like Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy, King Crimson, Hawkwind and Marc Bolan's Tyrannosaurus Rex.

It was around this time that Ron decided to take up singing seriously and formed his own band, Brewer's Droop.

Although not commercially successful, the band attracted a cult following and were a popular live band. Members included, at one stage, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame. A Brewer's Droop album was released years later featuring Knopfler which apparently sold thousands of copies, but Ron says he hasn't seen a penny of it.

Ron is best known for his time promoting at the 100 Club in London's Oxford Street and in particular helping to organise the Punk Festival of 1976.

"The country was in a right state then," recalls Ron. "There were strikes, high unemployment and people were crying out for change.

"Young people were fed up - they didn't want to grow their hair like a hippie, more like rip their clothes and cut their hair."

He adds: "I first came across The Sex Pistols at a gig at High Wycombe Art School, at the beginning of 1976. They were a bunch of scruffs, but I really enjoyed the music.

"No other promoter had seen them and I got talking to their manager Malcolm McLaren. Without thinking I booked them for a Tuesday night residency at the 100 Club.

"There must have been about 50 people at their first gig in March including Siouxsie Sioux and others from the Bromley Contingent. By the summer we had 300 people coming down."

It led to the Punk Festival in September which Ron organised with McLaren. The Sex Pistols took top billing along with The Clash, The Damned, Buzzcocks and others.

The festival is known for Sid Vicious, who would later replace Glen Matlock as the Pistols' bass guitarist, allegedly throwing a glass which blinded a young woman.

Ron recalls regularly having to deal with Sid's behaviour.

"A lot of people think he was The Punk with all the attitude and everything else. I just thought he was a malevolent prat. Johnny Rotten had more sense, he was focused and very serious about what he was doing."

Ron carried on with his promotion work into the 1980s, getting involved with events like the Birmingham International Jazz Festival. Then he took more of a back seat, settling in Tamworth and finding different employment.

He recently retired to Weymouth and is enjoying life in Dorset.

"I'm putting my feet up now and busy promoting my book. But who knows? There may be an opportunity around the corner. You never know with this business."