It may have started with a kiss, but Errol Brown is about to embark on his final tour. Vicky Anderson reports

THE farewell tour is a concept often used and abused by entertainers of all kinds – but not Errol Brown.

The suave soul singer best known as the frontman of Hot Chocolate says his latest tour will be his last.

“When I say something, I mean it. This is it for me. For 40 years, it’s been great, but it’s time,” he says.

“I feel two emotions,” he adds. “I know it’s the time to say goodbye, but it’s going to be very emotional every night, when I say goodbye to different audiences that have been such a big part of my life and the success I’ve had.”

And, though Errol hasn’t been one for courting the limelight since the height of his fame in the 1970s and early 1980s, he remains one of the most recognisable frontmen in pop.

Hot Chocolate’s hits, including Everyone’s a Winner, You Sexy Thing and It Started with a Kiss remain perennial favourites on dancefloors, adverts and film soundtracks around the world.

But it might all have been different if it wasn’t for the intervention of one John Lennon.

Back in 1969, before the fledgling band had so much as a name, Errol was in the recording studio trying to make a quick buck.

He recalls: “The whole idea was to Reggae-ify a couple of songs from the day and sell them to get some money – we weren’t thinking of any career or anything like that.

“I did a cover version of Give Peace a Chance and changed the lyrics. And the guy financing the demo was horrified! He said I couldn’t change people’s lyrics, and sent it to [The Beatles’ own record label] Apple.

“About a week later, he came back and said ‘Are you sitting down?’ I’d forgotten all about it, I thought it was all so ridiculous.

“But I think it appealed to his dry sense of humour – he loved it and signed the band.”

They recorded one album on the label.

“It wasn’t a hit,” Errol says (although sales were fairly strong, and by today’s differing standards it would have been).