SINGER-SONGWRITER Les Glover has been recording music for 37 years but Saturday will see the launch of his first album.

The former Great Sankey High teaching assistant will be joined by Henry Priestman, former keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist for The Christians, to play some of his new tracks live at The Pied Bull Hotel in Newton-le-Willows.

It has been a long time coming for the 53-year-old.

"There has always been something to stop it," he told Weekend.

"In 1978 our manager had a raid on his house and the police took all his albums and our master tape which was going to be released as a single was among them.

"We had record company interest but then they had to make a series of redundancies.

"There have been all sorts of trials and then your family comes along and you put everything on the back boiler."

Most of the songs on Les's debut record, The Love Terrorist, are new but there are plenty of nods to the musical adventures he has had over the years with numerous guest spots.

The Burtonwood resident added: "My daughter Rebecca plays violin on one song and Pete Riley, who plays with Amy Wadge, is on another track.

"Amy has just had the biggest selling record for Thinking Out Loud which she co-wrote for Ed Sheeran.

"Ronnie Stone, who used to work with the Pixies, is also on a track. We’ve tried to introduce something different on each song so it gives it a really nice variety. It’s a bit of a melting pot."

The Love Terrorist is an acoustic album but takes in a variety of styles including folk, rock, new wave and country.

Les regularly collaborates with Henry Priestman who co-wrote a few of the tracks with him as well as contributing backing vocals and keyboards.

"He’s got a really good sense of how a song should be," he said.

"Henry's sold six million records so when he made suggestions I’ve gone along with it. I think it’s worked and it’s a better album for it."

Les, whose 20-year-old son Alex has autism, used to work with pupils with special needs at Great Sankey High School but left when he decided to dedicate himself to music again.

He added: "When you’re in such a demanding job you don’t have time to think creatively so when I packed that in and started playing with Henry it gives you time to reflect."

The first song Les learnt was Dr Feelgood's Going Back Home when he was 16.

He said: "Since I was a kid all I thought of was music. It was probably after hearing the Beatles, the Hollies, the Rolling Stones and The Who and I love 70s pop music because that was my era.

"I used to play at Eric’s Club in Liverpool which was quite legendary. The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Elvis Costello, The Police, they all played at this tiny club."

- Tickets for Les Glover's album launch are £10. Call 07763485340.

DAVID MORGAN