COME up and see him. Make him smile.

Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel will be performing at the Parr Hall on Saturday, July 22.

Before he became a musician Steve started a career in newspapers. In 1968 he got his first job as a trainee accountant at the Daily Express despite gaining just 24 per cent in his O-Level maths exam.

He then became a reporter which led to a job at the East London Advertiser where one of his contemporaries was Richard Madeley.

Steve began his singing career in London folk club scene in the early 70s where he met the likes of John Martin and Ralph McTell. He later joined folk band Odin as rhythm guitarist and co-singer, which was where he met the first Cockney Rebel violinist, John Crocker.

However, the folk scene proved a little tame for Steve and he wanted a vehicle for his own songs so Cockney Rebel was born. It was here that Steve and Stuart Elliott first met and worked together.

The band signed to EMI for a three album deal in 1972 and released The Human Menagerie in 1973.

It failed to chart in the UK but their follow-up The Psychomodo did much better peaking at number eight. It came out in 1974 in the same year that the band received a gold award for outstanding new act.

Despite most the members leaving the band that year, Cockney Rebel came back stronger with their third record, The Best Years of Our Lives.

It featured the million-selling number one single, Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me). It also Steve’s only record to chart in America.

The song has been covered more than 100 in seven languages and has been featured in several movies including The Full Monty, Velvet Goldmine and Saving Grace.

Steve, who was awarded a Gold Badge of Merit by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, took a break in the 80s to bring up his two children but altogether he has released 11 band and solo albums and continues writing and touring to this day.

He recently featured on a charity single in memory of murdered MP Jo Cox with Ricky Wilson, KT Tunstall and David Gray.

Pre-sale tickets for Steve’s Parr Hall show are available now at steveharley.com/dates.

They go on general sale at pyramidparrhall.com on January 16