The Crewe Chronicle 16th October 1991
‘Spectators watched in horror as the chimney fell, demolishing an outside loo - with a ‘body’ inside!
Dynamic Blaster Bates is keeping his fans bang up to date with his latest explosive exploits on a video appropriately called Blaster Bates: Stand Well Back.
The Sandbach man, who seemed destined to spend his life demolishing buildings, first exploded on to the entertainment scene in 1947 when he brought the house down at a rotary club dinner - since then he has never looked back.
That appearance as a stand up comedian launched a career in entertainment.
Blaster Bates records were regularly in the shops throughout the 1960’s and 70’s.
Television appearances were two a penny. He even appeared on the Michael Parkinson Show at a tjme when anybody who was anybody wanted to be interviewed by the famous Yorkshireman.
But Blaster refused to let his fame change his way Of life - he carried on blowing up buildings and even became a special constable in the Cheshire Police Force for 16 years.
And at the age of 68 things haven’t changed much for the down to earth Sandbach man with the explosive personality.
‘Of course I’m still blowing up buildings. Blaster told me when we met last week. ‘And I'm still appearing on stage - I’m appearing tonight as a matter of fact.’
Much of his entertainment work is for charity, he explained. ‘I’ve given talks to round tables, rotary clubs and so on around the country, Blaster said. ‘I reckon I’ve raised about seven million pounds for charity since I started.’
‘That reminds me’ - and he burst into part of his routine which can’t be printed!....
Blaster describes his own brand of entertaining as ‘anecdotal talks’. He talks about his experiences blowing up buildings, such as when he blew up a chimney stack and a spectator watched in horror as the chimney fell and demolished an outside toilet - crushing a ‘body’ inside.
The ‘body’ was a tailor’s dummy cleverly positioned by Blaster and his mate - who wanted
The Sandbach man, who seemed destined to spend his life demolishing buildings, first exploded on to the entertainment scene in 1947 when he brought the house down at a rotary club dinner - since then he has never looked back.
That appearance as a stand up comedian launched a career in entertainment.
Blaster Bates records were regularly in the shops throughout the 1960’s and 70’s.
Television appearances were two a penny. He even appeared on the Michael Parkinson Show at a tjme when anybody who was anybody wanted to be interviewed by the famous Yorkshireman.
But Blaster refused to let his fame change his way Of life - he carried on blowing up buildings and even became a special constable in the Cheshire Police Force for 16 years.
And at the age of 68 things haven’t changed much for the down to earth Sandbach man with the explosive personality.
‘Of course I’m still blowing up buildings. Blaster told me when we met last week. ‘And I'm still appearing on stage - I’m appearing tonight as a matter of fact.’
Much of his entertainment work is for charity, he explained. ‘I’ve given talks to round tables, rotary clubs and so on around the country, Blaster said. ‘I reckon I’ve raised about seven million pounds for charity since I started.’
‘That reminds me’ - and he burst into part of his routine which can’t be printed!....
Blaster describes his own brand of entertaining as ‘anecdotal talks’. He talks about his experiences blowing up buildings, such as when he blew up a chimney stack and a spectator watched in horror as the chimney fell and demolished an outside toilet - crushing a ‘body’ inside.
The ‘body’ was a tailor’s dummy cleverly positioned by Blaster and his mate - who wanted
to play a trick on their know-it-all friend.
His wise-cracking stories are peppered with bad language which he admits he sometimes has to moderate. But when he’s fired up there’s no stopping him.
‘I enjoy doing the theatre work,’ Blaster told me. ‘But I wouldn’t do television again - it means the end. Look at the comedians - they were alright when they stuck to the stage, but they went on television and now where are they?’
But for Blaster the future’s bright - his video is in the shops now, he’s booked for the foreseeable future to give ‘talks’ at charity events and in the theatre.
And he’s still bringing the house down - ‘I’ve got two chimney stacks to bring down soon, one in Wakefield and one at an old steel works in Jarrow - I can’t see me giving up yet.
His wise-cracking stories are peppered with bad language which he admits he sometimes has to moderate. But when he’s fired up there’s no stopping him.
‘I enjoy doing the theatre work,’ Blaster told me. ‘But I wouldn’t do television again - it means the end. Look at the comedians - they were alright when they stuck to the stage, but they went on television and now where are they?’
But for Blaster the future’s bright - his video is in the shops now, he’s booked for the foreseeable future to give ‘talks’ at charity events and in the theatre.
And he’s still bringing the house down - ‘I’ve got two chimney stacks to bring down soon, one in Wakefield and one at an old steel works in Jarrow - I can’t see me giving up yet.
Copyright The Crewe Chronicle, Reproduced here with their kind permission.
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BLOCK BLASTER-
Fire cracking wise cracks bring down the house
BELINDA RYAN
meets the man with explosive charm
meets the man with explosive charm
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