SINGAPORE: He is pushing 60, but his songs like "Nights Are Forever", "Sad To Belong" and "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" still rule the airwaves when it comes to easy-listening love songs.

And while John Ford Coley – the other half of a 1970s Grammy-nominated duo that also featured 'England Dan' (Dan Seals) – still draws crowds to his concerts, he looks set to win new fans – this time, from the world of books.

Coley, who was recently in Singapore as part of a concert tour in Asia, clearly likes being on the road.

"It seems like I've toured with everyone in the world," said Coley, who has been performing with the group Ambrosia, as well as Al Stewart, Stephen Bishop and Terry Sylvester, who is formerly with "The Hollies".

His musical stints over the years have also led him to work with the likes of Carol King and Elton John whom he described as "a gentleman".

With special insights into the world of entertainment, it's no surprise that Coley is giving the world a peek at the inner workings of showbiz through his book, "John Ford Coley's Backstage Pass".

But don't expect any dirt to be dished out. Coley revealed that "it's simply a book about all the funny stories that went on (in the industry)".

The decision to write came after a trip to Dallas where Coley met another musician. After trading stories, it was clear that the tales just had to be penned.

"You're surrounded by things that happen all the time and you really can't explain it to people. If you try to explain to other people about what you've done and what you've experienced, they look at you as if you're lying," he said.

Apart from glimpses into the music scene, Coley is writing another book that will be shelved on the opposite side of the bookstore. Called "Love Is The Answer", the book delves into Coley's experience with what he dubs a "false religion".

"I got into it out of fear and I was there for 28 years, but things didn't work the way they should have worked. I started to find things that were not right... so I got out from there. There were a lot of very nice people over there, but like me, they were deceived," he explained.

As for concert tours, more performances in Asia are on the books.

"I love Asia," said the affable Coley, hours before his sell-out show at the Hard Rock Café Singapore. "I've been in Hong Kong, but I've never been to Singapore (before this trip) and some other places. So when they asked me to do a Hard Rock Café tour, I went 'Yeah, then we can go and see places'."

Coley has been booked to play in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and China's Xiamen where he will be doing something he has long resisted.

"They will get me on a boat from Hong Kong to Xiamen, China. They said, 'Would you do a cruise (performance)?' I said, 'No! I hate boats'. But they kept coming back and said it's just calm waters, so I said, 'Ok, I'll do it, but don't you tell anybody 'cos I don't want anybody to think there'll be cruises now'," he quipped.

With the success of the show at Hard Rock Café Singapore, plans are also in the works to include another Singapore stint either in September or October this year when Coley does a tour of Australia.


- CNA/so