PETE Waterman – the 1980s and 90s pop music mogul – produced more than 100 top-40 UK hits, over 40 million records, and is currently touring the country with this fascinating collection of personal stories, anecdotes, and revelations.

Waterman is a compelling entertainer – endearing, honest, and very amusing; he also shows himself to be single-minded, determined, benevolent, and very astute.

He sped through autobiographical British post-war social history including anecdotes about John Travolta, Kylie Minogue, Bananarama, DJ Alan Freeman, and Woolworths.

During the fascinating Q&A section, Waterman revealed that he “loved steam engines,” had in fact worked on the railways, was passionate about social injustice, and had actually instigated industrial apprenticeships. After the loss of his own son, Waterman drew comfort from “focusing on trains”.

Asked about his attitude to today’s music, Waterman admitted to still admiring the Big Band sound of Sinatra, disliking “Gangster Rap”, and still “loving a good hymn.”

The final question was: “Who is the most talented performer you’ve worked with?” The clear answer was “Paul McCartney, he’s an emotional perfectionist.”

Musing on the many multi-talented people Pete Waterman has worked with over the years, he reflected that to be really successful, you needed “talent, timing ... and a lot of luck!”

He emphasised in showbiz, the “danger of drugs” and the “need for self-discipline.”

Charismatic and inspirational, Pete Waterman’s compelling show plays Eastleigh’s Concorde Club on Friday October 26.