Chris Rea - Andorra Star Blues, Instrumental, (The Delmonts) The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes, CD 1, 2008. The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes was released by Chris Rea in 2008. It comprises 3CDs and 2 x 10" Vinyl records in an 80 page hardback book. It is the second album of his project, the Blue Notes (see Hofner Blue Notes (2003)). The book relates the history of 'The Delmonts', an imaginary band in the early 1960s, who evolved into The Hofner Bluenotes. It also gives a brief history of the Hofner guitar, and its importance in the development of music in Britain. The book is lavishly illustrated with period photos and mocked up posters and newspaper cuttings about the band, together with some of Rea's paintings, and photos of Hofner guitars. The music was recorded by Rea (guitars), Colin Hodgkinson (bass) and Martin Ditcham (drums), who feature in the book, together with Niel Drinkwater and Robert Ahwai. After the album was released, Rea started a European tour. He and his band would perform as a quintet. The concerts were divided in three sections. In first, they would play only songs from Delmonts (CD1), then some blues songs from Fabulous Hofner Blue Notes (CD2), and in the third part Rea's greatest hits (like: The Road to Hell, Josephine, On the Beach ...). 'Andorra Star' is a sad war-time tragedy. The 'Andorra Star' (Arandora Star) as Chris Rea mentions in his 'Blue Guitars' Interview-was the boat that was sunk in the middle of the Atlantic during the war. His grandfather was on it..... His name was Camillo Rea and early in the 1900's left Italy (Arpino) and settled in the North East of England in a town called Middlesbrough. During the 2nd World War, like many other Italians, he was deported and died when the Arandora Star (the ship was taking them to Canada) was gunned down off the coast of Ireland. Chris Rea's grandad Camillo was one of those arrested at his cafe opposite Albert Park and taken to Middlesbrough Police Station and along with 1,300 others herded onto the liner Arandora Star bound for Canada. More than half died in the cold waters of the Atlantic when the ship was torpedoed on July 2, 1940, by a German U-boat. Two members of Rea's family (Camillo and Domenico) were on board. His grandfather Camillo had gone back to rescue a guy, Tony Greco. Chris says that he never wanted to play with toy boats in the bath, in case sinking a toy boat would upset his dad... SS Arandora Star was a British passenger ship of the Blue Star Line. She was built in 1927 as an ocean liner and refrigerated cargo ship, converted in 1929 into a cruise ship and requisitioned as a troop ship in the Second World War. At the end of June 1940 she was assigned the task of transporting German and Italian internees and prisoners of war to Canada. On 2 July 1940 she was sunk in controversial circumstances by a German U-boat with a large loss of life. For 68 years there had never been an official British commemoration of those who died. Recent memorials in England, Scotland and Wales have ensured that the Arandora Star, at one time the 'forgotten tragedy', will at last be remembered. Memorial unveiled by the Mayor of Middlesbrough in the Town Hall to 13 of the town's Italian victims, 2009. Commemorative Plaque Middlesbrough: http://www.bluestarline.org/arandora_memorial/arandora_mem_plaque.htm The sinking of Arandora Star: http://www.mariner.ie/history/articles/ships/the-sinking-of-arandora-star This video has been created with respect and appreciation on Chris Rea music. "In memory of those who sailed from Liverpool on S.S. Arandora Star and who tragically lost their lives when the ship was sunk by torpedo 75 miles north west of Donegal on 2 July 1940. Of 1,673 people abroad, over 800 mainly non-combatants drowned."