It was during a crisp winter's day 28 years ago that the world was changed forever, as on 3rd December 1976, a tiny baby boychild was born at 9 Gladstone Avenue, Whitley Bay. I'm sure you can imagine the scene - father and children playing some kind of board game downstairs - probably Twister or Mousetrap since at that time Bible Trivial Pursuit was yet to be invented - whilst upstairs, mother Brenda and a team of medical professionals struggle to bring another precious life into the world.
"Mr Sokell - it's another boy! Bring the other children upstairs and greet him into the world!" the midwife called excitedly from the landing.
"Can it wait - I'm winning at the moment - is it important?" replied Tim, the proud father, as the rest of the family eagerly made their way upstairs to the specially constructed birthing suite.
As the family entered the room, angels appeared and began to sing, a bit like the London Community Gospel Choir, but not so sharply dressed, and one of them who was clearly in some position of authority said something to the effect of "Aaron's a nice name - what do you think? Hey, if you put the initials of all your kids first names together it would spell AMEN - cool or what? Alan would also work. Or any name beginning with A in fact."
"We quite like Benjy as a first name" suggested Tim.
"Yeeeeeeessss...but...then the AMEN thing wouldn't work would it? Do you see? Why not call him Aaron like we said, and keep Benjy as some kind of pet name?"
"Like for a cat or hamster or something?"
"No we mean pet name in the sense of affectionate alternate name for a child or loved one. Why would I come down from heaven with all of my mates here and suggest names for your pet?"
"Aaron it is then - sorry. Er...thanks for coming - all of you. Cheers. Sorry again."
With that the angels shuffled out of the room slightly stroppily, and left the family alone to wonder at the marvelous sight of the newborn Aaron.
Yes - that's exactly how it happened. And it was the start of a life that we celebrate again today. But so much has happened in the last 28 years. You probably know Aaron from his television and live appearances as one of "this or any generation's most precocious singing talents" (Daily Mail) or "the white guy in the back row" (News Post Leader), but who is Aaron, and what made him what he is?
A key event in Aaron's early life came at the age of 1, when an accident caused him to fall onto the kitchen floor, and in the process he was facially damaged by an open can of Spam or peas or something. Fortunately he was to make a full recovery, but has since harboured an intense distrust of tins of all kinds, and a deep resentment of all adults and authority, whatever it's form. His only real support at this time was, inexplicably, the StayPuft Marshmallow Man.
His school years were, by his own admission, "amongst the happiest times I spent whilst at school", and teachers from Coquet Park First, Valley Gardens Middle, Southlands Middle and Cramlington High all remember him as the "boy called Aaron".
His musical career began at a very early age, as he quickly mastered the Bontempi organ, which he would play at home. It wasn't long before representatives from the entire street, and even some adjoining streets in the neighbourhood, had got together and signed a petition encouraging Aaron to practice elsewhere. Spurred on by their enthusiasm, he progressed to playing piano at a friends house, until eventually a broadly similar thing happened, and so on again and again.
Later he was to take up the saxophone, with some success, but it's his singing that he's most famous for - probably the influence of his mother, Brenda, whose 1964 Christmas single "Do You Like My New Handbag, Santa Got It For Us" made her a household name in Cumbria and parts of Devon.
At the age of 17, Aaron knew that if he was going to make it in the music business, he'd have to entirely disassociate himself from his father Tim, who liked Bluegrass music. To this end, he moved to London and became involved with arty 'performance' types strictly banned in the North East of England. Here, he has quickly established himself as a talented performer, and is regularly seen at Abbey Road Studios, or on Des O'Connor and Parkinson, usually singing something or other. 
We all wish you a sincerely happy birthday, Aaron, and hope that the next 28 years are as enjoyable as the first - apart from the tins thing, which must have been very upsetting, and fortunately has left neither emotional nor physical scars. That's bad parenting for you though - I know what that's like.
Jason you're winning best blog of the century just by mentioning my name and haveing a photo of me. Thanks for releasing my dads Cuban gangsta version of me that's really sweet of you and I'm sure the cyber world will be most pleased. I think I may see myself on mingers.com real soon. Actually the baby food can incident was a little wrong as I actually did not fall on the floor, I was in Bren's arms and and she decided that I was screaming just a decibel or two too loud so she wanted me to stop.....quick. She used her housewife superpowers and with a quick zorro-like slash I was in hospital and my mum was being quizzed. Not a nice thing at the time but its good to get the occasional laugh out of every now and then. I do actually have a small scar on my left temple which the girlies seem to like so thanks mum, for making me look geet hard! Thanks for this wonderful surprise. I actually didn't need telling, I just checked out your blog as usual and there I was posing behind a mic with shades and being told "THIS IS MY LIFE" - wow! Its a good present....cheap....but good, well done son! Can't wait to get up to Crammaz on 24th Dec to see everyone.
Posted by: Aaron | December 03, 2004 at 05:08 PM
well that was a blog in itself wasn't it folks!
Posted by: Aaron | December 03, 2004 at 05:09 PM
I must rectify a spelling error from my first comment. Haveing is supposed to read HAVING. I have to do that because I pride myself on my eggselunt speling. Cheers
Posted by: Aaron | December 03, 2004 at 05:10 PM
sorry to hog the comments page a bit but that photo of someone at the organ is definitely NOT me. I think its you Jase, because when I went to save it the file name was meb2.jpg so I'm presuming that you play the Hammond B2? Is this correct?
Posted by: Aaron | December 03, 2004 at 05:12 PM
typical of the boy...me,me,me...not only the subject of the blog, but hogging the comments sedction too!
Posted by: Tim the Enchanter | December 03, 2004 at 05:15 PM
Well, I'll just be normal and boring and say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AARON. :)
Posted by: Liz | December 03, 2004 at 05:22 PM
BTW ... I prefered the cat!
Posted by: Liz | December 03, 2004 at 05:23 PM
well my birthday has well and truly ended and i'm officially 28. I went with 4 of my close friends last night to Nandos (I dunno if you have it oop North but its a Mozambiquan Chicken diner/restaurant which does GREAT chicken and FANTASTIC barbecued corn on the cob) and then to the cinema to see The Incredibles (which I had already seen the second half of on a downloaded version which was terrible quality hence why I went to see it again). A nice birthday.
Posted by: Aaron | December 04, 2004 at 08:45 AM
Glad you had a nice time. Yes we have Nandos in the North, but it's a special Northern version that serves a limited range of foods, including dripping on stottie with tomato sauce (that's sort of a salsa up here). Also, instead of a dessert menu, there are dog fights and tattoos. To drink, there's a choice of Brown Ale, or meths for the ladies. It's very popular, and they do good weddings, 18th birthday celebrations, and pre-sentencing parties. It's great.
Posted by: Jason | December 04, 2004 at 10:33 AM
I just wandered if this Aaron Sokell is the same that sang in Gorillaz Demon Days... If he is so please tell him he is great (sure he knows).
I want to write sometihing about him in my blog. It writen in spanish. So please let me know.
Posted by: Flor | May 25, 2009 at 01:43 AM