Monday 8 March 2010

days of super chip
Judas Priest! So there we were on telly and on the Beeb. Bless her and all who sail in her. I thought we came across as not really of the same kind as our fellow participants. Not really very metal but we were there and we were always the odd ones out. Must say I was impressed by the way the whole thing was put together as a potted history. All good though I had to smile at some of the interview clips. I thought it was as much amusing as anything else. Should I get back in touch with my dark side – evil, evil – black as night and all of that nonsense? Me thinks not . I am gone down a different path ha ha! I was reminded of strange days watching Mr Ian Gillan speaking. He who once asked Steve if he would mind paying his hotel extras charge before we all set off from Liverpool for the next gig. It was all about a twenty pence phone call in the end. Watch the pennies and all that but it was highly amusing to everyone except Ian. We were touring with him during our Super chip days and by the time we got to the Rainbow theatre Ian ordered his road crew to stop giving us on stage lighting service and he absolutely forbade any more dry ice. Ah! happy days.
Peace

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah saw the programme on Sunday. Was impressed with the time the beeb gave the band and the unspoken witt I picked up on the second time of watching. A still of your face in some parts would make a great caption comp!

x

Anonymous said...

I agree with you that EBB seemed to have little in common with the other featured bands but it was a decent programme, overall.
The programme that followed was a bit of a joke, though. Billed as something like, 'heavy metal live at the beeb' or something, it consisted mainly of rock bands miming to their awful singles on Top of the Pops. These clips were interleaved with a few Whistle Test performances which were ok, but it showed how little decent BBC archive footage exists of this genre.
Just think, if things had gone differently, we could have been watching EBB miming to 'Evil' on TOTP, surrounded by short haired 15 year olds wearing tank tops, doing that strange bobbing up and down dance that all TOTP audiences seemed to do...to every song!
Now that would have been Evil !!

shoreham_steve

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately wasn't able to see the programme.But regarding EBB and Ian Gillan Band on tour and playing the Rainbow I was there and remember that well.Interesting to hear about the other side of touring with Ian Gillan tho.Just goes to show.Anyway,great to see EBB getting some well deserved tv coverage!
Blessings,Ade.

Anonymous said...

Great to see the band on TV again after too many years.Surprised that no mention of the forthcoming Voiceprint DVD has been made, this is released next month and includes the already available four Beat Club numbers plus three from Swedish TV a couple of years later.
Around 1972 I saw the Hyde Park film at an all night Art School bash and this is currently listed as being in the BFI vaults.This was filmed in 1970 and included Freedom, Out Demons Out, plus an interview, and I'd happily give my last few teeth to see it again!
Still my favourite band, and keep on doing it

Anonymous said...

Hi Rob

I think thats the first time I've had the pleasure of seeing you and the band on British TV. I know you appeared on an Open University programme from 1974, there was a short clip of you playing live at the Roundhouse and a short interview. I agree with you that EBB had very little in common with the other bands featured.
This Voiceprint DVD looks very interesting. I remember in the "communique days", when I wrote to many European tv broadcasters to see if they had footage of the band, the only replies I received were from Swedish and German TV. If i remember rightly the Swedes offered to sell me the rights to the footage! I politely turned them down as I didnt have that sort of money at the time!

Cheers

Neil

Anonymous said...

Rob

Are you aware that amazon and play.com are selling the BBC concerts/sessions you did in 1970/1971/1972 in mp3 format, download only?

Must say I have been very impressed with them, excellent quality.

Neil

Anonymous said...

Hello Neil,
I too remember hearing about the Open University thing , about two days after it had been broadcast.Unfortunately no domestic video in those days and it probably no longer exists. However I did see another BBC production which featured the band rehearsing 'Freedom' in the studio. This also included John Peel interview and, if my memory serves me well, a feature on Tyrannosourus Rex.
Let's face it, today's bands demand instant success through the media available and cannot comprehend years of hard slogging and endless gigging to develop
a reputation and following. God bless the Edgar Broughton Band for
their perseverance and anarchy.
Keep them freaks a rollin'
Ian

Anonymous said...

Ian

The footage of the roundhose interview and performance does still exist, the Open University has a large library and if you can get yourself there (Milton Keynes) they will let you view it.

Can anybody enlighten me on the voicebox DVD and where it can be bought from?

Larry

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Voiceprint DVD

Larry

Anonymous said...

Larry,
the Dvd is released 5th April and can be pre-ordered either from play.com (£10.99) or spincds (£15.99).The first four tracks were recorded for Germany's Beat Club (two of them aired recently on Metal Britannia )and have been around for a while on various 'Beat Club'compilations, and the remaining three tracks were for Swedish TV and I've never seen them before.I should warn you however that the total running time is only about 37 minutes.
Ian

Anonymous said...

Thanks Ian,

I've found it on Amazon after searching Edgar Broughton Band instead of Voiceprint Doh!!!
I'll pre order it at Amazon as I've got an account already set up with them £12.49 I think.

Larry.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ade,

Good to know there are people out there who still remember the Rainbow gig. I went with three friends, and we were roundly abused by all the Gillan fans surrounding us for daring to enjoy the EBB.
We went home after that - the heavy metal posing stuff was a little too much!

Sad news this week for anyone out there who liked the Manband - Mickey Jones, one of the finest guitarists every to grace the stage, passed away this week.

Cookie

Anonymous said...

I stood in for the spot operator at a Gillan/Budgie gig in 1982. I could not believe how choreographed the whole thing was, even to the point of the instruction ' tight yellow gel on Ian's high fist at the end of the second verse'. I remember going into the green room after the gig in time to see him chucking up in the sink. Nodes on the throat, apparently....such is the life of a rock & roll god!

Tony H.

Anonymous said...

Hi Cookie,yes I remember a similar indifference from Gillan fans.I was in heaven as I had n't seen EBB back in the early days (too young!)so thoroughly enjoyed it.Remember a great gig about that time in London at a decent sized venue whoose name escapes me - when Rob came on bound up in a staightjacket!Remember seeing Randy California there aswell...Now we're going back!
Yes,great shame to learn about Mickey Jones.
Blessings.Ade

Anonymous said...

Hi Ade,

I think we must have been at many of the same gigs - I think the place you mean may have been The Venue, over in Victoria - I remember both gigs very well - the Spirit one partly because we were standing at the front, and Randy kept hitting on my then girlfriend, which was worrying!

Have you still got the straightjacket Rob? Could be in demand these days....

Cheers,

Cookie

mick said...

great to see EBB on tv, about time.where can i buy the t shirt steve was wearing.

Anonymous said...

Hi Cookie!The Venue,yeah,that was it!I was always down the front too!Did you go to the 100 Club (I think) gig when we all got a free copy of the Ancient Homeland ep when that was released.The photo on this blog was on the front cover and it had a great photo on the label of Rob and Steve linking hands.On the Songwriters Workshop label?We were all chuffed with that.Great gig and of course you could have a chat with the lads after....just like today!
Cheers,Ade.