Thanks to a friend, Elaine, who works as a producer for the BBC, I was one of 200 lucky punters at last nights filming of LATER with Jools Holland which featured NO.
NO play 4 tracks in all, with all other bands getting to perform 2 songs each. NO open the show with Crystal, then after each of the other 4 bands play their 1st track, Jools Holland conducts a short interview with the lads. Nothing too revealing here just the usual stuff about why they've left it 8 years between albums & how they became musicians to avoid getting a real job etc.
A short clip of them playing Blue Monday live on TOTP from 1983 is shown. Funny watching the lads embarrassed grins as the tape rolls in front of them, comedian Sean Hughes who was sat next to them at this point commented that they should have kept the skinny guy on the bass. Ho ho.
The audience also includes Jeremy Vine, Newsnight presenter who interviewed the band for the Big Issue recently, & John Simm, actor who plays Barney in the Michael Winterbotttom film 24 Hour Party People. Jools H does a short interview with these pair which is pretty uninspiring although he does ask John Simm what it is like to play Barney but before he could answer Barney shouts from across the studio 'an honour'!. Hooky volunteers the film is a 6 out of 10. Likley to be edited I would have thought.
All the bands then play 1 more track each, starting with NO on Regret. NO then play the show out with 60mph & Love Will Tear Us Apart.
Just when it seems that filming has finished, someone from the crew announces that they are going to have to re shoot a few tracks due to some 'technical difficulties' during the original takes. One of these happens to be Crystal, which gets stopped after 60 secs for some reason not made clear & then played for a 3rd & best time.
We manage to get a great spot to watch the band just a few yards to the right of Phil Cunningham. Look out for me wearing an Area One tour T shirt (Orange & grey).
As I was about to make my way out of the studio & off home, Elaine tells me that we have hospitality passes sorted & the evening is rounded off with a free bar. This provides the main personal highlight of the evening as I bump into Hooky who asks 'what are you doing here?!' - I was just chuffed that he remembered me from when we (myself, Al Jarvis + 4 others) met the band at Vancouver airport in the summer.
The other acts are Ryan Adams, Michael Macdonald, Roots Manouever & some group I'd never heard of. They are all shite.
The show will be broadcast this Friday, 19th October on BBC2.
Thanks again Elaine for setting up a great evening.
