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MAY 06, 2005: BORN TO BOOGIE
Now I know what it's like to be a rock star. No, I didn't sleep with 5 groupies at once. But I was interviewed about 45 times in 5 days in 3 cities. Born To Boogie, the T. Rex full length film, will be released this month in Europe and next month in the USA. The film has been restored to a state that looks better than the original and I re-mixed the audio portion both in stereo and 5.1 surround sound directly from the master tapes. You can read more PR stuff about the film here: www.borntoboogiefilm.co.uk I mentioned here earlier that the audio and most of the negative color film had been misplaced for over 30 years. Through intense detective work we found both in the care of an archive company who stores film and audio tape in a WWII bunker under Tottenham Court Road in London. With only a week to spare to mix the audio, one senior gentleman who used to work at Apple Corp, the Beatles company, remembered the name of the archive company. That company no longer existed but we found out that they sold their franchise to another archiving company. It was like finding lost Aztec treasure. What is ironic is that I first met Marc Bolan in a club under Tottenham Court Road, the UFO club, in 1967. Sanctuary Records is the mastermind behind the project. They could've just put it out the way it was, but they found enough material to make the double DVD set a total of 5.5 hours of orgasmic viewing. The bonus material includes the entire second concert recorded the same day as the one that was used in the film. It's rough and organic, but the band's energy is incredible. Lots of out takes are included, Marc's home movies, and some of us in the film have been interviewed by Marc's son, Rolan Bolan, including Geoffrey Bayldon (who played Catweazel), Bill Legend (T. Rex drummer) and myself. This DVD set took two years to make and has already been nominated for some categories in the Mojo Film Festival at the end of May. I flew to London on my birthday, April 24th. I was allowed a day of rest, but Tuesday kicked off with an entire day at the BBC Radio Centre. Rolan and I were whisked into the studios of Danny Baker, the big morning guy. He was very funny and witty, but all our answers to his questions were cut off before we could finish them. Danny probably has 19 espressos before he takes to the air.
Rolan and I were driven back to the extremely lavish Landmark Hotel to get ready for the evening DVD launch party. It started at the Curzon Cinema in Mayfair. We hung out in the lobby meeting all the specially invited people to this gala event, including some very lucky T. Rex fans. A big surprise was to see Gloria Jones, Rolan's mother, there -- big, big hugs! I was one of three people who addressed the audience before the presentation began, a specially edited version of the film and the DVD bonus tracks. I was shocked to see that part of my interview with Rolan closed the presentation with me saying that I still think of Marc everyday. There wasn't a dry eye in the house, including mine. After we had time to recover, Rolan and I signed loads of posters and album sleeves for the invited fans.
But the highlight, for me, was to see Geoffrey Bayldon again, God bless him, he must be in his mid 80s now.
The following morning we had to get into the limo at the ungodly hour of 6:30 a.m. and fly to Berlin. We were warmly met by Andrea who runs the Sanctuary office. We started the interviews immediately and sometimes Rolan was doing a separate interview in another room. Around 6:30 we were driven through what used to be East Berlin on our way to a different airport to take an Easy Jet to Paris. I had spent a lot of time in Berlin so I always knew where I was. We were driven by a wonderful driver who gave us a running guided tour. I took this picture from the van, of the bombed church on Kurfurstendam, a reminder of the tragedy and horror of war. All in all we spent only minutes on the streets of Berlin, the bulk of time in the minivan and the Sanctuary office.
Paris was just too wonderful. We did as many interviews there, but our PR person, Lionel, let us out to run around the area near the Hotel du Louvre, where we stayed and gave interviews. I was interviewed by my journalist friend Jêrome Soligny, who is an authority on the career of David Bowie.
When we did our 'Hard Day's Night' escape we walked through the garden behind the Comedie Française. I snapped this piccie of a Parisien blues man.
Oh, it was so hard to leave Paris, just about my favorite city in the world. But we were to have a new experience, we were going back to London on the Chunnel train. It took only 2 hours and 45 minutes to get to Waterloo Station in London from the Gard du Nord in Paris. It was a comfortable and smooth ride, more preferable to a plane journey. We arrived at the hotel around 11:45 p.m. There were more interviews the next day and one last phoner on Saturday morning with a German journalist who couldn't get to Berlin. I had the weekend and Monday off, a bank holiday weekend, so London was gloriously empty. On Monday night I was fortunate to see Kristeen Young play at the Marquee Club. She and her drummer Jeff White were incredibly tight and gave a very passionate performance. The members of the other bands were agape when she was on, and approached her afterwards with the 'I-am-not-worthy' look in their eyes. The sound system at the Marquee is amazing.
Hopefully it won't be long before Kristeen will be headlining. It looks like London and Kristeen adore each other. Details of her May gigs in London are posted on her site, www.kristeenyoung.com. Check it regularly as dates are always being added. My final day was spent at a taping of the Jools Holland show. The talent on the show was amazing. As photography wasn't permitted all I am able to show you is the dying mouse in the dressing room provided for Rolan and Me.
The
bands on the show were very diversified. It featured ex-Zep Robert Plant,
The Fall, The Atheletes, Lhasa (a lady soloist), Go Team and jazz giant
Mose Allison. Jools interviewed Robert Plant and later interviewed Rolan
and myself after playing a clip from the DVD. We had a great time sitting
in the faux nightclub set for the show. It was recorded in the same
studio that Top Of The Pops was recorded for centuries. Afterwards we all met up in the hotel bar and I got to take a picture with one of my idols, Robert Plant.
Here is where my rock star week ended. It was so great to meet all the journalists who were completely T. Rex heads. Rolan and I were always spoken to with respect. I'm sure this DVD will be very successful.
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