rock sounds

The Rock Show this sunday Oct 26th with Y&T, AC/DC and Atreyu

2008-10-22T16:34:00.003+01:00

THE ROCK SHOW - SUNSHINE RADIO With Jeff Collins -- SUNDAY 7PM-til-10PM -- Oct 26th.
106.2FM in Herefordshire --- 107FM and 107.8FM in Monmouthshire

Web streaming coming soon.....

Pic 1) Presenter jeff Collins backstage with Y&T's Dave Meniketti.
2) Y&T Live in Cardiff
3) Atreyu's latest album Lead Sails Paper Anchor

The Rock Show’s Special guest this week is the founder member of San Francisco Bay rockers Y&T.
Presenter Jeff Collins talks backstage with founder member, vocalist and guitarist Dave Meniketti.

Formed in 1974 as Yesterday And Today, the band shortened their name to Y&T before becoming one of the main staples of MTV in the 80’s with hits such as Summertime Girls, Lipstick and Leather and Contagious. Dave Meniketti talks about the band’s past, their current European Tour and plans for a new album in 2009.

The Rock show will hear more from AC/DC about their new album Black Ice already number one in the UK and many other countries worldwide.
It’s the band’s first album for 8 years.

Special guests this week are Atreyu.
The Californian metal band will be live on the show as they prepare for the latest gig on their UK tour. The band are promoting their latest album Lead Sails Paper Anchor.

There’ll also be copies of the new AC/DC album to be won.
Plus new tracks from Funeral For A Friend, Metallica, Girlschool, Thunder, Paul Carrack, Black Stone Cherry, Airbourne and Gojira.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included DAVID COVERDALE (Whitesnake)SCOTT GORHAM (Thin Lizzy) DON AIREY (Deep Purple) VINNY APPICE (Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell) PAUL RODGERS (Free/Bad Company), KEITH EMERSON (ELP), GEOFF DOWNES (Yes and Asia), BILL BRUFORD (King Crimson) FISH (former Marillion) RICHIE EDWARDS (The Darkness/Stone Gods), and STUART CABLE (Stereophonics/Killing For Company)

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 FM across Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM across Monmouthshire.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.

Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer STUART CABLE, which is due out in September 2009.

Email jeffcollins915@btinternet.com

The Rock Show - Oct 12th Sunshine FM

2008-10-09T16:29:00.004+01:00

1 - Jeff Collins backstage with Dragonforce guitarist Herman Li
2 - Dragonforce live
3- Dragonforce live at Cardiff university

THE ROCK SHOW - SUNSHINE RADIO With Jeff Collins -- SUNDAY 7PM-til-10PM -- Oct 12th.
106.2FM in Herefordshire --- 107FM and 107.8FM in Monmouthshire
Online @ www.sunshine-radio.net

This week the Rock Show features two of the current stars of rock and metal.
DRAGONFORCE have just released their new album Ultra Beatdown to massive acclaim and have been touring the UK.
Presenter Jeff Collins goes backstage to talk to guitarist Herman Li about the bands success.
DRAGONFORCE have been labeled as ‘Bon Jovi on speed’ or ‘Journey meets Slayer’ and the Rock show will feature a number of tracks from the band’s past albums and their new CD.

Also on the show are Finnish Viking folk/metal act, TURISAS.
Named after the Finnish God Of War, TURISAS, having been winning over fans in the UK with their first two albums, Battle Metal and The Varangian Way.
Presenter Jeff Collins talks to lead singer Mathias ‘Warlord’ Nygard about the bands brand of historical metal and their rousing stage shows.

Plus NEW TRACKS from Metallica, Trivium, It Bites, Paul Weller and former Darkness singer Justin Hawkin’s new band Hotlegs.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have DAVID COVERDALE (Whitesnake)SCOTT GORHAM (Thin Lizzy) DON AIREY (Deep Purple) VINNY APPICE (Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell) PAUL RODGERS (Free/Bad Company), KEITH EMERSON (ELP), GEOFF DOWNES (Yes and Asia), BILL BRUFORD (King Crimson) FISH (former Marillion) RICHIE EDWARDS (The Darkness/Stone Gods), and STUART CABLE (Stereophonics/Killing For Company)

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 FM across Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM across Monmouthshire.

Listen Online at www.sunshine-radio.net.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.

Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer STUART CABLE, which is due out in September 2008.

Email jeff.collins@sunshine

The Rock Show - Sun May 4th with Reeves Gabrels of TIN MACHINE

2008-04-29T13:12:00.003+01:00

THE ROCK SHOW 6PM SUNDAY MAY 4TH

PICS -
1 - TIN MACHINE - THE ALBUM
2 - Circle of One live
3 - Circle of One. Live pics by Andrew Pritchard (www.myspace.comrockhardphotography)

It’s 1988. Disillusioned with his solo career, DAVID BOWIE forms a rock band: TIN MACHINE.

Their ground breaking debut record is the Rock Show’s album of the week.

Presenter Jeff Collins talks to TIN MACHINE guitarist REEVES GABRELS - who went on to spent 13 years working with BOWIE.

Tune in from 6pm to hear REEVES talk about how he first met BOWIE, working in a band with one of music’s most famous singer’s, and the legacy of TIN MACHINE.

Also this week Jeff talks to South Wales rockers CIRCLE OF ONE. The band’s songs are full of mesmerizing riffs, wonderful melodies and possess a true rock swagger. At the end of 2007 they released their debut mini album The Loud Minority. They have a new release planned for later this year. They are the Rock Show’s Band to Watch this week.

All that plus tracks from the forthcoming new DEF LEPPARD album and former HAWKWIND bassist ALAN DAVEY’s group GUNSLINGER!
Plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have DAVID COVERDALE (Whitesnake) DON AIREY (Deep Purple) VINNY APPICE (Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell) PAUL RODGERS (Free/Bad Company), KEITH EMERSON (ELP), GEOFF DOWNES (Yes and Asia), BILL BRUFORD (King Crimson) FISH (former Marillion) RICHIE EDWARDS (The Darkness/Stone Gods), and STUART CABLE (Stereophonics/Killing For Company)

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 FM across Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM across Monmouthshire.

Listen Online at www. sunshine-radio. net.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.

Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer STUART CABLE, which is due out in September 2008.

Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

The Rock Show with David Coverdale...this Sunday April 20th

2008-04-17T14:34:00.001+01:00

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO - with DAVID COVERDALE OF WHITESNAKE!!

-- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- April 20th.

He’s one of the most iconic figures in Rock.
Overnight DAVID COVERDALE went from working in a clothes shop in a small English town to fronting one of the biggest bands in the world: DEEP PURPLE.
Now he’s is celebrating 30 years at the helm of his band Whitesnake, with the band are about to release their first studio album in a decade.
DAVID COVERDALE is the Rock Show’s special guest this Sunday.
He tells presenter Jeff Collins about leaving DEEP PURPLE, the creation of WHITESNAKE and the making of their latest album Good To be Bad...including how three giant black bears invaded his home recording studio during those sessions!!!

Also Jeff will be talking to Blues rockers P-A-U-L and THE HARPER WOODS HEROES. Paul Andrew Ulysses Lamb was born in Detroit and raised on the streets of an east side community known as Harper Woods. At age three, his father bought him a Jimi Hendrix album for his birthday. It changed his life forever. He talks to Jeff about that experience, life growing up in Detroit, his heroes Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen and his new album, Hanging On For Dear Life.
They are the the Rock Show’s band To Watch this week.

All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers (from Free/Bad Company), Richie Edwards from The Darkness, ELP’s Keith Emerson, Whitesnake’s Neil Murray, Geoff Downes (from Yes and Asia), Yes/King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford and Deep Purple keyboard player Don Airey.

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 FM across Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM across Monmouthshire.

Listen Online at www.sunshine-radio.net.
Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.

Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.

Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

THE ROCK SHOW - SUNSHINE Radio -- Sunday April 6th

2008-04-01T21:51:00.002+01:00

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- April 6th.

“The next great rock band to come out of Ireland!!” That’s the verdict of none other than the mother of the late, great THIN LIZZY frontman Phil Lynott.
Philomena Lynott was talking about the band, GLYDER.
The group’s second album Playground For Life is the Rock Show’s Featured Album Of The Week.
GLYDER'S singer and bass player, Tony Cullen, talks to presenter Jeff Collins about the making of their second record, life on the road, and being hailed as the natural successors to THIN LIZZY.
Tune in from 6pm to hear the interview and tracks from both GLYDER'S new CD and their critically acclaimed debut album.

The Rock’s Show’s New Band Of The Week is the highly rated BLANCO DIABLO. The North Carolina rockers are in the UK to record their second album --- following their exciting debut LP, Paper Poison Revolution. Tune in to hear Jeff talk to the band and play some BLANCO DIABLO style rock!
All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly, ELP’s Keith Emerson and Whitesnake’s Neil Murray, Geoff Downes and John Wetton (Yes and Asia), Yes and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford and Deep Purple keyboard player Don Airey.

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM across Monmouthshire.
Listen Online at www.sunshine-radio.net.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD and has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.
Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

THE ROCK SHOW - SUNSHINE Radio -- Sunday April 6th

2008-04-01T21:51:00.000+01:00

The Rock SHOW - Sunshine Radio -- Featuring Don Airey

2008-03-25T17:17:00.003Z

PRESS RELEASE

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- March 30th.

Pic 1 - Don Airey live with Deep Purple
Pic 2 - The Last Republic - ones to watch.

This week’s special guest on the Rock Show is DEEP PURPLE Keyboard player DON AIREY.
Don’s career reads like a Who’s Who of rock. He’s played with Rainbow, Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Jethro Tull, Judas Priest and Queen’s Brian May among others. He’s been a member of DEEP PURPLE for the past 6 years.
His new solo album A LIGHT IN THE SKY is the Rock Show’s album of the week.

Tune in from 6pm to hear Don talk to presenter Jeff Collins about the making of his new album, playing at the Kremlin with DEEP PURPLE in front of new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his predecessor Vladimir Putin (both big fans of the band!), and the highs and lows of his extraordinary career, including the effects of witnessing the tragic death of Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist RANDY RHODES in an aircrash.

The Rock’s Show’s New Band Of The Week is the highly rated INCH HIGH. The Northern Irish rockers have recently toured with the Tygers Of Pang and will be releasing a new album soon.

Also on the show, The Rock Show’s featured live act will be THE LAST REPUBLIC - A Welsh act who recently recorded some material at Monmouth’s Monnow valley studios with Radiohead and Roger waters producer, Chris Sheldon. Tune in for exclusive live tracks from one of the band’s recent electrifying performances.

All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly, ELP’s Keith Emerson and Whitesnake’s Neil Murray, Geoff Downes and John Wetton (Yes and Asia) and Yes and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford.

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM across Monmouthshire.

Listen Online at www.sunshine-radio.net.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD and has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.
Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

Pictures by Andrew Pritchard --- www.myspace.com/rockhardphotography

THE ROCK SHOW TONIGHT - Sunshine Radio

2008-03-23T17:15:00.002Z

PRESS RELEASE MONDAY
March 17th 2008

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- March 23rd.

Pics (By Andrew pritchard)
1. Big Linda on Stage
2. Tokyo Dragons Mal Bruk with presenter jeff Collins

This week’s special guest on the Rock Show is former lead singer of the Symphonic Rock band, Nightwish: Tarja Turunen.
Since leaving the band, the singer is forging a new solo career under the banner of Tarja. Her second solo album My Winter Storm is the Rock’s Show’s Album Of The Week.
Tarja talks to presenter Jeff Collins on the phone from her home in Buenos Aires about the inspiration behind her new CD, recording a new version of Alice Cooper’s hit single Poison and about life after Nightwish.

The Rock’s Show’s New Band Of The Week is Big Linda. Heavily tipped by Classic Rock magazine to be the ‘Next big Thing’, their debut album I Loved You is out on April 14th....we have access to some preview tracks.

Also on the show, Tokyo Dragons guitarist Mal Bruk talks about their new album Hot Nuts.

All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.
Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly, ELP’s Keith Emerson and Whitesnake’s Neil Murray, Geoff Downes and John Wetton (Yes and Asia) and Yes and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford.
The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107fm across Monmouthshire (107.8fm in Abergavenny).

Listen Online at www.sunshine-radio.net.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD and has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.
Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

PIctures by ANDREW PRITCHARD www.myspace.com/rockhardphotography

2008-03-04T16:57:00.005Z

Pic 1) Mike Peters
2) Killing For Company

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- March 9th.
This week featuring Mike Peters of The Alarm plus The Tokyo Dragons and Killing for Company live!

The Alarm frontman Mike Peters talks to Jeff Collins about the band’s influential and highly successful career.
Spanning 25 years, millions of album sales and worldwide hit singles such as Spirit of ’76, Strength and 68 Guns, the Alarm have made a huge impact on the world of rock.
Tune in from 6pm to hear Mike talk about - among other things - the band’s early days, the huge success the Alarm enjoyed during the 80’s and 90’s and his fascinating meetings with the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

(Next week - March 16th - Mike will tell the Rock Show about the current projects he’s working on with the Alarm)

Jeff will also be speaking to Stuart Cable and the Tokyo Dragons backstage as the Dragons and Stuart’s new band, Killing For Company, share the bill at a gig in Swansea.
Jeff will also be playing live tracks from each band.

The Rock’s Show’s New Band Of The Week is Tribe. Jeff caught up with their lead singer at Monnow Valley Studios in Monmouth where they were recording parts of their debut album.

All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly, ELP’s Keith Emerson and Whitesnake’s Neil Murray, Geoff Downes (from Yes and Asia) and Yes and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford.

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107fm across Monmouthshire (107.8fm in Abergavenny).
Listen Online at www.sunshine-radio.net.

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.
Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.
Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

New book on Rockfield Studio and the rock legends who recorded there

2008-03-04T16:47:00.002Z

Pics
1) Jeff Collins at monnow Valley Studios (formerly Rockfield's rehearsal studio)
2) Rock Legends At Rockfield by Jeff Collins
3) Jeff Collins (left) with Robert Plant and his band

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by JEFF COLLINS

This is the tales of the Rock icons who have recorded at the legendary Rockfield studios in Wales.
It's where Queen made Bohemian Rhapsody --- Freddy Mercury writing the song while the band played frisbee in the courtyard.
Motorhead indulged in drugs and groupies while hosts of Hells Angels descended on the nearby town on Monmouth.
Motorhead and Judas Priest duked it out in a 'Food Fight' at the studios while recording classic albums....while Robert Plant, Phil Collins and Co would go on drinking sessions while making the Golden Gods' first post Zep albums.

Read the fascinating and funny tale of this recording studio and its place in music history.

Out on on Amazon in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Plus available from all good book stores.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins

To Read extracts from the book go to:
rockfieldbook.blogspot.comos

Hear Tracks from the new WHITESNAKE ALBUM on THE ROCK SHOW this Sunday with Jeff Collins

2008-02-29T12:56:00.003Z

THE ROCK SHOW with Jeff Collins on SUNSHINE FM (listen online at www.sunshine-radio.net)

THIS SUNDAY ---- The ROCK SHOW will feature tracks from the new WHITESNAKE album GOOD TO BE BAD.

The album - WHITESNAKE'S first in a decade - is due to be released on April 21st.

Also on this sunday's ROCK SHOW - from 6pm - 9pm -- KING CRIMSON drummer BILL BRUFORD talks about the making of their classic 1982 album DISCIPLINE.

DENNIS DE YOUNG talks about his time with STYX and his departure from the band in 1999.

The ROCK SHOW'S featured NEW BAND is DEAD AGAINST THE REST which tracks from their excellent new EP - Echoes of the Dead.

THE ROCK SHOW--- SUNSHINE FM ---
Listen online at www.sunshine-radio.net

or 106.2FM in Herefordshire and 107FM and 107.8FM in Monmouthshir

2008-02-28T22:01:00.002Z

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- March 2nd.
Listen online at www.sunshine-radio.net

106.2FM and 107FM in Herefordshire and Monmouthshire

Influential drummer BILL BRUFORD talks to presenter Jeff Collins about the hit KING CRIMSON album Discipline.
Bill Bruford started his career with Yes before leaving to join Robert Fripp in King Crimson in 1972. He also frequently played as the second drummer on tour with Genesis in the 70’s and 80’s.
After a seven year break, King Crimson reformed in 1981 with a new sound, partly inspired by two new American recruits: Bassist Tony Levin, who’d played with John Lennon and Peter Gabriel and singer/guitarist Adrian Belew, who worked with David Bowie, Frank Zappa and the Talking Heads.
The resulting album Discipline, from 1982, is regarded as one of progressive rock’s finest moments.
Tune in from 6pm to hear Bill Bruford talk to the Rock Show about how the reformed group got together and the writing and recording of their Classic album.

Jeff will also be speaking to former Styx singer Dennis De Young from his home in Chicago. Dennis will talk about his favourite Styx tunes, such as Babe and Lady. He also explain the reasons behind his break with America’s best-selling rock band in 1999.
The Rock Show will also feature two Styx’s classics played on Dennis’ recent solo tour.

Plus the Rock Show will feature two new tracks from the new ASIA album --which is due for release in April. Hear them here first.

The featured New/Unsigned band are Dead Against The Rest - A hotly tipped young rock band from South Wales.
All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly, ELP’s Keith Emerson, Whitesnake’s Neil Murray and Geoff Downes of Yes/Asia.
The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107fm across Monmouthshire (107.8fm in Abergavenny).
Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.
Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.

Email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

The Rock Show -- Feb 24th with Geoff Downes and Styx

2008-02-22T17:53:00.005Z

PICS- FROM THE TOP
1) ASIA live 1982
2) ASIA live 2007
3) Geoff Downes at his Raglan Studio

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- February 24th.
This week featuring GEOFF DOWNES (Asia, Yes and the Buggles) and DENNIS DE YOUNG (Styx).

Listen on www.sunshine-radio.net and 106.2 in Herefordshire and 107FM in Monmouthshire

Rock Keyboard player GEOFF DOWNES talks to presenter Jeff Collins about the 80’s Supergroup ASIA and the making of their smash hit debut album.
Asia featured Geoff Downes (from Yes and Buggles) on Keyboards, Steve Howe (from Yes) on Guitars, Carl Palmer (From ELP) on drums and John Wetton (King Crimson and Roxy Music) on Bass and lead vocals.
The band’s self-titled debut album, released in the spring of 1982, was one of the biggest selling albums of the decade.
It spent nine weeks at number one in the U.S. and sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, spawning the hit singles Heat Of The Moment and Only Time Will Tell.
Tune in from 6pm to hear Geoff Downes talk to the Rock Show at his recording studio in Raglan. Geoff explains about how the supergroup got together, the making of their first album and its huge success worldwide.
Asia start a tour of the UK next month to mark their 25th anniversary and the release of a new album.
Jeff will also be speaking to former Styx singer Dennis De Young from his home in Chicago. Dennis will talk about his favourite Styx tunes, such as Babe and Lady. He also explain the reasons behind his break with America’s best-selling rock band in 1999.
The Rock Show will also feature two Styx’s classics played on Dennis’ recent solo tour.
The featured New/Unsigned band are Fury UK - with tracks from their new album In The Face Of Adversity.

All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly, ELP’s Keith Emerson and Whitesnake’s Neil Murray.
The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107fm across Monmouthshire (107.8fm in Abergavenny).

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.
Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.

Call Jeff on 07825 653506 or email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

2008-02-12T14:16:00.000Z

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- February 17th.

******Change of Rock Show Guest*****

Former WHITESNAKE bassist NEIL MURRAY talks to presenter Jeff Collins about the making of the group’s highly acclaimed Lovehunter album.
From 1978 until 1987, MURRAY helped make WHITESNAKE one of the most popular bands in the world. He recorded 9 albums with the band, including Ready An' Willing, Come An' Get It, Saints An' Sinners and 1987.

Murray, who also spent three years in BLACK SABBATH, is regarded as one of the best bass players in rock.
Tune in from 6pm to hear NEIL MURRAY talk to the Rock Show about joining WHITESNAKE, working with the band’s singer DAVID COVERDALE, the recording of Lovehunter, its controversial cover and turning WHITESNAKE into a worldwide success.
Plus the Rock Show’s ‘Unsigned/New Band Of The Week’ is the up and coming Hereford band TEN THOUSAND FLUSHES.
Also there are two live Tracks from GILLAN. Angel Air records has unearthed a previously unheard concert from the Marquee Club in London in 1978 as IAN GILLAN'S then-new band warmed up for the Reading festival a few weeks later.
All that plus three hours of the best classic rock tunes around.

***Next week Jeff Collins talks to legendary rock keyboard player GEOFF DOWNES at his home studio in Raglan about the making of the debut album by 80’s supergroup ASIA, which stayed at number one in the US album charts for 9 weeks in 1982.

Jeff’s previous guests on the Rock Show have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness, Marillion’s Mark Kelly and ELP’s Keith Emerson.
The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107fm across Monmouthshire (107.8fm in Abergavenny).
Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.
Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic’s drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.

Call Jeff on 07825 653506 or email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

The Rock Show -- Feb 10th on Sunshine Radio

2008-02-08T16:11:00.001Z

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio --- this Sunday 6pm Feb 10th

(Pictures from l-r Paul Roberts (Breakfast Presenter), Jeff Collins and Paul McCarthy (sales)

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- February 10th. ----- Feauring ELP, COHEED AND CAMBRIA AND LOGAN.

Legendary keyboard wizard KEITH EMERSON talks to JEFF COLLINS about Emerson, Lake and Palmer's multi-million selling album TARKUS.
The album made number 1 in the UK and number 9 in the US in 1971 as ELP dominated the album charts on both sides of the atlantic in that decade.
Comprised of KEITH EMERSON (From The Nice) ..boards, Greg Lake (from King Crimson) on bass and vocals and Carl Palmer (Atomic Rooster) on drums, ELP were one of the first rock supergroups.
At the height of their success, their played to 350 thousand people at the California Jam festival supported by Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and The Eagles.
Tune in from 6pm on Sunday to hear Keith talk to The Rock Show from his home in California about the making of Tarkus, the band's classic album.
Also on this week's Rock Show are US prog rockers, COHEED AND CAMBRIA. The band are currently touring the UK in support of their highly acclaimed new album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol 2: No World For Tomorrow.
COHEED AND CAMBRIA bassist Michael Todd takes time out of his touring schedule to speak to Jeff Collins about the bands growing success, their new album and how he beat his personal demons, which saw him temporarily quit music.
Plus the Rock Show's 'Unsigned/New Band Of The Week' is the highly rated Scottish Rockers, LOGAN.

Jeff's previous guests have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish, Paul Carrack, Stuart Cable, Paul Rodgers, Richie Edwards from The Darkness and Marillion's Mark Kelly.

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 fm across Herefordshire and 107fm across Monmouthshire (107.8fm in Abergavenny).
Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.
Jeff has just finished his latest book about former Stereophonic's drummer Stuart Cable, which is due out in September 2008.

Call Jeff on 07825 653506 or email jeff.collins@sunshine-radio.net

The Rock Show - Sunshine Radio -- featuring Stuart Cable Sunday 13th Jan 6pm

2008-01-11T19:11:00.000Z

THE ROCK SHOW ON SUNSHINE RADIO -- SUNDAY 6PM-9PM -- JANUARY 13th

The Featured album of the week on The Rock Show is PERFORMANCE AND COCKTAILS from the Stereophonics.

You can hear the band's former drummer Stuart Cable talks to Sunshine Rock Show presenter Jeff Collins about the making of Performance and Cocktails.
The Stereophonics 2nd album was the one that catapulted them into the big time and saw them filling arenas and stadiums across Europe. It’s the Rock Show’s featured Album of the Week.
You can hear Stuart talk about the making of this album, the videos that accompanied it and the birth of Stereophonics in the small mining village of Cwmaman.
This Sunday’s Rock Show will also feature 2 live track’s from bad boy LA rockers Motley Crue.
Plus the Rock Show’s ‘Unsigned Band Of The Week’ is The Last Republic. Heard the tracks they recorded at Monnow Valley Studios in Monmouth with Foo Fighter's producer Chris Sheldon.

Jeff’s previous guests have included Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Fish and Paul Carrack.

The Rock Show on Sunshine Radio: 106.2 across Herefordshire and 107Fm across Monmouthshire (107.8 in Abergavenny).

You can heard it on the internet on wm9.easystream.co.uk/sunshine107

Jeff Collins is also the author of the best selling ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, written about the iconic rock acts who have recorded at Rockfield and Monnow Valley studios in Monmouthshire.

Led Zeppelin - The Reunion -- a review

2008-01-11T18:37:00.000Z

LED ZEPPELIN -- LIVE AT THE O2 ARENA, LONDON, DECEMBER 10TH

Tickets for this long-awaited reunion had been issued by ballot, along with a personal passcode, in an attempt to beat the ticket touts. An estimated 20 million people registered to apply for tickets.
I lost out in the first ballot. But after Jimmy Page’s injury (unlucky for him but lucky for me), the returned tickets were reallocated, and at 6 o’clock in the evening one November night, an email told me I’d be one of the lucky 20 thousand people selected to see the giants of rock live at their reunion gig at the O2 Arena in London.
December 10th finally arrived. After a sleepless night, I head down to London from South Wales very early. This is a day to savour. I arranged a handful of interviews with some of the supporting artists for a Rock Show, which I present on UK radio. After spending half an hour driving around the maze that is London’s Dockland’s, I finally arrive at the O2 arena in Greenwich.
I walk, with my friend and Colleague Andrew Pritchard, heading straight for the Media Centre. Once inside, I bump into an old friend of mine, who works for the BBC’s TV news. David Sillito greets me warmly and introduces me to the rest of the handful of journalists, who have arrived backstage this early. Someone spots that Andrew and I are wearing the much desired ticket wristbands.
‘You’re going into the concert?’ asks a reporter from Reuters.
‘Yes’, I reply. ‘Aren’t you?’
The answer, it seems, is no. None of the reporters are going to be allowed inside the arena. They will have to watch on television inside the Media Centre. Above them are big signs warning “Do Not Film The Televisions or You Will Be Asked To Leave The Building.”
‘You lucky devils!’ mutters one journalist under his breath.
Ten minutes later, Andrew and I are heading backstage with the manager of Paul Rodgers. Security is tight. There must be at least 15 different backstage passes, but only one will get you into the area where the artists dressing rooms are based. But no pass - even with a United Nations escort - will get you into the Led Zeppelin backstage area. There’s more security there than the green zone in Baghdad!
Fortunately, Paul Rodgers manager has the right coloured pass to take us backstage and security has no choice but to let him through, though seem reluctant to allow me and Andrew through.
‘It’s OK they’re here with me,’ explains the manager and we’re allowed to cross the threshold. We walk down the drab, grey coloured corridor passing two dressing rooms. One has the sign ‘Chris Squire and Keith Emerson’ on it. The other dressing room is labeled “Simon Kirke and Alan White’. As Led Zeppelin have reformed to pay tribute to the memory of the late Atlantic Records boss, Armet Ertegun, the support acts include the ex-members of Yes, ELP and Bad Company who will play Fanfare For The Common man. Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings will also play a set, as will Paul Rodgers. Paolo Nuttini is also on the bill as the last act signed by Armet Ertegun.
As we briefly wait outside Paul Rodgers dressing room, we can hear Foreigner - another of the support acts - rehearsing just yards away on stage. The US rock act are playing their biggest hit, I Wanna Know What Love Is. We’re ushered inside, and the former Free singer is pleasantry itself. Incredibly friendly, very funny and full of funny anecdotes about his time with Atlantic Records, Bad Company and his time hanging out with the Led Zeppelin guys. Rodgers tells me that tonight he’ll play two songs. He do an acoustic version of the Bad Company song Seagull and then with Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings, he’ll sing a version of Free’s Alright Now.
The interview ends with Rodgers still in an extremely good mood. Effusive handshakes all round, while Rodgers lovely wife hands Andrew and I a tour T-Shirt each and a DVD of his recent tour.
My arranged interview with Free/Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke falls through as he is still stuck in traffic getting to the O2 arena. The interview will have to wait until another day.
Later when I eventually meet up with Simon Kirke, he tells me that the overbearing security guards made life unpleasant for most of the artists.
‘Backstage was not a good experience,’ said Simon. ‘The security at the O2 almost ruined the experience. But, hey, it was Zeppelin, wasn’t it? Those guys were so happy before the gig. I reckon they’ll tour again. They were so into it!’
Simon Kirke is one of the very few people to have played with Zeppelin on stage. During a rough patch in his life in 1980, his was invited by John Bonham to join the band to cheer him up. They were playing a few gigs in Germany. A second drum kit was set up on stage and Kirke joined them for the last two songs at the gig in Munich. It was Zeppelin’s last but one concert.
Zeppelin were only returning the favour, though. In 1975, Plant, Page, Bonham and Jones turned up at Bad Company gig in Birmingham.
‘I remember they joined us on stage,; says the drummer. ‘Paul Rodgers told the crowd “We’ve got a real treat for you now. We’re being joined onstage by a new band who might do quite well.’” Well, then Zeppelin walked onstage - only the biggest band in the world! - and the crowd went crazy. It was Birmingham, so it was like a home gig for them, because Robert and John Bonham lived nearby.’
Time to move into the Arena for the concert. The support acts came and went in a blur. In between the promoter, Harvey Goldsmith, came on and introduced film clips showing aspects of Armet Ertegun’s career.
All to soon, it was ten to nine and the arena went dark. It was time! They’re nearly here.
The cheers nearly lifted the roof off the O2. Then a video screen flickered to life and the set started with a movie clip from 'The Song Remains The Same' DVD. It showed an excerpt from an American news item telling of the day when Led Zeppelin broke The Beatles' attendance record for a gig in 1973 in California.
The young band were shown walking off their private jet and heading to the arena to play at the height of their powers.
Then the noise level went off the scale as the crowd spotted four silhouettes moving gingerly onto the stage. Moments later Jimmy Page was cranking out the notes to Good Times, Bad Times. Despite a little bit of feedback every now and again, the audience just seemed stunned. Stunned that they were actually watching THE Led Zeppelin in action.
Zeppelin’s tours in the past were always dominated by America. Since the end of their 1973 tour, Zeppelin had only played in their home country on 7 occasions. Five times in 1975 and twice in 1979. This was just their 8th appearance in the UK in 34 years!
Next up was Ramble On. Page was again on top form grinding out the slow bluesy riff. Jason Bonham found his feet very quickly and was the perfect substitute for his late father.
Three songs in and Zeppelin had nailed their sound. Like a band who’d been on the road for a year or two, the four had gelled into a tight musical unit. The Zeppelin of old were really back. To prove this, Robert Plant’s immaculate voice belted out the line:
‘Hey, Hey Mama, said the way you move
Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove!’

Black Dog was a highlight of the show. When the band stopped and Plant sang the “Ah Ah” bits, the crowd sung it back with delight.
After In My Time Of Dying, Robert Plant suddenly announces that the band are going to do something they haven’t done in a long while.
‘We’re going to play a song we’ve never done live before!’ announces the golden haired singer. He looks slim and healthy, replete with fetching goatee beard. He’s reveling in the crowd’s response. They can’t believe their going to heard a song which the band have never tried live before.
The band’s choice: For Your Life from Presence. It zips along with Page and Plant, in particular, showing they still have the magic.
Before starting the next song Plant tells the crowd it was the band's attempt to sound like Robert Johnson's 'Terraplane Blues'. He then kicks the bottom of the microphone stand and adopts the ‘Rock God’ pose. But it’s here on Trampled Underfoot - and the next songs Nobody Fault But Mine and No Quarter - that John Paul Jones finally takes centre stage. His bass playing has been excellent but now on the keyboards he is absolutely note-for-note perfect.
The band are all wearing black, except for Page, who has discarded his suit jacket and is now in a dazzling white shirt.
Robert Plant’s vocal performance is awesome during Since I’ve Been Loving You. The only slightly shaky moment of the set comes when the singer seems a little off key and out of his stride for the verses of Dazed and Confused. Thankfully, Page’s central riff is spot-on. And in the middle of the song, the guitarist is surrounded by a shroud of laser light as he repeats his now famous solo, where he takes a violin bow to his guitar. This idea was given to him by the Man From U.N.C.L.E actor David McCallum, who studied classical music and is a friend of Page.
When the opening refrain of Stairway To Heaven rings out across the O2, the crowd goes crazy. The rendition is pure bliss. After the song Robert gazes skyward, with hands clasped, and proclaims, ‘Ahmet, we did it!’
The Song Remains The Same and Misty Mountain Hop are flawless, but the high point of the show has to be Kashmir. Plant introduces this one by declaring "We've got people from 50 countries here and this is the 51st.’
Kashmir is so perfect, its just like the band are miming to the record. They don’t put a foot wrong. Behind them the video screen goes into overdrive in blur of colour and shapes.
They leave the stage but return for two encores. Whole Lotta Love and Rock n Roll. Andrew and I look at each other, thinking the same thing. “I’ve seen Led Zeppelin live!” Words I never thought I’d ever say.
Despite their years apart, this was a polished performance full of energy and spirit. It’s undoubtedly the best concert I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to believe a youthful Led Zeppelin could have been any better than this. If they were, then they were indeed Gods of Rock!

Rock Legends at Rockfield -- great new book

2008-01-06T00:10:00.001Z

ROCK LEGENDS book in top ten of 2007

The Western Mail (National daily newspaper for Wales) picks its top ten Welsh books of the year.Resident critic John Jones picks his best of the year.ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD makes number 3. The Top 10 is:
1 Caryl Lewis Martha, Jack and Shanco (Parthian, £8.99)
2 Hannah Jones Diary of a Diet (Accent, £6.99)

3 Jeff CollinsRock Legends at Rockfield (UWP, £13.99)Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Queen were just some of the icons who visited Rockfield, a farmhouse near Monmouth where some of the greatest rock albums ever made were produced. A fascinating account of some often bizarre tales surrounding the making of these recordings.

4 Mike Parker Neighbours from Hell? (Y Lolfa, £6.95)
5 Rhys Davies The Withered Root (Library of Wales, £7.99)
6 John Hopkins Golf Wales (Graffeg, £14.99)
7 Derek Brockway Whatever the Weather (Gomer, £14.99)
8 Imogen Rhia Herrad The Woman who Loved an Octopus and other Saints' Tales (Seren, £6.99)This collection of short stories shows us the female saints of Wales as never seen before, bringing together 12 themed tales based on their lives and legends. Sometimes, elements of a myth are used as a framework for a new story, flooding the old tale with a fresh, or possibly rediscovered, meaning.
9 Edited by Meic Stephens Poetry (Library of Wales, £9.99)
10 Anthony Stokes The Valleys (Seren, £25)

HEAVEN AND HELL ROCK

2007-11-29T15:40:00.000Z

SABBATH

It's Tuesday afternoon and I'm heading into Cardiff City centre to see Black Sabbath Mk II. Farcically, they have to call themselves Heaven and Hell after this line-up's debut album, cos Sharon Osbourne threw her dummy out of the pram!!!! This is the same lady who threatened legal action against two roadies who were writing a book about Sabbath. She was worried they'd portray her in a bad light. Even though the period they were writing about was before she managed the band!! Doh!!! She and X-factor deserve each other.
I arrive at the International Arena at 6-15 ready to meet Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice backstage. Vinny has arranged for me to get a crew pass and two tickets for tonight's gig. The PR company dealing with tonight had tried to stop me getting backstage claiming none of the band were doing any interviews on the UK leg of the tour. Fortunately Vinny had helped me with me book Rock Legends at Rockfield, and I was able to contact him directly. Problem sorted.
I'm taking a copy of my book to give to Vinny as a 'thank You' for helping me. As I wait at the side of the stage. One of the security guards asks me where I got the book as he's planning on buying it at the weekend. I explain that I'm the author and I'm giving this copy to the Sabbath drummer for his help with the book. This prompts an interesting 10 minute chat about the bands such as Sabbath, Queen, Motorhead and Rush who visited Wales to record at Rockfield. After this pleasant distraction, I ushered through the the Sabbath production office and after a short wait, I'm then taken to Vinny's dressing room.
Vinny greets me warmly and tells me that I'm an adopted member of the sabbath crew for the day and to make myself at home backstage. He passes me a beer from the cooler box and we chat about Sabbath's time at Rockfield. I record this for my radio series for Sunshine Radio, based on my book.
Vinny is a hugely friendly chap and a very talented drummer. It's a very interested hour that we spend together.(see top photo)

At 7-30, having wished Vinny a good show, I wander back out into the front of the venue. The crowd is gathering. Sabbath t-shirts everywhere and surprisingly a number of Threshold t-shirts. Five or six at least. Threshold are a good band but I can't figure out why so many of there fans are here. Are they lost? Are Threshold playing somewhere nearby??

One expensive beer later, and I wander to the main entrance of the Arena to meet up with Stuart Cable and the bass player Steve Williams from Killing For Company. Both are smiling and looking forward to seeing Heaven and Hell.
The support acts Iced Earth and Lamb Of God go down well. LOG have a big following here and the whole front of the arena seem to be chanting 'Lamb of God...Lamb of God..Lamb of God'. It's their third trip to Cardiff, and the second here at the CIA (Last time they were here with Slayer). They tell the audience that after these last few dates, they'll be taking some time off before recording a new record in the new year.
9PM
Heaven and Hell arrive. The stage set is superb. It's a church complete with graveyard, stained glass windows and fence.
Ronnie James Dio is in fantastic voice as they open with Mob Rules. Vinny's drum kit is huge and he puts in a killer performance. The Heaven and Hell set is fantastic. The only minor quibble is that there is a strange lack of interaction between the band. Tony Iommi stands to the far left of the stage with Geezer Butler around 100 yards away from him on the right hand side. They neither move near each other nor look at each other. Strange!

10-30pm...the set is surprising short -- at least 45 minutes shorter than the set played on the CD recorded earlier this year in New York.
We all disperse...Steve and I pausing to buy Sabbath hoodies for a tenner outside the venue and then we disappear into the night. Tomorrow I'll be back for the the Tokyo Dragons. I'm looking forward to it.

JEFF COLLINS

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out now on University of Wales press. It's available from Amazon and all good book stores.

Rock LEGENDS BOOK -book signings

2007-10-12T17:01:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD --- by Jeff Collins

Book signings over the next 3 weekends.

Music, drugs, drink, and farm-yard animals! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll be amazed at the antics of the world’s most famous rock legends when they visited Rockfield studios.

Rock Legends at Rockfield by Jeff Collins goes behind the scenes of some of the greatest albums ever made. It tells the fascinating, often bizarre and humourous tales surrounding the making of these records and explains how a small farm converted into a recording studio in Wales became one of the most famous names in rock music.

Borders Fforestfach (Swansea) 13th Oct 12-2pm
Borders Llantrisant 13th Oct 3-4pm

Waterstones Hereford 20th Oct 12-2pm

Waterstones Aberystwyth 27th Sep 12-1pm
Galloway Aberystwyth 27th Sep 1.30-2.30pm
WHS Aberystwyth 27th Sep 3-4pm

"This book takes you back through 25 years of rock ‘n’ roll history and makes you feel like you were actually there (and I was)!"
Jezz Woodroffe, Robert Plant/Black Sabbath keyboard player

"He's trying to f*****g kill me. Where's my gun?"
OZZY OSBOURNE being chased by a Swan who was attacking him at the river alongside the studios. Ozzy and Sabbath were rehearsing for Black Sabbath Vol. 4.

book signing --- rock legends at rockfield

2007-10-04T09:59:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone.

I'll be signing copies of my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD in the new BORDERS in Cardiff City Centre this Saturday from 4pm to 6pm.

"This book takes you back through 25 years of rock ‘n’ roll history and makes you feel like you were actually there (and I was)!"
Jezz Woodroffe, Robert Plant/Black Sabbath keyboard player

"He's trying to f*****g kill me. Where's my gun?"
OZZY OSBOURNE being chased by a Swan who was attacking him at the river alongside the studios. Ozzy and Sabbath were rehearsing for Black Sabbath Vol. 4.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is out now in the UK/Europe and is published in the US/Canada from November.

Jeff Collins

Review -- FISH live at The point in Cardiff - sept 23rd 2007

2007-10-03T11:21:00.000+01:00

FISH - at the Point, Cardiff by Jeff Collins.

SUNDAY SEPT 23RD
2pm.
I've been trying to contact Fish all week. I've been asked by Classic Rock Magazine to review the concert -- I'd also like to interview him about marilion's time at Rockfield studios for the radio station I'M involved with called Sunshine.
2-30pm
Still no word from the Fish camp. I'm getting worried that I might not make it into the gig and might not meet the man himself. Have worna hole in the carpet from incessant pacing!!!! Lucky I don't smoke!!!!

2-45pm
Finally Fish's tour manager calls and says I can come down to meet him at 4pm. He'll be in the pub opposite the venue (The Point in Cardiff). The pub! Perfect!
I wander down to Cardiff Bay and eventually meet Fish at The Point itself in the dressing room upstairs (having check out the pub which was Fish free!). He's in a very happy mood. His beloved Hibernian have beaten Celtic 3-2 in the Scottish Premier League. He wanders around the venue with me -- stopping every musician and roadie to telling them about Hibs great win.
4pm
We walk across the road to the pub where we settle down with a pint and watch the start of the Scotland v New Zealand game. Scotland are soon 7 points down. Fish has his head in his hands. "Oh dear. We're going to get a bloody kicking here", he says.
Keyboard player Foss Patterson is sitting with us. A fellow Scot he fears the worst also.
"They're just a bloody relentless machine" he says as the All Blacks score once again.
Fish heads off to buy another beer for us while Scotland do themselves no favours by dropping the ball whenever they have possession.
4-40pm
Half time in the rugby and Scotland are 20 points down and heading for a real beating.
"Come on" says Fish. "I think we can do the interview now as this game is well and truly over".
We head out and to the band's tour bus. Once inside we sit opposite each other on the very comfy seats downstairs. We spend 40 mins doing the radio interview which will be used on Sunshine FM as part of our "Made in Monmouth" slot. Fish talks about Marillion's time at Rockfield, The making of Fugazi and his new Cd and tour.
.
7pm.
I'm back at The Point with Sunshine radio colleague Andrew Jancey who's a big marillion fan.
First up is a band called Stone Sole River. They are fantastic. They have a very retro 70's sound. The stand out of the set is called House Burning Down which is reminiscent of Iron Butterfly. They've already toured with the likes of Joe Bonamassa and Carl Palmer. I recomend you get yourself a copy of their CD Terra mama or visit their myspace site www.myspace.com/stonesoleriver. Buy their CD and you wont be disappointed.
Fish takes to the stage at 8-45pm with a series of TV news clips played onto a giant videoscreen. They're been given amusing alternate headlines. One shows former US president Reagan meeting Gorbachev. The caption reads: "1988 - Reagan and Gorbachev agree Marillion's Clutching at Straw's is the album of the year". Another shows Labour's 97 election win with the caption "1997 Blair elected on mandate to reunited Fish and Marrillion.
The crowd love this.
Slainte Mhath from Clutching at Straws kicks off the set. (The tour is called Clutching at Stars -- mixing the Marillion album title with his latest CD called The 13th Star).
Two of the next three songs are powerful tracks from his new album Circle Line and Square Go- the latter featuring a power rant "Just Once I wanna fight back!"

Fish is on excellent form with a fantastic line in funny stories. He talks about Hibs 3-2 win over Celtic and Scotland's trouncing by New Zealand. "We got a right kicking. Scary fuckers those All Blacks. Even on the strongest drugs, I wouldn't wanna be on a rugby pitch with those 22 stone monsters."
He mentions England losing to South Africa which gets a huge cheers from the predominantly Welsh audience.
Then back to football as he mentions Scotland's recent heroic win over France in the Euro 2008 qualifiers.
"Now I know what I'm doing next summer", he says with a smile."But the Scots can always snatch defeat from the jaws of Victory!"
"so can Wales" shouts one wag from the audience. "Oh" responds Fish. "We Celts are fucked up!".
One of the highlights of the set if the trilogy from Clutching at Straws Hotel Hobbies/Warm wet cirlces/That time of night.
For Warm Wet Circles no backing vocals are needed as they are provided by the crowd. This is Fish at his most impressive. At the end of Dark Star from the new CD, Fish introduces his drummer Gavin Griffiths. From Llanelli, the Welshman is proudly wearing the new Welsh rugby jersey. He gets a huge cheer. "oh" says Fish "you can do no wrong in their eyes. But you still can in ours!" he warns with a smile.
Fish may have aged (he's now 49) but when he pulls those heart-rending facial expressions on stage and dances in his inimitable way, you recognise the youthful and exuburent Fish of 20 years ago.
Two thirds of the way into the set, Fish calls for a glass of wine. "Bollocks. Its going so well I can afford to get pissed" he says. The crowd shout 'Down in One' which he does.
After the encores, my friend Andrew Jancey remarks to me how much he's enjoyed the show. Particularly the Marillion stuff, which they no longer play. How can they not oplay the songs which made their name!!?!! Remarkable!
Afterwards its backstage for a quick drink with Fish and the band and after a few photos we bid our goodbyes.
A tremendous night, a great gig and I look forward to seeing Fish play live again soon.

The full set list:
Slainte Mhath
Circle Line
So Fellini
Square Go
The Perception Of Johnny Punter
Manchmal
Hotel Hobbies
Warm Wet Circles
That Time Of The Night
Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors
White Russian
Dark Star
Sugar Mice

Encore:
Cliche
Incommunicado
The final curtain

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out now in the UK/Europe and will be published in the USA/Canada in November.

ROCK LEGENDS BOOK in the South Wales Echo

2007-10-03T11:17:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by JEFF COLLINS out now in UK/Europe. Out in the US/Canada in November.

Oz Fest rocks Jeff’s book with laughs
Sep 21 2007
by Gavin Allen, South Wales Echo

THEY say you should never meet your heroes but first-time author Jeff Collins met at least three of his and loved every minute of it.

Collins drank Lemmy’s Jack Daniels, reunited Robert Plant with his old band and fielded calls from Geddy Lee at his Llandaff home as he researched Rock Legends At Rockfield, a history of the world- famous recording studio just outside Monmouth.

“Before I started the book I knew Rockfield had a fantastic reputation but I didn’t realise how big it was – particularly in America,” said Collins, who launches the book at the Old Nags Head pub in Monmouth at 6pm tonight.

“I think part of the reason for that is because the artists love it so much, and the artists love it so much because Rockfield is so guarded about their privacy and their stories.

“What I found was that, while the Rockfield staff and owners still wouldn’t disclose a lot of that stuff, the artists were so happy to talk about Rockfield that they all told me those things themselves.”

Among the raft of rock star stories, Collins, 40, discovered that one band consistently stole the limelight – Black Sabbath, and in particular their crazed frontman Ozzy Osbourne.

“The funniest story was when one of the producers told me that one day he saw Ozzy running towards him screaming ‘he’s going to kill me’ and the producer thought there was a gang of people chasing him,” said Collins, who lives with his partner Yvonne and their three-year-old son Bryn.

“But then behind Ozzy waddled this swan.

“Ozzy being Ozzy, he always kept a shotgun in his car and he came back blasting away at this poor swan which, thankfully, he missed.

“But you can imagine how funny it was to see the Prince of Darkness terrified of a swan. He may have been drinking at the time.”

Rock Legends at Rockfield By Jeff Collins is published by University Of Wales Press and is out on Wednesday September 26, with a recommended retail price of £13.99.

ROCK LEGENDS at Rockfield -- book signings

2007-09-17T16:45:00.000+01:00

For anyone interested here's a list of book signings which I'll be doing for ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD over the next few weeks.

Monmouth Bookshop 22nd Sep 11-1pm
Abergavenny Bookshop 22nd Sep 2.30-4pm

Waterstones Swansea 24th Sep 3-4pm
WHS Swansea 24th Sep 1-2pm

Galloway 27th Sep 1.30-2.30pm
Waterstones Aberystwyth 27th Sep 12-1pm
WHS Aberystwyth 27th Sep 3-4pm

Waterstones Cardiff 28th Sep 12-2pm

Borders Cardiff 6th Oct 4-6pm

Borders Llantrisant 13th Oct TBC
Borders Fforestfach 13th Oct 12-2pm
Waterstones Hereford 20th Oct 12-2pm

Rock Legends at Rockfield -- on the BBC

2007-09-17T10:04:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS ONLINE (Rock legends at Rockfield by Jeff Collins)

Robert Plant back at Rockfield, where his career took a new path
The story of how a Welsh farm became a not-so-quiet corner of rock'n'roll has been told in a history of a Monmouthshire recording studios.
Rockfield was started by brothers Charles and Kingsley Ward in 1965.

Over four decades it has produced hits from artists such as Queen, Motorhead, Oasis, Stereophonics and the former Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant.

"I'm amazed no-one had written about it before," said the book's author, journalist Jeff Collins.

Robert Plant returned to Rockfield last year on the 25th anniversary of his first solo album and was interviewed by Collins for the book.

The 59-year-old told Collins he was "re-born both personally and professionally" at the studios after the break-up of Led Zeppelin, following the death of drummer John Bonham.

He said: "After all that wild stuff, and momentum, this was an absolute dream, because it was pastoral, funny, and it had a history, the place itself¿ was a bit more passive than any kind I'd ever been in."

Motorhead front man, Lemmy, left, is interviewed by Jeff Collins

This week it was announced Led Zeppelin are to reform - with Bonham's son playing drums - for a one-night-only charity gig at London's O2 arena.

Collins, 40, said: "When I was growing up, I couldn't believe all this fantastic music was being recorded just a few miles up the road, and in Wales.

"I'm amazed no-one had written about it before."

The Ward brothers were signed to a music label in the mid-60s and created their first studio on the family farm when they became fed up with the travelling to London for recording sessions in the days before the M4 motorway opened.

One of the first artists to raise the studios profile among aspiring musicians was Cardiff-born Dave Edmunds with his 1971 hit, I Hear You Knocking'.

Collins tracked down a number of the stars who used the studios during their career, as well as some of the producers and engineers.

Among stories told in Rock Legends At Rockfield is the recording of Queen's masterpiece A Night at the Opera, part of which was recorded at Rockfield in 1975 and is reputed to be one of the most expensive albums of all time.

Queen's operatic Bohemian Rhapsody became a rock classic

Roadie Peter Hince, known as Ratty, claims in the book that record label executives were sweating as the costs of classic tracks, including operatic Bohemian Rhapsody, mounted.

He said: "If it hadn't sold as many millions as it eventually did...EMI might have had second thoughts."

The album topped the charts in Britain and reached number four in America.

Freddie Mercury wrote his piano part for Bohemian Rhapsody in a former feed store at the farm while the rest of the band played Frisbee in a nearby field.

Mercury's six-minute epic may have gone into rock legend, but the record executives who were paying the bills needed to see a return on the investment, according to Hince.

He said: "Overall it was a pretty hectic time. There was a lot of pressure, so you got a feeling it was a real "make or break" time for the band.

"At the time, A Night At The Opera was one of the most expensive albums ever made. The cost in terms of studio time was phenomenal.

"If it hadn't sold as many millions as it eventually did...EMI might have had second thoughts after spending all that money and might have dropped Queen."

(Jeff will appear live on BBC Radio Wales talking about ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD with Alan Thompson from 9pm tomorrow night Tuesday.)

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD has been delayed by 4-5 days and will now be published on Sept 20-21.

The official book launch will take place in Monmouth in the Nag's Head pub on Friday 21st Sept from 6pm.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD -- In Amazon top ten

2007-09-01T20:31:00.001+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins
Out Sept 15th

WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK

Rick Legends is now in the top five of www.amazon.co.uk future music releases.

The bestselling new & future releases in Rock & Pop.

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Rockfield book on PLANET ROCK RADIO -- on DAB

2007-08-31T11:10:00.001+01:00

Hi... I'm being interviewed tonight about my Book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD on Planet Rock Radio on DAB with Nicky Horne at 8-30pm tonight.
Tune in to get a flavour of the bbok and here some of the tracks recorded at this legendary studio.

Cheers

Jeff

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out on Sept 15th on University of Wales Press.

ROCK LEGENDS book in the WALES ON SUNDAY newspaper

2007-08-27T00:43:00.000+01:00

WALES ON SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

Book lifts lid on studio’s history
Aug 26 2007

by Nathan Bevan, Wales On Sunday

IT’S early morning in the sleepy Monmouthshire countryside when suddenly the peace is shattered by loud honking, followed by an ear-piercing scream: “He’s trying to bloody kill me!”

It’s Prince of Darkness Ozzy Osbourne running terrified along the banks of the river Monnow, fishing rod in one hand and an angry swan in hot pursuit.

The bird has taken an instant dislike to the Black Sabbath singer who grabs a shotgun and from his car boot and starts blasting away, drowning out his roadie yelling, “Oz, you can’t shoot the f*****g swans!”

That little rock and roll gem from Black Sabbath’s 1976 recording session at Rockfield Studios is just one of many in a brand new book by Jeff Collins which lifts the lid on the musical madness that’s happened at the world famous Welsh recording house over the years.

Rock Legends At Rockfield (out next month) tells never-heard-before tales about the megastar bands that have passed through its doors – and, indeed, thrown televisions through its windows – since it was first opened by local farmers Kingsley and Charles Ward in 1963.

“Rockfield was the spiritual home of rock music for me as a kid,” said author and freelance journalist Jeff Collins, 41, from Cardiff. “I’d buy record after record bearing the legend ‘Recorded at Rockfield Studios, Wales’, so I set out to discover how somewhere so rural, so lacking in glitz and glamour could attract so many amazing acts.”

And any animal lovers needn’t worry, the swan was unharmed, unlike Rockfield, as the following stories testify.

OASIS

THE mono-browed Manchester lads caused chaos during the recording of their second album, What’s The Story (Morning Glory) in 1995.

A few too many pints of Snakebite in the town sparked fisticuffs with another band called Cable, who were recording nearby.

“Liam is playing our singer, Darius, rough mixes from the new album,” remembers Cable drummer Neil Cooper.

“After hearing a couple of songs, Darius asked him, as a joke, ‘Why do you always rip-off the Beatles?’, which obviously didn’t go down too well!

“The next thing I know, Darius ‘playfully’ grabs Liam from behind and tries to mount him like a dog!

“Liam just lost it, threw Darius out of the front door and then punched him in the face – Then all hell broke loose!”

Windows were smashed, bins overturned, plants and rubbish were strewn everywhere and the Gallaghers’ beloved Subbuteo table destroyed.

Too embarrassed to face the consequences Oasis fled, but not before Rockfield’s seen-it -all-before ‘Mr Fix-it’ Otto put things into perspective.

“This is nothing, you should have been here when Ozzy Osbourne used to raise hell,” he said.

“Now that was a mess!”

THE STONE ROSES

THE godfathers of baggy came to Rockfield in 1990 to record new material after the huge success of their debut album.

“They turned up 48 hours late, just as we were all agreeing that we might as well go home,” said producer John Leckie.

“Then the door burst open and all four of them fell in, covered from head-to-toe in blue and white paint which they got all over the carpet and the settee.

“Then they told us what they’d done – they’d just plastered their old record company offices in Wolverhampton in paint, cars in the car park too, caused thousands of pounds of damage.

“I knew the police would be on their way soon and I wasn’t going to let the session be wrecked.

“So I got them into the studio, their clothes and hair still full of paint, and got a few songs down on tape.

“Five hours later the police arrived, arrested the band and took them away back to the Midlands.”

MOTORHEAD

1975 saw seminal metallers Motorhead descend on the farmhouse, with the entire West Coast Chapter of the Hells Angels in tow

“The streets were as deserted as the set of High Noon when they came looming over the hill on their Harley Davidsons,” laughed author Jeff.

“There were about 30 of them, each insisting that his bike should have the studio microphone rammed up its exhaust pipe.

“You could hear it three miles away!”

Singer Lemmy, pictured, admitted he owed a lot to Rockfield.

“Motorhead were born there,” he said.

“It was very basic back then, with huge mattresses stuck to the walls for sound proofing. It was a weird sight, man.

“Kingsley and Charles were both farmers, but also running the studio.

“They’d come into the studio during the middle of recording absolutely covered in sh*t and ask how it was going. They were great.”

It saw the debut of the band’s new drummer Phil ‘Filthy’ Taylor who, the day after arriving got up stark naked and began roaming around looking for breakfast.

“It’s Ok,” he told startled band mates, “I’m on drugs.”

ROBERT PLANT

THE former Led Zeppelin frontman, below, recorded his first solo album Pictures At Eleven in 1981, and called Rockfield “a turning point both personally and professionally”.

“After all that wild stuff in Zeppelin, this place was an absolute dream,” he said.

“The first place we went to for a drink was the Old Punch House where the owner endeared himself to us by asking: ‘What do you scruffy buggers want?”

“You’d have several pints of Wood’s beer before coming wobbling back up here to the studios – I was immune to pencillin by the time I left.”

He also recalled his drummer Cozy Powell’s love of fast cars and women.

“Cozy was driving this powerful Mercedes with this girl called Emma, from the local High School in the back,” recalled Plant.

“Me and Cozy covered the 15 miles to Abergavenny in about one and half minutes!

“He really had his foot down and her boyfriend, who worked for the NME, was not best pleased and was right behind us. He only had a battered, old diesel Peugeot, but we just couldn’t shake the geezer. We had a great laugh about that”

Sadly the drummer would die 15 years later in a car crash on the M4 near Bristol

QUEEN

AT the time, A Night At The Opera, the band’s third record, was one of the most expensive albums ever made.

It was a difficult time, with guitarist Brian May, right, laid low in bed with hepatitus having been vaccinated with an unclean needle prior to the band’s first US tour, but Freddie Mercury was determined to go the extra mile.

“To finish this record we will work until we are legless,” he said.

“I shall sing until my throat is like a vulture’s crotch.”

Not long after legend tells how the singer came up with last line to Bohemian Rhapsody – “Any way the wind blows” – whilst sitting at the piano and watching a weather vane spinning round outside his window.

While Freddie was being creative, it’s said the rest of the band were playing frisbee in the courtyard.

Rock Legends at Rockfield by Jeff Collins is published Saturday, September 15 by University of Wales Press. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon and from all good bookstores.

New cover for Rockfield book

2007-08-07T22:05:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins.
NEW COVER. The cover has had a last minute change. This is going to be the final cover.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is out on Sept 15th on University of Wales Press.
Available for pre-order now on amazon, WHSmith, Tesco's, Waterstone's, Wal-mart etc.

Jeff Collins

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD -- latest extract -- from chpt 10 - the 90's

2007-07-30T21:13:00.000+01:00

Rock Legends at Rockfield -- latest extract Chapt 10
ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD Out on Sept 15th.

Hi here's the latest extract from my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.
Its from chapter 10 -- the 90's featuring Oasis and The Stone Roses etc.

Oasis were riding the crest of a wave. Now settled at Rockfield, the band were enjoying making the follow-up record, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? Photographer and close friend Michael Spencer Jones recalls the camaraderie and high spirits, both in the studio and socially.
‘I remember one night, at 11 o clock, we were at a loose end, when we heard some music coming from one of the cottages at the Studios. So we went down there to check it out, and went in, thinking it must be a party. And inside there’s a guy playing a fiddle in the corner in the midst of this Country and Western, thigh slapping kind of atmosphere. I thought to myself “Oh yeah! That’s pretty good fiddle playing.” It turns out that the guy sitting in the corner playing fiddle was Nigel Kennedy, the popular classical musician. So there was a bit of bonding with Nigel, who is a top geezer. A couple of days later, we arranged a football match. The Nigel Kennedy All-Stars versus Oasis. So we went down to the local football pitch in Monmouth to play against them and our jaws dropped when Nigel Kennedy’s team turned up in a pink strip. We were all playing in jeans and t-shirts - just a scruffy rock ‘n’ roll band and their mates! But Nigel’s lot were wearing this specially made pink kit to play in. It didn’t do them any good as we won. Bassist Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan and Liam were very good at football, so we ended up hammering them something like 6-1. There was plenty of bonding going on that day. And it was fun for us in the studio too. One day, after Paul McGuigan had had a haircut at the studio, I remember the producer, Owen Morris, doing impersonations of the Gallacher brothers by gathering up huge amounts of the cut hair and sticking it above his eyes to form these monstrous eyebrows! We were in hysterics at that.
**********************************************************************************Producer John Leckie admits he was baffled when the Stone Roses failed to show up on time at Rockfield for record their new single.
‘We were meant to start on Monday. So I got down on Sunday evening – the night before - to get everything ready. I had an engineer, a programmer, all the roadies and the equipment. They all came down with me on Sunday evening. So after work that night, we all had dinner expecting the band to turn up the next morning. But Monday went by and nothing happened. We couldn’t get in contact with anyone. There were very few mobile phones back then and we just got answering machines everywhere we called. Then on Tuesday after dinner - 48 hours later – just as we were all agreeing that we might as well go home, the door burst open and the Stone Roses fell in. All 4 of them were covered from head-to-toe in blue and white paint. They trod paint footprints all over the carpet and they just sat down on the settee and the floor. Then they told us what they done. They had just plastered their old record company in paint. It was all over the release of Sally Cinnamon, which was recorded by an earlier incarnation of the band long before they had success with the first album. Now the Roses were “The next big thing” this company re-released Sally Cinnamon and claimed it was the Roses new record. That angered them! The band took them to court, but they lost. The record company owner had a contract and so it was perfectly legal for him to re-release the song. So the band were full of frustration and took their revenge. They had obviously been plotting this for a long time and did it on their way down to Rockfield. They’d bought tins of paint and basically threw it all over his offices in Wolverhampton, and cars in the car park. They caused thousands of pounds of damage. I knew the police would be on their way soon, but I wasn’t going to let the session be wrecked, as we’d been there for 2 days and had all the equipment set up. So I said “Come on. Let’s hear what you’ve got. Let’s hear this new song.” I hadn’t actually heard the demo yet or anything. And so they went out to the studios, still with paint on their clothes and in their hair, and played me the 2 songs they had. I put them down on tape and then after the session, we stayed up, messed around and went to bed around 3 o’clock in the morning. Then at 8am the police arrived at Rockfield, arrested the band and took them away back to the Midlands.’
The Stone Roses appeared in court and were found guilty of criminal damage, having thrown paint over the offices of Revolver records and vandalised 2 cars. They were fined 3 thousand pounds plus costs.
But the single One Love and its B side Something’s Burning made number 4 in the UK charts.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is out on Sept 15th.
It's now availabe for pre-order on Amazon and from all good book stores.

JEFF COLLINS

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD -- book cover

2007-07-25T14:52:00.000+01:00

Here's a first look at the cover for my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.

It's out on September 15th on University of Wales Press.

It's available for pre-order now from Amazon and all good book stores including Waterstone's, WHSmith, Tesco, Woolworth, Wal-mart etc etc

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extracts from chapter 9 - ROBERT PLANT

2007-07-06T13:42:00.001+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - out Sept 15th -- Available for pre-order NOW on Amazon.

Extract from Chapter Nine --- Robert Plant - Led Zeppelin legend rediscovers himself in the pubs and studios at Monmouth.

This is the latest in the extracts from my book on Rockfield which shows behind the scenes of the making of some of the greatest rock records of all time including Queen, Black Sabbath, Rush, Motorhead, Judas priest etc etc.
On May 15th 2006 I reunited Robert Plant with his first solo band. They recorded Pictures At Eleven and Principle of Moments at Rockfield from 1981.
Drummer Phil Collins couldn't make it as he was in New York working on the musical Tarzan.
In the first of these two extracts, I read out an email Phil has sent to me to read to his friends and former bandmates. In the second - Robert relates some of the stories about how the songs got their names.
Enjoy!!!!

At Rockfield, Robert Plant greets me and my friend and photographer Andrew Pritchard. Eventually he sits down on one of three large green sofas in the living room, which are laid out in a ‘U’ shape around a coffee table. Sitting to the singer’s right in the living room is Jezz Woodroffe (Former Black Sabbath Keyboard player), while Robbie Blunt (Guitars) hovers nearby, lost amid his own memories, on the other side of the room. Andrew starts taking photographs of the three band members, while I sit opposite Robert Plant and read out an email, which I have been sent by another member of this band, who can’t be here today.
‘Dear Lads. Oh the memories. I remember it like it was 25 years ago! If you ever want to do it again, call me. I can still play drums, but I’m better on the slower songs!!! Wish I was there! Phil Collins xxxx’
‘Well’, laughs Robert Plant, ‘having played in Genesis all those years, being with us had to be good fun, didn’t it?’ Jezz and Robbie both chuckle loudly at their former singer’s affectionate barb at their one time drummer. Phil Collins was one of two drummers used on those albums: the other being the late Cozy Powell. Phil, though, is three thousand miles away in New York promoting the Disney Broadway musical, Tarzan, for which he has written the music. But he’s sent me an email, ahead of this reunion, to read out to his former band mates. At the end of the message, they nod and smile in unison at the memories of the long-time Genesis drummer’s contributions to the albums and the subsequent tour of America. They all agree that Phil Collins enjoyed his time at Rockfield, even if he sometimes couldn’t take the pace. ‘One of my favourite memories,’ says Robbie Blunt, ‘was hearing Phil throw up in the bedroom next to mine, after he’d been on a night out with us. That was amusing!’ My mind resists a mental image of the Phil Collins Spitting Image puppet on its knees, bent over a toilet bowl. I shake my head to clear the bizarre image from my mind and refocus on the conversation in hand. ‘I thought it was great when he played on the road with us,’ chips in Jezz - still on the subject of Phil Collins. ‘It just got better and better, and I loved that old plane we toured on. The five of us rumbling across America in this 60’s prop plane.’
‘That was a 1948 Viscount!’ corrects Plant, who’s either an aviation expert or simply a stickler for the facts. Mind you, he probably should know as he paid it!!

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

Robert Plant leans back in his chair as he pauses to remember the lighter moments of the band’s time together, and the three musicians look at each other and exchange smiles as they reminisce. ‘We can all relate some songs to one funny incident, or another, during recording,’ continues Plant. ‘The song Horizontal Departure is a great example. We all went to Ibiza to get in the groove of writing the second album Principle Of Moments. Our bassist Paul Martinez is a lovely guy, but could come across as a stroppy fucker. He could be so offhand that people would take it as an insult. One night he was in a club and someone he’d offended decked him. He flew through the door and hit the floor as he came out. We all rushed out into the street after him and there he was lying on the kerb, which was covered in his blood. We’d watched him be punched straight through the door – so that inspired the song Horizontal Departure. So there were all these little innuendos, which were comical to us at the time. It’s just the same for any band I guess.’
Jezz Woodroffe puts his cup of coffee on the table in front of him as he recalls another inspiring moment. ‘The song Fat Lip was called that because Robert’s son Logan, who was about 6 at the time, used to walk round telling people he was going to give them a fat lip!’ Robert Plant laughs at that recollection before adding, ‘Burning Down One Side was about a spliff. Big Log was about a spliff as well. In fact, its all just one big spliff attack,’ he announces with a flourish, clearly warming to his theme.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out on sept 15th.

It's now available for pre-order on Amazon and from all good bookstores and their websites.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extracts from chapter 8 -The 80's

2007-06-17T14:41:00.000+01:00

LATEST EXTRACT FROM "ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD" by Jeff Collins --New book published on September 15th by University of Wales press.

Here are three extracts from chapter nine which focuses on the 80's.
The first extract features Ian NcNabb and the Icicle Works, The second features The Simple Minds encounter with Iggy Pop and David Bowie at Rockfield plus a food fight while the latst extract is about The Pogues time at the studio.
Hope you enjoy them.

CHAPTER EIGHT: The 80’s usher in a new breed.

The 1970’s had cemented Rockfield’s place in the history of rock. The legacy left by bands like Black Sabbath, Queen, Rush, Judas Priest, and Motorhead had put the Welsh studio firmly on the musical map. But as the 70’s drew to a close, and the dawn of the 80’s approached, Rockfield’s appeal would spread to a younger generation of bands. Adam and the Ants, T’Pau, Echo and the Bunnymen and Simple Minds would head to South Wales as part of a new wave of pop music wanting to embrace the Rockfield experience. Not all of these bands were in awe of the famous rock stars, who had gone before them. Many were finding their own path and Rockfield simply filled their recording needs. One such band was The Icicle Works. Lead singer Ian McNabb explains why they chose Rockfield to record their first album in 1983.
‘We were like a second generation Liverpool band. We came up behind the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes. And they’d all worked at Rockfield with the likes of Ian Broudie from the Lighting Seeds. So we thought it was a mythical place. We’d never made an album before and, Hugh Jones, who produced our first record, wanted us to go there. And we thought “Wow, that’s where the Bunnymen, Teardrops and guys like those worked.” We’d never done an album before, and going away to stay in a cottage in the country for a couple of weeks seemed like an incredibly exciting thing to do when you’re 20.’
***********************************************************************The most memorable part of the recording process for The Simple Minds was meeting David Bowie. He was at Rockfield to produce a new album for Iggy Pop called Soldiers. And they were recording it in the studio next door to the star-struck Glaswegians.
‘David Bowie is a hero of the Simple Minds, and Jim Kerr in particular,’ says Bruce Findlay, the band's manager at the time. ‘One day he just knocked on the studio door, and asked if we could do him a favour and sing on one of the songs he was doing for Iggy. I remember him saying to the band in that distinctive voice of his “Do you fancy coming in and singing on this song called Play It Safe?” The band were over the moon! They had to sing a line which went: “I want to be a criminal – play it safe!” They tried various ways to do it, including shouting it. But in the end Bowie said to them, “Look guys, can you try to sing it with an accent, so it sounds like me?” So these lads from Scotland put on their best cockney accents and were standing in the studio impersonating David Bowie as they sung the line “I want to be a criminal.” It was hilarious.’ ------ And the Scottish band certainly made themselves at home at Rockfield. They worked hard in the day and played hard at night. Producer John Leckie remembers that being with the band was fun. ‘It was all a bit crazy. There used to be a bit of a tradition of food fights at Rockfield, particularly involving custard pies and trifle. And this kind of reached a peak with the Simple Minds. Every night at mealtime, the caterers brought in a more extravagant dessert and fancy cream cakes. Almost like an incentive for us to fling them at each other. I’d always escape before it happened. As soon as I’d finished my main course, I’d run and hide and then I’d come back. And you’d see the dining room dripping in trifle – it would be running down the walls – it was everywhere. I can remember seeing Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill coming in and actually cleaning up after the band as they were so ashamed that they’d made a mess of this room. They both had the mops out and were wiping the walls down. I think they were worried in case Kingsley (Ward, Rockfield's owner) found out what they’d been up to.
**********************************************************************
The rock and roll lifestyle continued at Rockfield as the 80’s started to drift into the 90’s with the arrival of Irish hell-raisers, The Pogues. Paul Cobbold was asked to engineer their fifth album, Hell’s Ditch, working with former Clash star Joe Strummer, who was to produce the record.
‘I was never really into the Pogues. I’d just never enjoyed their music,’ Paul told me in a very ‘matter of fact’ voice. ‘I mean, Shane McGowan - what sort of a character is he? But inevitably I ended up working with them. Joe Strummer was producing them and I’d never been a big punk fan. I remember Andrew Lauder, who worked for United Artist Records, coming up to me when the Stranglers were at Rockfield a few years earlier, and saying to me “This is what’s coming Paul!” But I was wrong about The Pogues. These guys were great and it turned out to be the most enjoyable album I’ve ever worked on, for a number of reasons. I remember one day Joe Strummer poking me and shouting “For fuck sake press the record button!! Do you realise how honoured you are? They are ALL in the studio, at the same time, playing the same fucking song!!!” He later told me that the last couple of albums had been “overdub city”, because there had never been more than 2 members of the band in the studio at the same time. So the albums had been made up by recording the band separately and then dubbing all the parts together.

Next time - Chapter Nine ROBERT PLANT

If you want to read more of my blogs (with pictures) please go to rockfieldbook.blogspot.com

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out on Sept 15th and is now available for pre-order from Amazon and all good book stores, including Waterstones, WHSmith, Wal-Mart and Tescos Etc etc.

Killing For Company - Live review from Bristol June 12th

2007-06-13T17:58:00.000+01:00

KILLING FOR COMPANY -- Live at Thekla Social
June 12th
(ALL PICS BY ANDREW PRITCHARD)
The latest outing for Killing For Company saw them arrive a popular music venue -- a boat moored in the historic Mud Dock area of Bristol -- called Thekla Social.
A few drinks and some food saw the band gain their sea legs on the upper deck. The actual venue - below deck - was more cramped, while full of character. But more than a few nervous glances were cast as people noticed the lack of port-holes and exits. Occasionally you'd see people's eyes glaze over, and a unconvincing smile on their lips, as their thoughts drifted to the ending of James Cameron's blockbuster Titanic.
But all thoughts of nautical disasters were cast aside, as the good sized crowd for a tuesday night, were warmed up by an energetic set by the band Loci and a heavy riff-fest from Welsh metallers Ectospazz.
10-20pm.
Killing For Company take to the stage and blaze straight into She Would Wait - an excellent anthemic opener with its hook filled chorus, which won the crowd over straight away.
That ploughed into the download single Enemies before moving onto The Boy Who which is as near as dammit the perfect rock song. Steve Williams 70 miles an hour bass riff is eventually joined by Andy Williams and Richie King's clanging guitar chords as Greg Jones sings one of the catchiest verses ever --- followed by a real sing-along chorus. By the end of this song it was game over, as the band had successful wowed another set of loyal followers.
For The Taking and Reasons saw the band continue in top form. The stylish playing of lead guitarist Andy Williams impressing all while Greg Jones in particular was growing in confidence and stature with every song. While hanging from the ledges or clambering across the front of the speakers, the singer made use of every inch of the stage in captivating style. His banter in between songs got longer as his confidence grew. His humour as enthralling as his stage presence.
For Secrets Of Empty Bottles it was the turn of rhythm guitarist Richie King to step to the fore. His sparkling, chiming and hypnotic riff was the core of this song. It shimmers and shines as the the rest of the band add layer by layer of melody to make this song the perfect future single.
Richie's style bears more than a passing resemblance to that of Pete Townshend in the way he throws his guitar in violent strokes around his tall thin frame while striking poses that wouldn't have looked out of place on a 70's Who tour.
Richie's playing is at the heart of this band -- the framework for the break-neck bass playing of Steve Williams, the delightful guitar sketches of Andy Williams and the frenetic and powerful drumming of Stuart Cable. Stuart’s drumming is starting to resemble that of John Bonham. And I don’t say that lightly. But like the Zep legend, Stuart pounds his drums with a savagery and ferocity that looks like his life depends on hitting each note as hard as he can. He pounds the skins so hard it’s a surprise they don’t break or run for their lives screaming for mercy!!
Soon the band reach the final song Say About Me. Greg sings the chorus to the audience and tells them they have to sing along. When he’s satisfied that the crowd know the words and when to come in, Greg announces “Bloody Hell! They’re better than me!” and asks the sound guy to hand microphones to everyone in the audience. The song is the archetypal anthemic tune and a rousing way to finish the set.
Once off stage, the band are mightily pleased with their performance. “That’s our best gig yet!” beams Steve Williams proudily. “I know we played a good gig because my nipples are itchy” declares Andy Williams. “My nipples are always itchy after we play a good gig!” No-one enquires further but Andy’s nipples are right. It was a very good gig. It’s amazing to think this was only Killing For Company’s seventh gig. They play with a tightness and understanding that makes it look like they have been on the road together for years. Unbelievably they will get even better. When they play next, this is a band not to be missed.

Jeff Collins

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is published on Sept 15th. It’s now available for pre-order on Amazon and all good bookstores. ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is a humourous, bizarre and fascinating tale of the recording of some of the greatest rock albums ever at the legendary Rockfield Studios.

Fantastic new photos featuring The Who and Killing For Company

2007-06-08T16:59:00.000+01:00

CHeck out some great new shots of The Who and Killing for company at The Liberty Stadium on June 1st (both backstage and in performance)

Also some great backstage shots of Killing For Company as well as on stage at The Point in Cardiff a few days earlier.

There are a few tasters here -- the shots were taken by ANDREW PRITCHARD.

Check out the pics at www.myspace.com/rockfieldbook

Hope you enjoy them.

Jeff Collins

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extracts from chapter 7 Judas Priest, Gillan and Rush

2007-06-07T12:07:00.000+01:00

The latest extract from the book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins --
Chapter Seven -- Judas Priest, Ian Gillan and Rush - Legendary names descend on Rockfield.

(Pics - Top -Rockfield Entrance. Below that: Judas Priest have dinner at Rockfield. Then: Rob Halford in the studio at Rockfield. 4th Pic down: Rush. Final Pic: Ian Gillan (Taken by Andrew Pritchard)

Here are three extracts. The first features Judas Priest. It has the band's manager David Howells talking about the chnages he suggested when he first took over the band.
Then in the second extract Ian Gillan Band guitarist Ray Fenwick talks oh his time with the Deep Purple singer. Then in the third and final extract Geddy Lee of Rush talks about the making of Farewell To Kings at Rockfield.
Hope you enjoy them.

Chapter seven extracts:

'They were terrific' says David Howells of Judas Priest. 'So I signed them to Gull Records, but I made a couple of suggestions. Firstly, that they should add a second guitar player and go for that twin lead guitar sound. It was following the format of another band I’d signed called Wishbone Ash, but no-one had yet done it in Metal. And guitarist K K Downing did a great job and found Glenn Tipton and it took shape from there. I also suggested that Budgie and Black Sabbath producer Rodger Bain work with them.’
Howells also found the cover for their debut album Rocka Rolla in a real stroke of good fortune. That slice of luck occurred when he bumped into a friend of his, art designer John Pasche, who is best known for creating one of the most famous and iconic images in rock music: the Rolling Stones big red mouth with its protruding tongue back in 1971. For that work, which first appeared on the inner sleeve of the band’s album of that year Sticky Fingers, Pasche was paid 50 pounds. The success of the design saw the band reward him with an extra 200 pounds a few years later. The Stones own its copyright, but Pache recently sold the original artwork for almost half a million pounds.
David ran into the designer in London one day and after ending up in a pub for a quick drink, the Gull Records boss recalls asking him about a package he was carrying. ‘It turns out he just come back from Mick Jaggers’ house. He’d gone to show him his latest design for the Stone’s next album. The artwork depicted a metal coke-style bottle top covered in melted ice drops. But Jagger rejected it. So I asked if we could use for the first Judas priest album. I thought the whole idea of the metal cap with Rocka Rolla scrawled across in 50’s style writing was such a strong image. John agreed and I later asked the band if they would write a song called Rocka Rolla. So it one of the rare cases of an image influencing the choice of song as opposed to the other way around.’
***********************************************************************
Ian Gillan joined his former Purple band-mate Roger Glover for a live performance of The Butterfly Ball at the Royal Albert Hall along with fellow guest vocalists Ronnie James Dio and David Coverdale. It was there Gillan met up with guitarist Ray Fenwick, bassist John Gustafson, and Keyboard player Mike Moran. They would form his first solo group: The Ian Gillan Band.
After their debut album in ’75 called Child In Time, the band arrived in Wales a year later to remix the follow-up Clear Air Turbulence. Ray Fenwick remembers that meeting the post-Deep Purple Ian Gillan was not quite what he had expected.
‘When I first saw him, he’d cut his long hair quite short, which was a bit of a shock. He looked a lot straighter – a lot less rock’n’roll - than he did with Deep Purple. But by then he’d got into a lot of businesses. He had a studio, a hotel and I think he was also running a travel agency – all kinds of things. If he’d stayed away from music for any longer, I think he’d have become a very successful entrepreneur. I think he’d have been a Richard Branson type.’
So why did the band decide on Rockfield, when Ian had his own studio?
‘The reason’, says Ray Fenwick, ‘is that Rockfield was one of the state of the art studios at the time. It had this superb Neve mixing desk, which was just the best thing around. I mean Kingsway had been a great place to record the album, but Ian wanted a better studio to finish it in. Plus Rockfield was residential, so we could all go down there and stay together. That’s why we chose it really. And, as a bonus, it came with a reputation.’
The Ian Gillan band settled into the Coach House studio and started
remixing Clear Air Turbulence. The album was to be a real departure for the former Deep Purple singer. Moving away from the heavy rock signatures of his former band, the music was a fusion of rock, funk and jazz with wonderfully complex and absorbing time-changes and melodies.
************************************************************************
Musically the Rockfield vibe was helping the band put together what was to become their biggest selling album up to that point. Geddy Lee recalls, ‘It definitely seeped into the record, because we realised we could experiment quite a bit and record some of the acoustic guitars and percussive instruments outside inn the courtyard. But the longer we stayed there, the later the recording sessions got, until our time clock went completely upside down. Eventually we were getting up in the late afternoon, having breakfast at suppertime and going on to record until the wee hours of the morning. But some of the outdoor recording we were doing was great. We were out in the courtyard in the Quandrangle part of the farm and we recorded the opening of the tracks Farewell to Kings and Xanadu as well as a few other bits and pieces out there.’
If you listen to Xanadu, the second track on Farewell To Kings, you can clearly hear birds tweeting. I enquire if those are Welsh birds. ‘Indeed they are!’ replies Geddy brightly. ‘In the early morning, the birds would gather round in the courtyard and start tweeting away. And it all got captured onto that disc. Those birds on Xanadu, those are genuine Rockfield birds!’

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out on September 15th on University of Wales Press in Europe. University of Chicago Press in The USA. It's available for pre-order now from Amazon and all good bookstores.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - out Sept 15th

2007-06-06T23:06:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins out September 15th.

Pre-orders now available from Amazon and all good booksellers including WHSmith, Waterstones, Tesco, Wal-Mart etc etc.

Rockfield is a recording studio that literally lives up to its name. Over the past thirty years, this rural Monmouthshire locale has played host to a bevy of British musical legends—from Robert Plant, Queen, and Black Sabbath to Oasis, the Stone Roses, Simple Minds to present day acts like The Darkness and Kasabian—as its unique acoustics have helped to define the sounds of many of rock’s most classic albums. A rich narrative history packed with previously unheard behind-the-scenes anecdotes, Rock Legends at Rockfield features recent interviews with legendary artists who tell the bizarre tales behind the recording of modern classics like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Oasis’s “Live Forever.” Some accounts are from the musicians themselves, including Lemmy from Motorhead and Robert Plant, while others are told by those a step or two removed—the roadies, producers, photographers, and hangers-on that helped to coax the strange happenings that accompanied the otherwise mundane routine of day-to-day recording. Along the way, author Jeff Collins examines how this dilapidated set of farm buildings and their solid-stone studios rose to become one of the most famous brands in recording history—and a stage for musical excess and excellence.

Printed by University of Wales press in Europe
University of Chicago Press in the USA

Killing Company and The Who - a review from backstage

2007-06-03T21:44:00.000+01:00

Killing for Company + The Who - a review from Backstage

(PICTURES BY ANDREW PRITCHARD -The good ones!! and by Jeff Collins - The wonky mobile phone ones!)

Friday June 1st. The big day has arrived for Killing For Company. The big gig! Supporting The Who at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. I arrive at the ground with my friend and photographer Andrew Pritchard in tow. At the side entrance - where all the band's buses and trucks are parked - we catch sight of Killing For Company bassist Steve Williams. Andrew and I had already covered the band at their warm-up gig at The Point in Cardiff in front of a few hundred people four days earlier. The band had been in awesome form - especially as it was only their fourth gig.

Steve takes us backstage where we're given access-all-areas VIP tour passes. Then its up to the band's hospitality suite. The band are nervously waiting to discover if they'll be getting a soundcheck. (TOP PICTURE IS BACKSTAGE AT WHO GIG)

The Who's stage crew are still testing the band's instruments and have over-run into the rehearsal slots allocated to the support bands. It's a tense time.
4-10pm. To much relief, Killing for Company are finally led up onto the stage. It's huge. A gigantic video screen and monstrous lighting rig hangs above our heads and to the right, off stage, are dozens of guitars ready for use by The Who. I watch from the side of the stage as Stuart Cable sets up his drum kit and puts it through its motions. 9FOURTH PICTURES DOWN IS STUART SETTING UP HIS DRUMS ON STAGE)
(FIFTH PICTURE DOWN IS THE VIEW FROM THE STAGE FROM BEHIND THE WHO'S GEAR)
..
One by one the rest of the band get their turn. Steve Williams cranks up the bass while Andy Williams and Richie King plug in their guitars. Finally vocalist Greg Jones gets a try out. Then the band have an unexpected suprise as they are told they have time to run through one song. They play She Won't Wait, stopping near the end as Stuart is having problems hearing the bass monitor because Steve is so far over the other side of the stage from him. It means he has trouble keeping time. The problem's corrected and Luckily the band get to run through most of the song one more time. This time its perfect!!!
"Everybody happy with that?" asks Stuart. "yes" comes the unanimous reply. "Good we'll go with that". Stuart turns to the sound guys "It's sounds great boys. Cheers" and with that we head backstage -- only an hour from the performance itself!!!
After a very nerous wait - the band and I are led from the hospitality suite on the third floor back down through the bowels of the stadium to the backstage area. Once up the ramp and through to the side of the stage - The Who's stage manager asks the band if they want someone to introduce them. Well the job falls down to me. "Go on Jeff." shouts Stuart while Steve gives me a big smile and the double thumbs up. I walk out in front of all the equipment to the front of the huge stage and stand in front of the middle microphone. The crowd pay attention to the sudden activity on the stage and gaze my way. Having had no time to think of anything to say I simply welcome the crowd to the stadium. "We've a great time ahead ending with the Legendary Who" I say "But now, the first band ever to play at this wonderful stadium. Get ready to rock. It's Killing For Company." To huge applause for the band, I step back as they take to the stage. (SECOND PICTURE DOWN IS ME INTRODUCING KILLING FOR COMPANY AT THE LIBERTY STADIUM)
..

The launch into the superb song She Won't Wait. By the second song Enemies - the crowd is clapping along to the catchy choruses drifting across the arena.
By the third song - my favourite - The Boy Who the audience is hooked. There must be between five to seven thousand people out there absolutely revelling in Killing For Company. The band is so tight. Stuart pounds away ferociously forming a marvellous rock rhythm section with Steve Williams. The two guitarists Andy Williams and Richie King blaze away furiously weaving intricate and heavy riffs at the same time. Singer Greg Jones is a sensation. A bundle of energy, he twirls, spins and rampages across the stage swinging the mic - and at any given chance he's off the stage - down with the photographers and then up onto The Who's two big bass speakers in front of the stage. He's captivating to watch and has the audience eating out of his hand by the last song Say About Me.
..

The half hour set is over and its been a resounding success.
The Who take to the stage two hours later. They open with Can't Explain, The Seeker, and Who Are You among others. The opening numbers are dogged by a series of power failures. Song five Behind Blue Eyes is the first to be played with a power glitch. "A song from beginning to End!! The wonders of modern technology!" says Roger Daltrey sarcastically.
The Who motor through a two hour set which has the crowd dancing and clapping along. They finish with The Kids Are Alright, Pinball Wizard and See Me, Feel Me..
Afterwards Roger Daltrey is clearly upset by the techical problems and tells me he didn't feel the night went well. I try to reassure him by telling him that the crowd loved it and didn't mind the slight hitches, which were humourously dealt with by the band. (THIRD PICTURE DOWN IS ME SPEAKING TO ROGER DALTREY)
Stuart Cable supported the Who back in 1997 with the Stereophonics. He and Roger are friends and The Who's frontman predicts big things for Killing For Company. "They're a tight unit and could go far" he insists after the show. With an endorsement like that - who could argue (forgive the pun!).
..

Jeff Collins

ROCK LEGEND AT ROCKFIELD a book - featuring Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Robert Plant, Rush and many many more - is out on September 15th published by The University of Wales press. It's now available for pre-order on Amazon and all good book stores including WHSmith, Walmart, Tesco, Waterstones etc.

Rock LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extracts from chapter 6 - Queen

2007-05-21T16:55:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD -- NEW BOOK.

Latest Rockfield extract from the new book due out on September 15th.

I've included here three extracts from Chapter Six which focuses on Queen and Paul Carrack's band Ace. They both had massive hit singles in 1975 with Rockfield songs --- Bohemian Rhapsody and How Long.

About from Rockfield Queen also recorded parts at six other studios. In the first extract Roadie Paul Hince talks about the chaos this caused. In the second producer Roy Thomas Baker looks at the creation of Bohemian Rhapsody. And the the third members of Tigertailz and The Darkness talk about being inspired by Queen during their times at Rockfield.

EXTRACTS FROM CHAPTER SIX

Given the chaotic recording arrangements, Queen roadie Peter Hince spent a good deal of time traveling between studios and would probably have been better off being paid by the mile than the hour! As such his time at Rockfield was limited.
‘I only spent a brief time in Wales. I remember driving a van up to Rockfield to pick stuff up and drop equipment off. It was a nightmare because of all the different things going on. I remember there was a pub down the road that everyone used to go to after recording and I recall that the food at Rockfield wasn’t very good. I spent more time in London in the studios at Sarm, Scorpio and The Roundhouse. It was a hugely chaotic period. Some of the band would be in one studio, while the rest would be in another. All the while us guys on the crew would be moving equipment back and forward. If that wasn’t bad enough, at the same time, we were building this complex new stage show up at Elstree studios. Overall it was a pretty hectic time. The band made it quite difficult for themselves. I don’t know why they did it. There was a lot of pressure, so you got a feeling it was a real “make or break” time for the band. They had just left their old management company and signed up with John Reid. He used his clout as Elton John’s manager to persuade EMI to stick a lot of money behind Queen. At the time, A Night At The Opera was one of the most expensive albums ever made. The cost in terms of studio time was phenomenal. I think that if it hadn’t sold as many millions as it eventually did, there was this feeling that EMI might have had second thoughts after spending all that money and might have dropped Queen. Of course that didn’t happen.’
A Night At The Opera would be a huge hit reaching number 1 in Britain and number 4 in the States. It’s crowning achievement would be the smash hit single Bohemian Rhapsody. It was released on October 31st 1975 to huge acclaim and massive worldwide sales. The six minute epic swept through gentle ballad into operatic drama and a fiery riff-filled rock-out before another transition into its beautiful conclusion. With one broad sweep, the song sealed Queen's future in the Premier Division of rock performers.
Recording had begun on it at Rockfield Studios on August 24, 1975, after a 3 week rehearsal period in Herefordshire. At the time, guitarist Brian May referred to the track's parent album, A Night At The Opera, as "our Sgt Pepper".
**********************************************************************
At Rockfield, the first draft of Bohemian Rhapsody was just Freddy on a piano. Over the next few weeks, the singer’s skeleton framework for the song would change many times. Roy Thomas Baker recalls ‘the rough vocals were done at Rockfield, but they were rerecorded in London. There was a room at Rockfield full of saddle bags. It was one of the many rooms we used to hide ourselves away in individually to get away from the studio - to clear our heads and re-energise our batteries. So if people wanted to hide away, there were loads of these little rooms full of saddle bags and farm type things. I remember Freddy playing me Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time on his piano at his place in London. Then later at Rockfield, with the basics mapped out, he focussed on pinning down what was right. He played me the beginning part and said, “Right, now this is where the Opera section comes in” and he’d leave a gap and I’d have to imagine this dramatic opera style segment. And it just kept changing all the time in Rockfield. It took 3 weeks to record on a 16 track tape machine and we used 180 overdubs, which was very, very unusual for back then.’
**********************************************************************The legacy of Queen’s time at Rockfield is immense. Many bands have been inspired to record there to follow in the footsteps of Queen and try to capture some of the sound and magic of Bohemian Rhapsody. Welsh glam-rock band Tigertailz - best known for their 80’s hit single Love Bomb - arrived at Rockfield in the early 90’s to record their album Wazbones.
‘We were there for three months’ says singer Kim Hooker. ‘I went into the studios really late one day and our producer said “Here’s the tape machine that Queen used to make A Night At The Opera”, and I thought, “We’ve got to use that same machine, because then we can sound like Queen.” But, of course, we didn’t! I was talking to some of the studio staff and they remembered Queen. They were telling me how the band got richer which each album they did there. Roger Taylor for the first album drove a mini cooper. Then for the next one, it was an MG, but by the end of Night At The Opera it was a Ferrari. The money was now rolling in.’ When in January 2005, The Darkness arrived at Rockfield to record with Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker, one of the group, bassist Richie Edwards, was in seventh heaven!
‘I’m probably the biggest Queen fan that I know. When I found out that Roy was going to be working on this album One Way Ticket To Hell And Back, and it was going to be at Rockfield - probably the most famous residential studio in the world - I was like a kid in a sweet shop. Just walking in there, I really did feel something. It sounds silly, but I could feel that history. And, as you know, Rockfield is not the most palatial studio in the world. It’s tatty and you get the impression that its not been decorated since Queen did Sheer Heart Attack.

Extracts from ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD. The book is published on September 15th 2007 on University of Wales press. It's now available for pre-order on Amazon and all good book shops (inc waterstones, Walmart, WHSmith etc )

Jeff Collins

New Band - Killing for Company

2007-05-17T15:48:00.000+01:00

STUART CABLE'S NEW BAND GIG WITH THE WHO AND PLAN TO RECORD AT MONNOW VALLEY STUDIOS by Jeff Collins

Stuart Cable’s new band are to record their debut CD at Monnow Valley studios in Monmouth.
The band, called Killing For Company have also secured themselves a high profile gig with The Who. The former drummer of the Stereophonics got his band onto the bill of the prestigious concert at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium on June 1st simply by calling his old friend Roger Daltrey. Killing For Company also comprise of brothers Steve Williams on guitar and Andy Williams on bass, who were both formerly with the hotly tipped Sheershock Revival. Also in the line up are Ritchie King on rhythm guitar and Greg Jones on vocals.

I met up with Stuart in Cardiff and he told me how the band got together.

“It was through a mutual friend really. My Ex-drum tech Swampy as we call him - or Chris Stone. When I left the Stereophonics we were still friends and he said to me one day as we were sitting and having a pint “I know the guitar player for you!” Andy! I was in college with him. So I asked for his number. I called him and he came up for a jam and a chat. And then he told me that his brother was a bass player. So I though ‘This is great’. So then Steve came up and we had a jam and it worked really really well. So for a long time - about eight months - It was just Steve, Andrew and myself -- and Steve was doing the vocals. But no disrespect to Steve - I like his voice - but I don’t think it was quite right for us. We needed something with a bit more balls in it really. Then we had this audition.”
Stuart groans as he recalls the audition.
“About 20 singers came. It was awful. Terrible! Some of the worst singers I’ve ever seen in my life were there. Not just from Wales but the whole country. So then I went to do this thing for the BBC, which was basically a talent search for a band. We started off in North Wales and worked our way down. And the last one we did was in the little theatre near where I was born and bred. It a nice big stage with about 300 seats and this band came on and all I could see was this guy running round the stage like an idiot - he was all over the place - and he had a great voice. I thought “He’s the man I want”. So I talked to him afterwards and he said saying he’d love to come up and have a jam. So he did and we went through a few songs. The songs we had already written we gave to him and asked him for a melody line -- and we liked what he did. He also recommended a guitar player from a Cardiff band called The Teeth. Its mad, because I was saying how its crazy how we’ve come together and how its worked so quickly. We went into the studio about a month ago with ten songs and picked six. We did a demo tape and the next thing we know eveyone’s raving about it.
HOW DID THE WHO GIG COME ABOUT?
“From me phoning Roger Daltrey!!! ( He Chuckles) I knew Roger from my days with the Stereophonics and the teenager cancer trust thing which we’d always do with him. He’s a really cool guy. When I got sacked from The Stereophonics, he rang me and said how appalled and disgusted he was about the way things were handled. And thought the band should have worked out its problems. He’s very old school in that way. He then said that anytime I needed any help I should just ring.
So I remember someone saying I should ring up Roger and ask him about playing with the Who at Swansea. In the back of my mind I was thinking he’d answer the phone and say “Stuart who?” So I plucked up enough courage, which took me about two days. I rang him and his wife answered. I introduced myself and she said he was away on tour but gave me his email address, as it was the best way to contact him on the road, So I put an email together and attached one song Say About Me. I sent the email and didn’t have anything back after five days. So I though he’s just deleted it!! So then in a bizarre series of events I had a phone call from a mate of mine in Swansea - wondering how he could get a box for the Who gig as it was his 50th birthday on 1st June. So I though ‘The only person I know at the Liberty Stadium is the former Welsh rugby international Scott Gibbs, who is a director for the Stadium sponsors Liberty properties.’ So I called Scott straight away. He was in the pub and said ‘yeah we can sort that out’. He also said ‘You know the Stadium are promoting themselves.’ So then he phoned this guy Andrew Davies who is looking after the Stadium on the Monday. We had a meeting and he was happy to have us on the bill. He said he had to confirm it with the band so rang Live Nation who are looking after them and they said Roger Daltrey already been on the phone and told him wants Stuart’s band playing there. And when I got home there was an email from Roger saying ‘I really like the songs, great to hear you back - its a band decision - but I’ve done my best to get you on the bill.’ So hats off to Roger!
GREAT START. GREAT SHOWCASE FOR YOU.
Its bizarre because one of the first major bands we (The Stereophonics) supported in 1997 was The Who in Earl’s Courts on The Tommy Tour. Roger had liked our first album. We were in Edinburgh with Kenickie. Remember them? I love lauren Laverne (Their singer) - she’s great, but I did an interview with her a couple of weeks back and I said something about Kenickie and she said “Oh we don’t mention those days!!” So yeah, we left that tour to go to play with the Who. So it’s gone full circle. The first big gig for Killing For Company will be the Who. We’re hoping to get back into the studio soon and do some new songs. But of the six we’ve already done we’re going to release one of those as a download only at the time of The Who gig. That’s the plan. Lets hope it can chart.

Jeff Collins has written ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD which is published on September 15th 2007 on University of Wales Press.
It's now available for pre-order on Amazon and from all good book stores.

rock LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extract from chapter 5 - Motorhead

2007-05-07T20:33:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD -- Latest extract (Motorhead)

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - New book -- Out on Sept 15th 2007 (Now available for pre-order on Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, Walmart and many many others)

New Extract -- Chapter Five Motorhead.

This chapter is about the band's painful birth at Rockfield. The band recorded their first album in 1975. Lemmy himself says "Motorhead were born at Rockfield".
In these two extracts, the first one is about the first fews gigs played by Motorhead after Lemmy was sacked by Hawkwind. The second one is about dissent in the band over the appointment of Dave Edmunds as producer of their first album at Rockfield.
ENJOY!!!!!

'Then Lemmy got chucked out of Hawkwind when they were crossing the border from Canada to America,' says former Motorhead guitarist Larry Wallis. 'I was sitting around at home not doing very much, when Lemmy phoned up and said "I've just been thrown out of Hawkwind. How would you like to join the most evil band that ever walked the earth?" So I said "Sure" and jumped into a taxi, right there and then, and went over the rehearsal room in Chelsea, where Lemmy and Lucas Fox were waiting and that was that. We made an awful racket, took a load of drugs and became Motorhead.'

Lemmy set out the band's stall early on. His amps, which had been psychedelic coloured with Hawkwind, were now painted black. Their first show was at the Roundhouse in London on Sunday July 20th 1975. They were supporting pomp-rockers Greenslade. The band took to the stage to the recorded sounds of marching feet and people yelling 'Sieg Heil'. One of the band's dark black amps had a big silver-painted human skull on it – the forerunner to the now legendary Motorhead logo. That night the band played just 7 songs, including Silver Machine and Motorhead. Wallis was enjoying life with his new band and thought the Roundhouse gig boded well for the future.
'It was a great gig! We'd let people know it was going to be an awful, noisy, speedy monster of a concert. And so all of Lemmy's fans were there and a lot of Pink Fairies fans turned up. They loved it.'
After a handful of gigs – including a disastrous experience supporting Blue Oyster Cult - Motorhead were voted 'worst band in the world' by Melody Maker magazine. Splashed over the front page, it was nevertheless good publicity for the embryonic band. Many audiences, though, were bemused. Lemmy and the band were often confronted by rows of people with blank faces and their mouths hanging wide open. Despite being early days, the trio already prided themselves on being the fastest band in the world. Sometimes this desire would get the better of them at their early gigs, much to the annoyance of many a promoter.
'We were doing a Sunday night gig in Croydon,' remembers Larry Wallis. 'We rushed on stage and off we went at 100 miles an hour. I remember Lemmy and I were shouting at Lucas "Faster, you bloody idiot, Faster." We went down well, and triumphantly strode off the stage. In the dressing room we were considering an encore, when a furious promoter burst in, demanding to know why we'd done 25 minutes instead of the agreed hour. We were astonished to find we'd played the entire set in half the usual time!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Larry Wallis had his doubts about appointing Dave Edmunds as producer: 'Basically I never agreed to it. Edmunds is a fabulous producer. Absolutely incredible! But just because Lemmy was a fan of his, he wanted him to do our record, which I never thought was a great idea. I don't think Dave could cope with working with a group of maniacs, who had a mental entourage of drug addled Hells Angels and groupies.' Long time Rockfield producer John David also felt that Edmunds and Motorhead were unusual bedfellows.
'At that time Dave wanted to do more production and was willing to look at pretty much any band. Motorhead's manager even came up to us in the studio at Rockfield and said "Of course they're not really a band. They're just car thieves." That's how he explained them! But I do remember one time, when the band were completely out of their heads on drugs. It was about 6 o'clock in the evening and Lemmy was trying to overdub this guitar solo. It wasn't difficult. It was a very simple riff and only about 10 seconds long. But Lemmy was so out of it, on some drug or other, that he just could not play it. But he was trying over, and over again, without success. Every time I walked past the door, I could hear it, the same bloody guitar phrase. And Dave is sitting at the mixer desk with a dazed look on his face, while Lemmy was in the studio, sagging at his knees, still trying to play this solo. Anyway I was back there at about 10 o'clock the next morning. They were still there! They were still doing it. All night they'd been trying, so they hadn't gone to bed. And there was Lemmy still playing that same guitar line – and badly! I couldn't believe it. Then later that morning, the maintenance guy, Otto, went in to the studio just to tidy some stuff up and he saw this plate of beans on the floor with mildew growing on it. He thought that the way Lemmy was staggering all over the place, he was going to step in it. So he was going to take it away. But Lemmy saw him and slurred in a loud voice "Aww, don't take that. I was going to eat that!" So he left it for Lemmy to have for lunch! Motorhead used to get in a terrible state.'

In ten days I'll be posting extracts from chapter six -- Queen and Ace rock the world with two major Rockfield hit singles - Bohemian Rhapsody and How Long.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is written by Jeff Collins and is published by The University of Wales press on sept 15th.

Jeff Collins

Deep Purple rock Cardiff

2007-04-27T15:59:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 25th April.

7pm Head into town to the Cardiff International Arena to catch Deep Purple. I've arranged to meet the band's bass player Roger Glover backstage to mull over a project I have in mind. My friend Andrew Pritchard comes along to take photos of the event and happenings backstage.

7-30pm -- Arrive at the CIA and pick up our guest passes. These take the form of a red laminated pass featuring the cover of Purple's last album Rapture Of The Deep on the front, along with the 3-d holographic trickery embedded to prevent fraud. On the back it simply reads GUEST : 25th April 2007 Cardiff.
There are two queues snaking into the arena. One for men and one for women. But most fans simply head for the nearest line ignoring this segregation-- promptling one aggressive, balding, burly bouncer to shout at any poor woman unfortunate enough to take the wrong line --- "Men Only!!!" He barks at them and gives them a menacing stare. Watching the ladies flinch and retreat, cowed, to the proper line gives him a satisfactory glow. Lets hope when Take That play here they put him on duty front stage as a punishment!!!!!!

7-45pm --- Andrew and I make our way backstage. We are taken on a rather lengthy, twisty route which seems to cover every floor. Ten minutes later and I can see how Spinal Tap once got lost backstage! This is a tricky business. The maze of corridors at the CIA all look alike but the band's Stage Manager, who is leading the way, remains unfazed ands seems to have no trouble homing in on the dressing rooms and soon we are backstage. There we wait with two security guards while another of the band's entourage goes to fetch Mr Glover. "Never heard of him" says the younger of the security guards. The old man tuts at his colleagues ignorance and says to me and Andrew "Never heard of Roger Glover! What's the world coming to?"
My attention strays to a notice posted on the wall by the dressing room.
TEAM BRIEFING - it announces proudly in bold ink. It details the start times of the three bands. Thin Lizzy at 7pm. Styx at 8pm and Deep Purple at 9-30pm. It lists the capacity (5,100) for tonight show and bizzarely has a section entitled AUDIENCE PROFILE: next to that heading it describes tonights crowd as "Old Rockers In Denim And Leather". Well. There's no need to be insulting now is there!!! Surely it should read "Streetwise Classic Rockers With A Sense of Style, High Intelligence, And Good Perspective Of The World Around!" Still no time to quibble.
Roger Glover suddenly comes through the doors beer in hand and cigarette in mouth. "Hi Guys. Can I get you a drink?" A charming and amiable man, we chat about the latest leg of the tour - his Welsh homecoming. Roger was born just down the down in Brecon. After 15 minutes or so, Roger departs to check out the stage -It's his his pre-gig ritual. "See you later" he says disappearing to watch the end of the Styx set.

9-30pm. Deep Purple burst onto stage and plough straight into Pictures of Home from the great Machinehead album. Ian Gillan - barefoot - stalks the stage belting out classic Purple tracks in a clear and strong voice. The stage show is also magnificent with a terrific lighting set-up. All too soon though its time for the encore. "This is a very old song" smiles Ian Gillan. "Very, very old. Its from 1968." The band launch into a superb version of Hush before ending the evening on a high with Black Night. With three of the classic Mark II line-up in Roger Glover, Ian Gillan and Ian Paice plus two superb new members in Rainbow, Whitesnake and Gary Moore keyboard player Don Airey and former Dixie Dregs and Kansas guitarist Steve Morse, this is a very tight, and talented line-up. The two newcomers add a vitality and energy to the band and the performance of the three long-time members is visibly lifted by the enthusiasm of their comrades on stage. The band seem to throughly enjoy themselves. At the end of an exhilarating 90 minutes --- which includes The battle Rages On and When A Blind Man Cries among the stand out moments -- Andrew and I reflect that it was worth the admission price alone (Ok we didn't pay but you know what I mean!!) just to watch this legendary band perform Smoke On The Water. Glorious!!!!
Lets hope they come around again soon. Deep Purple are far, far from a spent force.

JEFF COLLINS is the author of ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD now available for pre-order from Amazon, Waterstones, Wal-mart and all good bookshops. IT's published on September 15th.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extract from chapter 4 - Hawkwind

2007-04-23T23:27:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins Latest extract The book's out on sept 15th. Now available for pre-order.

-- Chapter 4 Hawkwind invent space rock.

These two extracts feature the opening section on the chapter with Hawkwind's naked girlfriends while the second extract focuses on the use of LSD to get band members to play better!!!!!

It’s a bright sunny day on the river Monnow in Monmouth in 1973. Just down the road from a busy Rockfield Studios, a group of girls are enjoying the summer sun. After a boozy picnic on the riverbank, they turn their attention to a big tree overhanging the water. Suspended from one branch is a giant tractor tire. Earlier in the day, the gang had taken turns swinging over the water in it. Now, though, a new plan unfolds. Skirts, tops, knickers and shoes are all playfully discarded onto the grass as the girls decide to get naked and take a trip down the river in the tire.
The girls are reveling in their afternoon in the sun in the middle of this beautiful countryside and their laughter and infectious giggling goes almost unnoticed, as they career down the river clinging on to the huge tire. But someway down, both the tire and the girls get stuck as the water narrows and heads into a weir. The girls are left thrashing about, naked in the water, desperately trying to get back to the riverbank. When they do, it’s a mad dash up the grass back to their clothes. A few minutes later, a farmer pops into the Nags Head pub just down the road in Monmouth. Crossing a bridge above where the girls had been stranded, he’d witnessed their struggle to get to dry land. ‘I’ve just seen a group of naked girls in the river,’ he announces to the bar full of locals relaxing after a days work.
‘Ahh’, reply’s one of them, without batting an eye, ‘That must have been Hawkwinds’ girlfriends then!’ And the bar descends into fits of laughter. The conversation is overheard by some of the band’s road crew who are also enjoying a refreshing post-work drink. Hawkwind are well known by the locals of Monmouth. Rockfield studios has become the band’s second home. Hawkwind were one of a number of high-profile groups to ‘adopt’ the studio. Since the early 70’s, the band has made more than 20 albums there...................................................................................... ‘The first album I made with the band,’ recalls Lemmy, ‘was Doremi Fasol Latido. It was their third one. And it was a revelation making it at Rockfield. The place was a blast!’ The band spent September and October of ’72 there and initially found the beauty of the surrounding Welsh countryside a distraction. Dave Brock remembers some of the early difficulties they had simply trying to get everyone in the group into the studio to record at the same time. ‘It was a great place. A place were time would stand still. It was all very tranquil. As a result people would just wander off. They’d be in the middle of recording and simply disappear. The producers would go nuts. They’d be yelling “Where’s that idiot musician gone now? For Christ sake, just go and get him.” It was very disruptive and would hamper recording, but we had plenty of time. We were staying there and we weren’t going anywhere. Well, apart from the odd wander.’ But eventually Brock marshalled the band together and soon the momentum of recording was almost unstoppable. Though he starts to shake his head as he remembers the difficulties the band’s sax player Nick Turner was having with one track called Brainstorm. ‘He just wasn’t getting it. So to help him out, we decided to spike his drink with LSD in the hope that it would sort out the problem. But somehow Nick got wise to our plans. He kept avoiding any food or drink we put his way. “I’m not touching that” he’d shout and then storm out. In the end, we had to get some of the road crew to help. One of them spiked Nick’s yoghurt with LSD. And you know what? It worked. Nick played the piece really well and Brainstorm was completed. He played it much better under the influence of drugs.’

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD goes behind the scenes of the making of some of rock's greatest albums -- and features bands such as Rush, Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Queen, Robert Plant, Oasis, Judas Priest, Budgie, The Darkness, Kasabian, Tokyo Dragonsand many more.

Available for pre-order now from www.amazon.com (plus amazon in the Uk, France, Germany, Japan and Canada), WHSmith, Walmart and Waterstones among others.

Hope you enjoyed the extract.

Jeff

Rock LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Latest extract - Budgie

2007-04-10T14:46:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD......to be published Sept 15th 2007.

Hi everyone. Here's the latest extract from my book on Rock Legends at Rockfield. Last time out in chapter two featured Black Sabbath. Also there at the same time were heavy rockers Budgie. With a similar sound to their Midland counterparts, Budgie recorded most of their albums at the Monmouth Studio. These two extracts look at Budgies big break -- when they had an audition at Rockfield with Sabbath producer Rodger Bain and then looks at the pressure the band found themselves under sometimes when producing themselves:

CHAPTER THREE excerpt --- Welsh Rockers Budgie Influence Metal Greats.

After two years of gigging, and writing songs, the Budgie's big break was just around the corner. One day in 1969 when they visited their agent to pay her, she told them about an audition taking place at Rockfield Studios - just down the road from Cardiff in Monmouth. A producer there, Rodger Bain, was looking to sign a rock band and was auditioning a few acts from across the UK. Singer and bass player Burke Shelley laughs, though, when he remembers the agent’s warning to them as they left her office that day. ‘Our agent, Mrs England, I think her was name, took on a very stern face and told us, “Don’t you dare play any of your own stuff !” He giggles at the memory. ‘You’ve got to laugh, haven’t you? We were playing a few well known tunes by other bands to get gigs, but half our set was our own material and although she warned us not to play that stuff - and I’d reassured her that we wouldn’t - as soon as we got outside I said to the guys “Forget that. We’re doing our own songs” and it worked.’ The band, armed with songs like All Night Petrol, Guts and Rape of The Locks, impressed the veteran music producer. He told them he was keen to sign them, despite the fact he’d already given a contract to one other budding young band. The group in question was Black Sabbath, a band that Budgie would frequently be compared to over the coming years. Before that deal could happen, the band had to play another audition in London for representatives from some of the major record companies.
Ray Phillips was baffled that they didn’t hold the second audition at Rockfield, but instead at a small recording studio in London.
‘As we set up our equipment, we noticed two guys there. One was from a company called Bell Records and the other was called, David Howells, from MCA Records. I’d always thought that if a record company heard us play, then they’d sign us straight away. Dave Howells was Welsh as well. He was Merthyr born and bred, so we had an affinity with each other. Anyway he loved us and we signed a major deal with MCA records just a few weeks later. I was quite proud of the fact that Budgie had only been playing for 4 or 5 years, before we signed a major worldwide deal. That was fast work, because most guys had been in bands for 10 years before they got a deal. But we’d practiced and rehearsed non-stop. We wanted to be the best.’
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The band was now (1973) getting used to the way Rockfield operated. Burke Shelley would make sure most of the songs were in reasonable shape before heading out to the studios. ‘We used to go up there with most of the album written. But you’d often get up to Rockfield and something wouldn’t work out, or would sound weak, so you’d have to rewrite it. Luckily the atmosphere at Rockfield is extremely conducive to writing. I found that was especially true with acoustic numbers. It would be great sitting outside in the summer, with a bit of straw in your mouth, laying back watching the birds fly by and trying to think of something. I did actually write a few of the tracks up there. I remember one, Black Velvet Stallion, was written at Rockfield as you can imagine.’
Budgie was now in the groove. They were successfully balancing playing live against the pressures of recording. Though, occasionally, it didn’t always go as smoothly as hoped, and Budgie’s front man would find himself up against it, when mixing the band’s very next release.
‘I remember being at Rockfield on one album. It was one of our most popular ones called In For The Kill. We were always on a tight schedule, but I remember being in the studio finishing the mix on this particular record, when right outside the Coach House studio was the tour bus, revving up and waiting to take us to the ferry. We had to be in Germany to tour, but I was still trying to mix the album. The rest of the band were calling out “Burkey, hurry up. Come on, man!” and I was shouting back at them that I was going as quickly as I could. In a panic and short of time, I’d turn to the studio engineer and ask him “Can you bring the guitar up a little bit?” Then I start to leave the control room, but I’d get to the door when suddenly, I’d remember something else. “Hang on a minute.” I’d say. “Can you adjust the bass a little?” So I was trying to hand over the track to the engineer while the band was in a frenzy and screaming for me to leave. It was that tight! It was night and I can remember driving in the pitch black to head off for Germany and Holland. We were really tight on time sometimes.’
Despite those pressures, In For The Kill was eventually finished and was released in 1974. By then Budgie had secured a bigger following, and the album was well received both critically and by the music buying public.
The group also set off on tour with a new band, which was starting to make waves of their own: Judas Priest. Burke Shelley remembers they took Priest on tour as their support act as a favour to their Midlands based agent, who looked after both bands.
‘We toured with Judas Priest to give them a break. The Birmingham connection was via our agent at the time. He was doing Judas Priest.’ Burke now mimics his former agent’s thick Brummie accent as he continues with story, ‘I want to give them some work, like. I’ll get you the work, right, but you’ve got to have them on the bill with you, like.’
He laughs. ‘It was a top time though. We did a load of great tours with Priest. We used to crash on the floor at their flat in Birmingham. Bands didn’t stay in hotels in those days. If you stayed in a hotel, you were rich. It was usually “Can I crash at your pad, man?” And there’d be 3 or 4 people crammed on the floor in sleeping bags.’
During that tour in ’74, Judas Priest often joined Budgie on stage for the Welsh band’s encore with both bands jamming a version of Running From My Soul from that year’s release In For The Kill.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is now available on pre-order from www.amazon.co.uk and www.amazon.com (plus the Amazon websites in France, Germany, Canada and Japan) It's also available from the websites of WHSmith and Waterstones as well as the University of Wales press iet (www.uwp.co.uk) and the Welsh book site www.gwales.com.

Hope you enjoyed the extract. More to come in a fortnight --- It's Hawkwind to be followed by Motorhead!!!

Cheers

Jeff Collins

Tokyo Dragons

2007-04-02T21:55:00.000+01:00

Thursday March 29th 11am
I'm off to watch the wonderful Tokyo Dragons playing at the 100 Club in Oxford Street in London. So having bought British Rail's Advanced Super Flexy Bumper Bargain Mega Saver (still more expensive than a penthouse apartment in Dubai!!!) I'm up and running. Despite reserving a seat, it's still very crowded and I have to fight off a bunch of student teachers on the piss, a left-wing demo heading for parliament (or the nearest pub in Westminster more likely) and a large extended family with what seems like 17 children and 20 grandparents in tow. I finally relax in my seat to enjoy the two hour journey from Wales to London. Well enjoy is a strong word but....I have my Ipod on and I am blissfully zoned out listening to Glyder, Grand Funk Railroad (Live), Neal Morse's new CD and Within Temptation's new one.
1-30pm- Arrive at London Paddington. Take the scenic route to my hotel. Accidently!!!!! Bah!!! Still the walk will do me good.

4-00pm -- Meet up with my friend Andrew Pritchard. He'll be taking photos of the Tokyo Dragons in Rehearsal and in concert tonight. Buy a beer each in the hotel bar for the price of small carribean island and then head off to oxford street.

5pm -- Enter the 100 Club. The main door is open and there is no one in the reception area. So we go in and head down the stairs and into the main room. I thought post 9/11 everyone in London was paranoid about security - but obviously not at famous old Jazz Clubs!! If we'd been renegade Country-music terrorists on a mission to wipe out rock - we'd have taken out most of the block before anyone had noticed we were there. Luckily we weren't Country-music terrorists !!! Thankfully they are a rare breed.
Once inside we're greeeted by the band. Mal Bruk (guitar) stops stringing his guitar and waves hello. The drummer, Phil Martini, breaks off from his sound-check to shout 'Hello Jeff. How's it going?" while Steve Lomax (singer and guitarist) also raises a hand and says hi. Steve and Phil are on stage going through the first sound-check. Bassist Mattias Stady is ambling around nearby. (See rehearsal and live shots of band above by Andrew)

The band run through their full sound check playing two new tracks Killing Everybody You Meet (which features some stunning harmonies) and Rambling Jack (which is marked by some excellent guitar work). The band look pleased and so they should be -- they are sounding on top form.

The 100 Club is a strange venue. The stage is to the left of the hall, which a dancefloor in the middle, including three large columns which obscure large parts of the stage. Just above the stage is a huge sign spelling out the numbers 100. The walls are painted a stark blood red. These walls are covered in photos of bands and musicians who've played the 100 club down the years.
There's a shot of the Rolling Stones on stage with Pete Townsend from February 1986. Alongside that is a blurry black and white shot of the Archie Crane River Jazz band from 1950. Whilst only 36 years apart, the photos look like they are from different centuries. The clean cut innocent looking Jazz combo seem a million miles away from the all-out rock and roll shots of The Stones. I'm joined by Phil Martini who is fascinated by another of the many pictures decorating the walls. This one shows a very very youthful looking Metallica from August 1984. Metallica played here!!! wow!

6pm -- Meet up with Andrews friend Brendan in the pub The Green Man just across the road from the 100 Club. Later we're joined by my friend David Silito, the BBC's arts correspondent for his sins. Tonight he's mastering the art of drinking. Something we all achieve with style.

8pm -- Back to the 100 club. The support act The Dirty Feel are on. These guys are fantastic. The crowd are won over by their infectious riffs. The threesome sound like early Grand Funk Railroad!! They rock. Check out their myspace page.

9-30pm. The Tokyo Dragons take to the stage. Its a very theatrical entrance with flashing lights and the song Blinded By The Light pumping out of the speakers.
They start with a new song On Your Marks before playing a crowd favourite from the first album, Get Em Off. Next up is another new song. This one really captivates the crowd. Its called Keeping the Wolf From The Door. As its followed by the mesmerising guitar work on Killing Everybody... it soon becomes apparant that the Dragons forthcoming second album is going to be something special.

Full setlist
On Your Marks
Get Em Off
Keeping The Wolf...
Killing Everybody You Meet
Come On Baby
If I Run...
Ramblin' Jack
Slade Alive
Rock My Boat
Rocking The Stew
ENCORES
Teenage Screamers
On Fuel

The band play two encores Teenage Screamers from their first album and On Fuel (which is a favourite of mine since i heard the band play it in Cardiff on The School Of Rock Tour with The Answer back in October 2005). The place is positively bouncing. After a very successful set, The Dragons join their fans for a few beers at the bar, sparing a few minutes for anyone who wants a chat or an autograph.
The new albums due out in May and should be a big success. If you like good old style 70's rock in the vein of Thin Lizzy, AC/DC or Motorhead, you'll love the Tokyo Dragons. Go out and by their first record if you don't have it and place you order for the new one!! It's gonna be a scream.

Jeff Collins

The Tokyo Dragons feature in my new book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD. It's out on sept 15th on University of Wales Press. It's available for pre-order now on any on the Amazon websites.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - where to get it

2007-04-01T00:55:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD --- by Jeff Collins -- out Sept 15th 2007

Now available on pre-order from
all the main Amazon sites
www.amazon.co.uk (UK)
www.amazon.com (USA)
www.amazon.de (Germany)
www.amazon.ca (Canada)
www.amazon.jp (Japan)

also the Welsh book site
www.gwales.com

and The University of Wales website
www.uwp.co.uk
(soon to be available from the University of Chicago website)

This books looks at the hysterical behind-the-scene antics of rock icons at the world famous Rockfield Studios in Wales. ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD features MOTORHEAD, BLACK SABBATH, ROBERT PLANT, JUDAS PRIEST, RUSH, QUEEN, THE DARKNESS, IAN GILLAN, THE STONE ROSES, OASIS, THE TOKYO DRAGONS, BUDGIE, HAWKWIND and many more.
Rockfield is a working farm, which was converted into the world’s first ever residential studio and has been graced by some of the world's most famous names.
This book has the stories behind some of the best songs and records ever made, to show how a little farm in rural Wales became home to rock legends!
Read about Music, drugs, drink and farmyard animals!!! You laugh! You'll cry!!! You'll probably cry again with laughter. Access all areas with ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.

QUOTES:

"Of Course PHIL COLLINS had fun recording with us. How could he not, after being in Genesis!" --- ROBERT PLANT gives his views on life with GENESIS.
"It's all quite hazy but I remember smoking dope with BLACK SABBATH on a sofa at the accomodation block in Rockfield"--- DAVE BROCK, Hawkwind
“Liam Gallacher began to play our singer, Darius, rough mixes of Oasis' new album “What’s The Story Morning Glory”. After a couple of songs Darius asked him, “Why do you always rip off the Beatles?” which obviously didn’t go down too well....Liam then lost it and threw Darius out the front door and then punched him in the face!” NEIL COOPER, former drummer with Cable.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is out on Sept 15th 2007.

Enjoy

Jeff

read

New Rock Legends book -- now for pre-order in US, Canada and Japan

2007-04-01T00:06:00.000+01:00

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD --- by Jeff Collins

*******Now available for Pre-order in the US on www.amazon.com. Also now in Canada on www.amazon.ca and Japan on www.amazon.jp

This books looks at the hysterical behind-the-scene antics of rock icons at the world famous Rockfield Studios in Wales. ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD features MOTORHEAD, BLACK SABBATH, ROBERT PLANT, JUDAS PRIEST, RUSH, QUEEN, THE DARKNESS, IAN GILLAN, THE STONE ROSES, OASIS, THE TOKYO DRAGONS, BUDGIE, HAWKWIND and many more.
Rockfield is a working farm, which was converted into the world’s first ever residential studio and has been graced by some of the world's most famous names.
This book has the stories behind some of the best songs and records ever made, to show how a little farm in rural Wales became home to rock legends!
Read about Music, drugs, drink and farmyard animals!!! You laugh! You'll cry!!! You'll probably cry again with laughter. Access all areas with ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.

QUOTES:

"Of Course PHIL COLLINS had fun recording with us. How could he not, after being in Genesis!" --- ROBERT PLANT gives his views on life with GENESIS.
"It's all quite hazy but I remember smoking dope with BLACK SABBATH on a sofa at the accomodation block in Rockfield"--- DAVE BROCK, Hawkwind
“Liam Gallacher began to play our singer, Darius, rough mixes of Oasis' new album “What’s The Story Morning Glory”. After a couple of songs Darius asked him, “Why do you always rip off the Beatles?” which obviously didn’t go down too well....Liam then lost it and threw Darius out the front door and then punched him in the face!” NEIL COOPER, former drummer with Cable.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is out on Sept 15th 2007.
Also available for pre-order on
www.amazon.co.uk
www.amazon.de

Rock Legends - extract from chapter 2 -- featuring Black Sabbath

2007-03-20T16:25:00.001Z

Here's the second extract from ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD. The books out on sept 15th (details below)

It's from chapter 2 -- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Ozzy's causing mayhew at Rockfield.

This first part of this extract comes from a conversation I'm having in a pub with Graham Wright and Les Martin - two former Sabbath roadies. At the time of our meeting they were working on the Rolling Stones 2006 Bigger bang tour. Our conversation is a pub in Cardiff overlooking the Millennium Stadium (where the Stones were playing the next night) and talk turns to practical jokes during the band's time at Rockfield studios - the second part relates to practical jokes during Ronnie James Dio-Sabbath era when recording Dehumanizer:

The practical jokes often spilt over into meal times. It seems it was never safe to eat at the Sabbath table.
‘Food times were hysterical,’ says Graham Wright. ‘Ozzy loved currys. He’d make one and give himself a plate first. Then he’d doctor it, usually with one of Bill Ward’s socks. Bill would be sitting eating and would suddenly pull this long horrible thing from his food and shout “Errghh! what’s this!” It would be one of his own socks. Or Ozzy would get a jar of vindaloo paste, put the whole lot in and dish it up to the unsuspecting band. It wasn’t just Ozzy. Tony Iommi would get some meat pies from the fish and chip shop in Monmouth. He’d bring them back, take the tops off, take the filling out and put cat food inside instead. Then he’d offer them round to the rest of the band “Anyone want a meatpie?”
Even the road crew were fair game. Putting his pint down on the table, Les Martin looks me straight in the eye as his mind flicks back to when the Prince of Darkness singled him out for the old “switch-a-rooney”.
‘I used to like tuna fish sandwiches and Ozzy would take the label off a tin of tuna and put it on the cat food. It took days to get rid of the taste of those sandwiches!!!'
............................................................................................................................................In the early 90's when Sabbath recorded Dehumanizer, despite being almost 20 years on from the band's first time at Rockfield, one constant remained : The boyish japes and practical jokes. Drummer Vinny Appice recalls the day when he and Ronnie played a joke on Tony Iommi.
‘Tony had just bought a new Range Rover, which he was proudly showing us outside the studio. Well, I decided to screw around a bit and poured a bit of motor oil under the car. I told Ronnie to tell Tony that he’d noticed some oil leaking from under the car, because if I’d told Tony he wouldn't have believed me. So Ronnie ran into the studio and told Tony he thought his new car had a leak. Tony came out and asked me to look under the car for him as I knew a bit about motors. I said to Tony, “It looks like a very bad leak”. I was under the car trying to stifle my laughter while Tony’s face dropped. He was very upset and called the car breakdown people, the RAC. They had to drive quite a distance to get to the studio and charged Tony about 100 pounds to have a look and maybe tow it elsewhere. I then told Tony it was all a joke! He was so angry I thought he was going to kill me, but I hadn't finished the drum tracks yet, so I survived! Later on though, he was laughing about it. But he hadn’t forgotten! The next day I opened the door to my room and there was a loud explosion. Tony had gotten a load of fireworks and rigged the door. When I got in the room it was an absolute mess! All my things were upside down and all over the place. Yeah Tony, very funny!’

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is out on University of Wales Press on Sept 15th.
It's available for pre-order on www.amazon.co.uk and www.amazon.de

Jeff Collins

Rock Legends at Rockfield - now on PRE-ORDER in Germany on amazon.de

2007-03-20T16:04:00.002Z

Rock Legends at Rockfield - now on PRE-ORDER in Germany on amazon.de

(I'll be posting a second extract from this book shortly)

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD --- by Jeff Collins

This book is now available for pre-order on Amazon in Germany (www.amazon.de)

This books looks at the hysterical behind-the-scene antics of rock icons at the world famous Rockfield Studios in Wales. ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD features MOTORHEAD, BLACK SABBATH, ROBERT PLANT, JUDAS PRIEST, RUSH, QUEEN, THE DARKNESS, IAN GILLAN, THE STONE ROSES, OASIS, THE TOKYO DRAGONS, BUDGIE, HAWKWIND and many more.
Rockfield is a working farm, which was converted into the world's first ever residential studio and has been graced by some of the world's most famous names. QUEEN recorded 'BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY' there. ROBERT PLANT rediscovered himself professionally and personally at Rockfield with his first solo band after leaving LED ZEPPELIN. OZZY OSBOURNE and BLACK SABBATH blasted all the tiles off the rehearsal rooms during one of their stays, MOTORHEAD and JUDAS PRIEST found their feet at the studios while OASIS and the STONE ROSES recorded two of the UK's biggest ever selling albums there. In this decade THE DARKNESS and KASABIAN worked there.

This book has the stories behind some of the best songs and records ever made, to show how a little farm in rural Wales became home to rock legends!
Read about Music, drugs, drink and farmyard animals!!! You laugh! You'll cry!!! You'll probably cry again with laughter. Access all areas with ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.
QUOTES:

"Of Course PHIL COLLINS had fun recording with us. How could he not, after being in Genesis!" --- ROBERT PLANT gives his views on life with GENESIS.
"It's all quite hazy but I remember smoking dope with BLACK SABBATH on a sofa at the accomodation block in Rockfield"--- DAVE BROCK, Hawkwind
"Liam Gallacher began to play our singer, Darius, rough mixes of Oasis' new album "What's The Story Morning Glory". After a couple of songs Darius asked him, "Why do you always rip off the Beatles?" which obviously didn't go down too well....Liam then lost it and threw Darius out the front door and then punched him in the face!" NEIL COOPER, former drummer with Cable.

Jeff Collins

UK Subs drummer talks about Rockfield studios

2007-03-19T14:35:00.000Z

Hi everyone. As the publishers push ahead with my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, it seems my book inspired a musician who'd spent time at Rockfield to put down his memories of recording there in his blog on the Classic Rock magazine website.
Ex-UK Subs drummer Stevie Ze Suicide is now forging a career as a sleaze/glam frontman. Here's the fifith in the Ze Suicide Diaries…

Ze Suicide Diaries Part 5:
Stevie remembers Rockfield – and guards Elton John's specs!

First of all I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has emailed me a response to these diaries. I'm so glad you've enjoyed them and find them a good read and a bit of a laugh. Many thanks to you all, especially Mazz from Battlewitch who got in touch with his suggestions for classic tracks almost as soon as last month’s diary went online, and Ash from Dressed To Kill. Ash... here's hoping the planned get-together happens during the summer. I'd love to appear on stage with you at some point, mate.

Now, a few weeks ago I found out about a brilliant book that's due out in August/September by writer Jeff Collins. It's all about the history of one of the finest recording studios in the UK... well, the title of the book says it all – Rock Legends at Rockfield!

Looking through Jeff’s MySpace page here, and the selection of teasers for the book, got me thinking of my own experiences there, and the time I was recording an album at the great Rockfield Studios at Monmouth, South Wales. The owner, Kingsley Ward, became a good friend. He's a genuinely really nice guy and he made sure there was always a generous supply of alcoholic beverages whenever we were up there working. Not only that, but he also has a gold Rolls-Royce, which was about as rock and roll as it gets. The trick was to get up early enough to catch a lift off him when he went up to the village of a morning, thus achieving maximum posing-off value by turning up at the local newsagent for your morning paper in a Roller, complete with spiky hair, shades and a snow-white tan. Very "fur coat, no knickers". Sorry, very "fake fur, no knickers". And dont forget the glass of vino.... or in our case a bottle of cider. All great fun but a bit mental. One morning I turned up with my old mate Icen, fellow drummer, keyboard player and all-round good egg, to pick up the usual magazines and papers etc. And stood in the queue of morning office commuters and assorted schoolgirls was no other than bass player Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath.
"Look! Bloody Geezer Butler, there! Look! Do you think he heard me?" That was an understatement, as I expect half of friggin’ Wales heard him. Geezer looked round at us two and smiled.
"Hello matey," I said.
He nodded in a polite friendly way. "Awright," he said.
"Quick," I urged Icen, "what bloody paper has he bought?"
It was The Observer, so it was decided that that would be the paper that we would buy. If Geezer reads it, then we'll read it! Thus dumping our two copies of The Sun and Daily Star in favour of some stupid paper that we'd never read. Anyway, there's no pictures in The Observer, but it's amazing isn't it what you do in an excited moment of hero worship, when you're still young and the last time you saw this guy was from the front row at Hammersmith Odeon, tenth anniversary concert with Ozzy, Tony Iommi and the great Bill Ward on drums. (Check out ‘Symptom Of The Universe’. If you read this Bill, Mr Ward, Sir, "Nice one". A favourite all-time drum track, sheer power.)

But Rockfield is a funny place like that. You don't know who you're going to bump into. On one occasion we went down the pub in the village for a quiet night of posing and a few bevs, thinking we would be the only band around for miles. Wrong! The place was bloody full of celebs. In one corner there was Dave Edmunds’ drummer, complete with milk stout and wellies! And a bloke called Paul Martinez, bass player with Robert Plant. He lived next door to the pub! And next door to him was his brother Ray, out of Showaddywaddy! Apparently old Planty would often pop in for the quiz night, and Pete Way of UFO was busily emptying the fruit machine. It was so bizarre. I said to Icen, fellow drinking matey: "If Elvis walks in now, I'm going tee-total, mate!"

I would get up early in the mornings and practice piano in the studio. There was a beautiful black piano and I would go in and play it before there was anyone else around. Later, however, I found out that Freddie Mercury had used that same piano on several classic Queen tracks. I believe ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ was recorded there, and on that piano, amongst others.

Yes, Rockfield Studios was a very special place to be. I loved it there, the people were lovely, there's a nice chippy, and it's a great atmosphere in which to do an album.

I once asked Kingsley Ward if there were any major incidents or interesting stories he could tell me regarding Rockfield’s history. He said: "Only Ozzy Osborne, when he was here...". Apparently they'd all been telling ghost stories and the band told Ozzy that his cottage was haunted by a terrifying ghost. Later that night they played a trick on him, which freaked him out completely. He shot out of the window of his room, and he ran off across the field, completely naked apart from the pink duvet off his bed. He just kept running and ended up in the local pub, where he had a few drinks with the locals, then got a lift back from a very bewildered farmer. Imagine that, walking into the pub and there's one of the biggest names in rock and roll, sat drinking with all the farmers wearing absolutely nothing but a pink duvet. And nobody seems to bat a bloody eyelid there. Perhaps they're just used to it.

Y'know, I once went to an interview for Melody Maker with Gillan's bass player, big John McCoy, who had produced The UK Subs’ first album, ‘Another Kind Of Blues’. We were driven there and back by our manager, so had quite a hefty afternoon of drinking. On the way back to the car to be picked up we crossed the concrete multi-storey car park, which was above a Tescos supermarket. John was bustin’ for a wee, and said: "Watch that nobody comes out of that bloody lift, will ya?" Well, halfway through poor John's wee, the lift doors opened. There was nobody there, but I just couldn't resist.
"Hiya ladies!" I said, convincingly.
"Oh shit!" shouts John, in mid-piss, and darts round the corner out of sight, only to bump straight into some lady shoppers and their trolleys. Imagine seeing him coming round the corner, all panicked and still wee-ing, straight into your trolley full of shopping. If he'd stayed where he was he'd have been okay. I don’t think he ever forgave me for that, but it was so bloody funny! Sorry John.

I drew a cartoon of John McCoy and Gillan's band on a wall in the studio once and had to have it repainted. I also drew the cartoons on a dressing-room wall in France where Gillan was to perform the next night. I hope they saw them. I used to love Gillan's band, especially with Bernie Tormé on guitar.

There have been quite a few hilarious events during the course of my UK Subs-ism. It was probably the best time of my life.... then and the MGMM years. The first video I did for MGMM ever was Elton John's. I forget the song, but he was using a stunt double for a dance routine, who had to use his blue glasses, which were his 'everyday specs' at the time. It was my job solely to look after these glases as they were clearly a favourite pair. Nice work if you can get it. What a great job, minding Elton's specs for a few hours! A bit like the time I was working on Freddie's Barcelona.... they all presumed I must be in total agony when my tooth fell out, and they told me to grab a beer and sit out the rest of the shoot. Actually it was only a crown that had fell out, but all I had to do was play the sufferer .... I do a great sufferer when required. Anyway, the first thing I had to do ever for MGMM was to knock on Elton’s dressing room door and say: "I've been sent to guard your blue specs." He was such a nice bloke. I'll never forget the experience, and I guarded those bloody specs with my life all day, and when I gave them back he thanked me and gave me a bottle of wine, which I kept for ages. Well, until the next time I was skint, anyway.

See you all soon.

Stevie Ze Suicide

Hope you enjoyed Steveies recollections!!!

Cheers

Jeff.

Rock Legends at Rockfield will be published on September 15th by University of Wales Press. It's now available for pre-order on www.amazon.co.uk

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - Extract from chapter one

2007-03-11T00:16:00.001Z

Over the next few months I'm going to be posting extracts from each chapter of my book.. hope you enjoy them..

Here the first one from chapter One : From small acorns...

Far from being an ordinary studio, for much of the time Rockfield was also a working farm. John David recalls Kingsley Ward (the owner of the studio) was always mixing the farming and the recording:
‘Having spent some time down at the farm, Kingsley used to come into the studio stinking of cow shit to watch people recording and to chat to the bands. Sometimes if it looked like rain, he’d come into the studio and ask for volunteers to help out on the farm. No matter how big the band was, they’d be asked to help. We’d all go out – the band, producer, everyone – and bring in the hay and load the bales.’
Ray Martinez was one of those musicians, who didn’t mind being asked to help out on the farm.
‘It really was a working dairy farm at the time. Both Kingsley and Charles were working hard doing the milking and whatever else was needed, while also running a studio at the same time. It was all very primitive really, but it worked. Occasionally they’d get us to help them round up the cows now and again. There was a bit of haymaking in the summer and we’d drink cider and all that. It was fun. You just mucked in like one big happy family.’
There aren’t many recording studios where rock stars get to become farm-hands for the day. But Kingsley’s way of running the studio is unique and long time house producer John David is full of praise for the way he controls Rockfield.
‘Kingsley is the arch motivator. His ambition is limitless and he’s always really enthusiastic. He’s one of the most eccentric people I know, though he’s also such an infectious character.’
Ray Martinez was also taken by Kingsley’s distinctive way of doing things:
‘His attitude is very bold. He used to walk into any record company Managing Director’s office with a Mickey Mouse t-shirt on, and tell them in no uncertain terms “Here I am. This is what I’ve got.” He’d cut the bullshit. He didn’t creep around people, but always went straight for the top guy and treated them the same way he’d treat anyone else. So he got through loads of doors that way. But it’s not what you expect from the head of a major recording studio.’
John David remembers a particular incident where Kingsley, once again, left the suits at a big record label with their jaws dropped in disbelief:
‘We went up to a meeting at Phonogram Records in around 1977. Once inside, he did a handstand on a boardroom table! He just went through these double doors that he’d picked at random. Inside there was this high powered meeting going on but, unfazed, Kingsley just did a headstand on the table, looked at these guys, said “sorry” three times and came out again. I mean you just don’t do that. It was the board of Phonogram! But, yeah, he’s funny and he hasn’t changed a bit, he’s still exactly the same.
Booze and drugs were another big element at Rockfield.
It all helped to oil the wheels and encourage friendships, as bands recording at Rockfield mingled and shared stories - such as the time when Black Sabbath and Hawkwind smoked a few joints together in the Coach House accommodation in the early 70’s. And Lee Slater, a guitarist with the band put together by former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’anno, was gob smacked to meet one of his heroes when rehearsing there in 1982. ‘We were there for a few weeks doing a demo for what was to become Di’Anno’s first album after leaving Maiden. We were relaxing one night when in walks Robert Plant! He came in to say hello, and at the same time he dropped us a case of 24 lagers for us to enjoy. We had a chat about our band, the studio, Led Zeppelin (of course!!) and what he was doing at the time. To be honest, most of the time my chin was on the floor in amazement that Robert Plant had walked in with a case of beer and said “Hi guys, how's it going?”

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD --- NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

JEFF COLLINS' book on the hysterical behind-the-scene antics of rock icons at the world famous Rockfield Studios is due out on SEPTEMBER 15TH. ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD (on University of Wales Press) is now available for PRE-ORDER on WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD features Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Robert Plant, Judas priest, Rush, Budgie, Hawkwind, Tokyo Dragons, Gillan, Oasis, Stone Roses and many many more. Read about the music, drugs, drink and farmyard animals!!! You laugh! You'll cry!!! You'll probably cry again with laughter. Access all areas with ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rock-Legends-Rockfield-Jeff-Collins/dp/070832097X/ref=sr_1_4/203-6091528-7555138?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173188870&sr=1-4

or search for Rock legends at Rockfield.

Cheers

Jeff
rockfieldbook.blogspot.com

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD - now available for pre-order

2007-03-06T15:40:00.000Z

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD --- NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

JEFF COLLINS' book on the hysterical behind-the-scene antics of rock icons at the world famous Rockfield Studios is due out on SEPTEMBER 15TH. ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD (on University of Wales Press) is now available for PRE-ORDER on WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD features Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Robert Plant, Judas priest, Rush, Budgie, Hawkwind, Tokyo Dragons, Gillan, Oasis, Stone Roses and many many more. Read about the music, drugs, drink and farmyard animals!!! You laugh! You'll cry!!! You'll probably cry again with laughter. Access all areas with ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rock-Legends-Rockfield-Jeff-Collins/dp/070832097X/ref=sr_1_4/203-6091528-7555138?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173188870&sr=1-4

or search for Rock legends at Rockfield.

Cheers

Jeff
rockfieldbook.blogspot.com

Rattlesnake Remedy and Dead Against The Rest in Cardiff

2007-02-22T15:39:00.000Z

5pm Wedneday 21st February. Spent the afternoon chasing up photos for my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD. Get sent three great shots by Richie Edwards of The Darkness. They include a great shot of the stray cat he befriended in the band's last few weeks at Rockfield in April 2005 when recording One Way Ticket.... He fed the cat salmon and steak among other luxurious items as the feline music lover sat in on the final few sessions. Later Richie found out the cat had died soon after they left Rockfield. Upset at first, Richie soon began to realise that maybe he'd helped make the cat's last few weeks quite special. "He ate like a King and watched some great music being made" was Richie's upbeat assessment of the cat's final days before he went to kitty heaven!
A few more emails are rattled off to try to round up the last few photos. Now time to rest -- it's off to see Rattlesnake Remedy - among others - in Cardiff city centre.

7pm - I head into town. Tonight Rattlesnake Remedy are playing The Barfly. I bought their CD Magic Man months ago and haven't stopped playing it. Also on the bill are Welsh band Dead Against The Rest. I've heard a few of their songs on their Myspace site and am looking forward immensely to seeing them live.
7-30pm I arrive at the Barfly and I'm given a bright orange band to put around my wrist. Tonight's gig is for over 16's. So those 18 and over have to wear a wristband to prove their age for the purposes of the bar. The lady on the entrance desk assesses me briefly, and having scanned my slightly haggered appearance, decides that I am over 18!!! It must have been a close call though - not!
I meet up with my friend and colleague Nick Dermody. He works in News Online for BBC Wales. He's survived the traffic coming into the city centre on his bike. Brave man or foolhardy adventurer!!???! His dice with death on the rain soaked streets of the Welsh capital is now over so without delay we hit the bar and proudly flash our orange wristbands to prove we can legally sup the ale of the gods!!!!
We move backstage and exchange greetings with Rattlesnake Remedy. The guys in the band recognise my name as their management have been using a quote from me on their website praising the band's debut album. They are a remarkably amiable bunch.
Back in the bar area - the small number of early starters are watching a group called White Label who chug through a pleasant, if not original, set of rock songs. They're not bad as an appetiser for the main attraction.
Next up are Dead Against The Rest. This band was formed in the Welsh valleys in 2003 by a group of good friends and they are slowly starting to build a name for themselves. The small Barfly stage seems to creak slightly as five guys take to it. Lead vocalist Cy looks the part with his shaggy mane of long hair, while bassist Wilf is an imposing bloke with his biker-style gruff beard and long locks. (See first two pictures)
Drummer Bix is no less imposing - a big character who resembles John Bonham as he sits behind the drums - sticks raised waiting to pound out the opening rhythmns. Guitarists Lyo, Kane and DJ also shuffle their way onto the tiny stage area and the five get ready to rock. The opening sounds of Knock Me Out Loud reverb around the hall and people at the bar area start to turn and take note of the action on the stage behind them. Now more and more people are moving toward the once empty stage area. Dead Against The Rest are on a roll. The growling guitar opening of Enough's Enough sparks a run of three songs including Angry Machine and One Way Ticket which capture a driving, heavy sound coupled with wonderfully harmonious vocals and hook filled choruses. My favourite is a track called Big Love. Later when I tell this to the band they snigger in unison in mild embarrassment and tell me they consider that track 'Cheesey' but they still recognise that it's as catchy as hell and has to be played live!!!
Dead Against The Rest are ones to watch. They're signing a new management deal and a record deal looks to be just on the horizon.

10pm The main act -- Rattlesnake Remedy come onto the stage with a real swagger. They sound like a cross between The Black Crowes and Free with a hint of Zeppelin and Sabbath thrown in. Singer Lee Stone's voice is awesome. He has a really soul voice with a wide range and, as a front man, has real presence. A solid, swinging rhythm section in Matt Birch on Bass and Dave Ballard on drums is rounded off with the ballsy, bluesy guitars of Ben Bartlett and Mark Buckler.(See middle pictures 3+4) These guys are like the Allman Brothers rolled in with a bit of Lynyrd Skynyrd. wow! It's great to watch and the songs from the debut album pack a punch live. The rockin' Black Sheep Fiddle, Drag You Down and Freestyle, counterbalenced with the softer touch on songs like Free To Feel. Best of all is the hypnotic title track, Magic Man with its haunting guitar hook. It's a time machine back to the 70's - back to rock 'n' roll at its best!!! All it needed was for Starsky and Hutch to raid the bar and the moment would have been complete.
Disappointly it was a smallish crowd at the Barfly, it being wednesday midweek. But the band were philosophical. Their attitude of 'we'll play in front of any crowd from 20 to 20 thousand' is a real tribute to their drive and ambition to keep giging until their music reaches a wider audience. It'll surely pay-off.
Gig over and after a few more pints Nick and I (end photo -- me to the left Nick to the right - with a bycycle helmet on!!!) head off home. Roll on the next gig!!

The new book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out in August/September 2007 on University of Wales Press. It will also be available on www.amazon.com.

2007-02-09T11:34:00.001Z

This is a feature I've done at the request of the management of US Heavy rock band Megattack and singer Midnite Angel to promote their forthcoming collaboration. Hope you enjoy it!!!!

MEGATTACK/ANGEL FEATURE by Jeff Collins February 1st 2007

'I think this is gonna be a project where, when people come see it, they're gonna leave completely exhausted by the end of the show. Exhausted and totally satisfied. Like a good lay!!!'

Megattack's lead singer Rick Jackson laughs with delight at his view on his band's new project with upcoming metal goddess Angel. The band have been recording with the singer at a studio in Salt Lake City and the sessions have been a resounding success for those involved. Just as the metal world shook from the combination of Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford and the meeting of Motorhead and Girlschool on record, so the mixture of Rick Jackson's booming, soulful voice and Angel's deep, haunting vocals are set to make rock fans worldwide sit up and listen!

The sessions with Angel cap a phoenix-like return from the ashes for Megattack. Two decades ago, they burst onto the scene with their debut album Raw Delivery, which sold hundreds of thousands of copies before the band's record company went bust and Megattack eventually broke up.

But the band are back, and following on from their 2005 CD Save The Nation, they've joined forces with Angel. Guitarist Jay Gough explains how they first got together. 'I ran across Angels' site on the Myspace website and sent her a comment saying that I thought her stuff was fantastic. She liked our sound as well and had some crazy assed ideas and asked if I'd be interested in hearing them. So we got in touch and took it from there.'

In fact Jay made no bones about his views on Angels voice and his original Myspace messages read:

'I don't fucking believe it! You've just kicked Lita Ford's ass!!! Holy Shit, you've got some pipes! As far as sharing the stage...oh hell yes! You rock girl. Big time!!! I doubt there's a stage big enough to handle your rockin' ass! Horns up and all hail to metal's one and only Angel!!'

I think it's safe to say that Jay really liked her voice!!!!! Angel was as enthusiastic as Jay about the project: 'I've got my sound and Megattack have their wonderful sound and we both thought putting that together would be magic.'

Angel is making big waves with her much anticipated debut CD recorded with the Midnite Angel band, featuring Trent Morley on bass and Kevin Schafer on guitars. But taking a break from her regular group, Angel made her way down from her base in Vancouver in Canada to the studios in Salt Lake City where Megattack planned to record a single with her. After one of those sessions, the band are sitting together in the studio as Angel recalls the nightmare journey she endured on the way to hook up with the guys.

'It was a hell of a story trying to land the plane that night! The fog was too thick and we were over Salt Lake City for about an hour when the pilot announced that we were running out of gas!! So we flew to a tiny little town in Idaho, fuelled back up and three hours later we finally landed safe in Salt Lake. Thankfully Megattack were there waiting. They're very professional and made me feel very comfortable and right at home when I got here. So we got right into the studio. They were well rehearsed and ready to go. All I had to do was get the microphone and do what I do. We ran through the song a couple of times but then jet-lag set in. The next night, though, Rick and I got together and ran through it again and we worked so well together. The song takes you back to a Lita Ford and Ozzy duet, but better!'

So with the band in the studio laying down the song Are You Alone Tonight, how well did they get along having finally met in the flesh?

'Great!' says Rick excitedly. Then pauses and smiles as he adds 'Well, no-one's bleeding yet! That's always good. No, we're doing really well, starting to gel and get a really sharp sound.'

'The chemistry is definitely there,' chips in Angel. 'Combining our sounds makes us unstoppable.'

'It gave me a fuckin' hard-on!' interjects guitarist Jay, and the room once again dissolves into laughter. If these musicians have as much chemistry in the studio as they do socially then things are looking very good.

Jay regains his composure to add 'With Rick and Angel, the combination is something that can't be described. The sound between the two of them is intense. It causes goosebumps. You only get chemistry like that every so often. It's rare, but they've found it.'

'Plus we're both great entertainers!' says Rick with clear pride. 'We're taking baby steps for the moment. We're gonna record the song Are You Alone Tonight, get it all tight and in the can, and go from there. If people like the single, then we'll cut more stuff. I'd like to incorporate Angel and Megattack permanently.'

So the first single will play a big part in determining if the two have a long-term future, but the signs are very promising. And the band are optimistic that this is the start of something big. Jay tells me 'The early responses we're getting are extremely encouraging. If people do like it, then they're gonna get more of it. Loud and in their face!'

For Megattack this renewed state of activity of a massive bonus. A second chance that most of the band surely felt they wouldn't get. The group never really had the opportunity to capitalise on the success of that first album, which was released in 1986. But good rock never dies and the band found that copies of their Raw Delivery album were being bootlegged and selling well in Europe. Plus some songs from that album were also featured on a compilation called Hard 'n' Heavy Rarities Vol.2 by Racer Records. Two decades on and interest in Megattack was stirring as Jay Gough explained to me.

'My wife came across it on the internet about two years ago. She pulled up our name up to see if anyone remembered us and found that our album was still selling really well out there. Songs from the first album had also been put on a compilation called Hard 'n' heavy with bands like Vixen among others, which was also really selling. At that point, I decided to get back in touch with the guys and try to get put the band back together, because people still remembered who Megattack was. We reformed and recorded the Save The Nation album, which was released in 2005, and we are getting a lot of really good reviews overseas on that new record. People still comment on the old album as well though. A lot of people are glad to see the follow-up record, but they're a little pissed off, because it took us 19 years to do it. I don't want to see another 19 years before another one comes out, so we've written material for a third album. This new stuff even blows the latest album out of the water!'

Rick agrees that second time around Megattack are better prepared for their assault on the rock world. 'It feels really good. If you've heard the first album Raw Delivery, you'll know that was good. But the second album is a lot better. Everyone's had time to mature and grow up a little bit. Its in the music.'

In these barren days of Pop Idol and manufactured boy bands, rock music and 80's old-school rock, in particular, is enjoying a revival. It's something Megattack and Angel can play a huge part of.

Angel agrees 'This is a proper rock group. It's good, uplifting music for the people.'

Pondering an 80's revival, Jay Gough simply says 'Thank god for that!'

Rock Legends at Rockfield - book contents

2007-02-07T00:26:00.000Z

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD

CONTENTS

Hi everyone. The manuscript for my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is now in with the publishers. They're working on a publication date which is now looking like sometime in September - though hopefully earlier.
Here's a rundown of what's in the book--- (probably best to ignore my comments in brackets next to each chapter title) :

INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE ---- From Small Acorns....(an introduction to the whacky ways of life at the studio.)
CHAPTER TWO --- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Ozzy’s causing mayhem at
Rockfield.(The Black Sabbath Chapter)
CHAPTER THREE --- Welsh Rockers Budgie Influence Metal Greats. (Budgie rool!)
CHAPTER FOUR --- Hawkwind invent space rock in Wales. (Hawkind obviously)
CHAPTER FIVE --- Motorhead’s painful birth at Rockfield. (Lemmy and co, hells angels, drugs and the visit from the parents!!!)
CHAPTER SIX --- Worldwide hit singles - Queen and Ace rule the airwaves! (Bohemian Rhapsody and How Long sell by the bucket load - well quite a few bucket loads!)
CHAPTER SEVEN --- Judas Priest, Rush and Gillan: Legendary names descend on Rockfield. (need i say more!!)
CHAPTER EIGHT --- The 80’s usher in a new breed. (Icicle Works, Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen try to look cool while Paul Di'anno and band play at Spinal Tap and Shane McGowan's time with the Pogues comes to an end at Rockfield)
CHAPTER NINE --- Led Zeppelin legend rediscovers himself in the pubs and studios at Monmouth. (Yo It's Robert Plant - how cool!!)
CHAPTER TEN --- The 90’s: Oasis and The Stone Roses raise hell at Rockfield. (Oasis trash Rockfield and The Stone Roses trash everything else and ultimately their career)
CHAPTER ELEVEN --- Tokyo Dragons, Kasabian and The Darkness usher in the 21st Century!
(wow - life in the 21st century - Thank god for the Tokyo Dragons - The Darkness and Kasabian also enjoy the rock and roll lifestyle)

There's also a Rockfield TIMELINE. How could there not be?

Cheers

Jeff

Jack Viper and Red Star Rebels rock the hell out of Cardiff

2007-01-19T15:43:00.000Z

The book is written so let the celebrations begin. With the manuscript for ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD now in the hands of the publishers, it's time to kick back and rock out. I haven't been to a gig since Budgie back in the middle of December. (That's last year for heavens sake!!!) To rectify this error, I head down to the Point in Cardiff, which is a cool venue. It's a converted church. The bands play on a stage where the pulpit used to be and the crowd stand where the old aisles would have been. It has a very goth atmosphere and I just love going there.
Anyway, I head inside to find the third act on the bill just starting. Now usually, I find the third act is more often than not terrible or, if you're lucky, average. Tonight I extremely bloody lucky. The first act on is Jack Viper and boy are they good. Even with a temporary stand-in singer, they absolutely rocked the house!!! This is sleaze rock at its best. Kick-ass tunes, bad-ass attitude and tonnes of talent. Guitarist Eddie Shredder sprays out cool riff after hot lick, while Mr Kiss on bass keeps the rhythm hot and steady along with the superb skin-pounding of The Ferlanger on drums. Songs like Walk the Line and g.f.y had the crowd singing along in a one massive, leaping mass of bodies. With usual singer Jay R out of action for personal reasons, the band enlisted the help of friend David Domminney on vocals. He did a superb job. After the gig, Eddie Shredder assured me that Jay R will be back soon. He also told me that the band are also getting ready to go into the studio to record a new ep.
These guys are good. If you get a chance to see them - don't miss it. This band is going far!
Next up were the Red Star Rebels. This is a band that oozes charisma. I've not see a lead singer dominate and command the stage so much since a very young Jon Bon Jovi, strutting the stage, in 1988 just before Slippery When Wet was released. He reminded me back then of a young Mick Jagger. Bon Jovi were superb that night and its a shame they decided to turn their back on glam metal and turn to pop-rock. They could have been great. But back to the Rebels. (see the top three pics at top of blog) Singer Blacky Rebels has geniune stage presence. He is captivating. Guitarist Meady is also a revelation. Superb. At the start of Too Young Too Care he has two guitars, one slung over each arm, and proceeds to play the both. Outstanding. A cracking set is over all too soon. They could have gone on for at least another two hours and the crowd still wouldn't have been satisfied. 2007 is definitely the year of the Rebel!!!!
Next up - top of the bill - The LA Guns. Strangely, and sadly, they are very disappointing. Seeing Tracii Guns (See final two pics) in action was great but he seemed a little muted and quiet. To make matters worse, the sound was terrible. The vocals were muffled making every song blend into the next. The band seemed to lack the hunger and excitement of The Red Star Rebels and Jack Viper. It's a shame as the LA Guns are a great band. But everyone has an off night, I guess.

After the gig I chat for half an hour with Meady from the Rebels, who is a great bloke. The band are a level headed bunch and are doing all the right things. They are shortly due to make their first album. It should be a smash hit!!
I stagger home at 1am - having enjoyed a throughly good evening. The next gig I see has a lot to live up too if its to outdo tonight.
Long live rock!!!!!!

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is to be published in the summer 2007 by University of Wales Press (Europe) and University of Chicago Press (USA).
It will be available from www.amazon.co.uk/www.amazon.com

Oasis Trash Rockfield, Black Sabbath and others tales of rural destruction

2007-01-18T11:18:00.000Z

12pm Monday December 15th.
I've been frantically typing away - it's a battle against the clock to finish my manuscript for my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD (See pic of studio above). A real punch-up to the end. In the Blue corner, I'm armed with my Mac Laptop and determination. But in the Red corner, the clock is far more devious than me and seems to be playing dirty. I have to fight pangs of hunger, tiredness, and a DVD copy of the hysterically funny US sitcom Newsradio, which staring at me from across the desk - just daring me to play one quick episode. "It won't hurt" says the DVD "Just one short episode to cheer you up and boost morale. Going on! You know you want to." In my tired and paranoid state I'm convinced that the clock has set all these things against me.
But I refuse to give in, having been typing solidly since 7am. After and brutal and bloody 12 rounds, finally there's only one left standing. I'm the victor and my manuscript is finally sent off to University of Wales Press. The first major hurdle is beaten.

Over the past few days I've been tidying up some of the last few pieces of the jigsaw. Chapter 2 on Black Sabbath was awaiting one or two more pieces to make it complete. Finally former Sabbath and Whitesnake basist Neil Murray gets in touch to give me his comments on Rockfield. The guy's a legend and his answers are very eloquent and absolutely fascinating. His insights are added to the chapter and - hey presto - its finished. I'm very proud of the Sabbath chapter and feel its one of the funniest of the book (and that's against pretty stiff opposition)

The final piece of the jigsaw is chapter ten. It's the chapter focusing on the 90's. This mainly centres on the mayhem caused by Oasis and The Stone Roses during their visits. The centrepiece of the Oasis section is an interview with famous music photographer Michael Spencer Jones, who became friends with Oasis before they were famous and stayed with them for 3/4 years photographing them live and in the studio, He did most of their album and singles covers. For Be Here Be Now they dumped a Rolls Royce in a swimming pool. Michael says they did it simply because they could!!! They asked the record company for £100,000 for the car - the company exectives approved it probably thinking they'd end up with a Rolls after the shoot which they could put to use. But no! Oasis drove it straight it the pool, totally wrecking it -- as it wasn't a special James Bond underwater Rolls Royce. This one preferred dry land!
Michael was there at Rockfield when Oasis recorded (What's The Story) Morning Glory? It was during this that the band very nearly broke up. They had a fight with a rival band, started brawling amongst themselves and Rockfield ended up being trashed. Liams room was one of the worst scenes of destruction. Michael described some of the devastation "It was about as bad as it can get really. You know the bed was broken in half. The TV was on the outside of the room instead of the inside. Still plugged in as well!" Recording on the album was abandoned for a while as the band fled Rockfield but they later returned to finish it.

With Chapter Ten completed - I spend all day Sunday and this Monday Morning reading through everything, checking for spelling errors, grammatical mistakes and typos. It's tough going as its soooo interminably dull!!

1pm -- I can at last releax for now. I've emailed all the chapters off. So to relax I'm off to see the Red Star Rebels and LA Guns in Cardiff at The Point in a few days time. I'm really Looking forward to it. Both bands are superb. The Rebels ep Too Young To Care is awesome and a must buy for anyone who likes good old classic rock. LA Gun last CD Tales From the Strip was a real return to form. A cracking album.
So should be a great show!!

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is to be published by the University of Wales Press in summer 2007.
It will be available to buy from www.amazon.com/www.amazon.co.uk.

Budgie - hotter than a dockers armpit

2006-12-20T14:47:00.000Z

10am Monday 18th December.
Wow - what a week. Last monday I was watching Iron maiden blast the socks off all and sundry at the Cardiff International Arena. On saturday the venue was somewhat smaller as I went to Tom's bar in Pontypridd (I got there eventually! The area has a one-way system competing for the coveted prize of "Most confusing road system in a small Welsh town!" It's a big award. Really!) to see classic rockers BUDGIE. Wow. And wow again. If you've not come across Budgie before (what!) i suggest you pop out and buy one or two or nine of their albums right now. I recommend Bandolier or Nightflight or In For The Kill. They have more killer riffs per record than almost any other band. It's why Metallica covered Breadfan and Crash Course In Brain Surgery on their 1988 Garage Inc album. Iron Maiden covered I Can't See My Feelings on their Fear Of the Dark CD (Bonus Disk), Sound Garden reinterpreted Budgie's Homicidal Suicidal - while Van Halen used to play In For The Kill live their early days. In fact Iron Maiden's main man Steve Harris is a big Budgie fan! No wonder. In front of about 150 people in a crowded venue, the band started with a few numbers from their latest album You're All Living In Cloud Cuckooland. Two of those songs, Justice and Dead Men Don't Talk, were phenomenal. New guitarist Simon Lees plays at a blistering rate. You can barely see his fingers move up and down the guitar fret. He adds a real sharp modern punch to the Budgie sound. (See pics of Burke Shelley and Simon Lees above - taken on a mobile phone)
Next up, as the band start one of their classic tunes, I Turn To Stone, the whole crowd start singing the opening line seconds before lead singer Burke Shelley got there!!! By the time the band finish an hour and half later with Breadfan, the place was bouncing so much, it moved two buildings down the street and has since had to change its address!!!

I met up with the band backstage and they were great - I'd spoken to the drumer Steve Williams and Burke before for my book ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD, as a whole chapter looks at Budgies time there - when they recorded their first six albums at the studios. They also returned again a few years later to record again.
As we chatted pre-show Steve (the drummer) told me a great story from 1978. Budgie had been recording and touring in Canada for a year or two and had been away from the UK music scene for a while, missing the advent of punk.
Upon their return their promoter lined up a few gigs in the UK. In Hastings they had trouble with the support act, who were not happy that they could only use two thirds of the PA system. Budgies manager explained to them that the full pa was traditionally held back for the main act. Undeterred, two of the group barged into Budgie's changing room and confronted their manager. Waving their fists at him and telling him he was "out of order" to treat them this way. And they weren't going to stand for it. Well Budgie's manager at the time was a big guy. He grabbed the two guys, forcefully threw them out of the dressing room and told them that if they didn't like it they could Fuck off!!! Later the band discovered the two guys from the support act who'd complained were Malcolm MaClaren and Johnny Rotten. The band: The Sex Pistols! It was their first ever gig.

Anyway on Saturday Budgie tore the roof off Toms with a cracking performance. If you like Black Sabbath or Rush or classic hard rock. Get a Budgie album now!!

2pm Back to writting the book. The final chapter is coming on apace. Kasabian and the Tokyo Dragons had a ball at Rockfield. KT Tunstall struggled and quit the place because she was overwhelmed by its history. Coldplay also struggled for their first album and thought their record company was going to dump them (Oh if only I could build a time machine!!!!) while Starsailor revelled in the studios history.
I've had difficulty writting the sort of summary at the end of the chapter but in taking a few choice quotes from people who've recorded their down the years I think I've nailed it. I end on a quote to highlight the bizarre, surreal and yet homely atmosphere at Rockfield. It involves homemade trifle and studio mixing desks!!! Enough said for now!

4pm
It's on to the christmas cards. This is harder than writing the book. My arm is now sore. I need an Xmas card stunt arm to finish this! A search on Google for Stunt Body Parts R Us proves fruitless. I press on. Cards done. Now to catch the post. What do you mean last christmas posting day was yesterday? Damn!!! Hand delivered maybe???

Jeff Collins
ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD will be published by The University of Wales Press (Europe) and University of Chicago Press (USA). It will be available to buy on Amazon.co.uk and amazon.com.
Published spring/summer 2007 date TBC.

Book 2 is to be the story of BUDGIE!! STAY TUNED!!!!

Iron Maiden Rock!!!!!

2006-12-12T15:06:00.000Z

11am Monday 11th Dec -- It's Iron Maiden live tonight - the first time I'll have seen the band live. I don't know how I've managed to miss them so often in the past. First though I have to spend a few hours putting together chapter nine of my ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD Book. This one is about the eighties. It mainly features Simple Minds and food fights, Clannad trying to go hard rock to break the USA, Echo and the Bunnymen having a nightmare trying their tricky third album and Ian McNabb's Icicle Works. But former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno also recorded there in the 80's having left Maiden. He did his first solo album there. Here's an extract from my interview with Dianno guitarist Lee Slater who bumped into a ROCK LEGEND while working on that record:
" We had already done a demo at Rockfield about a year earlier and that’s when we met Robert Plant. In fact, he came in to say hello and at the same time dropped us a case of 24 beers for us to enjoy. We had a chat about the band, the studio, Zeppelin (of course) what he was doing at the time etc. To be honest, most of the time my chin was on the floor in amazement that Robert Plant had walked in with a case of beer and said "Hi guys, how's it going?"
Lee also tells a fantastically hysterical story about a drummer who fell asleep drunk in the toilets while having a dump and how the band had to remove him. Who says being a rock star is all abour glamour????? Drummers form a theme of the Dianno segment and the singer himself talks about another drummer they used for one session who got into some "Girl Trouble" at Rockfield and ended up in the police cells.
7pm After a good day's writimg it's time to head off to Cardiff's steamy sauna that is the International Arena. Lauren Harris - Maiden bassist steve's daughter - is up first and she's excellent. You should check out her songs on her website www.myspace.com/laurenharrisuk. Then it was the turn of Trivium - who weren't bad. But it was the arrival of Maiden that got the crowd really going. They bounced on stage to perform the whole of A Matter of Life And Death - their new album - for the first 70 minutes. This was great. The album is fantastic. One of the band's best for years and it was excellent to hear the whole thing live. (See Live pics taken from my camera phone above) Then they spent the next forty minutes playing a handful of songs from their back catalogue including Fear Of the Dark, Two Minutes To Midnight, Iron Maiden, The Evil That Men Do.
The stage set was a cleverly constructed world war II bunker complete with ramparts, searchlights, barbed wire and (eventually) a huge tank. Bruce Dickinson was outstanding. He hardly stopped running all show. He was full of energy and on the top of his game.
The only problem for the band was that it was so hot that there was condensation forming above their stage lights in the roof and raining down on the stage. It was aas if the stage had a different eco-system to the rest of the arena and by the end of the show the band were soaked having had to play the gig in a virtual shower.
9/10 for Maiden. they were terrific and if you can get to see them --- do so.

Jeff

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD is published Spring/Summer 2007 by University of Wales Press.

Mission impossible for Iron Maiden tickets + Tokyo Dragons and Kasabian at Rockfield

2006-12-08T16:13:00.000Z

10am Monday December 4th.
Today's task is to make a start on my final chapter (that is the last one in the book as I've still another two to piece together before the whole book is finished). I start sorting through my interviews and research when an email drops into my inbox. It's seems the ticket I've been sent for the Iron Maiden concert at the Cardiff International Arena a week today has been sent to the wrong address. EMI Records PR people have sent it to my old employers BBC Wales, who I left three months ago to go freelance.
Damn! This is going to call for some Mission: Impossible style planning to retrieve that. I shall have to hire a helicopter and get one of my friends to learn how to fly it. Then I can be lowered by cable from the helicopter at midnight wearing nightvision googles (I can probably get an ex-Navy Seals pair on Ebay dirt cheap!!) - I can cut my way through the BBC Post Room roof using special hi-tech laser cutters (Also available on Ebay). Once in, I can get the helicopter to move closer to the building and ......Hold on! This is a bit too complex. I'll have to turn to PLAN B. Call the BBC Post room and get them to hold onto the letter, while I pop down at lunchtime and pick it up. Problem solved. And by midday I have one Iron maiden ticket in my hands.

12pm
It's back down to work on the final chapter - the one documenting this decade. Kasabian, Tokyo Dragons, KT Tunstall, UFO's Pete Way, and The Darkness are among the bands to feature (plus a very funny tale about Coldplay nearly bottling their first album).
The Tokyo Dragons themselves have been extremely helpful. I first bumped into the band in October 2005 when I reviewed their School Of Rock Tour at Cardiff for Classic Rock Magazine. They were playing along with the Answer and a band called Sound Explosion. The triple bill involved rotating the three acts as headliners. A bad move on the part of the promoters. If they'd set out to confuse the fans of each of the three bands, they couldn't have done it better. That night in Cardiff The Dragons were headlining and were the last act on. The Answer were first up and, long after they'd been on, I bumped into a group of guys from Northern Ireland, who'd travelled over specially to see the Answer. "We can't wait to see them. They're great live", one of the gang informed me proudly. "But surely you seen them?"' I asked. "They've already been on". I don't like being the bearer of bad news - particularly when it leads to grown men crying. Cue outbreak of emotion (fuelled by much alcohol). This group of Answer fans had turned up late because their tickets had "The Answer" printed in capitals at the top of the ticket with the other two groups in lower case below. Oops!!! The group of angry irishmen troop off to find any luckless person related to the Promoters, who they can take their anger and disappointment out on.

When I arrived during the soundcheck earlier that evening, The Answer - and in particular their lead singer Cormack Neeson - were incredibly helpful and really great people.
The Dragons were likewise fantastic guys. They invited me backstage for some beers prior to their slot and we drank and chatted about music in general - including bands that have influenced us like AC/DC, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, The Allman Brothers and Grand Funk Railroad (despite the crap name a bloody rocking band). The band are hugely pleasurable company. They eventually took the the stage (See the top two photos) - with the chanting of DRAGONS, DRAGONS, DRAGONS becoming deafening. The band played material from their debut album Gimme The Fear (A Must Buy for any rock fan!!!) and were outstanding.
Gimme the Fear had been recorded at Rockfield and produced by Pedro Ferreira - who produced The Darkness' debut album.
Here's an extract of the interview I did with them about working at Rockfield.

STEVE LOMAX - Lead Singer - I thought of all the famous records made there: Budgie, Sabbath, Motorhead and thought “Let’s get it on.....One night I saw Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody on the TV. And I thought ‘Fucking hell, that was recorded here.’ Out of the window of my room, I could see the studio where it was recorded and I thought ‘ Yeah I recognise that sound.’

Kasabian also recorded at Rockfield during the 2000's (or the naughties - depending how you like to describe it.)
The band spent three months at Rockfield - recording music, enjoying lock-ins at the local pub and sampling the local fish and chips.

Producer Jim Abbiss - who also produced the Artic Monkeys debut Cd - was at the helm for Kasabian's number 1 LP Empire.
Here's an extract from my interview with Jim.

Q: Why Rockfield?
A: The guys used to live on a farm in Leicestershire and they used to do all their recording in a disused dairy shed. They basically spent a couple of years making their first album, being able to work in their own time and completely free to be able to jam stuff and record whenever without disturbing anyone.
After that, they’d been on tour for two years pretty much non-stop and hadn’t been able to do an awful lot for the next record. So I thought it was pretty important to take them somewhere with a lot of different recording spaces and try to recreate some of the elements they'd had on the farm that they used to rent out and record at. So Rockfield was a home from home and the beauty was that we took out the coach house - which is the smaller studio - but gave us the bigger accomodation house. So we used one of the spare bedrooms as a demo studio, which allowed us to work on something in the main studio, while also doing stuff in the demo studio. It meant the writing process could be ongoing and within two days on being down there, the band said they felt completely comfortable and it reminded them of how they made their first record.
Having been away from home on tour for two years it was kind of important to do that.
Q:NOT ALL THE MATERIAL WAS WRITTEN BEFORE ROCKFIELD, IS THAT RIGHT?
A:The guitarist Serge is the main writer and he had enough ideas to do an album. But they weren’t all completed and worked out. What we did was to start recording on the five tunes that were completly worked out. Apart from some arrangements and what sound we wanted, they were as good as worked out. So it was a case of getting a good performance out of the band. And while that was going on, they were carrying on in the demo studio to take the other stuff to the next stage.
Over the course of our time at Rockfield there were a couple of pieces that were just little ideas. We didn’t even know if they were going to make it, but they came off amazingly and the guys jammed them and they became more complete ideas -- so it was a completely fluid process.
Q:HAVE YOU ANY EXAMPLES OF IDEAS THAT TURNED INTO SONGS?
A: The Doberman, the last song on the album, started out as a very simple idea of Serge's on acoustic guitar but the guys jammed it and made it into a full-blown, long, complex arrangement. There’s also a track called Seek and destroy, which again was a little two bar synth loop, with an idea for a melody -- but we didn't know whether it would turn into anything and that came together in the space of a day. We recorded it very quickly and all just instantly fell in love with it.
At the start of the record we didn’t think we’d have those two songs. Yet they’re almost two of my favourite tunes."

Jim was very helpful and gave me a big insight into how the band recorded Empire at ROCKFIELD.

At last the final chapter is taking shape. Hopefully it'll be drafted into an 'Almost complete' version by the middle of next week.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins will be published in spring/summer 2007 by University of Wales Press in the UK and Europe (and University of Chicago Press in the States).

ROBERT PLANT AT ROCKFIELD - PT 2

2006-11-14T15:47:00.000Z

ROBERT PLANT REUNION AT ROCKFIELD Part 2
Robert plant arrives at Rockfield to meet his former band-mates for the albums Pictures at Eleven and The Principle of Moments 25 years on from the recording of those albums in Wales. He's agreed to be interviewed for a book I am writing on the rock legends who have recorded at Rockfield. It'll be published by the University of Wales Press in Europe and the University of Chicago Press in the US summer 2007.
This is the second part of the story of Robert Plant's return to Rockfield.

Monday Rockfield Studios

1pm Having gone for lunch to allow Robert Plant and his friends -- Former Black Sabbath keyboard player Jezz Woodroffe and Robbie Blunt (Clannad, Julian Lennon etc etc)-- to catch up, the three of us now settle down to talk about their days at Rockfield. We sit down on three green sofas in the living quarters for the Coach House(SEE ANDREW PRITCHARD'S PICTURE ABOVE). On wall to the right is a huge old map of Monmouthshire, covered in old coats of arms. There's a wooden floor with a big terracota rug while in front of us is a lovely old wooden coffee table.
Robert Plant is wearing a blue T-shirt with the flag of Morocco on it and the Arabic word Maroc scrawled across it, jeans and white trainers.
Jez Woodroffe is dressed in black tracksuit bottoms with a grey jumper and a blueish green disc on a necklace around his neck, while Robbie Blunt is wearing a green short sleeved shirt and black trousers with his hair slicked into a ponytail.
(SEE ANDREW PRITCHARD'S PICTURES ABOVE).
All three are relaxed and in a chatty, humourous mood having spent the past hour catching up on the latest with each other's friends and family. Me and my friend Andrew Pritchard - who is taking photos of today's reunion for the book - join them.

We start by reading out a note from Phil Collins. He played drums on Robert Plant's first two albums but can't be here today as he's in New York publicising the Disney musicial Tarzan which he has written the music for. He's sent me and email to read to the band.
“Dear Lads. Oh the memories, I remember it like it was 25 years ago. If you ever want to do it again, call me. I can still play drums, but I’m better on the slower songs!!! Love you guys and remember it all with serious affection. Wish I was there!” Phil Collins xxxx.
“Well”, laughs Robert Plant, “having played in Genesis, being with us had to be good fun after that, didn’t it?”
“The thing about Phil was he didn’t pull his punches”, remembers Plant. “He really did have an opinion and a lot of heart. I remember I used to think it was great whenever there was a discourse between Robbie and Phil, because they were both so concerned about it being right. So we got things done pretty quick”.

The Genesis front man hadn’t met Plant prior to recording in Wales. But he was a big admirer having seen Zeppelin’s first UK gig at the marquee club when they were still gigging as The New Yardbirds. Collins had to learn the drum parts quickly. His drum kit was set up in the table tennis room, rather than the studio as the band thought it would give them a better live sound.

Two of the eight tracks on Pictures at Eleven, though, had already been completed by former Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Whitesnake drummer Cozy Powell.

Plant had turned down the chance to return to Zep’s old haunt Headley Grange to start his solo career. He was after that elusive fresh start and found it in Wales - at Rockfield Studios.

“I mean at the age of 32, when your career is finished, anything that came after that was a bonus really. After all that wild stuff and momentum in Zeppelin, this place was an absolute dream because it was pastoral, funny and it had a history."

The conversation turns to stories post Zep, how the album was written and how the personnel were recruited.
The lyrics of the hit single Big Log also crop up. They've been the subject of much discussion down the years. Are they about the death of John Bonham? Is it a discussion between Plant and God? Jezz Woodroffe says it's not about any of those things:
“Big Log was inspired by that time we were at Roy Harper’s house and we’d run out of fuel for the fire. Do you remember that?” He asks Robert and Robbie to make sure his recollection is not faltering. “Benji LeFevre came back with this big log that was about eight foot long and hollow. He put one end in the fire and all the smoke was billowing through it and out the other end straight onto us in the room. Do you remember that?”
“I remember our bass player Paul Martinez rolling a big spliff!” says Robbie Blunt returning to the theme of joint smoking and unhelpfully offering no credence to the keyboard players’ curious giant, hollow log story.

Robert arrived with some rare live tracks which were going to be included on the 9-CD box set to be released in Sept 2006 called Nine Lives. The tracks he brought to Rockfield for his former band mates to hear were taken from a show at the
Houston The summit on Sept 20th 1983
1 – In the Mood (Principle of moments)
2 – Like I’ve never been gone (Pictures at Eleven)
3 – Lively Up Yourself – A cover of a bob Marley song
4 – Thru with the two step – (Principle of moments)

Here's an extract of the converation that followed about those songs.

ROBERT PLANT: "I was so glad to take Warners up on their offer to remaster these albums because its not about the money. They wanted to put our back catalogue out bit by bit. And they’ve decided it’s a good idea to start it off with the box set of them all called ‘Nine Lives’. I was really quite fearful of what it might sound like but its wonderful. I know what we were driving at even if at times it was quite painful to do it."
I remember poor Robbie had to play this awful guitar synth. "
ROBBIE BLUNT: The problem was recording it. Because it had this delay, so in your head you had to play ahead of everything so it came out right, and then you’d get this horrible screeching noise because it wouldn’t track properly. Well it was tough but I have listened to ‘Sixes and Sevens’ the track I played the guitar synth on and it is good."
QUESTION: Have you been involved in the whole remastering process?
ROBERT PLANT: Me? I’m involved in everything pal. We did them at RACK in London, because they’ve got a great desk with a good outboard EQ and you can trust the monitors. The guy is finishing them off now. It’s hard in a way because each album sounds so different. People still say to me though that they sound very good. I mean the guy who’s been doing this at RACK he’s dealing with real up to date contemporary stuff. He’d say to me ‘Listen to this it sounds great’ and the live stuff we’re putting into the package sounds terrific as well. It’s spectacular. When we were on the road playing we extended the songs. I said to the guys "you know ‘In the mood’s’ like eight minutes long., we should edit it." And they said ‘No it’s a live track from the time. Just let it go where it goes’.
ROBBIE BLUNT: It seemed to evolve more as it went on when we were on tour. We would have these jump off points and we didn’t know where it was going to go some nights. And there would be jump back in points which was a cue --- and some of those areas were just fantastic. It was fantastic. It was an unknown quantity almost every night.
ROBERT PLANT: I suppose really at that time – of all the people who have recorded here - we probably took our Rockfield music in a big way to America because we were doing really well there. It was big time. So it almost wasn’t English if you like. It smacked of leaning toward American stuff.
ROBBIE BLUNT: I think what was really good about those first two albums was there was five parts – Great vocals, keyboards, bass guitar and drums – that stripped down you could take on any sound. Because those five great parts were there it worked. Whereas the third album when we had a different line-up it didn’t seem to work as well to me".

After and hour or two Robert announces he has to leave to head to Brecon where he and his new band are rehearsing.
A good day is had by all at Rockfield - the home of Rock Legends.

ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD by Jeff Collins is out summer 2007 on University of Wales Press

Hawkwind live and kicking

2006-11-02T14:07:00.001Z

Monday October 23th.
It's an away day special. I'm off to see Hawkwind in Northampton and catch up with leader singer Dave Brock. He's been so amazingly helpful in giving interviews and information about for my book on Rockfield studios.
I leave Cardiff on Monday afternoon for a meeting at the new Ricoh Arena - the home of Coventry City football club - about a radio project. All goes well and it's off down the M1 to Northampton.
So I arrive in the town a day early and find that the Travelodge I've booked is on the outskirts of the town in what looks like a Industrial estate. Except here its called a 'Leisure complex'!????!!!???! Overlooking the local football team's Sixfields Stadium is a sprawling site featuring nine resturants and a cinema. That's it!!! I've seen more life in old reruns of 'Blind date'. The only things around are a Franky and Bennys, a Bella Pasta, a TGI Friday's, macDonalds, and a place which serves everything whether its Mexican, French, Italian, japanese etc called the Red House or Red Hut or Red Hot Dutch!!! I can't remember which. . It's deeply depressing.
Then things take a turn to the worse (as if that was possible). "Where's the bar?' I ask the receptionist at the hotel. She gives me a baffled look. "The bar," I repeat. "Where is it?" "There's no bar in this hotel" she says looking at me as if I've gone mad and am asking room service to serve me moon cheese on shark fin toast.
So in despair I trudge out of the hotel in search of beer. Luckily one of the venues in this 'industrial leisure estate of death' is a themed 'Hungry Horse' pub restaurant. They serve alcohol. They serve alcohol. They serve alcohol. I step inside and immediately feel slightly better. A few pints later and I feel I can brave my dingy hotel room and wait for tomorrow to come early.

Tuesday October 24th.
10am: I venture into Northampton Town centre. It's no better. A crumbling midlands town with a depressing air about it. At its heart is a small market selling tat - desperatley in need of an exocet missile attack to put it out of its misery. I speed around the shops buying a newspaper or two as quickly as I can and head back to 'The Norman Bates Motel!'
3pm My friend Andrew arrives from London. He's here to take pictures of tonights gig for my book Rock Legends at Rockfield (on the famous studios in Wales which played home to the likes of Queen, Motorhead, Judas Priest, Oasis etc etc). We immediately head for the safety and shelter of the Hungry horse pub. Mid-afternoon beers are the order of the day. So a pleasant afternoon is spent mulling over the lastest news and fortunes of Cardiff City football club (still top of the Championship), films, music and life in general.
7pm
We grab a cab to the Deco theatre where the band are playing. We pick up our backstage passes and head into the venue. It's a bizarre theatre with a standing area in a small cavernous-like space on the ground floor. And then plush theatre seating upstairs. The audience filter in and make their choice. Those more smartly dressed head upstairs for a comfy seat. Those more informally attired - shall we say - stand at the front of the stage awaiting the arrival of the Hawklords. The smell of dope wafts through the air. Some are hardily able to stand and the gigs still a good 30 minutes after from starting.
In the bar area we mull over the future acts to grace the Deco: Jethro The comedian (or 'Your kidding. A comedian???), Curtis Stigers (for £27. Blimey.) The illegal Eagles tribute band and a pantomime starring no-one I've ever heard of. They must surely all be Northampton legends whose fame has not yet spread as far as Cardiff or London.

9pm - When the band arrives, its in a blaze of light and some amazing slideshow projections. (Though later the band are unhappy with the light show and say some of the lighting system hadn't arrived in time to be used on this their first date of their autumn tour) It's is mightily impressive though (See ANDREW PRITCHARD'S pictures above). But even more impressive is the sound. The band are on top form. The sound is excellent and songs such as Psychedelic Warlords, ROBOT and Spirit of the Age are outstanding.
And the big surprise - for the encore they don't play Silver Machine but instead thrash out a fantastic rendition of Motorhead. A great way to end a superb gig.

12pm -
Backstage we wait for Dave Brock as the stage crew clear away the masses and masses of equipment.
Later on the tour bus - we reminisce about the bands time at Rockfield. Dave and bassist Alan Davey recall the fishing trips outside Rockfield's rehearsal studio, The Old Mill House. Alan recalls catching a fish so big it would feed the whole band the next day. But he remembers saxophone player Nik Turner popped down in the night and scoffed the whole fish - including head, brain and eyes, bones, tail everything!!!!!. "The greedy bastard" is how Alan sums up having his prize catch devoured by a crazed - probably high - member of Hawkwind in a midnight raid.
The tour bus is oldish but looks comfortable. At the back there is a semi-circular leather seating area and The Davinci Code is playing on the DVD player. After 20 minutes of chatting I decide to leave before the bus drives off with me and I end up in Cambridge where the band play the following night.
So Andrew and I catch a cab back to the Trav-HELL-lodge for some warm cider which I've stashed in my room as an emergency. It's been a great concert and Hawkwind are top blokes. If you can catch them live - do so!!!!

24th November Deco Northampton

Musicians: Dave Brock -Guitar and vocals Alan Davey - Bass and Vocals Richard Chadwick - Drums and vocals Jason Stuart - Keyboards

Setlist ---- Right Stuff; Psychedelic Warlords; Orgone Accumulator; Paradox; Robot; Out Here We Are; Greenback Massacre; poem; Lord Of Light; Images; Infinity; Hassan-i-Sahba; Space Is Their; Hassan-i-Sahba; Encores; Spirit Of The Age; Motorhead

Sabbath bloody sabbath

2006-10-24T10:51:00.000+01:00

10am - I'm writing the Black sabbath chapter today for my book on Rockfield. The band recorded a handful of albums there in the late eighties and nineties but in the 70's they pretty much rehearsed there before every album. During their first rehearsal there they blew all the slates off the roof of the rehearsal room with the sheer volume of their performance.
A few weeks ago I interviewed Graham Wright (See picture above): a former roadie for Sabbath and a tech for drummer Bill Ward. He was working on the Rollings Stones tour which had arrived at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. It's a huge tour. The band are using three stages. So two of them are being set up in advance while the third is in use by the band. Each stage requires forty trucks to take the stage set and equipment around Europe. Graham took me backstage and it was like a small town. People everywhere. Washing machines and fridges set up all along the inside of the stadium and massive dining areas to cater for the hungry masses. To see more on behind the scenes at the Stones tour check out Graham's blog

http://gennyworldonu2.blogspot.com/

and its worth getting a copy of Graham (and David Tangye's) book 'How Black Was My Sabbath' - a roadies' eye view of the world of sabbath. These two guys when everywhere with the band and have some amazing stories to tell. It's an hysterical read.

I'm starting my Sabbath chapter with a great story about Ozzy fishing at Rockfield and being attacked by a Swan! A matchup between the Prince of Darkness and a white fluffy bird. Guess who wins!!! Seconds out round one!!!!

Here's a brief extract from my interview with Graham.

"Ozzy loved guns and always had a shotgun in the boot of his car - he always drove but i don't think he ever passed his driving test!
At Rockfield he was forever shooting. Especially in the early hours of the morning to wake everyone up before an early start to rehearsals. It used to annoy everyone. Especially Bill Ward. He'd always stand outside Bill’s room and fire off a few cartridges to get him up.
We really enjoyed it. We’d go into Rockfield to do our shopping and we’d cook for ourselves. We used to take turns. Ozzy loved cooking a curry.
We put a dart board up in one of the rooms and we’d play darts all nights. Tony Iommi used to love it. When they got boredl as rehearsals ground to a halt they’d play darts all night. We didn’t really drink all that much when we were rehearsing. It’s like this rock and roll myth that you drink and take drugs 24 hours and day but it wasn’t like that. They were very serious about writing and working out songs. We’d go out and have a few pints in the town but I’d say the drink and drugs weren’t prevalant at Rockfield. We'd do stuff occasionally and smoke the odd joint.
They were more into weja boards were Sabbath. They used to scare each other to death.
You'd heard one of the band members saying ‘I’m not sleeping in that room anymore.
There’s somebody in there!'
They were great at winding each other up --- at playing pranks on each other.
Bill was always the victim. We’d sneak into his room and pretend to be ghosts. We put a mirror over his face one night and woke him up. He came down the next morning and said 'I woke up and there was something horrible staring at me! I couldn't get back to sleep. It was terrifying!!!' - and it was his own face!"

....So this chapter should be an easy one to write. There are so many great stories to tell.

I took a break from the book last night to go and see a terrific concert. It was Jon Anderson (see picture above) and Rick Wakeman from Yes doing an evening of acoustic Yes music at St David's Hall in Cardiff. On stage they simply had an acoustic guitar and grand piano. They were both very funny as well. When Jon's guitar broke down, the Yes singer started telling a lame joke about 'a penguin going into a bar to look for his brother. He asked the bar tender if he'd seen his brother and the barman replies "I don't know. What does he look like?"
At this point Rick groans and begs the guitar tech - beaving away on Jon's guitar - please tell me it's fixed!!!!

When Jon tells the audience that when he was young, he and some freinds believed you could smoke banana skins to get high, Rick butts in with 'So that explains a lot of those lyrics then!' It was an entertaining night. The songs were great (the ran through Yes classic such as Awaken, Yours is no Disgrace, And You And I etc) - and the on stage chat was amusing. A good night all around.

Rock Legends at Rockfield is to be published by The University of Wales Press in summer 2007.

Robert Plant Reunion at Rockfield (Part 1)

2006-10-18T10:53:00.000+01:00

10am - I Start tackling chapter eight of my book on Rockfield. This one focuses on Robert Plant's time at the studios. Plant arrived at Rockfield in Monmouth in Wales only a year after the break-up of Led Zeppelin following the death of his close friend John Bonham. 25 years on I decide it would be a good idea to reunite Plant and his first solo band at Rockfield. The first task: getting them altogether. It feels a bit like the film the Dirty Dozen - except without Nazi's, without a major global theatre of conflict, without convicted murderers and, of course no Telly Savalas. Actually it's not much like the Dirty Dozen at all now I reflect on it. First I put in calls to Plants' guitarist Robbie Blunt and Bass player Paul Martinez. Both are happy to meet up at Rockfield. Next up is Jezz Woodroffe - former Black Sabbath keyboard player. He featured on their excellent Technical Ecstasy album (its really much underated) Jez is likewise happy to come down from his home in mid-Wales to Monmouth but warns me I've little chance of persuading the man himself to make it as he's extremely busy.
Next I get hold of Robert Plant via his agent. I decide to tackle things one stage at a time. Secure the interview first and then put forward the idea of going to Rockfield. First Robert agrees to see me in person. Great! The venue. His Midlands home? No. He's going to be in London for a while. London then? No how about Rockfield he suggests. Bingo!!! 'Well actually', I say, 'I've already arranged for your band to be there'. Robert is delighted by the thought of meeting up with his old colleagues and friends and the so date is set. Mission accomplished. Rockfield is to be the venue to the 25th anniversary reunion of the team that made Pictures At Eleven and The Principle of Moments.

11am This chapter is pretty much writing itself. It was a magnificent day at Rockfield. I travelled up in my friends Andrew's car. He was up from London to take a raft of photos from the day for the book. We belted it up the short distance from Cardiff to Monmouth playing some loud Zep tracks on the way. The rain that had made it a miserable start to the day in Cardiff gives way to beautiful sunshine in the Vale of Gwent. The sun is now out and our fears about shooting everything indoors, because of the weather, fade. Jezz and Robbie are the first to arrive and tell me that Paul Martinez is unable to make it because of a family bereavement. We're sat in the accomodation block for the Coach house studio. (See picture above) Rockfield has two studios. The Coach House, which was built first, and the bigger Quadrangle studio in the main courtyard. The accomodation block is amazing. It is a seven-bedroom house with all modern conveniences, including satellite TV and whirlpool bathtubs.
Then the Quadrangle accomodation includes three self-contained apartments, as well as half a dozen more rooms with bath.

We chat as we wait for their former singer to arrive (See picture of me and Jezz above). Jez tells us how his two favourite bands as a teenager were Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin and how he amazingly ended up playing with both his former heroes and playing at the legendary Madison Square Gardens with both.

Here's an extract from the raw interview i did with Jezz as we waited for the band to assemble:

Q: How did you get involved with Robert?
A:Well, when the Sabbath thing folded and Ozzy Osbourne left, I went and did a solo album at Dave Anderson’s studio (the old bass player from Hawkwind). I did this solo album and then David Vern (Graduate records) heard it and he signed me up for that first solo album. And Roy, who was working at Graduate records, was a friend of Robert Plants. And Robert was looking for a keyboard player for his first solo album. And Roy said to him ‘You should listen to this’. So that was part of the connection. I also understand that David Vern was on the train from Wolverhampton with a copy of my solo album when Robert got on the train in the same compartment. Those two things made it happen I think. Robert though ‘This is the bloke I should be going to see.’
The Woodruffe’s music shop, which is a big music shop in Birmingham, was where I was centred then and Robert came in the shop one day. And that was it really. He asked me to come down to Rockfield.
Q:Did the band first meet up at Rockfield?
A:The first thing we did was Robert invited me round his house. And Robbie Blunt (guitarist) was there, Because Robert and Robbie go back a long way. I think Robert used to pick Robbie up from school to come and play guitar with his band at the time
Back in the mid-sixties. So Robbie was messing about in Robert little private studio and immediately Robbie and I had something that was very deep and special. It came straight away as we really liked each other. And it kind of developed from that. So we spent quite a bit of time at Robert’s house and then we came down here to Rockfield and we stayed at the old Mill – Rockfield rehearsal studio.
It’s brilliant – it’s a massive old place. And we set up a lot of stuff there and then we were trying to get drummers and bass players to make up a complete band.
And we had quite a few interesting things happen. We had Simon Kirke from Free and Bad Company who came down. That didn’t work out to well. We had some young bass players who played kind of ‘Level 42 style’. That also didn’t work. And then Cozy Powell came down. And he was around for quite a while. What a smashing bloke he was. Me and Cozy were great friends. It was very sad what happened to him. It developed from there really. And we got a few songs together and we recorded them in the coach house studio. That became the first part of ‘Pictures at Eleven’.
Q:Had Phil Collins arrived by then?
A:Phil came in at the last minute really because Cozy was a very heavy drummer. A really really amazing time keeper but he couldn’t do the lighter more intricate stuff. And Jason Bonham was doing it for us. He lived just around the corner from Frobert.He used to come to rehearsals. And a lot of the time when we were writing the songs Jason was the drummer a lot of the time and he was only about 15. He was still better than anybody else though! But he hadn’t got the experience to do an album. So Phil came in to do the album and had such a laugh he did the second album as well and then came on the tour.
So the Band didn’t tour after the first album ‘ Pictures at Eleven’ but waited for the release of the second album ‘The Principle of Moments’?
That was because Robert didn’t want anybody asking him to do Led Zeppelin songs. And we hadn’t got enough material to do a two hour show. And the place to go was America and it was obviously we needed a fair substantial amount of new material before we could put a show together, so we waited until the two albums we done by which time we had a number one album.
Q:Do you have a favourite memory from that time?
A:The very first gig we did in America was really scary because we didn’t know if we could pull it off. We’d never done a big gig before and it worked. Playing Madison Square Gardens I think had got to be a highlight. But then as a kid that’s what I always wanted to do. I wanted to play at MSG which I did with Black Sabbath. As a kid the two bands I used to listen to were Black Sabbath and led Zeppelin. So it was quite strange that this teenager ended up playing with his musical heroes, because I also played with Jimmy Page and john Paul Jones at different gigs.

Half an hour later Robert Plant strides in. (See third picture above) His first words to me and Andrew are 'Something's wrong here! Can you leave us alone!' Me and Andrew are gobsmacked. Is the legendary singer chucking us out of our own interview? Have we done something to upset 'The Golden God'? Then a big smile breaks out across his face - and Plant explains that he wants to catch up with his friends and is sure we don't want to hear all about which schools there kids are attending and what holidays they've been on recently.

So Andrew and I retire to a nearby pub for an hour for lunch and Andrew reviews the photos he has taken so far of the studios and Robbie Blunt and Jezz. Out comes his laptop as he looks back at the morning's shots. How very flash! I ask him if any of his photos are in focus!!! He gives me that 'If looks could kill' stare.

12pm --- Hopefully I can finish the Plant chapter tomorrow. I let you know all about the interview in my next blog - (or possibly the one after that!!). Tonight I'm off to St David's Hall in Cardiff to see Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman live doing an evening of Yes music. I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be a nice break and as a bonus Classic Rock Magazine want me to review for them as well. It should be a good night.

The Answer - live in Cardiff

2006-10-10T12:07:00.000+01:00

Saturday October 7th. I take a day off writing the Rockfield book. Tomorrow is my birthday and I've decided today should figure as part of those celebrations. This evening together with my girlfriend Yvonne and my friend Andrew I'm heading out to see the superb new band, The Answer, live at Cardiff University. They are co-headlining with another excellent new band Roadstar.

3pm --- Things kick-off in the afternoon. Andrew comes around to my house early to watch a 2008 European Championship qualifier between Wales and Slovakia. Things start well. We down a few cold beers and everything feels fine. But the afternoon takes on a Wes Craven-type twist and things turn 'Nightmare on Elm street' bad. Wales play like they've never seen a football before and are trounced 5-1 by the mighty Slovaks here in Cardiff. At least Freddie Kruger would have put in a few hard tackles (though the razor-fingered gloves may have got him sent off quite early into the game). A big, bad, mean-looking grey cloud hangs over the magnificent Millennium Stadium. Oh Dear! It's our biggest home defeat for nearly 100 years. Me and Andrew reckon we could have played better than some of our dismal international footballers. Still Wales had a nicer looking kit than the dreary Eastern European shade of blue that Slovakia were wearing. But I'm clutching at straws here. It seems our dreams of making a major championship finals are over for another four years. Roll on the qualifying campaign for the World Cup in 2010.

Who needs football anyway? Let's stick with the rock and roll. Tonight it's the Answer and Roadstar (formerly Hurricane party) live at the University.

8.30pm The University is buzzing - it's a mixed crowd. Not everyone is a student. There are a few world weary rock fans with more than a few gray hairs, wearing faded tour t-shirts. I see a guy in a nearly bleached out old UFO shirt crash headlong into another middle aged gent coming in the opposite direction, wearing a Motley Crue tour shirt. Both are carrying beers. Or should that be 'Both WERE carrying beers!!'. And you had to admire the dedication of one guy, who wore a sleeveless denim jacket with dozens and dozens of patches sown on the back. They were all there. Zep patches, AC/DC, Rush, Van Halen, Motorhead, Saxon, Judas priest etc etc. It must have been a long night of sewing for either him or his mum.

9pm - The Answer take to the stage first (see Picture of the band in action at top) and fire the place up with a cracking version of their new single Under the Sky. If you've never heard of the Answer, they are like a cross between Led Zeppelin and the Black Crowes with a hint of Free and The Who thrown in for good measure. I reviewed them live at the Barfly in Cardiff last october (along with the amazingly wonderful and kick-ass Tokyo Dragons) for Classic Rock Magazine. They were terrific. I said that 'they oozed the spirit of the 70's' --- a quote which the band used on some of the publicity posters and adverts for their album Rise. I was well chuffed with that!!!!
Sadly we can't actually see much of the band. The stage is raised only a beer mat's width above the floor. So - with a few dozen seven foot tall, shaggy haired fans standing right in front of us - we can see very little. The three of us, though, excitedly tap each other and shout loudly whenever we do catch a brief glimpse of the singer or the guitarist. Wow! It's like being on a beach in Victorian era England and catching a momentary glimpse of a woman's bare ankle. Swoon!

The band run through their new album with great songs like the Zeppelinesque Never Too Late, the incredibly bluesy Memphis Water and Preachin' , and the superb machine-gun fire slide guitar of Into the Gutter. This band are destined for great things. If you haven't bought the album Rise yet, do so now. The lead singer Cormac Neeson is like a cross between Robert Plant, Chris Robinson and Joe Cocker. He is captivating to watch live as he struts and shakes his way across the stage. Guitarist Paul Mahon is a huge talent and probably the best slide guitar player of his generation, while drummer James Heately is a non-stop whirl of noise and rhythm ---- and bassist Mickey Waters plunders the depths of his instrument to enhance The Answer's killer rhythm section.

Andrew took a few snaps of me after the gig chatting with Cormac and with Roadstar singer Ritchie Heavanz (which I've put at the top of this Blog) without me knowing. What a pro!!!

10pm - Roadstar arrive in a swagger of massive hair and a glam rock wardrobe that the Velvet Revolver would kill for. Roadstar are also terrific. A good old Rock band (in a kind of AC/DC, Cult, Guns 'n' Roses style with a smattering of Glam rock thrown in.). I bought their debut CD Grand Hotel at the gig for a tenner and it's brilliant. A superb lively set and once again cardiff university was treated to some of the best rock music around at the moment.

A highlight of the night was my partner Yvonne - becoming a 'Mosh-pit mum'. Whilst we were stuck at the back of the stage for the Answer - in the break we dashed down to the front of the stage. Yvonne instantly made half a dozen new friends among the Roadstar faithful. When the band were on, she leapt, head banged and devil-horned with the best of them. Top rock chic. Our 20 month old son Bryn would have been proud of her - particularly as she lunged forward desparately trying to touch singer Ritchie Heavanz outstretched hand during the blazing song Roadstar. (That last photo is me and yvonne- post gig)

Then it was home for more beers and the real birthday celebrations on Sunday.

On Monday its back to the writing. I'll let you all know about the day I reunited Robert Plant and his first solo band at Rockfield to be interviewed for the book. It was a fascinating day.

(Rock Legends at Rockfield will be published by the University of Wales Press and University of Chicago Press in the US sometime in the summer of 2007.)

Motorhead memories of Rockfield

2006-09-28T14:25:00.000+01:00

12pm - Work on my book has come to a standstill. I'm using a Mac to write the book and I'm still learning the intricacies of this machine. It's a wonderful laptop and the Macs are so much faster than PC's that I wish I'm discovered them sooner. But this morning the simple act of inserting consecutive page numbers has beaten me. Hours of scrolling through 'Pages' (the Mac version of Word) have proved fruitless. The frustration. Its always the simple things that prove your undoing. Like when your football team manages to beat the world's best one week, and then somehow slips up against lowly Mottlespur United the next.

Arggghhh!

12.30pm -- Decide to put some of the photographs I've gathered on Rockfield on a CD and send them to Nicky at University of Wales Press. She'll be dealing with the books illustrations. This proves an easier task and my faith in cyber world is restored. Well partly.

1pm -- I type up and Send off a thank you to former Motorhead producer Fritz Fryer. After a brief chat he asked me to email him some questions regarding his time at Rockfield with Lemmy (PICTURED top left in Cardiff 2004) and the guys. He sent me a four page essay packed with hilarious stories about the making of the band's album there. In one he describes how the band decided to help him get through the marathon recording sessions as only Motorhead know how:
"I had an absolute ban on myself taking stimulants…. but thirty-two hours of non-stop concentration had taken its toll. I had been turning up the volume more and more in an attempt to rivet my attention, the volume control was now at eleven and I was seriously tired.
One of Motorhead breezed into the control room and said ‘You need a line or we ain’t going to make it’.
He could be very persuasive, taking out the mirror glass, razor and white powder. The band seemed to prescribe one every twenty minutes. Whilst resisting the frequency, I did succumb to his medication, which saw me through the next sleepless forty hours”.
with guitarist
2pm - The room is getting smaller and I can hear beer calling me. I try to resist. I've not done nearly enough work today though. But the call of alchol is growing louder. This has been a very disrupted week. Next week will be better, I promise myself.
Next week I must start work on my Robert Plant chapter. That was a very good day. I managed to persuade Robert Plant and his first solo band to reunite at Rockfield (PICTURED bottom left -- Guitarist Robbie Blunt, former Black Sabbath keyboard player Jezz Woodroffe and Plant himself ). They recorded two albums at Rockfield: Pictures at Eleven and The Principle of Moments. It was a great afternoon. Robert explained how working at the studio was a rebirth for him after the demise of Led Zeppelin the year earlier. He even moved to Monmouth afterwards he liked it so much. Anyway more on that next week.

(ROCK LEGENDS AT ROCKFIELD will be published by The University of Wales Press in 2007)

Hawkwind, LSD and naked ladies

2006-09-27T14:44:00.001+01:00

I'm still coming to terms with having quit my day job at BBC Wales. One of the great things is that I can finish my book on the legendary Rockfield studios (Main Quadrangle Studio is PICTURED Bottom Left) - home to the likes of Queen, Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Manic Street Preachers, Annie lennox, Motorhead, Robert Plant and many many more.

But I'm discovering that working from home is tough going. There are so many distractions. The TV. Endless repeats of Starsky and Hutch and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century are testing my will power to breaking point. I need to adopt 'Spartan Warrior' mode. Then there's the endless cups of tea and snack breaks. And maybe I'll take my tenth break of the morning to feed some more CDs into my Ipod and it's only 11am!!!!

11-15am. I'm distracted by a strangled cooing type sound. I look around my attic office to discover the source of this horrible noise. Nothing obvious springs to mind. Ahhh looking outside, I see two demented pigeons who've decided to use my window as a beak sharpener. Great! Where's Ozzy Osbourne and his gun collection when you need. Note to Self: Start writing the Black Sabbath chapter of the Rockfield book tomorrow. Maybe!

1pm. On the plus side I've managed to finish Chapter Six. Well. It's 95% written (which is good!) - though it's now been retitled Chapter Seven. Big decisions such as this are really mind-spinning!!! Though by tomorrow it may well be Chapter Eight. Oh the power I wield in my own small world. It's quite a head rush. But I am quite pleased with it. It focusses on the time Judas Priest, Ian Gillan and Rush spent at Rockfield Studios. Judas Priest arrived at the Welsh studios in 1975 to record Sad Wings of destiny - the album that created the Priest sound they have to this day. Ian Gillan remixed Clear Air Turbulence in 1977 while Rush (PICTURED Top Left Live in 2005) left Canada for the first time to record Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres at the Monmouth studio. Rush chose the UK to come to as they were big fans of the British Prog Rock scene. Once they'd chosen Rockfield, they were taken aback by just how rural the place is.
I was delighted that Geddy Lee could take time out from recording Rush's new album (the band are now back in the studio in Toronto laying down the tracks until christmas) to speak to me about their time at Rockfield. “We were quite excited to be there. Everything was foreign. Everything was different so it took us a while to settle in. The second day we were there, the guys went for a long walk across a field behind Rockfield and ended up getting chased across the pasture by a herd of cows. We realised then it was the rural life for us for the coming weeks."
It seems the recording of Farewell to Kings went well but Hemispheres proved to be a nightmare as the band arrived in Wales with no songs written and found the whole process hugely troublesome the second time around.
But that chapter's done and out of the way. It's onward and upward.

2pm. Carry on with the task of gathering photos to illustrate the book. So far Brian May has kindly contributed two from his personal collection of his time at Rockfield including one of him sitting at the Piano on which Freddy Mercury recorded Bohemian Rhapsody. Paul Carrack has also sent a few as has the producer of Judas Priest: Geraint Hughes.
Today I call Dave Brock - the founder member of Hawkwind who back in February promised he'd look up some photos for me to use. Dave's an absolutely top guy and really really helpful.
Chapter Four is all about Hawkwind's time at Rockfield. They've made about 20 albums there since around 1973. My favourite is Doremi Fasol Latidio. It was the first one Lemmy played one. I love the opening track Brainstorm. Dave told me a fantastic story about the making of this at Rockfield:
“One of the tracks we were having problems with was called ‘Brainstorm’. Our sax player Nick Turner just wasn’t getting it. So to help him out, we decided to spike his drink with LSD in the hope that it would sort the problem out. But somehow Nick got wise to our plans. He kept avoiding any food or drink we put his way. ‘I’m not touching that’ he’d shout and then storm out. In the end we had to get some of the road crew to help. One of them spiked Nick’s yoghurt with LSD. And you know what? It worked. Nick played the piece really well and ‘Brainstorm’ was completed. He played it much better under the influence of drugs.”

Hawkwind are back on tour in the UK next month (October) and Dave's working on a whole collection of tapes he's found and dusted down from Hawkwind's time at the studios (mainly centring around 1977). He's hoping the finished product called 'The Raockield tapes' will be out next Spring (2007) on Voiceprint Records.
The Hawkwind chapter was one of my favourite to write and it starts with a cracking tale about Hawkwinds' girlfriends and wives swimming naked in the river monnow near Rockfield. There's also a great story of tantrums and tears surrounding the band's brief recruitment of ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker.

5pm Must crack on! Oh that's becoming a bit of a personal catch phrase. I must put a stop to saying that right now. But first I must crack on.

JUDAS PRIEST, MOTORHEAD AND FOOD FIGHTS

2006-09-20T14:59:00.000+01:00

I'm struggling to get my head around work today. My mind is occupied by a strange mental image.
The thought of JUDAS PRIEST and MOTORHEAD having a food fight is a surreal one. My money would be on MOTORHEAD to edge this battle (despite being outnumbered by PRIEST). This happened in December 1975 when both bands were recording at the legendary Rockfield studios. MOTORHEAD were recording their debut album (but it would be shelved and not released until 1979 following the success of 'Ace of Spades' when United Artists would issue it as 'On Parole' to cash in on their former band's sudden chart success). JUDAS PRIEST were at the Welsh studios to record their second album 'Sad Wings of Destiny". I have just interviewed producer Jeff Calvert, who worked on the Priest album, for a book I'm writting on Rockfield Studios, which will be published by The University Of Wales Press next year.
It was a bizzarre match-up. Jeff and his colleague Geraint Hughes had a number one hit at the time with the novelty song 'Barbados' as the band TOTALLY TROPICAL- becoming pin-ups in the likes of Smash Hits. Putting these teen heart-throbs together with JUDAS PRIEST must have seen the band in full 'jaw dropped' mode. But it worked. Jeff and Geraint took the band away from the Blues rock of their debut album Rocka Rolla and created the sound which is still recognisable as Priest to this day. But plans for a JUDAS PRIEST/TOTALLY TROPICAL co-headlined tour failed to materialise!
Jeff remembered bumping into MOTORHEAD at Rockfield one day after Lunch with Rob Halford and co. The studio is a converted farm in Monmouth in Wales. It looks nothing like a major recording studio. It looks like a farm. But the likes of BLACK SABBATH, QUEEN, RUSH, OASIS, and THE STONE ROSES have recorded there. But it seems that day in the courtyard just alongside the main studio, MOTORHEAD and JUDAS PRIEST squared up for a big food fight. The only collaboration between these two metal greats involved hurling bread rolls, potatos and veg at each other. That's a shame and not jst for the people who had to clean up the mess afterwards.
Today I must buckle down to work on Chapter six of my book -- which concentrates on the period when JUDAS PRIEST, RUSH and IAN GILLAN recorded at Rockfield between 1975-77. Can I drag myelf away from repeats of FRAZIER on the Paramount Comedy Channel? Yes, of course I can. I must finish this chapter today. Hold on though! This is the episode where Frazier is dating a supermodel and no-one believes him. It finishes in 25 minutes. I'll start then.