Tag Archives: bobgeldof

Book Review: Young Once (A Life Less Heavy) by Nigel Planer

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With perfect timing, towards the end of his excellent memoir, Nigel Planer reminds us that he once played Peter Mandelson in the 2011 ‘Comic Strip Presents…’ film ‘The Hunt For Tony Blair’.

The casting makes perfect sense but a key takeaway from his book is that Planer is hardly the mendacious or Machiavellian sort – by his own admission, ‘haphazard’ and ‘oversensitive’ would probably cover it.

Ben Elton nicknamed him ‘Niggle Complainer’ and he confesses that Neil –  his famous ‘Young Ones’ character – was mainly based upon himself.

But ‘Young Once’ generally refreshes the parts other actor autobiographies can’t reach not just because it’s so well written – he’s a playwright, novelist, poet and songwriter too – but due to its unflinching honesty and sheer variety of ideas.

Planer details his somewhat bohemian upbringing in southwest London, early life as a slightly naive university dropout and long-term patient at the Hospital of Tropical Diseases, before finding his mojo at drama school, developing the Neil character and hooking up with comedy ace faces Alexei Sayle, Rik Mayall, Peter Richardson and Ade Edmondson during the punk era.

The book really gathers momentum at this point, when music and comedy were dovetailing and a political conscience was de rigueur. He’s completely honest about his sometimes tricky relationship with Richardson, and expresses regret about not doing more work with him, Ade and Rik, outside of the two superb ‘Four Men’ Comic Strip films.

There’s some touching stuff about Mayall’s tragic deterioration and the effect it had on his friends, and lots about the filming of other classic Comic Strip movies. Meanwhile Neil and ‘The Young Ones’ make Planer famous, a fame that hits him hard. He’s amazed that his TV appearance in ‘Shine On Harvey Moon’ gets three times as many viewers as ‘The Young Ones’ but no one ever comments on the former.

Around the same time he completely fails to recognise David Bowie during the Mexican shoot of ‘Yellowbeard’, describing a ‘lithe man with blond hair’ by the hotel pool whose movements are ‘deliberate and poised’. And then there’s the revelation that Bowie got Graham Chapman injured during the shoot thanks to an ill-advised, late-night Jeep ride.

But readers of this site will probably particularly enjoy the long section on music. Planer’s pressganged by Bob Geldof into attending the Band Aid recording as Neil, and we get the juicy muso details of recording ‘Hole In My Shoe’ – ably abetted by National Health/Bill Bruford/’It’s My Party’ hitmaker Dave Stewart – and subsequent ‘Top Of The Pops’ appearances.

There’s funny stuff about Planer and Richardson finding their comedy/rock double act supporting Dexys Midnight Runners, AC/DC and Motorhead, amazed to find the latter reading books backstage, and introducing a nascent Curiosity Killed The Cat in a tiny Chelsea club (Crazy Larry’s) wearing only pyjamas and dressing gown. We also get the full story of Bad News’s superb performance at Castle Donington in 1986…

It’s oft forgotten that Planer has enjoyed a formidable stage career too, and he discusses work on ‘Chicago’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Evita’, plus how he invented his comic alter ago Nicholas Craig, the ultimate luvvie.

‘Young Once’ is a must for anyone who’s interested in alternative comedy and ‘The Young Ones’ era, plus anyone who’s enjoyed Nigel’s work as a ‘serious’ actor (though surprisingly there’s nothing about working with Dennis Potter), writer or musician.

It’s a great London book too – Planer’s adventures take him from Richmond and Twickenham to Notting Hill (where he has a memorable dinner with John Cleese) and a drug-addled Chelsea Harbour.

There are also some quite profound life lessons – it’s ‘an object lesson in why you should never give up’, as the blurb puts it. An enjoyable, intelligent read, ‘Young Once’ is highly recommended.

USA For Africa: We Are The World @ 40

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Released 40 years ago this month and officially the fastest-selling single in American music history, USA For Africa’s ‘We Are The World’ shifted over 20 million copies and raised a huge amount of money for African famine relief.

Co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie during a few sessions at the former’s house in Encino, the song divides opinion but only the hardest heart could fail to be moved by its recording (even if one can definitely feel the vibe of some major agent/star power – no arriving in the manager’s battered old car for this lot…).

It brought together a fairly astonishing cast list of the great and good. And, inadvertently, it also arguably represented a last gasp for classic 1980s R’n’B and yacht rock.

The basic track was recorded at Kenny Rogers’ Lion Share Studios on 22 January 1985 with king-of-the-cross-stick John ‘JR’ Robinson on drums, bassist Louis Johnson and pianist Greg Phillinganes, closely monitored by a huge press corps, co-producers Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian and engineer Humberto Gatica. According to Robinson, all the musicians were sight-reading a chart and a click track was used, and they didn’t do more than two takes.

A few days later, Lionel sat down with Quincy and vocal arranger Tom Bahler to prep who would sing which lines (the decision was also made to mainly record vocals live and ‘in the round’ with no or at least very few ‘punch-ins’, unlike ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’). All the major vocalists were then sent a copy of the basic track featuring Jackson’s guide vocal and with an enclosed letter from Lionel.

The featured singers then assembled at A&M Studios at around 9pm on Monday 28 January, most arriving after the American Music Awards (which Richie hosted). Notable absentees: Madonna (who was apparently bumped in favour of Cyndi Lauper), Prince (check out Duane Tudahl’s superb book for the details), George Benson, Dolly Parton, Donna Summer, Michael McDonald, Pat Benatar, Rod Temperton, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Billy Idol? And is it odd that Smokey Robinson didn’t sing a solo line?

The complete footage of the recording session is still fascinating. We see how some of the biggest names in music history found different ways of preparing. Steve Perry waits for his line with eyes shut, looking down, listening intently. Diana Ross does just the opposite.

Bob Geldof gives a stirring pep talk and Stevie Wonder brings in two Ethiopian women to address the singers, moving many to tears. It’s hard not to be touched by Stevie, Kenny Rogers, Dionne Warwick, Diana, Steve Perry, Ray Charles and Cyndi Lauper’s vocals. But Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen seem to get the most respect from the assembled stars.

Other observations: Brucie – who had finished the latest leg of the Born In The USA tour the night before – looking like Judd Nelson in ‘The Breakfast Club’. Al Jarreau struggling throughout. Lionel the team player. Stevie giggling like a naughty schoolkid when Quincy gets annoyed. James Ingram hiding behind Kenny Rogers after a boo-boo.

Paul Simon twice saying to Rogers: ‘Can I help?’ Lauper sharing vocal tips with Kim Carnes. MJ holding hands with Diana and Stevie. Quincy and Stevie rehearsing with Bob Dylan. Stevie and Ray Charles using their braille machine. Quincy reading the score as he conducts the soloists, and his witty asides: ‘Who you gonna call?’ etc.

It looks like they recorded the first half of the song first (up to and including Daryl Hall) and then spent some time on the middle eight with Huey Lewis, Lauper and Carnes.

How does it sound now? Phillinganes’ piano playing is a pleasure to hear, typically tasty and gospel-inflected. But the track is inundated with synths – no less than four players are credited, including David Paich and Steve Porcaro from Toto – and probably why it reminded many of a Pepsi ad.

And it’s odd that the song features no guitar, though Prince offered to play a solo – Quincy reportedly told Prince’s manager Bob Cavallo: ‘I don’t need him to play guitar, we got f*ckin’ guitars’!

Book Review: Adventures In Modern Recording by Trevor Horn

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It was surely only a matter of time before arguably the most important producer of the last 50 years put pen to paper, but Trevor Horn’s memoir ‘Adventures In Modern Recording’ was still one of the nicest surprises of 2022.

The opening section outlines his upbringing in the tough, industrial North East of England, and then each chapter is centred around one key track that made his name as a producer, from The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ to Seal’s ‘Crazy’.

We trace Horn’s early days as a Beatles and Dylan fanatic, self-taught guitarist (his musician father buys him a knackered old four-string which gets broken and is never replaced) and upright bass player in the school orchestra.

There’s the constant fear of going down the mines, a fate that had befallen most of his relatives. Young Trevor eventually has to move in with his grandparents (sharing a bed with Uncle John), though they are supportive of his musical talent.

Horn moves to Leicester and starts playing double bass with big bands whose repertoire includes pop covers and light jazz. By this time, he has become an ace sight-reader, something that he values throughout his career.

He relocates to Blackpool to take up a residency with the band, his dad dropping him off with the words: ‘Well, you’re on your own now, son. You just watch it.’ Horn then hits London to play with a band called Canterbury Tales and pick up various function gigs.

As disco takes hold, Horn finds himself on the studio scene, getting a regular gig with Tina Charles and ‘fixing’ a lot of duff songs, including Leicester City’s ‘This Is The Season For Us’. The penny drops – he suddenly realises he’s a record producer.

This becomes his driving force as he moves away from the bass and meets Jill Sinclair, studio manager of SARM West (formerly Island’s Basing Street studio) and soon to be both his manager and wife. We get the fascinating story of Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’, Horn literally having to construct a hit out of various disparate elements.

We learn that Horn sacks ABC’s bass player Mark Lickley just before the recording of Lexicon Of Love (Horn reports that U2 later got wind of this and refused to work with him!) – he is fairly ruthless as a young producer, always with Jill in his corner, but is now repentant.

There’s a very funny chapter on working with Malcolm McLaren and The Supreme Team on Duck Rock and a toe-curling account of cooking up Yes’s US #1 single ‘Owner Of A Lonely Heart’.

We get the inside story on making Frankie’s ‘Relax’ and Holly Johnson’s court case plus Horn’s involvement with the 12” version of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’. Horn reports that when he first meets Bob Geldof, the Boomtown Rats frontman immediately tells him he preferred Bruce Woolley’s version of ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ to the Buggles’. Horn reacts thus: ‘What a twat. After filing him under “Rude Fucker”, I moved on…’ (They later made up.)

There are tales of painstakingly piecing together ‘Slave To The Rhythm’, Seal turning up for his 2004 Wembley charity gig (see below) at the last minute, and a trained Special Branch dog making an immediate bee-line for his bag in the dressing room. You can read the book for the funny punchline.

‘Adventures In Modern Recording’ is the very definition of the muso page-turner. Full of interesting titbits and amusing gossip, you need it if you have even the slightest interest in 1980s and 1990s pop.

Spitting Image: We’re Scared Of Bob

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In the ’80s, there was no shortage of pop coverage to inspire conversation in the playground, whether it was Boy George’s first appearance on ‘Top Of The Pops’, Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video or Matt Bianco being verbally abused live on children’s TV.

Of course it really helped that there were only four terrestrial channels to choose from, breeding a feeling of community and sense of occasion.

But one TV show absolutely guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing and rescue many a depressing Sunday evening was ‘Spitting Image’.

Just a cursory look at a show from its mid-’80s peak leaves one stunned at the craftsmanship and production values on offer, especially as they only had a few days to write, build and shoot each episode. There were some good musical spoofs too, composed by Philip Pope, fresh from UK comedy classic ‘Not The Nine O’Clock News’ and his parody band The Hee Bee Gee Bees, who even managed a few hits in the early ’80s.

‘Spitting Image’ also featured some memorable Phil Collins, ZZ Top and Madonna skits, and they even managed to rope Sting in to re-sing this. But ‘We’re Scared Of Bob’ is full of surprises and surely the best spoof. Its sheer potency is still a shock to the system. You also suspect that Sir Gandalf was watching, so unmissable was the programme in the mid-’80s.

Why isn’t there anything like this around now? Oh, lack of money and talent, probably. A show like ‘Spitting Image’ also highlights the paucity of genuinely interesting musical (and public) figures these days.