Compiled by Carl Miller
Published by Astral Horizon Press
The story of rock n’ roll cannot be truly told without the spinal tales of the road crew and the characters that made it – and without whom, the business would not exist as we know it.
Artists have always needed someone to take care of all sorts of things, such as wardrobe, travel, or even finding their way to the stage. The modern breed of rock crew did not exist until the late sixties or early seventies, coming to the fore with the advent of rock groups who started to require sophisticated equipment such as amplifiers and PA systems.
Compiled by tour manager Carl Miller, Backstage Chronicles recounts numerous hilarious, and sometimes harrowing stories, from a whole host of the music business’ greatest characters, including: –
Stevie Wonder driving the tour bus.
Ginger Baker’s legendary no-shows.
Stealing Cat Steven’s Rolls Royce.
Getting stuck in a lift with Steve McQueen.
Throwing John Lennon out of a party.
Overcoming Carole King’s stage fright.
Hanging out with George & Ringo.
Losing £75,000 of Led Zeppelin’s money.
Turning down Tom Cruise.
Steve Marriott’s Mexican arrest.
Pati Labelle’s lost wigs.
Sacked by The Sex Pistols.
The £100,000 crate of lager.
Buster Bloodvessel’s underpants.
“When I first started, facilities were non-existent. You slept in the van or in a railway station (popular as they were the only place you could get a cup of tea in the evening in those days). Things have come on a long way since then. Crews now enjoy sleeper coaches, hotels, organised catering at the gig, and so on.
There are also more females on crews now. Pre-eighties it was very much a guys’ world, with few exceptions. For me, one of the best things about being a tour manager and putting a tour together was picking a crew. Getting the right individual crew member could be the difference between a happy and successful tour or not so happy. On a couple of occasions, I inherited some right bozos. I’m sure most tour managers would nod in agreement. It was matter of getting a blend of their skill at the task, coupled with the right personality, attitude and team ethic, all in one.” Carl Miller
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