I’m indebted to Stackridge’s manager, Mike Tobin, for posting an account of the band’s recent appearance on the Craig Ferguson Show in Hollywood. What you are reading below is an extract from a longer article, sent to me by Rick Genovese, an American musician who co-wrote one of Stackridge’s songs, “Big Baby”. This extract gives a great insight into the “behind-the-scenes” activity on a networked TV broadcast…….
“Technicians swarmed around as we had a look at the studio where Craig’s show is recorded. Everything went like clockwork – at exactly the time on our schedule we got the call for setting up & soundchecks. All went well. I sat in the audience section watching , the camera crew were already trying out angles and shots . Then it was time for a run through of the actual song , several times while the sound techs adjusted & tweaked & the producer decided on the camera plot. All done it was then time for …..make up !!!! Sarah & Clare really enjoyed this ( there was a strict embargo on us taking any photos anywhere but I did manage to get a few of the girls getting their hair & faces done, before I was told off & I had to agree to pack the camera away ) . James & then Crun were stunned to find they were sat next to Condoleeza Rice as she got her make up done- she congratulated them on “the music” she had apparantly been watching & listening during the run through !!!! Sad bit coming up ( well for me & Clare). She had joined me on the roof of the building where there was a smoking area & an amazing panoramic view of LA/Hollywood with the famous sign in the distance. While we were up there Craig himself popped into the Green Room & shook hands with the rest of the band , told them how his older brother had turned him on to “Bowler Hat” back in the 70,s & that he had just done 2 sell out gigs @ Carnegie Hall where , once again he used Last Plimsoll as his intro music. Later he sent a hand written note down from his (secret) office with the words ” Fuck – Yes “. when he heard the music. Now the audience were ushered in to their seats, David & I had to stand at the back ( imagine raked seating for about 100 , a bit like The Rondo in Bath ). The warm up man came on to do his bit, get the audience cheering, clapping, laughing in all the right places then …………SHOW TIME !!!!He announced “Please everybody -give it up for STACK RIDGE ! ” & on they strode , looking great, full of confidence , as if they did this every day & the audience went wild. Continuity man stands in front of them counts down from 10 , on 1 brings his hand down & bang – there is Glenn with the piano intro & the camera is on him with Jerry & drums in the near background & the girls ( looking gorgeous in their new black sparkly dresses ) in the far background. Camera changes to one at the front focusing on James and …..oh dear , there is suddenly some feed back . Floor manager does the classic finger across throat “cut” sign & the band grind to a halt. While the technos sort out the problem suddenly Jerry yells ” They are English , I am American”. Audience claps, cheers & laughes . Then Clare shouts ” I,m A Scot ” and somebody in the audience stands up & yells “So Am I “. More applause & laughter. Warm up chappie does his intro again , the countdown – and they storm into the song & this time it all goes perfectly . 3.45 mins later – Stackridge have done it , nailed it , sailed through it. They get a genuinely ecstatic response from the studio audience as they troop off .Back in the green room ( while the gear is quickly moved off & the stage is set for Craig & the warm up man keeps the audience amused we are all able to watch a playback of the Stackridge performance on a big screen TV – and I have to tell you they looked & sounded incredible. We all stayed around in the Green Room to watch while Craig recorded his part for that night’s show – and jolly good he is too. C. Rice was one of his guests & she was great & funny . Several of the floor staff came by to congratulate us , saying “one of the best band’s we have ever worked with” . I made sure that they, the make up girls & the servers in the Green Room all got CD,s as souvenirs . Saying farewell & thanks to Jerry M . we were ushered back to our vehicle by Brittany who had hovered around all afternoon to make sure everything was OK for us. I suppose it must have been about 7.00pm by the time we hit the road out of L.A for the journey to our next port of call.”
I hope it gives a real boost to Stackridge in the States.
Categories: News.