supplied by Pete Prescott
Featuring Johnny Mars, Ray Fenwick, Pete Shaw, Terry Pack & Chris Cozens.
Terry Pack…I don’t have a copy of this, but I remember shooting the video on a freezing cold day in an alleyway in Wapping. The place was covered in ash and treacle (to represent tar, yuk!) and one of the extras was Nick Mason, the drummer from Pink Floyd, who spent the day dressed in rags and covered in ash because the director was his friend. I met Nick recently and we talked about this shoot. He said he had a tape of it, and would make me a copy. I don’t have it yet, but I bet Pete Shaw has it (he has everything!)..I don’t remember the session either, but I’m guessing from the cover that we did it at Park Gates(?)
Alan Esdaile….It would be great to see a copy of the video. According to Pete Prescott this track was featured on the Esther Rantzen show for the anti smoking campaign. Interesting to know if any of the band were smoking at the time!
Terry Pack….John used to smoke cigars when I first met him in about 83, but he’d quit by the time we did this. Chris had been a smoker at college, but quit in his 20s. I’ve never smoked, and I suspect that neither Ray nor Pete ever have.
Pete Fairless…..I think this it is, guys! Anette Lyton being, of course, Mrs Nick Mason…
Pete Shaw…..Quite an exciting time being involved in this….recorded at Park Gates, video recording in both a Thameside redundant warehouse and a studio….three dancers from our Harry R and Jumpjet girls…Including Kathy (later Fenwick)…fun with Warren Mitchell who played the office caretaker in the video, Annette who arrived all in black on a motorcycle following fiancé Nick Mason in his black 5 litre Porsche 928, lunch whilst all still in “costume” in a pub right on the Thames, and later TV showings and much publicity….and Terry was right, none of us actually smoked nor had a lighter to start the burning wreaths of fags on the Cadillac Hearse! And yes, I have a copy of all!! Plus, we still don’t smoke coz… “Ash ain’t nothing but trash……!!” Haha…
Terry Pack…..just watched the video. I don’t remember any of the studio stuff, or the girls. That must have been shot on a different day(?). All I remember is the stuff in the alley, and how cold it was! I have a very brief moment on camera, looking about 18! (Dave Cottrell please take note: you’re not the only one who looked 10 when aged nearly 30). I like the bass sound on this, and the playing. My Fender Jazz (back pick up only) straight into the board.
Pete Shaw was talking about this record and song on my radio show for CHR… https://www.mixcloud.com/sarahharvey7737769/johnny-mason-60s-and-70s-show-on-chr-with-pete-shaw-291118/
Pete Prescott… I’ve got the single. on the Forcefield album, the vocal was removed and I sang on the same backing track with a different lyric. It was called fire in the city. I think this was shown on the Esther Ransom show.