Brooker / Fisher / Reid

AWSoP for the New Millennium

Diane Rolph (Gary Brooker's PA) writes to BtP, 1 February 2000
I had a call from London Weekend Television Arts Dept (they make The South Bank Show): they are preparing a new six-part prime-time TV series on the history of rock. One of the six programmes is entitled Rock Anthems and the producer perceives AWSoP as the first rock anthem, so will feature it very strongly throughout the programme. The producer feels that it inspired Bohemian Rhapsody etc.

So, they are interviewing both Gary and Matthew (separately) tomorrow (2 February) at a venue in south-east London (with a Hammond) and are going to NYC to interview Keith (I think). Gary is 11.00am, Matthew midday. Gary says he'll leave Matthew to play the Hammond, and Matthew has decided to do it.

Diane writes again, 3 February
Have had interesting conversations with the producer of the LWT programme yesterday, and MF this morning. Spoke to Gary very briefly yesterday, who was just going out, but said, "Nice people, nice venue, nice to see MAF, all went well".

So today I phoned the producer to follow it up. He was absolutely delighted. Apart from Gary arriving late because of the traffic (in LWT's car), everything went brilliantly. Gary and Matthew were interviewed separately, but came to together for AWSoP. Maf played it and then Gary asked if they wanted him to sing, so he did. (The producer said it was brilliant). Maf talked a lot about the technical side of it.

Maf thinks the technical side might be cut (not the impression I got from the producer: after all this is the South Bank Show team, so hopefully they'd keep in intelligent bits!)

It will be interesting to see how much they use of both interviews. The programme will be transmitted in June, and neither the LWT nor MF mind you using this information at BtP.

Diane writes again, June 2000

Phoned South Bank this morning. Schedulers still trying to schedule, but I'm informed that it will now have a 'prime time' slot in the Autumn.

Thanks, Diane