John Otway: Beware Of The Flowers (2004)
2.6 of 5 from 3 ratings
1h 55min
- General info
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- Synopsis:
The band was formed following my 40th Birthday gig at the Tramshed, in Woolwich. As this was a celebratory gig I had got together an outfit for a one off show, and was delighted by the reception got. The audience applauded, not just because it was my birthday, but because, for once, it sounded good. I can still remember the comment "Wow Otway, you actually sounded like a rock and roll star tonight." It was the sort of thing I had wanted people to say for years - and I made a vow that people would say it again - and not just on my birthday. I had been working with Richard Holgarth for aoout a year doing duo shows and asked him if he knew any good players who would put their credibility on the line and work with me. Unknown to me, and the rest of the world, Richard's home town of Harlow was teaming with talent, and from that pool he managed to hand pick a band that has now been together for twelve years without a line-up change. These two shows chart the progress of the band from a small rock gig; The Square in Harlow, a homecoming gig after one of our first tours; to The London Astoria, where we are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of my first Hit 'Cor Baby That's Really Free'. To bring us up to date I've included the Bunsen Burner Video - the single that ended my hitless years, and my 25 years as a one-hit wonder. I suppose you could say that I got a band for my 40th birthday and a Hit for my 50th. Watch with wonder as we transform from a Pub Rock outfit to a Concert band poised to sell out the Albert Hall and storm into the Top Ten - and watch with a certain sad nostalgia as my fine head of hair recedes over those years of progress. When we started this adventure I don't think any of us thought that we would end up on Top Of The Pops, or that it would take ten years to do it. It's been a fun journey. Here are a couple of stops on the way. Over time I have come to realise that there is a great deal of truth in the phrase "Every star needs an Essex band and every Essex band needs a star." These two very different shows go a long way to proving that hypothesis. I'd like to thank Robin Hill who put together the crew for the Square film, Julian Hill who did the same for the Astoria, Steve Barker for the Bunsen Burner Video and Barry Upton for producing and playing keyboards on the Hit. - Actors:
- John Otway
- Studio:
- Cherry Red
- Genres:
- Music & Musicals
