Spinal Tales

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. 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.