Here at HoBo Towers we have many powerful and important friends, because of this when combined we are a more powerful media mogul than Jonathon Pryce's character in crap James Bond film "Tomorrow never dies too soon".
One such friend is video director Mark Thomas.
One day back in March he called us and asked if we would like to join him on his next assignment, Shooting the video for ELBOWS second single 'RED'.
We were of course thrilled at this prospect, however HoBo Bully was too thrilled and fell in to a cauldron of porridge he was making at the time. Which as ever, meant that HoBo John would be the man on the case.
So if you ever wondered what it would be like to be on the set of a pop video for a cool band for a day, then sit back and read...
Giving a hand to ELBOW
I was told to get to Manchester, home town of ELBOW and location for the shoot, on the wednesday night, and to expect an early start. I arrive in Manchester and meet Mark at an old warehouse in the city where the second part of the shoot will take place the following day.
He takes me through a door next to an army surplus shop and up an unlit ominous stairway to where his assorted helpers are putting the finishing touches to what was only a day or so before an empty old warehouse room, but is now both a mock living room, bedroom and an area for the band to stand and be filmed.
They have done a sterling job on the living room, kitting it out with assorted paraphernalia from a local charity shop or two. As convincing a mock pensioners front room as I've ever seen.
My favorite prop is an old telephone savings box, which on further inspection reveals itself to be home to an old fashioned £5.00 note. That must have been the equivalent to a months wages back then. Someones telephone bill must have been short, one quarter back in the seventies.
After a quick beer or two in the Fab Cafe, a bar decked out with cool tv props from shows like Dr Who, its back to the homestead (Andy Seaton, Marks director partners house) for a whisky and an early night, when I say early I mean early the next morning, obviously. After all we've only got to get up at.....FIVE AM!!!
Not until I open my eyes at FIVE AM do i realize that this video shoot lark is actually going to entail some hard work. Not just partying with pop stars.
We get ourselves together and head off to our first destination, a derelict block of flats. We are late and the producer is on the phone asking where the FUCK we are. I am scared.
We arrive at the tower block to see a group of people and a fire engine (a prop). I thought there would be crowds of local onlookers, but there isn't. after all its 6.30 AM.
Shooting is due to begin at 7.00AM, but there is a problem. Directors Mark and Andy intend to set fire to part of this flat and hurl a dummy out of the window, but there is a main road near by. The inevitable rubberneckers are bound to cause a crash unless we find 50feet of tarpaulin in the next half hour to mask off the scene. It is as I mentioned. 6.30AM. I am given the keys to Andys knackered Golf GTI, £30 and told to find tarpaulin. I have never been to Manchester before.
However, I do find the tarpaulin and we all put it up and the action begins.
First up are the kids from a local trampolining school. People are supposed to be jumping from this burning tower block so you get people o bounce up in the air and film them falling down (on to the trampoline).
This is when I get to meet Dennis, the producer. He is about seven foot tall, Iranian (i think) and very intimidating (I know).
Upon seeing the trampoline kids he yells "Why do you bring me all these fucking ugly kids?"
This sets the tone for the day. Dennis is very imposing to say the least, but he does seem very experienced and good at his craft.
Over the course of the next 4 hours , many people jump on trampolines, other people film it. People drink lots of tea and coffee, other people set fire to a building. Flashing HoBo editors dress up as firemen and give their acting debut in a pop video and producer Dennis shouts alot.
Then its in to Manchester city center for phase two.
We arrive at the warehouse I went to last night and set up all the gear, then it's over to a bar across the street to meet the band. What will they be like I wonder. Will they be a bunch of cocky swines ready to take the piss out of all those beneath them? No thats Oasis, this is Elbow. And what a fine group of chaps they are. We have a light ale or two with the boys then it's back to work. Firstly the older couple have to be filmed in their mock living room. Then the young couple in their bedroom and finally the band. The filming goes on till around ten thirty that night and even though we are in the company of a cool friendly band, shooting a pop video, things do get very very boring and strained at times. Make no mistake it isn't all glamour, there is a lot of waiting around.
However, when Dennis shouts "It's a wrap" at the end, no one is less than happy. Everyone feels on the same level, from the band to the runners. Its a good feeling and we all go back across the road to the bar and get lashed.
It's funny now watching the video on MTV. I can't see it without thinking about every bit of planning and effort that went in to it and what a good day it was.
If you are thinking about a career in video making in any way I would say to you that it probably isn't as glamorous as you think it may be, but in some ways it is more so.
PHOTOS WILL FOLLOW
HoBo John Will Return