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Tales from the Tour Bus: Rock 'n' Roll on the Road

Rock legend and tour bus aficionado Rick Wakeman takes us on a trip through the decades in a first-hand account of rockers on the road from the late 50s to the 80s and beyond.

Rock legend and tour bus aficionado Rick Wakeman takes us on a time-travelling trip through the decades in this first-hand account of rockers on the road from the late 1950s to the 80s and beyond.

It's an often bumpy and sometimes sleepless ride down the A roads and motorways of the UK during the golden age of rock 'n' roll touring - a secret history of transport cafes, transit vans, B&Bs, sleepless roadies and of loved ones left at home or, on one occasion, by the roadside. And it's also a secret history of audiences both good and bad, and the gigs themselves - from the early variety package to the head clubs, the stadiums and the pubs.

This is life in the British fast lane as told by Rick and the bands themselves, a film about the very lifeblood of the rock 'n' roll wagon train. With members of Dr Feelgood, Suzi Quatro, The Shadows, The Pretty Things, Fairport Convention, Happy Mondays, Aswad, Girlschool, The Damned and many more.

59 minutes

Last on

Mon 25 Nov 2019 23:00

Music Played

  • Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers

    Road Runner Twice

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Rock Around The Clock

  • Eddie Cochran

    C’'mon Everybody

  • Gene Vincent

    Be Bop a Lula

  • Eddie Cochran

    Summertime Blues

  • Bill Haley

    (Were Gonna) Rock Around The Clock

  • The Shadows

    The Rise and Fall of Flingle Blunt

  • Eddie Cochran

    Summertime Blues

  • The Paramounts

    You’ve Got What I Want

  • Fairport Convention

    You're Gonna Need My Help

  • The Shadows

    Foot Tapper

  • Harold Budd & Brian Eno

    First Light

  • The Rolling Stones

    2120 South Michigan Avenue

  • Harold Budd & Brian Eno

    The Plateaux of Mirror

  • The Paramounts

    Turn on Your Love Light

  • The Pretty Things

    Road Runner

  • Sandie Shaw

    Tous Les Jours (Gotta See My Baby Every Day)

  • Acker Bilk

    Stranger on the Shore

  • Acker Bilk

    Stranger On The Shore

  • The Spencer Davis Group

    Keep on Running’

  • Percy Faith

    Theme from A Summer Place

  • The Spencer Davis Group

    Keep On Running

  • The Tornados

    Globetrotter

  • Harold Budd & Brian Eno

    The Chill Air

  • Chris Farlowe

    Handbags and the Gladrags

  • The Tremeloes

    Here Comes My Baby

  • The Searchers

    Needles and Pins

  • The Searchers

    Don’'t Throw Your Love Away

  • The Birds

    Leaving Here

  • The Searchers

    Needles and Pins

  • Pink Floyd

    Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk

  • The Nice

    Dawn

  • Amen Corner

    Bend Me, Shape Me

  • Pink Floyd

    Bike

  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience

    The Wind Cries Mary

  • Affinity

    All Along the Watchtower

  • Fairport Convention

    Nottamun Town

  • Pink Floyd

    Bike

  • Curved Air

    Back Street Luv

  • Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity

    Season of the Witch

  • Harold Budd & Brian Eno

    Pearl

  • Fairport Convention

    End of a Holiday

  • Terry Riley

    Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band

  • Brinsley Schwarz

    Surrender to the Rhythm

  • Jethro Tull

    Dharma for One

  • Emerson, Lake & Palmer

    Fanfare for the Common Man

  • Emerson, Lake & Palmer

    Fanfare for the Common Man

  • Emerson, Lake & Palmer

    Fanfare for the Common Man

  • Rick Wakeman

    The Battle. Journey to the Centre of the Earth

  • Motörhead

    We Are The Roadcrew

  • Nina Simone

    Sinnerman

  • Queen

    Bohemian Rhapsody

  • Kilburn and The High Roads

    Huffety Puff

  • Queen

    Bohemian Rhapsody

  • Dr. Feelgood

    Riot In Cell Block Number 9

  • Dr. Feelgood

    You Shouldn't Call The Doctor (If You Can't Afford The Bills)

  • Suzi Quatro

    Devil Gate Drive

  • Girlschool

    Baby Doll

  • Headgirl

    Please Don'’t Touch

  • Harold Budd & Brian Eno

    Among Fields of Crystal

  • T. Rex

    Children of the Revolution

  • The Damned

    New Rose

  • The Upsetters

    In These Times

  • Aswad

    Natural Progression

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    A Rockin Little Tune

  • Ian Dury & the Blockheads

    Clever Trevor

  • Happy Mondays

    Loose Fit

  • Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

    Souvenir

  • Happy Mondays

    Loose Fit

  • Stephen Stills

    Go Back Home

  • Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

    Souvenir

  • Harold Budd & Brian Eno

    Failing Light

  • Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

    Gotta Travel On

Credits

Role Contributor
Producer Chris Rodley
Director Chris Rodley
Executive Producer Mark Cooper

Broadcasts

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