Fact #160201
When:
Short story:
The Stray Cats play at the University, Leeds, England, UK, Europe.Full article:
Andy Kershaw (Entertainments Secretary, Leeds University) : I was the entertainments secretary at Leeds University in those days. The university hall was the only venue of that optimum size, 2-3000 capacity, in Leeds. Usually I bought bands direct from an agent but very often if, for example, Harvey Goldsmith had bought a tour on somebody, if he was taking that act round The Rainbow in London, the Apollo in Glasgow, Birmingham Odeon and so on, he'd want to do a gig with us in Leeds. Essentially he and I would co-promote. He would route the tour into Leeds and I'd run the gig for him.
Then he'd send someone up, usually Andrew Zweck, as his earthly representative. Compared to most of the people I dealt with on that basis, Andrew was a very rare gentleman, firm but not arrogant. What he had that set him apart from most of the others was a lack of their pomposity and self-importance. He also managed to maintain a sense of humour. A lot of those qualities, I think, had been eroded in the others, by the prevalent use of cocaine in the industry at the time. You were always dealing with very hyped-up self-important little shits with no sense of humour.
I could actually run those gigs myself and all too often the promoters’ reps who were sent along just made my life more difficult. Andrew, however, would basically let me run the gig but he'd be there if I did need any help. Andrew never lost his sense of rock'n'roll's essential absurdity.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black for Audience magazine, February 2010)
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Then he'd send someone up, usually Andrew Zweck, as his earthly representative. Compared to most of the people I dealt with on that basis, Andrew was a very rare gentleman, firm but not arrogant. What he had that set him apart from most of the others was a lack of their pomposity and self-importance. He also managed to maintain a sense of humour. A lot of those qualities, I think, had been eroded in the others, by the prevalent use of cocaine in the industry at the time. You were always dealing with very hyped-up self-important little shits with no sense of humour.
I could actually run those gigs myself and all too often the promoters’ reps who were sent along just made my life more difficult. Andrew, however, would basically let me run the gig but he'd be there if I did need any help. Andrew never lost his sense of rock'n'roll's essential absurdity.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black for Audience magazine, February 2010)