Originally Posted by: SeasoningPacket #1 , did they ever have outtakes/extended version of this? Read something somewhere regarding that on Facebook a few years ago, but dont remember if it was true or not.
#2, who filmed it?
#3, what on earth is the story behind Gillian sharing a bath with a naked tony? Who's idea was that? Shocked steve didnt punch his lights out! Lol
#4, what's your take on tony on it?
Well, I can only answer as a fan, as I'm not connected with the documentary or the band, but I'll have a crack at answering:
1) It's highly likely that there were outtakes. However, I've never seen them or even heard of them in the 33+ years I've been a fan (and I'm pretty obsessive, especially when it comes to video material). There's always a possibility that, as this documentary is being included on the forthcoming Power, Corruption & Lies boxset, there may be some extended scenes. Especially if it was sourced from the band's archives. However, I think it's probably likely that this was taken directly from the Channel 4 archives and, therefore, more likely to just be the programme, as it was broadcast.
'Johnny James' may be able to provide further details on the programme itself and whether the version on the box set is extended in any way.
2) Well, if you're referring to the cameraman, according to the credits this was Mike Wilkie, but I have no idea who this is (he probably worked for Channel 4).
If you're referring to who put this project together, that's a bit more complicated. The 'Play At Home' series on Channel 4 was a short-lived project where Channel 4 asked bands to put together a one-off TV show, of their choosing. I guess that each band were given a short briefing about format / length etc. But, what they decided to cover in the documentary was completely up to them. I know Siouxsie & The Banshees did one (which was, IIRC, pretty good). I seem to think XTC did one also, plus some more mainstream bands (Level 42 etc.). Here's a list of episodes, if you're interested:
https://www.imdb.com/tit.../episodes?ref_=tt_ov_eplThe band and Rob Gretton were involved in putting the programme together and they decided to make a documentary on Factory Records.
So it's doubly interesting for New Order fans as it's a) made by the band and b) about a company very closely associated with the band.
I'm guessing that Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus were happy for the band to do this and probably contributed a few ideas too.
3) As regards the
absolutely wonderful scene with the lovely Ms Gilbert and Tony in the bath, who knows who's wacky idea it was? If I had to guess, it was Rob's. But this sort of thing is probably lost in the mists of time.
What the band's thinking behind including a scene like this is also unclear, but maybe they felt that it was a) a bit daft and therefore perfect for the bonkers reputation of Factory and b) it disarmed Tony and showed him in a more comical light (he always had the reputation of being a bit arrogant).
Interestingly, I have a copy of an article in 'City Life' magazine (a Manchester magazine) that mentions that Tony was furious about this scene and tried to censor it. This seems a little implausible, given that he agreed to doing the scene in the first place. I guess, maybe, he tried to censor the overhead 'cock shot'
.
To be fair, the article is factually incorrect in a few places and the author seemed to have an axe to grind with Tony.
Man, though. I bloody love this scene. When I first got into the band, I fell in love with Factory Records, largely because of this documentary. How can you not love a record label that would let their Chief Executive sit naked in a bath with a young lady, playing with wind-up toys. All whilst talking about Trotsky and praxis?
Superb stuff!
4) Tony comes off as equal parts clever, charming, arrogant and likeable. As I said above, this was pretty much my first impression of Tony and I thought he was wonderful. I still think that.
I met him once. At Albert Square in Manchester, at New Order's one-off/one track performance at the 'hand-over' ceremony for the Commonwealth Games (between Kuala Lumpur and Manchester in 1998).
They say 'never meet your heroes', but I'm glad I did in this case.
He was charming and wonderful and friendly and just altogether magnificent. I stood there quietly in awe and probably just said three or four words.
I genuinely shed a tear when he passed. A great loss. To both Manchester and British music.