Old Article: RCA & MTV Set Precedent with Rock & Roll Jam Session Starring Bob Welch

[Johnny Stew]

I was trying to find the date the "Bob Welch & Friends" MTV special was filmed, and found this old press release from November of '81. I don't recall having ever read it, so I thought it might be new to other Ledgies as well.

From CEDMagic.com:

RCA VideoDiscs, RCA Records and MTV Set Precedent with Rock And Roll Jam Session Starring Bob Welch

RCA Will Produce Video Disc Of Program To Be Called "Bob Welch And Friends -- Live At The Roxy"; MTV Will Telecast 90-Minute Special

The first joint original video music production of RCA "SelectaVision" VideoDiscs and RCA Records will take place when the two units join forces later this week to tape and record "Bob Welch And Friends -- Live At The Roxy." RCA, which will produce an original video disc of the show, has announced that the program material will be licensed to Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company's MTV: Music Television for telecast as an exclusive 90- minute special in late December.

Seth Willenson, vice president, programs and business affairs, RCA "SelectaVision" VideoDiscs, said, "Our organization has been developing programs for several years and I am pleased we will be able to develop a comprehensive audio-visual music program for this project. 'SelectaVision' looks to cable as a way not only to co-produce, but to promote our product. MTV and other cable services will have the same relationship to home video as radio to records."

Rich Thorward, division vice president, marketing, RCA Records, responsible for video music projects, said, "As a total entertainment company, RCA is very committed to developing new entertainment forms such as video music for our recording artists. In contemporary music, Bob Welch, with his new RCA album, continues to be a rock 'n roll great and thus an ideal artist for this new form of video art."

Chuck Mitchell, director of special programs, RCA "SelectaVision" VideoDiscs, said, "This collaboration between the video disc and the audio record media, with the added support of the cable sector, is the type of project which will make it possible to create more and better music video. It is a great pleasure to work with an artist like Bob Welch. Not only is he a great rock and roll musician with tremendous presence, but his longtime involvement in television has made him extremely video-wise. He is the perfect centerpiece for this rock and roll jam session."

"We are very excited about the project as it involves us in a unique video and record industry cross promotion," stated Robert W. Pittman, vice president, programming, MTV.

Two evenings, November 18 and 19, are planned at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles. On November 18, Bob Welch and his band (Robbie Patton, vocals; Alvin Taylor, drums; David Adelstein, keyboards; Joey Brasslet, guitar; and Robin Sylvester, bass and vocals) will perform two shows.

At 3 p.m. on November 19, Welch will host an interview show with special guests, among them Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, which will be taped before a live audience. That evening, both concerts will be taped. Bob and band will perform alone for the first show; for the second, they will be joined by Nicks, Fleetwood and McVie.

Songs to be performed include "Two To Do," from Welch's debut album on RCA, BOB WELCH, as well as several of his previous hits, "Ebony Eyes," "Hot Love, Cold World" and "Hypnotized." In addition, during the second taped show, "Sentimental Lady," "Rattlesnake Shake" and "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" will be performed with the special guests.

MTV will videotape the entire proceedings for a 90-minute special, slated for telecast in December. Executive producer of "Bob Welch And Friends -- Live At The Roxy" is Mickey Shapiro; associate producer is Ron Moss. The show will be directed by Bruce Gowers of Gowers, Fields and Flattery, the video production company responsible for taping the show.

Five video cameras will record "Bob Welch And Friends Live At The Roxy" while the sound will be recorded by remote truck. The Roxy stage itself will be modified, enlarged by a special backdrop and stage covering that will enhance the final visual product.

Welch, born into a show business family, began his music career in 1964 by forming an R&B aggregation, the Seven Souls. When they disbanded in 1969, Welch stayed in Paris to form a rock trio, Head West. Two years later, he became the guitarist for Fleetwood Mac, ending up writing and singing a good deal of the Mac's material over the course of four years and five albums.

In 1975, Welch left Fleetwood Mac to form his own hard rock threesome, Paris, which lasted just a year. Once on his own, Welch struck it big with the platinum-selling FRENCH KISS album, which yielded "Ebony Eyes," "Sentimental Lady" and "Hot Love, Cold World." In 1981, Welch joined RCA Records, which has just issued BOB WELCH and the initial single from the album, "Two To Do."

[Johnny Stew]

Two things in the press release that I thought were especially interesting, were that Bruce Gowers directed the special (he later directed 'The Dance'), and that the band was originally set to do "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around."
I think "Gold Dust Woman" proved to be a much wiser choice.

[WatchChain]

Are we sure that the band didn't do both "Gold Dust Woman" and "Stop Draggin My Heart"? Stevie's solo career was hot at the time. Moreover, wasn't Ann Wilson of Heart performing at this show with Bob? I LOVED Stevie's background harmony vocals and sassy tambourine shakin' on the performance of "Ebony Eyes".

[aleuzzi]

Quoting from the article title, Bob had certainly "set a precedent" many times in his career. There was this videotaped jam outing; there was his being a white player and co-creator of a black R&B band at the height of the civil rights riot era; there was his instigation to have FM manage themselves--certainly an unusual if not entirely new concept in 1974; there was his opening the largest rock concert in American history (Cal Jam); and there was his re recording of FM material for iTunes, certainly the first Max member to do that.

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by WatchChain

Are we sure that the band didn't do both "Gold Dust Woman" and "Stop Draggin My Heart"? Stevie's solo career was hot at the time. Moreover, wasn't Ann Wilson of Heart performing at this show with Bob? I LOVED Stevie's background harmony vocals and sassy tambourine shakin' on the performance of "Ebony Eyes".

I did often wonder if Ann & co. was on something else other than the jam at the end that wasn't filmed/broadcast?

John

[WatchChain]

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood

I did often wonder if Ann & co. was on something else other than the jam at the end that wasn't filmed/broadcast?

John

You certainly got that right. Good lord, those dressing rooms at the Roxy were FLYING that night!!! They must have placed some special orders to energize all of these folks! Check out this video from YOUTUBE featuring Ann Wilson and Howard Leese (of Heart) and Mick Fleetwood jamming with Bob. The tweeking gets especially good about 4:10 into the video. Then, there's good 'ole Mick, licking his lips and grinding teeth behind the drum kit. Oh, the glory days!!! Mick honey, give it a break!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpwU9tEq290

[PenguinHead]

How did this video escape me? Is it because I never owned a video disc player? Are there more clips out there?

It was so great to see Mick, Christine and Stevie as they were circa 1981!

A bizarre statement by Christine at the end. "And one more thing, if the last jam hadn't been in A flat I would have been honored, but I can't play in A flat!
Early on, she had a conversation with Bob while he was playing. Very funny stuff.
And the late, great Bob Westin was there! Wow!