Q & A with Mark Gregory
Q) Who would be in your fantasy supergroup?
Steve Marriott - Vocals
Paul Stanley - Rhythm Guitar
Brian May - Lead Guitar
Greg Guiffria - Synthesisers
Ken Hensley - Organ
Stanley Clarke - Bass
Prarie Prince - Drums
God knows what they would SOUND like!! But what a line up!!!
Q) What is your favourite song?
"More Than A Feeling" by Boston. A truly landmark rock song, with an arrangement and production so genius, that it changed the sonics of melodic rock music for decades to come! Kurt Cobain freely admitted 'stealing' the opening riff for "Smells Like Teen Spirit"!
Q) What was the first and last gig you went too?
First - Old folkie proggie bands - Caravan and Renaisance at Dunhlem House - Durham Uni. Believe it or not, I was 15!! Our maths teacher Mr Sills tried to stop us all from hating him, by organising the school "Concert Club"! He drove us the length and breadth of the North East in a converted ice cream van! The Caravan gig was strange to say the least. we all sat cross legged on the floor with 1,000 other hippies in a fog of dope smoke!!! Hope me mum's not reading this!
Last - Maiden England at Ashington FC. A bit different. I wasn't wearing cheescloth!!!
Q) What was the best gig you've been too?
Without question, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band. Newcastle City Hall - The River Tour 1981.
Quite the most astonishing night in concert history! From the understated opener - a solo accoustic and harmonic version of Woody Guthries - "This Land Is Your Land", to the colossal partython that IS "Rossalita". This gig will never be equalled. They played for 3 and a half hours, before eventually being ushered from the stage by the hall manager as they were in breach of the venues midnight music licence!!
Q) What's your favourite drink?
Canned LCL Pils - swiftly followed by a few shots of Isle Of Jura - Single Malt.
Q) Worst hangover?
I live in a perpetual hangover, it's the safest way. Therefore, no one morning ever seems any worse than another! Having said that, if you ever fancy graduating to a... "my head is being tightened in a vice operated by Hannibal Lecter" style morning after, might I recommend Tequilla!!!
Q) Who is your favourite artist/band of all time and why?
The Runaways. I was a hormonal 16 years old when they hit the UK for the first time in 1976. I bought tickets for their show at Leeds University without even having heard them!! Such was the impact of the prospect of five - 17 year old Californian nymphettes playing heavy rock n roll! The gig comes a close second to Springsteen for atmosphere and memorability. Sure at this point, they weren't great musicians, but the fact that Joan Jett and Lita Ford went on to such great world-wide success later, is testiment to the talent they had. They opened the doors for chicks in rock, and who'd complain about that? Certainly not myself Jon Kirby or Beck! The Runaways never really got the credit they deserved at the time. But their contribution to rock music is now the subject of an on-line petition to have them inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. About time too. Most of their songs still sound great even now, 30 years on!
Q) What’s your favourite gig venue and why?
Middlesbrough Town Hall. A medium sized gothic venue, which, in the glory days of Heavy rock in the mid to late 70's, played host to some truly memorable nights with - AC/DC - UFO - Gillan - Judas Priest -Motorhead - Iron Maiden - Krokus - Slade, et al. Happy days!
Q) What is the most embarrassing CD you have in your collection?
Don't hit me, but I used to love Shania Twain! Before she went totally pop. I actually like country stuff (Steve Earle etc) so her husband - Mutt Lange's "Hysteria take" on country rock appealed. Sorry!
Q) What did the last text you receive say?
You qualify to download up to 3 free ringtones.
Q) What was the last text you sent?
F*** off with yer free ringtone bollox!
Q) Have you ever been arrested or have you ever been close to being arrested? If so, what was it for?
Yes, a number of times. And you can read all about it in my book, "No Sleep Till Saltburn", when it comes out!
Q) What's the most rock 'n' roll thing you've ever done?
In the "Gimme Danger" category - Climbed up Middlesbrough's landmark Transporter AND Newport Bridges, both in the same night after seeing Johnny Thunders Heartbreakers at the town's - Rock Garden, and having consumed every short on the bar in a half pint glass topped up with bitter! A cocktail known locally at the time as - a "Dungeon Handshake"! And in the "Celebrity Division", being pushed into the swimming pool of a posh London Hotel by Lemmy and Wurzel from Motorhead!!!
Q) What were you doing at 3am this morning?
Preoccupying myself with this mornings show.
Q) Best piece of advice?
Be true.
Q) Worst nightmare?
Being left alone to broadcast forever in a radio station that doesn't work!
Q) Who do you respect at Rock Radio and why?
I like and respect EVERYONE, although we've only been together a matter of days, it feels like a great "team"!!! Everyone brings something different to the party, and the PASSION for Rock Radio is infectious.
Q) Any unfulfilled ambitions?
Getting "No Sleep Till Saltburn" published. Mind you, a small prerequisite of that, would be first getting it FINISHED wouldn't it? Whoops!!
Q) Got a nickname?
Not really, used to rather predictably get - "Greggers" at school.
Q) Favourite joke?
Unpublishable on this family orientated site, I'm afraid!!!! Haha!
Q) What's your idea of a good night out?
Anything that involves copious amounts of alchohol! But preferable one that doesn't finish too late! My brain tends to just "switch off" after about 1am which can lead to untold embarassment!
Rock Vote
2009's Dream Reunion