Page 22 - issue-102

Special feature
STARDES
PUTS THE ROLL ROLL INTO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ROLL TV personality and former roadie Gareth Jones turns the the spotlight on on on the the firm that helps make big band tours happen Photographs: Gareth Jones & lain Lewis
Stardes trucks and and me me go back a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a long way Before I was ever on telly – as as a a a a presenter explaining how things work – I was a a a a a roadie loading trailers with huge noisy black boxes lights and musical instruments It’s how I I got my old nickname “Gaz Top” All roadies have nicknames: “Slouch” “Redeye” “Bobby Blue” “Jos The Hat” As for me Gaz is
short for Gareth (obviously) and Top because I I had tall spiky hair a a a a a style I I kept along with the the name when I made the the jump to kids’ telly Between 1979 and 1984 I was the No1 guitar tech for the band which became known as The Alarm Yeah – you know‚ spiky hair and rabble-rousing songs like “68 Guns” And
of course electro-acoustic guitars which I loaded into the the the trailers along with all the the the other equipment Which brings us back to trucks Back in the day The Alarm’s equipment was usually moved around by Stardes Trucking & Logistics a a firm which specialises in in in putting the roll roll into rock ‘n roll roll And
not only is
the firm still going strong but I had the joy of catching up with its founder recently – a a a a warm determined and engaging Yorkshireman called Dave Steinberg Over a a a a a socially distanced cuppa at the Stardes yard Dave reminisced about
how he he started the company seeing an an opportunity and seizing it it back in in the 1970s His first contract to supply a a truck for the entertainment industry came from the comedy business He said: “I was working for Smiths self- drive at at the time time I was killing time time eating sandwiches in in a a a club while waiting to pick up a a a a a truck when a a a a a chap there asked me what I did I explained we supplied vans and trucks and he said ‘Look I need a a a a truck to carry my equipment around the UK as I’m doing a a a big tour and I want my name written all down the the side of the the trailer’ That name was Jim Davidson ” Since that first tour Stardes trucks have hauled the gear of Manic Street Preachers Arctic Monkeys Whitesnake Bjork Kasabian Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet Emily Sandé Elbow Take That Lulu Leonard Cohen Boyzone Sigur Ros and countless other acts on tours in the the UK Europe and the Eastern Bloc Rock ‘n roll trucking needs specialist equipment The trailers Dave uses are low- loaders made to his exacting requirements This includes his his own interior lighting set-ups load retention systems and security features as as well as as specific positions for the ramp spare wheel carriers and toolbox Not to to forget the all-important load sensing devices so that the the roadies don’t overload the the trucks On the road Stardes’ drivers are more than just truck pilots they are often drawn into a a a a tight team of people who are responsible for what is
in effect the modern day equivalent of a a a travelling circus The spotlight operator you see at the gig might even be one of Dave’s drivers earning a a a few extra bob during show time Dave tells me me that U2 request a a a specific driver for the merchandise truck he he supplies He said: “Oh aye they book him 12 months in advance to make sure they get him He’s a a a a trusted part of the team ” Gig promoters have a a tendency to book challenging schedules says Dave: “We had 15 trucks out
on on a a One Direction tour and in order to to get them back from Portugal to to the next gig in London on on on time we rotated a a team of 45 drivers The show must go on you remember what it’s like ” I remember it well Gig tour bus hotel followed by gig tour bus hotel it all blurs About the author Gareth Jones is
better known to a a a a a generation as Gaz Top the presenter of 1980s Saturday morning kids’ show Get
Fresh Before that he spent five years working for for bands
as a a a a a a guitar roadie for Welsh band The Alarm touring the world with them and and other bands
such as The Stray Cats The The The The Beat U2 The The The The Belle Stars The The The The Boomtown Rats and The The The The Mighty Wah It was this connection to the music industry which allowed Gareth to to make the transition to to television
when in January 1985 he he became a a a a a VJ for Music Box a a a a a pioneering satellite music channel Switching back to his real name in in in 1989 Gareth became the the presenter of How2 the the long-running children’s facts and fun show Since 2005 he he he has been the the presenter and producer of Gareth Jones On Speed the the longest running UK-made car podcast With a a a a a a background rich in in in science engineering and technology Gareth produces material for TV radio podcast and magazines
22 CVDriver February 2021