Mark Cooper produced ‘Later…’ for 30 years. What did he learn about rock stars and the magic of TV?

[@runningmedia]

As manager of the then unknown Corinne Bailey Rae, I can say with certainty (and gratitude !) that getting on LWJH months before her first single and album were even released, was a pivotal moment in breaking CBR into the public ear. Back in 2005 the internet was in full swing, and as much as creating a platform for fledgling artists in the UK the power of Later was its global reach, as clips were "shared" almost in real time. Within 48 hours of broadcast I was taking calls from around the world asking about Corinne ! Mark, Alison, and the entire team were incredibly kind and encouraging, and Janet Fraser Crook created a magical visual moment for Corinne that night, and many times since. Good luck with the book Mark (no pun intended)....

[@fuTuRo-Sonic]

Haha. I was watching this interview and thinking that Mark reminded me of you a bit, then realised that you probably knew each other as CBR had done Later. Then, blow me, I scroll down and the first comment is yours! Later is such an important show and the round is a brilliant concept.

[@onsenkuma1979]

I've had this cool little book on my shelf titled 'Liverpool Explodes!' (by one Mark Cooper) since about '83. In an era in which in seems every former pop star (or his/her hangers-on) is 'gifting' us with memoirs/tell-alls it's maybe too easy to forget that, not so long ago books on rock generally (let alone nascent musical scenes - this case Bill Drummond's Zoo Records and focused on Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes) were relatively rare. I'd just like Mr. Cooper to know that the reason I still cherish this book is because it was damned cool back then, and still is. Cheers...

[@jazztheglass6139]

Simon napier Bell, his first book was pretty good, quite funny. Drummonds book was a good read.

[@patrickcrowther9195]

That was classic - David Hepworth said, “I don’t want to paint him as the opposite pole” and I immediately thought, “Morrissey”. Oh, Van Morrison. Well I was close!

[@alanwilliams1223]

I love Mark Cooper's enthusiam for music and am grateful for the new bands I discovered through the show. Pre-iPlayer, and certainly pre-internet 'Later...' was most enjoyable. Unfortunately, like much of the BBC these days, it's become more or less irrelevant.

[@PhilBaird1]

Both 'Later' and the Glastonbury coverage, used to be unmissable, vital, honest and true to the music. The BBC has lost it and now everything is contrived and comes with a wokist and leftist agenda. I rarely watch either these days, although I will say that McCartney was the best concert in the history of Glastonbury.

[@u2acrobata]

Im from Portugal and i love "Later..." ... here they SOMETIMES broadcast the show from 3 or 4 years ago ... and still its an amazing show EVERYTIME ... i would love that "Later...." could be broadcast here in PORTUGAL with recent shows ... i Feel "Later ... with JH" its a monument to MUSIC ... around the world ... just LOVE it ... Greetings from Portugal

[@jamesporteousnews]

Great fun. I love the bit on Ry Cooder. I have been a life-long fan and only recently I happened to see a live concert on uTube with him and he kept stepping away from the mic to scream at someone at the side of the stage!

[@martinr7224]

I hope Later has found someone as dedicated as Mark- there’s a twinge of fear that something can be lost with a major change Watching the artists enjoy each other is the peak of my enjoyment, not competition, because they understand best the value of what we’re hearing and seeing

[@imposs-up1hg]

This should have an hour long. Excellent interview.

[@michaelbailey39]

At The Drive-In - One Armed Scissor (2000) was easily the most memorable performance on LWJH. Nothing comes close. The energy was off the scale. It was also out of tune and beautifully chaotic. It deserves a full chapter in the book.

[@simonludgate721]

I really enjoyed this chat. Thank you very much.

[@stevevandeller]

I was a designer on The Late Show and have fond memories of the earliest episodes that were filmed live straight after The Late Show which meant I could run down from the graphics gallery and join the "audience" in the studio. This wasn't as easy when the powers that be realised the financial implications of crewing a studio after midnight and moved the recording (still more or less live) to earlier in the evening. However, with judicious planning of tea breaks and scheduling of my workload I managed to make it to an awful lot of recordings and rehearsals over the years.

[@thefilmandmusic]

That Mcartney Hoot was one of the great music shows of all time . Everybody great …

[@Slydeil]

Excellent show and format. Some of the most enjoyable bands I've seen on Later include Jellyfish, Ben Folds Five and Fishbone

[@mydayis5]

That Jellyfish performance was next level brilliant!

[@Slydeil]

@@mydayis5 Yeah brilliant band, so surprised they didn't make it, and then sadly imploded.

[@Slydeil]

@@chapmcchap2919 Everyone appreciated them apart from the general public 🙄😂

[@Slydeil]

@@chapmcchap2919 Yeah Roger Manning is a very talented fellow. I've followed each of the Jellyfish fragments and offshoots but none have matched the original band.

[@robertfourt7096]

Another great interview. Thks

[@Jint27]

Top discussion this one...

[@jimcondon762]

Battles on Later. 👍

[@mydayis5]

One of my favourite memories was Primal Scream in early 2000 playing the show on the Xtrmntr album. They were absolutely crushingly brilliant. After their first song they were followed by this really twee indie pop band playing this horrible wet love song………I thought they were dreadful and wouldn’t go anywhere……..it was Coldplay doing Yellow!

[@markwatkins8309]

The Tube did bring the odd heritage artist on the show. Eric B of The Animals for example playing with Alf of Yazoo.

[@NickNicometi]

Going to check out Meatloaf and K.D. & & a lot of Jools episodes, thanks to this video. Thank you. Cheers.

[@bobomeister]

Could someone please publish the 10 mins version of Chan Chan

[@BeesWaxMinder]

The answer to the first question is 2/3 Jools Holland 1/3 there was no “the tube“ and nothing has come round to replace that programme

[@mozdickson]

True fact: New Zealand's only great rock and roll journalist.Dylan Taite (RiP) somehow blagged NZ government broadcaster to fly him to London to interview the Sex Pistols, which he did - outside Buckingham Palace when they'd just signed or re-signed or unsigned you know etc etc. AMAZING interview, of some length, the lads got Dylan, it played on NZ TV once only. When digitisation came they dumped all that 'old stuff'. Pistols interview you'll never see.

[@Bolanboogie10]

Sea Power, James, Sinead.

[@jalijali8448]

Funny thing was, Seasick wasn't authentic at all. He'd been around for years in various bands etc

[@digger65uk]

And now Later it’s flipping awful! What an earth has happened to the music choice in the past four years? it’s like Jules has completely lost the plot or he’s been told who to bring on the show? We suspect the latter considering the state of the modern #BBC. We used to watch the show religiously and record hours and hours of it but quite often don’t even bother now. Such a sad end but what’s even sadder that there is no alternative show on any of the other channels?

[@BeesWaxMinder]

26:20 - were the Sex Pistols on ‘Later’?

[@mozdickson]

dunno but see my comment above

[@Muninman]

I would have told Van Morrison to swivel...

[@Bolanboogie10]

He's a hateful guy is van morrison.

[@martinabrahamsmusic2141]

Hootenanny not live!?!?! Don't be ridiculous. Who are you people!

[@Rabant777]

"Rock stars"? Later .... with JH generally slopped up lukewarm vapid pap ..... certainly little of what I would call a Rock Star. Aside from a handful of incendiary performances (At the Drive In; Fishbone; Vintage Trouble) it was generally way, way, way too polite for my tastes. I love the Beeb but Auntie never did "love rock 'n roll"

[@thebouncinghearts]

It's hardly fair to criticise a music program purely on the grounds that it doesn't exclusively feature artists that fit your own personal taste...there have been plenty of artists on 'Later' who bored me to tears also, but there have been just as many performances which I found amazing. It wasn't selling itself as a "Rock n Roll" show, it was set up as a showcase for diverse musical talent which, to be fair, is what it is.

[@Rabant777]

@@thebouncinghearts My tastes are fairly broad and there were certainly a lot of acts on the show that I listen to, own and have seen live. However it's always been noticeable that while spotlighting a broad range of genres, "rock" in it's broadest sense was missing, and when the tag to this episode uses the phrase "rock star" KT Tunstall or Damon Albarn simply don't fit the epithet. I'd also say that BBC music programmes have always neutered harder rocking bands even when they are allowed to appear.

[@thebouncinghearts]

@@Rabant777 I agree with you regarding the BBC...These days it seems obsessed with pushing 'Strictly Come Dancing' on everybody...The one criticism I would level at LWJH is that it is far too reverential towards it's guests, much like 'Whistle Test' before it...Top Of The Pops worked, I think, because it was very 'British' and cheesy, until they (Andy Peters, I believe?) tried to make it 'cooler' and 'Down with the kids' and killed it....Channel 4 got it just right with 'The Tube' though possibly had a lot to do with the social/political/musical climate at the time?

[@stevespeak1007]

Excellent content