Last Of The English Roses Video Shoot. Jamils's Perspective.

A some of you may know Jamil was kind enough to help out at the video shoot for 'Last Of The English Roses'. I asked him to write it up for this blog and he did and here it is ....

"The shoot and other malarkeyWow! This is my first blog of any kind...and so the opening sentenceof any piece of writing is nearly always the hardest. I am not adverseto the customs of blogging… but do spend my entire life on the net…trying to fit in real life...and as many bags of chips, films, andgigs as humanly possible in along the way…Although babybear asked me to spare you all of his usual (yet brilliant) ramblings… I fear myblog will just be ramblings of another sort…but here goes… I suppose the logical place to start would be to thank the folks at Lazy Eye… and in particular Adrian (AKA Babybear) for allowing me to be part of the video shoot for Last of the English Roses – the new single from Mr. Peter Doherty… which was the most surreal of experiences and yet…one of my most fun… Thank You! Like most days for me…the 11th of February started with a black cab ride…but this time to Britannia Leisure Centre…where upon wheeling out of the taxi, I was greeted by members of the production team, which included a cold, yet calm Douglas Hart (of Mary Chain fame), who would oversee and coordinate proceedings…With a fag in his hand, and possibly the whitest Converse I've ever seen…I followed Douglas, and the others, along the path to Shoreditch Park.. I wouldn't really consider myself a shy person these days…but I was lost for words… and truly bricking it…I had kindly been asked to do it as part of my work experience for my Directing degree... and my...what a day it was...I half knew what to expect as a trainee director but my training doesn't lie in music, andso most of it was new to me! Lip synching...and no such thing asambient sound to worry about…It was staggering. The main thing thathit me was the efficiency and speed at which this shoot was done...Time is indeed money folks!!!It was however, an extremely low budget affair, but because ofDouglas's thorough yet relaxed approach, it all was very smooth.Douglas is first and foremost a big fan of Peters work...It is allabout the music! They have a very solid relationship… Douglas countedthis as his 7th outing with Peter…making for a great sense ofteamwork…everyone mucking in... a video to compliment a wonderfultrack. Lyrically and musically this track is bang on! Poppy yetpoetic...complex yet accessible...Although I was told I could pop down at any point, like any selfrespecting director, I showed for the beginning of the shoot…9.30 amto be precise...Half out of my own sense of professionalism, but alsoout of pure curiosity. The reality of what I was doing didn't trulyhit me until a saw that Fedora! With tea and Jelly Babies in hand, Icouldn't resist asking Douglas a few purely directorial questions andother little gubbins...Basically stalking him and observing his waywith Pete, and the other members of crew…the orchestration of it allreally…very interesting…Aside from dodging the dog shit of Shoreditch Park, driving on the wetgrass was fun, if not a tad bumpy…if there is a will...there is a way!On wide shots we were told to hang behind the equipment van, as not tobe picked up… sprinkled with OAPs stopping...complete with tinydogs…and curiosity. Even the ocassional white van man stalled trafficto beep horns and give it the thumbs up. I am also a huge fan..so.glad to see I wasn't the only one with a huge grin from ear toear...my brooding director face failing me..mostly.Judging from the Clash mag tracks and NMEs recent freebie, this isdefinitely a great start to what seems to be a promising year ahead. Imay be shot down for this but…I think that this is Peters most matureset of songs, and in many ways sounds like an artist, not only eagerto draw in new fans but satisfy old..a tough task but not impossible.A refreshing take on great songs... I also agree with Streetsassessment that Graham Coxon serves as a solid creative partner,someone to bounce ideas off and bring to the table, a whole new addeddepth. I personally could not think of anybody better. I hadreservations about Coxon and Street, as a music fan, friend, andfanboy…I take it all back…all of it…Jamil x"