We’ve had the privilege to talk to Vicki Wickham the editor of the original Ready Steady Go! and also Dusty Springfield’s manager. Below she discusses some of her favourite moments and recounts incredible stories from the show.
For more information on the live re-creation of the show on Saturday 11 June featuring some very special guests and to buy tickets visit the Meltdown website here
The Kinks – You Really Got Me
The Kinks played You Really Got Me on the show in 1964 it was a revelation. One of the most iconic riffs in history and the performance set them up to take the charts by storm. They had only been called The Kinks a month, were number one shortly afterwards and we always could not wait to have them back on the show.
Ike & Tina Turner
The entire group were on Ready Steady Go! for an hour’s programme prior to opening for the Stones at the Albert Hall the next evening. A great, exciting show. One of our best and the Ikettes were incredible. Sounded amazing and looked fabulous.
The Rolling Stones at Wembley
They appeared as part of RSG!’s Mod Ball at Wembley. We pushed them out onto the floor on a huge riser playing live. As we did, the packed crowd in the stadium started to come down from their seats and surround the riser and nearly pulled them off. Not such a great idea but it looked brilliant on screen.
The Beatles
In March 1964 The Beatles were appearing and a huge crowd started to form in the morning up Kingsway. When we opened the big glass doors at the front of the building there was mayhem and the doors buckled and nearly smashed. The police had to be called and several avid fans managed to get in through the boiler room. Good for them! Suddenly the meaning of FAME and how big they were hit home.
Marc Bolan
He was so gorgeous looking and sounded like no-one else. He made his first TV appearance on Ready Steady Go! and came and thanked me and shook my hand afterwards. Amazing.
The Who
They were regulars on the show and almost the epitomy of RSG! They came to Paris with us for a ‘Live from Paris’ Special and at the end of the show, Michael Lindsay Hogg (the director) asked them to run outside into the alley and ‘do something French’ so that he could follow them with a camera. They did. And the next thing we saw from the control room was Keith peeing against the wall. I think transmission might have faded out.
The Sound Of Motown – Ready Steady Go! Special featuring The Supremes, Little Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Martha & The Vandellas and Earl van Dyke
Hosted by Dusty Springfield we had all these artists on one show at one time before they were even known in the UK. None of us had seen performances like this and the choreography and routines of the Temptations and Supremes. We were all in awe. At one point Diana Ross was missing for a rehearsal and was found curled up asleep on two chairs behind the control room.
James Brown
James and his band, The Famous Flames, had the entire hour. Michael Lindsay Hogg (the director) and I went to meet him at his hotel where he adamantly told us he didn’t rehearse. He said it would like asking a footballer to play the game before game time! He came to the studio and we were nervous but once Michael showed him the stage and the surface of the stage we’d built so that he could dance and do his routines his attitude changed and the sound-check was seamless and they ran through most of the show. It turned out that he had done a BBC show the night before and they had him on a small riser and he was angry that he couldn’t dance or move.
RSG! Pantomime
For one Christmas show we asked The Kinks, The Animals, The Who and others to perform a pantomime with old traditional songs which was very funny. More so, when Keith Moon with his normal enthusiasm ran round his drum kit, tripped and fell through the set wall completely collapsing it with Keith on the floor amidst the ruins.
Sonny & Cher’s ‘I’ve Got You Babe’ was a big record at the time and Cathy McGowan (our own Mod) asked The Stones and their manager Andrew Loog Oldham to ‘mime’ with her to the song. Charlie brings Cathy a flower, Brian is wearing a huge gorilla’s paw while holding Cathy’s hand,
Bill looks embarrassed, Keith comes in on crutches and Mick and Andrew camp it up. You cannot imagine any huge act doing this sort of silliness now! True Brits.
The Green Room
The ‘notorius Green Room’, known for matchmaking, intrigue, gossip and drink. Artists who were not on the show that week would come to our Green room and hang out and watch the show. It became infamous for having so many stars hang out on Friday evenings in Kingsway. I was aware that a huge draw was the free drinks!
The Managers
Several of the managers of the artists became friends with myself and Michael Lindsay-Hogg. The Who’s managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp would regularly take us to lunch at Trattoria Terrazza or Wheelers. Andrew Loog Oldham – the Rolling Stones’ manager – I first met outside a pub around the corner from the studio. He was standing outside, dressed immaculately in a Mr. Fish shirt, with a glass in his hand. As I went up to say hello, he slid down the wall, contents of his glass intact, and passed out. It was the beginning of a long friendship.
Michael Lindsay Hogg – Director of RSG!
Michael was the same age as us and much younger that previous directors and brought some new amazing techniques to the show. He shot The Who’s ‘My Generation’ (which remember was in black and white in those days) in negative and positive giving it a weird creepy look. The Walker Brothers: the camera went in so close on the heads of Scott, John and Gary that they looked like angels with their long hair. Every girl – and probably boy – in the UK was in love and talking about them the next day.
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