Former stage manager for The Tube seeks contributors for memoir on life behind the scenes of music industry
Colin Rowell, a former stage manager for Channel 4’s The Tube, is writing a memoir about his career in the entertainment industry and is appealing to the public to help uncover photographs, stories, memorabilia and memories from his career.
The former stage manager for Channel 4’s The Tube, from Hebburn, who has worked with stars like Diana Ross and David Bowie, is searching for contributors for his upcoming memoir.
Colin Rowell, a familiar name to many who worked in the live music and television industries throughout the 1970s, 80s and beyond, is currently writing a book documenting his remarkable career behind the scenes of the entertainment industry.
Colin's career has taken him from the stage of Newcastle City Hall, where he worked as stage manager throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, to some of the biggest stages and productions in the world.
The 74-year-old, from Hebburn, was also stage manager for the legendary Channel 4 music programme The Tube, and remarkably, was the only member of staff to be involved in every episode of the show.
His career continued to take him around the world, working on major productions, festivals and events, including helping to put together the MTV Awards.
Along the way, he worked with some of the biggest names in music, including B.B. King, Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Diana Ross.
He also worked as tour manager for the likes of Sargent and Hawkwind, building a wealth of experiences and stories from a career spent behind the scenes of the music industry.
In 2022, Colin won a Special Recognition Award for 50 golden years in the music business including time spent as the stage manager for David Bowie at Wembley and production manager for Genesis at Knebworth.
Now, as Colin puts his experiences into a book, he is hoping to reconnect with people who were part of that journey and is appealing to the public, former colleagues, musicians, performers, production crews and music fans to help uncover photographs, stories, memorabilia and memories from his career.
He is searching for anybody who may have worked alongside him, performed at a show, attended a memorable gig or who has photographs tucked away from those years.
Colin said: “The book, it’s more anecdotal, the fun stories of the artists I got involved with. There’ll be a bit of technical stuff but not much.
“It’s mainly the funny stories and memories of the world behind the stage.
“We hear a lot about the people on stage and the performers, but you don’t tend to hear a lot about the putting it all together and making it come true for those performers.
“I mean, once I had to crane a stage over a massive wall on the Isle of Man.”
In addition to working on his new book, Colin works to run a Community Interest Organisation to help support those suffering from health issues, learning disabilities and mental health through the world of music, named SHOWBIZ NE, with Hope Harris, 26.
The group has been set up to work in South and North Tyneside and surrounding areas opening up the world of music to a number of people no matter what their background or abilities are.