GasTank

1 9 8 2 – 1 9 8 3 (UK)
6 x 60 minute episodes

This Channel 4 music programme was hosted by Rick Wakeman and session musician Tony Ashton – in a pub setting with an atmosphere of boozy affability – and featured a mix of interviews with “non-current” (ie: ageing) rock stars and impromptu jam sessions.

The guest artists joined Rick and Tony with their house band to play versions of their classic songs, or new pieces created for the show, in a loving homage to old-fashioned rock musicianship.

While the clumsy interviews were rather endearing, the jamming was uniformly dire – reducing even Gene Vincent to a funereal pace.

Guests included Suzi Quatro, Eric Burdon, Donovan, John Entwistle of The Who, Steve Harley, Andy Fairweather Low, The Strawbs, Godley and Creme, Chris Farlowe, Alvin Lee of Ten Years After, Phil Lynott, Deep Purple‘s Ian Paice, Rick Parfitt, Maggie Bell and Ronnie Scott.

GasTank aired on alternate weeks with The Other Side Of The Tracks, hosted by Paul Gambaccini.