Namedropper!

Chris is a former 1970s Black Country reporter for BBC Birmingham and co-presenter of BBC Midland TV’s Look! Hear! with well-known singer and actress, Toyah Willcox. In 1982, Channel 4 hired Chris for its controversial music show The Tube presented by Jools Holland and Paula Yates where he launched unsigned talent including Fine Young Cannibals, Twisted Sister, and showcased the reviving talent of Tina Turner. After The Tube’s five year run, Chris became an award-winning film and documentary maker for regional and network television, covering subjects from Bob Marley to the Capital Punishment debate. He produced ground-breaking series on the regional routes of contemporary music in the UK. His passion for music is only equalled by his passion for film and in 2017, Chris authored Forget Carter, the definitive story of the North East on screen. Chris has also been affectionately called the “human hard drive of entertainment history” and also known as the celebrated, spoof character “Brian Appleton”, but that’s yet another story. He is also available for talks.

A few years ago I was at a North East Film Festival of which I'm the patron. We discussed a post-screening interview with a visiting guest."Who will moderate?" I asked, and was told - Chris Phipps. ;I then asked who Chris Phipps was and was told - "Oh, he's very good." They were right, Chris is not just a very good moderator, he is exceptional, as was proved again this year when he chaired a discussion with myself, my partner Dick Clement and director David Batty following a showing of our latest film My Generation. ;He's exceptional, not just because he does his homework, which is easier these days if you plunder Wikipedia, but because he cares so much about his subject, especially if it involves film or music. ;Those twin passions are certainly the glue that fortifies our friendship. We usually end up after a couple of drinks in intense discussions, especially involving music trivia. I won't try to compete with Chris on this, he's just too clued in. ;Yes, I could name the first Kinks' single but Chris could name every track on their debut album. Yes, I know the Proclaimers were the Scottish Everly Brothers but he probably knows where their births are registered. After all he was a producer of the seminal, coolest of cool rock shows The Tube. Apart from that show he has always had a great respect and affection for North Eastern culture and heritage.; A true Northern soul - it always surprises me that he has a Brummie accent. ;Chris's book is suffused with his customary wit, wisdom and humour. ;And if Chris Phipps is dropping names, these are names really worth dropping. ;Ian La Frenais