Mike Spenser & The Cannibals documentary?

[Mark George Harrison]

Many years ago I caught a documentary, about 30 minutes long, about Mike Spenser. To say it was a shock is an understatement as the Cannibals were never big in the UK and MS was, to most, an unknown. I never thought to record it at the time and have never seen it repeated. I've been through Youtube as well and there's nothing there either. 

Does anyone else remember seeing it or does anyone have a copy?

[kopper]

Not sure if this is what you're after or not (it's not even three minutes long, much less thirty!)...

[kopper]

Some interesting things on Mike Spenser's YouTube channel, too:

http://www.youtube.com/user/mikespenser1

[Mark George Harrison]

Had a look through some of it earlier then found him on here! Have sent a friend request so maybe he can shed some light on it.

[kopper]

Oh yeah, here he is!

http://garagepunk.ning.com/profile/MikeSpenser

Maybe if he's got a copy of it he could post it in our Video section (hint, hint)!

Mark George Harrison said:

Had a look through some of it earlier then found him on here! Have sent a friend request so maybe he can shed some light on it.

[Mark George Harrison]

Nice find Kop, I'm sure that was a small part of it. I don't think it's ever been shown again here and was probably never shown in the States?? The length might not be 30 minutes but it was a lot longer than that, if my old memory serves!

kopper said:

Not sure if this is what you're after or not (it's not even three minutes long, much less thirty!)...

[John Battles]

....Well , I think , the bottom line is , Spenser has been around for a long time , since the Pub Rock days.....I saw Wreckless Eric once , and , he said , before going solo , he auditioned for "A Garage band , Standells , Chocolate Watchband covers... with an American singer". I asked him , later , if he was talking about Mike Spenser . "YEH !  HOW DID YOU KNOW?". I said , well , I can't think of too many other American singers  who might have been trying to start a Garage band in Britain when there was even less call for one than there was , even here in the states. But , I asked Eric if this band (Presumably an embryonic version of The Cannibals that did'nt take off.) was before or after Mike's stint with The (Count) Bishops , to which he replied , "Mike Spenser was in the Count Bishops?!"

I THINK , POSSIBLY , SPENSER ALSO WARRANTED A DOCUMENTARY , FOR CARRYING ON , REGARDLESS OF DEMAND. HE DID'NT BECOME , LIKE BILLY CHILDISH , HUGE IN AMERICA, OR EVEN P.PAUL FENECH , GRADUALLY POPULAR IN AMERICA. HE'S AN AMERICAN WHO CARVED A LITTLE NICHE IN ENGLAND....

[Mark George Harrison]

There was a documentary about Billy Childish as well a few years ago showing how he only paints on a Sunday at his Mothers house amongst other things, also very enjoyable.

John Battles said:

....Well , I think , the bottom line is , Spenser has been around for a long time , since the Pub Rock days.....I saw Wreckless Eric once , and , he said , before going solo , he auditioned for "A Garage band , Standells , Chocolate Watchband covers... with an American singer". I asked him , later , if he was talking about Mike Spenser . "YEH !  HOW DID YOU KNOW?". I said , well , I can't think of too many other American singers  who might have been trying to start a Garage band in Britain when there was even less call for one than there was , even here in the states. But , I asked Eric if this band (Presumably an embryonic version of The Cannibals that did'nt take off.) was before or after Mike's stint with The (Count) Bishops , to which he replied , "Mike Spenser was in the Count Bishops?!"

I THINK , POSSIBLY , SPENSER ALSO WARRANTED A DOCUMENTARY , FOR CARRYING ON , REGARDLESS OF DEMAND. HE DID'NT BECOME , LIKE BILLY CHILDISH , HUGE IN AMERICA, OR EVEN P.PAUL FENECH , GRADUALLY POPULAR IN AMERICA. HE'S AN AMERICAN WHO CARVED A LITTLE NICHE IN ENGLAND....

[Mike Spenser]

Yes, I have the whole documentary as all Channel 4 gave me was a normal VHS tape of the show. I had a large party at my house the night it was first shown and taped it off the TV and my copy is better than the one the TV producers sent me! Anyway, I had a friend who also taped it and he sent me a CD which I use to pick parts out of if and when I need them. The program, with the adverts for the channel ran 30 minutes but in all it is about 25 minutes long. I don't think I can upload it complete on Youtube as Channel 4 would probably come down heavy on me. But I may try one day. As for Wreckless Eric, yes he did come down to audition for the early Cannibals, in fact it was just before I changed the name to the Cannibals, sometime around 1976. I was for him to play on but Pete, the other guitarist was against it so I decided to give it a miss. We auditioned the same day Tony Oliver and he wound up being in the Cannibals for a few years.

[John Battles]

Wow , another one of those great "What ifs" in Rock' n 'Roll. I think Eric's sensibilities are just diverse enough ( Even if he stared in disbelief at me , when he'd mentioned Cliff Richard and Johnny Hallyday , and I replied that I liked 'em.) that he could have probably been in The Cannibals. But , his true calling was writing and singing what I call "Bitter Bubblegum".

 
Mike Spenser said:

Yes, I have the whole documentary as all Channel 4 gave me was a normal VHS tape of the show. I had a large party at my house the night it was first shown and taped it off the TV and my copy is better than the one the TV producers sent me! Anyway, I had a friend who also taped it and he sent me a CD which I use to pick parts out of if and when I need them. The program, with the adverts for the channel ran 30 minutes but in all it is about 25 minutes long. I don't think I can upload it complete on Youtube as Channel 4 would probably come down heavy on me. But I may try one day. As for Wreckless Eric, yes he did come down to audition for the early Cannibals, in fact it was just before I changed the name to the Cannibals, sometime around 1976. I was for him to play on but Pete, the other guitarist was against it so I decided to give it a miss. We auditioned the same day Tony Oliver and he wound up being in the Cannibals for a few years.

[Mike Spenser]

Of course I have a copy of it. I thought I'd replied somehow to you about this? Maybe on Facebook or email? Anyway, there are snippets of it on Youtube and I have somewhere the avi file if you want. Just don't use it in lieu of any porn when you're having it away with your partner! BTW, it was shown several times and was actually the "Watch This" in the Guardian TV schedule at the time! 

[Mike Spenser]

Do you still want a copy? Get in touch...here is a pic of the original posting in the Guardian the week it was originally shown...

[Mark George Harrison]

Hi Mike, we talked about it on here and FB I think. I'd love a copy still and I promise I won't use it in lieu of porn!

The Guardian? bit highbrow for me mate!

Mike Spenser said:

Do you still want a copy? Get in touch...here is a pic of the original posting in the Guardian the week it was originally shown...