....hopefully there's some footage of Traffic. Very much looking forward it. I don't really have much time for Winwood's music in the 80's and beyond but for his work in the 60's and 70's i'm very much looking forward to this show.

Almost Simon, the doc is almost entirely skewed to the period you allude to, all tied together with some excellent interviews. Enjoy.

really enjoyed that.

Let's get Paul on the pocast!

Great programme with some great views of the Berkshire Downs and the cottage they went to in 1967/8.

I have always like Steve Windwood's music through the 60-80s and this was a great overview.

Great early footage. A bit odd that Steve referred to all his Traffic cohorts as not being with us anymore. Dave Mason is surely still around, no?

Gonna have to wait for youtube here in Dubai.

nice work Paul

Steve is one of my heroes except for the blue eyed soul period in the 80's.
A tribute film was well overdue, well done Paul.
A very honest film, with Steve being open about his musical ambition.
Reminded me of the equally good BBC film on Neil Young last year.

Fortunately for us, these great and true artists do not bow to anyone in their musical quest, long may they thrive.

Loved it.

I've been listening to Winwood for 25 odd years and it's only in the last month that I've actually thought "hell, he really does sound like Ray Charles." Sharp, me.

Paul,

Boys often have heroes and mine was Steve Winwood. From the time I and my friends at boarding school were listening to Traffic in 1973-1975 I have followed his career closely.

You managed to get all the right ingredients, and in just the right quantities, in your film. The interviews with Steve also managed to be the most revealing and interesting I've ever heard.

You and your team have made a perfect documentary.

..read about it here (I'm in Australia BTW) went to UKNova, dowloaded it and watched it tonight.
You portrayed the "trippy" traffic era without cliches like girls having their boobs painted etc..
(..and confirmed to me that Dave Mason was driven away from the band because..well he's a bit of a tit isn't he?..and I speak as someone who loves "Alone Together"

but your heart must have sank when you found out it was scheduled against the England game.

It's on again on Sunday 20th at 11pm

excellent programme. It's a strand BBC 4 does so well. Listening to
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - great Sunday morning music (ok I know its just gone noon but morning lasts until at least 2pm on a Sunday surely?). Had a listen to the Stevie Winwood album last night. Which to me is still a Traffic album. It's a master piece. Good to see he's living the good life - still very down to earth.

particularly - oddly enough - the 80s second (maybe third?) coming, which is an era I had never seen covered before. It is easy to forget just how huge Traffic were in the US in the early 70s, and how that translated into success over there in the 80s. Here, that commercial solo success seemed to spring from nowhere.

I was also impressed that you got Dave Mason to contribute at all given the state of his relationship with Winwood.

Despite all that, I thought Winwood occasionally came across as a slightly reluctant interviewee, except when he was speaking about Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. It is clear he values his privacy, but it seemed to go beyond that, in that there was a certain detachment or disengagement (is that a word?).

That is something that comes through on the recent live CD/CVD with Clapton. There is very little interplay between the two stars and no real sense of chemistry.

I saw Winwood live a few years ago promoting 'About Time', and he appeared to be in great form in a small venue, and enjoying himself. I didn't sense that enjoyment now.

I thought it was a terrific, beautifully made documentary, and I speak as someone who isn't particularly interested in Steve Winwood. I find myself thinking about buying a traffic album now...

just one, peripheral, point which the Massive may have views on:

What ON EARTH is going on with Paul Rodgers' 'hair situation'? obviously its some kind of wig/weave thing but it seems, with every interview spot he does, to be becoming increasingly random and bizarre looking. How can you have a 'bad wig day'? and if they're so frequent why doesn't he just get rid of the thing?

I really enjoyed the film - very long overdue & fantastic to hear Steve recalling much of the story that i have read in bios but never heard him talk about before.

A question .... Trevor Burton had a mantlepiece full of 50th birthday cards behind him .... my band is playing a gig with Trevors band in a couple of weeks - should i be buying him a present ??

Our band is playing a little run of Steve's music at the moment - "Hold On" (from 1st SW album), "Cant Find My Way Home", "Dear Mr Fantasy" & "Dirty City" (from the new SW album) and its so nice to have people of all ages come up after and comment on the songs - Steve's music is still really loved & its great to play !

J
www.myspace.com/thecohenbrothers

…….(I watch on Sky+ whenever the kids are out of the room)…..i’m upto the John Barleycorn bit. An album I love.

I know that Ginger Baker gets bad press sometimes but I do wonder how Blind Faith could’ve progressed had Ginger not been involved - a more subtle drummer would've been better for their sound. You could see that Clapton wanted away from being a “guitar hero” and just be part of the band. Winwood and Clapton could’ve been great together if the various managers hadn’t pushed them out on the road on tour. Traffic with Clapton instead of Dave Mason?? That would’ve worked for me, especially when you hear the likes of Clapton’s ‘461 Ocean Boulevard.’

I know it’s a big “what if?” but I would’ve liked to have seen that. For the record I’ve come to love the Blind Faith LP more and more over the past 20 years I’ve been listening to it. Had To Cry Today, Can’t Find My Way Home and Presence of the Lord are all superb. And the rest of the album isn’t too shabby. And if, like me, you like the post-Blind Faith Traffic albums (Low Spark in particular,) you can also appreciate Ginger’s Do What You Like.

But if Clapton and Winwood were to have stuck together we wouldn’t have had John Barleycorn, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs or 461 Ocean Boulevard. So I can’t complain too much.

I've always enjoyed Mr W's music, but the programme made me realise I have very little of his stuff in my collection. I shall be remedying this without delay.

for kind comments and thoughts that spring from the film. Glad you enjoyed, especially as it didn't get much pre publicity. Despite the England game the film apparently got what BBC4 usually gets on Friday night, something approaching 300,000, not including repeats and iPlayer (no idea if or how they count those).

I think the blind Faith LP more than stands up, Ginger's drumming is actually pretty funky. It is one of the great 'what ifs', if they had stayed together but, I Almost agree with Simon, then we might not have got all Traffic's great left field 70s work.

Thanks all again.

I vastly enjoyed the film. The filming from the house in the country was genuinly effectingand you felt some thing of great value had been lost. Winwood is not natural interview material but that made what he said more honest. Muff added great background.
Sets the benchmark on how this type of program should be made. Well done.

it very much was. Thanks N2. The Winwood brothers both brought a lot I thought. One thing Steve did appreciate when we went back to the cottage was that music's still coming from it as the people who live there now run a guitar business. They're also very nice so I'll just give them a plug

http://www.indieguitars.com/guitarshop/erol.html

Our sound recordist bought a guitar while we were there and gave us an excellent report on it.

I'm sure any pilgrims to the cottage will be given a welcome and a tour - especially if you buy a guitar. It's a great bit of the Downs and you do feel the vibe there.

If anyone does go and finds my phone, which I lost during repeated takes of the 'POV falling over in the field in front of the cottage' shot, do let me know. This did happen after smoking the obviously not real joint in that sequence though. And my expenses claim for a packet of large red Rizlas was turned down with the words 'Imagine if the Daily Mail got wind of that!'

...Winwood is god!

Bummer ! - I missed Steve's gig on Radio 2 last night a 2hr "In Concert" and for some reason the Beeb aren't putting it on iPlayer. Would love to hear it.

Did anyone hear it ? - the gigs last year were great, I do love the current band - the Clapton gig was great - but Steve current band have a great sound.

J