22 replies to this topic

[garryc]

I am wondering if Bono's singing at Greg's funeral was recorded and I would totally understand if it wasn't. I am not looking to upset anyone but just wondering if it exists ans if I can get a copy?

Bono sang;

Let it be and Knockin' on Heavens Door

[Dav]

garryc, on 13th February 2006 - 10:26 pm, said:

I am wondering if Bono's singing at Greg's funeral was recorded and I would totally understand if it wasn't. I am not looking to upset anyone but just wondering if it exists ans if I can get a copy?

Bono sang;

Let it be and Knockin' on Heavens Door

I've never heard of that circulating as an audio track. But then, there are some photos and video footage that were taken at the time (briefly shown as part of the One Tree Hill video if I remember correctly) so I would assume there was an audio track that was recorded along with the visual footage. Whether or not that includes Bono singing is anyones guess. And if it does exist it will be in a vault somewhere and I very much doubt it will see the light of day until well enough into the future that such a recording becomes of historical interest.

[Emma]

Huuum wasn't it TVNZ that put the video together as there wasn't a proper release as such from the band. I remember that song was number one in Nz for absolutely weeks, so they needed something to go with it for TV. Was it still RTR in those days or am I getting  muddled?Can't quite remember!

[garryc]

Quote

Was it still RTR in those days

Yes it was Ready to Roll an a Saturday Night on TV2
Anybody have sway with the powers at be in TVNZ achive vaults as it must be tucked away in some dark corner for almost 20 years now.
I will flick TVNZ an email asking if there is any way of getting a copy of the raw footage and the finished product.

[Seamus]

MV may have some favour there, and perhaps call in a favour from some old mates there.... I know that is how he got the TVNZ video interview with U2

[Dav]

Emma, on 14th February 2006 - 04:49 pm, said:

Huuum wasn't it TVNZ that put the video together as there wasn't a proper release as such from the band.

I dunno, yeah it does look like a TV station slap together video, what with all the images from different era's. The footage from the funeral that is included on it I guess belongs to U2 though, I can't imagine TVNZ being there?

Emma, on 14th February 2006 - 04:49 pm, said:

Was it still RTR in those days or am I getting  muddled?Can't quite remember!

I won't say a thing.  

[Scarla]

Dav, on 15th February 2006 - 02:35 am, said:

I dunno, yeah it does look like a TV station slap together video, what with all the images from different era's. The footage from the funeral that is included on it I guess belongs to U2 though, I can't imagine TVNZ being there?

The media were there. I can't say for certain TVNZ (or whatever they called themselves back then) were at the funeral, but journalists and photographers were, so I don't see why a local film crew wouldn't have been.

My aunt, who lives in Wanganui, saw a photo in the newspaper and liked it so much she wrote to the paper and asked if she could buy a print. She hung it on the wall in her kitchen, I think, and years later my mother mentioned it to me. Turned out to be Bono and Ali at Greg Carroll's funeral. I now have a copy of the pic; it's very lovely, with both of them looking down at a carnation in Ali's hand, but, knowing the context, it's also incredibly sad.

[Seamus]

it seems unlikely U2 would have rocked along to the tangi with film crew in tow - just seems a bit too tacky... I suspect if any video footage exists it would not be U2 property, but more likely journalists.

[garryc]

I have sent a request of to TVNZ to see what kind of archived footage they have around the funeral and raw footage used to create the One Tree Hill music video.
The person who got my email is on leave until the end of the month so we will have to wait until then.
I have offered to pay for this if needs be, if I'm successful, would rather depend on what TVNZ can come up with and what it would cost???
Music video for One Tree Hill would be ok but more would be better.

I will let you guys know as soon as I do.

[Mike]

I'm not sure how much of the raw footage from the tangi still exists, but I would be very surprised if they filmed any of Bono's personal tribute to Greg (which also included the reading of a poem).  I honestly don't think that protocol would have allowed for them to film at that time.  But, who knows?

Emma, on 14th February 2006 - 04:49 pm, said:

Huuum wasn't it TVNZ that put the video together as there wasn't a proper release as such from the band. I remember that song was number one in NZ for absolutely weeks, so they needed something to go with it for TV.

It was, indeed, TVNZ who made the One Tree Hill video.  It was edited together at Avalon Studios in Lower Hutt.  I was on TVNZ staff there for a number of years (still work there from time to time as a freelancer), so it was my own friends and colleagues who made the video.  Unfortunately, though, I wasn't a U2 fan back in 1988... so I wouldn't have been even remotely interested in their little project!    Sheeesh, if they were making a new U2 video today, I'd be marching straight into the editing suite and taking over proceedings!  

A few years later, after I began taking a serious interest in U2, I did some research on the story of 'One Tree Hill' (the song), and the history of One Tree Hill (the place).  This, of course, ended up as a rather long essay, which is featured right here on U2 New Zooland.  While researching the essay, I spoke to a couple of my colleagues who'd helped compile the video (including the producer of RTR).  Here's an extract from the essay, specifically regarding the video:

In March 1988, One Tree Hill was released as a single and quickly went to number one on the charts.  Because the track was released in New Zealand only, neither Island Records nor Polygram offered an accompanying promotional video.  However, an official video was eventually made; it was edited together by Television New Zealand personnel after they realised they didn't have a video to play for the country's top selling single.  With little time and a shoe-string budget, a One Tree Hill video was quickly compiled using footage from U2's previous videos of 'The Unforgettable Fire', and 'With or Without You'.  The new video also included shots of the Wanganui River (superimposed by photographs of Greg), brief news footage of a mournful Bono at Greg's tangi, and stark images of One             Tree Hill itself.  As with the album liner notes, the video ends with a dedication; "To the Memory of Greg Carroll, 1960 - 1986".

garryc, on 14th February 2006 - 08:22 pm, said:

Anybody have sway with the powers at be in TVNZ achive vaults as it must be tucked away in some dark corner for almost 20 years now.

Hhhm.... let me seeeeeee...    

Actually, to tell you the truth, I am one step ahead on that front - I have already been there, and done that! The TVNZ Archives building is now located on the Avalon Studios site.  A couple of years ago, I finally managed to get ahold of the master tape of the One Tree Hill video, which I then had dubbed to another pro-grade videotape.  A friend/colleague of mine then professionally encoded the video into an MPEG-2 file.  The reason for all this was so that I could, one day, post the clip here on U2 New Zooland.  HOWEVER, before I can do this, I need to have copyright clearance from both TVNZ (who own the footage), and Universal Music (who own the song).  Getting that clearance, however, will probably be difficult.  [God, this sounds like the t-shirt saga all over again!]   I must admit, though, I have not yet bothered to chase it up.  Maybe this year would be a good time to do that, given that it's the 20th Anniversary of Greg Carroll's death.

Dav, on 15th February 2006 - 02:35 am, said:

The footage from the funeral that is included on it I guess belongs to U2 though, I can't imagine TVNZ being there?

Well, there was certainly a film crew there, as some of their footage was used in the One Tree Hill video.  I assume it was a TVNZ news crew, as they were the only broadcaster in NZ in 1986.

garryc, on 15th February 2006 - 09:56 pm, said:

I have sent a request of to TVNZ to see what kind of archived footage they have around the funeral and raw footage used to create the One Tree Hill music video.

I have offered to pay for this if needs be, if I'm successful, would rather depend on what TVNZ can come up with and what it would cost???

To be honest, I don't like your chances (unless you've got very deep pockets?). From my experiences (and from talking to videotape editors who I work with), TVNZ charge like a wounded bull when it comes to copyright clearances.  We're talking hundreds of dollars per minute of footage - and that's just for the video (i.e, TVNZ don't own the actual song).  This is partly why I have never bothered to look into it myself.