Tony Palmer comments on his movie: Tangerine Dream “Live At Coventry Cathedral 1975”

In December 1974 Tangerine Dream were invited to play in the grand setting of Rheims Cathedral, a move certainly seen at the time as groundbreaking. They were then invited to perform in the cathedrals of York, Liverpool and Coventry. The tour attracted unprecedented coverage in the media, especially at Coventry Cathedral, an iconic building rising like a phoenix on the ruins of the old cathedral bombed to bits by the Germans in 1940 (Tangerine Dream is, after all, a German band) as a celebration of peace and reconciliation, as well as a lasting showcase for great contemporary art.

The nave is dominated by a gigantic tapestry by Graham Sutherland, the main door dwarfed by a sculpture of St Michael & The Devil by Jacob Epstein, and the consecration in 1962 heard the first performance of Britten’s incomparable War Requiem. To their lasting credit, Tangerine Dream contributed to this celebration.

This DVD features the live recording soundtrack (unlike the previous issue), and also contains footage of Tangerine Dream from the legendary music programme, All You Need is Love. It will be welcomed by the massive Tangerine Dream fan base, and also seen for what it is – a meeting of cultures and for a brief moment in time, a time where the past met both the present and the future.

This deluxe box set brings together both the film DVD and memorabilia together for the first time, along with a signed and numbered certificate by Tony Palmer the Director.

Tony Palmer, commented on the documentary and his career in general:

1. How long did it take to shoot the film for the concert of Tangerine Dream in the Cathedral?  One day
2. What do you remember of the concert? Very busy
3. Are there any untold stories about this concert that you would like to comment on? No
4. What type of equipment did you use for the film shooting? 2″ analogue videotape
5. What are the main difficulties of shooting a live show?  To make a group of non-performers visually interesting.
6. Did you have any problems with the authorities of the Cathedral for the video shooting of the concert?  No
7. Are you satisfied with the release of the deluxe box set? Mostly
8. Is there still unreleased material from this concert?  Not that I know of.
9. Are there any deleted scenes or material that is not appropriate for the fans?   Not that I know of.
10. What is the most successful music documentary that you ever made? No idea.
11. What it was like working the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix for documentaries? Interesting
12. How does technology affect the way you make movies? It doesn’t
13. Would you like to comment on the current status of the music industry?  Crap
14. Do you plan any new film or documentary for the near future?  Yes

To pre-order:https://burningshed.com/store/gonzo/tangerine-dream_live-at-coventry-cathedral-1975_boxset

Tony Palmer photo credit: www.tonypalmer.org