1. Jimmy Nail, Robson Green, Richard Hammond & Brian Johnson… : Apr 29th, 2014

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      Cars That Rock with Brian Johnson – Bentley (Promo Clip)… : Apr 29th, 2014

      Cars That Rock with Brian Johnson premieres on Thursdays at 9pm from 8th May only on Quest Freeview Channel 38

      Cars That Rock – TV Choice Magazine Interview with Elaine Penn… : Apr 29th, 2014

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      His distinctive voice has helped make rockers AC/DC one of the best-selling bands of all time. But away from the music, lead singer Brian Johnson has another passion – cars. He has a growing  collection of automobiles and regularly races some of them. In his new six-part series, Cars That Rock With Brian Johnson, the 66-year-old analyses, discusses and delves into the history of iconic cars before driving them…

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      The first car that you focus on in the series is the Mini…
      And the producers thought it was a ludicrous choice at first. I could pick six fabulous cars from the last 100 years. Iconic cars, that was the idea. And I was worried because I went to the production company with the list of cars and they said, ‘The Mini?’ And I said yes, because it was built by one man — Alec Issigonis —  who was a genius. It’s a four-seat car that’s great on petrol, easy to drive and cheap. It was the cool thing to be seen in. All the movie stars had one, and so did your dad and the guy down the street. And look at the room in here [as Brian points out the space inside the Mini we’re sitting inside]. There’s even a parcel shelf — somewhere to put all your stuff. This is the actual Mini I used in the show and I bought it. I’ve had so much fun in it.

      And you also get to drive one of the cars from The Italian Job movie, starring Michael Caine…
      David Morton in Newcastle is a young architect with a wife and two children. He’s painstakingly rebuilt these cars that he remortgaged his house to buy, and he’s got the uniforms that they used in the film and their helmets with the wire mesh on. There’s a packet of cigarettes sitting on the dashboard, it’s signed by Michael Caine and he very nicely asked me to sign one of the cars and they are the original cars. When I said that people would pay a fortune for these three cars, and that I could see the bidding starting at £250,000, he just turned to his wife and it was just a special moment when they said no.

      Tell me about some of the other cars in the series…
      I picked Rolls Royce, for obvious reasons. It always was, and still is, one of the finest vehicles on the road.
      I also picked Bentley and Lamborghini. There’s an amazing story behind Lamborghini. It was started in the Fifties by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who built tractors. He had a Ferrari and the clutch was awful, so he took one from one of his tractors and he stuck it in the Ferrari and it worked perfectly. So he went down the road to where Ferrari was and asked to see Enzo Ferrari to tell him that his clutch makes his cars much better. Enzo Ferrari said, ‘Get that tractor maker out of my building now!’ Ferruccio Lamborghini was furious, so he built his own car.

      You also look at Bugatti?
      Ettore Bugatti was an artist. They were an Italian family who lived in France. His father and grandfather were artists. His brother was called Rembrandt and still, to this day, if you can buy a Rembrandt Bugatti statue, it’ll cost you millions. Ettore was an artist purely but he loved motor cars. And he turned that art into the most beautiful vehicles ever produced by man. They’re just stunning. A Bugatti Royale would set you back, well even if you had £25m you wouldn’t even get close to owning one. There were only six built.

      It sounds as though you really enjoyed all the research?
      The history of all these men is just so wonderful. They were larger than life. In Bentley’s case he was a very quiet man who was just loved by everybody. So it was a joy to find more and more things out about these guys. Ferdinand Porsche was drinking pals with Hitler. Hitler loved him and his son. They were given the highest award known to anyone. The French imprisoned the two of them after the War for two years. This guy had a hand in building German bombers, German guns and tanks. The guy was a genius and it’s strange that, not that long ago, there was a poll to find out the greatest engineer of the last 100 years and he won it. And that was voted for by his peers. So it was a wonderful journey for me to find out all these things and learn more.

      What was the most interesting thing you discovered?
      Usually Rolls Royce engines are built in Germany, while the cars and bodies are built in England and they bring the engines over. But when I was at Bentley, I found out that Crewe build more 12 cylinder engines than the rest of the world put together. And I was embarrassed and ashamed of myself for not knowing that. Rolls Royce would be finished if it hadn’t been for the Germans. So would Bentley, so would Lamborghini, so would Bugatti, so would Mini, they’re owned by BMW now. I tried to say that a lot of people think that the Germans are a dispassionate bunch of people, that they haven’t got the romance about cars that the English and the Italians have when they make a car. But that’s so wrong, because they really have.

      Which cars were you most excited about getting behind the wheel of?
      Tim Birkin’s Bentley, the Bentley Blower No 1, in which he broke the Brookland’s lap record in 1931. Tiny Tim Birkin was a legend. He was the Elvis Presley of his time. All racing drivers were. They were all rich young men from London and it wasn’t so much about driving skill, it was pure bravado. I mean, five or six of these guys died a month.

      You certainly found some brilliant stories…
      I loved to tell them because I know that in other car shows, people just want to know how fast they can go. I wear a cotton shirt. I don’t know how it works, I just wear the thing. I like to race cars, but I’ve got a team around me. I’ll tell them what’s not working. I used to fix my own cars but now there’s just not time. In racing, you’ve got to be sharp and smart. You can’t be working on your car all night like the old days. So it’s pretty cool.

      How often do you race?
      As many times as I can. But this year we’ll be in the studio so there may be a bit of a gap. Every time you stop racing and you come back, everybody else is sharp and you’re just a bloody newcomer again. You’ve got to get used to the car, the track, and remember your braking points. So it’s tough. People who do it every week are red hot and fast!

      Did your interest in cars begin when you were a kid?
      Absolutely. I got interested in cars because where I lived, in Dunston, there weren’t any. Nobody had any money for cars in the early Fifties.

      So when did you get your first car?
      When I was 17 my dad bought me an old Ford Popular. He paid £50, which was all the money he had. And I’ll never forget that. He didn’t have a car, but he bought me one. It was special. I’ll never forget the number plate either — PBB 96. For all its faults, it was freedom. I got in my car and I didn’t have to stop at a bus stop. Take the L plates off. Lots of fun.

      How many do you own now?
      I think about 16 or 17. Five of them are race cars. The rest are just for my fun and pleasure and joy. I don’t like car collections that are too big. It becomes more like a mausoleum. They just sit there forever and I don’t like that. I like to use them, absuse them. Just knock the snot out of them.

      Do you ever sell them?
      I hate selling things that I like. I just cannot do it. I’m terrible. I keep them forever. Unless it’s like the family mule. Once it’s four years old, you get a new one. And that’s it. But in general, if it’s something special I feel it’s mine. It’s personal.

      Are you itching to buy a new car?
      I am and I’m not. I’m always looking, but I’m running out of garage space. I’ve just bought a small factory shop thing so I can stick the overflow in. Just mental. But I know that if somebody within the next couple of months says to me, ‘Look at this,’ I’ll go, ‘Ooh gawd, that’s beautiful. How much?’

      How does the adrenalin of racing compare to performing on stage?
      It’s pretty much the same. You know 100,000 people cheering, is the same to me. Well, it’s a bit more personal and more wonderful, but taking V8 engines or V6s on the starting grid and getting ready, and the flag drops and you take off… Well, it’s unbelievable. It’s so exciting. It’s loud, it’s noisy, it’s showbiz, it’s all the same s***. It’s rock n roll, me darling.

      Quest, Thursday

      Elaine Penn

      Original Source: http://www.tvchoicemagazine.co.uk/interviewextra/brian-johnson-cars-rock-brian-johnson?page=full

      AC/DC’s Brian Johnson fronts car series for Quest… : Apr 29th, 2014

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      When Brian Johnson, lead singer of the biggest rock ’n’ roll band in the world, AC/DC,  is not touring, writing or recording for the band, the charismatic front man indulges his passion for all things automotive as viewers will see in a new series for Quest next month.

      In his opinion, fast cars and rock ’n’ roll were made for each other – and made for him. Johnson will be sharing his passion for burning rubber with the rest of the world when his brand new, six-part series Cars That Rock With Brian Johnson.

      In the series Johnson, with his colourful sense of humour, delves into the rich heritage and, of course, gets behind the wheels of the most iconic cars in history. From the sleek Porsche, illustrious Bugatti, infamous Lamborghini and iconic Ferrari to the classic Mini, stately Rolls Royce and luxurious Bentley, Johnson explores their fascinating histories. From big screen appearances in blockbuster films, to some very famous owners, Johnson visits the factories and meets the makers of these fine motoring stallions.

      The AC/DC frontman is a notorious thrill seeker, competing in vintage car races all over the globe, including world famous Daytona International Speedway in Florida. In the series, Johnson gets to indulge his passion for speed as he is let loose around some of the world’s best speedways and race tracks, with the most talented test drivers and racers to ever get behind the wheel.

      During the filming of the series, Johnson fell in love with all the cars, but had a soft spot one in particular. Johnson purchased a glorious 1968 Mini Cooper after competing in the Masters Historic Racing Festival at Brands Hatch. Although a veteran petrol head, Johnson had never raced a Mini before. He now owns the one from the show; sharing the world’s enduring love for this truly iconic car.

      Buckle up on Thursday 8th May at 9pm as the AC/DC front man gets behind the wheel in the Quest series premiere, Cars that Rock with Brian Johnson.

      Quest Freeview 38, Sky 167, Virgin Media 172

      Original Source: http://www.atvtoday.co.uk/p55137-quest/

      Jaguar Announces A Stellar Line-up Of Cars And Drivers For The 2014 Mille Miglia… : Apr 28th, 2014

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      IN BRIEF
      *       Jaguar Heritage Racing to field ten of the marque’s most celebrated 1950s models in the 2014 Mille Miglia, from 15-18 May, including XKs, C-types and one D-type
      * Famous faces from the world of entertainment, music, motor sport and fashion to drive the gruelling Mille Miglia in historic Jaguars
      * Live updates from event available through Jaguar official social media channels, as well as Twitter profiles of drivers using hashtag: #JaguarMille

      IN DETAIL
      (Whitley, Coventry – 28/04/2014).       Jaguar Heritage Racing will be tackling the legendary Mille Miglia classic car endurance event from 15-18 May with a line-up of top-name drivers, which will be traversed over 1,000 gruelling miles from Brescia-Rome-Brescia in ten of the most revered and sought-after historic Jaguar cars ever produced.

      Household names from stage and screen, plus fashion, motor sport and music celebrities will campaign their assigned historic Jaguars through Northern and Central Italy for four tough but memorable days of hard driving.  Spectators enthusiastically lining the Mille Miglia route will get to see examples of historically-significant Jaguar XKs, C-types and D-types shooting past them with famous faces in the cockpits.

      Leading American TV chat show host, Jaguar collector and classic car enthusiast – Jay Leno – will drive the famous ex-Sir James Scott-Douglas 1951 Jaguar XK 120 roadster, raced as part of the Ecurie Ecosse team in period.

      Another well-known 1951 XK 120 roadster – the ex-Duncan Hamilton racer registered LXF 731 – will be shared by husband and wife team, Elliot and Erin Gleave. Elliot is better known as successful British musician Example, with his wife Erin being the Australian TV presenter that he first met when she interviewed him for MTV.

      Other significant Jaguar XK models on the Mille Miglia will include the ex-Jim Swift racing XK120 roadster, which will be driven by multiple award-winning British actor Jeremy Irons.  Multi-million album selling Scottish singer and songwriter Amy Macdonald will take the wheel of an XK140 once owned by successful British racing driver David Hobbs.

      Jaguar Vehicle Integrity Chief Engineer Mike Cross will drive the well-known ex-Stirling Moss Monthlery record-breaking XK120 Coupé, which carries the registration LWK 707. Author David Blakeley and model-turned-TV presenter Jodie Kidd will share a stunning example of the Jaguar XK120, which was driven by Oscar-winning actor Daniel-Day Lewis in the 2013 event.

      Jaguar Heritage Racing is also entering three famous C-type racing cars, to be driven by celebrities as diverse as Belgian singer-songwriter Milow (Jonathan Vandenbroeck) – who will drive with Jaguar Land Rover Regional Director for Europe Bernard Kuhnt, and legendary AC/DC lead singer and car afficionado Brian Johnson. Ex-Jaguar Le Mans 24 Hours race winner Andy Wallace will drive the Jaguar C-type which won the 1952 Reims Grand Prix with Formula 1 legend Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel.

      Two motor racing greats – ex-Jaguar Le Mans and World Sports Prototype Championship winner, Formula 1 driver and SKY F1 TV pundit Martin Brundle, plus ex-Formula 1 racer Bruno Senna – will share the famous ‘Long Nose’ Jaguar D-type, the penultimate example built, registered 393 RW, as this legendary Jaguar model celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2014.

      A number of new Jaguar F-TYPE Coupés will support the Jaguar Heritage Racing team, following the full Mille Miglia route through Italy with broadcast crews and VIP guests.

      The drivers making up the Jaguar Heritage Racing team will be tweeting live throughout the event, which was famously once proclaimed as: ‘The most beautiful race in the world’. Twitter profiles to watch for the latest personal updates on the event include:

      Jaguar Heritage Racing Driver Twitter profile name
      Jay Leno @LenosGarage
      Martin Brundle @MBrundleF1
      Bruno Senna @BSenna
      Jodie Kidd @RealJodieKidd
      David Blakeley @daveblakeley
      Amy Macdonald @Amy__Macdonald 
      Milow @milow 
      Elliot Gleave (Example) @example
      Erin Gleave @Erin_McNaught
      Brian Johnson @BrianJohnson 

      In addition Jaguar will be publishing live updates from 14-18 May at: www.facebook.com/Jaguar and www.twitter.com/jaguar

      Original Source: http://newsroom.jaguarlandrover.com/en-gb/jaguar/news/2014/04/jag_2014_mille_miglia_280414/

      Cars That Rock with Brian Johnson – Rolls-Royce (Promo Clip)… : Apr 27th, 2014

      This will make you laugh… : Apr 24th, 2014

      Brendan Healy
      Flirting with conservation.
      Last week I saw two posts on Facebook about canines. The first was a link to a fascinating report about the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in America and how it had completely rebalanced the whole eco-system in ways that surprised even the experts themselves. One example was that the wolves preying on the deer had caused the deer to move around the park in different ways, which meant that trees and shrubs on certain river banks had not been eaten, which in turn meant there was less soil erosion and that the river had reverted to a more natural course. Fascinating stuff. It had about about 7 likes. The other post was a picture of someone’s pet Pug in a French maid costume. It had about a million likes. It’s enough to make a grown man eat his own head.
      The idea of reintroducing wolves is, I think, a brilliant idea. I suggest a pilot scheme whereby a wolf pack is released in Newcastle City Centre on a Friday night. They would then roam the city centre picking off the slower drunks whilst the more sober flee. Apart from being a hilarious spectator sport it would demonstrate Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection in action.  After this we could extend the scheme nationwide and then apart from drunks we would find that the urban fox would become a thing of the past, and in the countryside the over-abundance of badgers would be reduced to a normal level without any more governmental quiverings.
      Of course we would have to give our new pal the wolf somewhere proper to live and once Kielder Forest was full we would have to reforest the Lake District, which would really annoy all the people who make cagoules and tents ‘cos people would stop going there on their holidays in case they got eaten. This would have the added benefit of reducing hotel and food prices in Keswick and Ambleside, making the Lake District an affordable place to visit once again, albeit with less chance of returning home.
      The reality is that wolves are rather shy creatures and it is highly unlikely you would bump into one in the Galleries Shopping Centre, Washington. Also, their population is likely to keep itself in check as a wolf pack doesn’t like other wolf packs very much. Saying this, the wolves will evolve, they will get the hang of rush hour traffic jams and realise that if they sit by the side of the A1 next to the Metro Centre at certain times of the day their food will be delivered to them pre-packed in tins, or as we call them cars. Opening car doors is just a matter of evolutionary time and with this much convenience food, hey ho, too many wolves.
      Which brings me to the next solution in Brendan’s world of conservation. Bears.
      Bears are an apex predator and would be happy to eat wolves, drunks and pre-packed businessmen, so they would finally restore the wonderful balance that all true conservationists have been striving for. They will also eat cats, dogs, red squirrel, water voles and other endangered species as they aren’t fussy and can’t read. This does not make them bad, just natural.
      So, in Brendan’s world of conservation, the future will be secure if we simply re-introduce the wolf and the bear and re-forest the whole countryside. Hang on, isn’t that where we started?
      My friend Tony Washington, a great singer, comedian and Bobby Thompson impersonator sent me a brilliant new Ashington joke which I now pretend I wrote.
      I was in a swimming pool in Ashington chatting up this lovely girl and she said ‘Are you flirting?’ and I said ‘No, I’ve got one foot on the bottom.’

      Cars That Rock with Brian Johnson – Promo : Apr 23rd, 2014

      (VIDEO) Billy Joel / Brian Johnson – You Shook Me All Night Long (Live at Madison Square Garden 21/03/2014) : Apr 19th, 2014

      Billy Joel / Brian Johnson – You Shook Me All Night Long
      (Live at Madison Square Garden 21/03/2014)

       

       

      Brian’s Feature in The Sunday Times from 6/4/2014… : Apr 17th, 2014

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      (CLICK PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE)
      Large Image: http://bit.ly/BrianSundayTimesLarge