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Here at The Weakest Link Depository we like to bring you something that little bit special and so here is another first and something that no other Weakest Link website has, interviews with the people behind the show. At the moment we have two Paul Farrer, the man behind the music and now we have an interview with Jon Briggs, the UK statsman/voiceover for The Weakest Link.
The Weakest Link Depository recently caught up with Jon to ask him about TWL, glass houses and textile factories near Oldham!
Jon Briggs, the UK voiceover king
How did you get started in broadcasting?
Tea boy made good at the local BBC station in Oxford. Having nagged the station manager repeatedly for a job aged 16, I was invited in to watch a day's broadcasting (most probably to shut me up) and by the end of the day I had made a promo with Timmy Mallett (the drivetime presenter at the time) and so I stayed...
Who were your biggest broadcasting influences ?
Whisperin' Bob Harris taught me how to build a proper music programme (not like these Selector programmed stations) and how to be more honest with the microphone, and Simon Bates taught me to remember everyone's name in the studio....
Which medium do you prefer to work in; TV or radio?
Radio - always - it's so much more creative and magical
With your own voiceover company and numerous TV and radio appearances you seem an incredibly busy person. When you finally get some free time how do you like to spend it?
Free time...er remind me what was that again? If it ever occurs - behind the wheel of a sports car on a B road with no Gatso's
Have you ever recorded voiceovers for products you don't like?
No
Has anyone ever booked you expecting Johnny Briggs, Coronation Street's own Mike Baldwin?
Yes - once and my agent of the time couldn't understand why I was being asked to open a textile factory near Oldham. I didn't do the gig I hasten to add.
Is there anything that you haven't done in your career that you would like to?
Star in a blockbusting Hollywood movie, graced the front cover of the Radio Times and dated Rene Russo.
The Weakest Link Depository gave you the title 'statsman' which was adopted by the rest of the TWL internet fraternity, do you actually have an official title on the show?
Not really - I quite like the fact that the titles say "featuring" as opposed to "with" or "voice over by" - but the show's not really about me so - "Oi you" or "Gob-on-a-stick" it's all perfectly acceptable!
Why do you think the show is so popular?
So many reasons. Annie is the first and foremost. It's original (a rarity on TV these days)and let's face it - if you volunteer for a general knowledge quiz show, you should have some - so stupidity isn't really an excuse, which most other quiz shows have forgiven to date. Finally it does what we all do in Trivial Pursuit, when we're tired of trying to get all the cheeses - and someone says "for pity's sake, just read the questions out of the box".
Have you heard your American and Australian TWL voiceover counterparts, John Cramer and Marcus Irvine? If so how do you think they compare to you?
No comment - People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones - or is that people who live in glass houses shouldn't have sex....I forget.....
How do you think *you* would fare as a contestant on The Weakest Link?
Brilliantly of course - I've heard all the questions!
Jon, thanks very much!
I'm sure everyone agrees that the music is an integral part of The Weakest Link and even if the host changes throughout the world the music remains the same. Paul Farrer composed the Weakest Link music so The Weakest Link Depository tracked down Paul to see how it was all done.
Paul Farrer, the man behind the Weakest Link music.How long have you been writing music for television?
I've been working full time in music production since I was 16. Starting with jingles for local radio station working up to feature films and TV series its been a journey of about 12 years.
When were you first approached to write the music for The Weakest Link ?
Around February/March 2000
What information were you given about the show ?
Just the basic outline to start with - What the idea was, the name, the notion of it being quite confrontational and different.
Did the BBC have any input as to how the music should sound? Did your finished music differ greatly from your original concepts?
I worked very closely with the production team from my original first demos to the first run of TV studio recordings -a period of about four months. The overall sound came together quite quickly I think - the air of tension, aggression and general atmosphere seemed right to everyone pretty much from the start but there was a huge amount of fine tuning and structural work done getting the timings right. Unlike a lot of TV music which is essentially background, with Weakest Link the music quite literally drives the show, not just in the sense of creating a 'vibe' but each section of the game, the rounds, the stings and the walk of shame were all seen as a set of carefully timed templates. Interestingly for the rounds the BBC wanted less musical activity than I had originally done - they felt it crowded out the questions too much, but when the show started in the States NBC wanted me to put more stuff in, so I went back to my earlier recordings.
How many different music cues are there in the show?
Probably between 30 to 40.
Do you have any favourite TV/film composers?
As a kid growing up my hero was, and still is, John Williams. I find it hard to imagine a more masterful, versatile or genuinely inspired film composer being born in the next 100 years. Currently the only person who can touch him, in my opinion, is Hans Zimmer, but James Newton Howard and Thomas Newman are also big favourites of mine.
For TV music David Lowe (BBC News and countless other programmes) has been a big influence on my work and is pretty much at the top of his game. I'm also privileged to have him as a friend.
When you're not in the studio recording, what sort of music do you like listening to? Who are your favourite artists/bands?
At the moment I'm really into Eva Cassidy and Daft Punk's last album was astonishing, but my all time favourite band would probably have to be Radiohead.
What do you think of the Echobass & Rat Pack Weakest Link single?
Great. It's very flattering to be 'sampled'. It makes me feel like James Brown
How do you think *you* would fare as a contestant on The Weakest Link?
I think I'd do alright actually. I have good general knowledge skills but having been to a studio filming I can totally understand how contestants loose track of time during the rounds and forget to bank!
Paul, thanks very much!
