Life in the fast lane

06/09/2010 @ 01:04

The next time you see Scott Cooper spending some quality time with his family in Welshpool and he doesn’t respond to you calling him, don’t think he is being rude…. his ears are probably still ringing from the latest superstar tour he has literally been carrying around Europe!

For truck driver Scott has just finished carting rock legends AC/DC to all corners of the continent and everywhere in between as part of their global Black Ice tour which has played to millions of fans in 108 cities since it hit the road back in 2008. Scott with his cargo: AC/DC's famous Hell's Bell

Scott with his cargo: AC/DC's famous Hell's Bell

The tour sold out stadiums from Wembley to Moscow after it reached Europe in the spring and Scott has been with the aging rockers every mile of the journey as part of the army of unsung heroes that work frantically behind the scenes to ensure the show must go on.

“The best thing about the job is actually being able to visit the cities and towns I go to,” said 37 year-old Scott. “I’ve been driving abroad for 16 years but normally only get to see the industrial estates near the places I deliver to, so getting to do the tourist thing and getting well paid for it is a real added bonus!”

A chance meeting on a North Sea ferry with the boss of a specialist tour haulage company 18 months ago changed Scott’s professional life and he has not looked back. And he has swopped industrial parks for the continent’s top stadiums and arenas as destinations to deliver the world’s biggest rock stars’ shows to their army of fans.

“I have done tours for Britney Spears, Mikka, Thriller Live (Michael Jackson musical), various festivals and have of course the AC/DC tour,” he said before adding that his latest Mikka Tour even saw him operating the stage spot light (below)!

“Out of all of them, the best I have worked on has to be AC/DC even though I am not a big fan of their music. They were incredible and played to crowds of 80,000-100,000 wherever they went. The energy they have even considering their ages and how long they have been at it is amazing.”

Scott’s travels have taken him from the Louvre in Paris to Moscow’s Red Square but, unfortunately, like a true roadie, he wont let on what the superstars get up to on the road claiming “what goes on tour stays on tour” but says he has met his paymasters “if they’re friendly!”. Next, could well be the upcoming Lady Gaga tour.

Welshpool provides the perfect base for Scott to escape the rock’n’roll lifestyle where he makes the most of his downtime with his wife Cathy and children.

But don’t expect to see him in Moltos or any of the other local music venues any time soon: “I like to relax by turning down the volume on everything when I am back in Welshpool!”