UB40 just means the majority of us lot on this thread now doesn't it? ....:(
Did anyone notice the story and interview with ex-BBC producer William De'Ath yesterday? He has been told he faces no further action after nearly 5 months on bail, regards Operation Yewtree. Maybe it could bode well for DLT? The interview on the Today programme with John Humphreys was illuminating, it is available on the BBC News site, about 6 minutes worth.
You said it. Mind you, I'm guilty myself at home of that and I could kick myself. I constantly went over and over some great stuff on C90 cassette tapes in the early 80's. But I had no choice. I could not keep buying brand new ones every other week, as I simply did not have the means to do so. Likely on a larger scale this is the case at the BBC and elsewhere. Pure economics, sadly.:(
I understand that the Quad 2 video tapes that programmes were recorded on were prohibitively expensive back in the day (about £1000 in today's money) but I simply cannot believe that there was no way of making any sort of backup that didn't need to use Quad 2 tapes before wiping,
Scandalously, the BBC didn't have an official archival policy in place until 1978.
Claim to Fame time :-
I was on Razzamatazz back in the early 80s!! - It was filmed in Newcastle and our school kept being asked to go along to be in the audience!! - There was never anyone too interesting when I was there though - except for maybe Tick n Tock and Bad Manners!!
I must admit though - there was no hanky panky going on between us girls and the presenters!!! - And we had Alistair Pirrie!!
Alaistair Pirrie is one of the great, lost radio presenters. Its a pity that he's only known nationally for Razzamatazz as his daily show on Radio Tees was constantly fun, inventive and sometimes bizarre!
Another childhood music-based memory sparked back to mind last night. From the late 80s onwards I had a video of Thomas The Tank Engine (bear with me), where we'd taped the episodes off the telly. I'd watch it at least once a month for what seemed for years and, after about 90 minutes of Thomas' adventures, it would whirl up and play what else was on the tape. It just happened to be part of a programme hosted by John Peel and John Walters, which I'd also watch again and again.
I tracked it down last night and finally found out what the show was after a good 25+ years. It was John Peel's Omnibus Video Jukebox from 1986. The section I had was the chat with David Byrne and the Talking Heads videos for "Psycho Killer", "Once In A LIfetime" and "Road To Nowhere". As a result, they've always been among my all time favourite songs. The other bits on the tape were a chat with Toni Basil with the videos to "Hey Mickey" and less well known follow up, "Over My Head". It also had Michael Jackson's videos "Thriller", which creeped me out fantastically at the obvious points, but the tape would whirl up just as the zombie dance started and that was it.
Looking at the comments underneath, the showing I had must have been the repeat during the 1987 election night as it had text going up saying various constituency results. Never knew it was originally 6 hours long.
Anyway, I watched that bit of the programme a lot as a kid and so always had a great affection for John Peel even if I never actually caught his radio show when growing up.
I understand that the Quad 2 video tapes that programmes were recorded on were prohibitively expensive back in the day (about £1000 in today's money) but I simply cannot believe that there was no way of making any sort of backup that didn't need to use Quad 2 tapes before wiping
When John Henshall unveiled his "lost" TOTP footage of David Bowie from January 1973 clips of the performance surfaced on YouTube within 24 hours and people across the world lost no time in expressing their dismay and incredulity that the BBC had wiped the original mastertape. The public broadcaster's policy of mass wiping in the 1970s was described by one poster as 'cultural genocide'.
I noticed in a few "live" TV performances of Eternal Flame, the lead singer couldn't reach the highest note in the final chorus and sang it as she had in the other choruses. Yet the high note is there on the record. An early example of "digital enhancements?"
I don't think 'digital enhancements' were really being used then - but mixing one singer's voice with another's most definitely was, and I'd guess this is what happened here.
One well-documented instance of this is with Tracy Ullman's cover of 'They Don't Know', where she couldn't hit that very high 'Ba-by' in the middle of the song, so writer and performer of the original Kirsty MacColl did it for her.
I used to know someone who insisted it was common practice at PWL for one of their star artists' vocals to be mixed together with the 'guide vocal' for the track provided by session singers Miriam Stockley or Mae MacKenna. I have no idea whether or not there's any truth in this ... but this kind of thing isn't that new a phenomenon. There's a whole plot in Rock Follies Of '77 about one member of the group's vocals being re-sung by another for their first single - and I find it hard to believe that was not influenced by what happened in reality.
Comments
Did anyone notice the story and interview with ex-BBC producer William De'Ath yesterday? He has been told he faces no further action after nearly 5 months on bail, regards Operation Yewtree. Maybe it could bode well for DLT? The interview on the Today programme with John Humphreys was illuminating, it is available on the BBC News site, about 6 minutes worth.
Scandalously, the BBC didn't have an official archival policy in place until 1978.
- I wonder what the BBC are up to now!?!
Alaistair Pirrie is one of the great, lost radio presenters. Its a pity that he's only known nationally for Razzamatazz as his daily show on Radio Tees was constantly fun, inventive and sometimes bizarre!
I tracked it down last night and finally found out what the show was after a good 25+ years. It was John Peel's Omnibus Video Jukebox from 1986. The section I had was the chat with David Byrne and the Talking Heads videos for "Psycho Killer", "Once In A LIfetime" and "Road To Nowhere". As a result, they've always been among my all time favourite songs. The other bits on the tape were a chat with Toni Basil with the videos to "Hey Mickey" and less well known follow up, "Over My Head". It also had Michael Jackson's videos "Thriller", which creeped me out fantastically at the obvious points, but the tape would whirl up just as the zombie dance started and that was it.
Found this video of the presenting bits on it on You Tube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HI71YvtcRM
Looking at the comments underneath, the showing I had must have been the repeat during the 1987 election night as it had text going up saying various constituency results. Never knew it was originally 6 hours long.
Anyway, I watched that bit of the programme a lot as a kid and so always had a great affection for John Peel even if I never actually caught his radio show when growing up.
Sky at Night is normally on the first Sunday of the month on BBC One before the BBC Four extended repeat four days later.
When John Henshall unveiled his "lost" TOTP footage of David Bowie from January 1973 clips of the performance surfaced on YouTube within 24 hours and people across the world lost no time in expressing their dismay and incredulity that the BBC had wiped the original mastertape. The public broadcaster's policy of mass wiping in the 1970s was described by one poster as 'cultural genocide'.
I don't think 'digital enhancements' were really being used then - but mixing one singer's voice with another's most definitely was, and I'd guess this is what happened here.
One well-documented instance of this is with Tracy Ullman's cover of 'They Don't Know', where she couldn't hit that very high 'Ba-by' in the middle of the song, so writer and performer of the original Kirsty MacColl did it for her.
I used to know someone who insisted it was common practice at PWL for one of their star artists' vocals to be mixed together with the 'guide vocal' for the track provided by session singers Miriam Stockley or Mae MacKenna. I have no idea whether or not there's any truth in this ... but this kind of thing isn't that new a phenomenon. There's a whole plot in Rock Follies Of '77 about one member of the group's vocals being re-sung by another for their first single - and I find it hard to believe that was not influenced by what happened in reality.
I loved Mud but don't remember this one.
30 Mar 1978 obviously..
And this must be Mud on their last legs. I mean - Rockabilly?
It didn't chart. Not surprised.
But I will always have a soft spot for them, the first single I ever owned was 'Tiger Feet' which I got as a birthday present back in March 1974.
Les Gray would leave the band not long after the release of this flop single.
No, I saw it too on Sky.
never realised she was a chubster:rolleyes:
Me too.
Great start with Baker Street then dipped a lot before coming back strong with young McManus.
I've always loved 'Tiger Feet',cracking song!
Mid 70s party classic.
If it was dying slap on Tiger Feet.:D