John Stewart Miller
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Post by John Stewart Miller on Mar 11, 2005 16:57:48 GMT
'Alexis Korner - the Devils music' a series I seem to recall being transmitted on BBC1 around 1976 with a repeat in 1978.
It was made on film stock. Alexis Korner was seen on a dark background. Then looking in his fifties, with grey, longish hair. I recall him being dressed in a very fashionable, flaired style, with a floral neckercheif. Korner dryly lampooned the serious documentary style. I recall him saying something like 'Lightning Hopkins sings: Ain't got no wo-man, I've got the BLU-UES', academically, looking shocked like Jon Pertwee in the 'Splink!' 70s advert, as if the information was a revelation to science.
The series was a very concise and essential document tracking the history of the blues, showing rare footage of old black blues artists. Korner also appeared himself think doing some performances. Very important series.
Does anyone know if it exists? It certainly would stand up to a repeat or DVD release.
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Post by Laurence Piper on Mar 11, 2005 23:55:58 GMT
I think at leasr one edition does as i've seen a colour clip used in something or other. I'm sure that nice Andrew Martin will be able to tell you conclusively though.
As you say, John, an important social document, partcularly bearing in mind Korner's role as catalyst in the r & b movement. I hope it does survive intact...
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Post by William Martin on Mar 12, 2005 15:14:28 GMT
I think at leasr one edition does as i've seen a colour clip used in something or other. I'm sure that nice Andrew Martin will be able to tell you conclusively though. As you say, John, an important social document, partcularly bearing in mind Korner's role as catalyst in the r & b movement. I hope it does survive intact... lamthingy lamthingy lampoon I think at least a few clips do survive but I have a nasty feeling that I've read it was destroyed, hope I'm wrong |
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John Stewart Miller
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Post by John Stewart Miller on Apr 29, 2005 18:57:14 GMT
lamthingy lamthingy lamthingy I think at least a few clips do survive but I have a nasty feeling that I've read it was destroyed, hope I'm wrong Indeed, Lamthingy - for this read sp**fed. I think 'The Devils music' was actually a mid 1980s channel 4 series on the Blues. This looked like it used material gleaned from the Alexis Korner series, which may've been called 'History of the blues'. I seem to recall him on a black backdrop, but made on film, with film inserts possibly from another source. From BBC perspective, the series represented educational ouput, arts / documentary output, and I would think qualifies for their criteria of prestige at the time. Particularly as it was on film (to my memory) I'd be most surprised if it has been destroyed. The only thing I can think of is copyright problems. With this, I suspect much of the music was never performed on record or if so, would be exempt by then as there were 20s and 30s blues artists. One I recalled was Blind Lemon Jefferson. A colour film clip featuring the artist in home (location) environment, by a house, sandy, possibly a rocking chair, playing guitar. Probably shot in the early '70s. |
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Post by andrew martin on Apr 30, 2005 11:54:59 GMT
This series was transmitted by the BBC:
1 Nothing But the Truth 14/11/76
2 Crazy Blues 21/11/76
3 Work and Mother Wit 28/11/76
4 The Movements of Providence 5/12/76
5 Sticking with the Blues 12/12/76
All episodes were made on film, though episode 5 was transferred to VT for transmission (not sure why). They all exist on film, and the VT for episode 5 exists also.
The series may have been repeated in 1978 (we have a record of the first part being shown 6/11/78, I would have to check whether the rest followed it, but our records are supposed to be complete after that point - I stress 'supposed'!) There was then a four-part repeat version made on VT, which also survives, shown 9, 16, 23, 30 July 1979 and again on 12, 15, 19, 22 March 1982.
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Post by William Martin on May 5, 2005 14:16:52 GMT
Pooontang
what was the series he had made/was making when he died?
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Post by Laurence Piper on May 5, 2005 16:44:13 GMT
[quote author=Guest-andrew martin
All episodes were made on film,
[/quote]
Can you tell me what other things Alexis did for TV, Andrew? I have a clip of him, which may have been used in like Sounds Of The '70s or something similar (colour VT this time though, not film) where he seems to be illustrating guitar technique or talking about music generally - i've always wondered what this was from.
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Post by andrew martin on May 6, 2005 14:52:24 GMT
Material that is catalogued:
Degrees of Folk 22/7/68 - peforming "Mary, Open the Door"
The Sound of Change 10/9/68 (interview)
Omnibus File: British Jazz 3/6/73 (interview)
Pop Quiz 22/5/82
Newsnight Special: The Rolling Stones (!) 15/7/82 (interview)
Nationwide: The Marquee Club item 25/4/83 (interview)
Top of the Pops: 20th Anniversary 5/1/84 (clip of CCS doing "Whole Lotta Love" with AK on guitar, apparently - 1st tx ?)
British Rock and Pop Awards 21/2/84 - AK wins Radio 1 DJs' award (posthumously, award accepted by his widow Bobbie)
Eubie Blake 4/3/83 - AK narrates
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Post by Laurence Piper on May 6, 2005 21:42:11 GMT
[quote author=Guest-andrew martin
Top of the Pops: 20th Anniversary 5/1/84 (clip of CCS doing "Whole Lotta Love" with AK on guitar, apparently - 1st tx ?)
[/quote]
Interesting. Do you know what programme this was from originally? I know Alexis appeared with CCS originally when their version of Whole Lotta Love was brought in as the TOTP theme but - as far as I know - the performances don't exist. Is this clip a complete performance or just a clip?
As an aside to the above, CCS appeared in a new years eve special on 31/12/70 entitled "Into '71" - do you know if this exists in the archives? I have never been able to determine this. It would be good to think that something of CCS survives visually.
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