Returning tapes to the BBC

[Andrew Martin]

ted said:

andrewmartin said:

Except it's not the case, someone does monitor the site. If some people's offers have been missed, that's unfortunate - but mainly for the BBC not getting material back! It's not as if the BBC has sought out the material and destroyed it again...! As I said above, there is always scope for human error. That's not to say it won't be followed up eventually... If the BBC really didn't care, why did it do a Treasure Hunt in the first place? It's true it was only a limited campaign, but that would probably be true of any such initiative - see ITV's Raiders of the Lost Archives. The BBC still gets contacted about missing material, and it is (usually!) followed up - otherwise the umpteen recoveries made post-Treasure Hunt would not have been returned... Whatever the BBC's income, it has to do a lot of things with it, and it can't afford to do everything it would like to - and most of the archive's money is necessarily spent on preserving the millions of items which didn't get junked...

"If the BBC really didn't care, why did it do a Treasure Hunt in the first place?"

Can only think, that the money that might be earned, from potential sales of any DVDs (very few of which, rather ironically, we ever actually get a chance to see) should something particularly special turn up, might have been a good incentive...

"Whatever the BBC's income, it has to do a lot of things with it, and it can't afford to do everything it would like to..."

And that includes, in real terms, the cost of a single person's meagre wages...
Perhaps then, they could stop commissioning some of the cr*p seen on BBC THREE (and is mainly for, IMHO, inebriates) and thus spend the money elsewhere...

Well the reality is that not a lot of material that was saleable turned up, and that that did has been issued. When you start putting material out commercially, you have inevitably to think commercially, which is why it is the province of BBC Worldwide. If the BBC deliberately issued material that it knew would lose money, I think quite a few people would question that decision too.

As for your second point, well you seem to think that the BBC should have someone permanently chasing leads from member of the public. Well that sort of thing is part of the archive department's responsibilities, and genuine leads are followed up by the sound or tv archives. It's possible that there were flaws in the organisation of Treasure Hunt, and I have done my best here to help sort these out - and would do so in the future. Again, if there was one dedicated member of staff solely responsible for this and nothing else, a lot of members of the public would be outraged because for 99% of the time there would be nothing for them to do... As for the BBC not making certain programmes in order to fund a continuous Treasure Hunt project, well, you or I may not particular programmes, but is that any reason why those people who do should be deprived of them? There are outlets for archive programming these days as I'm sure you are aware, and I think you will find that the audiences are no greater than those for new programmes made for 3 and 4. There is also the element that tv, like all culture, has to look forward as well as back - and what seems unattractive to you or I now may well be regarded in quite a different light in future - or may be it is just that we are all getting older, and as always happens, we don't appreciate the tastes of the young?

Anyway, I think I've said all I'm going to say on the topic, so if you'll excuse me, I'm calling it a day...

[Peter Bradford]

jonny said:

look there are very very few off air recordings pre 1977 & thereafter the bbc archive is pretty complete, ...

I have number of pre 1977 off-air recordings of 'stuff' like 'Sounds on the 70's etc (Stereo FM - some recorded at 7.5ips - so good quality). Is the BBC likely to be interested in that kind of material ?

[David Lynch]

red16v said:

jonny said:

look there are very very few off air recordings pre 1977 & thereafter the bbc archive is pretty complete, ...

I have number of pre 1977 off-air recordings of 'stuff' like 'Sounds on the 70's etc (Stereo FM - some recorded at 7.5ips - so good quality). Is the BBC likely to be interested in that kind of material ?

If the BBC aren't, I know quite a few people who are. Particularly in demand are any recordings DJ'd by John Peel- there's a growing corner of the Internet dedicated to airchecks of his shows (certainly there are folks who would kill for any of the Festive Fifties of the '70s!) But anything, particularly if it contains live sessions, is going to be of interest for sure.

[Peter Bradford]

davidlynch said:

red16v said:

I have number of pre 1977 off-air recordings of 'stuff' like 'Sounds on the 70's etc (Stereo FM - some recorded at 7.5ips - so good quality). Is the BBC likely to be interested in that kind of material ?

If the BBC aren't, I know quite a few people who are. Particularly in demand are any recordings DJ'd by John Peel- there's a growing corner of the Internet dedicated to airchecks of his shows (certainly there are folks who would kill for any of the Festive Fifties of the '70s!) But anything, particularly if it contains live sessions, is going to be of interest for sure.

I know I wouldn't have any John Peel 'stuff' because I didn't much care for his taste in music (sorry). I also doubt I would have any 'live' sessions because 'The Sounds of the Seventies' was broadcast late at night and I'm pretty sure consisted almost entirely of vinyl. Radio 1 took over the Radio 2 VHF frequencies for a few hours each evening. I am very happy to be corrected though. I have hours and hours of this stuff and it would take quite some time to go through it - maybe a retirement project (which isn't that far away!).

[Stephen Doran]

Think SOTS used to follow POTP on a sunday and Audience were on it around 1971 does that still xcist i wonder?

[eric lawton]

The Peel sessions simply, was radio as good as it gets. So glad Ive kept EVERYTHING of JPs. Sessions wise, if anyone wants to know if any archive footage exists, let me know. It MAY exist with me. Ive got all the FESTIVE FIFTIES, 1000s of his airchecks and the majority of his sessions. Havent got the Audience session, or at least, cant put my hands on it. These are the ones Ive listed. And by the way, Moderator, I dont trade these babies. If the following list of sessions is too long, then just remove the listing, and I apologise in advance.

14 ICED BEARS
22-20S
25BZ
4 SKINS
65 DAYS OF STATIC
A CERTAIN RATIO
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS
A GUY CALLED GERALD
A WITNESS
AC ACOUSTICS
ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE GOODBYE
ADAM AND THE ANTS
ADD N TO X
ADDICTS
ADVERTS
AEROGRAMME
AFGHAN WIGS
AINA
AISLERS 1
AISLERS 2
AISLERS SET
ALTERED IMAGES
ANAAL NAKRAATH
AND YOU KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD
ANDY KERSHAW SESSIONS
ANGELIC UPSTARTS
ANHREFN
APHEX TWIN
APPARET
AQUA VISTA
ARAB STRAP
ARCHERS OF LOAF
ARE WEAPONS
ARROWE HILL
ASTRONAUTS
AUTECHRE
AUTEURS
AVRO CAR
BABES IN TOYLAND
BAD RELIGION
BAILEY
BALLBOY
BALLBOY 2ND SESSION
BAND OF SUSANS
BAPTIST GENERALS
BARBEL
BARDO POND
BASTRO
BAYS
BEARSUIT
BEATINGS
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
BELOVED
BEULAH
BHUNDU BOYS
BIFFY CLYRO
BIG BLACK
BIG CHIEF
BILGE PUMP
BILLY BRAGG
BIRDLAND
BIRTHDAY PARTY
BIS-3RD
BLACK DOG
BLACK KEYS
BLACK SABBATH
BLEACH
BLOC PARTY
BLUE ORCHID
BLUESKINS
BLUR
BOARDS OF CANADA
BOB
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS
BODINES
BOGSHED
BOLT THROWER
BONG RA
BONGWATER
BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND
BONZO DOG UTTERLY
BOOM BIP
BOOM BIP AND CLOUDHEAD
BOOTHILL FOOT TAPPERS
BOW WOW WOW
BOYS
BREEDERS
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
BRIGANDAGE
BROADCAST
BROADCAST SESSIONS
BROCCILI 1
BROCCOLI 2
BUDGIE
BUG VS SOUNDMURDERER
BUTTHOLE SURFERS
BUZZCOCKS
CABARET VOLTAIRE
CALEXICO
CALEXICO ONE
CAMERA OBSCURA
CAN
CANDLEWOLF OF THE GOLDEN CHALICE
CANDLEWOLF OF THE GOLDEN CHALICE 1
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART
CARCASS
CARCASS2
CAT POWER
CAY
CHAMELEONS 1981
CHAMELEONS 1984
CHEFS
CHILLS
CHUMBAWUMBA
CIGARETTES
CINERAMA
CIRCLE
CLEAR THE ROOM
CLINIC
CLOCK DAVA
COCKNEY REJECTS
COCTEAU TWINS
COMSAT ANGELS
COP SHOOT COP
CORTINAS
CRABS
CRANEBUILDERS
CRASS
CRIMEA
CRISIS - WE ARE ALL JEWS AND GERMANS
CRISPY AMBULANCE
CUD
CULTURE
CURE
CURVE
DAMNED
DARLING BUDS
DATSUNS
DAVID BOWIE
DEAD CAN DANCE 1
DEAD CAN DANCE 2
DEAD FAMOUS PEOPLE
DEAD MEADOW 1
DEAD MEADOW 2
DEAD OR ALIVE
DEAD OR ALIVE - DOORS OF PERCEPTION
DEEP TURTLE
DEERHOOF
DELGADOS
DETROIT COBRAS
DEUTSCHMARK BOB
DICK DALE
DIE TOTEN HOSEN
DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
DIRTBOMBS
DO MAKE SAY THINK
DOOM
DR AND THE CRIPPENS
DRONES
DROP NINETEENS
DUMB SESSION
EARTH THE CALIFORNIAN LOVE DREAM
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN
ECHOBOY
ECONOLINE
EITHER WAY
EITS
ELECTRELANE
ELECTRO HIPPIES
ELVIS COSTELLO
ENGLISH BEAT
ENO AND THE WINKIES
ERICS TRIP
EVEN AS WE SPEAK
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY 2002
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY 2004
EXTREME NOISE TERROR 1987
EXTREME NOISE TERROR 1988
EXTREME NOISE TERROR 1990
FAITH HEALERS
FIELD MICE
FINITRIBE
FIRE ENGINES
FIXIT KID
FLAMING LIPS
FLATMATES
FLYING SAUCER ATTACK
FRANK BLACK AND TEENAGE FANCLUB
FRANK BLACK AND THE CATHOLICS
FRANKFURTER
FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON
FUZZTONES
GALAXY 500
GANG OF FOUR
GARY NUMAN PEEL SESSION
GARY NUMAN RADIO 1
GENE
GIRLS AT OUR BEST PLEASURE
GO BETWEENS 1
GO BETWEENS 2
GOATBOY
GOD IS MY PILOT
GODFLESH
GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPORER
GOLD CHAINS
GOLDEN VIRGINS
GONG 1971
GONG 1973
GONG 1974
GORKYS ZYGOTIC NYNCI 2000
GORKYS ZYGOTIC NYNCI 2004
GOSSIP
GRAHAM COXON
GRANDADDY
GUANA BATZ
GUIDED BY VOICES
HAGAR THE WOMB
HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT
HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT WITH ANDY KERSHAW
HAPPY FLOWERS
HAPPY MONDAYS
HDQ
HEAD OF DAVID
HEAVENLY
HELLACOPTERS
HELMET
HELMET AFTERTASTE
HENRY COW
HERESY FIRST
HERMAN DUNE 2002
HERMAN DUNE 2003
HERMAN DUNE 2004
HEY PAULETTE
HIVES
HOOD
HOT SNAKES
HOUSE OF LOVE
HOUSE OF LOVE 2
HULA
HUMAN LEAGUE
HUMAN LEAGUE 2
HUMANOID
HYPER KINAKO 1
HYPER KINAKO 2
I AM KLOOT
ICARUS
ICON AD
INTENSE DEGREE
INTERPOL EP
IVOR CUTLER
J MASCIS
JACK ROSE
JACK WHITE
JAH WOBBLE
JAMES 1ST
JAMES TAYLOR AND JONI MITCHELL
JAWBOX
JEFFREY LEWIS
JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
JESUS LIZARD 1991
JESUS LIZARD 1992
JIMI HENDRIX SHOW 1967
JOHN PEEL PUNK ROCK SPECIAL
JOHN PEEL SESSIONS IN SESSION
JOY DIVISION
JUNE BRIDES
KAITO
KARAMASOV
KENICKIE
KHAYA
KILLING JOKE
KING ( CAPTAIN FROM THE DAMNED )
KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION
LA BRADFORD 1994
LA BRADFORD 1996
LADYTRON
LAIBACH
LAIKA
LAURA CANTRELL
LEATHERFACE
LEGO MY EGO
LIANNE HALL AND PICO
LIARS
LIFT OF EXPERIENCE
LIGAMENT
LIGHTENING BOLT 2002
LIGHTENING BOLT 2004
LOCUS
LOOP
LOVE IS ALL
LOW 2000
LOW 2002
LOW 2003
LURKERS
LUSH
MADNESS
MAGAZINE
MAGOO
MAN OR ASTRO MAN
MAN OR ASTROMAN 2
MANCHESTER - SO MUCH TO ANSWER FOR
MANSUN
MAPALM DEATH
MARINE GIRLS
MARINE RESEARCH
MASONNA
MC CARTHY
MC LUSKY 2002
MC LUSKY 2004
MEANWHILE BACK IN COMMUNIST CHINA
MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO
MELT BANANA
MERCURY REV
MERCURY REV - LEGO MY EGO
MEW MODEL ARMY
MIAOW - WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN
MICRO DISNEY
MISS BLACK AMERICA
MISSING PRESUMED DEAD
MISTY IN ROOTS
MO-DETTES
MOGWAI
MOGWAI 2
MONKEY STEALS THE DRUM
MONO SESSION
MOONDOGS
MOOSE
MORRISSEY
MOTORHEAD
MOUNTAIN GOATS 2003
MOUNTAIN GOATS 2004
MOVIETONE
MR AIRPLANE MAN
MU-ZIQ
MUDHONEY
MUM 2002
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
NEBULA
NECTARINE NUMBER 9
NEIL HALSTEAD
NEKO CASE AND HER BOYFRIENDS
NEON HEARTS
NEW MODEL ARMY - VENGEANCE
NEW ORDER
NICK CAVE
NICK CAVE AND THE BOYS NEXT DOOR
NICO
NINO NASTASIA 2003
NINO NASTASIA 2004
NIRVANA
NOXAGT
OLIVIA TREMOR CONTROL
OMD
ORANGE JUICE
ORB 1997
ORB 1998
ORB PEEL SESSIONS
ORBITAL 2003
ORBITAL 2004
OXES
P J HARVEY
P J HARVEY - 3 SESSIONS
P J HARVEY - RID OF ME
PALACE BROTHERS 1993
PALACE BROTHERS 1994
PALE FOUNTAINS
PART CHIMP
PAVEMENT
PENETRATION
PENTANGLE
PEOPLE LIKE US
PERSIL
PET SHOP BOYS
PIANO MAGIC
PINK FLOYD
PINK MILITARY
PIXIES
PLAID
PLAID 1998
PLAID 2003
PLU
PLUTO MONKEY
POLVO
POLYSICS
POND
POOH STICKS
POOH STICKS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS
POP GROUP
POP GROUP 1978
PORTION CONTROL
PRE WAR YARD SALE
PREFECTS
PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES
PRIMAL SCREAM
PRINCE FAR I
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD
PULP
PUNK SESSIONS 1
PUNK SESSIONS 2
PUNK SESSIONS 3
QUICK SPACE
RADIO HEAD
RECHENTHENSTUN
RED SKINS
RIDE
RIDE WAVES
ROBERT LLOYD AND THE NEW FOUR SEASONS
ROBERT WYATT
RODAN
S O B
SALT TANK
SCARS
SCARS 1980
SCARS COMP LP
SCORN
SCRITTI POLITTI
SEBADOH
SHELLAC 2003
SHELLAC 2004
SHOP ASSISTANTS
SHUT UP AND DANCE
SI BEGG
SIGUR ROS
SIMPLE MINDS
SIOUXIE AND THE BANSHHES
SISTERS OF MERCY
SKAT
SKREWDRIVER
SLANTED AND ENCHANTED
SLOWDIVE
SLOWDIVE 1993
SLOWDOWN 1991
SMASHING PUMPKINS
SMOG
SMOG 2000
SNARE SNARE
SOFT MACHINE
SOFT SELL
SOLEDAD BROTHERS 2004
SOLEDAD BROTHERS 2005
SOLEX
SON HOUSE
SONIC YOUTH
SOPHIE AND PETER JOHNSTON
SPIRITUALIZED 1992
SPIRITUALIZED 1995
SPK
SPORTIQUE
STACKRIDGE
STATUS QUO
STEELEYE SPAN
STEPHEN MALKMUS
STEREOLAB
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
STRANGLERS
STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE
STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE 1982
STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE 1985
STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE RARITIES
STRETCH HEADS
STROKES
SUNCHAMS
SUNN SESSION
SUPER FURRY ANIMALS
SWELL MAPS
SWERVEDRIVER
SYD BARRETT
T'H' FAITH HEALERS 2
TEARDROP EXPLODES
TEENAGE FANCLUB
TELEVISION PERSONALITIES
TEN BENSON
THE ELECTRO HIPPIES
THE ENGLISH BEAT
THE FALL
THE FIELD MICE
THE FRENCH
THE JAM 1977 - 1978
THE JAM 1979
THE KILLS
T'H'FAITH HEALERS
THE KINKS
THE MEN THEY COULDNT HANG
THE METEORS
THE MOONDOGS
THE MUMMIES
THE OLIVIA TREMOR CONTROL
THE ONLY ONES
THE PASTELS
THE PATTERN
THE POGUES
THE RAVISHING BEAUTIES
THE RUTS
THE SISTERS OF MERCY
THE SLITS
THE SMITHS
THE SOUND
THE SPECIALS
THE STUPIDS
THE TORQUES
THE UNDERTONES
THE VAULTS
THE VIBRATORS
THE WASPS
THEMSELVES
THIN LIZZIE
THIS HEAT MADE AVAILABLE
THREE STAGES OF PAIN
TIM BUCKLEY
TINDERSTICKS
TORTOISE
TRACER AMC
TREMBLING BLUE STARS
TRIFFIDS
TRIXIES BIG RED MOTORBIKE
UK DECAY
UK SUBS
ULTRAVOX
UNDERTONES
UNSEEN TERROR
UZEDA
VARIOUS AMPHETAMINE REPTILE
VARIOUS ARTISTS - PEEL SESSIONS HIGHLIGHTS
VARIOUS ARTISTS - TRIBUTE TO JOHN PEEL
VIC GODDARD AND SUBWAY
VON BONDIES
WALTONES

[Andy Howells]

Looks like a real Aladdins cave you have there Nuts. I'd love to hear the Altered Images and Kenickie (got their Peel Sessions CD)stuff, they've always been a favourite of mine!

[David Lynch]

red16v said:

davidlynch said:

If the BBC aren't, I know quite a few people who are. Particularly in demand are any recordings DJ'd by John Peel- there's a growing corner of the Internet dedicated to airchecks of his shows (certainly there are folks who would kill for any of the Festive Fifties of the '70s!) But anything, particularly if it contains live sessions, is going to be of interest for sure.

I know I wouldn't have any John Peel 'stuff' because I didn't much care for his taste in music (sorry). I also doubt I would have any 'live' sessions because 'The Sounds of the Seventies' was broadcast late at night and I'm pretty sure consisted almost entirely of vinyl. Radio 1 took over the Radio 2 VHF frequencies for a few hours each evening. I am very happy to be corrected though. I have hours and hours of this stuff and it would take quite some time to go through it - maybe a retirement project (which isn't that far away!).

Ah well such is life. I'm not British and wasn't alive then but it was my understanding that at least one Syd Barrett live session was recorded by Bob Harris for "Sounds of the Seventies" in 1971 and Bowie did at least one session for them as well in the early '70s. Of course these things exist and are released by now, but people don't talk as much about this show and so I don't know what else may have been recorded for it.

When did the BBC lift their "needle-time" restrictions, anyway? That was originally the impetus for live sessions, no?

Anyway, all I can tell you is someone will probably be interested, so don't throw it out!

[David Lynch]

nutsonthe70s said:

The Peel sessions simply, was radio as good as it gets. So glad Ive kept EVERYTHING of JPs. Sessions wise, if anyone wants to know if any archive footage exists, let me know. It MAY exist with me. Ive got all the FESTIVE FIFTIES, 1000s of his airchecks and the majority of his sessions. Havent got the Audience session, or at least, cant put my hands on it. These are the ones Ive listed. And by the way, Moderator, I dont trade these babies. If the following list of sessions is too long, then just remove the listing, and I apologise in advance.

I'm certainly interested in Peel stuff, although unfortunately the stuff you list is AFAIK pretty common- even if you don't trade certain people have uploaded great gobs of the stuff to parts of the Internet and there's a great deal of overlap. Also, when you say you have all the Festive Fifties, are those off-air recordings? I don't think any actual off-air recordings of any of the Festive Fifties before about 1980 are out and about, although some enterprising soul has slapped together compilations of all the songs known to be played during the earlier ones.

The Peel Sessions I'd most like to track down- and given their vintage I'm nearly positive they still exist- are the ones by for instance Essential Logic, Servotron, and the early Gorky's Zygotic Mynci where they were still doing stuff like "If Fingers Were Xylophones". I have yet to find any evidence that anyone taped them when they were b'cast, though.

At what point did old Peel Sessions stop being wiped, anyway? If I had to guess I'd say probably around '78 with the hoo-ha about Doctor Who, but I honestly don't know myself. A good chunk of the ones recorded before then seem to still exist anyway- I know far more that do than ones that don't (there are some missing early Gentle Giant sessions, for instance).

[Stuart Douglas]

andrewmartin said:

ted said:

"If the BBC really didn't care, why did it do a Treasure Hunt in the first place?"

Can only think, that the money that might be earned, from potential sales of any DVDs (very few of which, rather ironically, we ever actually get a chance to see) should something particularly special turn up, might have been a good incentive...

"Whatever the BBC's income, it has to do a lot of things with it, and it can't afford to do everything it would like to..."

And that includes, in real terms, the cost of a single person's meagre wages...
Perhaps then, they could stop commissioning some of the cr*p seen on BBC THREE (and is mainly for, IMHO, inebriates) and thus spend the money elsewhere...

Well the reality is that not a lot of material that was saleable turned up, and that that did has been issued. When you start putting material out commercially, you have inevitably to think commercially, which is why it is the province of BBC Worldwide. If the BBC deliberately issued material that it knew would lose money, I think quite a few people would question that decision too.

As for your second point, well you seem to think that the BBC should have someone permanently chasing leads from member of the public. Well that sort of thing is part of the archive department's responsibilities, and genuine leads are followed up by the sound or tv archives. It's possible that there were flaws in the organisation of Treasure Hunt, and I have done my best here to help sort these out - and would do so in the future. Again, if there was one dedicated member of staff solely responsible for this and nothing else, a lot of members of the public would be outraged because for 99% of the time there would be nothing for them to do... As for the BBC not making certain programmes in order to fund a continuous Treasure Hunt project, well, you or I may not particular programmes, but is that any reason why those people who do should be deprived of them? There are outlets for archive programming these days as I'm sure you are aware, and I think you will find that the audiences are no greater than those for new programmes made for 3 and 4. There is also the element that tv, like all culture, has to look forward as well as back - and what seems unattractive to you or I now may well be regarded in quite a different light in future - or may be it is just that we are all getting older, and as always happens, we don't appreciate the tastes of the young?

Anyway, I think I've said all I'm going to say on the topic, so if you'll excuse me, I'm calling it a day...

Well said Andrew, in every respect.

Stuart