BBC TRANSCRIPTION - "TOP OF THE POPS" SERIES

[Bob Savage (robstar)]

I COLLECT THESE SHOWS (MOSTLY 1964 - 1970) AND WONDERED IF THE BBC HOLDS A COMPLETE ARCHIVE ?

[Gary Critcher]

I'm not sure if we had a full set of archive copies when I was working there, but there WERE quite a few!!

[Deleted]

Does anyone have a listing of the series with session artist content? That would be very welcome if so!

[Gary Critcher]

I wouldn't think so, we were up to about disc number 900 when I left Transcriptions! The songs would have been culled from various sessions, I've no idea how you might keep track of where and when they came from.

[Deleted]

There must be a list somewhere of what they all are.

[Gary Critcher]

I don't think so.

[Deleted]

Really?!? That's incredible then as i means there are X hundred TOTP recordings in the BBC archive that no one knows what they are or contain. They've never been catalogued in any vague way? If not, maybe this new BBC / EMI deal will get things moving in that direction finally...

[Bob Savage (robstar)]

In case anyone is cofused the Top Of The Pops series we are referring to here IS NOT the same as the TV series. The performances contained on these records were taken (cherry picked!) from radio shows mostly Saturday Club and Top Gear that featured live sessions. They were then cobbled together with links from the DJ (usually Brian Matthews) with small interviews from the artists and assembled into a show which lasted about 40 mins and pressed up as Transcription Discs to be sent around the Commonwealth.
JUST THOGHT I'D CLEAR THIS UP AS MANY PEOPLE ASSUME ITS THE SAME AS THE LONG RUNNING TV SHOW. ;D

[Gary Critcher]

'That's incredible then as i means there are X hundred TOTP recordings in the BBC archive that no one knows what they are or contain.'
They would have been indexed at 'source'. i.e. when they were recorded for Radio 1 etc. We just used to use a dub (usually) for the TOTP edits.

[torben]

I too collect these shows and have made a database with available informations from other collectors and the recordings I have.
Check it out at and let me know if you have any additions.
totp.torbenskott.dk/

[Stephen Doran]

Great shows only seen half the list nice to hear Casuals,Alan Bown,Lemon Tree,Yardbirds etc

[Bob Savage (robstar)]

Hi Torbe can you contact me regarding these shows. Trade etc!!

[Stephen Doran]

Casuals doing Take Me For A Little While was just like the Vanilla Fudge version.

[mikegriffiths]

I've just joined missing-episodes after coming across this thread. BBC Radio International has a catalogue online which lists the BBC session recordings they have in their archive.

Before you look at the link below be forewarned. I just looked and see that the catalogue has been heavily edited and now only shows Artist, Song, Duration and Date Of Recording. The rest of the information that was there have been blocked or removed. Fortunately, I downloaded the unedited version quite a while back and have it saved in both Excel format and simple Text. The Text format is useful as it is easy to search and compile [in order] the songs for individual TOP Of The Pops shows.

This archive is certainly not complete but there is a lot there.

Anyone interested in either format email me and I'll forward it to you.

Here's the link for the online edited catalogue:

www.bbcradioint.com/ContentFiles/BBCSessions_catalogue.xls

Cheers,
Mike Griffiths

[Gary Critcher]

Blimey! We didn't have anything like that when I worked there!! Excellent!