Rick Wakeman early VCR user

[Chris H]

This is probably a long shot, but I thought it was worth mentioning..... I've just been watching an old BBC documentary about Rick from the mid 70's. It has footage of him at home with his family. On top of his living room TV is a Philips N1500 VCR. This got me wondering if he has any interesting lost footage? Anyone know if he has a collection? Might be worth checking.

Chris.

[garyjordanbrum]

I know the sweet had one too.

And I wonder who won this in 1976

[William Martin]

£535 thats about 2 grand now.

[paul02]

Much more than that, I think- retail prices have risen by well over five times and average earnings have risen by about eight and a half times since then, so £543 in wages then is the equivalent of about £4540 in wages now.

To think that a 1 hour tape cost £18! That's the equivalent of about £150 in wages now.

[Peter Chadwick]

When Wakeman went to live in Switzerland, he bought several VCRs for friends in the UK to record programmes for him. He used to scour the Radio Times and TV Times every week, then 'phone them with his requests.

[philmoss]

This article is from 1974

[LanceM]

I have just sent a message to the booking agent for The Sweet, as would be in a position to pass on a request. Attempting to ascertain what ever happened to these aforementioned Top Of The Pops episodes Brian said to have taped on the pictured N1500 machine.Possible, other members of the band were given his recordings when he passed away in 1997.Or thrown out in the skip as was rumored to have happened to the private domestic VTR Recordings of Marc Bolan.

Worth a shot at least, many thanks Philmoss for the fantastic photo of the article, many thanks for posting!

Cheers, Lance.

[mark cole]

Hope he didn't have the radiator too hot

It's a bit close to his VCR!

[Chris H]

Thanks philmoss for the great clipping! What magazine is it from BTW?

I've heard mention of a collection of old Sweet TV clips belonging to Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. Whether these came from Brian's VCR or he had his own N1500 as well I dont know.... again Gary may know this?

Chris.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Two other music stars who had early VCRs of some sort are Paul McCartney (date unknown) and Elvis Presley (1975 at latest). I don't expect anyone will get a lot of joy out of these two avenues, but I thought I'd mention it. I'll do some more online investigation.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Had another of my CRAZY long shot ideas (honestly - ONE of them will bear fruit one day....). There are still a few people offering transfers of early VCR recordings toDVD. When I type early, I mean prior to the eighties VCR boom - is it not an idea for one of the more knowledgeable members of the Forum to ask one of these individuals/companies to let them know if any rare/pre-1978ish stuff comes up? Like, I said, just an idea....

[Peter Elliott]

Nov 21, 2008 14:40:37 GMT Ray Langstone (was saintsray) said:

Two other music stars who had early VCRs of some sort are Paul McCartney (date unknown) and Elvis Presley (1975 at latest).

Paul McCartney had a video as early as 1969 since he taped the infamous "Happening For Lulu" show on a home video system. Whilst Hendrix topped the bill, The Iveys soon to be become Badfinger also appeared and being an Apple act was possibly why he taped it.

Maurice Gibb also taped the very same show - The Jimi Hendrix Experience along with Gibb's soon to be wife Lulu went back to Gibb's place immediately after the live transmission to watch a playback.

Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon had one in 1967. He taped the Palladium show featuring the Rolling Stones but admitted he wiped over it just a few weeks later.

I'm pretty sure I've read references to George Harrison owning a home video unit in the early 70's on which he taped and repeatedly watched Monty Python.

So, it certainly seems that quite a few rock stars - who of course could afford this expensive gear - owned video recorders in those early days before VHS and Betamax came along in 1978.

[garyjordanbrum]

Nov 21, 2008 8:18:45 GMT Chris H said:

Thanks philmoss for the great clipping! What magazine is it from BTW?

I've heard mention of a collection of old Sweet TV clips belonging to Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. Whether these came from Brian's VCR or he had his own N1500 as well I dont know.... again Gary may know this?

Chris.

Hi Chris I've had a reply off a sweet aquaintance Kev:

All the Sweet except Mick Tucker Had phillips 1500 machines bought
around october/november 1973 from a shop in ealing london

Andy and Steve were the main members who were into TV in a big way.

Both of them later upgraded to 1700 machines (all the above Info
given to me by Andy Scott)


Mick tucker was very skeptical about all things new but when Andy and steve up graded there machines he was given there old machines and a selection of tapes from each of them

I was given these machines and there Tapes years later i was also given Andy's tapes as well. which have been discussed on many boards from time to time

there was only about thirty tapes all in al there was one tape which
had various performances by the band between 1974/75

the rest were popular tv series of the time monty python etc and a
few films i checked years ago to find if any were missing episodes
but alas no were

i did once speak to Brians daughter about the tapes he had she
remembered the machine as a little girl but was unsure what happened to it and the tapes
Brian's effects were sorted many years ago and the family only kept
personal items of Brian's so I guess there is nothing left tape wise
from his side of things


Also Steve Priest stuff was destroyed by his then wife when they part (all stage costumes guitars anything he owned was given away or chucked away)
Regards

Kevin

[Chris H]

Fascinating reply Gary, thanks for passing it on! Shame little came of it, but its good to know these avenues have been explored.

Chris.

[SydV]

I’m sure I read somewhere that all of the Beatles were given video recorders in 1966. John Lennon certainly had a video camera by 1971 as he discussed using it in an interview that year.