Old Grey Whistle Test

Posted by: SteveGa on 21 December 2006

On BBC 4

Jan 3rd

22:30 - 23:10 The Old Grey Whistle Test Story
23:10 - 23:50 1971 - 72
23:50 - 00:30 1973

Jan 4th
23:00 - 23:40 1974
23:40 - 00:20 1975

Jan 13th
01:20 - 02:20 California Comes To Whistle Test

Also Mon 8th at 21:00 Hotel California - From The Byrds to The Eagles.

Steve
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by J.N.
Thanks Steve;

I had spotted those, wading through the predominantly yuletide shite in the Radio Times.

Looking forward to the progs. THe OGWT DVD's seem to have stalled at number 3 for some reason, with loads more good stuff in the archives.

John.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Guido Fawkes
Thanks Steve - should contain some good material (I hope).
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Malky
quote:
Originally posted by J.N.:
THe OGWT DVD's seem to have stalled at number 3 for some reason, with loads more good stuff in the archives.


Yeah, hope for some unseen (or rarely seen) stuff, rather than the usual Roxy Music- Ladytron, Bowie- Queen Bitch, Alice Cooper- Under My wheels and Lynyrd bloody Skynyrd- Freebird etc....
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by Malky:
quote:
Originally posted by J.N.:
THe OGWT DVD's seem to have stalled at number 3 for some reason, with loads more good stuff in the archives.


Yeah, hope for some unseen (or rarely seen) stuff, rather than the usual Roxy Music- Ladytron, Bowie- Queen Bitch, Alice Cooper- Under My wheels and Lynyrd bloody Skynyrd- Freebird etc....


Alice Cooper - Under My Wheels: wouldn't mind hearing that again - agree with you about Roxy, Bowie and Len, though.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Malky
It's just that you know the BBC must have some dynamite material in the vaults, yet they insist on showing the same old stuff (which IS great) over and over.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Guido Fawkes
Did they wipe Disco 2? I used to like that programme when I was at school. It had a session with Trees that I'd love to hear again.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Malky
Although I have never tired of watching that old Pretty Things clip of Midnight to Six Man.
Don't know about Disco2 but they have scandalously wiped some sacred stuff (eg. Syd on TOTP).

Does anyone remember a two or three hour show the Whistle Test put out on a Saturday night as part of BBC2's old Rock Week around 1980? I remember some superb stuff on that which has never surfaced on DVD.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Guido Fawkes
Frank Zappa from Colour Me Pop in 1968 with Roy Estrada taking the vocals - did I used to listen to stuff like this? I've no idea what the song is and I've got most of the Mothers' early output.

Still if Colour Me Pop still exists then perhaps Disco 2 does too - the two forerunners to the OGWT.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Malky
I was gutted when I found out OGWT was mimed. I always thought the musos were rocking out live in the studio.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by JWM
quote:
Originally posted by Malky:
I was gutted when I found out OGWT was mimed. I always thought the musos were rocking out live in the studio.


Are you certain about this?

Rory Gallagher for one never mimed anything.
Posted on: 21 December 2006 by Malky
Yes, many bands were miming. Perhaps the odd act was live but bands would record a track at rehearsal then mime during broadcast. Something to do with the Musicians Union, I think.
Posted on: 22 December 2006 by J.N.
quote:
and Lynyrd bloody Skynyrd

And just for all you good ol' Southern boys here is Leonard Skinner himself, from whom the band derived their name:-



John.
Posted on: 22 December 2006 by J.N.
And appropos of something and nothing, remember 'yodelling' Thijs van Leer of Focus?



Well this is him now - the geezer on the right. I kid you not!



John.
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Rasher
I watched the first OGWT last night and have set the recorder for the rest of them, but alas it's true. Definately mimed. Most noticable with Fairport's when Dave Swarbrick forgot that a fiddle part was going to start without him, and the bass player with Lindisfarne did a violin part while the bass continued to play. Then there was Roxy Music where Phil Manzanera was clearly not familiar with the guitar part and Wishbone Ash having a third guitar part doing the wailing while Ted Turner & Andy Powell get mixed up who is playing which part. To top it off though was Dave Mattacks wearing a T-shirt that read "MIMING".
All my schoolboy illusions shattered.
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Chris Kelly
That is depressing. I too thought it was "live".
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Rasher
We'll find out later that John Noakes had a stand-in
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Malky
I didn't watch it. Was there any footage not seen before and not included in the four DVD set?
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Bob McC
If the OGWT was pre-recorded how shit must some of the bands in those days have been if that was the best they could do?
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Rasher
Malky - Yes
Bob - Thats a bit unfair. Just because they mimed doesn't mean they couldn't do it. This is the BBC yer know, they like it safe
Posted on: 04 January 2007 by Bob McC
Rasher
The point I'm making is that I was watching when the OGWT originally aired and believe me there were some shit performances from supposed big names, that I made allowances for thinking they were live.
Posted on: 05 January 2007 by steveb
Only some of the early performances from the first shows were mimed, very quickly it became a "live" show.

Steve
Posted on: 05 January 2007 by Guido Fawkes
Saw the 74/75 extracts last night - wasn't overly impressed: even the Captain seemed subdued. Perhaps, it was Bob Harris's choices - he was never known for compiling the most exciting playlists.

The programme that BBC did before OGWT was Disco 2 and it was excellent - using subtitles to introduce the acts and no DJ. Shame the BBC couldn't repeat that instead.

Were there any stunning on OGWT that anybody remembers?
Posted on: 05 January 2007 by Malky
quote:
Originally posted by Rasher:
Just because they mimed doesn't mean they couldn't do it. This is the BBC yer know, they like it safe


I'm sure it was something to do with the Musician's Union. Do live performances attract bigger fees than mimed? Any MU members care to enlighten us.
Posted on: 05 January 2007 by steveb
quote:
I watched the first OGWT last night and have set the recorder for the rest of them, but alas it's true. Definately mimed. Most noticable with Fairport's when Dave Swarbrick forgot that a fiddle part was going to start without him, and the bass player with Lindisfarne did a violin part while the bass continued to play. Then there was Roxy Music where Phil Manzanera was clearly not familiar with the guitar part and Wishbone Ash having a third guitar part doing the wailing while Ted Turner & Andy Powell get mixed up who is playing which part. To top it off though was Dave Mattacks wearing a T-shirt that read "MIMING".
All my schoolboy illusions shattered.


Rasher
Yes, Lidisfarne and Fairport were obviously mimimg but Wishbone Ash- No

"We were young lads trying to be men. I remember trying to grow a moustache. It looked absurd! like a marmite stain!"

"We played live. That made us feel secure. It was kind of reassuring because we didn't know how to mime!"
Martin Turner, Wishbone Ash, Feb 2003
http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/music/ogwt_artists.shtml

Steve
Posted on: 05 January 2007 by J.N.
One of the gems in the OGWT vaults for me, is Nils Lofgren's stonking electric version of 'Keith Don't Go'.

John.