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Lord Reith wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 12:23 pm

old flat top wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:33 am Thank you for clarifying. So now it appears there are at least 3 different edits of that chat: (TG, TOTP, and Live at the BBC) none of them complete on their own. Very interesting.

Top Of the Pops was made by the BBC Transcription Service. They would study the forthcoming domestic programme schedules and pick programmes they thought overseas listeners would be interested in. Sometime sthey would record them as they went to air and then edit them to suit their purposes, or sometimes they would eavesdrop on an actual recording session via a Post Office landline. So there would be two different copies of a session, one made by the BBC at the studio where it took place and one made by TS remotely. TS would naturally tend to edit their copy differently which explains why some bits are left in or out on either domestic or overseas versions. There are two TS Beatles eavesdrop tapes still in existence, one where The Beatles are trying to record I Feel Fine and She's A Woman and the eavesdrop tape also catches the discussion between the control room crew and The Beatles. The other one is the session for the Christmas 65 Saturday Club where the eavesdrop tape captures an argument about whether they're going to rehearse or not, and some impersonations of Cavern fans.

slane wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:12 pm

Lord Reith wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 12:23 pm

old flat top wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:33 am Thank you for clarifying. So now it appears there are at least 3 different edits of that chat: (TG, TOTP, and Live at the BBC) none of them complete on their own. Very interesting.

Top Of the Pops was made by the BBC Transcription Service. They would study the forthcoming domestic programme schedules and pick programmes they thought overseas listeners would be interested in. Sometime sthey would record them as they went to air and then edit them to suit their purposes, or sometimes they would eavesdrop on an actual recording session via a Post Office landline. So there would be two different copies of a session, one made by the BBC at the studio where it took place and one made by TS remotely. TS would naturally tend to edit their copy differently which explains why some bits are left in or out on either domestic or overseas versions. There are two TS Beatles eavesdrop tapes still in existence, one where The Beatles are trying to record I Feel Fine and She's A Woman and the eavesdrop tape also catches the discussion between the control room crew and The Beatles. The other one is the session for the Christmas 65 Saturday Club where the eavesdrop tape captures an argument about whether they're going to rehearse or not, and some impersonations of Cavern fans.

The Xmas 1965 Saturday Club 'eavesdrop tape' is hilarious. One of my favourite things that I've downloaded so far. Love the bit where they're arguing about rehearsals (when Ringo explains his plans, Paul's 'Hmm-mmm' reminds me of Oliver Hardy reacting to some Stan Laurel nonsense ). I've only grabbed selected things up to now but will download the whole series.

I really liked the 'compilation' stuff. The extended Beatles At The Beeb, Yellow Matter Custard (I'm not really into making things into 'stereo' just because you can, but this stays on the right side of tasteful) and the Transcription Discs volume (I wouldn't have minded if the 'Four By The Beatles' EP had been on there though, fake or not ).

I discovered lately that all of 'The Special 36' fit on one CD (as long as you use the shorter Saturday Club version of Lucille), which makes a handy compilation. For actual listening pleasure though, I prefer a compilation of only the exclusive PGTB songs.

One thing I noticed is this. I previously said that the apex of their BBC recordings for me was the second From Us To You special (or more accurately, the TS 'Alan Freeman Introduces The Beatles' edit). But another highpoint of their BBC career for me is the PGTB programmes recorded in July 1963. Listening to my comp of the exclusive PGTB tracks, the ones taped in July seem to sound better than the others. It's not that they were all recorded in the same studio (6 programmes recorded over 3 sessions at 3 different studios), yet they all have a uniformity of (great) sound. Contrast that with the editions taped in August and September, which have a flatter and more boxy sound. Why is that?

I really enjoyed your 'Ramblings' documents (I think I've read ten of them, were there more?). A similar document with info on the various tape sources would be also welcome (if there isn't one already that I missed).

brainwashed wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:16 pm "twin-track" remixes of Yellow Matter Custard. I think a killer set or two would be compiling the absolute best-sounding BBC material, covers and originals, and hearing them in the same "twin-track" style. Yes, the Carol EP, and anything else from the July 1963 sessions, not on YMC. I understand one person's BEST-SOUNDING material and another's may differ, but I think hearing stuff like Too Much Monkey Business, I Got To Find My Baby, P.S. I Love You and others would be a truly special experience. Ron

slane wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:12 pm The Xmas 1965 Saturday Club 'eavesdrop tape' is hilarious. One of my favourite things that I've downloaded so far. Love the bit where they're arguing about rehearsals (when Ringo explains his plans, Paul's 'Hmm-mmm' reminds me of Oliver Hardy reacting to some Stan Laurel nonsense )

I discovered lately that all of 'The Special 36' fit on one CD (as long as you use the shorter Saturday Club version of Lucille), which makes a handy compilation. For actual listening pleasure though, I prefer a compilation of only the exclusive PGTB songs.

Listening to my comp of the exclusive PGTB tracks, the ones taped in July seem to sound better than the others. It's not that they were all recorded in the same studio (6 programmes recorded over 3 sessions at 3 different studios), yet they all have a uniformity of (great) sound. Contrast that with the editions taped in August and September, which have a flatter and more boxy sound. Why is that?

I really enjoyed your 'Ramblings' documents (I think I've read ten of them, were there more?). A similar document with info on the various tape sources would be also welcome (if there isn't one already that I missed).

Lord Reith wrote: ↑Fri Mar 29, 2024 1:39 am

slane wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:12 pm The Xmas 1965 Saturday Club 'eavesdrop tape' is hilarious. One of my favourite things that I've downloaded so far. Love the bit where they're arguing about rehearsals (when Ringo explains his plans, Paul's 'Hmm-mmm' reminds me of Oliver Hardy reacting to some Stan Laurel nonsense )

I think it's one of the most interesting spoken word tapes of them that's ever surfaced. It's very interesting to hear the dynamic within the group and how they handled disputes. Ringo is usually portrayed as easy going but this shows that he was also prepared to stand his ground when he felt he was being pushed around. George sounds a bit annoyed with him but they all reach a compromise within a few minutes. In a lot of groups this would have escalated into a massive argument with one of the musicians throwing down his guitar and leaving to form another band.

I discovered lately that all of 'The Special 36' fit on one CD (as long as you use the shorter Saturday Club version of Lucille), which makes a handy compilation. For actual listening pleasure though, I prefer a compilation of only the exclusive PGTB songs.

My preferred way is to have playlists for the different programmes. Otherwise it gets too repetitive. I've noticed that they tried not to repeat songs too often within different editions of the same programme.

Listening to my comp of the exclusive PGTB tracks, the ones taped in July seem to sound better than the others. It's not that they were all recorded in the same studio (6 programmes recorded over 3 sessions at 3 different studios), yet they all have a uniformity of (great) sound. Contrast that with the editions taped in August and September, which have a flatter and more boxy sound. Why is that?

They had a change of Studio Manager (balance engineer) partway through the series. The guy who took over (Keith Bateson) was the same age as The Beatles and wanted a more raucous rock and roll sound whereas I think the guy before him kind of recorded them like a jazz group, with everything very clean sounding. I don't know exactly when the changeover took place but I'd wager heavily that Keith took over from episode 11 onwards and that is the reason for the sudden change in sound. Much like Smith and Emerick. You'll notice that it's only The Beatles contributions that sound different. The guest acts are unnaffected.

I really enjoyed your 'Ramblings' documents (I think I've read ten of them, were there more?). A similar document with info on the various tape sources would be also welcome (if there isn't one already that I missed).

That would probably be a book in itself. Maybe one day.