BBC Sessions

[Guest]

I’ve spent some of the nicest musical moments of my life around various BBC studios around London, listening to my favorite music (be it rock or jazz) being made before my eyes (or ears). These are truly fond memories.

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) was (and still is) a vast organization and probably the oldest media corporation in the world. It has (radio and TV) studios in every major city in the UK, with several locations in London, apart from the ostentatious building in the heart of the city. Throughout decades, before any kind of “independent” (and competitive) broadcasting existed in the UK, the BBC single-handedly controlled everything that was broadcasted to the UK public (and also around the world by the BBC World Service). Therefore it is bluntly obvious that BBC held the music industry “by the curlies” so to speak and it was in its power to “make or brake” any artist it chose to do so with.

As ugly as it all might look, the truth was that the BBC did in fact more good than evil over the years. Especially so, when one considers the vast contribution it had in bringing music (of every kind) to the listeners, and not only released (by record companies) music, but especially music recorded by the BBC and broadcasted later in a wide variety of programs dedicated to current musical developments in every genre – pop, rock, jazz, etc. Programs like “Top Of The Pops”, John Peel’s “Top Gear”, “Jazz Hour” and many, many more presented contemporary music on a regular basis and the collected recorded archives of these programs constitute probably the largest world library of recorded contemporary music – which is now being released commercially much to my delight.

Other aspects are also worth considering:

The BBC producers were fairly liberal and open minded in their choice of material and recorded not only established and well know artists, but also (and to a large extent) unknown, unpopular, and even controversial artists, who played difficult and unconventional music. For many of those this was the only outlet for their music and the only opportunity to get it out to a public.

The BBC paid the musicians quite well (yes!) for those sessions (including expenses), which for many of them was almost the sole source of income at the time. It also meant that royalties (publishing) were due when the recordings were eventually broadcasted (and broadcasts repeated). In other words the BBC was a very meaningful sponsor for the always-struggling music community. It is no wander that musicians always eagerly awaited the call from a BBC producer who invited them to do a recording session.

The music was recorded at the BBC recording studios – several of those were around London and in other major cities around the UK. My personal favorite was the old Maida Vale studio (so called as it was located at that part of London), where I had the pleasure to participate in many recording sessions (as a spectator of course).

The BBC studio facilities were a wold to themselves – completely separated from the “real” world out there. Usually located in pretty old (pre 2nd WW) buildings, with huge recording rooms capable of hosting a symphonic orchestra and chorus. The technicians wore standard issue gray robes and were considered second to God only. All other people entering this world had to leave their “usual” personalities outside the studio doors – there was no VIP treatment for anybody, even the most notorious celebrities were pussy cats in there. It was pretty weird to record rock groups in those vast halls – the musicians would be usually placed in one corner and the guests (only a handful BTW) would sit in the same room and were told to hold their traps.

The recording equipment looked (to me) ancient – the cables, the tube amplifiers, the mikes and even the stands all looked like taken from the silent movies era, but by God they worked – and they worked wonderfully! Those technicians / wizards managed to achieve some of the best recording sound I have ever heard, in most cases vastly superior to the sound of the commercial recording studios at the time (as evident on records). Of course all this was in the 1970’s mind you – it’s a bit different now, with digital equipment, etc… But the charm is gone forever.

The most important place in any recording studio was of course the canteen (not the control room!). The BBC stuff worked strictly according to a fixed timetable, with the (oh so British) regular tea breaks and meal breaks. It did not matter one iota who was playing at the moment – come tea break everything would be left instantaneously in limbo and the entire staff would gather in the canteen (musicians and the guests naturally following) to have their “cup of tea”. The tea (and some nice food as well) was served by ageless ladies who always reminded me of my grandmother. “Have a nice cup of tea, Dear” they would say to Jimmy Hendrix or Mick Jagger, completely oblivious to the fact who the served person was. And so I’d find myself sipping my tea (priced 1 pence – for non-stuff) at a table with say Jimmy Page, John Surman, John McLaughlin or whoever happened to be recording that day. Tea break over we’d all stride back to the recording room and go on. Considering all this the producer usually planned the session around the tea breaks if he wanted the recording to be finished as planned. In most cases it was one take only! For posterity…

The session over, everybody would naturally pace “across the road” to the “local” (pub of course) to have a well deserved pint or two (or more). Those were the days…

[GA Russell]

Thanks for that!

[JohnJ]

Thanks indeed, very interesting. Please post some more reminiscences when you have time.

[JohnS]

The late Peter Clayton was kind enough to take me to a couple of sessions at the Maida Vale Studios for the live segement of the Saturday evening Jazz show on BBC radio hosted by Humphrey Lyttleton. One was by a big band , I can no longer recall the name. I can however remember being at the recording of the Joe Harriott/John Mayer Indo Jazz group. Lovely stuff. The thirty minute broadcast was put together in a couiple of hours max.