R2OK!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6815

.....on Radio 4

Enjoyed this!

There are two letters, to the BBC, read out on the programme ... one from Brian Jones asking for an audition for The Stones and one from Ray Davis apologising for a non show from The Kinks.

Listening figures for Saturday Club back then.... around 25 million. Shocked

Pete Paphides delves into the BBC auditions process for aspiring bands in the 1950s and 60s such as the Rolling Stones, Elton John, The Who and Pink Floyd.

Throughout this era, any artist hoping to achieve wider national recognition would try and secure national radio exposure. To do this, they would have to meet the exacting standards of a small but powerful board of assessors within the BBC.

Producers and sound engineers of the time remember the sessions and we hear musicians recalling their audition process - including Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator, Judy Dyble of Fairport Convention and Alvin Stardust.

The audition panels' notes are carefully kept to this day in the BBC archive. Nick Drake's notes, for example, read as follows: "Suitable to broadcast, but would probably only be in specialist late night programmes. Type of artist who would appear on 'John Peel' record label - underground, folky. YES."

Among the artists the BBC wasn't initially convinced about were the Rolling Stones, while the errant behaviour of other groups recording BBC sessions - Pink Floyd, for example - threatened their relationship with the Corporation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03dfl04

Colin · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 916

Wow, that really does sound like a great series.

Seeing the name of Judy Dyble, preceding Sandy Denny in the original Fairports, she lives in Bicester, Oxon, not far from me, and a couple of years ago she asked me if I could production manage a DVD to accompany her latest album which was to be recorded at her house. I couldn't due to other commitments. I was really embarrassed when being introduced to her because I didn't recognise her name at all and had to apologise! It was only when she mentioned her role in Fairport Convention that I realised what a pillock I'd been because I'd seen her sing with the band several times!

Anyway, the series looks really good. Thanks for the info. Being a big Nick Drake fan I'm interested in anything relating to him, naturally.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6815

I think it's a one-off programme,Colin, rather than a series.