HW Video Footage

[M Holmes]

Michael Crook writes:

> Hi I knew I'd seen it somewhere - I've just spent ages looking for the
> right interview.  In the February 1993 'Record Collector'

> (No.162) page 106, Dave Brock says that the BBC recorded about
> half-an-hour at Dunstable for Silver Machine

According to Bernhard's list that would be 7/7/72. That might fit the
Brian Matthews recording of Silver Machine better than Maida Vale on
2/8/72

Thoughts? Adrian? Bernhard?


Jill did some research based on other tracks on that Transcription disc:

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OK - here are the research results so far:

BEE GEES

1971 Aug 7th:  Bee Gees reform and produce ballad 'How Can You Mend a
                Broken Heart' which achieves no.53 chart success by
                Nov 20th.
1972 Feb:     They appear on ITV "The Golden Shot" and write another
                hit 'My World'.   It enters the charts on 29 Jan and
                is around for 9 weeks
     Aug:     The next song 'Run To Me' enters the charts on 22 July
                and is around for 10 weeks.
     Sept - March 1973:   Chart success in US only
1973 June 24th: Live performance at London Palladium


HAWKWIND
1971 Aug:    Lemmy joins
     Oct:    'In Search of Space' reaches no.18
1972 Feb:    Greasy Truckers Party - 1st top billing event
     1 July: 'Silver Machine' enters charts and is around for 15
                weeks.   The main chart rise starts in Aug and its
                highest position is no.3
     Dec:    'Doremi' album reaches no.14 in charts.   Space Ritual
                begins a 30 date tour.
1973 June:   'Space Ritual Alive' album reaches no. 9
     Aug:    DikMik finally leaves.   'Urban Guerilla' enters charts
                on 11th Aug for 3 weeks before being withdrawn
     Nov:    US debut in New York



WINGS
1971 Nov:    Wings formed.   1st album launched on 8 Nov.   Critics hate
                it but it charts at no.11 in Dec.
1972 Feb:   Group tours Colleges to gain experience offering to play
                one off gigs in student halls
     Feb 22: Single 'Give Ireland Back to the Irish' enters the charts.
                It reaches no.8 by April 8 although banned by BBC and
                IBA
     May 27: Single 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' enters the charts.   It
                reaches no.9 by June
     July 9: Wings formal debut at Chateauvilleon, France starts a
                European tour.  McCartneys arrested in Sweden for
                possession.
     Sept:   Arrested again at home in Scotland
     Dec 9:  Single 'Hi Hi Hi' enters charts and is banned by BBC in
                Jan 1973
1973:   Very busy during rest of this year with recording and
                performance


THE PRETTY THINGS
1971    Jun:   Group splits
        Nov:   reforms
1973           The band tours in the US

no singles issued so no information available about chart success


MARY WELLS
1972  Jul 8:  Single 'My Guy' reissue enters UK charts.   It stays for
                10 weeks reaching max no.14

no futher info.


SUMMARY
The recording cannot have been made prior to Nov 1971 since neither
Wings nor The Pretty Things were in existence then.   It is unlikely to
be later than mid Oct 1972 since 'My Guy' (Mary Wells) had fallen out of
the charts by then.

Wings were touring Europe from 9 July 1972 but had returned by
September.

Hawkwind's 'Doremi' was issued in Nov 1972 according to Brian Tawn (In
Search of Space was Oct 1971) so was still at the discussion stage when
'Silver Machine' was charting.   The band was touring from Dec onwards.

There are two possible suggestions as I see it:   EITHER just prior
to July 8/9 before Wings started their tour and both Mary Kelly and
Hawkwind would be promoting new releases.    The Bee Gees would still be
working with their previous hit of "My World" since "Run To Me" didn't
start a chart rise until 22 July.   OR: Late Aug/mid Sept after Wings
had finished their tour.    Both Mary Kelly and Hawkwind would have had
singles at the peak of their success and Hawkwind's new album would be
close to its release date - but I would have expected the Bee Gees to
be playing "Run To Me".

If you need to narrow the chart positions down further the best place
would be Record Collector for July 1997 Aug 1997 or Sept 1997 since
there is a section at the back entitled "25 Years Ago" where they list
the top 20 hits from that month 25 years earlier.     Unfortunately I
don't have these!

cheers
jill

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J.D.Strobridge at ed.ac.uk                         eset08 at holyrood.ed.ac.uk
                                                ELIJSA at srv0.arts.ed.ac.uk
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