Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Seriously recommended: Songwriters Circle (UK BBC4)

His live rendition of Vincent Black Lightning on the e-Town Live compilation got me into biking (sadly not on a Vincent). And while we're on it, that compilation has got to be one of the best ever set of live singer/songwriter performances available. Great performances, beautifully recorded.

Yup. That makes +2.

Cheers

George[/quote]
+3 - ex BBC staff member at the time when Murdoch stripped the BBC of is 'assets'. [/quote]

I have to use Sky , cant get terrestial, the engineering platform is good, EPG especially.
Sky 's subscription income is double the BBC licence income (�7.7Billion...)
How many programmes do they make ??
Hardly any, mostly sport.
But Ian how did Murdoch strip BBC assets?
That was loveable Sir John Birt,Tony Blairs chum....
Roger.

I nearly almost mentioned John Birt, but I pre dated him so didn't see it first hand so it would have been unfair to comment Mind you, on a couple of occasions that I though about coming back, I was always reminded that it was not the place that I had left and fondly remembered. I was Bill Cotton and Paul Fox era and was personally recognised by the both of them.

Roger, we you not BBC too? I worked doing all the sports graphics systems late 80's, early 90's. The iconic Vidiprinter is mine, well at least the colour Mac based one that automatically totted up the pools results not the black and white electronic one that it replaced, nor the teletype. Murdoch was starting up at around this time, trying to get the base in Isleworth up and running.

As far as we were affected, obviously BBC sports lost many of their 'crown jewel' events. I suppose that it was a bit arrogant of us at the BBC to assume that they were ours to keep, but we had the whole nation's best interests to protect!

As well as that, Murdoch's men 'came in' and offered staff big money to defect. The guy writing the Vidiprinters graphics card driver defected and so did one of our project managers. Apart from myself having to finish off the graphics card driver for the Vidiprinter and get the rest of it finished, there was not much effect within our department - I don't think sky got the pick of the bunch there and simply paid over the odds for our natural wastage! BBC sport department lost a couple of key players and were backfilled with inexperienced staff who really came good when given their chance. It was a time of transition, and seeing the crown jewels stripped from us one after another was a bit demoralising.

But also at that time, certainly as far as the graphic design department was concerned, the beginning of the end was beginning to show and a number of highly experienced staff set up their own partnerships. Its nice to see their names still on titles even now.

I guess as far as I was concerned, possibly part of me wish that I had seen Sky for what it was going to turn into. But all the stories of difficulties with the new production suites put a number of people off.

Murdoch's approach was to throw big money in an attempt to secure everything and its probably the case now. But the reality is is that it could probably have all been done at a fraction of the cost to the end user. I suppose that it would have happened anyway given time, but it is Mr Murdoch that got my focus.

Roger, you can get Freesat. Its the offical alternative to Freeview for those who cant get Terestial TV. Humax do a great PVR for it as well.

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/

Cheers Chris

Hi Ian
Yes I was beeb staff 65-92
Birt did it for us in Film Department
'Producer Choice' where it was 'cheaper' to buy a CD from WH Smith than use the worlds best music library (ie The BBC's)
Where it was 'cheaper' to hire in a OB Scanner truck than use the state of the art one in the OB Garage, or record in an office rather than a purpose built studio...
I didnt realise Murdoch was poaching staff so early.
Birt was a total cxnt
I had lunch with Paul Fox once.
His yorkshire terrier took the batteries out of the cameramans digital spotmeter in 1/10 the time it took the camera assistant to put them in..
The future of Broadcast he said...
As a freelance I worked mostly for the Beeb and CH4 ,Sky right at the end (shine productions ,M's Daughter) all much of a muchness.
Had a great time with the old BBC, 88 countries it said on my CV...

I would go freesat but rate Skys EPG and Sky Movies HD too much to change
Roger

Back on topic guys. This was about recommended music. And BBC4 is free-to-air.

I wonder what car Mr Murdoch drives ?

OK - here's another recommendation - Singer/Songwriters at the BBC that immediately precedes the Songwriters' Circle. The first programme has excellent performances from the 70's archive that include Neil Young, James Taylor Nilsson, Joni Mitchell, Joan Armatrading, Sandy Denny and Cat Stevens in their prime. There are some curiosities like Judee Sill. Steve Goodman sings City of New Orleans like it should be sung, and the set ends with Tom Waits, all bizarre contortions, growling vocals and cigarette smoke, delivering a perfect Burma Shave. There is no inane commentary from pop pundits and it's not treated like an exercise in nostalgia or anthropology - they just let the music play, song after song. Recordings are very good of their time. First episode (of four) still available on iPlayer. Next is on BBC4 at 9.15pm on Friday repeated on Saturday at 1am. These are going on to DVD-R and I don't do that lightly!

Glad you liked it!

Complimenting yourself there?

Just suggesting that I'd already posted the info. I guess it got lost with folk going off topic and criticizing Rupert Murdoch...

Calm down Ian.

I had missed that you'd posted it in the OP, but as you haven't seen it and I have, and was able to comment on it, I think I added an on-topic tad to the thread. Yes I did like it, thanks.