RE: BBC equipment details

[mrprox@xxxxxxxxxxx (Hugh Jones)]

Hi J.R.!

>Listening to the new release, and noticing how well that Page was
>able to "clean up" the tracks, I just wonder if one our British
>friends or some knowledgeable person on the list could clue us in on
>what the "Beeb" was using to record shows at that time? Was it
>4-track? Or 8? What kind of mics were used? What kind of board did
>they use?

I can't answer these questions specifically, but this nifty book I have
called "In Session Tonight - The Complete Radio 1 Recordings," does offer
up these tidbits:

"At first, American Ampex recorders were used; but after a few months the
department standardized on EMI TR90s, single-track mono quarter-inch, 15
ips tape recorders, then new, and still the staple music-recording machine
in BBC outside studios in the first years of Radio 1."

"The Maida Vale 4 control room was still only eqiupped with BBC-designed
mixing desks and mono tape machines in late 1972"

There is also mention of using ribbon mics (very sensitive, high-quality
mics still used today for vocals & acoustic instruments) in various parts
of the text. How they managed to do overdubs (like on "TRB") with mono
decks I'm not certain - they might have synched more than one deck together
(I know the Beatles did that in the '60s) or perhaps they got a 2-track or
4-track in 1969.

>What did the engineer have for breakfast? Stuff like that.

Probably sausage, eggs, heavy English stuff - those limeys may not be known
for their food, but damn they sure know how to do a solid breakfast!

>I believe that I'm correct in assuming that these tapes came from the
>"Beeb's" archives and not Jimmy's vault, am I not?

Yes, I believe this is correct.

>Also, I was wondering if the recording equipment was permanently
>installed in the Paris Theatre.

Yep, it was exclusively a BBC venue in the '60s/'70s, and had a fully
equipped control room in it from what I can figure.

While I'm at it, here are some quotes from the book directly relating to
the Zep sessions - kinda amusing -

"The BBC lagged far behind commercial recording studios. But, because of
the speed of work, the very quick balance-and-play system, a good live band
could get very good results.

Just how good was to be proved again in early march (1969). Almost exactly
a year before, Top Gear had featured the Yardbird's last BBC session. Now,
on 3 March 1969, [producer] Bernie Andrews did Led Zeppelin's first, at the
Playhouse. He was renewing a relationship with Jimmy Page, who had also
turned up on many of Bernie's BBC dates, as one of the top session
guitarists in London. The group had already conquered America, but their
first album was not released in Britain until later that month and, save
for Top Gear, UK audiences were then indifferent. 'They were very loud, but
it was very good,' says Bernie."

Later in the book, discussing the lengthening sessions. . .

"Coming from doing standard 3.5 hour sesssions, John Walters found Bernie's
double-sessions a luxury. The benefits first emerged on Led Zeppelin's
fourth and final BBC studio session on 24 June, 1969, at Maida Vale 4 (Jeff
Griffin did their second 19 march, for Alexis Korner's Rhythm & Blues Show
on the World Service, and their third was for Symonds On Sunday in
mid-June). 'I can remember Jimmy Page coming in and syaing the bass was a
bit too high. So, knowing we had plenty of time, they could do the whole
thing again. We turned the dial down, and said, "Right, when you're ready,
we'll go for a cup of tea". .. that's what they *had* to do, because we had
no multi-tracking," says Walters.

That session, on the Tuesday, was promptly followed by the band recording
the pilot for what would become Jeff Griffin's Sunday concert show on the
Friday (27th), presented by Alan Black at the Playhouse. The Liverpool
Scene, Andy Roberts and Adrian Henri, were the 'interval' act. Roberts
remember adjourning to the Sherlock Holmes pub afterwards, and Henri
shouting jovially down the bar, at the top his voice, to Jimmy Page, 'Is it
true you're known as the Led Wallet?' The show went out as the second half
of Top Gear on 10 August. 'Travelling Riverside Blues' from the 24th and
'White Summer' from the 27th are now on the band's Re-Masters 4 CD boxed
set."


Confusing, no? They plainly state there was not overdubbing, yet we can
plainly hear overdubs on "TRB" - perhaps what he means is that they
couldn't fix the bass because the band was all on one track, with a
separate track available only for guitar and/or vocal overdubs -  not sure
what's up with that, but I thought the anecdotes were amusing - wonder what
Jimmy would say if one of us asked him about 'Led Wallet' ??

See ya,
- - Mr. Prox

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