TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Hi all.  Does anyone know if it's possible to get a copy (DVD preferably) of the BBC programme on Babbacombe Lee from, I think, 1975.  I did see it then and was bitterly disappointed when it was cancelled on it's second outing.  I would love to have a copy so if anyone knows if I can get one please drop me a line.

Thanks

Steve

It certainly isn't on DVD - nor officially on video. No one is even sure whether it still exists in the BBC archive. :o

As to whether any boot of it exists - I've not heard of it - and it certainly hasn't been mentioned as existing on this board.

Videos were only in their infancy in 1975 and people in general weren't inclined to record stuff for posterity then, as now. I'll  be surprised if a copy exists....

Would any of the Fairports have a copy?

Puggs  :o

I know someone who has seen it, recently, does that count? But I only ever see the chap at Cropredy and he's not online. But a copy does survive - one at least! Never seen it myself. Maybe we might be surprised at what still is out there in dusty vaults and private collections.

On this page http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/fairport/records/babbacombelee.html
it says "In 1992, the BBC released The Man They Couldn't Hang as a video-cassette" so does this mean its out there somewhere!!!!!??? ???

It'd be great to see that again - someone somewhere must have a copy.

Interesting synchronicity...I've been playing Babbacome Lee this very morning.

I may dispute Reinhard's information there (although he's usually righT".  There was talk of releasingi it, but to my knowledge it never happened.  Certainly it's not listed on the Expletive Delighted site.

I'll see what I can glean from my BBC contacts ....  ;)

I think this may have been at the time when negotiations were taking place between the BBC and Simon Hart of Terrapin Trucking. (Ian Rennie at Expletive Delighted may be able to confirm that.) Sadly the talks came to nothing and I seem to recall that costs and copyright relating to the intercut silent sections were the stumbling blocks.  I believe a copy of the second showing of the programme still resides in the BBC vaults.

Talking about lost TV footage, years ago my mate Dick did try and get in touch with the Dutch TV vaults. It came to nothing, they were kinda unresponsive and not very interested and he never heard from them again. But he sure didn't get a NO when he asked if 1975 material from the Dutch TV show "De Van Speijk Show" (broadcast by KRO) might still exist. I believe it was in February 1975 that the Rising For The Moon line up performed on Dutch TV (I was just 6 years old at the time. Maybe I watched it with my folks ;-)). I must have an audio recording somewhere, I think it had something like 4 songs. Going back to what I said earlier: there might still be some lost gems out there but we'd need The Powers That Be - like some enterprising soul who wants to do a film, like someone did (twice) with Nick Drake, and he never was on TV at all so that was more difficult. Somewhere in those archives there must be more Fairport(ish) stuff, I'm sure.
The 1968 French TV broadcast did survive. But there has also been a Dutch TV broadcast from that year (with Sandy, whereas the French one had Judy). Plus a 1969 Danish TV broadcast, just before Sandy and Ashley left. As long as there's no definite NO from those powers that be, I keep on hoping! I mean, Sandy's One In Ten appearance only surfaced in recent years (and still only has been seen by a few, but it survived).   
I have a Bonny Bunch era TV appearance on video. BBC Scotland I think, about 25 mins, nice quality. Also something many people wouldn't know exists. But the older the footage the more interesting it gets, of course. 

Today in MVC Maidstone I bought a CD of Babbacombe Lee with 2 bonus tracks from the TV documentary.
"Farewell To A Poor Man's Son " sung by Swarb, and "Breakfast in Mayfair" sung by Sandy and Simon. What a treat! It took me back 30 years. Not something I often like to think about!!! :) :) :) :) :)

On eBay a few months ago, I snagged a book of B. Lee sheet music with chord progressions for the entire album.  Haven't set about trying to thump along with any of the songs on bass guitar yet, though -- I most recently learned "No End" out of the Sandy Denny songbook that Maart put out.