BBC TV pulls plug on Sandy Denny feature

[Philip W]

Some of you may have heard rumours of a forthcoming TV series on British women musicians. Kate Bush, Dusty Springfield, Marianne Faithfull, Amy Winehouse and (so we thought) Sandy Denny. My mole on the inside tells me that Sandy has now been dropped from the series, on the grounds that she’s “not famous enough” and viewers of BBC1 (where the series will air) have “never heard of her”. It’s a shame, whichever way you look at it, as filming had already begun on the Sandy programme and this would have been a unique opportunity to place her in rightful company whilst bringing her to the widest audience.  

So much for Mark Thompson’s announcement last week that he was beefing up the Beeb’s commitment to the arts. The other programmes will still go ahead, their subjects being sufficiently famous.  

[gower flower (Shirl)]

This is hugely disappointing news.

How can they place Marianne Faithfull above Sandy Denny in the "famous" stakes? Okay, Faithfull was well known - but her musical output was (I think) pretty limited. More famous for the company she kept, I would have thought.

Bah!

[Jim]

bastards

[Anji]

Is there anything we can do to rectify this?  

[Big Dave]

Is there anything we can do to rectify this?  

Knowing how these things usually pan out, I think not much Anji  .  We could try some of petition with reasoned arguements, lord knows there is enough accumlated knowledge here about Sandy and Fairport to present a solid case.  Trouble is finding the time to do it.  Any volunteers?

[Delfini (Diane)]

"not famous enough?"  ....................maybe too talented compared to some  

[Dan O.]

Petition 'em to do the documentary, interview all relevant associates and put it out on BBC4 where it will be more at home...it will eventually get a repeat showing on BBC 1 or 2...it took them ages to repeat "RT - A Solitary Life" on terrestrial !

[Malcolm]

Is there anything we can do to rectify this?  

Knowing how these things usually pan out, I think not much Anji  .  We could try some of petition with reasoned arguements, lord knows there is enough accumlated knowledge about Sandy and fairport to present a solid case.  Trouble is finding the time to do it.  Any volunteers?

If someone can tell me the name of the producer/decision maker, I will write to him/her.

I used to be the beeb's b**k manager in the late 80's, in one of my previous lives , not that that counts for sod all, nor would I mention it!

[SJN]

It's absolutely bloomin' ridiculous!

 

[Big Dave]

Is there anything we can do to rectify this?  

Knowing how these things usually pan out, I think not much Anji  .  We could try some of petition with reasoned arguements, lord knows there is enough accumlated knowledge about Sandy and fairport to present a solid case.  Trouble is finding the time to do it.  Any volunteers?

If someone can tell me the name of the producer/decision maker, I will write to him/her.

I used to be the beeb's b**k manager in the late 80's, in one of my previous lives , not that that counts for sod all, nor would I mention it!

What about writing straight to the DG Malcolm?

[Malcolm]

What about writing straight to the DG Malcolm?

No, Dave. He would never get to see it, let alone read it, whoever he is. More politics in that organisation than at Westminster.

[davidmjs]

This is hugely disappointing news.

How can they place Marianne Faithfull above Sandy Denny in the "famous" stakes? Okay, Faithfull was well known - but her musical output was (I think) pretty limited. More famous for the company she kept, I would have thought.

Bah!

Er....at least 17 studio albums over 43 years[Just checked Wiki...I think its 19 or 20] "Pretty Limited"?  Hmmmm, don't think so........

I can understand the indignation about this, and I'd love to see the documentary made too, but surely one can understand the reasoning behind it...the producers just want their programmes to be watched by the largest audiences imaginable.  It's the Amy Wineglass one that amuses me.  Now she does have a limited musical output, however talented a singer (and she is, or could be) she is....

[Cocker Freeman]

A duty to educate, I think that was the original remit wasn't it?

Do we know the arsehole who came up with this decision?

[jude]

Well it would be even more disappointing if they had gone to the extent of interviewing people and filming things and then deciding not to use any of it...that does frequently happen

[PaulT]

Send him to manage ITV's football coverage...  

Seriously, will the BBC ever take English folk/roots seriously? There was a short item on the Breakfast Show this morning about The Morris Movie... the piece itself was OK, but I thought there was a distinct sense of "presenters trying to keep faces straight" before & after it.

And (much as I am enjoying it), BBC4's Folk America season seems to have much more air time than our own indigenous (folk) music gets.

[Jamie73]

The worse part is that had it stayed on BBC4's schedule, lot's of people who have never heard of Sandy would still watch it because of the nature of the people who watch BBC4, period.

Now it's been switched to BBC1 and Sandy has been cut out we will no doubt be treated to watching Amy smoke crack, along with tiresome Marianne Faithfull mars bar stories (rather than looking at her fantastic output since her late '70's reinvention).

It wouldn't surprise me if the programme will have those dreadful comedian types on there talking about the artists a la those "500 best ever song" shite programmes.

J

(a very angry Jamie73)

[Philip W]

Well it would be even more disappointing if they had gone to the extent of interviewing people and filming things and then deciding not to use any of it...that does frequently happen

I think that's what did happen, Jude. I believe they recorded interviews with the artists taking part in the tribute concert in December. They were certainly filming in the foyer when I left the QEH.

BBC4 is the obvious home for such a programme. I'm sure that a channel that has devoted hour-long documentaries to Alma Cogan and Julie London, not to mention an entire evening to Nana Mouskouri (!), could find room for this.

(an angry) Philip  

[Keith]

Now it's been switched to BBC1 and Sandy has been cut out we will no doubt be treated to watching Amy smoke crack, along with tiresome Marianne Faithfull mars bar stories (rather than looking at her fantastic output since her late '70's reinvention).

My thoughts exactly. Sandy has one of the most fascinating and emotive life stories of any musician. I was bought "Sandy Denny: Under Review" for my birthday last year, and I doubt if the BBC could have topped some of the interviews and footage; but they should have bloody well tried.

[Jamie73]

BBC4 should push to use the interviews and footage already shot to make up an hour of their broadcasting time.

Totally agree - her story is fascinating itself, let alone being one of the most talented singers and songwriters of the 20th century.

J

[jude]

Now it's been switched to BBC1 and Sandy has been cut out we will no doubt be treated to watching Amy smoke crack, along with tiresome Marianne Faithfull mars bar stories (rather than looking at her fantastic output since her late '70's reinvention).

My thoughts exactly. Sandy has one of the most fascinating and emotive life stories of any musician. I was bought "Sandy Denny: Under Review" for my birthday last year, and I doubt if the BBC could have topped some of the interviews and footage; but they should have bloody well tried.

The problem is that all of the other singers have a much higher profile in the wider world than Sandy and although being included in this series would obviously raise her profile, documentary makers who have been commissioned to make the films will prefer to go for singers with an already high profile (hit singles, world wide hit albums, high profile scandals etc), so that the films can be sold worldwide maybe..

However, if interviews and filming have already taken place then those recordings will probably be put quietly aside for use in the future..