Każda z czterech, tematycznych części 'At The BBC' zawiera 120-minutowy, moim zdaniem kapitalny materiał zarejestrowany przez poszczególnych wykonawców na żywo (jedynie z bardzo nielicznymi dogrywkami) podczas kilkugodzinnych sesji w studiach Maida Vale w Londynie. W BBC zatrudnieni byli najlepsi, brytyjscy realizatorzy dźwięku i przez to niemal każdy nagrywający tam zespół brzmiał rewelacyjnie - częstokroć lepiej, bardziej dynamicznie niż na płytach! Poza tym wiele z nich grało utwory nigdy nie wydane na winylu albo czasem bardzo zaskakujące przeróbki nagrań ('covery') innych artystów. Jakość dźwięku jest fantastyczna - po prostu perfekcyjna! Jedynie w kilkunastu przypadkach (na blisko 130 nagrań) użyto fragmentów o nieco gorszej, ale zdecydowanie akceptowalnej jakości. Uwaga! Niemal wszystkie nagrania nigdy przedtem nie ukazały się na winylach a jedynie nieliczne ukazały się na płytach CD i z reguły z dźwiękiem w znacznie gorszej jakości! Zdecydowana większość utworów pochodziła z bardzo rzadkich, promocyjnych płyt przeznaczonych dla zagranicznych rozglośni. Kawałki tam zawarte wzbogacone zostały krotkimi, emocjonalnymi zapowiedziami genialnego DJ Briana Matthew a który autentycznie dodawal swoistego kolorytu tych nagraniom! Jestem jego wielkim fanem! W mojej opinii obłędne, rozkładane okładki z cudownymi projektami z końca lat 70. autorstwa Rodneya Matthewsa zawierają wszelkie detale dotyczące poszczególnych nagrań: dokładne daty rejestracji, akuratne zdjęcia oraz składy wszystkich zespołów a nawet przyporządkowane do każdego kawałka krótkie, jednozdaniowe i naprawdę trafne komentarze. Proszę mi wierzyć - nie można się od tych płyt oderwać! Proszę się tylko nie sugerować, że to są 'jakieś składanki' albo produkty pośledniej jakości! Pewnie mało kto mi uwierzy, ale jako wielki fan (i zbieracz) nagrań z archiwów BBC z ręką na sercu uważam te 4 tytuły (a zwłaszcza Psychedelic Rock i British Rock) za najlepsze, winylowe reedycje ostatnich 10 czy 15 lat! ABSOLUTNY MUS!!! NOWA, ZAFOLIOWANA ........................................ Poniższy, angielski tekst otrzymałem od wydawcy. Jest może mało czytelny, ale przy pewnym skupieniu naprawdę bardzo pomocny! Polecam zwłaszcza te krótkie komentarze! ........................ Limited to 500 copies, double black vinyl edition released in beautiful cover with cool pictures and line ups of ALL bands inside the gatefold. This splendid, 120 minute/25 tracks collection (a real labour of love) not only offers an exeptional and often superior renditions of a tracks familiar through the band's original vinyl output, but also a plenty of cracking performances that they never recorded outside the BBC Maida Vale studios. During the 60s and early 70s the BBC was committed to air a substantial amount of live music within its radio broadcasting and as a result, hundreds of popular or less-known British artists were employed to fill that standards. BBC Transcription Service used some of these sessions for promotional-only albums pressed on a weekly basis (supposedly in a quantity of 100 copies) and destined for radio stations all over the world. It was a vinyl LP with yellow-green record labels, housed in a rather plain, yellow sleeve and filled with paper sheets with song titles, time durations and a running order for the show. Most of the tracks included on this release came from long-running 'Top Of The Pops' compilation series (unconnected to the popular TV show) and short-lived 'Pick Up The Pops For Your D.J.’ LP releases, which took radio performances mostly from the prime pop shows of the time like 'Top Gear', 'Saturday Club', 'Sounds Of The Seveties', that aired live and specifically recorded music. All tracks were also adorned with a fresh commentary from (now legendary) DJ Brian Matthew. Aside from BBC promotional discs, in a very few, fully justified cases an unique, home taped, off-air recordings (expertly remastered and restored and marked below as *) were used. The inner gatefold features a band photos and specific line ups. ALMOST ALL TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON VINYL!...... SIDE 1: (29:58) 1. Terry Reid - Writing On The Wall 4.23 (Reid) Recorded on 11th February 1969. This great vocalist has rejected job offers from Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. 2. Junior's Eyes - Imagination 6.03 (Wayne) Recorded on 28th October 1968. Very intensive, almost menacing, mostly instrumental heavy psych/prog killer. 3. Mandrake Paddle Steamer - Janus Suite 4.08 (Briley) Recorded on 25th March 1969. A superb instrumental, radio-only track in Arcadium and early Genesis vein. 4. Windmill - Rocky Racoon 3.18 (Lennon/McCartney) Recorded on 21st July 1969. The Beatles done in Jethro Tull way. In 1970 a band turned into Tonton Macoute. 5. Sweet Marriage - Mort 5.45 (Walker) Recorded on 11th August 1969. Excellent and quite heavy radio-only track by unknown band. Great guitar work! 6. Ora - Sea Shore 3.05 (Rubinstein) Recorded on 8th October 1969. Rare radio version of an album track with future Wishbone Ash rhythm section. 7. Simon Dupree & The Big Sound - Groundhog 3.14 (Traditional) Recorded on 6th November 1969. A kind of strong, folk-ish heavy rock from three future members of Gentle Giant. SIDE 2: (30:00) 1. Hardin & York - David Difficult 6.07 (Hardin/York) Recorded on 4th June 1969. Very catchy, fast instrumental track with Hammond organ and drums only. 2. Terry Reid - Superlungs 3.26 (Leitch) Recorded on 13th October 1969. Fantastic remake of Donovan song. Great voice and excellent organ solo! 3. Fat Mattress - Mr. Moonshine 4.26 (Redding) Recorded on 6th October 1969. Very fine version of the best track off their debut album. With Noel Redding. 4. Griffin - Shine 8.03 (Bell/Gibson/Craddock/Kirtley/White) Recorded on 21st October 1969. Developing slowly, superb early prog rock with ex-Skip Bifferty members. 5. Sweet Marriage - Titania 4.22 (Walker) Recorded on 11th August 1969. Another great, but more folky track by those progressive rock unknowns. 6. Love Affair - She's Not There 3.30 (Argent) Recorded on 13th February 1970. An excellent The Zombies cover with some nice, Jethro Tull-like interplay. SIDE 3: (29:40) 1. Quatermass - Gemini 5.29 (Hammond) Recorded on 14th June 1970. Rare radio version of catchy, hard progressive track from the band's only album. 2. Manfred Mann Chapter Three - Time 4.23 (Hugg) Recorded on 17th November 1969. Gloomy, menacing, but superb track - even better than version on their first LP. 3. Galliard - A Modern Day Fairy Tale 3.37 (Brown) Recorded on 16th April 1970. Another excellent, jazz/psychedlia-inspired band with plenty of changing moods. 4. If - I'm Reaching Out On All Sides 5.34 (Quincy/Fishman) Recorded on 1st July 1970. A superb prog band with some of the best British jazz musicians turned to rock. 5. Affinity - Night Flight 6.08 (Hoyle/Jopp) Recorded on 18th November 1970. Unique and wonderful radio version of one of best tracks from their Vertigo album. 6. Galliard - I Wrapped Her In Ribbons 4.26 (Brown) Recorded on 16th April 1970. Very tuneful and truly exciting brass-rock... ballad with some nice improvisations. SIDE 4: (29:38) 1. Walrus - Never Gonna Let My Body Touch To The Ground 3.02 (Ball) Recorded on 1st February 1971. Big Bertha cover. Very heavy brass rock with mean vocals and strong guitars. 2. Sunburst - Dicky Bird 5.33 (Cross) Recorded on 7th January 1971. A very short-lived band led by great guitarist Keith Cross (ex-T2). Instrumental. 3. Walrus - Who Can I Trust 2.29 (Hawthorn) Recorded on 1st February 1971. Unique radio version of the rapid and powerful first track from a band's only album. 4. Gnidrolog - My Room 6.25 (C. Goldring/S. Goldring/Cowling/Pegrum) Recorded on 13th April 1971. Exclusive, complex and great song never released on any of the band's vinyl LPs. 5. Pete Brown And Piblokto - Aeroplane Head Woman 7.43 (Brown/Mullen) Recorded on 16th August 1971. An unique version of a great, heavy song taped by the very last line up of a band. 6. Fields - A Friend Of Mine 4.22 (Field) Recorded on 23rd December 1971. Great, organ-based trio with stately sound. With Graham Field and Andy McCulloch.