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 rozgłośni. Kawałki tam zawarte wzbogacone zostały krótkimi, emocjonalnymi zapowiedziami genialnego DJa Briana Matthew, który autentycznie dodawał 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 cztery 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/26 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: (29:27) 1. Gun - Race With The Devil 3.27 (Gurvitz) Recorded on 8th November 1968. Crushing 'live in studio' version - in perfect sound quality at last. No brass section! 2. Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich - Mr. Soul 3.07 (Young) Recorded on 10th September 1968. Surprisingly heavy cover version of the Buffalo Springfield classic. Truly killer track! 3. Jeff Beck - Sweet Black Angel 4.40 (King) Recorded on 17th September 1968. B.B. King cover. Unreleased radio version of slow heavy blues in Led Zeppelin vein. 4. Edgar Broughton Band - Why Can't Somebody Love Me 4.06 (R. E. Broughton) Recorded on 27th January 1969. Hendrix meets Captain Beefheart and Arthur Brown. It was 6 months before debut LP. 5. Gun - Sunshine 2.54 (Gurvitz) Recorded on 8th November 1968. Another Gun's radio performance without brass section. Much better than LP version. 6. Edgar Broughton Band - For What We Are About To Receive 4.32 (R. E. Broughton/S. Broughton) Recorded on 27th January 1969. An excellent, Hendrix-inspired instrumental track exclusive to that radio broadcast. 7. Episode Six - I Am A Cloud 1.55 (Gillan/Tacon) Recorded in April 1969. Ian Gillan and Roger Glover 3 months before joining Deep Purple. A weird stuff! 8. Griffin - What A Day It's Been 4.45 (Bell/Gibson/Craddock/Kirtley/White) Recorded on 21st October 1969. A totally forgotten great band in Spooky Tooth vein with one 7" and BBC broadcast. SIDE 2: (29:06) 1. The Glass Menagerie - Do You Ever Think 3.31 (Stonebridge/Kendall/Medley/Atkinson) Recorded on 21st April 1969. A superb early hard rock with future Toe Fat, Paladin and Mogul Thrash members. 2. Juicy Lucy - Nadine 3.54 (Berry) Recorded on 29th December 1969. Chuck Berry cover. This performance is much heavier and better than LP version. 3. Humble Pie - Big Black Dog 4.30 (Marriott/Frampton/Ridley/Shirley) Recorded on 27th July 1970. Quite heavy and very good track (in Free vein) originally released as a single A's. 4. Trapeze - Medusa 4.16 (Hughes) Recorded on 1st July 1970. A superb trio with Glenn Hughes and Dave Holland. Slightly shorter radio version 5. Humble Pie - Rollin' Stone 4.49 (Morganfield) Recorded on 1st March 1971. Muddy Waters cover. Another great radio broadcast of the track from their 4th album. 6. Sunburst - Cheese Wire 4.12 (Cross) Recorded on 7th January 1971. Unreleased heavy instrumental by unknown band led by ex-T2 guitarist Keith Cross. 7. Savoy Brown - Street Corner Talking 3.58 (Simmonds) Recorded on 25th January 1971. Truly unique BBC radio performance with temporary vocalist Peter 'Scott' Ainsworth. SIDE 3: (29:57) 1. Mick Abrahams Band - Seasons 12.50 (Abrahams) Recorded on 25th November 1970. Ex-Jethro Tull/Blodwyn Pig guitarist. A raw, early version without Hammond organ! 2. Bronco - Well Anyhow 6.04 (Roden/Pasternak/Gammond/Robinson/Blunt) Recorded on 28th January 1971. A splendid version of the best track this very fine band ever recorded! Sheer beauty! 3. Groundhogs - Eccentric Man 6.11 (McPhee) Recorded on 29th March 1971. Extended, more powerful and better produced version of the track from their 3rd LP. 4. Mott The Hoople - Moon Upstairs 4.52 (Hunter/Ralphs) Recorded on 25th October 1971. Slightly rawer and little faster performance of the best song from 'Brain Capers' LP. SIDE 4: (29:28) 1. Sweet - Done Me Wrong All Right 2.43 (Connolly/Tucker/Priest/Scott) Recorded on 15th May 1971. An excellent and very heavy track originally released as a B-side of 'Co-Co' single. 2. Stray - Sister Mary 3.05 (Bromham) Recorded on 15th September 1971. Truly upgraded, much more dynamic radio version of a track from the band's 3rd LP. 3. Paladin - Give Me Your Hand 5.59 (Solley) Recorded on 14th July 1971. A hard prog band partly similar to Uriah Heep. Radio version of their best track ever! 4. Natural Gas - How Long Were You There 3.56 (Sinclair/Dale) Recorded on 18th October 1971. An unknown, but very good band similar to Leaf Hound, without any record output. 5. Peace - Heartbreaker 5.58 (Rodgers) Recorded on 30th November 1971. An unique version of this future Free classic done by Paul Rodgers with his new trio. 6. Thin Lizzy - Suicide 4.02 (Lynott) Recorded on 14th November 1972. Radio performance with early lyrics - some 3 years before their 'Fighting' LP release. 7. Patto - Loud Green Song 3.41 (Halsall/Patto) Recorded on 12th February 1973. The heaviest track in history of that cool, progressive band. A little weird, but great!