Topic: First Series of The Devil's Music?

[JohnLeePimp]

Nice as it was seeing the 4 fantastic half-hour docs on the iPlayer (if you haven't seem them they're on youtube now)
...being labelled as "series 2" lead me to presume the Alexis Kroner presented show initially had a first series

I already tried emailing the BBC about this but they must have been too busy with current high quality programming to reply so I'm asking you good people if you know if it's burned in a fire or hidden under a mattress or something?

[banjochris]

I suspect there is actually only one series of this program - it looks like a re-edited repeat was probably billed as series 2. Searching around a bit I found this in a site devoted to missing British TV:

1 Nothing But the Truth 14/11/76
2 Crazy Blues 21/11/76
3 Work and Mother Wit 28/11/76
4 The Movements of Providence 5/12/76
5 Sticking with the Blues 12/12/76

All episodes were made on film, though episode 5 was transferred to VT for transmission (not sure why). They all exist on film, and the VT for episode 5 exists also.

The series may have been repeated in 1978 (we have a record of the first part being shown 6/11/78, I would have to check whether the rest followed it, but our records are supposed to be complete after that point - I stress 'supposed'!) There was then a four-part repeat version made on VT, which also survives, shown 9, 16, 23, 30 July 1979 and again on 12, 15, 19, 22 March 1982.

So I don't think we're actually missing anything here.
Chris

[Blueshome]

The series was repeated in an inferior version with Alexis Korner dubbed in. I remember putting my cassette player on top of the TV to record the 1st transmission in '76.
Best things were L.Brother's, Vicksburg,  then Cool Drink of Water by H.Stackhouse, then the electric  version of Pony Blues.

[Stumblin]

Here's the BBC Four link to The Devil's Music and a bunch of other interesting stuff.
I'd been meaning to watch this again, thanks for reminding me.

[Parlor Picker]

It will be interesting to find out if people outside the UK can watch these programmes.

[uncle bud]

The answer would be No for me. And we have Her Majesty on our bloody money here. 

[Pan]

It will be interesting to find out if people outside the UK can watch these programmes.

UK only, it seems.   

Cheers

Pan

[banjochris]

A quick Google for "watch BBC iPlayer in US" will reveal some alternatives...

[P D Grant]

You could try proxify or something similar and then choose a server within the UK from the drop down menu

[Bunker Hill]

The late Charlie Gillett and I were among many to be invited to attend a preview of the original Devil's Music film in a Wardour Street, London cinema. Cockliss told those present that he had failed to find interest for the documentary in States and was hoping for better luck with UK. The dear old BBC eventually came to his rescue. Cokliss had been living in London for three years. Don't know who supplied the commentary to the original.

The preview screening was held Friday June 12,1970 (thank you diary) and eventually broadcast on BBC Two's Monitor program Sunday January 24,1971 (diary). The filming was carried out in Chicago by Terry Bedford (a Brit) between April 17 and May 18th. They went to see Muddy at home where he was still recovering from his car smash and confined to bed, but "he came out for us to Teresa's". The footage shown was as "a result of many, many hours of filming and editing". Which begs the obvious question?..what became of the unused footage?

There was a book of same name which, until recently, was still in print.

[Blueshome]

Alan,  The the film "Chicago Blues" - a marvellous film. The DEvilsMusic was made by Giles Oakley IIRC.

[Parlor Picker]

I was thinking along those lines, Phil. I have the book by Giles Oakley and remember the series airing on TV.

[Bunker Hill]

Cretin that I am.

Lesson to be learnt? Never post to a forum when not at home with relevant materials. Doing so obviously addles the brain.

I must go lie down in a darkened room now and in New Year return to Southampton for a lobotomy! 

[JohnLeePimp]

Thanks for all the info everybody... didn't know they still lobotomised people in Southern England, doesn't surprise me

Also I'm not sure what the VT is, but I take it that there is in fact another instalment of the devil's music somewhere

[JohnLeePimp]

BTW series' and individual docs like the Chicago Blues and Devil's Music are as rare as they are awesome - so has anybody done a list of ones that have been made

I don't mean documentaries about "the blues"... I mean ones with actual footage of real bluesmen shot for the film