Sod Dr Who - This is far more important.
I should probably have posted this yesterday when my f-list might have taken advantage of the information - but maybe better late than never.
Have just seen the footage of David Bowie singing Jean Genie in a 1973 edition of Top of The Pops on BBC2.
This footage was found as a result of the ongoing project to return wiped videotape footage to the BBC (and BFI) archives. As usual with TOTP footage it was rescued from oblivion by one of the technicians on the show (John Henshall). It was shown as part of the BFIs annual 'Missing Believed Wiped' presentation of found programmes, but was rather overshadowed by the screening of the two returned Troughton Dr Who episodes.
Which is a pity because IMHO this is a far more important discovery - Bowie and Ronson performing at the height of their fame one of their greatest hits (OK, I'm biased).
Hopefully it'll be on the BBC iPlayer for the next week, and I do recommend catching it if you can.
Because this tale has a dark side. As soon as Bowie fandom found out about this someone went along to the BFI screening, filmed the tape on their iPhone, and posted the pirated footage to YouTube.
The upshot of which is that (i) Henshall and people like him with important archive material may think twice about making it public and (b) future BFI events of this sort are likely to bring in a much stronger search policy for attendees.
Sometimes (well, most of the time) I hate the modern 'what's yours is mine and what's mine's my own' attitude.
Especially if it means that lost footage of stuff I really care about (season 1 Ace of Wands, the whole of Badger's Bend) goes even further underground.
Have just seen the footage of David Bowie singing Jean Genie in a 1973 edition of Top of The Pops on BBC2.
This footage was found as a result of the ongoing project to return wiped videotape footage to the BBC (and BFI) archives. As usual with TOTP footage it was rescued from oblivion by one of the technicians on the show (John Henshall). It was shown as part of the BFIs annual 'Missing Believed Wiped' presentation of found programmes, but was rather overshadowed by the screening of the two returned Troughton Dr Who episodes.
Which is a pity because IMHO this is a far more important discovery - Bowie and Ronson performing at the height of their fame one of their greatest hits (OK, I'm biased).
Hopefully it'll be on the BBC iPlayer for the next week, and I do recommend catching it if you can.
Because this tale has a dark side. As soon as Bowie fandom found out about this someone went along to the BFI screening, filmed the tape on their iPhone, and posted the pirated footage to YouTube.
The upshot of which is that (i) Henshall and people like him with important archive material may think twice about making it public and (b) future BFI events of this sort are likely to bring in a much stronger search policy for attendees.
Sometimes (well, most of the time) I hate the modern 'what's yours is mine and what's mine's my own' attitude.
Especially if it means that lost footage of stuff I really care about (season 1 Ace of Wands, the whole of Badger's Bend) goes even further underground.