Does anyone know the current status of the clip of Queen miming to Seven Seas of Rhye from Top of the Pops. Previously I thought that this was missing form the archives but then it was found recently but in bad quality. What were the circumstances of the find? Why is it bad quality (surely not many people had VCRs in 1974, were VCRs even around)?
I ask this because I have just today seen the clip on a bootleg DVD playing at a stall at a record fair. I asked the stallholder where it was sourced but he didn't know. Unfortunately I couldn't buy said bootleg due to lack of money. From what I saw the quality wasn't all that bad. It looked like a normal PAL picture that had lost the colour, although there were a few brief flashes of colour. And the picture wasn't that bad, just quite soft, but very watchable. Can't it be spruced up a bit and released in black and white??? Interestingly after the clip had finished the DVD also showed what claimed to be a Top of the Pops rehearsal of this song. I never knew that existed either...
What does everyone know about this?
Thanks
Steve B
The BBC wiped a lot fo TV shows, and TOTP was one of the casualties.
These clips do not exist in the BBC's archives (and therefore Queen Productions don't have them either), but the copy you mention has been floating around fan circles for years, so someone somewhere will have a good copy with stable colour.
There are 2 versions. One with an audience and one without.
Queen Productions are currently looking for a good copy, possibly for the GVH DVD3, so don't waste your money buying a rough copy from a record fair.
If it doesn't get released officially, you'll get a copy from somewhere.
How did this early footage get into fan circles? How did anyone in these early days before VCRs/camcorders get hold of tv/concert footage??? OK some of it is proshot for TV but it has never been released. How did fan get hold of it?
Also, in the TOTP archive on the BBC website it lists Now I'm Here as a TOTP performance too. Does this exist or was it just a showing of the Rainbow performance?
Steve B
deleted user 01.08.2004 16:37
If the stall's in London, I have that dvd... I bought it at Camden Town, London, in May.
Very good quality, some colors here and there but mostly b/w but very clear images.
To my knowledge, they are 2 different versions from the very same day, just with and without audience.
Screenshots available if needed.
Cheeeeers!