Cutting out DJs on tape recordings?

[Chrius56000]

. . .I have quite a number of reel–to–reel tape recordings of old Radio 1 shows and Pick Of the Pops, etc., dating from the 1960s and 1970s etc., and on almost every one of them, the DJs banter and "links," etc., were chopped out of the recordings!

. . .Given that many of our excellent DJs like Alan Freeman, Brian Matthew, Johnnie Walker, Steve Wright and others are no longer with us, can anyone suggest why this practice was so universal in those days? I think it spoils the programmes not including the DJ links!

. . .Another of my gripes is that tape recordings of daytime Radio 2 shows are very hard to come by as well!

. . .I've got over 250 assorted reels of open–reel tapes and 90% are nothing but dreadful classical chamber music!

Chris Williams

 

[PeterC]

Presumably they were specifically being taped for the music rather than as recordings of the complete shows. The music will stand repeated repeats, the DJ won't.

 

[Ediswan]

See "Smashie and Nicey" for why.

 

[Razorblades]

Maybe not for the 'easy listening' amongst you, but there are plenty of complete John Peel shows on YouTube. Magic music and dry delivery, fabulous.

 

[simonw]

. . .I have quite a number of reel–to–reel tape recordings of old Radio 1 shows and Pick Of the Pops, etc., dating from the 1960s and 1970s etc., and on almost every one of them, the DJs banter and "links," etc., were chopped out of the recordings!

. . .Given that many of our excellent DJs like Alan Freeman, Brian Matthew, Johnnie Walker, Steve Wright and others are no longer with us, can anyone suggest why this practice was so universal in those days? I think it spoils the programmes not including the DJ links!

. . .Another of my gripes is that tape recordings of daytime Radio 2 shows are very hard to come by as well!

. . .I've got over 250 assorted reels of open–reel tapes and 90% are nothing but dreadful classical chamber music!

Chris Williams

My recollection is djs talked over the start and end of most records. Who made the recordings you own?

 

[dangie]

My recollection is djs talked over the start and end of most records. Who made the recordings you own?

Didn’t the DJ’s talk over the beginning and end of songs played on the radio to try to prevent unauthorised recordings?

 

[simonw]

Didn’t the DJ’s talk over the beginning and end of songs played on the radio to try to prevent unauthorised recordings?

I have always assumed this to be the case.

 

[Flying Snail]

I have always assumed this to be the case.

I always assumed they were just annoying t**** who loved the sound of their own voices.

See "Smashie and Nicey" for why.

The (mostly deserved) damage that Enfield and Whitehouse did to Radio 1 with that vicious parody was massive and very funny.

 

[satisnek]

Someone who used to make such recordings here. Very simply, it's because we were only interested in the music tracks. Back then, kids like me couldn't afford to buy all the singles we liked, and if we did then we had to play them on our parents' record player in the living room. But we had cassette recorders (which could also be used for getting all the loco numbers when passing a depot!). The best option was the Sunday evening chart rundown, which had no talking over intros, although records going down the chart were often cut short.

 

[PeterC]

I always assumed they were just annoying t**** who loved the sound of their own voices.

That was my view as well.

 

[Razorblades]

Someone who used to make such recordings here. Very simply, it's because we were only interested in the music tracks. Back then, kids like me couldn't afford to buy all the singles we liked, and if we did then we had to play them on our parents' record player in the living room. But we had cassette recorders (which could also be used for getting all the loco numbers when passing a depot!). The best option was the Sunday evening chart rundown, which had no talking over intros, although records going down the chart were often cut short.

It wasn't just me, then!

 

[Harpo]

In my youth many friends recorded the chart countdown on cassette recorders and, no, nobody wanted the trademark Radio 1 Smashy & Nicies cluttering it up when played back.

In reverse, the only DJ ever worth recording without the music was of course, Kenny Everett.

 

[GusB]

Recording the Top 40 was almost a religious activity for me. It was Bruno Brookes who hosted the programme in those days, then Mark Goodier took over. That was back in the days before Radio 1 had its own nationwide FM coverage and it borrowed Radio 2's FM channel.

One of the reasons for cutting out the DJ was that there was only so much that you could fit onto a D-90 cassette (a prize goes to the first person who guesses which brand of cassettes I used). The Top 40 show lasted 2 hours and I managed to get most of it onto a 90-minute cassette. It never occurred to me at the time that recording the DJ musings would one day be useful!

 

[dangie]

….In reverse, the only DJ ever worth recording without the music was of course, Kenny Everett.

As a 74 year old I often listen to Radio 2 on a Saturday morning with Tony Blackburn’s Sounds of the 60’s. I totally appreciate he is an acquired taste, but at 82 years I think he’s still one of the best DJ’s on the radio, although I also appreciate it’s a pretty low bar.

 

[Razorblades]

As a 74 year old I often listen to Radio 2 on a Saturday morning with Tony Blackburn’s Sounds of the 60’s. I totally appreciate he is an acquired taste, but at 82 years I think he’s still one of the best DJ’s on the radio, although I also appreciate it’s a pretty low bar.

Sounds of the '60s is always bookmarked for me to play back on demand, I was only born halfway through that decade but I find TB's knowledge, deliberately corny humour and obvious passion for the music of that decade irresistible. My musical Year Zero was during glam and then I became resolutely punk, but as I've 'matured' I've really developed a huge affection for the Sixties, especially 1967-69.

 

[oldman]

I used to record Andy Kershaw's world music programme (which started around midnight) and copy the African tracks to another cassette (later transferred to CD, now on my phone). The only problem is I have no idea who the artists were to look for their albums (apart Prince Eyango which I got my googling chacun a des problemes )

 

[CharlieSpotted]

I used to record Andy Kershaw's world music programme (which started around midnight) and copy the African tracks to another cassette (later transferred to CD, now on my phone). The only problem is I have no idea who the artists were to look for their albums (apart Prince Eyango which I got my googling chacun a des problemes )

Have you tried using Shazam (or, Google's Song Search) to identify the tracks? I'm not sure how well it would do with that type of music but I'm not sure Google Song Search has failed me yet!

 

[bleeder4]

Those of us (like me) who grew up the 80s will have fond memories of creating music collections by taping songs off the radio. It was a source of endless frustration when the DJ would talk over the start or end of the song. When the song was nearing the end you used to have to keep your finger hovering over the stop recording switch ready to cut it off when the DJ starting talking.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Those of you who seem to be missing bits of 80s music from their collection - there's quite often all day showings of 70s and 80s music on some of the minor channels on Freeview which are the full songs with no voiceovers. I forget which channel numbers exactly, but they're usually around those in the channel 60, 70, 80 range - I think channel 65 is currently one of them, but I'll have to check later to confirm. Should be possible to record these broadcasts...