Press Information
British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Worldwide Americas Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2006
CONTACTS:
Mary
O’Reilly
Steve Solomon
BBC WORLDWIDE AMERICAS
BENDER/HELPER IMPACT
(212)
705-9305
(212) 689-6360
“An amazing slice of music history…” The New York Times
BBC VIDEO™ RELEASES TO DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA A
NEW VOLUME OF ONE-OF-A-KIND FOOTAGE FROM BRITAIN’S ICONIC
LIVE-PERFORMANCE SHOW
THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST,
VOL. 3
AND
THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST
COLLECTION LIMITED
EDITION BOX SET
Available August 29, 2006 The Old Grey Whistle Test, Vol. 3
Features Performances By The Bangles, Jackson Browne, B.B. King,
Roger Daltrey And Supertramp
The Old Grey Whistle Test Collection –
Three Disc Box Set To Rock Retail Simultaneously; Performances
Include U2, John Lennon, The Who, Bob Marley, New York Dolls,
Meatloaf, REM And More!
 NEW
YORK — On August 29th, BBC VideoÔ makes available a third volume of rare, archive
performances from Britain’s most influential live music show, “The
Old Grey Whistle Test,” with the DVD release The Old Grey
Whistle Test, Vol. 3. From 1971-1987, Tuesday nights in the
UK meant “The Old Grey Whistle Test,” the live music program that
ended the broadcast day for the BBC. The format was open-ended. If
the music was hot, they could stay on the air for hours, resulting
in some truly legendary editions. Until the release of the first
two DVD compilations from BBC Video, none of these programs had ever
been shown in North America.
The
performances on The Old Grey Whistle Test, Vol. 3 are
a treasure trove from across the musical spectrum, from rock and
blues to R&B, punk and more. As in the first two volumes, BBC raided
the archives to provide music lovers an amazing abundance of
performances from legendary 70’s and 80’s music artists including
the Bangles, B.B. King, Roger Daltrey, Jackson Browne and much more.
BBC Video is
simultaneously releasing all three volumes of The Old Grey
Whistle Test in a limited edition box set. Performances on
volumes one and two include legendary headliners such as U2, John
Lennon, The Who, Bob Marley, Meatloaf, New York Dolls and many more.
The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol. 3 and The Old
Grey Whistle Test Collection represent the best of the best
from the album rock period, a time when commercial interests took a
back seat to musical innovation. These must-have
slices of rock history will roll into retail on August 29, 2006 for
the suggested retail price of $24.98 and $59.98, respectively.
The Old Grey Whistle Test,
Vol. 3 boasts an unbeatable roster of talented
musicians and bands including:
Supertramp –
“Dreamer”
Johnny Winter
– “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
Richard & Linda
Thompson – “A Heart Needs A Home”
Janis Ian
- “At Seventeen”
John Martyn & Danny
Thompson – “Couldn’t Love You More”
Chris Rea –
“Fires of Spring”
The Jam –
“A Bomb In Wardour Street”
B.B. King
– "When It All Comes Down/Hold On”
Joe Jackson–
“Sunday Papers”
Simple Minds –
“Chelsea Girl”
Tubeway Army –
“Are ‘Friends’ Electric”
PIL
– “Careering”
King Crimson –
“Frame by Frame”
Orange Juice –
“Rip It Up”
Japan –
“Ghosts”
Howard Jones –
“No One Is To Blame”
The Old Grey Whistle Test, Vol. 3
Special Features
 The
Old Grey Whistle Test, Vol. 3
DVD is packed with special features giving fans the ultimate back-stage
pass. Added value elements include:
·
Commentary from Whistle Test
presenters Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Andy Kershaw
·
Reminiscences on their Whistle
Test performances by Roger Daltrey, Jools Holland, Rick Wakeman,
Bob Geldorf, Roddy Frame and others.
About
The Old Grey Whistle Test
When The Old Grey Whistle Test
went on air in 1971 it was unique. In a world accustomed to Top of the
Pops, this was a show on which the bands performed album tracks and were
interviewed after they had played. The music was live and, since the
idea was to air new sounds, many of the bands were making their first
television appearance. Presenter Bob Harris recalls how the show's name
was inspired by the doormen in grey suits who worked at the music
publishing houses in London's Denmark Street, known as 'tin pan alley':
"It was a
'tin pan alley' phrase from years ago. When they got the first pressing
of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys. The
ones they could remember and could whistle having heard it just once or
twice had passed the old grey whistle test."
The program went out on BBC2, last thing on
a Tuesday night. If things were going well on the show, it would stay on
air. Some shows ended after 25 minutes while particularly good ones
sometimes extended for hours. After an incredible 16 year run featuring
the greatest artists from rock, country, punk, new wave and alternative,
The Old Grey Whistle Test ended its historic broadcast
life in 1987.
BBC Worldwide
Americas (BBCWA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of BBC Worldwide, the
commercial consumer arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The BBCWA consumer products division incorporates publishing, audio,
music, video and licensed merchandise developed from a host of BBC
properties marketed in the US and Canada. The BBC Video label is brought
to the United States and Canada by BBCWA and distributed by Warner Home
Video, an AOL Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. Visit BBC
Worldwide Americas' video website at www.bbcamericashop.com or call
1-800-216-1BBC.
With operations in 78 international
territories — more than the video division of any other studio — Warner
Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the
global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the
largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from
the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment Company,
Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Video.
# # #
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From
1971 to 1987, Tuesday nights in the UK meant The Old Grey Whistle Test,
the live music program that ended the broadcast day for the BBC. The
list of performances from The Old Grey Whistle Test is a treasure trove
from across the musical spectrum, rock, blues, R&B, punk. You name the
genre, it was represented on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Volume three
raids the BBC archives for more vintage performances from the top acts
of the day, including Jackson Browne, Roger Daltrey, Joe Jackson, King
Crimson, Supertramp, B.B. King, 
Lindisfarne
–