In those days, the BBC had a limit on the number of records it could play. This if I remember rightly, was a Musicians Union stipulation.

However, as long as they paid musicians to record their hits live in studio, they could play as much pop music as they liked.

So BBC started re-recording in its own studios, the hits of the day.

(Incidentally, Cliff Richard actually failed the audition!)

A lot of these clips were broadcast on a show called "Saturday Club" which went out every Saturday morning from 1957 to around 1967, hosted by Brian Matthew (a DJ who is still on air on the BBC every Saturday morning from 8am to 10am - at the age of 83! And he still sounds as good as ever).

It was on that show, I heard people like the Everly Brothers, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Duane Eddy, Bobby Darin, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chris Montez, and of course, The Beatles (remember the CD "The Beatles At The BBC?"

Later on, BBC TV took up the role, and so you have all sorts of great live performances by all sorts of people -including as you mention Elton John.

• RE: Why Studio Recordings at BBC? - John 12/20/2011 13:44:10 EST (0)