Libera Members Time Line

[Wolf]

Anyone recognise these two?

I don't know any names I'm afraid, in fact I really haven't listened to any of the music pre-2000's (though I likely will now).


However, despite being finished with the spreadsheet exercise, I'm positive the boy on the left is the same as #4, and would place good money on the boy on the right being #3, in case that's of any use

[The Furby]

Aren't they Sam Harper & Jaymi Bandtok ?

[Dinedorelle]

Aren't they Sam Harper & Jaymi Bandtok ?

The question was a touch rhetorical The Furby but yes, you’re right (comme d’habitude !).

The video these came from is definitely the cleanest I’ve seen from 1985. The boys are at least relatively clear - it’s really so much better than those standard Betamax versions on YouTube.
I’m a bit loathed to add these new faces to the Time Line though, as I can’t match them well at all. Jaymi and Sam yes, and Gareth Lowman perhaps, but the others look like complete strangers.
There could be almost 3 years between the versions you’ve just matched up and this earlier one.
There’s proof throughout Libera’s more recent history that the boys don’t come and go that much: it seems they retain 70-80% of boys and they rollover to the following year.
If the same logic is applied to 1985-1990 then there are some big problems. I’m supposing that at the start they may have been testing out boys to create a good nucleus of singers, and we can’t really apply the slick efficiency of today with the way they did things in the mid 80s. This big choir ‘mix-up’ seemed to happen around 1994-1995 too, as a whole new draft appeared in one fell-swoop, when only 2 or 3 older boys were kept.

As you and Wolf have completed the first challenge so well, I’ll add this new set of faces to your sheets, if you’d like to have a go at some further matching.

[The Furby]

As you and Wolf have completed the first challenge so well, I’ll add this new set of faces to your sheets, if you’d like to have a go at some further matching.

Yes the 1985 video is of the rarest quality when it comes to early SPBC videos. Please do, if that's not too much work

[bamboo]

I've some pretty clear images of all the 21 boys from January 1985 which I might put up later if anyone's interested.
Anyone recognise these two?

Which video is this from? I'm guessing it can't be album covers 'cos the earliest album was in 1987.

[Amie_Hill]

Is it from the "Top of the Pops" backup of Sal Solo on "San Damiano?'

[Dinedorelle]

I've some pretty clear images of all the 21 boys from January 1985 which I might put up later if anyone's interested.
Anyone recognise these two?

Which video is this from? I'm guessing it can't be album covers 'cos the earliest album was in 1987.

For the purposes of trying to find images of all the old boys, the net had to be flung a bit further afield.
You'll know already bamboo, that the very first TV appearance of any of the boys who were part of the The St. Philips Boy's choir, was in December 1984 when 6 of them appeared (in tunics and ruffs) with Sal Solo when he released San Damiano in the UK charts.
Then they appeared on 3rd January 1985 with him again, with 3 of the same boys, plus 18 others.
There are many versions of this video around, but the version below was broadcast for Top of the Pops by BBC Four, and considering it is 35 years old, the quality is amazing. You can watch in 720p50, which gives unrivalled views of the boys taking part.
If only the BBC could hurry up with their program archiving, there would be even more surprises in store from programs from the 1990s.

[TullyBascombe]

I've never seen a recording from TV in that era of this quality. The resolution is usually 240 or less. I wonder if the original tape was this good or if it has been remastered?

[Dinedorelle]

I've never seen a recording from TV in that era of this quality. The resolution is usually 240 or less. I wonder if the original tape was this good or if it has been remastered?

After a bit of research, I found out that BBC Four started re-runs of Top of the Pops in 2011. It was an experiment, beginning with broadcasts of 1976. It still continues in 2020.

According to the owner of the channel where this video is found, it's in 720p50 (which is a very precise term!) and means HD Ready. However, 720p resolution didn't appear until around 1998 in USA, so for a video from 1985 it would have been impossible.
Maybe the BBC recorded it in a higher resolution originally, but owing to the constraints of our TVs at that time, we never saw that quality? Now we have UltraHD, maybe those recordings can come to light?
Or you may be right TullyBascombe, and it's been remastered.

So many videos on YouTube from that period are so grainy and obviously uploaded from dodgy videotape, that this version for me was invaluable to see clear images of the boys faces, and add them to the Time Line.


Link opens up the actual Time Line - click on bottom Tab 'CHOIR MEMBERS 1984-2005' to view images of these boys and how they fit into Libera's evolution.

[TullyBascombe]

Is there any chance it might have been originally recorded on actual film?

[bamboo]

For the purposes of trying to find images of all the old boys, the net had to be flung a bit further afield.
You'll know already bamboo, that the very first TV appearance of any of the boys who were part of the The St. Philips Boy's choir, was in December 1984 when 6 of them appeared (in tunics and ruffs) with Sal Solo when he released San Damiano in the UK charts.
Then they appeared on 3rd January 1985 with him again, with 3 of the same boys, plus 18 others.
There are many versions of this video around, but the version below was broadcast for Top of the Pops by BBC Four, and considering it is 35 years old, the quality is amazing. You can watch in 720p50, which gives unrivalled views of the boys taking part.
If only the BBC could hurry up with their program archiving, there would be even more surprises in store from programs from the 1990s.

Oh wow, somehow I've never seen this video before! I know about the 1984 video, but I didn't know they appeared again on Top of the Pops in 1985. Thanks for the link and info!

[James237ww]

I think one big "ask" is he way to go, after all possible other connections have been exhausted. Meanwhile, here are some good-quality early photos (from "Thora") for ID purposes,

Bottom one is me. James Smith

[Dinedorelle]

I think one big "ask" is he way to go, after all possible other connections have been exhausted. Meanwhile, here are some good-quality early photos (from "Thora") for ID purposes,

Bottom one is me. James Smith

I had a sneaking feeling that one of the older members might end up looking through these posts during the lockdown and find something interesting to comment on!
Thank you so much James for all this extra information.
Firstly, just to confirm that this is you?



Would you try and locate yourself on the Timeline too?



We may have put you somewhere else by mistake, so if you've not already seen the portion of the Timeline with those you once used to sing with, it's here :



And please PLEASE don't run away too quickly, there are many of us that would love to chat to you!

[Wolf]

Sorry to chime in suddenly, first time I've glanced at the whole Timeline spreadsheet - have you considered (cells) BU15 and CK23 may be the same person?

[James237ww]

I think one big "ask" is he way to go, after all possible other connections have been exhausted. Meanwhile, here are some good-quality early photos (from "Thora") for ID purposes,

Bottom one is me. James Smith

I had a sneaking feeling that one of the older members might end up looking through these posts during the lockdown and find something interesting to comment on!
Thank you so much James for all this extra information.
Firstly, just to confirm that this is you?



Would you try and locate yourself on the Timeline too?



We may have put you somewhere else by mistake, so if you've not already seen the portion of the Timeline with those you once used to sing with, it's here :



And please PLEASE don't run away too quickly, there are many of us that would love to chat to you!

Yes that is me! On that spreadsheet 25DQ is me. In terms of timeline I would fit in between 30 and 31 as they stand now.