Midnight special DISCO torture

[mestreech]

Never saw this footage. Thanks to Hunter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz1BWRMTUOg

[tuneylune]

Never saw this footage. Thanks to Hunter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz1BWRMTUOg

Wow!.....That was interesting . I remember using a tape recorder for Alice's performances when this aired, but don't recall this portion at all.

[Dannorama]

What a strange and mysterious thing this is. I hate strange mysteries, so I had to take it apart.

This video looks like it came from 2 sources - film and video. The frontal “cage” shots (featuring the marching girls wearing Star Trek helmets) look like they were sourced on video. (These elements were most likely shot in a television studio.) That front angle is dissolved between shots from inside the cage that look like they originated on film.

The filmed shots use a fisheye lens, and the camera often goes into the spotlights, which was a big no-no for video cameras of the time. The lights would burn the tubes in a video camera, and create spots on the image. Film cameras were okay to shoot directly into the lights, because they didn’t have tubes. (Were these filmed shots made for the Madhouse Rock tour?)

Then there’s the music. The video itself has no wild sound, which was fairly common back then. To cover, somebody added the music. It is a song called “Chase” by Giorgio Moroder, and it appears on the “Midnight Express” soundtrack.

This sequence was probably created for the Midnight Special, but whether it aired or not is a whole other mystery. Like Tuneylune, I’d never seen it either, which is a relief. I can’t imagine anyone ever thinking “hey, these two things fit perfectly together!” Then again, 1979 was an odd time.

Thanks for digging it up Mestreech. …I think.

[Si]

This sequence was probably created for the Midnight Special, but whether it aired or not is a whole other mystery.

Not really a mystery as the full show has been around for decades, but in poor quality.

These new uploads are obviously a million times better then a multi-generation VHS tape, but they have yet to upload the full Alice show, just all the musical bits. Between these there was Alice and Wolfman Jack doing skits - Alice with a fake "mouth" and just making noises.

The channel IS slowly uploading each Midnight Special show weekly and unfortunately in date order - so far they are up to Episode 67 in May 1974 - meaning unless they are feeling generous it will be a LONG time before they get to 1979!

[Dannorama]

This sequence was probably created for the Midnight Special, but whether it aired or not is a whole other mystery.

Not really a mystery as the full show has been around for decades, but in poor quality.

These new uploads are obviously a million times better then a multi-generation VHS tape, but they have yet to upload the full Alice show, just all the musical bits. Between these there was Alice and Wolfman Jack doing skits - Alice with a fake "mouth" and just making noises. The channel IS slowly uploading each Midnight Special show weekly and unfortunately in date order - so far they are up to Episode 67 in May 1974 - meaning unless they are feeling generous it will be a LONG time before they get to 1979!

Another mystery Si-lenced. Never knew that. This website is always an educational experience. Thanks again.

[steven_crayn]

A dancers elbow gave Alice a bloody nose during the filming of the Midnight Express scene, halting recording of The Midnight Special while he was patched up. When it was broadcast it was edited from the show.

[steven_crayn]

This sequence was probably created for the Midnight Special, but whether it aired or not is a whole other mystery.

Not really a mystery as the full show has been around for decades, but in poor quality.

These new uploads are obviously a million times better then a multi-generation VHS tape, but they have yet to upload the full Alice show, just all the musical bits. Between these there was Alice and Wolfman Jack doing skits - Alice with a fake "mouth" and just making noises.

The channel IS slowly uploading each Midnight Special show weekly and unfortunately in date order - so far they are up to Episode 67 in May 1974 - meaning unless they are feeling generous it will be a LONG time before they get to 1979!

Most of this is already available online in good quality
https://vimeo.com/910913916

[Si]

Most of this is already available online in good quality
https://vimeo.com/910913916

Yes, That the best you can get right now, but that is the newly released HD stuff from the official youtube, with the missing segments cut into it from the old VHS version. It would be nice if/when they finally post the full episode in HD!

[patrick]

being enjoying this Midnight Special (finally seeing We"re all crazy inmates)

what a difference in strenght of voice and attitude between this Midnight special and the strange case of AC , that was recorded only two months later ..(thx Si for the info)
another observation: the current tour was , at least in our press, supposedly a promotion for the Road album. Alice barely played one song of that album. If you look at the above mentioned footages, that is what I would call promotion for an album

[Miller]

being enjoying this Midnight Special (finally seeing We"re all crazy inmates)

what a difference in strenght of voice and attitude between this Midnight special and the strange case of AC , that was recorded only two months later ..(thx Si for the info)
another observation: the current tour was , at least in our press, supposedly a promotion for the Road album. Alice barely played one song of that album. If you look at the above mentioned footages, that is what I would call promotion for an album

promotion for the Road album is laughable

[rgallie]

what a difference in strenght of voice and attitude between this Midnight special and the strange case of AC

Yes seeing/hearing these non staccato live versions of songs from that album is very much welcome, I did not know this existed until now.

[Devon]

This was before Alice decided to try out his William Shatner impression for the tour, apparently.