I emailed the local television station that aired this series, including Gord's performance and got this long explanation in response:

Dear Ms. Tomlin,

I do apologize! Out of Rights means- pretty much- not available.

The only current show that sometimes includes Made in Chicago in the title is a single newer Chicago Stories about Jays Potato Chips & Vienna Beef. It is not the program you are looking for at all- it may rebroadcast but the rights agreement entered into by those involved in the effort do not allow for the production of a home video.

The historic Made in Chicago program from the 1970’s that you have described is no longer available to us at this time- the rights generally revert to those who literally produce the program and of course those featured in the program also have rights. That is to say it is not available unless they all make a rather expensive and time consuming effort involving rather a number of a copyright and or contract lawyers to make it so. Unless that was to come to pass we will never show it again. If it did come to pass the project would have to include the understanding that it may become a home video, in order for a video to be produced.

The rights for programs with live music are even trickier. Broadcast rights are about the same but there is an even more complicated and dizzying array of issues and agreements involved with the recording of home video that futures live musical content. Gordon Lightfoot would have rights, as would his all his associates on stage and off. The list of Mr Lightfoot’s associates would include all the music and record companies with which he was and has been involved since then. This would also be true of any other artists that appeared with Mr Lightfoot on the show even if you only heard them. Now the number of interested parties and their copyright and or contract attorneys has therefore increased geometrically and just as soon as they all agree on every possible detail about the project then there might be a DVD and or CD- that is if everyone involved is still interested by then and if there is still funding to move forward.

This sort of thing would generally cost more to execute than it could ever bring in as a fundraising tool.
*********************************************


So, it seems whatever bootleg copy is floating around out there is it, unless EMP had the foresight to record and archive the show in pristine condition themselves.

I emailed the local television station that aired this series, including Gord's performance and got this long explanation in response:

Dear Ms. Tomlin,

I do apologize! Out of Rights means- pretty much- not available.

The only current show that sometimes includes Made in Chicago in the title is a single newer Chicago Stories about Jays Potato Chips & Vienna Beef. It is not the program you are looking for at all- it may rebroadcast but the rights agreement entered into by those involved in the effort do not allow for the production of a home video.

The historic Made in Chicago program from the 1970’s that you have described is no longer available to us at this time- the rights generally revert to those who literally produce the program and of course those featured in the program also have rights. That is to say it is not available unless they all make a rather expensive and time consuming effort involving rather a number of a copyright and or contract lawyers to make it so. Unless that was to come to pass we will never show it again. If it did come to pass the project would have to include the understanding that it may become a home video, in order for a video to be produced.

The rights for programs with live music are even trickier. Broadcast rights are about the same but there is an even more complicated and dizzying array of issues and agreements involved with the recording of home video that futures live musical content. Gordon Lightfoot would have rights, as would his all his associates on stage and off. The list of Mr Lightfoot’s associates would include all the music and record companies with which he was and has been involved since then. This would also be true of any other artists that appeared with Mr Lightfoot on the show even if you only heard them. Now the number of interested parties and their copyright and or contract attorneys has therefore increased geometrically and just as soon as they all agree on every possible detail about the project then there might be a DVD and or CD- that is if everyone involved is still interested by then and if there is still funding to move forward.

This sort of thing would generally cost more to execute than it could ever bring in as a fundraising tool.
*********************************************


So, it seems whatever bootleg copy is floating around out there is it, unless EMP had the foresight to record and archive the show in pristine condition themselves.

Very interesting and...very complicated. The average person (me) never thinks about all those details. Just put it on a DVD!

BTW, does anyone out there have "sound stage" on DVD? I have a tape but it's quality is pretty poor. Sure would like a copy, hint, hint.

TC

Very interesting and...very complicated. The average person (me) never thinks about all those details. Just put it on a DVD!

BTW, does anyone out there have "sound stage" on DVD? I have a tape but it's quality is pretty poor. Sure would like a copy, hint, hint.

TC

I did the same thing once inquiring about then rerunning some of the old SS shows and they baisicly said the same thing. i think with all oldTV shows there's the case were royalties have to be paid but i guess it's more complicatied with shows like SS and austin City Limits. even seeing reruns of old Variety Shows are seldom in reruns. it's so unfortunate because these great shows haven't been seen since their original telecasts and they just sit on the shelves collecting dust.

I did the same thing once inquiring about then rerunning some of the old SS shows and they baisicly said the same thing. i think with all oldTV shows there's the case were royalties have to be paid but i guess it's more complicatied with shows like SS and austin City Limits. even seeing reruns of old Variety Shows are seldom in reruns. it's so unfortunate because these great shows haven't been seen since their original telecasts and they just sit on the shelves collecting dust.

Cant remember the name of the gal on this forum but she has this on tape etc along with about 60 other cd's of various gord interviews as well as 100+ unreleased songs by gord and rarities etc including Live Massey hall tapes etc
Im sure she will respond if you put out a message

Cant remember the name of the gal on this forum but she has this on tape etc along with about 60 other cd's of various gord interviews as well as 100+ unreleased songs by gord and rarities etc including Live Massey hall tapes etc
Im sure she will respond if you put out a message

I have a copy of this on DVD with a few other performances including the 1976 Saturday night live guest shot and another from the late 1970's. These are all transfer to dvd from vhs. The picture quality on the chicago pbs concert is about a 7 out of 10 but from a performance by Lightfoot comparison it knocks the socks off of the Live in Reno DVD. The one major beef I have with the Chicago performance is that they cut Gord off in the middle of Canadian Railroad Trilogy as the show is ending!!! E-mail me and I will try to enable you to see the incredible Gordon Lightfoot of the 1970's.

I have a copy of this on DVD with a few other performances including the 1976 Saturday night live guest shot and another from the late 1970's. These are all transfer to dvd from vhs. The picture quality on the chicago pbs concert is about a 7 out of 10 but from a performance by Lightfoot comparison it knocks the socks off of the Live in Reno DVD. The one major beef I have with the Chicago performance is that they cut Gord off in the middle of Canadian Railroad Trilogy as the show is ending!!! E-mail me and I will try to enable you to see the incredible Gordon Lightfoot of the 1970's.

Rich man, what would your email address be?

TC

Rich man, what would your email address be?

TC

TC if you click on the envelope by the date on Rich Man's posting you can privately email him, but his email doesn't show so nobody can bug him. Now you aren't registered (why I wonder) so nobody can email you - you might be missing out on a lot.

He's not registered, because he doesn't want the rest of the members to know who he really is.

Just kidding, Tony! Or is it Terry....?

Oh, it's late, and time to sleep.

I just received a DVD copy of the '79 Soundstage show that I bid for and won on EBay.
It appears to be copied from a well-worn VHS or Beta recording, but it's definitely worth picking up. The only distraction is the appearance of white specks from time to time, that you see when you play a tape on a VCR with dirty recorder heads. The audio is surprisingly good, and Gord is in fine voice. He is touring behind the Endless Wire album, and does a few tracks from that LP. Ghosts of Cape Horn and Edmund Fitzgerald are augmented by old newsreel footage. The band members do some voice-over commentary about working with Gord halfway through the show that is quite interesting.
It is a rare treat to see a young, healthy Lightfoot belt out some of his best songs. The seller has quite a few copies up for bids. Give it a shot- you'll really enjoy it.

I just received a DVD copy of the '79 Soundstage show that I bid for and won on EBay.
It appears to be copied from a well-worn VHS or Beta recording, but it's definitely worth picking up. The only distraction is the appearance of white specks from time to time, that you see when you play a tape on a VCR with dirty recorder heads. The audio is surprisingly good, and Gord is in fine voice. He is touring behind the Endless Wire album, and does a few tracks from that LP. Ghosts of Cape Horn and Edmund Fitzgerald are augmented by old newsreel footage. The band members do some voice-over commentary about working with Gord halfway through the show that is quite interesting.
It is a rare treat to see a young, healthy Lightfoot belt out some of his best songs. The seller has quite a few copies up for bids. Give it a shot- you'll really enjoy it.