1969: Is This Band the NEXT BIG THING? | A Year in the Life | Classic BBC Music | BBC Archive

What's it like to be a pop star? The idea conjures up images of fast cars, large houses, smooth suits, girls, adulation and money. But what really happens?

The BBC Documentary A Year in the Life kicks off with a close look at the fortunes of a pop group - Mike Stuart Span. They can sing, they can play and they look the part, and when we joined them in June 1968 they were on the brink of fame and fortune, in the next 12 months anything could happen.

Paul Watson's film is not a pop show but an account of attitudes; of dashed hopes and optimism as the group are hustled through the multi-million-pound industry of pop. Can the band, in the course of a year, realise their potential? Can they become the 'Big Deal Group'?

In a word, no.

20 Years On from the initial documentary, Paul Watson sits down with the members of Mike Stuart Span (or Leviathon, as they were briefly rebranded) - Stuart Hobday (lead vocals), Brian Bennett (lead guitar), Roger McCabe (bass), and Gary 'Roscoe' Murphy (drums) - to rewatch the 1969 film.

What are they all doing with themselves two decades on? Do they regret appearing in the film? Why do they think Mike Stuart Span failed to break into the big time? Do they know what became of Mike Clayton - their enthusiastic but ultimately hapless manager? Finally, given the chance, would the band do it all over again?

A Year in the Life: Big Deal Band was originally broadcast on BBC Two, 28 September, 1969.

20 Years On was originally broadcast on BBC Two, 29 December, 1989.

You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.

Make sure you subscribe so that you never miss a single stop on our amazing journey through the BBC Archive

You can also dive into plenty more BBC Archive on our website