Because, the first one (tonight) is 1976, where we get :
01/04/1976 With Abba, the Brotherhood of Man, the Beatles, Fox, John Miles, Diana Ross and Sailor. (R).
Then after that they are on Thursday night, 7:30pm, and basically are running weekly, each episode being from (exactly) 35 years ago (near enough)..
Until BBC4 sack it.
― Mark G, Friday, 1 April 2011 15:36 (six years ago) Permalink
Brilliant idea. I can relive my childhood. My earliest musical memories (from pre-school days) are stuff like Abba, The Wurzels, Showaddywaddy and Hot Chocolate.
― in a wonderful balloon! (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 1 April 2011 20:50 (six years ago) Permalink
This docu that's on now makes grim viewing.
― did you notice "you spin me round" was playing in the background? (snoball), Friday, 1 April 2011 21:18 (six years ago) Permalink
The docu made some interesting points, and for all that I'd have loved if they'd started in 1964 (or whenever), 1976 is a good year to kickoff from.
The big point made was that the charts had become a 'variety' show source, as opposed to the 'teen hit parade' of the sixties. So, loads of Mathis, Roussos, BroMan, Abba and Radio DJs having comedy send-up hits.
It'll be like this for a while, but one I do remember being somewhat of a life changing moment was when Eddie and the Hot Rods did "Get out of Denver",and I went straight out and bought the (expensive) ep the next day.
I know, thesedays peopple decry the rods as being "not as seminal as Dr Feelgood", but I saw a repeat on TOTP2 and it was as good as I remembered. So, soon come, that show which showed the juxtaposition of this band against the other acts on that night.
(also, it means that the quality of dodgy Punk TOTP compilation DVDs are going to shoot up. If they get that far, of course)
― Mark G, Monday, 4 April 2011 09:27 (six years ago) Permalink
What tickled me most was the former TOTP producer saying that they didn't get the Pistols on for "Anarchy In The UK" (which peaked at #38) because it didn't chart high enough, very important that we always stuck by the rules etc etc... followed by an April 1976 show featuring two (useless) acts which never charted at all.
The Hot Rods did well to get a TOTP appearance for "Get Out Of Denver", as a) the Live At The Marquee EP peaked at #43 and b) it was the lead track on the B-side.
― mike t-diva, Monday, 4 April 2011 09:43 (six years ago) Permalink
It was track 2 on the a-side, but yeah.
Also, the funny was having Dave Bartram saying "yeah, a TOTP appearance guaranteed you a top 10 hit" and demonstrating this with a screening of their massive top (fillinasecond) hit "Trocadero"...
― Mark G, Monday, 4 April 2011 10:08 (six years ago) Permalink
32
― Mark G, Monday, 4 April 2011 10:09 (six years ago) Permalink
xpost - Aaargh, so it was!
― mike t-diva, Monday, 4 April 2011 10:25 (six years ago) Permalink
Am I misunderstanding? cos the 60s had big hits for Ken Dodd, Englebert Humperdinck, the Barron Knights etc etc
― Boobage Dirtbag (Noodle Vague), Monday, 4 April 2011 10:32 (six years ago) Permalink
Oh sure, but the theory being that those were in the minority, show-content wise.
― Mark G, Monday, 4 April 2011 10:42 (six years ago) Permalink
oh on the show. yeah probly fair enough. chartwise it was variety a-go-go
― Boobage Dirtbag (Noodle Vague), Monday, 4 April 2011 12:00 (six years ago) Permalink
Yeah, I don't think the point was that the charts had become (more) like a variety show, but that TOTP had.
― in a wonderful balloon! (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Monday, 4 April 2011 12:09 (six years ago) Permalink
fuck Noel Edmonds and his 'comedy' links
― did you notice "you spin me round" was playing in the background? (snoball), Thursday, 7 April 2011 18:37 (six years ago) Permalink
I know, what a dick. Still we had the Four Seasons doing "Silver Star" this week. Also Eric Carmen's "interview" with Noel Edmonds, where you couldn't hear a word he was saying, don't be shy Eric!
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 08:50 (six years ago) Permalink
Interviews on TOTP? that's a rarity...
― Mark G, Friday, 8 April 2011 09:12 (six years ago) Permalink
"Inteview" not really the word.
"You wrote a song for Dana didn't you?""Mumble mumble mumble""What's the best song you've ever written?""Mumble mumble mumble All By Myself""Well all the best with the new single""Mumble"
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 09:15 (six years ago) Permalink
Don't know what song he wrote for Dana
Oh and Noel was saying what a good album "Eric Carmen" was: a rare display of good taste from Edmonds there!
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 09:17 (six years ago) Permalink
Noel had to say he liked it cos he didn't want to blow a raspberry.
― ridic beau (NickB), Friday, 8 April 2011 09:21 (six years ago) Permalink
My god that it horribly formed.
― ridic beau (NickB), Friday, 8 April 2011 09:22 (six years ago) Permalink
*is*
OK so Google tells me Dana covered "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" from the aforementioned "Eric Carmen" album
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 09:26 (six years ago) Permalink
Is Dana the one who did some religious kids programme called 'Wake Up Sunday'?
― in a wonderful balloon! (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 8 April 2011 10:18 (six years ago) Permalink
Sounds likely
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 10:23 (six years ago) Permalink
10CC, "Mandy Fly Me" was on too. Fantastic!
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 10:34 (six years ago) Permalink
NEdmonds always had his love of singer-songwriters, to be fair.
― Mark G, Friday, 8 April 2011 10:48 (six years ago) Permalink
Big fan of Harry Chapin, yer Edmonds.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 8 April 2011 14:40 (six years ago) Permalink
Balderdash certainly describes droll Noel's career.
― did you notice "you spin me round" was playing in the background? (snoball), Friday, 8 April 2011 15:04 (six years ago) Permalink
This was easily the most WTF song on this week's show:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iISUroWbu2U
― in a wonderful balloon! (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Saturday, 9 April 2011 22:17 (six years ago) Permalink
I watched last night's 1976 episode, it was amazingly and compellingly bad. Lots of odd-looking folks I've never heard of awkwardly performing novelty songs, and one of Pan's People doing some remarkably gratuitous ass-shaking in the direction of the camera. I need more.
― Antoine Bugleboy (Merdeyeux), Friday, 22 April 2011 14:22 (six years ago) Permalink
70s was the golden age for ugly blokes, you could still end up in a band on TOTP with groupies galore. Rubettes' (sans caps) song sounded more like the Beatles than the Rutles!
― None'll come and then a lot'll (Tom D.), Friday, 22 April 2011 14:27 (six years ago) Permalink
I'm watching this now. LOL at the male members of the Vagabonds miming the female backing vocals. Something massively depressing about second tier disco groups though, like they're trapped in time, it's as if they're composed entirely of all the bits of late 70's disco that don't influence music today.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Friday, 22 April 2011 14:57 (six years ago) Permalink
Shoeless and carrying a walking stick with a bicycle bell on it? Fucking hell, Harpo could teach Lady gaga a thing or two.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Friday, 22 April 2011 15:00 (six years ago) Permalink
Sheer Elegance one of the most misnamed bands ever judging by what they were wearing, the uglyness of the Rubettes & their overcocky drummer, the utter WTFness of Harpo. mandatory viewing from now on!
― ／人 ◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ (zappi), Friday, 22 April 2011 15:23 (six years ago) Permalink
I'm sure Punk would never of happened if Sky+ would of been available in 1976...ended up fast forwarding most of last night's show...bring back Noosha Fox...become a little obsessed with s-s-single bed...
― sonnyboy, Friday, 22 April 2011 16:27 (six years ago) Permalink
^^^ same goes for watching it on iPlayer. I don't know if 'compellingly bad' is the term, or just 'bad'.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Friday, 22 April 2011 16:50 (six years ago) Permalink
the uglyness of the Rubettes & their overcocky drummer
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx-aH0oBscw
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 22 April 2011 16:51 (six years ago) Permalink
definitely 'compellingly bad' for me. and Fox lady really reminded me of Alison Goldfrapp which is a Good Thing.
― ／人 ◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ (zappi), Friday, 22 April 2011 17:10 (six years ago) Permalink
Noosha F missing link between Clare Grogan and Goldfrapp. Love that record.
― Michael Jones, Friday, 22 April 2011 17:16 (six years ago) Permalink
Ah, been catching up via good old iplayer on the wii.
Old enough to remember these episodes quite clearly in some cases.
Sad that they haven't gone back far enough in time to have Sparks on.
Still, don't recall that Gilbert O'Sullivan song though I must have heard it then.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 11:30 (six years ago) Permalink
Oh, last I heard, they are definitely doing this run for a year.
After that? Who knows...
He was long gone as commercial proposition by 1976. That song sounded like a demo, did artists have to re-record tracks? I know they had to re-record vocals, hence the ubiquity of the Ladybirds. But then other acts obviously just mimed to the record.
― None'll come and then a lot'll (Tom D.), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 11:37 (six years ago) Permalink
They did 'have' to.
A lot of them switched the tapes post-session, apparently.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 11:59 (six years ago) Permalink
ooooooo-oooooooooooooh Vienna it's Slik
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:32 (six years ago) Permalink
It's Midge Uuuurrrr...
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:35 (six years ago) Permalink
And Paul knickerless
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:36 (six years ago) Permalink
Jesus Christ, superstar?
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:37 (six years ago) Permalink
DLT looks like Badly Drawn Boy.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:47 (six years ago) Permalink
This is sooooo much better than last weeks....
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:50 (six years ago) Permalink
Only one novelty act so far.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:51 (six years ago) Permalink
Shit Brotherhood Of Man are still number one...
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:52 (six years ago) Permalink
Did Peter Powell really just say "a terrible saxophonist and also a boring person"?
― do you play to win or are you just a bad loser? (snoball), Thursday, 8 December 2016 19:36 (seven months ago) Permalink
"boring" bob grover!
― woof, Thursday, 8 December 2016 19:50 (seven months ago) Permalink
I did not know that BBC4's twitter feed is basically just totp trivia… it's been a long day, I'm ok with being pandered to
― woof, Thursday, 8 December 2016 19:51 (seven months ago) Permalink
Yeah, that was the guys persona, and what it said on the back on the single sleeve.
I thought Peter was going to mention the "Fabulous Wealthy Tarts" as featured on Paul Young records, but of course he hasn't happened yet..
― Mark G, Friday, 9 December 2016 07:57 (seven months ago) Permalink
As a child I used to be really into the Piranha's and searched out their early stuff at record fairs etc. But they are so bad except for about one and a half songs. Practically every other band from 1982 or whenever it was, is better than them.
― everything, Friday, 9 December 2016 08:26 (seven months ago) Permalink
I did see a 12" acetate of Jilly one time, at the Reading record fair.
Did you?
― Mark G, Friday, 9 December 2016 10:08 (seven months ago) Permalink
Double bill starting tonight at 7PM.
― do you play to win or are you just a bad loser? (snoball), Friday, 23 December 2016 18:58 (seven months ago) Permalink
Ooh!
― *spanish guitar solo* (Turrican), Friday, 23 December 2016 19:19 (seven months ago) Permalink
Holy crap this episode might be peak early 80s.
― do you play to win or are you just a bad loser? (snoball), Friday, 23 December 2016 19:25 (seven months ago) Permalink
Ha, I guess this ^ is the one I'm just watching:
RioMad worldLiving on the ceiling(Renee and Renata)Wham rap
― koogs, Thursday, 12 January 2017 12:06 (six months ago) Permalink
Johnny Schlong! (as she was always known in my house). and the bunnymen, he'll ruin that t-shirt doing that...
― koogs, Friday, 20 January 2017 11:14 (six months ago) Permalink
nice to see Zoo aren't above the overly literal interpretations of song lyrics, ripping things up whilst dancing to Rip It Up.
(that and altered image in the same show)
i wonder if joboxers were aware of dexys?
― koogs, Saturday, 18 February 2017 09:14 (five months ago) Permalink
1983 seems to be peak nostalgia for me. Remember most of it very vividly, including the John Peel and Kid Jensen routines, but still some jolts - like Leo Sayer still eeking out an viable existence somehow.
― Dr Drudge (Bob Six), Saturday, 18 February 2017 12:50 (five months ago) Permalink
Last night's programme especially was a real straight-down-the-middle mix of 'oh I remember this' and 'wait, who?'.
― 2017, how bad could it be? (snoball), Saturday, 18 February 2017 13:32 (five months ago) Permalink
Like I don't even remember JoBoxers.
― 2017, how bad could it be? (snoball), Saturday, 18 February 2017 13:33 (five months ago) Permalink
i am almost shocked that anybody of the right age could forget JoBoxers
― Treesh-Hurt (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 18 February 2017 13:35 (five months ago) Permalink
also wearing boxing gloves for JoBoxers.
I too didn't remember/realise quite how dexys they were.
How did I never know one of them went on to Earl Brutus?
― woof, Saturday, 18 February 2017 13:52 (five months ago) Permalink
enjoyed the whole episode, apart from Nick Heyward.
― woof, Saturday, 18 February 2017 13:53 (five months ago) Permalink
Weren't JoBoxers formed from the ashes of Subway Sect?*googles*Yes, they were.
― mike t-diva, Saturday, 18 February 2017 16:28 (five months ago) Permalink
That was it, yes. I think Dig Wayne was hired from Stage School,or something..
― Mark G, Saturday, 18 February 2017 19:56 (five months ago) Permalink
rip it up also the first 303 on totp, according to some totp tweet i saw earlier today. it's been a favourite since, well, 1983. but i've never wondered what was making those sounds.
― koogs, Saturday, 18 February 2017 20:54 (five months ago) Permalink
So they showed episode 999 and 1001 and skipped 1000. And they was a lot of repetition between those two.
Fave bit was the tunnel of pouts during the instrumental bit of the Siouxie song.
― koogs, Saturday, 11 March 2017 11:52 (four months ago) Permalink
Apparently 1000 featured Savile AND Travis AND Glitter AND King, which is quite the royal flush.
― mike t-diva, Saturday, 11 March 2017 13:44 (four months ago) Permalink
haha wow.
― piscesx, Saturday, 11 March 2017 13:56 (four months ago) Permalink
http://www.tv.com/shows/top-of-the-pops-uk/5th-may-1983-1000th-episode-417528/
Massively extended party edition with many old and new performances to celebrate the 1000th edition of the show.
Presenters: Dave Lee Travis, Steve Wright, John Peel, Gary Davies, Mike Smith, Paul Gambaccini, Peter Powell, Simon Bates, Tommy Vance, Richard Skinner, David Jacobs, Mike Read, Tony Blackburn, Noel Edmonds, David Jensen, Janice Long and Jimmy Savile
Playlist:Thompson Twins - We Are Detective [Performance]10 C.C. - I'm Not In Love [Repeat Performance]Abba - Waterloo [Repeat Performance]Adam Ant - Goody Two Shoes [Repeat Performance]Beatles - All You Need Is Love [Repeat Performance]Bee Gees - Massachusetts [Repeat Performance]Billy.J.Kramer & The Dakotas - Little Children [Repeat Performance]Blancmange - Blind Vision [Performance]Blondie - Picture This [Repeat Performance]Boomtown Rats - Looking After No.1 [Repeat Performance]Cilla Black - Surround Yourself With Sorrow [Repeat Performance]Cliff Richard - All My Love [Repeat Performance]Dave Clark 5 - Bits & Pieces [Repeat Performance]David Bowie - Starman [Repeat Performance]Duran Duran - Is There Something I Should Know [Repeat Performance]Elton John - Your Song [Repeat Performance]Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed [Performance]Gary Glitter - Im The Leader Of The Gang(I Am) [Repeat Performance]Heaven 17 - Temptation [Performance]Human League - Fascination [Performance]Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends [Repeat Performance]Manfred Mann - Mighty Quinn [Repeat Performance]Police - Spirits In The Material World [Repeat Performance]Queen - Killer Queen [Repeat Performance]Rod Stewart - Maggie May [Repeat Performance]Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar [Repeat Performance]Rolling Stones - Get Off Of My Cloud [Repeat Performance]Sonny & Cher - I Got You Babe [Repeat Performance]Spandau Ballet - TRUE [Repeat Performance]Status Quo - Pictures Of Matchstick Men [Repeat Performance]Supremes - Baby Love [Repeat Performance]T.Rex - Get It On [Repeat Performance]The Beat - Can't Get Used To Losing You [Performance]The Move - Fire Brigade [Repeat Performance]Zoo / New Edition - Candy Girl [Performance]
― koogs, Saturday, 11 March 2017 15:07 (four months ago) Permalink
(2-2 for man u vs brighton, late equaliser from brighton. man u won 4-0 in the replay)
joboxers again, different song.
― koogs, Thursday, 16 March 2017 19:46 (four months ago) Permalink
I really have no memory of them. I'm surprised, as I would have thought that a band that was a bit Dexys and a bit Madness would have caught the attention of a nine year old snoball.
― well the bitter comes out better on a stolen Switch cartridge (snoball), Thursday, 16 March 2017 19:55 (four months ago) Permalink
my brother had their album, I thought they were crap. amazed that most of them were in Subway Sect though.
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Thursday, 16 March 2017 20:10 (four months ago) Permalink
Thread:In Praise of: "Just Got Lucky" by the Joboxers
― everything, Thursday, 16 March 2017 20:14 (four months ago) Permalink
FFS when do these presenters stop mispronouncing Depeche Mode "Depesh-ay Mode"?
― Mozart's Musical Dubstep Dice Game (snoball), Thursday, 13 April 2017 18:57 (three months ago) Permalink
Also I'd forgotten what a massive creep KC looks like singing 'Give It Up', adding an extra dimension to an otherwise by-the-numbers summer pop hit.
― Mozart's Musical Dubstep Dice Game (snoball), Thursday, 13 April 2017 18:59 (three months ago) Permalink
Well, its clear the sunshine band had sacked it, there's Howie and two women bv's, it looked like he got a quick last minute flight over not expecting a number one.
― Mark G, Thursday, 13 April 2017 19:04 (three months ago) Permalink
oblig: "is that a boy or a girl?" comment (c) everyone's dads 1983
― koogs, Saturday, 22 April 2017 15:33 (three months ago) Permalink
Noddy Holder takes a break from trying to look like Ian Hunter ("my oh mmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy") and has a go at Slade Xmas Karaoke.
― Zings Can Only Get Better (snoball), Thursday, 25 May 2017 18:34 (two months ago) Permalink
better that than sounding like Big Country..
― Mark G, Thursday, 25 May 2017 18:57 (two months ago) Permalink
I don't see this 'Relax' record getting to number 1 unless the BBC do something stupid like, I don't know, ban it?
― Zings Can Only Get Better (snoball), Thursday, 8 June 2017 18:39 (one month ago) Permalink
I'd forgotten "Father Jack" from Father Ted had a hit single..
― Mark G, Friday, 9 June 2017 00:44 (one month ago) Permalink
"'Ullo John Gotta New Motor?", performed by what appears to be someone on the board of directors of the company I work for...
― Zings Can Only Get Better (snoball), Friday, 7 July 2017 18:42 (two weeks ago) Permalink
keep seeing the smiths and the bunnymen in the rundowns but not on the actual show (doesn't help that the pvr didn't pick up the first couple of shows because Totp 1983 and Totp 1984 had different series ids)
anyway, found this, which is depressing:
https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/comment/86198310#Comment_86198310
― koogs, Tuesday, 11 July 2017 16:49 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Smithed?
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 11 July 2017 16:57 (two weeks ago) Permalink
mike?
― koogs, Tuesday, 11 July 2017 16:59 (two weeks ago) Permalink
I thought it meant something like Morrissey slapping an injunction on any broadcaster showing moving images of him on the same stage as Mike Joyce.
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 11 July 2017 17:03 (two weeks ago) Permalink
... or vice versa.
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 11 July 2017 17:04 (two weeks ago) Permalink
yeah, one of the messages a few up from that list says
"Basically in 1984 we're due to lost 14 episodes that are DLT, Savile and Smith (both of Savile's apperances are also Smithed)"
and
05/07/84 (Jimmy Savile & Mike Smith)
confirms that. i know nothing about what mike smith has done, other than die recently. no scandal that i can see.
― koogs, Tuesday, 11 July 2017 17:05 (two weeks ago) Permalink
TOTP Mike Smith Episodes?
While he was alive, Mike Smith decided not to sign the licence extension that would allow the BBC to repeat the Top of the Pops episodes that he presented. Since his passing, the BBC is continuing to respect his wishes.
― Zings Can Only Get Better (snoball), Tuesday, 11 July 2017 17:11 (two weeks ago) Permalink
wtf?
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 11 July 2017 17:13 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Yeah, we tried petitioning Sarah Green,but.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 11 July 2017 17:55 (two weeks ago) Permalink
woah that's weird.
― piscesx, Tuesday, 11 July 2017 19:39 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Another thread here that seems to imply it was Savile related:
http://z6.invisionfree.com/popscene/ar/t14077.htm
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 12 July 2017 22:05 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Jesus christ, could Sade's bassist possibly wear his bass any higher!?
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Saturday, 22 July 2017 22:57 (five days ago) Permalink