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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven years ago) Permalink
32
― Mark G, Monday, 4 April 2011 10:09 (seven years ago) Permalink
xpost - Aaargh, so it was!
― mike t-diva, Monday, 4 April 2011 10:25 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven years ago) Permalink
Interviews on TOTP? that's a rarity...
― Mark G, Friday, 8 April 2011 09:12 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven years ago) Permalink
My god that it horribly formed.
― ridic beau (NickB), Friday, 8 April 2011 09:22 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven years ago) Permalink
Sounds likely
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 10:23 (seven years ago) Permalink
10CC, "Mandy Fly Me" was on too. Fantastic!
― Tom D (Tom D.), Friday, 8 April 2011 10:34 (seven years ago) Permalink
NEdmonds always had his love of singer-songwriters, to be fair.
― Mark G, Friday, 8 April 2011 10:48 (seven years ago) Permalink
Big fan of Harry Chapin, yer Edmonds.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 8 April 2011 14:40 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven years ago) Permalink
Noosha F missing link between Clare Grogan and Goldfrapp. Love that record.
― Michael Jones, Friday, 22 April 2011 17:16 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven 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 (seven years ago) Permalink
ooooooo-oooooooooooooh Vienna it's Slik
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:32 (seven years ago) Permalink
It's Midge Uuuurrrr...
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:35 (seven years ago) Permalink
And Paul knickerless
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:36 (seven years ago) Permalink
Jesus Christ, superstar?
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:37 (seven years ago) Permalink
DLT looks like Badly Drawn Boy.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:47 (seven years ago) Permalink
This is sooooo much better than last weeks....
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:50 (seven years ago) Permalink
Only one novelty act so far.
― grill 'em bake 'em fry 'em burn 'em (snoball), Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:51 (seven years ago) Permalink
Shit Brotherhood Of Man are still number one...
― sonnyboy, Thursday, 28 April 2011 18:52 (seven years ago) Permalink
Ultimate Classic Rock suggests 86's Leather Jackets as his worst era, vague recollection that ILX thinks much the same, that must have been recorded around late 85.
― piscesx, Friday, 1 June 2018 22:53 (five months ago) Permalink
Coke'n'Booze Elton was at his worst physically in 86-87. There are concert photos of him from that period where he looks like complete shit. It's amazing how quickly he seemed to clean up - 88-90's Bejewelled Hat Elton looks more like someone who's been clean for a decade or more.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Saturday, 2 June 2018 09:55 (five months ago) Permalink
lol @ "Bejewelled Hat Elton" ... I thought he came off all that stuff in 1990? He still looks plenty ill on the sleeve of Sleeping With the Past ...
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 2 June 2018 11:16 (five months ago) Permalink
This video for 'Nikita' is dreadful. Oh look it's Necros from 'The Living Daylights'.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:39 (five months ago) Permalink
Matt Bianco: "a bunch of wankers"
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:40 (five months ago) Permalink
There's a 'rejected Bond theme' feel to this Dee C Lee song.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 15 June 2018 18:40 (five months ago) Permalink
Who the fuck is this Paul Jordan character?
― We can be herpes (Tom D.), Friday, 15 June 2018 23:09 (five months ago) Permalink
A mid-80s Radio 1 DJ who wasn't at the station very long. Mainly filling in for other DJs. He doesn't have that irritation factor that most Radio 1 DJs of the time had, and that perversely caused them to stay around.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Saturday, 16 June 2018 10:02 (four months ago) Permalink
I mean if I behaved at work like Bruno Brookes in the mid 80s, I'd either get chinned by someone or probably fired. Although I don't work for the BBC, especially not the BBC in the 80s.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Saturday, 16 June 2018 10:04 (four months ago) Permalink
mid-80s Radio 1 DJ who wasn't at the station very long. Mainly filling in for other DJs. He doesn't have that irritation factor that most Radio 1 DJs of the time had, and that perversely caused them to stay around.
He certainly looked the part.
― We can be herpes (Tom D.), Saturday, 16 June 2018 11:08 (four months ago) Permalink
From the website of Sandgrounder Radio (Local Radio for Southport, Sefton and the Liverpool City Region),
Paul has been a big part of radio across the North West for as long as anyone can remember. Initially as a presenter, Paul has managed some of the biggest stations on the dial. Winning a few awards along the way too! He’s presented on Radio 1 and hosted ‘Top of the Pops’ on the telly. Paul is thrilled to be back where he belongs, behind the microphone on Sandgrounder Radio.
'Back where he belongs' - that's a low blow.
― We can be herpes (Tom D.), Saturday, 16 June 2018 11:11 (four months ago) Permalink
Yeah, some real Partridge-level desperation in that blurb.
― Daniel_Rf, Tuesday, 19 June 2018 09:47 (four months ago) Permalink
Shakin' Stevens looks like he's performing 'Merry Christmas Everyone' at gunpoint.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 29 June 2018 19:25 (four months ago) Permalink
Fuck me that key change.
Gary Davis: "Well that could be the Christmas #1" SPOILERS it was.Shaky at number 10 followed by the Pet Shop Boys at number 9 - this is the turning point for young snoball musically. I'd become a bit bored with music at this point in 1985 but everything was about to change.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 29 June 2018 19:28 (four months ago) Permalink
https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljl17sqgyX1qzujsgo1_400.gif
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 6 July 2018 20:45 (four months ago) Permalink
Mark Knopfler really wished he was Bruce Springsteen here, didn't he?
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 19 July 2018 18:38 (three months ago) Permalink
There's a Spitting Image parody song called 'Born In The UK of A' or something, but I can't it anywhere.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 19 July 2018 18:47 (three months ago) Permalink
Mr Mister - ably demonstrating how to look like complete wankers in early 1986. Particularly the lead singer and his white cowboy boots.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 19 July 2018 18:51 (three months ago) Permalink
Pet Shop Boys' video for 'West End Girls': Neil looks 16 while Chris looks like someone who might be able to sell you drugs, or possibly an undercover policeman who will arrest you for trying to buy drugs from him.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 19 July 2018 18:58 (three months ago) Permalink
Very late with this but I had no idea Paul Jordan made it to TotP. He was one of those slick local commercial radio guys (on 194 Radio City in Liverpool around 1981-83) who had a kind of garrulous, flirty, self-deprecating schtick... weirdly I remember him only because he used to refer to himself as “Wally” Jordan...and that was the name of the Cabbage Patch Kid doll we bought my cousin in the US that Xmas. Memories, eh?
― Michael Jones, Thursday, 19 July 2018 19:38 (three months ago) Permalink
Here's Ozzy Osbourne dressed like someone's gran.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 2 August 2018 18:41 (three months ago) Permalink
I always remember the lyrics to Belouis Some's 'Imagination' as being "Emasculation... could make a man of you".
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 2 August 2018 18:47 (three months ago) Permalink
Paul Hardcastle here showing Jan Hammer how to really look like a nobhead with a keytar.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 9 August 2018 18:34 (three months ago) Permalink
1986 hits 'peak 1986' early with Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 17 August 2018 20:36 (two months ago) Permalink
Alexander O'Neil modelling the must-have fashion disaster item of 1986, the combination tweed trench coat / boiler suit.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 17 August 2018 20:50 (two months ago) Permalink
That sounds so incredible I don't want to watch and spoil it.
― piscesx, Friday, 17 August 2018 20:56 (two months ago) Permalink
Not recommended for the fuller figured man tbh. Nice to see reggae was still getting in the charts in '86.
― Scottish Country Twerking (Tom D.), Friday, 17 August 2018 23:19 (two months ago) Permalink
I remember that Sigue Sigue Sputnik performance, and I remember likening it to a hit of poppers: fantastic for the first minute, then you're just left with a numbed-out headache.
― mike t-diva, Saturday, 18 August 2018 11:12 (two months ago) Permalink
I remember that it should have been lots of flash bang wallop riz riz boom. And it was four or five blokes standing around, plus two drummers.
― Mark G, Saturday, 18 August 2018 11:47 (two months ago) Permalink
Some national newspapers around the time were all 'this band is terrible' mock outrage kind of thing, which got 12 year old snoball interested because I remembered similar media coverage with Frankie Goes To Hollywood two years previously. But the reality was that Frankie genuinely were exciting while SSS were just a bit dull and repetitive.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Saturday, 18 August 2018 14:48 (two months ago) Permalink
'Love Missile F1-11' is a 30 second song repeated six times to make a 3 minute single, and '21st Century Boy' is basically the same basic backing track with some rockabilly guitars and a Billy Idol impersonation.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Saturday, 18 August 2018 15:00 (two months ago) Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fudSHb0jsEven Bowie can't make this song sound repetitive.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Saturday, 18 August 2018 15:17 (two months ago) Permalink
I mean can't make this song not sound repetitive
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Saturday, 18 August 2018 15:26 (two months ago) Permalink
Tonight's episode, featuring Simon Bates as a your friendly late night bigoted taxi driver.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 30 August 2018 18:52 (two months ago) Permalink
That dark brown leather jacket screams "I'm a wanker and it's 1986".
Despite recently not turning out to be an Operation Yewtree suspect, Cliff ironically looks like Gary Glitter in this video for 'Living Doll'.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 30 August 2018 18:57 (two months ago) Permalink
Some national newspapers around the time were all 'this band is terrible' mock outrage kind of thinghttps://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IUgAAOSw0fFZe6Yt/s-l500.jpg
― everything, Thursday, 30 August 2018 20:26 (two months ago) Permalink
As if Paul Morley was in any place to judge SSS.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 30 August 2018 20:31 (two months ago) Permalink
I remember the video for 'A Different Corner' but I'd forgotten about that fuck-awful mullet. It's like George went to Noel Edmonds' barber.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 31 August 2018 20:52 (two months ago) Permalink
Criminally this might be Falco's only UK TV appearance.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 31 August 2018 21:08 (two months ago) Permalink
Although this week they play the excellent video. Pity Gary Davis is prattling on over the top of it.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 14 September 2018 18:37 (two months ago) Permalink
Just Say No smoke up in a bathroom in the White House (allegedly)
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 14 September 2018 18:46 (two months ago) Permalink
"George Michael and 'A Different Corner'" although apparently not a different photo because it's the BBC and they'll just use a still from the video to 'Careless Whisper' like it's still 1984.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 21 September 2018 18:55 (one month ago) Permalink
Sly Fox - "Let's Go All The Way" – Classic or Dud?
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 11 October 2018 18:42 (one month ago) Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bXIL0DTJGo
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Thursday, 11 October 2018 18:48 (one month ago) Permalink
"My Favourite Waste Of Mime"
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 19 October 2018 18:50 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Quite a trajectory in UK pop during these years. Until about 78 - when punk had caught up with the charts - TOTP was mostly a parade of appalling novelty records and MOR. Then for a few years we had an injection of experimental, interesting pop records - until 83/4, then mostly trash again. I generalise of course. Watching these re-runs is like a graph of my interest in pop music during the late 70s/80s.
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 25 October 2018 11:42 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Pete Cetera looks like a serial killer in this video.
― Chequers Plays Pop (snoball), Thursday, 8 November 2018 19:39 (one week ago) Permalink
Oh my god
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVR9JykPC-0
― chap, Saturday, 10 November 2018 01:02 (five days ago) Permalink