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
Five Star in "about to get really really shit financial advice" action.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 24 May 2018 18:44 (one month ago) Permalink
I'd like to ask Five Star why they're so FUCKING CRAP! They're f...
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 24 May 2018 21:08 (one month ago) Permalink
they had some good songs imo - system addict, find the time, the slightest touch
has been about 30 years since i heard any of those though so
― chant down basildon (NickB), Thursday, 24 May 2018 22:04 (one month ago) Permalink
I fuck with this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68suo6ge38M
― piscesx, Thursday, 24 May 2018 22:39 (one month ago) Permalink
...plus “Love Take Over”, “All Fall Down”, “Let Me Be The One”... They had lots of good songs. Still love to play ‘em whenever I remind myself/am reminded of them.
― breastcrawl, Thursday, 24 May 2018 22:56 (one month ago) Permalink
Lol ilm
― kraudive, Friday, 25 May 2018 13:01 (one month ago) Permalink
https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl6bSo apparently the only picture of Midge Ure the BBC webmasters had to illustrate tonight's episode of TOTP came from Mike Read's Pop Quiz.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:15 (one month ago) Permalink
Iron Maiden! Yes, something with class.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:35 (one month ago) Permalink
CAMEO! This isn't actually a bad episode so far.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:38 (one month ago) Permalink
I foresee the purchase of a red codpiece in Larry Blackmon's future...
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:43 (one month ago) Permalink
John Parr seemed superold to 11 year old snoball but it turns out that he was 33 when that single was released. Although he still seems kind of old even at 33. Also it doesn't help that the synth horns are so 1985 and it was the title song of a terrible movie about yuppie wankers that actually seemed to side with the yuppie wankers.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:47 (one month ago) Permalink
Did Gary Davis ever actually blink? Like ever?
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:48 (one month ago) Permalink
He's looking sweatier than usual this episode!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:51 (one month ago) Permalink
This Red Box video seems like something from present day Eurovision.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:54 (one month ago) Permalink
Memo to Midge: you cannot dance. Stop it.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:54 (one month ago) Permalink
Midge Ure can eat shit.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 18:55 (one month ago) Permalink
Midge's ego was probably at its peak around this time: The success of Ultravox, Band Aid/Live Aid, this going to number one. He probably thought he was the mutts nuts by this point.
The album this is off has a version of 'Living in the Past' so awful it has to be heard to be believed.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 19:00 (one month ago) Permalink
Mark King played bass on that album. The reissue had a cover of The Man Who Sold The World. All post-Band-Aid hype innit. He’d never have had a big hit without that. Had Live Aid happened yet by the date of this broadcast?
― piscesx, Thursday, 31 May 2018 19:37 (one month ago) Permalink
Mark King has been popping up on TV quite a fair bit recently, as a guest on Pointless and at Nigel Kennedy's Biggest Weekend gig.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:18 (one month ago) Permalink
xp Live Aid was July 1985, this week's TOTP was from October.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 31 May 2018 20:35 (one month ago) Permalink
Ah gotcha. an awful year for music, the worst year ever aside from maybe 1996. That real mid point after all the amazing new pop but before all the House.
― piscesx, Thursday, 31 May 2018 21:33 (one month ago) Permalink
1996 was in no way a terrible year for music, but I sorta agree with you about 1985 - plenty of decent music was released that year, but you wouldn't think it based on what was getting shown.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 31 May 2018 21:40 (one month ago) Permalink
Entroducing, Second Toughest, In Sides, Odelay, Fuzzy Logic, Sweetback, Walking Wounded
All 96
― groovypanda, Friday, 1 June 2018 10:05 (one month ago) Permalink
There are no terrible years for music.
― Mark G, Friday, 1 June 2018 10:14 (one month ago) Permalink
Just catching up on tonight's episode. Elton FFS just admit you're going bald.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Friday, 1 June 2018 19:59 (one month ago) Permalink
Nothing sums up the blandness of 1985 like Level 42.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Friday, 1 June 2018 20:02 (one month ago) Permalink
Tight lipped Geography teacher type Peter Powell doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would even have a 'favourite dance record'.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Friday, 1 June 2018 20:05 (one month ago) Permalink
Wait has he actually tucked his jumper into his jeans?
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Friday, 1 June 2018 20:06 (one month ago) Permalink
There's a bit in one of the Depeche DVDs where the plugger is saying how important it is that Powell has started to play their records. This is in like.. 84 or whatever. Maybe not 'dance' per se, but hey.
― piscesx, Friday, 1 June 2018 21:16 (one month ago) Permalink
I missed it :( Fortunately it's on again after this African music doc.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 1 June 2018 21:24 (one month ago) Permalink
Nothing sums up the blandness of anything like Level 42.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 1 June 2018 21:26 (one month ago) Permalink
xxp that reminds me of the bit in 'The Manual' that namechecks Bruno Brookes.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Friday, 1 June 2018 21:43 (one month ago) Permalink
Totally see what you mean about the future Sir Elton - there's a proper '85 vintage mullet there but you just know there's fuck all under that hat.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 1 June 2018 22:11 (one month ago) Permalink
Must be peak Elton-Coke period this?
― piscesx, Friday, 1 June 2018 22:48 (one month 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 (one month 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 (one month 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 (one month 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 (one month ago) Permalink
Matt Bianco: "a bunch of wankers"
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:40 (one month 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 (one month ago) Permalink
Who the fuck is this Paul Jordan character?
― We can be herpes (Tom D.), Friday, 15 June 2018 23:09 (one month 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 (one month 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 (one month 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 (one month 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 (one month ago) Permalink
Yeah, some real Partridge-level desperation in that blurb.
― Daniel_Rf, Tuesday, 19 June 2018 09:47 (four weeks ago) Permalink
Shakin' Stevens looks like he's performing 'Merry Christmas Everyone' at gunpoint.
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 29 June 2018 19:25 (two weeks 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 (two weeks ago) Permalink
https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljl17sqgyX1qzujsgo1_400.gif
― Visibly Over 25 (snoball), Friday, 6 July 2018 20:45 (one week ago) Permalink