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 (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
Has Alexei Sayle been on yet? That's the all time low point for me before House music comes along to save the day.
― piscesx, Thursday, 8 March 2018 19:59 (one month ago) Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXEXO1YHpmQ
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 15 March 2018 19:36 (one month ago) Permalink
Bane of the cheap musical keyboard section of WH Smith's in the mid 80s, Harold Faltermeyer's 'Axel F'.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 15 March 2018 19:44 (one month ago) Permalink
Late 80s sighted with the first mention of the Fine Young Cannibals.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 15 March 2018 19:45 (one month ago) Permalink
Alexei has been on, yes.
― Mark G, Thursday, 15 March 2018 20:48 (one month ago) Permalink
Since 'Ullo John Gotta New Motor'?
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 15 March 2018 20:50 (one month ago) Permalink
(where he looks alarmingly like someone I used to work for)
Stephen Fry in his 2nd book of memoirs says that, the first time he caught Alexei on telly (very early 80s) he found him "frightening". People aren't frightening on telly nowadays are they? It's all a lot more cuddly. I wonder if that's a good thing..
― piscesx, Thursday, 15 March 2018 21:19 (one month ago) Permalink
Caught up with a load of these I had recorded the other day. I was in a strange situation as a kid without my own record player: my dad didn't trust me to put the stylus down carefully enough so insisted on doing it himself. As a consequence of this, he said I couldn't buy singles, only albums, as he didn't want me calling him every three minutes to change the record. I put up with this for several years until my patience snapped in the period of 1985 that they've just been showing (when I was 11). For some reason it was We Close Our Eyes by Go West that broke the camel's back and then I started buying 7 inches with my pocket money: Scritti Politti - The Word Girl, Duran Duran - View To A Kill, Depeche Mode - Shake The Disease, Mai Tai - History, Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F (which have all been on recently) and a mediocre comedy version of '19' about cricket by Rory Bremner (which thankfully hasn't featured). Then my dad finally gave in and got me a record player for my 12th birthday.
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:08 (one month ago) Permalink
Can anyone remember any reason why they only played about ten seconds of the You'll Never Walk Alone (the charity song for the Bradford fire) when it was number one in the charts?
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:10 (one month ago) Permalink
No specific reason that I recall. Charity singles became much more numerous in the late 80s.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:42 (one month ago) Permalink
It's because Rolf Harris and Dave Lee Travis feature prominently on the video.
It was originally broadcast in full but been cut from the reruns:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKTe2o6q6xY
― SecondhandDaylight, Friday, 23 March 2018 10:47 (one month ago) Permalink
Ah, right. If they can do that, you'd think they could show us all the episodes the keep missing out because their presented some Yewtree case or other, just cut out the bits linking the songs.
Having watched that video: is that bloke with the dyed red hair and sunglasses the cockney from Auf Wiedersehen Pet who died?
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 23 March 2018 17:32 (one month ago) Permalink
Well spotted yeah that's him, jeez he died a few months later.
― piscesx, Friday, 23 March 2018 18:13 (one month ago) Permalink
Didn't he have a band? Or did his character have a band? Or both?
Oh, The Heavy Metal Kids / the Kids.
Big in Norway, apparently
― koogs, Friday, 23 March 2018 18:24 (one month ago) Permalink
And were on TOTP before.
― Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Friday, 23 March 2018 18:44 (one month ago) Permalink
They're mentioned upthread. Seems like a long time ago relative to 1985.I'd forgotten all about Russ Abbott's follow-up single to 'Atmosphere' but boy does that video bring the horror crashing back.We're really on the edge of the '85-'86 plastic seaside bowler hats era of TOTP aren't we.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Friday, 23 March 2018 19:50 (one month ago) Permalink
lots of these too
"Most of the worst songs about Serious Issues ever recorded were made in the five years after Live Aid."
― piscesx, Friday, 23 March 2018 21:31 (one month ago) Permalink
'Johnny Come Home' by Fine Young Cannibals - I don't think I really appreciated it at the time, but it's great. I had no memory of the 'dancing' by the guitarist and bass player from The Beat - did they keep doing this on the later songs?
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 29 March 2018 11:40 (four weeks ago) Permalink
My memory is that the bass player always danced like that with The Beat but the guitarist only started doing it later on and got sillier as he went and he ended up being known as the guy in The Beat and FYC who did the funny dance - which always kind of annoyed me.
― Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Thursday, 29 March 2018 11:43 (four weeks ago) Permalink
Me and my OH had a month long spell of constantly singing "Love & Pride" thanks to TOTP on BBC 4.
― chap, Thursday, 29 March 2018 12:05 (four weeks ago) Permalink
xxp did they keep doing this on later songs? did they ever!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxWCpwOhplQ
― piscesx, Thursday, 29 March 2018 12:34 (four weeks ago) Permalink
This pleases me
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 29 March 2018 12:53 (four weeks ago) Permalink
FYC, yes a perfect blend, smooth soul vocals, great songs and the marvellous rhythm section of the Beat
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 29 March 2018 17:22 (four weeks ago) Permalink
Paul King is a posing twit.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:31 (three weeks ago) Permalink
"recorded on the south coast of Britain"
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:34 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Tuning in now to find Phil Collins bellowing 'Take Me Home' while rocking his mid '80s almost-skullet and wearing a jacket which nobody should require ... gotta say, I saw the vid for this on a previous episode and I was struck by how much the video just didn't fit the song.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:41 (three weeks ago) Permalink
This episode is some real 1985 style barrel scrapping.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:47 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Dio gazing into his crystal ball, though!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:49 (three weeks ago) Permalink
crystal bollocks more like
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:50 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' sounding like a transmission from another planet compared to most of this shite.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:51 (three weeks ago) Permalink
shut up Peter Powell you faux-earnest self promoting twit.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:52 (three weeks ago) Permalink
OTM. I just wish they'd played the whole video. The further we get into 1985, the more I wonder what the fuck people were thinking... even compared with 1984, each episode is increasingly looking like a mardi gras of fashion disasters. Peter Powell obviously thinking he's the mutts nuts as well.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 5 April 2018 18:57 (three weeks ago) Permalink
They are repeating 1983 shows as well.
Which is nice - I was going to save a couple of those for posterity but my Tivo deleted them....
Anyway, those ones are looking much better than the 1985 ones.
― Mark G, Friday, 6 April 2018 11:02 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Watched some of this yesterday, even more assured in my view of 1985 as the nadir of the decade, also getting to stuff I can remember watching, which is an odd feeling.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 6 April 2018 11:05 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Bizarre to think that Jack Your Body and Pump Up The Volume are just around the corner.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 6 April 2018 11:07 (three weeks ago) Permalink
I can't see it getting much better until about 1988 or 1989, tbh... but it'll be interesting viewing for that reason!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Friday, 6 April 2018 13:34 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Just catching up and seen the one with Opus doing Live is Life in the studio. You would think that would obviously be the low point, but Denise Lasalle's 'My Toot Toot' is actually even worse, far worse than I remember. It's basically the birdie song.
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Friday, 6 April 2018 20:23 (three weeks ago) Permalink
i quite like 'toot toot' tbh, am all for zydeco joints storming the charts
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Friday, 6 April 2018 20:41 (three weeks ago) Permalink
This 1985 stuff is wonderful fun. There was a top ten last month that was classic after classic.
There's no 'Kayleigh' love here?
― kraudive, Friday, 6 April 2018 22:31 (three weeks ago) Permalink
Has the one with Fish doing a Dylan with the lyrics on white cards been shown yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mmy6r7OLF8
― piscesx, Saturday, 7 April 2018 00:20 (two weeks ago) Permalink
No, that one hasn't charted yet, it's still Kayleigh sinking out the charts. (That's if I've actually caught up, I might still be one or two episodes behind)
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Saturday, 7 April 2018 10:06 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Has this finished for the time being? Not showing up on my planner anymore.
― groovypanda, Tuesday, 10 April 2018 18:22 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Sky at night this Thursday, Young musician of the year on Friday. Epg will only have 8 days info in it so you won't see next week yet.
I am about 3 months behind. It has lost a lot of its appeal.
― koogs, Tuesday, 10 April 2018 21:31 (two weeks ago) Permalink
There’s no Top Of The Pops tomorrow, cos of BBC Young Musician. And next week it’s The Sky At Night on Thursday, and BBC Young Musician on Friday. #TOTP— Top Of The Pops Facts (@TOTPFacts) April 5, 2018
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 10 April 2018 21:32 (two weeks ago) Permalink
Ah, you've already said that
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 10 April 2018 21:33 (two weeks ago) Permalink
The 1983 shows are still being re-repeated
― Mark G, Tuesday, 10 April 2018 22:02 (two weeks ago) Permalink
"Tarzan Boy" - everything about this is weird. The lyrics, the oversized suit, the intro from Steve Wright. Actually it's a good example of that type of Steve Wright intro where you initially think he's pretending to be overly excited as a piss-take, but then you realise that he genuinely is that over-excited.
― 2018 has to be better (snoball), Thursday, 19 April 2018 18:38 (one week ago) Permalink
He has every right to be; it’s a great record!
― breastcrawl, Thursday, 19 April 2018 19:49 (one week ago) Permalink
Caught up on three episodes: I Wonder If I Take You Home was good, the rest was pretty forgettable.
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Sunday, 22 April 2018 19:17 (five days ago) Permalink