Thursday 25 January 2018

Thinking of Top of the Pops

You come home from school, your head hurting with quadratic equations and endothermic reactions, but you have your tea, get your homework done and before you know it, it's 7.50 pm and now all you need to think about is who will be on this week's edition of Top of the Pops!

Terry can barely contain his excitement at being back on Top of the Pops


31/01/85  (Janice Long & Peter Powell)

Big Sound Authority – “This House (Is Where Your Love Stands)” (36)
We begin with an overly enthusiastic guitarist in a band who want to be The Style Council, but this was their only top 30 hit, peaking at number 21.

Art Of Noise – “Close (To The Edit)” (21)
A mixture of studio performance and video here, and the tune made it to number 8.

Bryan Adams – “Run To You” (18) (breaker)
His debut UK hit made it to number 11.

Phil Collins – “Sussudio” (19) (breaker)
The first single from his number one album, No Jacket Required. Peaked at number 12.

Pat Benatar – “We Belong” (25) (breaker)
Her breakthrough UK hit peaked at number 22.

The Commodores – “Nightshift” (32) (breaker)
Their first post Lionel hit, and also their final top ten hit, reaching number 3.

The Colour Field – “Thinking Of You” (31)
Terry Hall returns to the studio with his new band, but this was their only top 30 hit, peaking at number 12.

The Top Ten Videos:
Bruce Springsteen – “Dancing In The Dark” (10) (video)
On his way to number 4.

Madonna - "Like A Virgin" (9) (video clip)
Russ Abbot - "Atmosphere" (8) (video clip)
Strawberry Switchblade - "Since Yesterday" (7) (video clip)
Ashford & Simpson - "Solid" (6) (video clip)
Tears For Fears - "Shout" (5) (video clip)
King - "Love & Pride" (4) (video clip)
Prince - "1999" (3) (video clip)
Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson - "I Know Him So Well" (2) (video clip)

Foreigner – “I Want To Know What Love Is” (1) (video/credits)
Third and final week at number one.

Your very own cut out and keep Art of Noise mask!


Next up is February 7th.

49 comments:

  1. I never liked Sussudio, much preferred Take Me Home and One More Night.

    Nightshift was a fave at the time.

    Run To You and Close To The Edit I didn't like at the time, but I quite like now my taste is broadened.

    Big Sound Authority - I think I quite liked back then, though I didn't, like most people, know anything else. But their album is actually decent.

    Thinking of You is a catchy one if you don't mind a twee sounding song.

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    1. Showing my age here...I'm sure "One More Night" was used some months later as background music for an ad for Mates Condoms, which I think was the first contraceptive brand to get telly exposure in the UK.

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    2. "mates" was one of the first things that richard branson branched out into after the success of virgin records. prior to that, the only brand of condoms (or "rubber johnnies" as i think they were still being called at this point) to my recollection was durex, a name that was exclusive to and synonymous with that product. branson never actually launched anything new, but just leapt on whatever bandwagon was rolling at the time (aids was getting to be quite-well known about by this time and therefore propylactics had taken on a new lease of life as a result, although i don't think the actual aids ads were shown until the late 80's). i don't know how long the "mates" brand lasted, but presumably it did a bit better than branson's attempt to cash-in on the soft drinks market with "virgin cola"?

      writing this post, i was thinking it was a shame that nobody apparently dared to launch a line of condoms called something like "shag" or (even better) "fuck"!

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    3. I remember TV Times had an advert with the tag-line (meaning if it's an ITV programme it'll be listed in the periodical) of "If it's on, it's in".
      Sounded like the punchline to a different product!

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  2. Susudio was, for better or worse, the first single I bought. £1.45 from the local newsagent. The b side was 'The Man With The Horn,' a track where the title was more memorable than the song.
    Phil definitely needed a haircut in the video.

    I used to have No Jacket Required on tape but my copy had to be exchanged a couple of times in Woolies as it kept jamming and unravelling.

    I don't recall the Big Sound Authority track, best thing about this for me was the over enthusiastic miming by the guitarist.

    Hosts: Presumably no other Radio One DJ's were available, how else to explain PP's quick reappearance? He mumbled and stumbled his way through this one like he'd spent too much time in the BBC bar beforehand. Maybe he should've stayed there and let Janice present this one on her own.

    Some good songs tonight but with the breakers and the extended top 10 it felt more like the Chart Show than TOTP. More studio performances next time please!

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    1. I actually thought PP was a lot better here than on his shambolic previous appearance, perhaps because he had Janice to perk him up. She seemed the less assured to me on this occasion, making quite a meal of her intro to the breakers.

      Phil Collins, alas, was succumbing to the mullet virus at this time - it would be fully developed by Live Aid.

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    2. To be fair to PP he did an adequate job of the chart rundown.

      It would be interesting to know why him and Smitty got used so frequently at this point. Did they get particularly good appreciation scores from the 1985 viewers?

      You're right about the mullet John - the next couple of years will see peak mullet from pop stars who should've known better.

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    3. It's possible that Michael Grade, having had a load of presenters axed from the show the previous autumn, was keen to promote a few favoured DJs as the "faces" of the show. Gary Davies would also be an increasingly frequent presence over the next couple of years - indeed he and Smitty would end up presenting four consecutive shows together in the autumn of 1987.

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    4. If we get to 1987 that will be an unwelcome first in these re-runs - I can't recall having four consecutive shows Yewtreed/Smittied.

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    5. No, it hasn't happened before, though three consecutive shows were skipped in 1981. On the plus side for any BBC4 viewer who hates Pump Up the Volume, they will end up missing its entire TOTP run!

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    6. Missing Pump up the Volume may be a blessing for BBC Four, because they wouldn't have to edit out the SAW Roadblock sample that would be in the original broadcasts.

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    7. presumably they would have to (road)block out the "roadblock" sample because stock aitken & waterman took out some kind of plagiarism injunction? anyway, whatever the reason i think it's sct among us who will be mightily relieved to learn that!

      did "roadblock" itself actually contain any unauthorised samples, or was it all their own work? i remmber them trying to fool the soulboy crowd with it (not that difficult to do, considering that most if not all those concerned were morons) as some kind of revenge for being pilloried as mere pop peddlers (prior to his partnership with stock & aitken, mr waterman was responsible for producing at least one track that was probably being played at soul weekenders). although if one listened properly, it was quite clear that it was not authentic 70's "rare groove" but a contemporary library music-style facsimile

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    8. It's interesting Steve that the 7 inch singles in 1985 cost £1.45. I could have sworn they were no more than 99p at the time. Geez, £1.45 was a lot of money back then, and probably worth around £3-£4 in todays money, where you could nearly afford a whole album on CD today.

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    10. It's the reason I didn't buy a lot of singles until later on Dory, my pocket money didn't stretch far enough for regular purchases! My local record shop sold chart albums on tape for £3.75, so I tended to buy more of them.

      When I worked in a record shop a decade later the official price of CD singles was £3.99 although the majority sold at £1.99 thanks to record company freebies.

      Changing the subject slightly someone posted on Twitter during tonight's show that they had to explain to their daughter how the chart worked and what a single was. That would never have happened in 1985!

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    11. @Wilberforce: SAW took M/A/R/R/S to court and won, so any time you hear Pump Up the Volume now the Roadblock sample is missing completely. It was all SAW's own work, or else they wouldn't have had a legal leg to stand on. It was an important case - all samples on commercial releases must be cleared now.

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    12. i have to say that even though i hated the way that SAW strangled the life out of pop music with their relentless production line assault, i suppose if the above is a fact then at least they have to thanked for stopping talentless non-musicians lifting from recordings of those who have some musical ability and creativity without permission. tragically though it seems most who own the copyrights to the material that gets requested to be sampled are more than happy to do so, for the money and/or the street cred!

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    13. Oh dear, I know someone who likes music from 87 but hates Pump Up The Volume whereas I love it. She's never going to shut up about it not being shown when that time comes!

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    14. i've just read up a bit more on the M/A/R/R/S / SAW sampling dispute, and it appears that there was only ever seven seconds of heavily-treated non-music taken from the "roadblock" track, and that the sample in question was only removed from consequent foreign pressings - not british ones. so that suggests that it might get played (with "roadblock" sample and all) on the show when its time comes - sorry sct!

      i shall almost certainly be long gone from here by the time records with samples start to dominate the charts and the programme, but it would certainly give me a sense of schadenfreude if at least some of them can't be shown due to copyright difficulties!

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    15. Smitty hosted every single TOTP on which Pump Up the Volume appeared (including the Xmas Day '87 show), so this is something BBC4 don't have to worry about.

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    16. However, CBS commissioned a US version in 1987 (it only lasted a year), presented by Gary Davies. It focused on both the UK and US charts. The first half was the exact UK version, with all links solely done by Davies that had gone out a day earlier, then the second half was the US chart and performances. I checked the one upload of this on YT and at the bottom of the credits (which list both UK and US hosts, cameramen, etc) it says (c) BBC MCMLXXXVII so I think the beeb own the copyright to the US version too. I did contact them about this but they haven't responded yet.

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  3. This show is a taste of things to come, with the breakers and the Top 10 videos still present and correct despite the shorter running time. Radio 1's resident lovebirds are on hand to guide us through, with PP looking splendidly awkward while trying to lay his arm on Janice's shoulder in the opening link, while she gives him a meaningful long stare later on when introducing the charts. Sadly the romance would fizzle out by the summer, and this is the only time they would present the show together in 1985.

    As Angelo has already mentioned, Big Sound Authority were desperately trying to muscle in on Style Council territory with this one. It's OK, if nothing much to write home about, though from his antics the guitarist seemed to think he was playing a much rockier song! The singer looked a bit like Kate Bush to me, at least from certain angles, though she certainly didn't sound like her. PP's prediction of big things for the group would, perhaps unsurprisingly, go unfulfilled...

    I remember The Art of Noise primarily for their Krypton Factor theme tune, but this single makes for an interesting sound collage, if one very much of its time. The group certainly made an effort to dress up for the show, though we also get some snippets from the video to try to pep up the visual interest a bit more; they were working at this time with Trevor Horn and Paul Morley, though an acrimonious split would soon follow. I haven't got much to say about the breakers, which we will be hearing at greater length on future shows, but suffice to say that Bryan's video looked autumnal, Phil's video looked dull, and Pat Benatar looked gorgeous in hers - We Belong really should have been a bigger hit. The post-Lionel Commodores also turned out a dull promo here, and Janice neglected to mention the song was also about Jackie Wilson, who had died the previous year.

    Terry Hall is back, as cheerful as ever but now with a more sensible haircut than in the FB3 era. I suppose this is a pretty enough tune, but it feels quite antiseptic and wouldn't have been out of place (like the Big Sound Authority record) on a wine bar playlist; it's certainly not in the same league as some of his earlier work. In this case the female singer sounded a little like Kirsty Maccoll, though she didn't look like her! The famous Bruce 'n' Courteney fake concert video next, and then a load of other stuff we've heard before to take us to the close, though the brief glimpse of Paul King striding through that post-apocalyptic Doctor Who quarry provided a small measure of interest...

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    1. Yeah, thumbs up from me too regarding Pat Benatar. I remember thinking, 'what a cutie', and the song made her even more cutie on this week's Breakers. It's one of those songs with a feelgood factor wrapped in with Benatar.

      Talking about cuties, I just couldn't help but mention Strawberry Switchblade on the Top Ten video countdown. They are fast becoming the pretty faces of the entire decade, in the mould of Claire Grogan. I believe that Switchblade were also from Scotland......Land of Hope and cuties, ahem Glory.

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  4. A gospel-tinged Big Sound Authority (sans actual choir) to start, nice, uplifting tune, particularly like the piano pounding part. Singer has a bit of a Joker look, though.

    Art of Noise - I LOVED this at the time, and still like it lots, the sound of a bunch of smart alecs having fun with their keyboards and it's pleasingly nutty. The album it's off is great stuff too.

    Then the Breakers, but if we're seeing them all again soon, in full with any luck, I'll reserve judgement till later.

    The Colour Field, another one I loved back then, it hit me in the right English pop wistfulness spot. A change of pace for Tel, but a welcome one, it's almost delicate for him. Mrs Field seems to be making up for his lack of animation by pulling as many faces and Space Invaders dance moves as possible.

    Tiny little Bruce Springsteen and that famed video, but is "I ain't nothin' but tired" a triple negative? So is he tired or not? Anyway, let's all laugh at Courteney's rubbish dancing.

    Then a gospel tinged number one, this time with an actual choir, to end on, as Ellie and Babs loom menacingly at number 2.

    Thought Janice looked uncharacteristically terrified in places.

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    1. I know what you mean about "Ain't nothing". Back in the day, a double negative was actually mean to emphasise a negative, e.g. "Not never" which meant absolutely never.

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    2. it always amuses me when the septics spout double-negatives like "i ain't never done that" - i remember jason statham (of all people) actually pointing the asurdity and non-logic of such an expression to an american character in one of his hokum films a few years back!

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  5. big sound authority: i couldn't remember how this went, but had a vague recollection they were some kind of cod-soul outfit. when i watched on yt the first verse was just about bearable, but when the big chorus came i had to reach for the mute button faster than a speeding bullet

    art of noise: ah, it's the people who actually played the instruments on the frankie goes to hollywood recordings! i don't know why they bothered actually turning up to perform in person what is in effect a demonstration disc for hi-fi shops, but whoever was on stage should have kept their masks on for the duration - particularly the rather frumpy anne dudley, who going by this appearance was very much the recording studio equivalent of a face for radio

    breakers: this new format has put me in somewhat of a quandary - should i review the tracks featured in detail when they are featured here, or wait until they appear on the show proper? that is assuming that they all broke through sufficiently well in order to get a full-length spot, which might not be the case for all concerned?

    colourfield: i remember this trio being presented as some kind of indie supergroup, although to be frank i had certainly never heard anything previously recorded by those concerned whose names weren't terry hall. another one that's left my head, and listening to the official yt vid (this totp spot is not there) i can see why. it's utterly bland, apart from hall's distinctive can't-be-arsed singing style that rather surprisingly really isn't suited to it all

    top 10: just to say i'm pleased to read this particular feature is soon to be ditched (had "the chart show" started up on itv by this point?). oh, and that in my opinion "solid" still stinks to high heaven - regardless of what others may think of it

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    1. I'll have you know that Ashford & Simpson were singing about their happy marriage being 'Solid As A Rock', so we must raise a glass to it, and not mock it.

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    2. i don't care what they were singing about, the record's rubbish in my view. and nothing anyone says about will change that opinion

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    3. The Chart Show was on Channel 4 first, and I think it began late in 86.

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    4. It started in April that year.

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  6. The Peter and Janice show and don’t they make a cute pairing? Mixed bag for me but some real highlights.

    Big Sound Authority – This House – Nope, don’t recall this. It’s OK and quite a nice visual presentation and vocal performance lead singer Julie Hadwen or is it Hawden? The single sleeve can’t seem to make its mind up.

    Art of Noise – Close to the edit – What the hell is this all about? Lots of twiddly bits and ‘dum dums’ and then a brief snatch of lyrics from Yes’s masterpiece ‘Close to the edge’. Very strange.

    Enjoyed a couple of the breakers. Phil Collins’s ‘Sussudio’ was said by some to sound too much like ‘1999’ whilst Phil’s musicians in the video are Genesis’s touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer and session bassist, ZZtop lookalike, Lee Sklar who has played session bass on shedloads of tracks (Rita Coolidge’s ‘We’re all alone’ is one example)….but according to the sleeve notes on parent album ‘No Jacket Required’, not this track! ‘We belong’ sounds great as ever whilst the Commodores are lacking Lionel and really don’t sound like the Commodores at all.

    The Colour Field – Thinking of you – Third single from Terry’s new band and it’s a cracker. Just love this duet and gentle lilting chorus. Funnily enough, a triple CD I have called ‘Top of the Pops One Hit Wonders’ features this track and Ashford and Simpson’s ‘Solid’ (and First Class’s ‘Beach Baby’).

    Bruce Springsteen – Dancing in the Dark – Wow…stands the test of time for me. The excited ‘friend’ in the crowd getting whisked onto the stage to dance was always a highlight, and I never knew who she was at the time.

    Top10 countdown. So we never saw the video for ‘Shout’ in full but hopefully ‘King’ will feature in a future edition.

    Foreigner – I want to know what love is – I can never get tired of this. Great to see it played almost to the end again.

    Ps. Good news above from JohnG about ‘Pump up the Volume’ for BBC4 viewers….of course we’ll be seeing it on someone’s upload but I’ll be poised on FF. You’re right Wilberforce, I’m thrilled about any omissions related to MARRs or Roadblock…..perhaps they can do likewise for Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley and S’Express!

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    1. Yes, I thought the Art of Noise debut was a very strange one, and the sound was certainly nothing like any of the music we had heard before, but at the same time it was groundbreaking in a way. I liked the bit at the beginning which had lots of 'hey'.

      Couldn't agree more about The Colourfield. For me, Terry Hall had at last shaken off the black & white performers as standard in The Specials and Fun Boy Three, now for an all white band, which seemed strange but refreshing at the same time.

      How ironic that 'The Colourfield had no 'coloured' performers, i.e., Norval and Lynval. It's just a pity that The Colourfield did not last as long as the two former bands, but for me it was the best of Terry Hall's sequence of three different bands from 1979 to 1985.

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    2. Oh and yes, Foreigner again like last week getting 4-and-a-half minutes of the 5-minute video played, so yes practically in full, and thumbs up to TOTP for showing so much of it, as they usually stop videos at around 3 minutes.

      But Alas, no more Foreigner at No.1, as February 1985 brings in the whole month at No.1 with those two ladies from the musicals. Hmm, not my cup of tea. I would have preferred Ashford & Simpson at No.1 for February, or even another month for Foreigner at No.1!

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    3. It seems a little unfair to call Ashford & Simpson "one hit wonders," given all the hits they wrote for others, even if technically it is correct to do so! Same goes for The Colour Field really, as their leader was hardly a stranger to the hit parade...

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    4. Checkout the album track listing. It's actually a really good set.

      https://www.amazon.co.uk/Top-Pops-One-Hit-Wonders/dp/B002STRAJU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1517079912&sr=8-2&keywords=top+of+the+pops+one+hit

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    5. There are some good ones on there, particularly Spirit in the Sky (assuming it's the original), and White Town's Your Woman is a nice little song - I heard that the other day for possibly the first time since it was a hit! Surprised there's no Something in the Air, which to my mind is the ultimate one-hit wonder.

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  7. January has been such a long month...and so many TOTP to see.
    Time to say goodbye....

    The lovers are back..

    Not heard of BSA. That guitarist is really milking his 15 minutes. A bit Swing out sister in terms of look of not sound. Instantly forgot this after I'd heard it.

    Art of Noise. Commented on this last show. Good to mix up the performance with the video. Early 90s totp became a lot of people stood being keyboards doing nothing so I guess it all starts here. .. you natter on PP don't worry about running out of time to introduce Ar...............

    Straight into the breakers next.
    Bryan Adams getting his first UK hit. Summer of 69 was the one I remember most.
    Phil Collins with my favourite of his hits. Big radio player on Radio 2 1 0 at the time.
    Pat Benatar. Still a great record. Should have been bigger.
    Commodores classic song. Not a classic video.

    Welcome back Terry. Your enthusiasm has been much missed. Lost the sideshow bob look I see. This is a bit forgetable from him I think, disappointed as really loved Fun Boy three

    And into the top ten already.

    Bruce .such an American sound. Remember he was huge when he came over here. Made the news I recall. Songs were ok, not a huge fan but he has a bug following and I certainly remember watching the videos at the time.
    Glad he found a friend in the crowd (i'll get my coat. ..)

    Bit more of Russ this week, sing a long time, ...

    Shout still the best thing in the chart..

    Why is King on a rubbish tip. ..? Don't think I've ever seen this video. Bizarre.


    And so long to Foreigner. Well deserved number one.

    A bit of a nothing edition this week I'm afraid. Flat presentation as well. If these two couldn't muster up any chemistry well who can...





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  8. Shame we only got 3 studio performances but at least they were all for songs I like. That 100% record will never be repeated I expect!

    Big Sound Authority - A great song which is superior to most of The Style Council's output. The singer looks good so it's a shame that the guitarists are trying way too hard, especially the Aled Jones lookalike at the front. Nice throw and catch by the sax guy, mind.

    Art Of Noise - At least they're making the most of the ludicrous nature of trying to mime to it. Lookalike no.2 - the guy on our left looked at times uncomfortably like Harvey the toad lover from The League Of Gentlemen.

    The Colour Field - A gentle tune that may have done better had it been released in the Summer!

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  9. I wonder how Pete and Janice reacted to Shitty’s marriage quip in the last edition?
    Way too much waffle from these two in the edition – cut out their blah and you’d have had enough time for another song in the show.

    A great forecast to start with by Pete, sending Big Sound Authority down the plughole. I loved and bought this. Unusual lyric of “tears like water” – erm, tears aren’t treacle, you know – and a mention of dirty sex too. Very sultry lead singer but fat young Paul McCartney gets the award for most annoying guitarist on the re-runs thus far.

    Who’s on next, Pete? Oo, it’s the tech Frank Spencers! I bet they’d have been riveting live. That video was so 1980’s and very much in label ZTT’s image.

    A very autumnal feel for Bran Adams, apparently one of the politest and most gentlemanly rock artistes out there.

    It’s Salon Selective Phil, partying like it’s 1985 with a song whose title sounds like a hairdressing mousse.

    I preferred the surprising UK flop “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, but this Pat Benatar song was absolutely fine and deserved a much longer clip. Loved the headphone sized earrings.

    So the breaker with the worst chart position gets the way longest clip. Go figure. “Brick House” this ain’t. This was okay but sounded like it could have been any soul act.

    Terry Hall turns up as the Coventry Nick Heyward! A half wink and some half smiles from him there. Why was Katrina not in the mugshot? There was a bloke looking like Cat from “Red Dwarf” on the balcony. Lovely mellow song with a great finish.

    Shut up, Pete! Oh, it’s that Broooce video. SHUT UP, JANICE! You’ve drawled over half the miniscule Strawberry Switchblade clip!

    No outro song? We get Foreigner instead? Boooo!

    Overall, this show had its moments, but I found the “Newsnight” feature on The Fall’s Mark E Smith this week way more interesting as well as unexpected.

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    1. seeing as i'm unlikely to comment on him again on this blog, here are a few bryan adams-related things that might be of interest:

      1 - i don't know if this tale is apocryphal or not, but apparently bryan adams once had a home in london that was next to a pub. and when his pleas for the noise of the patrons to be dealt with went unheard, he bought the place and then shut it down in order to get the peace and quiet he craved

      2 - although as i've mentioned his music is not generally to my liking, he gets kudos from me for daring to sing on a house track by chicane in the late 90's - not something you'd imagine his role model the boss doing

      3 - when the almost identically-named ryan adams did a gig a few years back, inbetween songs an audience member shouted out a request by his near-namesake. i don't know if it was done for a laugh or in genuine ignorance, but ryan refused to carry on until said punter was ejected from the venue

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    2. it's name-dropping time again as mark e smith lived locally to me, and i saw him around the manor a couple of times - once rather pathetically in my view sitting outside a boozer on his own, huddled in a raincoat in particularly inclement weather whilst smoking a fag and nursing a pint

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    3. On those Bryan Adams facts, 1) I don't blame him. Given the noise we get just from young kids next door, if I could afford to buy that house to stop the noise, I would.

      3) I've always suspected that Ryan Adams was a po-faced bore. Thanks for confirming this.

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  10. Some random thoughts which are well past their ‘best by‘ date –

    Maybe the King video was filmed in that dump because King said we’re near the ‘tip’ of the charts and want a video in an exotic location and the record company said we ‘refuse’. Sorry, that was rubbish.

    Such a shame and beyond logic that three quarters of Bucks Fizz are having to tour under a different name (The Fizz) because the sole ‘rebel’ member is allowed to retain the name for his lesser outfit as his wife owns the copyright.

    If only their video had been interrupted by a train, like the first studio outing for “Talking In Your Sleep”, maybe Bucks Fizz would have been given a second crack the following week.

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  11. noax i had a similar problem last summer when i discovered that my shitty next-door neighbours had been breeding, and at that point considered their bastard progeny old enough to be let loose in their back garden with practically no supervision! and the bad news is that unlike dogs, the council apparently won't do anything to stop any noise they make! obviously it's been quiet since the autumn thanks to the shit weather, but i'm not looking forward to the spring for the above reason. anyway, hopefully by then they will have become gameboy addicts and thus want to spend all day indoors?

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    1. this should have been a reply to noax's comment about kids disturbing the peace with their noise!

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    2. Our next door neighbours are polite and friendly, but their eldest daughter who's about eight shows her excitement and pleasure when playing in the back garden by shrieking. Unfortunately, she manages to combine the dog whistle upper range of Mariah Carey with the lung capacity of Bruce Dickinson!

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    3. It's not the kids next door who disturb our peace, it's the mother, who seemingly gets through a wine box in short order each Friday night and starts shouting 'whoo-hooh!' over and over again.

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