Grace is no dummy
07/05/87 (Mike Smith)
Living In A Box – “Living In A Box” (6)
Went up one more place.
Fleetwood Mac – “Big Love” (13) (video)
Peaked at number 9.
Depeche Mode – “Strangelove” (23)
Peaked at number 16.
Spear Of Destiny – “Never Take Me Alive” (19)
Peaked at number 14.
Europe – “Carrie” (27) (breaker)
Peaked at number 22.
The Cult – “Lil’ Devil” (17) (breaker)
Became their biggest hit when it peaked at number 11.
Sly & Robbie – “Boops (Here To Go)” (22)
On its way to number 12.
Starship – “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” (1) (video)
First of four weeks at number one.
Kim Wilde & Junior – “Another Step (Closer To You)” (9) (video/credits)
Went up three more places.
Next up is May 14th.
Thanks once more to the Archivist, and it was interesting to hear the audience being told to leave the studio at the end of the tape. Sadly Smitty was back in "annoying prat" mode for a good chunk of this show, and he also reopened the Depeche/Depechay controversy just when I finally thought everyone had settled for the former pronunciation.
ReplyDeleteLiving in a Box start things off with another performance that burnishes their yuppie credentials, before Fleetwood Mac arrive with an inventive video and comfortably the best track on Tango in the Night, a great showcase for Lindsey Buckingham's edgy genius. He was on the verge of quitting the band for the first time at this point, and when he later rejoined he would regularly do a stripped down, ultra-intense version of this song in concert that was utterly compelling and showed off his guitar skills to the max. Glad to hear that he is on the mend from his recent heart surgery, and hopefully the damage to his vocal chords will heal soon.
Depeche Mode were all in black for this performance, but this belies the fact that the song itself is quite poppy and accessible, with a catchy intro that sounds like something else which I can't quite place. Smitty seemed quite taken with Spear of Destiny, though if we hadn't been told they were British I might have assumed the singer was an Aussie, as there is an antipodean twang to his vocals. It's a good song anyway, if a little ragged around the edges and depressing in its subject matter, and I liked the way it steps up a gear towards the end. I'm sure the other band members must have been relieved that the studio lights were eventually directed on them as well as the singer!
Sly and Robbie had been very influential figures on the reggae scene for a decade by this point, and this hit in their own right is quite an intriguing affair, featuring an unusual but quite memorable chorus interspersed with some tedious toasting/rapping. They have quite a diverse bunch on stage with them, but they come across here very much like American rappers from the 'hood, rather than as stereotypical laid-back Jamaican rastas. We get a good chunk of the Kim Wilde/Junior video over the credits, with the duo getting closer all the time, though only Kim is actually on the move. The video gets cut off before the two finally meet up.
I noticed that Living In A Box arrived in the same clothes as their last studio appearance a couple of weeks earlier. The foxy backing girl in the same black nightie, and the men in the same suits. You would have thought that they would wear something else on their second studio visit!
ReplyDeleteThe show this week however was most notable for the quality videos, and not the studio performances.
Fleetwood Mac - I just loved this video at the time, so fresh, American, colourful, it had it all, and I remember wanting it to go high in the charts, especially as Fleetwood Mac were away from the British charts since 1982 as Mike Smith pointed out.
Starship - another top American video, with lovely ladies, led by Kim Catrall who had something quite alluring about her, but her starring appearance four years later in Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country was not as appealing as in Mannequin where this No.1 video came from. All in all, an excellent no.1 for the whole of May 1987, as the summer of 87' had well and truly arrived by now.
Kim Wilde & Junior - I didn't think much of this in the studio appearance a couple of shows earlier where they didn't have the best of chemistry, but the video was worth watching just for Kim Wilde alone. I mean didn't she look lovely in the office secretary costume in the second half of the video, ie, with the white top/blouse?
I find myself mesmerised by the Living in a Box backing singer's chicken dance. She even does it in the video!
ReplyDeleteFleetwood Mac, at the time I was put off by the grunting, but looking back this was a strong intro to the massive Tango in the Night album, like the galloping drums and Lindsey's vocals are haunting. The video's pretty inventive too, within 1987 limitations.
Depeche Mode with a track that's reminiscent of A Question of Time, and I do prefer that one, but this has a catchy keyboard hook as well, though what it has to do with Peter Sellers is anyone's guess.
Really liked this Spear of Destiny track back then, possibly because after a long, sinister build up it rocks out tremendously with hammering drums and keyboard stabs. My mum kind of spoiled it a bit for me as a teenager by saying it would have been better if it had ended with the sound of a gunshot and a body falling to the ground. Ah well.
Ah, now here's something, big candidate for my song of the year, and what a shame we don't get to hear it on BBC4. I had no idea Sly and Robbie had been so influential back in '87, I just knew I loved this song. I'm not going to swear, but even today Boops remains a flippin' genius record, so innovative, so exciting, one of my favourites of the 80s. Bass - the final frontier!
Then we get almost the whole Starship video, get used to this one, and end on Kim and Junior, I'm really glad this has been reintroduced to me on these repeats, it's a seriously catchy tune and has been bopping around my head ever since it was played on the show a couple of weeks ago. Cute video, too, simple concept that pleases.
Yeah, thanks Smutty for the cod-Jamaican accent over Carey Johnson's hit on the charts. I wish he'd been on the show, but he was apparently too poor to even film a video! Real Fashion Reggae was discovered by Andy Kershaw and John Peel and was so catchy it got daytime play on the radio. It's a rather wonderful, exuberant number, sadly a totally forgotten hit these days (and indeed, forgotten within about five seconds of dropping out of the charts).
ReplyDeletefleetwood mac: they might have been around in their classic buckingham-nicks manifestion for over a decade now, but they weren't just resting on the laurels of "rumours" and obviously keen to be seen as contemporary contenders. this is a pretty good example of that, although for me better singles from the "tango in the night" album were to follow. the problem is that when they do a lindsey song, then stevie has very little to do other than to flap her skirts about
ReplyDeletedepeche mode: are they still hanging around? i remember listening to the john walters radio show in the late 80's where he reported they had unexpectedly become a big american stadium attraction, and expressed surprise at that by perhaps coining what for me is a brilliant expression that has since come into common usage: "i thought they were a bit past their sell-by date?"!
spear of destiny: mr intensity kirk brandon is finally back in the studio after 6 years away and with his new group - that look far more like his back up musicians than actual band mates. i had a vague memory of this, but expected the chorus to be a lot bigger and bombastic than it actually was. well at least to start with, although after the modulation that does finally kick in. if that's not pino palladino on bass, then i'd be very surprised
sly and robbie: despite providing some of the best rhythms of the decade on the grace jones compass poing sessions, they still only underline the fact that it's not a good idea for a non-singing drummer or bassist (or rhythm section in their case) to "front" some project of their own. add the fact that the actual frontman is just (c)rapping, and it becomes a real waste of talent
Although she did contribute a handful of songs to Tango in the Night, Stevie's drink and drug problems at the time meant that she doesn't feature on the album very heavily at all - a lot of her backing vocals were removed by Buckingham owing to her recording them while intoxicated!
DeleteStevie's 'Seven Wonders' was the second single from the album but it bombed at no56. Much better were Christine McVie's contributions which were strangely held back.
DeleteThanks again, Anonymous for the upload. Have you got the following shows which all had links or acts taken out of them by BBC4. They are 7/01/82, 5/08/82, 8/09/83, 6/12/84, 13/12/84, 20/12/84, 25/07/85 and 8/08/85. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteYou can find a full google drive folder over on Popscene.
Deletelads just had a look at the shows on in the file on popscene they are BBC4 (edited copies) and the original DLT and Savile uploads where some are missing opening / Closing credits
DeleteThey should be "drykid" edits, which are the BBC4 versions with the missing bits edited back in.
DeleteNo clue about Savile or DLT but I'm sure those bits missing are the only ones floating around.
The ones with the bits missing are not the only ones floating around. Full,unedited editions including those with Savile and DLT are definitely out there!
DeleteThe Anonymous uploader who puts up the archive BBC versions is the only one out there who can get hold of the full unedited editions.
DeleteYou are correct Brie and thanks so much to the Anonymous uploader for all the shows. I see that you did not request the editions from 11/09/80 and 23/10/80. I've only ever seen UK Gold copies of them. Have you got the full shows?
DeleteNo Anonymous, only the UK Gold editions. I was going to request them in the coming weeks as I don't like to ask for too many at one time, as it seems that me and others on here are beginning to irritate people by requesting these shows on this forum!
DeleteI know! I hope Anonymous is not fed up with us asking but the uploads have been a sensation up to now. However,I promise that I won't be the one to look for 14/08/80 just because Roger Daltrey says 'Watch Your Backs'!
Deleteheres most of them
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-uXq9RD3ArK
Many thanks for these Anonymous!
DeleteSome truly cringe worthy moments from Smitty on here – how on earth did he get away with the Carey Johnson voice even in 1987?
ReplyDeleteLiving in a Box - Living in a Box – FF again
Fleetwood Mac – Big Love – This could really be a Lindsey Buckingham Solo effort aside from the female ‘ahs’ that anyone could have recorded really. Not my favourite song from the album by any stretch but it does make a good opening track.
Depeche Mode – Strangelove – Another ‘love’ song that on this occasion I don’t recall and is not particularly memorable either.
Spear of Destiny – Never take me alive – This was ‘Spears’ biggest of many chart entries and having given it a chance is not bad at all.
Breakers – Europe – Swedish rockers in sentimental mood…you get the idea. The Cult – Hmm…
Sly and Robbie – Boops (here to go) – Frankly awful. Give me Sly Fox any day!
Starship – Nothing’s gonna stop us now – Co-written by Albert Hammond (who also co-wrote Leo Sayer’s chart topper ‘When I need you’); Albert’s only UK hit surprisingly wasn’t ‘It never rains in Southern California’ (which didn’t even chart to my absolute horror despite a ToTP appearance on 01/01/73!!) but ‘Free Electric Band’, no19 in June 1973. Anyway, this Starship song and production deservedly hit the top here after topping the US charts.
Kim Wilde & Junior – Another Step – FF
….third week (of four) at no2 for Judy Boucher….on her way to registering the 16th biggest seller of 1987….outselling ‘La Isla Bonita’ that kept her off the no1 spot….and outselling forgettable no1s like Los Lobos, Boy George, Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett and the least selling no1 of 1987, Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley!
Thanks again Anonymous.
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Deletealbert hammond wrote a beautiful song called "99 miles to LA", that i first heard as covered by art garfunkel back in the 70's. it wasn't until many years later that i heard albert's original, which is also pretty good if not quite as imperious as art's version
DeleteIt's fabulous.... track 16 on 'The Best of Art Garfunkel'.....
Deletethanks to the uploader
ReplyDeleteDuring his introduction to this May Bank Holiday week (or should that be weak) edition, Mike Smith makes reference to the show being broadcast live from studio 8.
ReplyDeleteStudio 8 was the second largest studio at Wood Lane's Television Centre and the main, albeit not exclusive, base for Top of The Pops before its move to Elstree Studios in 1991.
Conversely, do you know when they began transmitting TOTP from studio 8? The furthest back I can immediately recognise is 1980, with that main stage with the video screen still there in 1987 where we are now.
DeleteI'm not sure.
DeleteSteve Wright is on record as saying that, during his presenting tenure of the programme, studio 8 was the main production base, however Wright's hosting duties only date as far back as 1980 but no earlier so I'm unsure what was the norm before then.
By 1987, of course, most shows were pre-recorded, however during the two years when the programme frequently aired live (1983 and 1984), Simon Bates usually opened with a time check and studio number, therefore I'm aware that studios 3 and 6 were sometimes used (both similar in size to studio 8) and, on at least one occasion, the main studio 1.
Only studios 1, 2 and 3 now remain.
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Delete10/7/86, 14/8/86 and 13/11/86 were Studio 6 shows, mentioned by Bates at the start of the former two shows and from a camera script I saw in a Kim Wilde website of the latter.
DeleteThanks Anonymous for the upload. Any chance of the following shows? They are 15/10/70, 18/11/71 (both without the timecode), 15/07/76, 8/11/79, 4/09/80 and 2/10/80 which all had acts removed by BBC4 or were UK Gold uploads. None of these are available on the Google drive file. Thanks again!
ReplyDeletehere are most of them brie
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-GRUoyrUdtP
Fantastic Anonymous! I hope you don't mind me and several others on here asking for these shows to complete our collections but you're our only hope of getting the originals. Many thanks again!
DeleteNo dont mind at all. Im not always on here so aplogies for delays if i dont reply keep asking on new blogs etc etc.
DeleteThanks for the uploads Anonymous
DeleteJust watched Kim and Junior's complete video on YT: great if you have a high heels fetish, I suppose (!).
ReplyDeletewell in that case i might give miss weedy another chance and watch it... but with the mute button on of course ha ha
Deletei've just ff'd through it now - thx you forgot to mention the seamed stockings!
DeleteA suited and booted TOTP this week, apart from the Living In A Box singer who has come in her underwear and very distracting it was too. 😂
ReplyDeleteI like the Mac video to Big Love (although I always thought it was looking out for love) This was my first experience of the Mac and I think it took me years to realise Lyndsey Buckingham was a bloke! Quality pop song this.
Day-Pechay Mode back and what a quality song this is. Start of a much darker sound for them that will eventually lead to the brilliant Violator album. These repeats have turned me into a Mode fan. 😀
Spear of Destiny make it to the studio! This is a rather good tune that had completely past me by until last weeks TOTP. Very broody. Gonna add this tune to my 80s collection ASAP.
Breakers :
Europe: Hit 3!, who knew. 😀 This however is the worst of the 3.
The Cult: this is a bit too heavy metal for me. Bit of a misfire from them.
Sly and Robbie with Frank "breakfast time" Bough. Looks more like Paul Gambaccini. Fair play for trying to pretend the cello is played rather than sampled. Bass-The Final Frontier. Very good. Think there is far too much going on here to get some sort of cohesive tune. The sign of things to come though..
Bit of a wet day then Mike. Glad this got to the top. Like this. Was Michael J Fox not available for this film, they have gone for a real doubleganger haven't they.
Kim and Junior with rather a good video to a rather average song.
Great show this week.
I originally assumed that Lindsey Buckingham was a woman as well - even when I heard him sing, I thought "she" must just have a deep, powerful voice!
Deletei remember reading years ago that buckingham and nicks actually switched their given names with each other, although it would seem that was as erronously mythological as bob whatshisname playing the sax on "baker" street"!
DeleteSadly that is a myth, though Stevie was christened Stephanie Lynn Nicks, so her middle name isn't a million miles removed from her erstwhile lover's first name!
DeleteBit of a shock about Mark Hollis dying yesterday. One of those "Will they ever make a comeback?" recluses. Guess the answer is no, now.
ReplyDeleteUnless he goes on tour as a hologram, Elvis-style...
DeleteShame the assembled masses didn't push Shitty of his precarious perch at the end of the show given that we got 'Deepeshay' yet again, plus 'Carrie with Europe' and that execrable 'reggae voice' during the rundown.
ReplyDeleteFleetwood Mac - Not sure why awful host is so confused by this song. I really love 'Tango In The Night' and it holds a special place in my heart as the album that was on when my future wife first walked through my door (we had it playing in our wedding car too) so naturally I like all the (many) singles from it.
Depeche Mode - Yet another middling effort which their fans wet their pants over for reasons I can't fathom.
Spear Of Destiny - I do like this song, even though Kirk Brandon is annoying and the outro goes on for about a third of the song!
Breakers - You probably don't need me to point out how dreadful the Europe song is. The Cult one is better, and like the Depeche Mode song has also been on an advert recently.
Sly & Robbie - Utterly dreadful.
Don't suppose we're going to get Westworld's follow-up now are we? I miss the days when the breakers actually featured songs outside the Top 30...
Sorry, Noax, Westworld have been and gone.
DeleteMany thanks to the uploader Anonymous
ReplyDeleteBugger, thanks to life getting in the way again I've missed the download. Still, I reckon I'd only have enjoyed the first and third tunes and tolerated the second.
ReplyDeleteArthur, you can watch it here:
Deletehttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1N6ZZ0YaJTTpYUqONuTUFpvBbUzWqk7zf