Sitting in the cheap seats underneath the stars, I'm heading back to the 28th of August 1998 edition of Top of the Pops!
Looky star
28-8-98: Presenter: Jamie Theakston
(5) SWEETBOX – Everything’s Gonna Be Alright
Now at its peak.
(13) KAVANA – Special Kind Of Something
In the studio tonight but got no higher.
(7) ALDA – Real Good Time
Performing her only top ten hit and it got no higher.
(8) SPICE GIRLS – Viva Forever (via satellite)
Another repeat showing of the former number one.
(NEW) SHERYL CROW – My Favourite Mistake
Here with what will become her fourth and final top ten hit when it peaks at number 9.
(20) FOO FIGHTERS – Walking After You
In the studio tonight but got no higher.
(3) THE CORRS – What Can I Do
Here tonight with their second of six top ten hits but it got no higher.
(NEW) ROBBIE WILLIAMS – Millennium
Performing what will soon become his first of seven number one hits.
(ALBUM TRACK) ROBBIE WILLIAMS – Man Machine
From his forthcoming number one album, I've Been Expecting You.
(1) BOYZONE – No Matter What (and credits)
Third and final week at number one.
21-10-76: Presenter: Ed Stewart
ReplyDelete(NEW) STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL – (I Believe) Love’s A Prima Donna
(2) DEMIS ROUSSOS – When Forever Has Gone
(15) PAUL NICHOLAS – Dancing With The Captain
(3) ROD STEWART – Sailing (video)
(41) JOHN MILES – Remember Yesterday
(29) AVERAGE WHITE BAND – Queen Of My Soul (danced to by ??????)
(22) CLIMAX BLUES BAND – Couldn’t Get It Right
(1) PUSSYCAT – Mississippi (video) (and credits)
So this was the show with the debut of Legs & Co in late 1976, although they were only known as the Top Of The Pops Dancers on this show, because the new name was down to the viewers postcards to decide. Good Lord!
DeleteRod Stewart's Sailing video was the second successive year that it charted. Firstly at No.1 for 4 weeks in September 1975, and then a year later here in October 1976 peaking at No.3, but spent more weeks in the singles chart in this new 1976 run from September to New Year 1977 until it fell out of the charts, and the song was so iconic of the 70s.
Pussycat - just love this song and video at No.1, so good that TOTP also played out with it with the closing credits instead of putting a playout tune as normal procedure after the No.1, in this the final week of British summertime before putting the clocks back for an extra hours sleep a week later.
The first of two '76 editions in consecutive weeks and a rare sight of dear old Ed Stewart. He did a fair number but only four have survived; an edition with muted links from Dec '71, an incomplete one from Summer '72 with uncomfortable on the eyes vision (but enough about Ed's jacket), a last edition from '77 and before that, this one. They should've kept far more but there we go. He was a warm and authoritative presence, full of smiles and gentle asides and only one slight error in a link to Climax Blues Band. His welcome of the new dancers, the romance stirring '??????', was a nice bonus but his continual mention of the address for the naming competition did slow the shows momentum rather. Not that there was much in the first place. Some very plodding things on offer here and one out and out cheeseboard. Next week's '76 edition looks much better.
DeleteSteve Harley and Cockney Rebel; It starts well though with a good number that I've never heard before and Steve Harley resplendent in a sharp red suit and with all the Harley mannerisms you'd hope to see. The audience polite shoulder dancing as one though one girl at Steve's feet in a beige dress does it more enthusiastically than most, and with a permanent beaming smile. Birthday?
Demis Roussos; That's enough fun for now. Very portentious willing and with those anonymous sirens aaahing in the background but without any of the hooks of the big hit. In front of the novelty cheese grater set again. Appropriate.
Paul Nicholas; Ed's link was a minor classic. Two girls introduced as daughters of The Beverley Sisters (well, it is, er, 1976!), and we don't get their names but their mother's names. Cheers. What's more saddening, not being granted a name of your own or, in the case of Joy's daughter, actually helping Ed to confirm it! Ah well, thanks for coming, offspring of women I wouldn't be able to name from seeing them. What's next. Oh. Very funny he is in the stage play of Fawlty Towers but I've never liked a single record he's made and all the clapping and jigging he can muster can't inject worth into this rubbish. Only thing of interest, a curious water effect that swirls about bottom of screen, as if the camera literally has got water in it. Unfortunately it carried on working perfectly all through that.
Rod Stewart; Was that private joke on Ed's part? Sitting at a piano with a hat with an unidentifiable picture stuck on it. He takes it off. Still no explanation. OK. Maybe a 'Crackerjack' reference? The video to 'Sailing' looked like the '75 one but with added clips of the Ark Royal. Summing up this ponderous edition, we don't see any crew at work, just parts of the boat. And a Harrier. That's fairly exciting.
Welcome time for the new dancers then. First names for the class please; Rosie and Pauline from their one words are exactly as I expected them to be. Their last appearance will be almost exactly to the day 5 years later.
John Miles; Another slow paced song then. Reasonably pleasant and John Miles sporting a decent collarless top, at the piano, on top of a multi-tiered stage. A strange band arrangement for this, when they finally all appear; the drummer (who's contributution sounds like someone kicking a cardboard box) located front of camera and far away from the others and the bassist perched awkwardly on the first tier. In flares that he could trip on with the slightest movement. Tune ok but another ponderous few minutes.
Pt.2;
DeleteAverage White Band; It's ?????? the dance troupe! I say it like that because they dance on what looks a lot like the musical box from 'Camberwick Green'. The lack of coming up from inside it or going down again is compensated for by a pleasantly diaphanous and wafting routine that welcomes ?????? nicely enough. Which ? impressed? Rosie for me definitely She makes a wonderful entrance being the first close up that we see and gives a very alluring look to camera. Record was romantic sounding if rather dated.
Climax Blues Band; Introduced by Ed as "Gotta Get It Right!" Yes that would help the programme along Ed, particularly for a song called 'Couldn't Get It Right'. Another languid number but this one more interesting than the others. Maybe because it sounds like an archetypal Californian AOR belter sung an octave lower. Also it's catchy and fun. The dramatic lighting work during much of this suggested that the production team expected something a little more visceral from a group with the name of the Climax Blues Band than what they were presented with and the lead hairy could've made a bit of an effort in the dressing up dept but still a late bit of class on this edition.
Pussycat; Was this edition chosen because of an appearance from the late Joe Bugner? Maybe or just an opportunity to get a bit of Ed but still thanks. Joe does little but say the No.1 record then engage Ed in a comic bit of sparring which seemed to genuinely startle our presenter as the camera fades into the video for 'Missossippi'. Same here Dory. I love this one. A deserved No.1 and what a voice the lead singer had. The video like the song probably influenced by 'Showboat'. Interestingly, exactly 7 years and 1 day after this video got its first showing while at the top, Culture Club were at No.1 with a paddle boat set video as well. Oh pop! Great fun with the credits over the top and the peddle steel obviously quite a sight. Would like to know if he or anyone could truly get an even vaguely listenable sound out of it while playing it with a revolver. Howard Keel didn't have to sit like this, thinks man above right.
Yes indeed, Karma Chameleon was the Culture Club video!
DeleteOne of those weird coincidences! The same October week 7 years apart for those videos. Actually it was 1 day short of exactly 7 years that they both got a showing while at No.1.
DeleteI would just give it by a whisker to the Pussycat video over the Culture Club video!
DeleteAt first I couldn't understand why this 1998 show was 40 minutes long, as TOTP was forever shortened to 30 minutes in 1985 at the dawn of Eastenders, so this appeared to be an about turn, but then I realised it was because Robbie Williams insisted on, or was invited to play two consecutive songs on the show, but whatever the reason, it was for a moment a throwback to the 70s and early 80s where a 35 or 40 minute TOTP show was the norm.
ReplyDeleteIt was moved to BBC Two due to the World Athletics coverage being shown on BBC One.
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