tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post2602796547177533534..comments2024-03-28T23:09:18.798+00:00Comments on Never Forget ~ Top of the Pops 1995: Strut Your Funky Top of the Pops!Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090709386124664912noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-77853260448757514902014-10-10T10:20:20.858+01:002014-10-10T10:20:20.858+01:00good to see you back and catching up with us bama....good to see you back and catching up with us bama...wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-78127944100887714642014-10-09T17:13:26.007+01:002014-10-09T17:13:26.007+01:00Isn't it 'Groos' on the ELO song? Tha...Isn't it 'Groos' on the ELO song? That's what I've been led to believe, gibberish though it is.<br /><br />As for Bill Lovelady, I think we can all guess what he really means when he's talking about his 'Interceptor'. As for the rest, gawd knows.Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-92080617728343633772014-10-08T22:25:12.665+01:002014-10-08T22:25:12.665+01:00Arthur I went to the same gig as you and I had a b...Arthur I went to the same gig as you and I had a bacon and mushroom Toast Topper for my tea after I came home from college. On the same bill were The Swinging Cats and John Otway, the crowd gave Otway a hard time as I recall and everyone was annoyed because there was no room to dance, so some of us danced in the aisles and got reprimanded by the security. Happy days.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-73038983302063616572014-10-08T22:20:56.957+01:002014-10-08T22:20:56.957+01:00A bit late here but better late than never, I now ...A bit late here but better late than never, I now have four shows to comment on and another one tomorrow<br /><br />Frantique I never really liked but it's pretty harmless now. Nice new shiny chart graphics.<br /><br />I liked The Ruts and bought this at the time. I briefly adopted Malcolm Owen's braces and narrow jeans look which looked equally cool with plimsolls or boots. It's pretty obvious here that the rest of the band have an image problem (they wanted to be in a heavy metal band and Owen waned to be in a punk/skinhead band) and sadly by the time they sorted it out he would be dead.<br /><br />I hated Vandy Ramraider with a vengance. Not sure if it was the fact that his face looked as though it was trapped between two lift doors, the general dreariness of the song or the fact that the lyrics don't make sense, but just when I had forgotten about it along came the lover's rock cover.<br /><br />"Something for everyone". They're certainly is sir. Madness. What can you say. I have seen this clip countless times but never with Peter's intro and the skinhead fan which kind of makes it all the better. Perfection.<br /><br />That Roxy video again which is fun and then The Crusaders which is pretty damn fine. I never cared much for Randy Crawford's solo stuff but this is superb. They're miming of course but its nice to see them in the flesh.<br /><br />I had forgotten about this ELO song and the video, pretty heavy stuff and a nice variation on their usual sound. Apparently this was the first ELO song with no strings. After recording it, they fired their string section, leaving 4 members in the band who did the next four ELO albums. Who was Bruce though?<br /><br />The Legs routine with the giant teddys for The Bellamy Bros is pretty weird, not least because of the extras watching them sat at tables. I hadn't realised at the time how C&W flavoured this tune is.<br /><br />Nice organ sound on the Racey song. Is it a Farfisa? Strange how the band have now dropped the 1950s college boy look except for the rat-toothed lead singer. Hearing this now it sounds as though they were coming out and singing about being in love with a boy.<br /><br />Bill Lovelady, a self-confessed country boy singing about reggae with steel drums. Confused, I know I am. Also I checked out the lyric which is :<br /><br />Called her up at midnight, Cadogan Kate<br />Take your Interceptor right to her gate<br />Let her do the driving<br />Soon you will find<br />Man, that girl will drive you right out of your mind<br /><br />Anyone know what all that mans?<br /><br />That weird Boney M clip again, spot the little guy in the undergrowth. Great verses, awful chorus.<br /><br />Cliff in black leather and black lame. Nice EMI belt buckle. This performance clearly recorded before the audience arrived or after they left to go home apart from Suggs who is visible in the background.<br /><br />One down, three to go.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-9885703919634161512014-10-01T21:45:01.461+01:002014-10-01T21:45:01.461+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Arthur Nibblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11547006132533866220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-47341235863062939782014-10-01T16:31:41.232+01:002014-10-01T16:31:41.232+01:00Took about a minute to find out L*cy Por*er is the...Took about a minute to find out L*cy Por*er is the "complainant". I agree with the person who says an exclusive is imminent......Leetreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11035413044956471349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-75139257090624674982014-10-01T10:00:28.969+01:002014-10-01T10:00:28.969+01:00The plaintiff can easily be found by checking a T...The plaintiff can easily be found by checking a TV / movie website called IMDb and looking down the list of researchers for "Mrs. Merton" in 1995. She's a comedienne, not completely mainstream but a regular on Channel 4 comedy shows, she's diminutive and (from some publicity shots you can see) she's quite proud of her assets.<br /><br />While I'm on the subject, thank God that "Doctor" Fox didn't present TOTP - we'd be decimated by now!Arthur Nibblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11547006132533866220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-47602680027480404052014-09-30T22:58:02.404+01:002014-09-30T22:58:02.404+01:00just remembered abc "all of my heart" th...just remembered abc "all of my heart" that falls into said category - in my opinion the ending is much better than the rest of the song...wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-91318708561566091802014-09-30T21:10:19.616+01:002014-09-30T21:10:19.616+01:00I don't think we need to give her the air of p...I don't think we need to give her the air of publicity on here, do we? (A Guardian exclusive is probably only days away in any case)<br /><br />It took me about 2 minutes on Google to find out so you should have similar success.<br /><br />Nice to know that all of 4 people complaining about the verdict means that it's being looked at again. FFS! (and how does that even work - can anyone complain about any judge's verdict, even if not directly involved in the case?!)Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-16943468291661934592014-09-30T19:30:28.408+01:002014-09-30T19:30:28.408+01:00so who is it arthur? spill the beans or at least g...so who is it arthur? spill the beans or at least give us a clue...wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-22614958754899437222014-09-30T15:34:17.199+01:002014-09-30T15:34:17.199+01:00yes, no 70's jazz-funk-fusion outfit was worth...yes, no 70's jazz-funk-fusion outfit was worth its salt without the "electric" piano (that was usually a fender rhodes) - due to the unique gloopy sound, keyboard whizzes like joe sample always seemed to do things on them that they couldn't have duplicated on the traditional joanna. my first "in the flesh" encounter with a rhodes was in the late 90's, and i was surprised to learn there was no on/off switch to make it work - you just plugged it into an amplifer the same way as solid-bodied guitars. i then discovered that any rhodes being sold anywhere in blighty (in working order or not) were being snapped up by employees of jamiroquai to be cannibalised for spare parts!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-11581425494329818312014-09-30T14:45:44.961+01:002014-09-30T14:45:44.961+01:00just the mention of chris eubank starts me up in f...just the mention of chris eubank starts me up in fits of mirth, so i had to see if his totp presenting was on youtube. and it's in this extremely rare footage of something funny actually happening on "never mind the buzzcocks":<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmhk7B1hdfY<br /><br />well remembered arthur!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-38192755195738217532014-09-29T22:30:28.414+01:002014-09-29T22:30:28.414+01:00Okay, so writing a critique after two months' ...Okay, so writing a critique after two months' absence should be as easy as riding a bike. Trouble is, I can’t actually ride a bike!<br /><br />The Ruts single was the least accessible of their four top 50 hits. I loved the other three – “Babylon’s Burning”, “Staring AtThe Rude Boys” and “West One (Shine On Me)”. Malcolm Owen was dressed like one of those aggressive Weetabix in the TV ads but, if he hadn’t succumbed to drug abuse, I reckon The Ruts might have made it over the precipice and been more successful.<br /><br />Aha, Cathal Smth, aka Chas Smash, the pre-Bez Bez! In fairness to Madness, they were decent musicians. Check sax player Lee Thompson’s ultra-long early note at the start of “My Girl”. Suggs may not be the best vocalist, but he gave us one of the best chart rundown moments, when guest presenter and top lisper Chris Eubank had to say “at six, it’s “Cecilia” by Suggs”. <br /><br />Nice matching peach and black garb by The Crusaders, complete with the second Randy on the show. Mind you, this Randy was the randier and won the Thelma Houston Award for best unsupported actress. Joe Sample had a very apt surname bearing in mind how many pieces of his work have been plagiarised, erm, reworked by lesser artists. Loved the eclectic drumkit set-up.<br /><br />Not The Eclectic Light Orchestra. File the video under Gerry Rafferty.<br /><br />A grizzly routine for Legs & Co, at polar opposites to their talent. They should have used the teddies for Thom Bell’s theme tune to the kiddies’ show about the man and bear, or even for Randy Vanwarmer, whose single was released on the Bearsville label. Yes, I know, I really should get out more.<br /><br />Bill Lovelady’s effort set a new record for the most people on stage for a lightweight piece of fluff. That harmonica player really looked slappable.<br /><br />Okay, so which one of Boney M was Barbra Streisand?<br /><br />Rubbish grammar on Cliff’s T-shirt. It’s either Rock AND Roll or Rock ‘N’ Roll. And they complain about chavs’ spelling thees daiz.Arthur Nibblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11547006132533866220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-10040479363175520922014-09-29T22:14:04.506+01:002014-09-29T22:14:04.506+01:00Rich Kids
Jilted JohnRich Kids<br />Jilted JohnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-2092229811825400302014-09-29T22:06:27.094+01:002014-09-29T22:06:27.094+01:00Status Quo's Living On An Island springs to mi...Status Quo's Living On An Island springs to mind (must be coming up soon?), and it even has a cool key change.<br /><br />Then there's Rat Trap, but that sounds like a number of different compositions cobbled together anyway...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-16740970053234486582014-09-29T21:26:16.194+01:002014-09-29T21:26:16.194+01:00A show of highs and lows I thought, the lows being...A show of highs and lows I thought, the lows being Legs & Co in particular, poorly represented here in my opinion: first of all picking up and putting down suitcases and then dancing with giant teddy bears (what on earth was Flick smoking when she thought that one up?).<br /><br />Good opener though, but yes, I agree that it doesn't have the commercial impact of Babylon's Burning and I realise that you have to be a funny age and into that type of music in the first place to appreciate it.<br /><br />Good stuff from Madness, Roxy Music, the Crusaders (an electric piano solo - so 1979!) and ELO. In fact it was Don't Bring Me Down which made me sit up and take notice of ELO - until then I had thought of their music as little more than overblown stuff with cellos and things. I can remember being a bit on-off them during the following two years but from the Time LP onwards I was a fan!<br /><br />The show then seemed to go downhill towards the end with repeats and stuff we've heard before, although Seaside Special always evokes a warm nostalgic feeling (Saturday evenings at my grandparents and all that). And then finishing up again with Mr. Lip Sync - notice that on this performance he turns away from the camera during that ad-lib bit towards the end....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-14226111047356854092014-09-29T20:13:13.710+01:002014-09-29T20:13:13.710+01:00It seems like months since we've got to see a ...It seems like months since we've got to see a repeat! Oh yeah, it is....<br /><br />A bit of a slow start too. Frantique's effort is OK, nothing more, and I'd never heard The Ruts song before. I'm not particularly keen to hear it again.<br /><br />Randy Vanwarmer - Ahhh, Mr.Transit-fondler. Am I the only one hear who doesn't mind this song? I can see why they brought on the ladies to spice it up visually though.<br /><br />Madness - Certainly not their best single (that'll be 'One Better Day' for me, millions would disagree) but a typical performance and a taste of things to come.<br /><br />Roxy Music - Marvellous. Who wouldn't want to be Bryan Ferry in his late 70s / early 80s pomp? Looking forward to more of their great singles from this period.<br /><br />The Crusaders - I was never that excited by this when it was out. Then I had to play it 1,000 times on the radio. So while I appreciate it, I don't enjoy it.<br /><br />ELO - Top tune. Another fairly bland video (why the pink wash?) and I really don't understand why they wouldn't turn up to perform on the show.<br /><br />Bellamy Brothers - I prefer the Barron Knights version (which I'm guessing we might hear later in the year if we're lucky) which was 'If I jumped into the back of your lorry would you take me to Finchley.....'<br />This is bland and the Legs routine is awful.<br /><br />Racey - I like this! I know that's wrong, but leave me to my sadness.<br /><br />Bill Lovelady - See above.<br /><br />Boney M - And again, though I guess this has some minor element of cool since 'Barbra Streisand'.<br /><br />Cliff - Oh, the vanity. Not so long ago he was performing this in front of an audience, now he has to have a stage to himself. Though I do wonder if this was because he wanted some of the lighting effects to be just so and needed a separate space (or adjacent studio?)<br />Peter Powell wanders off halfway through and surely he wouldn't need to do that on a pre-record?Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-53283532678290203032014-09-28T23:20:56.281+01:002014-09-28T23:20:56.281+01:00I've checked out the full length video of that...I've checked out the full length video of that ELO track on YouTube and I take it back, the flying saucer is indeed there, TOTP just cut it off before it appeared.THXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-56300527970424380502014-09-28T21:56:55.314+01:002014-09-28T21:56:55.314+01:00I used the nickname when I played my first gig in ...I used the nickname when I played my first gig in 1986 and it's stuck ever since, to the point where some mates still call me Nibble instead of my proper name.Arthur Nibblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11547006132533866220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-88701019887636283152014-09-28T20:49:57.705+01:002014-09-28T20:49:57.705+01:00forgot to mention in my review that one thing i li...forgot to mention in my review that one thing i like about the roxy music track is that the end/fadeout is completely different to the rest of the song. other tracks that i liked for the same reason are bowie's cover of "sorrow", the sutherland brothers' "arms of mary", and various versions of the jim webb classic "by the time i get to phoenix". can anyone think of any other similar tracks?wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-28866247956948051702014-09-28T20:46:24.121+01:002014-09-28T20:46:24.121+01:00not boring at all arthur - it's great that you...not boring at all arthur - it's great that you noted and kept aside something like that from such a long time ago, in what then seemed the unlikely event of you ever actually having the opportunity to use it...although maybe you have nostradamus-like abilities?wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-79024376679463791082014-09-27T21:52:39.486+01:002014-09-27T21:52:39.486+01:00TOTP 13.09.79 is now available on 4shared.comTOTP 13.09.79 is now available on 4shared.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-45472484472529896352014-09-27T21:42:24.120+01:002014-09-27T21:42:24.120+01:00Boring but true...I owe my nom-de-plume to The Nut...Boring but true...I owe my nom-de-plume to The Nutty Boys. I was going to a Madness gig at the Hammersmith Odeon circa Christmas 1980 without having any dinner. My mum said "You've got to eat something - half a nibble's better than nothing at all". I thought to myself "Arthur Nibble - that would be a handy nickname if I ever need one, and the rest is history.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784330306408735232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-5598238599157826672014-09-27T20:43:57.042+01:002014-09-27T20:43:57.042+01:00re madness: i went to the manchester central libra...re madness: i went to the manchester central library last week and noticed that an autobiography of suggs was on display in the music section. much as i like madness and suggs, i couldn't help thinking: was there really that much interest to justify such a thing? mind you, madness have previous form when it comes to documenting their past: their self-financed biopic where they played themselves ("take it or leave it"). it happened to be shown somewhere on freeview a couple of years back and i watched it out of interest and it was reasonably entertaining, but again wondered whether it really was worth the time and effort (and money!)...wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-76175021040302424982014-09-27T00:13:22.761+01:002014-09-27T00:13:22.761+01:00Patti AND Cherry Gillespie (my two favourite PanLe...Patti AND Cherry Gillespie (my two favourite PanLeggers) in the same movie? That's my Christmas present sorted! :-DAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784330306408735232noreply@blogger.com