tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post6151541365677132663..comments2024-03-28T08:27:50.067+00:00Comments on Never Forget ~ Top of the Pops 1995: Top of the Pops (is Going to Help Me)Angelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090709386124664912noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-41408985117633178682016-01-29T22:08:13.548+00:002016-01-29T22:08:13.548+00:00The Fade to Grey video was ground breaking at the ...The Fade to Grey video was ground breaking at the time and despite being released early in the year still stuck in people's minds for the end of year 'Record Mirror' poll where it made the top10.sct353https://www.blogger.com/profile/15640119850898956884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-35130691686957737712016-01-29T22:05:58.856+00:002016-01-29T22:05:58.856+00:00I'm way behind on these shows having watched o...I'm way behind on these shows having watched out of order. Regarding Blondie, I thought 'Island of lost souls' was top 10 in 1982, but not so; top 11.sct353https://www.blogger.com/profile/15640119850898956884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-59220930316693543742016-01-24T14:14:14.126+00:002016-01-24T14:14:14.126+00:00Did anyone else notice Dire Straits (straights ) s...Did anyone else notice Dire Straits (straights ) spelt wrong in the chart countdown Morgiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959948878421433865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-24989720510698496582016-01-24T14:11:22.730+00:002016-01-24T14:11:22.730+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Morgiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959948878421433865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-51925179853206301532016-01-23T17:46:00.659+00:002016-01-23T17:46:00.659+00:00sorry chaps but had to find the "track" ...sorry chaps but had to find the "track" in question to see if i was right or not... and i wasn't! it is in fact "you're such a funky spastic" by fictitious band funktionale, and it's about halfway through this video:<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYoH4q-4sfY<br /><br />... and apart from the infectious melody, in my view a sterling piece of funk!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-57862113264523951922016-01-23T17:31:38.947+00:002016-01-23T17:31:38.947+00:00"backfired" aptly describes the cover fo..."backfired" aptly describes the cover for the "koo koo" album, where debs' face has been skewered several times by hr giger (of "alien" fame). i presume it was intended to cause controversy and therefore attract attention, but instead i think it actually put punters off buying it!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-51013420309763927082016-01-23T17:27:26.432+00:002016-01-23T17:27:26.432+00:00whoever came up with that last title clearly neede...whoever came up with that last title clearly needed to get a grip on themselves!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-73068166113369764112016-01-22T20:23:10.581+00:002016-01-22T20:23:10.581+00:00Thanks Wilb, I'll give the studio version a cl...Thanks Wilb, I'll give the studio version a close listen when I've got the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-40078618169231999432016-01-22T18:09:12.725+00:002016-01-22T18:09:12.725+00:00Even better, the 89 remix was called 'Grip 89 ...Even better, the 89 remix was called 'Grip 89 ((Get A) Grip (On Yourself))' !!!Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-56933860436160300062016-01-22T18:07:13.454+00:002016-01-22T18:07:13.454+00:00Even better, the 89 remix was called 'Grip 89 ...Even better, the 89 remix was called 'Grip 89 ((Get A) Grip (On Yourself))' !!!Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-70442826041291960292016-01-22T18:02:31.598+00:002016-01-22T18:02:31.598+00:00All....this is nothing compared to having watched ...All....this is nothing compared to having watched a daily episode of The Incredible Hulk, that is 5 shows a week (Monday to Friday), compared to the original run in 1978-1982 with the customary one episode a week on ITV.<br /><br />Suffice to say that the Horror Channel just finished showing the 5th and final series of the cult comic-book series a couple of days ago with the last episode of the 5 seasons.Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-86182497226737539552016-01-22T17:20:20.799+00:002016-01-22T17:20:20.799+00:00(Get a) Grip (on Yourself) by the Stranglers is fa...(Get a) Grip (on Yourself) by the Stranglers is fairly heavy on the paranthesescharlie cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09051342047720711857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-44519375741298271632016-01-21T21:37:58.469+00:002016-01-21T21:37:58.469+00:00And how about Chuck Beret? And how about Chuck Beret? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-80084210101374474852016-01-21T21:37:01.967+00:002016-01-21T21:37:01.967+00:00Re song titles with parenthesis perhaps the ultima...Re song titles with parenthesis perhaps the ultimate was Heaven 17's (And that's no lie) which was ALL in brackets.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-45332278498453985722016-01-21T21:36:07.669+00:002016-01-21T21:36:07.669+00:00according to wiki the phrase "burn rubber on ...according to wiki the phrase "burn rubber on me" actually isn't some euthemism for sexual acts, which i find hard to beleive. of course it was around this time that the gang of four got pulled from a totp show for refusing to replace the word "rubbers" in the lyric of their single, thus pretty much spiking their career and (as i've just learned via wiki) indavertently boosting that of soon-to-be-seen duran duran!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-80866923367084884382016-01-21T21:23:38.944+00:002016-01-21T21:23:38.944+00:00Debbie Harry released her solo album Kookoo in 198...Debbie Harry released her solo album Kookoo in 1981 which was produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers and Backfired was a minor hit reaching no 32.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-17114556044240863182016-01-21T20:48:38.675+00:002016-01-21T20:48:38.675+00:00Blimey the show actually starts with the TOTP logo...Blimey the show actually starts with the TOTP logo this week for the first time in years (falls of seat in shock).<br /><br />Peter Powell on high-waister trouser and half hidden Beatles teeshirt presenting duties and we're back to panning cameras this week between the acts and presenter, with less sharp cuts.<br /><br />The Look with The Biyte again. A much smaller crowd this week so no one on the steps behind the band. I seem to recall that the end of this song on the record is a continuous locked groove so it goes on forever.<br /><br />Blondie Rapture on video. I remember being totally blown away by this at the time, the song and the video. Is that actually Fab Five Freddie at the wheels of steel?<br /><br />Last week The Look and The Beat were on the same show. This week Spandex Bollox and The Freeze. Are Freeez on this week? No. Shame. Of all the new romantic bands I think the Spands were the one I hated the most at the time mainly because they all looked like such ridiculous posers jumping on the dressing up box bandwaggon. Really this is just a rewrite of to Cut a long Story Short but they got away with it.<br /><br />Oh no it's Racey again, er racing up the charts.<br /><br />A lot of beard action this week - one of Blondie, Tony Hadley and one XTC's guitarist. Also a lot of doubling up of instruments with Gary Kemp on guitar and synth, Racey's pianist doing sax duties and XTC's guitarist on trombone. I actually bought this XTC single and had a soft spot for them back then. I like Andy Partridge's sargeant stripe guitar strap and matching customised guitar. And I like the coy faces he pulls when singing certain lines. Methinks I shall dig out my old XTC albums this week.<br /><br />Visage Fade To Grey on video. So many influences here from Bowie to Leigh Bowrey and it was directed by Godley and Creme. In November 1981 after I walked out of college I got a job at a film research company in Soho. The pay was dreadful but it was an interesting job and I got to meet a lot of people. The guy who ran the company told me that he met a lot of video directors including Mike Mansfield (who did the Adam Ant vids) and Godley and Creme. He said they were pretty green and asked a lot of questions. He was most amused that he managed to sell them loads of vintage film leaders (which you can get anywhere for free) but they seemed to have learned very quickly as this is pretty good and still stands out today. I won't tell you what he said about Mike Mansfield.<br /><br />Legs not following the tradition of going commando under the kilt. Quite what all this has to do with the song or Yarbourogh and Peopes is anyone's guess.<br /><br />Stuff like Turn Me Off Turn Me On made the charts in France all the time usually sung by teenage girls. I remember this from the time and dismissing it as rubbish but she was a protege of Jimmy Pursey. Around the same time Peter Townsend similarly had a teenage girl protege of his own who was equally forgettable (her name escapes me now).<br /><br />Bad Manners again. They could have shown the video here which partly explains why Buster is dressed as Henry VIII but as a lot of the video repeats what is happening here there might not be any point. <br /><br />Nice to see an alternative live clip of The Specials in the Top Ten rundown which i believe is from the Dance Craze film. Not so nice is the close up of Phil Collins' ugly mug where he looks like he has a stocking over his head (I forget who first said that). Why not show the clip of him from before.? The BBC, they give with one hand and take away with the other.<br /><br />Lennon again and play out with The Gap Band. At that time I had never heard the expression burn rubber on me and thought it was some weird kinky sex thingAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-8900992759028576612016-01-21T20:14:08.633+00:002016-01-21T20:14:08.633+00:00It'z all very odd isn't it? For me persona...It'z all very odd isn't it? For me personally, twice a week every week indefinitely works. Sorry Angelo. Thanks though for what you do. It doesn't go unnoticed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-60259636521556121262016-01-21T12:34:02.603+00:002016-01-21T12:34:02.603+00:00Looking back at the no.22 hit this week, Lorraine ...Looking back at the no.22 hit this week, Lorraine by Bad Manners, it seems that the mouth organ was put to good use here, and rarely used in pop music, but came off very well on this track. Does anyone know of any other hits of the time with this fantastic instrument?<br /><br />I found this superb 4-minute performance by Stan Laurel from the film Pick A Star, and the same mouth instrument was put to good use on Lorraine this week.<br />Suffice to say that it's difficult to pick which of the two performances came off best. Any opinions?<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7dJfDST2fIDoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-83116800839234845252016-01-21T11:09:01.390+00:002016-01-21T11:09:01.390+00:00by the way, good to see you back with us again 20t...by the way, good to see you back with us again 20th cent!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-86861354398143918302016-01-21T07:12:04.364+00:002016-01-21T07:12:04.364+00:00i don't know about bolder's mistake in the...i don't know about bolder's mistake in the re-discovered totp version, but there was a cock-up in the originial studio version with the musicians uncertain when to switch to the first chorus, resulting in an extra bar and bowie muttering something incomprehensible (ironically it was bolder who switched at the right point, with bowie and ronson messing up).when i played in a bowie tribute band we always had to put this "mistake" in our rendition of the song as we felt it was expected by the punters, even though it never felt right! but i don't know if bowie himself deliberately performed it that way live as a consequence of what happened? of course had that error happened nowadays they would probably either have snipped out the offending bar, or re-recorded it!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-14318761785922362132016-01-20T22:49:13.938+00:002016-01-20T22:49:13.938+00:00I'm back, now with unlimited broadband and boy...I'm back, now with unlimited broadband and boy it looks like I need it! May I give my belated thanks for making the previous Yewtreed edition available.<br /><br />I was never really into this New Romantic thing, although the music was listenable enough, therefore the highlights for me so far this year include the Beat, the Look, XTC, Honey Bane and the brilliant Susan Fassbender. How anyone can appear out of obscurity, release the perfect pop song and go back to where they came from is beyond me. I never knew that it wasn't her real name and that she came to a tragic end just a decade after this. One learns things on this blog. But it's only a matter of weeks (well, next week reading the above) before she's eclipsed by another female vocalist debuting with the best synthpop song ever!<br /><br />Finally, while we're remembering all things Bowie, spare a thought for poor Trevor Bolder, who went to his grave in 2013 being remembered for fluffing his bass part 40 years previously on a live TOTP performance which was thought to have been long dead and buried....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-60408008723781848552016-01-19T17:56:13.055+00:002016-01-19T17:56:13.055+00:00Oh, probably. I meant that it just sounded remarka...Oh, probably. I meant that it just sounded remarkably like The Gap Band song!<br /><br />And now it's in my head again - AARGGHHH!!Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-11499722989844425352016-01-19T14:25:31.983+00:002016-01-19T14:25:31.983+00:00Sad to hear of the death of Glen Frey of The Eagle...Sad to hear of the death of Glen Frey of The Eagles yesterday. His lead vocals on a number of their hits were a reflection of the golden days of rock-solid American music that touched many of our our lives.<br /><br />I was only 8 years old in 1976 when Hotel California was first released, and it is one of my first memories of the type of excellent music on offer that was coming through to us here in Britain. A sad loss to the music world with the loss of Mr Frey.Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-49459344911820566602016-01-19T09:11:58.159+00:002016-01-19T09:11:58.159+00:00Yes, it is interesting how Blondie and ABBA seemed...Yes, it is interesting how Blondie and ABBA seemed so dominant in 1980, but within a couple of years their time had gone. It just goes to show how quickly things can change in the music world.John Gnoreply@blogger.com