tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post6572645860790964013..comments2024-03-28T23:09:18.798+00:00Comments on Never Forget ~ Top of the Pops 1995: Lay All Your Top of the Pops on MeAngelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16090709386124664912noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-60377811514159914582016-04-09T18:36:24.948+01:002016-04-09T18:36:24.948+01:00roy wood of wizzard fame actually released a (some...roy wood of wizzard fame actually released a (somewhat john barry-inspired) instrumental track called "premium bond theme":<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yImuKRAPSpIwilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-29187737868239331002016-04-03T17:07:14.193+01:002016-04-03T17:07:14.193+01:00Another decent outing by Dickie Skinner, much bett...Another decent outing by Dickie Skinner, much better than most of the show, apart from cobbling REO Speedwagon’s song title up and calling those Vapors and Gidea Park songs hits or in the charts when they’re weren’t in the mugshots. Mind you, I was more interested in that vision in the green top and yellow ra ra skirt- definitely ‘ra ra’ in my opinion!<br /><br />The incredibly haired Dave Fenton was, and is again, a solicitor either side of his Vapors career. Shame “News At ten” missed out on coverage due to ‘that strike’ as I thought it was better than this admittedly decent effort. I sensed a slight rip-off of Supertramp’s “Logical Song” in that lyrical list of what Heaven is near the end of the song.<br /><br />Sheena’s James/ Brooke / Premium Bond theme simply reminded me of the Tiswas version ”For Your Pies Only” which went out live with the singer (John Gorman in drag?) getting loads of pie-in-the-mush action.<br /><br />Oh God, it’s Shaky with that bloody Elvis dance again. Almost makes me pine for Showaddywaddy. I did say almost.<br /><br />Never mind the awful REO Speedwagon guitar solo, that automated mic could have knocked the drummer out if he’d tilted his head at that precise moment.<br /><br />Legs & Co involved in a bit of pillar / pole dancing in that church setting? Hmmm. I liked the outfits and routine and I thought the extra coverage for Patti was heavenly (apart from that bloody stop-start screen effect).<br /><br />Tight Fit were so dreadful, I see they weren’t even given the usual courtesy of a mugshot. First time a record in a top 30 rundown didn’t get one?<br /><br />Visage – oh dear oh dear oh dear. No sympathy for Steve from me. If ever you wanted a classic example of style over substance, this was it.<br />From memory, whenever I’ve travelled on a particular part of the tube network, the train usually fast forwards through Gidea Park. So did I.<br /><br />Again, lovely outfits for the Leggers in the outro. I take it that was the first time a TOTP dance troupe had strutted their stuff to both an act and then a medley of that act in the same show?Arthur Nibblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11547006132533866220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-59343541897773452862016-04-02T22:08:48.683+01:002016-04-02T22:08:48.683+01:00Pleased to say that a crisp version of Stars On 45...Pleased to say that a crisp version of Stars On 45 from the 7th May edition has just been pasted on Utube a couple of weeks ago. The version we saw on this blog from Neil B's copy was scrambled at the beginning from a VCR recording, but it seems this new posting is crisp and fresh and how it was in 1981!<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIvjWwpne-EDoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-19052564633114673062016-04-02T21:47:14.266+01:002016-04-02T21:47:14.266+01:00Starsound playout - I think the Leggers eyed up th...Starsound playout - I think the Leggers eyed up through the whole show, who would be a soft touch in the studio audience, and must have discussed among themselves who to pick out, i.e., the shy ones, who would be unlikely to take advantage and dance the girls dizzy to tire them out. Now just imagine if that happened! It was a case of girl power here, or simply girls taking the lead for a change. <br /><br />The late night repeat had much more of the playout/dancing with Legs & Co, and was fantastic to end the show with such energy and spirit I thought.Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-23621739217794539112016-04-02T21:34:56.813+01:002016-04-02T21:34:56.813+01:00The beauty of this playout of Stars On 45 Vol 2 wi...The beauty of this playout of Stars On 45 Vol 2 with Legs & Co, is that their love for dancing really came to the fore that night where they picked out some young men from the audience who probably couldn't believe their luck, and I'm pleased that none of them went over the top to tire out the girls, but that would have been something if it had happened, and I would have loved to see it. They just seemed so shy, and it just played into the hands (and legs) of the Leggers.Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-43661782086171133172016-04-02T21:30:34.648+01:002016-04-02T21:30:34.648+01:00Bama, while Roger Moore was already 53 at the time...Bama, while Roger Moore was already 53 at the time of this Bond film and Sheena Easton's video, it must be remembered that Jimmy Saville was 55 and Benny Hill was 57. Roger Moore is still very much with us, and bless his soul, he's 88 now, and still very strong and humorous. A true legend!Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-54233807724298252012016-04-02T21:22:55.104+01:002016-04-02T21:22:55.104+01:00Completely agree Noax, and as a tribute to Thunder...Completely agree Noax, and as a tribute to Thunderclap, I've been listening all day to Something In The Air.<br /><br />I'm just surprised that people such as The Two Ronnies or Ali G never thought of doing a spoof of this title, referring to something in the air being a nasty smell that someone had let off after a good curry.Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-82348088785771625072016-04-02T21:18:55.568+01:002016-04-02T21:18:55.568+01:00At first I thought The Vapors were singing about J...At first I thought The Vapors were singing about Jimmy Jones, the man who took 'Good Timin' to the top of the chart in the 60s, but I thought that was unlikely. Now that I know the story of who they really were singing about....well, I wish it were the other one!<br />Oh, and the song - alright I s'pose.....<br /><br />The Sheena Easton song is just average for me, not the best Bond theme but certainly not the worst!<br /><br />The Shaky song is alright, but not as good as his last single. Goodness knows why it was such a big hit.<br /><br />Not overly keen on REO Speedwagon's either, their previous single being the only one of theirs that I like.<br /><br />Then things finally pick up with a great ABBA tune. No video of course, so it was always going to be Legs. I agree with almost everyone else though - not their finest routine.<br /><br />The Tight Fit medley is entertaining if not musically very good. I never could stand Rosko - one of the few Radio 1 shows I would avoid when I was a kid. His miming is awful too. I once had the misfortune to see one of the few TOTP that he presented when UK Gold were repeating the 70s ones - he talked such complete gibberish that he made Savile look like a paragon of common sense.<br /><br />Unlike most here it seems, I love 'Visage' - much better than the previous single. I also rather like the video, while recognising that it did, in the words of Alan Partridge, make him look like 'SUCH a big head'.<br /><br />Gidea Park - the opposite of Tight Fit. Musically quite well done, but really uninspiring.<br /><br />Starsound extended playout (yay!) - I too spotted the white tie and tails guy dancing with Rosie (lucky git!) - top hat presumably just out of shot. Some of the guys are barely bothering though, particularly the one with Patti. Are they mad?!Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-47654448535965367652016-04-02T21:15:56.698+01:002016-04-02T21:15:56.698+01:00Sanity at last, I'm still a fan of one show pe...Sanity at last, I'm still a fan of one show per week, so at least this is some solace for us.Doryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07718769648375882927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-56250552660777716062016-04-02T21:03:28.909+01:002016-04-02T21:03:28.909+01:00I love 'Something In The Air'. That bit wh...I love 'Something In The Air'. That bit where the instrumental break ends and you get that rising note that leads back into the main body of the song is one of the finest moments in music ever, no question.Noaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790474836630218113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-85918020438621609962016-04-02T20:34:55.526+01:002016-04-02T20:34:55.526+01:00when it comes to describing steve strange, i don&#...when it comes to describing steve strange, i don't the phrase "a nice guy" would likely come to mind. but to me he was a fascinating figure who had a great influence on popular culture of the early 80's and beyond. i recommend his autobiography to anyone currently watching these totp repeats...wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-71261045400812892832016-04-02T19:59:13.869+01:002016-04-02T19:59:13.869+01:00Lani Hall sung the NSNA theme. I never considered ...Lani Hall sung the NSNA theme. I never considered this a bona fide Bond film despite the casting of Connery.sct353https://www.blogger.com/profile/15640119850898956884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-34257701595963912942016-04-02T14:12:29.449+01:002016-04-02T14:12:29.449+01:00MEEESTEER BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOND!!!
The reason the...MEEESTEER BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOND!!!<br /><br />The reason the Blofeld-alike was dropped into the chimney was a dig at the rival Bond movie Never Say Never Again, because they had the rights to the character and For Your Eyes Only didn't. No idea why Faux-feld offers Bond a delicatessen in stainless steel, though, doesn't sound very 007.<br /><br />Mind you, Sheena had a hit with her Bond tune, NSNA never troubled the pop charts.THXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-14933776063818092122016-04-02T13:58:53.497+01:002016-04-02T13:58:53.497+01:00They do say hubris comes before nemesis, and I thi...They do say hubris comes before nemesis, and I think this video does show SS at the apotheosis of the hubristic phase! Having said that, the subsequent unravelling of his life is a sad story.John Gnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-78759036697609867262016-04-02T13:56:59.752+01:002016-04-02T13:56:59.752+01:00Not Tonight Darling starred Luan Peters, who was f...Not Tonight Darling starred Luan Peters, who was frontwoman for 5000 Volts once upon a time, though it might not have been her voice we heard. In that film Thunderclap Newman don't even perform their big hit, nor the less well-known follow-up, it's a weird scene anyway where they seem to have been filmed separately from Luan as she looks on approvingly.THXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-19450684631366543622016-04-02T13:55:29.201+01:002016-04-02T13:55:29.201+01:00Whether or not you regard Newman as a "legend...Whether or not you regard Newman as a "legend", Something in the Air certainly ranks for me as one of the greatest one-hit wonders of all time. Produced by Pete Townshend, of course, and while John "Speedy" Keen is the credited singer his voice does sound quite similar to Townshend's...John Gnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-79591418805605685582016-04-02T13:52:49.277+01:002016-04-02T13:52:49.277+01:00You have to feel a bit sorry for the way Steve Str...You have to feel a bit sorry for the way Steve Strange ended up, on the dole, drug addicted, shoplifting and finding a small renaissance as a figure of fun on reality TV, where his now quivering hands were pressed into service to cut hair for our amusement.THXnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-78644477012362138472016-04-02T13:50:26.957+01:002016-04-02T13:50:26.957+01:00Yes, thanks for the info re Jimmie Jones, Arthur. ...Yes, thanks for the info re Jimmie Jones, Arthur. I must admit I rarely listen to lyrics, and you certainly wouldn't think to link this song to the Jonestown massacre after a casual listen. Having just read the lyrics online, however, I can now see the connection.John Gnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-90504566083132713712016-04-02T13:38:02.786+01:002016-04-02T13:38:02.786+01:00I remember discovering the long version some time ...I remember discovering the long version some time after I got the 7 inch single and it is terrific, superb trombone solo by Rico. The B-side Why? was also extended on the 12 inch single.<br /><br />The cover of the record with the skeleton playing piano was nicked from a 1950s halloween album called Sounds To Make You Shiver.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-85534057636773219912016-04-02T13:22:45.590+01:002016-04-02T13:22:45.590+01:00Thanks Artie for the back story to the Vapours'...Thanks Artie for the back story to the Vapours' song, when you know the story behind a song it really helps sell it but I bet the viewing public didn't know any of this back then.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-4640038046475171672016-04-02T13:20:21.223+01:002016-04-02T13:20:21.223+01:00One of the guys dancing with Legs is dressed in wh...One of the guys dancing with Legs is dressed in white shirt and tails like a Bullingdon Boy - is it as young David Cameron?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-1607416140046986002016-04-02T13:16:47.213+01:002016-04-02T13:16:47.213+01:00What I liked about Andy Newman was that he made ab...What I liked about Andy Newman was that he made absolutely no attempt to look like a pop star, he just sat there in his beard and hat and played the piano. I guess that can make him a legend in some people's eyes.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-1228898152247216032016-04-02T13:12:11.188+01:002016-04-02T13:12:11.188+01:00But there are mini-mullets and there are mega-mull...But there are mini-mullets and there are mega-mullets and Mr Vapour's has grown into the latter, but it does at least distrsct you from his strange shaped head.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937581521280389248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-52295640435112153842016-04-02T09:03:44.282+01:002016-04-02T09:03:44.282+01:00it must be remembered that steve strange was actua...it must be remembered that steve strange was actually viewed as some kind of demi-god, in that he held sway in deciding who was cool enough to be allowed into his achingly trendy club or not, mick jagger famously being one of many turned away. but like all megalomaniacs it went to strange's head, and as a result of believing he was invincible he made the fatal decision to open a far bigger club (a bit like hitler invading russia!) - the irony being that he had to let in the hoi polloi in order to make the place cost-effective, and thus compromised if not destroyed the the very concept of elitism that made him in the first place, and he crashed and burned very quickly as result. strange's ego and messiah complex no doubt made him many enemies as a result, who viewed his downfall with more than a hint of schadenfreude...wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656821189691902130.post-48482605866785117962016-04-02T08:13:53.618+01:002016-04-02T08:13:53.618+01:00vapors: musically this is at least two years out o...vapors: musically this is at least two years out of date and instantly forgettable. the new romantic look is a bit offputting given that most of the band aren't physically suited to that kind of thing. the guitarist is the exception who looks quite cool (in a new wave way), but he's obviously spent far less time in the make-up chair than the rest. the bassist whith his slap, pouting demeanour and listless swaying from side to side actually reminds me of one of the models in robert palmer's legendary "addicted to love" video!<br /><br />sheena easton: sounding shriller than ever, sheena is certainly not for my ears only. fast forward time for me<br /><br />shakin' stevens: he got his first break playing elvis in a musical, but even though he obviously dyes his hair black, he just doesn't have the moody, sullen and sneering countenance or charisma of the king. the rot is already really starting to set in musically now, so another fast forward job<br /><br />reo speedwagon: just when i thought it couldn't get much worse, then this piece of dire american AOR pop up! singularly unappealing with it's banal tune and dentist-drill guitar solo, it's perhaps the worst thing i've seen on totp in the entire re-run! and they look shit as well<br /><br />abba/legs : hardly one of their best (and i'm not their greatest fan by any means), but blessed relief after the rubbish i've endured up to now. i can't say i've ever been a fan of victorian bloomers, so not my favourite legs moment either<br /><br />tight fit: sadly not "the lion sleeps tonight", but hopefully we'll get to see that camp classic soon. i only suffered this medley-of-banal-60's-hits-on-autopilot in the hope of catching emperor rosko in action, but the guy in the studio looked too young to actually be him<br /><br />visage: finally - something that actually represents 1981 as i remember it! or at least as i want to remember. not their finest moment, but after the tripe i've been exposed to so far i'm grateful in the extreme. as with their other singles, the most interesting bits happen when steve strange isn't opening his mouth. whenever i play the game of "name eponymous hit singles" (sadly something i've been known to do on several occasions, including on this blog), i always seem to overlook this one. strange's musical/business partner rusty egan is featured in the video in the blitz club scenes, but i wonder if the guy in the light grey suit and red tie is peter godwin of cult new romantic act metro?<br /><br />gidea park: i was never a fan of the beach boys (the mega-hype surrounding them meant they always promised more than they delivered in my view), so i was never going to get excited about this, no matter how competently done. i like the fact that art imitated life in that the guy responsible for it joined the actual group as a result. oh, and he has great hair!<br /><br />specials: making an effort to break the record for most people in a band on top of the pops, but despite roping in rhoda from the bodysnatchers for no good reason they still can't oust fiddlers dram!<br /><br />host dickie does his best on what is surely one of the worst shows so far - what a shame jim'll or dlt weren't in charge for this one!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uknoreply@blogger.com