Can't wait until I get to the Turn it on Again part.....
13-3-80: Presenter: Steve Wright
(23) RUSH – Spirit Of Radio (and charts)
The Canadian rockers play over the chart rundown on their way to a first top 20 hit.
(39) THE DOOLEYS – Love Patrol
Not quite able to reach the same heights as they did a year earlier, Love Patrol was their final top 30 hit.
(6) THE POLICE – So Lonely (video)
Sting and the boys go walkie-talkie about on the Tokyo underground with their unintentional tribute to Sue Lawley now at its peak in the charts
(20) Legs & Co – this week become construction workers for their routine to Working My Way Back To You – Forgive Me Girl by the Detroit Spinners
(25) BROTHERS JOHNSON – Stomp (video)
Was edited out of the 7.30 pm show
(40) SECRET AFFAIR – My World
Performing in the scaffolding built earlier by Legs & Co, My World became the band's second and final top 20 hit.
(14) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy
Edited out of the 7.30pm show.
(5) RAINBOW – All Night Long (video)
Also edited out of the 7.30pm show, and at it's chart peak too.
(8) THE VAPORS – Turning Japanese
Host Steve Wright of course takes this opportunity to do his most embarrassing Japanese accent to introduce the Vapors, and a song that is not about what many people believe it to be about....
(36) SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES – Happy House
One of this week's highlights has to be this darkly ironic song which was to become a top 20 hit for the band.
(18) THE GIBSON BROTHERS – Cuba
Another studio performance of Cuba but no Legs & Co this time.
(4) PETER GABRIEL – Games Without Frontiers (video)
A somewhat curtailed version of the video shown here with Games Without Frontiers (can definitely make out the Kate Bush vocals now) at its chart peak.
(3) MARTI WEBB – Take That Look Off Your Face ®
Also at its chart peak but edited out of the 7.30pm show.
(35) GENESIS – Turn It On Again
Genesis had been a highly successful albums band in the 1970s but had only had one previous top ten single (Follow You Follow Me in 1978) and this was their flowery shirted debut in the Top of the Pops studio - the first of many in the 80's for Phil Collins and the boys.
(1) FERN KINNEY – Together We Are Beautiful ®
That bit of fairy dust Legs & Co sprinkled over this song the previous week obviously did the trick for Fern Kinney as she replaces Blondie at number one ~ but there's even more magic to come next week from a song not yet even in the charts.....
(7) CAPTAIN & TENILLE – Do That To Me One More Time (and credits)
At their peak in the charts and playing over the credits its Daryl Dragon and Cathryn Antoinette.
Next week its the 20th March 1980
I always say how refreshing The Dooleys were, since the women in the band were put in the front in 1979, doing away with the old Dooleys having the men on lead vocals. It was to change their fortunes significantly.
ReplyDeleteLove Patrol was the continuation of this refreshing style, and as refreshing as walking into a lovely shower after playing a gruelling football match. I recommend The Dooleys greatest hits CD, with song after song in this style, and keep it coming please.
Liquid Gold in this same show was an extension to this fun and colourful start to the 80s, that was to pave the way for the regular balloons in the TOTP studio for the rest of the 80s, and in line with the optimism for the future with the Thatcher era now firmly taking hold in 1980.
I hereby predict that if Rush are shown on TOTP it'll be the regulation concert video.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, The Dooleys all appear to have had new 80s hairdos as befitting a decade that, er, they didn't have much part of in the charts. Didn't recognise the title, but once the chorus got going I thought, yes, I know it now.
The Police, ah, the perils of having to shoot a video but touring too much to do anything but take advantage of the exotic locations you've found yourself in.
Legs & Co, redoing their Village People act only this time they're all the construction worker. A lot of tunes cut short tonight, and the Detroit Spinners were halted just as they got to that killer middle eight. I assume we get to hear the whole thing by and by?
Brothers Johnson, fine celebratory disco, and impressive facial hair on all the bros.
Secret Affair, what a fantastic record, the album this is off is more of the same and just as good, Shame they were never able to better it, but this is terrific, melodic pop with an orchestral theme. Another case of the producer saving on the electricity bill, though.
Liquid Gold, you thought the ribs xylophone on the drummer was bad, now we get the arse xylophone. And the inevitable silly string. I get the impression they'd be fairly hard going over the course of an evening, but in a three minute chunk they are fun.
The Vapors, yeah, thanks Steve, we were trying to avoid the dodgy accents but you waded straight in there. Video effects in overdrive, I notice, plus the drummer nearly lost his sticks. But what is a "Cyclone Ranger" and why must it be avoided?
Siouxsie and the Banshees with their eerie pop Goth ditty, and Siouxsie in party mood judging by the confetti.
Those Latin rhythms... that hoarse bellow... it's The Gibson Brothers tearing up the dancefloor, or encouraging the audience to shuffle about from side to side anyway.
Genesis, not my favourite band of the 80s, when old stocking over the head face himself (as Mark Radcliffe called him) was ubiquitous. But, you know, I've mellowed and this isn't as bad as they could be in retrospect.
Fern Kinney enjoys her moment of glory, and then the credits which reveal the video effects man was the unlikely-sounding "Geoff Thonger". The thinger, not the thonger?
"Cyclone Ranger"? That's nothing - flip the record over and hear "sitting here in this electrical store with no shoes on". David Fenton never won any awards in the enunciation stakes. (Actually, it's "psych Lone Ranger" and "electrical storm".)
DeleteThanks for clearing that up, a longstanding mystery solved. Um... what's a psych Lone Ranger?
DeleteYou tell me :o)
DeleteEven though it says 'Psyched Lone Ranger' on the album lyric sheet, I actually think 'Cyclone Ranger' is a better phrase with the double image of a whirling cyclone, and the 'outsider' Lone Ranger (and you would want to avoid a cyclone if it came towards your house!).
DeleteInterestingly, there was a cowboy film from 1935 called 'The Cyclone Ranger' - so someone must have liked the sound of it back then too!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026253/
Perhaps the 'Psyched Lone Ranger' is the one featured in Quantum Jump's hit.
DeleteI noticed in The Brothers Johnson video the word Fatso along a street. Not something that would be allowed these days on video, but it's amazing that there was more freedom of speech in those days than there is now. It seems like a completely different world now.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA slightly unsatisfying show, which tried to cram too much in - clearly there were a lot of climbers that week. Peter Gabriel suffered the most, but it was rather ludicrous that his erstwhile bandmates got cut off before they reached the long-delayed chorus, and the title of the song! While I am no fan of Phil Collins, I have a greater liking for his work with Genesis in this era than his solo stuff, and there's no denying that Turn it on Again is a great pop-rock track.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Secret Affair have been the big discovery of these reruns. I had never really heard of them before, but I have liked every song they have performed on the show and this is arguably the best one - just a shame the director elected to hide them behind that scaffolding. The Dooleys were in pretty good form too, with a song clearly derivative of Wanted but still quite catchy in its own right - glad to see that Jim had finally got a decent haircut, too. Indeed, this show did prove that disco was still very much alive and kicking in 1980, what with the Johnsons, the Gibsons, the Spinners and, erm, Liquid Gold. That drummer was very shy and retiring, wasn't he?
Well done Flick, the first thing I think of when I hear Working My Way Back to You is a roadwork gang - it wasn't a bad effort, mind you, even if distinctly reminiscent of the Village People. Siouxsie, meanwhile, seemed to have taken the leftover confetti from last week's routine for her performance.
Finally, I thought "the host" (as he would doubtless style himself) did an OK job, but did seem to be bouncing around a lot, and the Japanese impersonation probably wasn't advisable. Steve Wright for Top Gear, anyone?
I remember well the anticpation of the debut of Genesis on the top as they were my favourite band at the time. I don't remember the silly cutting short before the '"turn it on again" refrain comes in. It would have been better not to have had former frontman Peter Gabriel on the show at all as the one verse and one chorus they showed of 'Games without frontiers' was hardly worth it. Incidentally Genesis on record was Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford whereas on tour they added Chester Thompson (drums) and Daryl Stuermer (guitar). So Chester and Daryl playing on this appearance is not strictly as it should be, but by then the 'Duke' tour was under way so I guess it made some sense for them to join in the miming.
ReplyDelete"Love the show Steve".....
Observations:
ReplyDeleteLulu had the same outfit as the tent. I've seen that next week's routine has been bigged up elsewhere, so I await with interest...
The Liquid Gold drummer is clearly not content with just being a drummer. His name's Wally, isn't it?
I do enjoy the fact that Rainbow look like they're made up of individuals from different banners. And Mr Bonnet is frightening Mrs Applejack with his temper problems, I hope he calms down soon.
In case anyone doesn't see my comment for the show from a few week's back regarding the Rainbow video for 'All Night Long', here goes again.
ReplyDeleteThis is really sneaky. If you watch the full promo clip for 'All Night Long' on Youtube you will spot something not seen in the versions shown on TOTP. There is a very sexy lady dressed in a black crop top and white shorts. She appears at various occasions during the video dancing in the wings. The BBC obviously decided that this kind of thing was not suitable for early evening viewing and edited the video substituting some more distant shots of the band, mainly of Ritche Blackmore to cut out any bits that this lady appeared in. Hence, they goofed with a shot of Bonnet sans jacket. It makes sense when you watch the uncut clip as to why Bonnet looks to his left when he sings the line "You didn't come just to see the show..." as in the wings is this lady strutting her stuff! Funny, it's really no worse than a lot of the Legs & Co. outfits and dance routines.
Well spotted!
DeleteMaybe it's not so much her outfit but the insinuation that the Beeb didn't like.
Yes, and very tasty she is too, even though Legs & Co often appeared on the show wearing a lot less, so it is indeed bizarre as to why the BBC1 in 1980 edited her out. I wonder if Legs & co were jealous, and asked the Beeb not show her, or if Angelo says that it could be the insinuation.
DeleteIn 1980, people would only see the Rainbow video if shown on TOTP, cos there were no video channels or competitor shows, and I certainly remember that ITV never showed Rainbow or any of their videos.
It goes to show that it is worth watching Utube every week to see the entire video of any song on these TOTP reruns, just to see what we have been denied with, by means of BBC editing of videos, whether BBC1 in 1980 or BBC4 in 2015!
host: much better than his debut
ReplyDeleterush: the thinking man's metal, or perhaps with geddy lee's helium vocals a heavier version of yes? two things about geddy: 1 - his given name is gary but his jewish grandmother's thick accent mangled that to the point where he took it officially, and a great quote i read from him along the lines of "when we were poor we couldn't afford to buy our own equipment, but now we're rich everyone's trying to give it to us!"
dooleys: miss keyboard dooley pulls out all the stops with a silver sequinned catsuit, but after the first few seconds she might as well have been wearing a duffel coat for all we see of her. anne diamond makes her tv debut - she can't afford to see the orthodontist yet though, and also has to make her own top from an old eiderdown. so other miss singer dooley wins the fashion contest tonight in those magnificent turquoise satin pants. "what about the music?" i hear you say. what about it?
police: a better video of theirs to go with one of their lesser singles (although my musical ears detected some modulation going on at the end). note how sting is working on a mullet, and how band "mate" stewart copeland gives him a sly nudge in the back when he's behind him
spinners/legs: this one is definitely a contender for my "worst 10 disco tracks" list - it's all so bland and homogenous. i suppose everyone knows they had to change their name to the detroit spinners (and before that the motown spinners) in blighty in order not to be confused with the argyl sweater-wearing folkies of the same name. but a friend of mine once worked at a theatre where the latter appeared, and when the "other" spinners cropped up in conversation he was told "when we went to america we had to call ourselves the liverpool spinners"... i too was thinking "village people" when the legs ladies emerged from the tent. it's funny that even though women now have equality, you never seem to see any actually working on building sites...
brothers johnson: why don't they just call themselves the johnson brothers? maybe it's a black thing? or why not johnson and johnson? maybe because they'd then get confused with the makers of baby oil and talc? anyway, this is class funky disco, yet i can never really get excited about it the way i do with other classics of that ilk...
secret affair: that scaffolding stage is even darker without the "ladies at work" signs flashing. i didn't even notice there was a saxophonist twiddling his thumbs on the right until the second verse. then as soon as he finally gets his chance to let rip the director pulls the plug! serves him right though for wearing a silly hat. not heard this since it was a hit - it's pleasant enough but i won't be bothered if i can manage another 35 years without hearing it again. if anyone's interested the singer and guitarist are still treading the boards, presumably cashing in the continued fascination for all things mod?
like marvin gaye's "got to give it up" single that i heard at a 70's disco this weekend (yes, i was the oldest groover in town by some distance, but i didn't care!), this one's another 2-parter:
ReplyDeleteliquid gold: the singer has a lovely shiny frock on, but like the dooley ladies she hasn't really got the face for this business. even though it was cheesy as hell i still had to smile when the drummer revealed where he now keeps his "keyboard". i once played both keyboards and drums during the same song on stage, but not in the same manner!
rainbow: always worth a listen even if just for the misguidedly misogynistic line "don't know about your brain, but you look alright". i bet if richie and co were builders rather than rock stars they would be giving the wolf-whistle to any "birds" passing by...
vapors: i thought this was a repeat of the first performance at first, but then realised that instead of overdoing the japanese pictures they're now overdoing the inverted effects. steve is so intent on his slit-eyed mimicry in his intro he manages to say the word "japanese" twice in one sentence. perhaps if he'd worked more on his words he could have substituted one of them for "oriental"? unlike now, back then that wasn't seen as a racist word!
siouxsie and the banshees: nobody ever pronounced their name properly - it should have been "siouxsie and the ban-SHEES, NOT siouxsie and the BAN-shees! a change in line-up has brought forth a striking improvement with touches of real musicianship from the new boys - for me it's competing with "israel" as their finest moment. what's steve implying at the end when he asks if they've brought the family with them? if he's making some snide remark then i wouldn't have thought siouxsie, steve severin and their entourage were the kind of people to wind up if you weren't keen on hospital food...
gibson bros: just after steve introduces them it sounds like someone else says "brilliant". or did my ears deceive me? after the dozens (if not hundreds) of times i've heard this before, this is the first time where i realised the chant has the word "baile" in it (which means "dance" in spanish). so i did some more investigation and the whole phrase for those interested translates as "i want to dance the salsa". in that case even though your track is brilliant you'd better look elsewhere, mr throaty voice!
genesis: i was quite into them at the time, having borrowed several of their then-later albums with phil collins on vocals to copy to tape. then phil collins became "phil collins" and i had to stop listening to them! when i got a pc years later i transferred those same tracks from cd's to it for old times' sake, but when i listened again even though i still liked the music, phil's distinctive singing meant i had great difficulty getting past the elephant in the room of "one more night" and all the other solo shite. a tarnished legacy and a real shame...
fern kinney: who actually bought this record? even though it has some vague kind of disco beat, (mercifully) i don't ever remember this being played in discos...
Apparently the Fern Kinney album her sole hit was from featured really excellent disco, it's just that the only song anyone knew off it was that drippy ballad.
DeleteAnother one of those shows with far too much crammed into it - the inclusion of just 1½ minutes of Games Without Frontiers seemed pointless beyond belief when other numbers had to be cut short.
ReplyDeleteThe Dooleys had come a long way from their original rather dull mid-'70s pop style by this time but, although they had a further two minor hits after this which I don't recall, it was effectively the end of their chart career, sadly.
An amusing Police promo with Stewart Copeland hitting anything he can lay his drumsticks on. It's a shame we never got to see him in the TOTP studio for this number - if ever a song was made for battering plastic cymbals to, it's this one.
The high point for me was Secret Affair with their piece of pure awesomeness (is there such a word?), another all-time fave - I really don't know how people can whittle things down to a choice of 8 for Desert Island Discs! It was to prove to be the Mod Revival's pinnacle - the Lambrettas would follow up Poison Ivy with the rather clumsily-titled D-a-a-ance, but I don't think anything of this ilk bothered the Top 20 ever again.
The other high point was of course the Vapors and it was interesting to hear about the recording of this in the start-of-year documentary, how the producer demanded a re-take but then edited after the dropped drumstick. And it shows - the sound edit was as clunky as hell!
Seeing Marti Webb for a third time it's really quite fascinating to watch a classically-trained singer in action. Notice especially how she inhales through her nose, in complete silence.
All in all it was a nicely eclectic show, but would have benefited from either being longer or having less in it.
Not sure about the show being this cramped due to the number of climbers, more due to BBC1 cramming 16 songs in, featuring four charting between 35 and 40. Good of Steve to tell us two of the non-mugshot positions, unusual in itself apart from Jim’ll, just a shame he didn’t give us the positions for Secret Affair and Siouxsie and the Banshees for a full house.
ReplyDeleteTalking of full, something was wrong with the mugshot act name spacing, as both The Brothers Johnson and Martha and the Muffins lost half a letter each. A really fast rundown, too. I didn’t realise Rush were punk rock. This was one of a handful of singles I re-bought on iTunes as the seven-inch version cuts off the intriguing song ending.
Catsuit “wahay” time with the cabaret Abba (Cabbaret, anyone?) and a singer whose outfit reminded me of those rhubarb and custard boiled sweets. A terrible truck driver’s gear change at the end of the song, but The Dooleys showed the ‘Waddy how to properly flesh out an eight-piece outfit.
That Legs & Co costume and set combination would have been better suited for Brass Construction or The Scaffold. Boom boom tish!
There were actually only two brothers Johnson, so were the rest on view their cousins, nephews and nieces? Great floor filler, mind you.
And this week’s “band in the dark” award goes to Secret Affair with their catchy number. I couldn’t see his face properly – was that their usual drummer or had he gone to Dexy’s on a free transfer by now?
Talking of drummers, I give you Wally Pratt, the most annoying musician yet on this re-run. Why did Liquid Gold’s buffoon justify as much stage space on his own as shrinkwrapped Ellie and her two bandmates?
Chicken drumsticks on the menu for The Vapors! Such a shame their only two TOTP studio appearances were ruined by stupid technology gimmicks and a crap introduction.
While I’m at it, daft question time…does anyone know of an act on TOTP who made the grand slam of video appearance, studio appearance, chart rundown and end credits? You’ll see why I ask in a few weeks’ time, when one act will have managed three of those.
Did Siouxsie slip and nearly go arse-over-tit in the intro to “Happy House”? Was the single recorded with two drum parts? I only ask because we get kettledrum-style sticks on the TOTP showing and obvious usual drumstick parts elsewhere in the song. Great live act, by the way.
The Gibson Brothers. Two bass drums, with the front skins individually displaying the group name and song title. That extra touch of class.
I had to fast forward the last two songs (and Steve, we’ll HEAR you on Radio 1, not SEE you!) but chuckled at what would have happened in the Arthur Nibble parallel TOTP scheduling universe. I’d have had Marti Webb following the Gibson Brothers, then Peter Gabriel, followed by his old band with Phil Collins doing a “Rat Trap” and ripping up a photo of Mister Gabriel. Tee hee!
I too noticed the artist names going off the edge of the picture, was it like this as originally broadcast? If so, it was what is technically known as a cock-up.
DeleteRegarding this 'see you' on the radio thing, I used to get around it by saying "I'll catch you next week", but in the case of our little hospital station where the same person collected requests from the wards and presented the show I could have said "see you next week" in all truthfulness in many cases.
For those stations that now have studio webcams, I guess saying "see you" is quite OK these days...
DeleteThis week's presenter is Steve Wright sporting an ill-advised waistcoat, the pocket of which he kept on trying to stuff his left hand into. Stevie, Stevie, Stevie; the ony thing that belongs in a waistcoat pocket is snooker chalk. Sticking your hand in there just made you look a tad deformed. Anyways, onto the meat of the show - the actual music.
ReplyDeleteAnd we count the charts down in the company of The Chipmunks and Spirit Of Radio. If Yes frontman Jon Anderson can be said to have a Marmite voice, then Geddy Lee's is "Extra Flavour Marmite With Added Marmitiness". That's a pass from me.
The Dooleys. As Dory mentions this lot are slightly more bearable with the girls on vocal, but this is a non-event of a song with barely a hook in its entire length. Instantly forgettable - which is probably the reason I didn't remember it at all.
The Police with one of their best singles and a captivating video to boot. Obviously shot quickly and on the cheap, it still captured the band's chemistry effortlessly.
Legs & Co risk the wrath of Health & Safety performing without HiVis jackets or hard hats on one of their literal interpretations of songs The scaffold would later reappear for Secret Affair - although why is anybody's guess.
The Brothers Johnson and Stomp. This is an absolute belter of a song that can still get my arthritic toes tapping. And if you haven't heard their version of Strawberry Letter 23, find it and listen - Gorgeous.
Siouxsie Sioux going all ironically goth on Happy House
in a happy/gloomy combo that would work even better for Morrisey later in the decade.
Genesis take their first step to going from a band I quite liked (I still play Trick Of The Tail and Lamb Lies Down) to a band I actively avoided with Turn It On Again. Whilst there is nothing too offensive in this particular track you can see the slippery slope they were about to go down rapidly. Shame.
Fern Kinney somehow makes it to the top spot and we end with The Captain & Tennile a fairly innocuous seventies kind of American AOR - much beloved of Radio 2 DJs.
The scores on the doors this week then. Mmmm - a 4 for Steve Wright. He has clearly improved as a host but the Japanese impression loses him a point as does the bizarre hand-in-the-waistcoat-pocket thing ( Remember - snooker chalk and NOTHING else!). As for the show itself; it is a typical late 70s/early 80s edition covering the musical bases of Rock - Pop- Punk - Disco - Chicken-In-A-Basket cabaret. Plus points awarded for Police, Genesis, Gabriel and the Brothers Johnson. But there were some dropped points as well including the hefty cutting of some tracks, the staging of Legs & Co's performance. So 5 (with maybe an additional 0.5 for letting the various keyboard players have their moment in the spotlight this week. For a change.)
My name is Goff - and I'll be off.
Maybe Steve should have had a pocket watch in that waistcoat pocket as a prop (e.g."It's time for Top Of The Pops") or indeed some snooker chalk (e.g. "We're right on cue for Top Of The Pops").
DeleteI forgot to say it was a shame The Police were on the subway and not on the buses, bearing in mind Andy Summers' resemblance to a young Blakey. Talking of which, considering their song's title, shouldn't The Vapors have been out there instead?
Blakey is 88 years old now, and bless him, he made me laugh in my early years as a child watching On The Buses.
DeleteRegarding The Dooleys, the girl Dooley at the back on keyboards should have been up front with the lead vocal Dooleys, as she seemed to perfectly dressed for a main part, but I don't think she appeared in the other Dooleys hits prior to this one, so who is she?
DeleteShe's Helen, the youngest of the six Dooleys in the band.
DeleteAnd the nicest one!
DeleteProbably old news, but it’s been confirmed that the chart announcement’s being moved to Friday evenings from July 10th. In old money, had it still been running in its hallowed slot, that would mean TOTP screening the ’current’ chart after the last sales had been made for the new chart the next day. How times have changed. As far as I’m concerned, “Global Release Day” has now reduced the chart to a side event happening just as I start the weekend break, not something to look forward to and check on the web fervently (as I still do) when the weekend ebbs away.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, quick notification that I’ll be very late or sparse with comments on this week’s show until next Monday at the earliest, as I’m away for the Easter weekend and nowhere near a PC. Try not to miss me!
Erm, I think we'll manage somehow Arthur.
DeleteWe would expect you to enjoy the Easter weekend with a well deserved break, even though the weather is predicting gale-force winds.
Have a good break Arthur - I'm going away too and probably won't be able to watch this week's show until next Wednesday, by which time it may be too late to make any comments!
DeleteRush - Mehh.. great as musicians, but I don't seem to like any of their work
ReplyDeleteThe Police - I normally like the Police, but this song is just cheap.. terrible vocals and cheap production, although Andy Summers does a good guitar job on this one
Detroit Spinners - Can't be denied, one of the most underrated number ones of the 80s, funky and cool
Brothers Johnson - Wasn't aware of this before watching this episode, but it's groovy, and I like that.
Secret Affair - Not bad, underrated band who wrote some catchy stuff
Liquid Gold - Eh.. not quite my taste but good disco nonetheless
Rainbow - I don't really like their post-Dio era, but it's listenable
The Vapors - They overplayed it a bit, but a highlight of 1980
Siouxsie & the Banshees - Love Siouxsie, haunting sound as usual
The Gibson Brothers - Dance floor filler, in my opinion one of the most important tracks of the disco era
Peter Gabriel - As usual, nothing less than genius, but then again it is Peter Gabriel so only good can be expected (well.. most of the time)
Marti Webb - Yawn..
Genesis - Good enough track, Phil Collins sure had a powerful voice.
Fern Kinney - How did this tosh even get to no.1? At least we'll have The Jam next week..
Did anyone see Pop Gold last night on ITV?
ReplyDeleteThe Three Degrees in rare 1974 TV footage, playing in front of a middle-aged TV audience close up, and plumes of smoke from cigarettes and cigars. Wow, how TV allowed this in those days when no-one batted an eyelid, and no-one cared.
Blue Mink playing on Frost On Sunday in 1970, with their hit Melting pot, is truly rare footage, and one where I have never known what this group looked like till now in 2015, but what a great song, and TV performance, in excellent colour, which for 1970 is impressive. Worthy of a TV award, if such existed in those days.
Another example of where ITV has footage that BBC and TOTP have none, is Elton John singing Candle In The Wind on the Russell Harty show in 1974, with pictures in the background of Marilyn Monroe, and with the quality of a promo video despite none officially existing for this 1974 original.
Some great clips in Pop gold. Going back to this TOTP, notice my UK gold recording omits Gabriel and Webb - and not even at an ad break, a straight cut from the Gibsons to Wright introducing Genesis, presumably for timing reasons. I did notice at the time that a UK Gold showing of a late 80s half hour TOTP cut Liza Minnelli, that couldn't have been for timing reasons, so there must have been a royalties issue.
ReplyDeleteTime for a rambling story. Liquid Gold’s earlier minor hit “Anyway You Do It” was co-written by Paul da Vinci, vocalist on “Sugar Baby Love”, recorded by a bunch of session musicians (who were asked to become a band called The Rubettes) after Showaddywaddy had turned the song down. Da Vinci didn’t join the newly formed group as he’d already signed a solo contract with a different record company prior to the single’s release, hence they drafted in Alan Williams as The Rubettes’ singer. I thank you!
ReplyDeleteapparently alan williams did actually play guitar on the recording of "sugar baby love". but was he able to replicate the falsetto vocals live? i've got a three octave range, but (to paraphrase one of their later hits) i can't do it!
DeleteHello again! I last blogged as Bama Boogiewoogie in December 1979, this is the first chance I've had time to blog this year. And I decide to start the new decade with a new name.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching this particular show back in 1980. I was still at school about to start my A-levels. A lot of my class mates were moaning about the BBC cutting Peter Gabriel off in his prime. I haven't seen this video since then and I can't help thinking how much he looks like Young Ones-era Rik Mayall.
The highlight for me (pardon the unintended pun) were Secret Affair who I was very into at the time but it is a shame we can hardly see the band, and was this recorded before the audience turned up? They would have one last TOTP appearance later in the year with the equally brilliant Sound Of Confusion.
I'm surprised that no one noticed a young Danny Baker in the crowd watching The Gibson Brothers, he's the guy with the Howard Casey haircut at the front who looks into the camera a couple of times.
As impressive as Marti Webb's singing is I am sick of this performance now.
I didn't admit it at the time but I secretly liked the Genesis song even though I couldn't stand Phil Collins and his horrible shirt. Every time I see this performance (and it has been shown many times on TOTP2) it always makes me laugh when Tony Banks very determinedly hits the two notes on his mini keyboard at the end of each verse like an over-enthusiastic music teacher. And he looks a bit like Mark Jenkins from C4's The Hotel.
Hello from '23. I won't do a full review of this one but several thoughts on the shortened version of this show that was broadcast on Friday. The long version has just about everything of 1980 pop bar 2 tone; From funk to musicals to new mod to post punk to crap to lounge soul to elder statesman pop. The 30 min version was still highly eclectic.
ReplyDeleteWas Steve Wright keeping his hand in his blazer pocket like a country squire to steady his nerves? On his first edition, repeated last month, he sounded ok but looked really ill at ease.
I liked how The Dooley's were forced to perform in front of a set that was clearly put up just for Legs and Co.
'Working My Way Back To You' and equally the dance routine brings back so many memories of my elder sister and her friends dancing about on our driveway. Loved Gill's leading out the ladies like she's heading out into a snowstorm and a fabulously smiley and effervescent Patti in flat cap and dungarees.
I lieed Stuart Copeland being waved away by a frustrated tradesman or passer by when he started drumming on an object in the street. I was a steward at the Globe for a few seasons and I saw him wandering around the forecourt before the start of a play. He didn't drum on our cushion stall disappointingly.
Was Phil Collins trying especially hard to be a comedian or was he doing some interpretive dance throughout 'Turn It On Again'? What was the jumping nack movements meant to signify? Still great song and liked the spooky camera effects used at certain points.
I was fascinated by Fern Kinney's facial expressions throughout her performance. Alternating between shy smiles and school teacher glares aimed at something or someone off camera.
Captain and Tenille waft serenely around as the camera wafts serenely around the steps and gantry and such like. For almost the entire song on the full length show but here given the customary "that'll do for this week" chop after the credits finish.