So come on then The Beat, do you have a song called I am the Look?
08/01/81 presented by Richard Skinner (and no special guests!)
(29) Racey – “Runaround Sue”
Gone now completely is the 'whats on the show' intro and we're straight into the last ever chart hit for Racey, peaking at 13.
(4) Adam & The Ants – “Antmusic” (rpt from 11/12/80)
About to embark on the most amazing year, Antmusic peaked at number 2. And edited out of the 7.30 showing.
(30) The Look – “I Am The Beat”
The band's only top 10 hit when it peaked at 6, and a record famous for its run-out groove which repeated the line 'the beat.....the beat.....' forever!
(21) Barry Manilow – “Lonely Together"
The first Legs & Co routine of their final year for this song that had already reached its chart peak.
(20) The Beat – “Too Nice To Talk To” (rpt from 18/12/80)
On its way to number 7.
(59) Sad Café – “I’m In Love Again”
This was the band's final chart entry, making it to number 40.
(18) Matchbox – “Over The Rainbow/You Belong To Me” (rpt from 11/12/80)
Somehow this one got even higher in the charts until it reached number 15. But it was their final top 40 hit.
(11) Chas & Dave – “Rabbit” (repeat?)
About to become their first top ten hit when it made number 8.
(15) The Specials – “Do Nothing” (rpt from 18/12/80)
Only a year and half after Gangsters and it was nearly the end already for the original line-up of The Specials, this one reaching number 4. Edited out of tonight's 7.30pm slot. Yeah, thoughtful tribute to John Bradbury that was.
(24) The Nolans – “Who’s Gonna Rock You?” (rpt from 18/12/80)
The third single from their Making Waves album and on its way to number 12. Also edited out from 7.30pm.
(33) Bad Manners – “Lorraine”
Buster Bloodvessel, dressed as Henry VIII, singing to a blow up doll the follow-up to Special Brew, but despite all this it was not as successful, peaking at 21.
(1) John Lennon – “Imagine” (video)
In a year of amazing videos, here's one that was made ten years earlier, and it was simple but quite magnificent. I love the symbolism of the light being let into the room while John asks us to do nothing more than imagine.
(10) Queen – “Flash” (credits)
From the movie Flash Gordon, this song peaked at number 10. And gone is the crowd dancing at the end, instead we get a new perspective design with lights flashing to the music.
The next edition is the 15th of January 1981, but hosted by DLT it will not be shown on BBC4. Now manorak did have this one ready and waiting for us on vimeo, but sadly his account has been closed down....
Whilst tomorrow on BBC4 its January 22nd 1981!
Let’s put Racey and Matchbox into perspective on this week’s show.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that at the start of 1981, the American rock ‘n’roll 1950s scene was still popular for recycling for the next generation. Racey and Matchbox were merely jumping on a bandwagon which had Happy Days into its 9th year by 1981; Grease was so successful in 1978 that Grease 2 was about to be produced in 1981 before release the following year, and of course the Porky’s movies were only just getting going.
Not to mention the Incredible Hulk, a 50s Marvel Comics creation by Stan Lee was still churning out television episodes in full force in1981 at Universal studios. The great Stan Lee who also created all the other Marvel Comics characters that spawned out 50s America, is still with us in 2016 at the age of 93!
At the start of 1981, America still had a workforce of people that were born in the 1930s and 1940s who’s lives had been transformed by a creative and romantic post-War period in the 50s, who had an incredible youth in this 50s America, that by the 1980s as middle aged adults with still some time before retirement, that they were now successfully giving the next generation, like Racey and Matchbox here, that re-creation of the good times.
Racey starting off proceedings for TOTP in 1981, was a true sign of the times, and it was not till the 80s were over, that the American romantic era began to diminish as the manager generation withdrew towards retirement to move aside for the next generation who never lived through the 1950s, and were now the movers and shakers.
Does Neil b or anyone else have the 15/01/81 totps
ReplyDeleteLet's Hope Neil B Or Somebody Else Can Help Out
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSean Here see https://vimeo.com/151843798 for 15.01.81
ReplyDeleteNice one!
DeleteThank you very much :-)
I just love all this teamwork that goes on, in order to keep us well nourished with every edition. Considering none of us have met in person, it really is something.
DeleteTotally agree! Thank you to all you out there for making these missing episodes available. We may not have ever met but I feel I know all of you because of your love for this classic show and looking forward to spending 2016 with you in 1981!
DeleteAnd maybe 1982 too if these 2 episodes a week keeps up!
It's great to share memories with like minded fans of what was one of the TV highlights of each week. Special thanks to those who enable us to see ALL of the shows!
DeleteIn the wake of the Mod Revival, The Look stormed into the hit parade with a dazzling debut single, but somehow never managed to sustain their success despite their obvious talent. TBH, I always thought that Sir Elton's later hit 'I'm Still Standing' was influenced by the basic groove of 'I Am The Beat'. Lead singer Jonny Whetstone, with his Estuary English delivery (though the band actually hailed from Cambridgeshire), was compared at the time to Tommy Steele.
ReplyDeleteThe Barry Manilow ballad - penned by former Frankie Valli song supplier Kenny Nolan - reminds me somewhat of Bob Seger's 'We've Got Tonight', though it is rather more melodic than the heartland rocker's evergreen. Whether you love Mr Manilow or hate him, there is no doubt that he is a consummate performer.
This edition of TOTP would be prove to be a triple swansong - for Racey, Matchbox and Sad Cafe, though the latter's late lead singer Paul Young (in Jagger wannabe mode once more on this edition) would reappear in the mid-80s as one of Mike Rutherford's Mechanics.
The Manilow song somehow reminded me of We Are The World - in the verse part anyway..
DeleteActually Julie, the Barry Manilow song done by Legs & Co felt more like a song from the style of Air Supply which I think it resembled more than Bob Seger who was more heavy-voiced than Manilow.
DeleteBut hey, the thought of being Lonely Together with any one of those Legs & Co, is just too good too pass up. Now OK ladies, not all at once please!
Of course Seger has a much harder and throatier voice than Manilow. I was referring to the basic harmonic and melodic progression of the song, as well as the lyrical theme. It is a beautiful song, undoubtedly - and, though I omitted to mention it earlier, has an oxymoronic (or self-contradictory) title. Other oxymorons that made the hit parade include 'The Sound of Silence' (Simon & Garfunkel), 'Love Wars' (Womack & Womack), 'Fight For This Love' (Cheryl), 'Busy Doing Nothing' (Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin), 'Blind Vision' (Blancmange), 'Freedom's Prisoner' (Steve Harley) and 'Wide Awake In A Dream' (Barry 'Sideshow' Biggs). I agree that 'Lonely Together' would have been suitable for Air Supply - who, I once read somewhere, are Dame Vera Lynn's favourite band.
DeleteBy the way, I wonder when The Look - who reunited not too long ago - are going to release a single entitled 'Roxette'?
Interestingly on the sleeve notes for the excellent double CD compilation 'The Songs 1975 - 1990)', Barry describes this song as "his one attempt at leaning a little towards country music".
DeleteThis was the first edition since the 1980 TOTP summer strike that we had no co-presenting or special guests on the show being interviews, and hell yes, Richard Skinner had the WHOLE show to himself to take full and complete charge. It seemed that at last the show saw sense to go back to it's original faster non-stop hits format like before the strike, except for the splitting up of the charts to three portions.
ReplyDeleteWow, and as if that was not enough, he gets to introduce the only video on the show, being this week's No.1 of course from Mr Lennon.
Lots of repeats on tonight's show, and I'd recommend Richard Skinner left the grooving to Legs & Co, he looked like an embarrassing teacher at a school disco.
ReplyDeleteRacey, still in the same suits I notice, doing a pointless cover of the Dion classic. How do you play the piano and the saxophone at the same time, then?
The Look, always liked this one and was filled with anticipation about how much of the eternal ending we were going to get (not much, and that was applauded over). Inventive lyrics in this one is part of the appeal.
Legs & Co looking suitably miserable - did they know the writing was on the wall? Don't recall this Manilow tune, can't even recall it now, and he only had one top ten hit, didn't he? Wasn't even Copacabana.
In contrast to The Look, Sad Café had some of the most banal lyrics imaginable. This sounded like it was knocked off in about the length of time it took to record.
Bad Manners and the lighter side of domestic violence. Jolly tune, but the talky bits are too cute for their own good. Did Henry VIII wear a mink stole? As "novelty record" as they could get.
John Lennon with Imagine, cue the sceptics telling us he was a complete hypocrite who was worse than Hitler, so how could he sing such idealistic words? I think the lyrics are aware of the irony they posit, and the fact they come from a flawed man makes them more poignant. All that said, I've heard it so many times it barely makes an impression on me now.
Plus side of the plethora of repeats is that I realised what I thought was a woman flinging her top around was in fact a woman flinging her big hat around. But seriously, who buys Christmas songs in January?
This effort by Bad Manners was not their best move, because we could not see the lead singer's full face and physique, and also the false beard really did not give new viewers a real idea of the real look of the main man, especially if some viewers did not get into TOTP until now in 1981, and did not watch TOTP in 1980.
DeleteAny appearance on TOTP should be like a first appearance, and fake costume should be left for for entertainers who have been longer on TV and well known to viewers.
I think Bad Manners thought they were bigger household names than they really were, and I find this bizarre to make such assumptions so quickly, and think they own the place.
I think Bad Manners hit their novelty record heights with the execrable "Can Can".
DeleteSo in 1980 we kicked off the year with the fresh Madness and this year we get.....Racey. The less said about their effort, the better I think.
ReplyDeleteWhereas 'I Am The Beat' is one of my favourite singles of the year. The band didn't look quite how I remembered though - the lead singer looking like a cross between Paul McCartney & Nick Lowe to me!
One thing that confused me - after the 'and Mr.Krupa had to thank me for his chance...' line there is usually a little flourish in the style of the man himself. That was completely missing from this performance - I wonder why?
Even Legs in their nighties couldn't persuade me to listen to Barry Manilow so that got fast forwarded after about 10 seconds.
Chris Morris back in the studio masquerading as a singer in Sad Cafe I see, with yet another song that is nowhere near as good as 'Every Day Hurts'.
This Bad Manners appearance is quite famous as the costume that Buster Bloodvessel is wearing is allegedly the one worn by Keith Michell in the BBC's early 70s drama about Henry VIII. Supposedly it was so manky that it was full of fleas! (though whether this is actually true, I have no idea)
To finish, the wobbliest copy of 'Imagine' ever. Better get used to John Lennon I suppose.
This was a very average show with lots of repeats, Richard Skinner being his usual bland self (with a weird tendency to place his links over the intros of songs I notice) and a picture quality that suggests that the Beeb have kept this one in a damp shed for 35 years. Perhaps as a result of Racey's presence.
On The Look's tune they missed out the space alien electronic babble noise too. Maybe it was an effects-free version specially used here? No idea why.
DeleteRight, so, in a 'round robin' way, if The Look sang “I Am The Beat” and Roxette did “The Look”, then The Beat needed to release a single called “Roxette”.
DeleteI always thought The Look’s singer sounded more like Anthony Newley myself.
Hello 1981 - lovely to meet you again. First Pops of the year is helmed by the reliable Richard Skinner Esq with no co-anchor, no whats-coming-up spoiler and, strangely, no theme music either. And what better way to start the 80s than with a song from the 1961 as Racey take the rock n roll remake baton from Showaddywaddy and promptly drop it on the first bend. We were far too musically aware in the 80s to put up with this chicken-in-the-basket fare for too long and this lot and their cohorts in scraping-the-barrel Matchbox would soon be banished to Seaside Special.
ReplyDeleteThe Look take the title of this, their only hit record, from a band's name - and at the end of the decade would have the honour bestowed back on them by Roxette whose 'The Look' single would be their first hit.
A whole slew of repeats on show here punctuated by Sad Cafe with a lacklustre performance of a lacklustre song and The Leggers shuffling their way through a B-grade Manilow ditty.
Bad Manners suffer from the law of diminishing returns and from the lack of any discernible tune on Lorraine.
Top ten run down (still illustrated with clips) and one of Lennon's three Top 5 tunes at the toppermost of the poppermost, before Queen's Flash sees us out.
Going off the Big Hits of 81 programme we know this is going to be an exciting year, but there is little on display here for evidence. It's hard to be too cruel on the first post-Christmas show because the charts were notoriously stagnant so lets be nice and award the show a 5
Richard Skinner fares much better. The links were clean and succinct with no crowd interaction (thank the Lord)the chart countdowns were pleasingly mathematical - all in all a well controlled show. Well done sir - 8.
As is normally the way, there is more than a whiff of a post-Christmas hangover about this first show of the year, with a stack of repeat performances and little that is either new or exciting. Still, Richard Skinner marshals it all capably enough, though I hope he refrains in future from awkwardly bopping along to the music - was the name badge to remind people who he was? This show is notable for seeing the temporary return of Robin Nash, who was filling in for a few weeks for Michael Hurll. This might explain the dropping of the interview spots and the return of fancy video effects to accompany the closing credits.
ReplyDeleteRacey were not exactly the best choice with which to start the year, though they give a very professional performance. The trouble is their version of Runaround Sue sounds practically identical to Dion's, which makes you wonder what the point of it was really - it's no great surprise their chart-bothering days were almost over. Despite their name, The Look were not that visually impressive! Their song is a catchy tune, though the singer's mockney-style vocals and the self-aggrandising lyrics grate somewhat.
Sorry Legs, but pulling sad faces and dancing in your underwear aren't enough to save this second-rate, yawnsome Manilow effort. It sounds at a couple of points as if it might turn into I Made it Through the Rain, but sadly it never does. Sad Café, meanwhile, offer up yet more leaden soft rock and prove beyond doubt that they were one trick ponies - Every Day Hurts must have seemed a long time ago by this point. Despite his awful mullet, Paul Young was a charismatic performer, but he was ill-served by desperately weak material like this. Mike & the Mechanics could not come soon enough for him!
Finally, Bad Manners deliver a song, and a performance, which seem rather dodgy by today's standards. Somehow I don't think TV executives now would allow a blow-up doll on stage, and I doubt they would be too keen on lyrics making light of domestic violence either - it is a perky tune, though. Looking at a sweaty Buster, I suspect he may have regretted putting that Henry VIII costume on under those hot studio lights...
Finally, I note that the audience were being kept well away from the stage during the Look and Legs performances - were they contagious?
John, the Henry VIII outfit in Bad Manners is an evolving direction of the lead singer in this their 4th hit, with more and more hiding of lead singer's natural physique with each evolving hit from Ne Nee Nee Na Na Noo Noo right through to now with Lorraine.
DeleteI go into this in more detail below, commenting on Wilberforce's post.
host: i always liked richard skinner, but watching him churning out such weedy wordplay i'm hard-pressed to say why now - maybe it was listening to him on the radio that i enjoyed, where such things weren't required?
ReplyDeleteracey: so we're all set up for the age of synth-pop now, and what do they bring us? some lightweight note-for-note rock n roll-era cover from a band who weren't exactly cutting-edge even when they did original material! and the addition of the (air) keyboards player made no difference to the banality of their music. well, i for one certainly hope that's the last to be seen of them now...
the look: i may be wrong here, but i think the music tabs heaped scorn on this lot at the time for being bandwagon-jumpers. it certainly sounds to me like someone more used to churning out pap for the eurovision song contest had noticed the trend of new wave power pop and thought "we'll have a bit of that". this never did anything for me at the time with its banal tune and awful singing, and if anything sounds even worse now. as regards the gimmick "stuck" bit at the end (that others have noted hardly even got featured here), it was the only bit of the record that was remotely interesting to me. so as such, given the choice i'd rather listen to that in perpetuum than the rest of the song ever again!
the beat: what a shame that they didn't immediately follow the look rather than have that barry manilow rubbish sandwiched inbetween. mr skinner would then have had the opportunity for a decent quip for a change: "no, you're not the beat - THEY are!"
sad cafe: with six people already involved, you'd think one of them would mime a sax solo instead of getting a seventh in. and when it comes to haircuts he's just as hopelessly adrift of 1980's fashions as most of the rest of the band! but even though it looks awful, you have to give singer (the other) paul young some kudos for becoming the first proper wearer of a mullet on the show (that ironically his namesake became famous for later on in the decade). musically, it really is difficult to believe that this turgid and instantly-forgettable pub rock was done by the same band that gave us the classy "every day hurts"
bad manners: it looks like the band have won a competition to help themselves to a costume of their choice at the local fancy dress shop! as regards the blow-up doll (or was it just a mannequin they nicked from the same shop?), somebody has very kindly gone to the effort of stitching her name on her chest just in case we had no idea who she might be. this sounds very similar to their last effort to me, maybe a reason why it stalled outside the top 20 (despite getting a lot of airplay at the time to my recollection)? like showaddywaddy (and probably racey too), its relative failure also probably elicited the dreaded edict from the record company to "either do cover versions from now on, or clear your desk!"
Wilberforce, agreed regarding Bad Manners. If you look at their sequence of hits, only their debut hit Ne Nee Nee Na Na Noo saw Buster Bloodvessel in his natural form.
DeleteFrom Lip Up Fatty onwards in the TOTP studio in August 1980, Buster Bloodvessel moved in a different direction of covering up his physique with fancy dress outfits instead, which would have covered up his obesity, as we saw gradually through performances on the show during 1980.
Although fat was still acceptable on TV in 1980, it looks from all the footage that the singer himself was not comfortable with it, through the gradual covering up from one hit to the next during 1980 & 1981.
the mere fact that doug trendle (as was his givenn name) chose to call himself buster bloodvessel suggests that if not proud of his girth, then at least he was willing to use it to humourous effect (and also maybe benefit from the novelty value - unlike now there weren't many obese or even overweight people back then). further evidence of his state of mind m'lud is that after his pop career went belly up (sorry!) he opened up a hostelry called "fatty towers"! if anyone was concerned about his over-exposure, i would say it was more likely his record company (that don't forget was owned by a future tory peer) than the man himself...
DeleteSo the first show of 1981 and a few thoughts from me…
ReplyDeleteRacey - Runaround Sue – The lead singer’s name was Richard Gower and I always think of David! I’m sure Showaddywaddy also covered this song but looking up on 45cat, it’s not there. They certainly could have done and it wouldn’t have sounded much different.
I’ll skip Adam and the insects….
The Look – I am the beat – never really liked this one very much but obviously it’s still popular.
Barry Manilow – Lonely together – Barry was huge at this point in time and I remember a number of live shows being on TV at this point in time but I don’t think he made any TOTP appearances nor were there videos for the singles. But I quite enjoyed the Legs Girls anyway…
The Beat – Too nice to talk to – Another non-favourite band and song for me. I think they had a good crack at an old Andy Williams hit a few years later.
Sad Café – I’m in love again. Truly awful song which I recall disliking intensely at the time. How it troubled the charts at all is beyond me. Later in 1981 SC released one of my favourite singles of the year; ‘Follow you anywhere’ after a record label switch from RCA to Polydor. Despite extensive radio play there was no TOTP appearance and ‘sadly’ it did not chart.
Matchbox – Over the Rainbow – Move along Dorothy…
Chas & Dave – Rabbit – Novelty nonsense. Who bought this stuff?
Specials – Do Nothing – One of their best ‘double A’ side singles where you never heard the other A side (Maggie’s Farm).
Nolans – Who’s gonna rock you’ – welcome repeat of the girls and drummer Santa.
Bad Manners – Lorraine – Another novelty nonsense record that confounded chart watchers by charting. Barry Manilow would, of course feature the word ‘Lorraine’ in his next single (I made it through Lorraine….), which makes for a nice tie in on this show.
John Lennon – fine song, sad circumstances for it to be at no1.
Fade out with ‘Gordon’s alive’ made me chuckle as Brian Blessed still gets asked to say that when people meet him.
I liked the show format, lots of songs, little chit-chat and one host.
Erm, I bought "Rabbit"! Still quite enjoy the song in truth.
DeleteErm, I bought "Rabbit"! Still quite enjoy the song in truth.
DeleteIt's a pity Chas and Dave brought out Rabbit a bit too late for the Watership Down soundtrack.
DeleteIncidentally Arthur, you're double posting all over the place at the moment!
DeleteI know, everything's posting twice at the mo, but I can't work out how to resolve it! Anyone got any ideas?
DeleteAnyway, here we go...
Do you remember Racey’s debut? A sub-Smokie effort with a pouting, bearded singer? I remember it more than this effort from half an hour back.
The Look’s singer reminded me of Killing Joke’s Jez Coleman, but that was nothing compared to the David Van Day impersonator on keyboards which looked like an elongated deckchair. Three months to make the top 30? Blimey! This was the single’s fourth week in the top 75, and their only other chart track, “Feeding Time” stalled at 50 about 18 months later.
Legs & Co are wearing mini skirts, ay, Richard? Nice outfits, nice moves, but faces like slapped arses, possibly due to Barry’s song?
Sad Café – just sad. Matchbox – even sadder. Good live vocals by Chas and Dave, with a fun track that em’braces’ the chart – see what I did there?
An unusual song about domestic violence by Bad Manners – maybe they’d drunk too much “Special Brew” beforehand ? - but enegetic performance of the night, and I loved that bassline.
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DeleteI also thought it odd that Skinner referred to Legs & Co wearing miniskirts, cos these were nighties they were wearing dancing to Lonely Together by Barry Manilow. What was the matter with Mr Richard Skinner here, as I always thought of him as the intelligent type??
DeleteNo titles, no Coming Up section, just straight into...
ReplyDeleteRacey. Oh well you can't win 'em all. I like the pianist who doubles up as a sax player who leaps up onto the top of the piano when the pintsize lead singer takes his turn miming the keys. They're still doing the naff formation dancing thing but it's looking a bit tired now.
Mr Skinner did a sterling job as presenter this week, I had forgotten just how good he was.
The first of several repeats today with Adam and The Ants. I never knew exactly what the lyrics of this were in the middle bit so I looked them up and they read "Don't tread on an ant, you'll end up black and blue You cut off his head, legs come looking for you". You can't argue with that.
The Look and I Am The Beat which I hated at the time as it was so annoyingly catchy. This was more Powerpop (or Power Pop as Paul Weller called it) than 60s revival/mod but it is a good song and a solid production. I never liked the way the lead singer pronounced the word Beat though, sounds more like Biyte.
Legs and Co do Barry Manilow, well in a sense. And they do it looking very pissed off in what seem like one-size-fits-all negligees in slow formation.
The Charts - and there are no less than 5 former, present or future number ones in the top 30 this week. Oo er.
The Beat. Another repeat I knows but a worthy one. I like the way ersatz bassist Horace is taking then trouble to mime each bass note even though he didn't play on the original. And he claps along in the drop out. Well done sir!
Sad Cafe gradually morphing into a heavy metal band complete with leather pants and bubble cut perms. The drummer looks like a fat Bev Bevan.
Oh no it's Alvin Stardust's dad again. It seems like months that we last saw this but it was only about four week ago.
Chas and Dave complete with members of the crowd wearing giant rabbit heads which looks like something out of the May Day parade from The Wicker Man. Where's The Salmon of Knowledge?
The Specials - another repeat - but I note that as well as the christmas jumpers and swapping bassists the band also must have had a bet as to who could do a forced grin directly into the camera because both John Bradbury and Jerry Dammers have a go. I'm sure Terry would have done so as well if he weren't busy chewing gum and trying not to drop it.
Yet another repeat in the shapely shape of The Nolans. Watching this it's hard to imagine that lead singer Linda was later a cop in The Bill.
Bad Manners. I saw them live not long after this time and they were a superb live act. In the video the band are dressed a Henry VIII's courtiers attending a banquet and Lorraine Is Henry VIII's seventh wife. So it all make sense, sort of.
The Top Ten and then John Lennon's Imagine. I remember how nice it was to see this vid at the time but it has become over-familiar now.
And play out with Queen's ode to Molly "get two" Weir.
Cleans baths without scratching!
Deleteprior to david bowie's death i was working on a weird al yankovic-style parody of "ashes to ashes" where the addiction is supermarkets rather than drugs (which i still intend to perform by the way), and one line is "one flash to buy, but no mr muscle"...
Deletegood to see you back on the trail bama - i like the comment about the wicker man parade!
DeleteThanks for finding the video of Lorraine by Bad Manners. This appears to be their first foray into video, as their first three hits in 1980 had no videos made for them, and only studio performances at TOTP were done.
DeleteThe pop video for Lorraine must be quite rare, cos I admit this is the first time I've seen it and on Utube it is a poor mangled copy looking quite withered in its quality, and the miming is a bit out of synch with the audio.
Anyway, it appears that for a first video (at the start of 1981) to be made at the fourth of the Bad Manners catalog of hits, it needs a clean copy, cos it seems the same Henry the 8th costume from the video and the same blow-up doll were used for the TOTP studio performance this week.
It was suggested that Bad Manners were banned from TOTP for using the blow up doll on a family show in the performance of Lorraine but it seems that it had more to do with a later hit where up he painted his head yellow with a big red dot in the middle so he would look like a giant zit and it caused a glare and ruined the lighting. Can't wait to see that!
DeleteI am late in blogging this week as I was too busy last week. I am determined to blog this year as 1981 was an important year for me as I walked out of college, left home, went to live near Henley-on-Thames with some friends, fell in love, fell out of love and eventually moved up to London and got a job in the film industry. I actually never saw a lot of the 1981 shows at the time for one reason or another (so I'm looking forward to seeing them all) but ended up helping create the video for Bowie and Queen's Under Pressure (I helped choose the clips of films they used - I kid you not, it's all true).
DeleteThen we should call you Sir Bama. The video for Under Pressure would have been the only way to see this hit on TV, as you would never get Bowie and Queen on any TV show by 1981, let alone TOTP!
Delete