And also an equally big thanks to Robert Thompson for making this available to download here at Filehosting.org
It will not be broadcast of course because the host is Jimmy Savile. So do not click the link if you wish to avoid him.
The Showaddywaddy must go on!
2-9-82: Presenter: Jimmy Savile (Live)
(16) MODERN ROMANCE – Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White
Went up one more place.
(3) DURAN DURAN – Save A Prayer (video)
Also went up one more place.
(47) SHAKATAK – Invitations
Number 24 was its peak.
(33) DEPECHE MODE – Leave In Silence
Peaked at 18.
(28) ABC – All Of My Heart (video)
The band's final top ten hit, reaching number 5.
(29) CAPTAIN SENSIBLE – Wot
Went up three more places.
(41) SIMPLE MINDS – Glittering Prize
The second of two top 20 hits in 1982, peaking at number 16.
(49) SHOWADDYWADDY – Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp-A-Bomp-A-Bomp)
Their final chart hit, and with it their farewell to Top of the Pops, thanks for the great memories lads! And number 37 was its peak.
(36) UB40 – So Here I Am
Peaked at 25.
(5) THE KIDS FROM FAME – Hi-Fidelity (video)
Now at its peak.
(19) GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE – The Message (danced to by Zoo)
The first of three top ten hits for the Grandmaster, this one making number 8.
(9) HAIRCUT 100 – Nobody’s Fool (video)
Their final top 30 hit now at its peak.
(1) SURVIVOR – Eye Of The Tiger (video)
The first of four weeks at number one.
(25) TOM TOM CLUB – Under The Boardwalk (crowd dancing) (and credits)
Their final hit, peaking at number 22.
Back to BBC4 next for September 9th 1982.
This edition featured plenty of new wave classics, in particular from Simple Minds, Depeche Mode and ABC - as well as a seminal rap offering. Showaddywaddy's swansong, it must be said, had been coming a long way off; their shop-soiled brand of diluted traditional rock and roll was hopelessly out of place in the post-punk, post-disco climate.
ReplyDeleteShowaddywaddy as late as 1982? Good Lord, we are really being treated to some 70s bands holding on at this stage, weren't we? They were still too late for the pop video era, having missed out completely, and their demise was just in time, before having been forced to make videos if they had somehow held on further into the decade.
DeleteSpent most of this episode trying to work out what the costumes were supposed to be representing. Some odd choices for an anniversary show, but I suppose they had to fill out the time somehow.
ReplyDeleteModern Romance, at least this was a link to the past, but not sure why they thought this was a good idea rather than their original material.
Duran Duran with unconvincing pan pipes action.
Shakatak, sounded familiar until I realised it sounded like pretty much everything else they did.
Depeche Mode, might as well have been silent for all the impression it left on me. Strange choice for a single: no hooks!
ABC, ah, the lush, immaculate production, the operatic emotions, possibly the best thing they ever did. Who was the bloke with Martin's missus?
Crunching gear change to Captain Sensible, never really lived up to that nickname, did he? For some reason a muscular man lifts a dinosaur bone in the foreground - then breaks it!
Simple Minds, could have done with the ABC orchestral production, but not a bad tune as they moved into their best phase.
Showaddywaddy, looking their age and definitely sounding it. A fun tune, but this cover does nothing for it. Still, they're as exuberant as ever, God loves a trier.
UB40, apparently taking notes from Gary Numan's last few singles. But not any musical notes, was there a tune here? Comically mundane lyrics, too.
The Kids from Fame, gotta love Valerie's shameless high kicking.
Putting the Captain to shame, Grandmaster Flash and company in one of the hardest-hitting raps we'd had to that point. I notice they left out the line about "pissing in the streets" but left in the homophobic slur. Zoo almost get the right idea, but they make this sound like a novelty tune with their antics.
Talking of swearing, does Patsy Kensit mime the F word in the opening minute of the Haircut 100 video? She would be on TOTP as an artist in her own right in a few years, of course. The storyline almost commits to comedy, but nobody seems to be enjoying themselves.
Survivor finally make it to the top spot, and they were reluctant to give it up. We get the video at last, too.
Tom Tom Club to end on, not a bad cover, but they would do better on that great album of theirs. Is Bunty from Zoo Harry Hill's regular viewer Bunty Hoven?
I thought Shakatak sounded eerily like Mezzoforte's 'Garden Party' released a year later I think. Who got the idea from who? Perfect garden party sound, and really liked the circus acrobatics (from Zoo?) mid-tune.
DeleteABC for a final top ten hit, I thought that this along with the video was an awesome performance, and I remember purchasing this video from iTunes a few years ago, along with all their other videos which are classics of course. A band of great contribution to 80s music and pop history. Just love this track and the video.
Wow, this must have been the most jam-packed show in the history of TOTP, not including the Christmas shows. With a 45-minute length of show, even Jim'll must have been impressed with the airtime he got this week.
ReplyDeleteBy now it seemed that TOTP was into its themes, i.e., last week a wild west theme with DLT, and now a circus themed show with Jim'll. Such a great party atmosphere on the show, with the carousel, circus dancers, Zoo, etc. What a party this week, wasn't it?
Modern Romance - nice touch to see the lead singer making way for the now famous trumpeter John Du Cruz to give him centre stage for most of the song. Mr Cruz certainly was very tall, wasn't he? I just love this 80s rendition of Eddie Calvert's fifties classic, and so fitting with the colour and panache of the TOTP studio of the time.
Captain sensible - oh now I understand, the carousel in the studio was built for Captain Sensible. Wot, the Captain wearing a ballerina dress? Oh please...... and I see the three backing girls were not dressed as cleaners this time, but for some crown green bowling it seems, and we also got to see the return of the Adam Ant impersonator mid-way through the song for a cameo appearance. WOT udder drivel, you could say!
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - wow, another solid performance from Zoo this week, following up their brilliant effort last week on the Rockers Revenge track. The costumes here were a flavour of what was to come the following year in 1983 with similar costumes on the Michael Jackson video for Thriller.
Survivor - at last a new No.1, and with it at long last the now famous video of the group walking down the street, and so we could put a face to the performers on the group, and not requiring the earlier film clip from Rocky III and Mr T from the later 'A Team'.
Modern Romance's trumpeter was John Du Prez, real name Trevor Jones.
DeleteMany thanks to those who made this bumper edition available for us to view, though it puzzles me a bit for a couple of reasons. Firstly, why were the Beeb celebrating their 60th anniversary in early September, when the anniversary proper of their first broadcast was still a couple of months away? Secondly, the content of the show had practically nothing to do with the anniversary - it looks like Mr Hurll was just using it as an excuse to put a fairground ride and yet more circus performers into the studio. Jim'll marks the occasion by brandishing a 2D trumpet and once again donning some short shorts. He floats through proceedings on his normal cloud of babble, with his inimitable chart countdown style to the fore.
ReplyDeleteAt least Modern Romance do nod towards the 20s with their dinner suits and antique microphone in this performance, which was much easier on the eye than their previous one. The Shakatak effort was barely distinguishable from their previous singles, with an identikit style of performance to match. Despite the best efforts of the two ladies to keep the viewer interested, it's no great surprise that the camera keeps cutting away to those trapeze artists!
Depeche Mode still appear to be struggling to find their feet in the post-Vince era at this stage. This slow burn effort isn't bad, but never quite manages to grab the attention fully. The same cannot be said of ABC - this for me is by far the best thing they ever did, a genuinely great song married to superlative production. A good, atmospheric video too, and a pity that it gets cut off early. The good Captain once again belies his name by putting on a tutu and taking over the carousel for this entertaining performance, but marks are deducted for the superfluous muscleman and the bizarre giant bone!
I was impressed by the size of Jim Kerr's cravat in this new turn from Simple Minds. Not a bad song, but not one to get too excited about either. As I've mentioned before, I think by this stage the Waddys were just getting wheeled out so that Jim'll could say their name. As usual they give their all in this performance, but they looked so out of place by this point it's embarrassing, and it's a mercy for everyone that this was finally the end of the line. A crap choice of cover as well - the Fun Boy Three could rest assured that Dave and the boys were not going to wrest back the permanent spot in the TV Centre car park from them...
What's this, UB40 have acquired a funky bass sound? This really is quite a departure from their normal approach, and it works pretty well too - what a shame that they would soon lose all sense of musical exploration and enquiry. However, the seminal track on this show has to be The Message, the first "serious" rap track to enter the chart, challenging the notion that this new sound was just a novelty. I generally hate rap, but I don't mind this and I was apprehensive as to what Zoo would do with it. They manage not to disgrace themselves, though it's a pity they don't go in for any breakdancing - in fairness, I don't think that had quite reached our shores at this stage.
A nice rural-themed video for the Haircuts next, before we finally get to see the Survivor video as they ascend to the top. I find the bit where they are walking the street trying to look hard quite amusing, mainly because the chubby keyboardist with the curly hair and specs looks completely out of place! We round off back in the studio with a brief snatch of a cover of Under the Boardwalk that almost makes the Bruce Willis version from a few years later sound good...
Thanks Steve HH for making this available. JS (wearing hideous white shorts) gets another ‘special’ show after the 500th edition a while back, and it’s packed with all the fun of the circus, ‘Adam Ant’ and a few lower region chart contenders, preferred to the superb highest new entry this week from Dire Straits…
ReplyDeleteModern Romance – Cherry Pink – Another thoroughly enjoyable start for this oldie that really does get this special off to a good start.
Duran Duran – Save a Prayer – Luckily we’ve seen much more of this superb video before as it gets somewhat chopped here.
Shakatak – Invitations – Easier said than done part 2? Another crowd pleaser though.
Depeche Mode – Leave in silence – They recorded better songs.
ABC – All of my Heart – For me their finest moment. Stonking song and great video to go with it. Wonderful.
Captain Sensible – Wot – Next please…
Simple Minds – Glittering Prize – See Depeche Mode
Showaddywaddy – Who put the bomp – Another faultless cover given the Showaddywady treatment and had it been 1977 or 1978 this would surely have been top10? Worthy of being on this show, but sadly tastes had changed. As Anglo says “Thanks guys for the memories”.
UB40 – So here I am – See Depeche Mode
The Kids from Fame – Hi Fidelity – That keyboard solo really is quite good. Otherwise, rather forgettable.
Grandmaster Flash – The Message – I listened to this right through and still don’t get the appeal.
Haircut 100 – Nobody’s Fool – Would have liked to have seen more of the cricket match at the end. Near the start when Nick gets in the Hillman, the superimposed girl (didn’t realise it was Patsy Kensit – thanks THX) looks like she is saying “Oh f---“. Wonder where all this was filmed?
Survivor – Eye of the Tiger - Like ‘Fame’ previously, this is now no1 and being accompanied by a different promo film to its first ToTP showing. For me this is the definitive video showing both the band walking down the street and performing, and tantalising clips from the film. The song had just spent 6 weeks at the top of the US charts and so dovetailed into a chart topper over here (and deservedly so). Another song with the word ‘Eye’ would creep into the US top3 shortly but sadly not make any impression at all over here; ‘Eye in the Sky’ by the Alan Parsons Project; one of my favourite singles of 1982.
Tom Tom Club – Under the Boardwalk – Ideal playout music to end the party.
sadly no pirate streams of this episode seem to be available on the internet, and i don't do downloads. but fortunately most of what interests me was available in some form on youtube in order to still be able to submit a fairly detailed report
ReplyDeletehost: mr now then should really be re-named mr as it appens, as he starts his links with that same phrase either side of simple minds! regardless that he's now almost universally reviled as the most evil man since hitler, surely even at the time people were scratching their heads wondering why this superannuated buffoon with his well-worn catchphrases and little else to offer was still presenting the show?
shakatak: i couldn't find the totp appearance on yt, but the official video is probably not much different anyway. the dumpy brunette has now been replaced by i think the blonde who did the blondie medley on the show about a year earlier? this has a more brazilian feel about it than their previous efforts, but it's just as vapid if not more so
abc: i always found this pretty boring apart from the atmospheric instrumental coda, which of course radio deejay's would always blab over as soon as it began. other records that fall into that category for me are "strawberry letter 23" (both the shuggie otis original and brothers johnson cover), "goodbye stranger" (supertramp) and "why worry" (dire straits). does anyone else have similar choices?
captain sensible: the captain gets funky! did chic pursue him for copyright infringement the way they did with the sugarhill gang?
simple minds: a second not-that-good single offering from what was overall a pretty good album. jim looks scarily like the monster/psychopath from the "halloween" films!
showaddywaddy: sadly the only recording of this on yt is the totp 2 version, thus is lacking an intro from mr as it appens (i wonder how close he sounds to hugh dennis's hilarious impression?). oh well, time to wave goodbye to the boys now as they finally vacate the totp caravan/car park in order to make their way to the end of the pier...
UB40: ali and the boys get funky! i don't remember this at all, but actually it sounds quite good to my ears. that is apart from ali's whine which doesn't really fit in
haircut 100: given that nick heyward was on the verge of leaving the band, they should have played this video backwards so that he dropped the rest off from his car rather than picked them up. and although she looks pretty mature for her age, miss kensit was very much legally under the age of consent at the time. so i hope that none of the band had a personal dalliance with her whilst making the video... otherwise they might get woken up one night by the yewtree squad knocking on their door!
tom tom club: we seem to have completely skipped the first two excellent singles from their album totp-wise, after which this pointless cover was a real disappointment
If you click on the 4Shared link the video plays automatically, with no downloading necessary. Takes a while to load, though.
DeleteSurely the ultimate "instrumental bit better than the rest of it" song is Layla? (full length version)
The Halloween mask began life as a mask of Star Trek's Captain Kirk! So Jim looks like William Shatner, is what you're saying!
Patsy was about to be in Luna, a sci-fi sitcom nobody remembers but me. I'd watch anything sci-fi in those days. She wasn't in the second series, alas.
5 August 1982 with JK section is here:https://mega.nz/#!Hh0nzKLS!holbLrHG3tIH56oOVNT2TrSk6dBCz4oFmWEMQzht87I
Deletegia, please can you convert this to WeTransfer, which is much easier to use, as your link does not open the file.
DeleteTHX - agree with you on the instrumental bit of 'Layla', but I also think the extended instrumental on 'Wuthering Heights' featuring Ian Bairnson's wonderful guitar solo goes a close second. Ian, incidentally is the guitarist on 'Eye in the Sky' which I mention above.
DeleteDory, what email to send the file in WeTransfer?
Deletei used to think that "freebird" (that was of course recently in the charts again) was of the "instrumental bit at the end much better than the rest of it" ilk. but now i've grown to love the song bit as well
Deleteanother "UBATEMBTTROI" i've just remembered is sting's "they dance alone"
Deletesorry, that IBATEMBTTROI!
DeleteI'm a big fan of Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well Part 1, but the instrumental part 2 is even better.
DeleteAt the risk of appearing untrendy, I cannot hear Good To Love by Carpenters without air guitaring the ending..
DeleteI disagree with some of the above - 'Layla' is dreary minor key wailing and 'Freebird' is mindless self-indulgence. Agree about 'Goodbye To Love' though - superb!
DeleteA fave of mine which springs to mind is 'Hitch A Ride' by Boston.
Another contender is Hard To Say I'm Sorry by Chicago, this has an uptempo, mainly instrumental brass-driven bit on the end which really rocks.
Deleteare you sure you've got the right track bama? i listened to the end of it on youtube but could detect no such coda. talking of which: probably due to the king/usa bit on totp, this and another tedious aor ballad of theirs are due to hit the charts soon!
DeleteJust discovered it's actually another song it segues into on the album it's from (Chicago 16) called Get Away which is just over a minute long, but I have heard some gold radio stations play it as one track. If you key Chicago Hard To Say I'm Sorry/Get Away into Youtube you'll find it.
DeleteDory, this i got from Sean Cuthbert. Sadly i can't convert this to WeTransfer. connected to Sean's blog: plus.google.com/102949892503574129253
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a decryption key is required to view the file on mega.nz
DeleteCan you re-check the link gia?
Thanks.
or give us the decryption key?
DeleteI re-check link now and it's all right
DeleteIt's still not accessible on my PC without the decryption key.
DeleteTry again, sometimes it works
ReplyDeleteStill not working without a decryption key. Can you try putting it on 4shared.com, or create a Vimeo account and send us the link?
DeleteI try,believe me Dory i really want you download it
DeleteNow i uploading it on 4shared. So slow, only 3% in 15 minutes
Deleteyou see, apart from worrying about viruses and other nasties coming down with them it's more trouble than it's worth to download these pirate shows! might i suggest that those who have the booty upload these things to internet video streaming sites such as youtube and the one last week's DLT one was one?
DeleteEasier said than done Wilby!
DeleteCan you paste the 4-shared link please gia?
DeleteOK. www.4shared.com/account.jsp#dir=_GTjq0jH
DeleteSomebody's watching or downloadind it? I did it for the first time.
Delete4shared link not working, showing the following error
DeleteThe file link that you requested is not valid.
I check again now and works for me. I don't know what to do
DeleteTell me please another way to put this file
DeleteThis file 1,17GB and not upload for Vimeo
DeleteCan you not use some video editing software to reduce the size, what format is it in ?
DeleteAnonymous, give somebodys email address and i shared this file
DeleteFormat avi, best quality
DeleteTry a vimeo.com upload.
DeleteI try but vimeo doesn't accept because the file size under the limit
DeleteMost email accounts don't accept files that large, but you can try
Deleteshearer154@gmail.com
Anonymous, i send to this address this ''unhappy'' file. Let me know result
DeleteGia, worked fine - Thanks
DeleteFull version 05/08/82 - Big file 1.2mb
Deletehttp://www.4shared.com/video/1Koa2u3yba/totp_05-08-82.html
Should be 1.2 gb !
DeleteAnonymous, could you somehow upload it for us on We Transfer or Vimeo or 4-shared, if you were able to open it from gia's source?
DeleteNow i try on WeTransfer
DeleteSorry, our messages seemed to cross. At last I could see it including what must have been not only the best ever JK section on TOTP, but also his longest one, sunbathing with a very shy Belinda Carlisle of The Go Go's and a sunny interview with Christine McVie with Fleetwood Mac's long-awaited return after three years in the wilderness with the brilliant video for "Hold Me". I wouldn't mind Kate Garner saying that, or even her equivalent aptly-named Foxy from Zoo who has not appeared for a few TOTP shows recently.
Deletegia, you've done your bit now. The 4-shared link from Anonymous has worked a treat, and was easy to download. Thanks anonymous, you made my day.
DeleteThanks Dory! Anonymous please check, i now send this file through WeTransfer same email address
Deletetotp 5 august 1982 with JK section on WeTransfer is here:www.wetransfer.com/downloads/87193d4f46b74afc7e2b693e3296a60220161122201946/bcc054
DeleteEasy download link 5 August 82 from WeTransfer is:https://we.tl/kP52HRTrCA
Deletezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............
DeleteGreat News Wilberforce! It looks like you'll be spared more Yankie AOR tedium! The TV guide has now withdrawn the artists on JK's US section so it looks like they are continuing their policy ... Surprise,Surprise!
Deleteeven though i can't stand him nor most of the music he promotes, i wouldn't actually mind seeing the king/usa segments on the show again just from a cultural and historical viewpoint. presumably king's contributions are being airbrushed out due to him currently being on bail as part of "operation ravine". but what if he's cleared of the charges before they end? will they then be obliged to start showing them?
Deleteby the way, apart from operations ravine and yewtree, i've now just discovered that plod have set up yet another historical sex crimes investigation called "operation hydrant"! it sounds like another massive waste of the tax payers' money to me, but how do they come up with these stupid names for their witch-hunts? and if anyone is airbrushed out of totp as a result, will they have been "hydranted"?
The names are randomly generated by the Police system when a new enquiry is set up (I think it is called HOLMES...)
DeleteThanks to Steve H H for an episode I eventually managed to download. Sadly a mostly forgettable anniversary show containing five non-mugshot songs, with the worst parts being Jim’ll’s shorts, his lack of song title mentions in the countdown, and a couple of dreadful cover versions.
ReplyDeleteModern Romance’s drummer fannied about for the first ten seconds of their tune, and that mic still didn’t look wired up.
Shakatak – lift music, sadly going up, introduced by Jim’ll saying “Good morning”.
Depeche Mode with a change of image from last time, electronic drums – and a gong! ELP must have been shaking their heads in despair.
It’s ABC, Jim’ll, not 1-2-3! A fantastic song, and a sublime video (nice lingerie!), woefully truncated for what? “Wot”! Not fair(ground).
Simple Minds next, with the future Mr Patsy Kensit, gliding around and channelling his inner Kate Bush.
Oooh, It’s The ‘Waddy, with a brand new image (stripey trousers and glittery braid on the jackets), and Romeo even gets a vocal part this time round. Shame it’s for their last TOTP, with a thin yoghourt cover of an even thinner rock and roll song. Still, the end of an era. Cheers for it all, lads.
UB40 next with the third non-mugshot song in a row. Well, I say song. Not so much name that tune as find that tune.
The Kids From Fame’s tune sounded like a cross between a sped up Grange Hill “Just Say No” and a soft drinks jingle.
An historic moment next with “The Message”. I’m not a fan of rap but this was symbolic. The dancing was okay but ruined by all that fog and whooping.
It’s the future Mrs Jim Kerr, and I think she actually says “Oh, fab” at the start of Haircut 100’s ha-ha-hilarious video. That woman was digging a grave for the band’s future.
I don’t have the strength to critique the last two horrors on the show. The best thing about them was that they heralded the end of those bloody white shorts.
i seem to remember that patsy kensit was with one of the oasis neanderthals for a while, but not that she was jim kerr's squeeze. to be honest i don't why guys get excited about her - to me she always looks like she's swallowed something unpleasant!
DeleteDidn't Patsy marry wotsisface off of Big Audio Dynamite too? More pertinently for us recently, she's also the ex-wife of Jeremy Healy!
DeleteIt appears Patsy Kensit has married four chart stars of varying degrees - Dan Donovan out of Big Audio Dynamite, Jim Kerr, Liam Gallagher and Jeremy Healy.
Delete(Wilby - I think there's a joke to be had there about swallowing something unpleasant and getting married four times to pop stars as a result, but you can have the punchline!)
four weddings and a urinal?
DeleteI whizzed through this pretty quickly, given the fact that it's on 4shared (not my favourite platform) and picture quality wasn't great. Not that I'm not grateful to see it, of course!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see that 'Hi-Fidelity' was the TV show version once more, shame they couldn't get the proper video.
Of the new stuff, to me it breaks down as follows -
Would gladly never hear again : Bloody Shakatak with their latest dirge, Showaddywaddy, UB40 and Tom Tom Club
Average, can take it or leave it (arf!) : Depeche Mode
Good, and hoping that we get these on a non-Yewtreed show : ABC, Simple Minds (my fave single from New Gold Dream) & Grandmaster Flash
That carnival set and costumes were eye-wateringly awful as well.
Was there a "proper" Hi Fidelity video? I've only ever seen the clip from the relevant TV episode.
DeleteI thought there was. It's possible that I imagined it!
DeleteThere was definitely not another video for Hi Fidelity. The one we saw on TOTP was also the official video for the song.
DeleteWe are a mere three weeks away from the 50th anniversary of the release of The Good The Bad And The Ugly (one of the greatest westerns of all time) And to celebrate and commemerate the occasion.......
ReplyDeleteTHE GOOD. Duran Duran. Possibly the most seminal of all 80s videos and definitely one for the ladies to lust over. Shameless inclusion of a bunch of children, hinting that not only are the Durannies good looking and talented, but that they are longing to have children of their own. Possibly with you!
Simple Minds. The glorious Glittering Prize was one of my favourite tracks of the year and still sounds good today. Jim is starting to look the part now that he has ditched his previous disasterous hairdo.
ABC. The video is a bit naff but the single is their biggest achievement, and I played this to death in 82. Like Glittering Prize it still stands up.
UB40. Not a lot of love on here but I like it. More funk than (cod) reggae but it makes a nice change of pace from the other stuff they released round this time. Unusual to see TWO left hand guitarists in the same band - can't think of any others.
Grandmaster Flash. Another of my favourites of the year but this one sounds hugely dated now.
THE BAD
Showaddywaddy. Dear Lord. Not only have they scraped the barrel, but they've hoovered it, leant in and licked it, and then used a squeegee on it. Guys you were a decent pop combo back in the mid 70s, but you really should have hung up your drapes a couple of years ago.
Captain Sensible. Wot? No, seriously, Wot?
Shakatak. I reckon their songs were composed by marrying a jazz/funk jam with any old lyrics that were hanging around. File under 'repetetetetive'.
Depeche Mode. Leave In Silence. Watch on FF.
Modern Romance. Nope.
Zoo. A dozen zooologists do various things, mostly in time to the music, if a bit literal in places. The staging is not helping them at all - dim lighting and too much dry ice obscuring them most of the time, and the camera being too close, negating any impact that they may have had.
THE UGLY. He-Who-Can't-Be-Shown. There are, of course, a number of reasons to put this man in this category. Not only did he turn out to be the vilest of human beings, but as a presenter he was godamn awful I present for you -verbatim- his link into Shakatak.
"Now then, howzabout we should have for you an invitation, from the one and only - going up the charts - Shakatak - same as the hat - thank you, good morning"
You can add to that the constant 'as it happens' and 'howzabouts' and the pitiful excuse for a chart undown. A new leader in the World's Worst Presenting Job.
Scores. Balancing out the good and the bad we get to a decent 7 for the show. With Simple Minds taking top honours.
He-Who-Cant-Be-Shown. Scores 1. And thats only because the 0 on my keyboard is bust.
myself and a fellow fan watched the expanded/restored version of "the good the bad and the ugly" as a kind-of 50 year celebration a couple of months ago. i remember when they used to show the spaghettis (somewhat curiously the terence hill/bud spencer spoofs as well as the sergio leone films) on bbc2 as a series late on sunday (?) evenings for several years in the late 70's/early 80's, just as summer turned to autumn. so that has become my traditional time of year to watch them! the "dollars" trilogy is great (especially "TGTB&TU") but my favourite leone film is what is known in blighty as "a fistful of dynamite"...
Deletehaving previously seen mr as it appens' performances limited to a few seconds inbetween acts on totp, in the mid 70's (when i was in my early teens) i tried watching his new show "jim'll fix it" (why wasn't it called "jimmy'll fix it? after all, nobody ever referred to him as jim savile). even at that early age, as i watched him struggle to entertain with his pathetic multi-compartment chair routine at the start of the show, i realised he was strictly a one-dimensional character with no personality whatsoever behind the clowning and the catchphrases and so gave up on his show very quickly. sadly though few others saw through him the way i did, as otherwise surely he would have got his totp cards long before now?
DeleteI always found Jim'll Fix It tedious when I was a kid, and there was something a bit unsettling about the man himself - that's not to say though I believe every allegation that has been levelled against him, as it is all too easy to throw accusations at the dead when they will never be tried in a court of law. I think the reason he presented TOTP for so long is that many regarded him as the face of the show, while his reputation as a "tireless charity fundraiser" doubtless gave him a teflon quality with BBC management, which made them reluctant to move him on - Jim'll Fix It also went on far too long.
DeletePS - I love all the Dollars films, though For a Few Dollars More is my personal favourite.
i've probably said this on this site before, but my belief on mr as it appens is/was that behind the clown mask he was a: a not very nice man, b: a control freak who did whatever it took to get his way, whether it be through intimidation or using things like "charidee" as a means of getting people on his side, and c: took advantage of his celebrity status in the way that many if not most of his ilk did back then. despite all that i still maintain that he's been unfairly judged posthumously, although it seems his fate is now forever sealed as public enemy number one!
DeleteFrom my own childhood memories he was something of a 'Marmite' character - certainly my parents didn't like him, but I think that was simply because he was a freakish-looking prat who talked complete bollocks (see above quote), and nothing deeper.
DeleteShame he wasnt ditched in 1969 & we kept Fluff instead, as he seemed to have behaved himself!
DeleteShame he wasnt ditched in 1969 & we kept Fluff instead, as he seemed to have behaved himself!
DeleteA quick check on the 45 cat website reveals that, after a patchy run of minor hits interspersed with complete flops, Showaddywaddy moved labels and this scalding hot effort was their first of three on RCA, the other two failing to chart. By quirk of fate Mud, who'd recorded a version of "Under The Moon Of Love" before The 'Waddy but not had it released as a single, also made their final TOTP having signed for RCA, but their chart tickling days had already finished.
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame that JS was introducing this live special as it is a very good show but I suppose it had to be him.
ReplyDeleteThe last time they re-created a 1950s style dance band set was for Guy Marks in 1978. It works here and the band do a fair job of miming even if the lead singer does miss his cue. I'm not saying his moustache doesn't suit him but it seems a bit indistinct here. As Basil Fawlty once said it has the look of a hairy bogey.
Get on a roundabout with Jimmy? No thank you. It has shades of Michael Jackson's Nevermind Ranch and a health and safety nightmare to boot.
Then the Duranies on video again. Hate the band but love the song. The video is just expensive window dressing.
I want to hate Shakatak but there is something about the infectious rhythm and piano riffs and I like the dual female vocals that reminds me of 1960s albums by Sergio Mendes and the like. Mind you I couldn't tell you the title as it didn't really stick out. Nice to see that the crowd are mostly real people who actually are dancing because they want to and seem to be enjoying themselves.
While I liked Depeche Mode a lot this one left me a bit cold and I didn't buy it at the time. Mind you I didn't have a lot of spare cash in them days. Hearing it again for the first time in 34 years it sounds okay but not one of their best. Can't say I care for Dave G's leather ensemble.
The fourth and last single taken from ABC's glorious Lexicon Of Love album. Truly sublime. The start of the video with the dark street and train going across the bridge was filmed at the end of Clarence Way in Chalk Farm North London on a balmy evening in mid August, I know because I saw them filming it. Yes I did. The 1940s film It always Rains On Sunday was made in the adjacent road. The train that goes over the bridge was Gospel Oak to Statford service that only ran once an hour and so they had to wait ages for it to turn up. I lived just round the corner and was on my way to Camden Town when I saw them filming it and stopped and watched for a while. not a lot happened, it was actually a bit slow going and poor Martyn Fry looked bored to death. Some kids were hanging around for autographs but I had to go.
They're pulling out all the stops to make Captain Sensible look good, with a sideshow tent, the Dolly Mixture girls in matching shorts, an Adam Ant looky-likey and even the return of the random muscleman, but it's still shite.
You get good value for money with Jim Kerr and co, not only are the songs always good but he moves about and gesticulates a lot. There's a lot going on.
You can't have a show without Waddy. Showaddywaddy! This really does look out of place here but perhaps they came as a package with Jim and the fact that they were number 51 was a coincidence. Bass vocalist Buddy Gask looks dreadful here with his hair combed forward and wraparound shades, like The B52s' Fred Schneider on steroids.
Jimmy's certainly met his match with some of those cheerleaders who are creepier than he is. You know who I mean. Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteI had lost faith in UB40 by this point, they had so much promise with their first album but lost the touch with the second one. I thought from the title that this was going to be a cover of the Al Green song but it's a dreary plodding dirge of their own making. Someone please make it stop.
Kids From Fame again and this still sounds wrong to me. I can't believe it got in the Top Ten on the strength of this performance but maybe seeing the show itself would make the difference. Plus being 8 years old might help.
Zoo get the good gig again dancing and a prancing to The Message which like Rockers Revenge last time is the right thing for them to dance to. Still can;t see everything that's going on because of the light and dry ice.
Nice to see the video for Haircut 100 which definitely helps sell the song which is one that sounds better the more times you hear it. Feel sorry for the sax player who always ends up in the drink.
Poor soft Cell have dropped down already which is a shame as I had hoped we might see the video.
Number one and the Survivor video we know and hate although I wonder if after years of Frank Spencer wearing one if the lead singer made berets cool? It could happen. Not sure what's going on at the end of the video where each member of the band looks like they are having water chucked over them. Perhpas the director said he wanted them to wear wet look clothing and they misunderstood.
While I loved Tom Tom Club's other singles this was a bit weedy and pointless by comparison. I can't believe that they were the same group who did The Genius Of Love. What happened?
After Frank Spencer had worn out berets' welcome on his sitcom, along came 'Allo 'Allo the next decade to place them on the heads of the French Resistance. Sadly, Survivor were not played only once, they're still getting bloody played all over the world to this day.
Deletei think us brits have always thought of berets being cool, as long as they're worn by frenchmen or other foreigners - in this country they're seen as the preserve of fools and dorks. even before allo allo and some mothers the beret was the calling card of that jumped-up blustering buffoon monty (of el alamein, as he think he self-styled himself) - any victories he had in battle were down to numbers heavily stacked in his favour rather than any great strategy on his part, and the yanks thought he was such a prat that they tried to exclude him from the d-day landings plans as much as possible!
DeleteNot just the singer in Survivor - wasn't that Captain Sensible out of The Damned a prominent beret wearer as well?
Deleteoh, and don't forget fred scuttle...
DeleteMany thanks to those who make these contraband editions available as they're now the only full shows I see.
ReplyDeleteOne thing this show highlighted for me was the latency between newly released singles being hammered on the radio and then climbing and reaching a peak in the charts (and hence TOTP appearances). I clearly recall 'Hi-Fidelity' and 'Nobody's Fool' being synonymous with the beginning of the summer holiday in July.
On the other hand I have no recollection whatsoever of the UB40, Tom Tom Club and Showaddywaddy records. Yes, farewell Leicester's finest (or was that Engelbert Humperdinck?) - an integral part of these re-runs throughout the last 5 years.
Shakatak were Shakatak, but at least the girls got to sing two verses on this one. And Simple Minds... although in musical terms they were going in the direction of stadium rock their recordings still had a 'studio' feel to them, they had yet to acquire that booming stadium acoustic which most rock recordings had sadly fallen victim to by the end of the decade.
I agree with others that this was ABC's finest hour. Truly sublime, although I must admit it was something of a 'slow grower' for me.