Friday, 29 August 2025

Top of the Pops the Night Away

 Here comes my happiness again - the 1st of May 1998 edition of Top of the Pops!


Top Ten Ricks



1-5-98:   Presenter:  Jamie Theakston

(NEW) ALL SAINTS – Under The Bridge
Getting the new look show underway with this Red Hot Chili Peppers cover and it will get to number one.

(9) THE MAVERICKS – Dance The Night Away
Here with their only top ten hit and it will climb up five more places.

(24) USHER – Nice And Slow
In the studio but got no higher.

(16) TORI AMOS – Spark
Also here tonight but got no higher.

(6) STEPS – Last Thing On My Mind
This lesser known Bananarama cover (peaked at number 71 in 1992) became Steps first of 14 top ten hits and it was now at its peak.

(5) CATATONIA – Road Rage
Performing the third single from their number one album, International Velvet, but it got no higher.

(3) KULA SHAKER – Sound Of Drums
Performing their fifth and final top ten hit but it got no higher.

(1) BOYZONE – All That I Need  (video)  (and credits)
First and only week at number one.



4 comments:

  1. The new TOTP format and graphics starts here, and also included on the Top 20 rundown as a border around the music. We return to the original TOTP theme music of the early 70s, and would be interesting to know how others view it, but I quite like this return to basics but with new graphics for the rest of 1998 at least.

    Also noticed a new entry and peak position of No.27 this week for Saint Etienne with The Bad Photographer. Although not invited to TOTP to perform this, while the following week they did invite Freakpower lower down at No.29 to the studio, we can see Saint Etienne perform their new single on another show TFI Friday at the time:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOTFl6JXh4Q&list=RDAOTFl6JXh4Q&start_radio=1

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  2. I like the renewed lay-out. Reminds me of the good old days of TOTP.

    Was that Usher's bodyguard waiting next to the stage?

    Musicwise it was a poor episode, with exemption of The Mavericks and Catatonia for me.

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  3. I did a post on the original blog page for 30/08/79 which was such a classic edition.
    Anyway this was a good one too and this new look certainly isn't one I remember. I recall it changing to a very plain and claustrophobic set but that's clearly not just yet. 'Whole Lotta Love' returns which is welcome but for now the look is more like that of 1991. Huge stage and studio particularly for All Saints and the addition of Jamie 'Combat Trousers' Theakston as presenter. Fortunately he hasn't changed from his sardonic self and this was a really enjoyable show.

    All Aaints; The new Queens of pop (far more worthy of the title than the Spice Girls in my opinion) get a vertigo inducing stage, both for them and us, made more so by showing the video beneath them. At one point the camera looks up at them making them seem about half a mile away. Very innovative. More of that please. They're having a great time with lots of smiles. Mel a little shaky with the vocals but I'm only half listening really. Aaahh.....eh?...Yes, real stars they look which is shared by a group of girls who unfortunately decide to start chanting their name towards the end despite it being completely out of time with the music. Fortunately their dance routine has been concluded. You wouldn't want any serious distractions at that altitude.

    The Mavericks; Good clip for electric guitar spotters. A Flying V, McCartne's Violin bass and Raul with a beautiful white one. Live vocal which you would expect and Raul croons marvellously. The horn section in big frilly sleeves. But of course. Great fun though I didn't like the single at the time.

    Usher; OK. I really like 'Yeah' but this one meanders to nowhere special although Usher does a lot of meandering to the front of the stage. Off with the hat. Open with the shirt. As I was half expecting the performance just trails off into a whisper. I might enjoy it more with another listen.

    Tori Amos; The new set is at its best for Tori who always delivers and 'Spark' is a grinding , moody waltz as only she could conjure. I really enjoyed that. The audience crowding around Tori and good to see it happening to something that isn't mushy.

    Steps; No. Maybe another time.

    Catatonia; Another big stage and fair enough as they had become so big. I saw them support the Manic Street Preachers at Wembley Arena that December and they were the stars of the night. Big wooly hat Cerys wore as I recall. She looks very stylish in a black suit and backed by the video. Interestingly when the camera faces out from the stage I could see the previous TOTP logo. Had they filmed this before the revamp?

    Kula Shaker; A very extravagant stage set for 'Sound of Drums' that I haven't heard since it was in the charts and that sounded deeply transcendent man. No I enjoyed that. Very good way with a tune Crispian had and he throws himself into the performance while something oriental and kaleidoscopic looks down from the screen behind them. What is either side of them I don't know. A Helter Skelter? A mutunt ice cream? All very Kula Shaker then.

    Boyzone; Nice enough but I can't listen to someone in a pop song pronouncing their Ts.

    The new look, an 8 out of 10.




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  4. This was a decent episode and much better than the next one. Adore Catatonia - I love all their albums but they really hit lightning in a bottle with International Velvet.

    Kula Shaker are much catchier than they have any right to be given the slight cringe factor.

    Tori Amos was great and the All Saints cover I have mixed feelings about. I like the original a lot more, but I enjoy the funky beat on this cover I don't like how they changed the melody so much, especially in the verses.

    Everything else I don't care for much but they feel quite representative of the charts.

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