Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Oct 31, 2022 19:40:16 GMT
Now this is a good one! Even the Shakin Stevens one is passable. Some great stuff on this line up.
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Nightfly
Screenwriter
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Post by Nightfly on Oct 31, 2022 22:43:56 GMT
Now we're talking ! Some great ones in this edition. First the <anorak on> bit. A Walk in the Park by the Nick Straker Band (or was it A Streak in the Park by the Nick Walker Band?). You're right about the New Musik link. Nick was an old mate of NM's Tony Mansfield in the early days of the band and did some additional synth work as a session player on their albums under his real name Nick Bailey. So he was a kind of 5th Beatle with a Roland keyboard. <anorak still on> Radio One got behind Sheena Easton and popped her on the playlist. It was TOTP that passed on her when she dropped a few chart positions with Modern Girl (produced by Chris Neil who had a second job as the star of those Adventures of a... Confession film ripoffs.) </anorak off> Breaking Glass - honestly, you should see it if you get the chance. Eighth Day wasn't representative of the film at all. There were far better punky style songs in the film that probably only made it onto the soundtrack album. The fact that Eighth Day and Will You seemed to be the only single releases were no doubt just down to the commercial manipulation of the music biz - which ironically is actually what the film is all about. Cliff Richard - Dreaming, not too bad. I believe it was co-written for him by Leo Sayer, but I preferred Carrie from earlier in the year which did it's best to sound musically like Steely Dan and came close.
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Post by Perfect Pseudonym on Nov 1, 2022 8:27:50 GMT
I take it the young Nicholas Bailey was a UFO fan, hence the stage name. And the white garb. And I see now what is was TOTP passing on Sheena. A bit cowardly of Cliif and Steve to blame the entire BBC for this decision. Obviously she didn't have the clout of Lena Zavaroni. I would suggest that it was an anti-Scottish thing, but as Lena was also Scottish, bang goes that theory. Maybe it was an anti-Rantzen thing. I seem to recall that Sayer did have a hand in Dreaming, which explains a lot. Alan Tarney production wasn't it? He had a very specific style at that time with a very distinctive shimmering keyboard sound that seemed to exist in 1979/1980 only. January February by Barbara Dickson, Why Don't You Say It by Elkie Brooks (which I quite like) and Tarney's own version of Cathy's Clown are good examples of this sound. Dreaming was a lesser example of it. And yes, Carrie was a tune. Even if B.A. Robertson wrote it. Excellent additional info/gap-filling of my poor or non-existent research as always Nightfly I've never purposely avoided Breaking Glass in the way that I've purposely avoided the Statham Italian Job and Stallone Get Carter. It's just that we've never met up. For pretty much most of the last 42 years Breaking Glass has never been in my thoughts, and has never been lurking around enticing me to get in with it. Maybe I will seek it out, as could be a good document of the times.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Nov 1, 2022 20:17:53 GMT
Another great review there PP! Quite like The Clash's "Bank Robber" - sometimes wonder if the song was about a real bank robber/one of the Great Train Robbery gang.........
And Jam's "Start"is another frequently played by the tribute bands I see at pubs.
A snippet about David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes; In the scene when the group are walking with the Massey Ferguson is slowly following them, you see the girl every so often looking like she is bowing artistically - She apparently was picking up her trailing long dress so it kept up with everyone, so it didn't get caught under the following vehicle in question.
A very arty video I agree and another song that's evocative, not just because we may associate it with the time travelling TV police series of 2008-2010......
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Post by Perfect Pseudonym on Nov 7, 2022 12:27:49 GMT
28/08/1980
Oh no, the pilot wasn’t just a dream. Here’s Peter Powell and B.A. Robertson to add a bit of deja vu to this episode of TOTP. Of course, back then this would have been a new presenting dynamic to behold as aside from glimpses of Legs & Co dancing to Odyssey, the pilot would have still been under lock and key and nowhere near the internet that didn’t exist. But in the now, it’s a pain in the posterior to have to talk about these two again.
And as with the pilot, Robertson is beside Powell on his knees. The former wearing shades, a black jacket and white shirt, whilst the latter is in full on cheerful youthful presenter mode with a striped white t-shirt and something approaching dark lilac children’s presenter strides. Powell claims that he pleaded and begged not to do TOTP with B.A. Robertson, but look what he got. I can’t help thinking that behind that bantering dissing down of the B.A., Powell actually wasn’t joking. Unfortunately for him, the Scottish funster is going to be even worse than the not-for-public version. Which is evident from Robertson’s opening gambit that he is down on his knees and following on previous guest presenters Atilla the Hun, Dame Edna Everage and Elton John. Yes, we’re going to have to make sure there is an aisle adjacent for us tonight. Powell puts his hand on Robertson’s head and says he hopes he will disappear during the show at which Robertson promptly falls over, and the camera then shows him on his back and displaying his natty white slip-on shoes. No apparent Toulouse Lautrec additional shoes tonight. Anyway who’s on this week?
David Bowie - the same beach bulldozer clip as before Gary Numan - clio from the video looking very much like the contemporary Peter Gabriel The Selecter - clip of 3 April TOTP performance of for Missing Words Mike Berry - clip of two weeks ago Skids - clip of 10 January TOTP when they were doing Working For The Yankee Dollar Elton John - clip of the performance later Sue Wilkinson - clip of two weeks ago with the cloudy onesey Ian Dury & The Blockheads - clip of Xmas Day 79 TOTP doing Rhythm Stick in a dustman’s jacket Village People - clip of the live fancy dress stage show as before Judas Priest - clip of the 10 April performance of Living After Midnight - hello again Hot Chocolate Metallic Disc of the Future
Summer Fun - The Barracudas
It’s back to the hilarity as B.A. says that as guest presenter with his friend Jimmy Sav… Peter Powell, it’s his opportunity to present the Pacaroonies. I mean, B.A. of all the other presenters you could have said. Dave Lee Trav… Hmm, maybe not easy. In a painfully awful bit of straight man acting, Powell admonishes Robertson for confusing him for a disgusting predatory offender getting the band name wrong and then correcting him.
For the first time I’ve ever been aware of on TOTP, there’s an actual 1-2-3-4 count in for a performance. However, in this case it’s a count-in for the tape operator to press the play button for the playback music, as it is most definitely a mimed performance. The actual single version of this has a spoof US-style radio commercial for the Plymouth Barracuda at the start, which has obviously been left off for this performance. Which is presumably why the now-established comedy double act of Robertson and Powell did their own skit at the start instead. I’m assuming it was a spoof commercial anyway. It did sound authentic, but presumably couldn’t be a genuine commercial due to licensing and whatnot.
For the longest time I assumed that these were Americans, and it’s only relatively recently I discovered that they were actually Londoners. For this performance the band consist of three Hoover washing machine installers in shades on the instruments with a hybrid of Keith Moon and Billy Martin from ‘Ringer’ on the poorly mimed but energetically performed vocals. There is something of a Ramones feel about them, which is possibly what they were going for. A good single which I remember well from the time. The 1980 version of The Undertones “Here Comes The Summer”. I do prefer it with the ad at the start though.
I Die: You Die - Gary Numan
It’s back to the Bodie and Doyle of music presenting, and we see that B.A. is in mid-strangling of Powell and then launching a probably very realistic kick at his shins. Powell says that it’s going to ruin his make-up. It would be quite terrible to watch this if it wasn’t for the fact that the animosity does have a look at being genuine instead of just bants. Robertson then back-announces the Pacaroonies again and whips his shades off to introduce Nary Guman before being hit on the head by Powell’s mic with the threat that if B.A. carries on like this, I die, you die. There must have been a far cleverer way of introducing the next item instead of bringing murder-suicide into it.
It’s the video, and as it’s a Gary Numan one, it’s generally in darkness with just spartan illumination here and there. Although no fluorescent tubes as far as I could ascertain. It’s also a case of guess-the-car as the opening scene is of a double pop-up headlamp rising and then scenes of Numan at the wheel of the left hand drive car alternating with him at a mic. At first the ‘driving’ scenes look to just be in a static car in the studio with the camera jolting to make it look like movement, which put me a little in mind of the driving scenes in Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace. But a little later there does seem to be some moving background, so perhaps Gazza was driving after all. For the at-mic bits, Numan is proudly empathising the red tuft of hair on his right hand side, which may have been a side effect of his transplant. If he’d had his first one by then.
And that’s basically the video. Some standing singing bits, some in a car singing bits. The sound is terrible which could be down to the video file I have, but as the rest of the show is okay, it must have been the audio provided with the video originally. It then all comes to a sudden end as the second chorus fades very quickly leaving just the noodly synth bit at the end to draw it all to a close. This is an excellent single but let down by a nothing video, terrible sound and a strange editing choice. And I still have no idea what the car is despite some tightly filmed external views during the course of the video.
The Whisper - The Selecter
“He’s gone” says a genuinely relieved looking Peter Powell as he sort of welcomes us to TOTP. Well he says “you’re welcome” which I think is what he meant. Anyway, we’re also welcome to see and hear the next item apparently.
And it’s a pan to the left of Peter as the “other” 2 Tone band are present on the stage. A somewhat depleted looking Selecter from earlier sightings of them I think as I’m sure there used to be more than just four musicians backing Pauline Black. Mind you apart from her, I only ever knew the white guitarist (and original creator of the Selecter when it was just an instrumental track on the B-side of the Special’s first single), Neol Davies. That’s mis-spelt Neil, not Noel by the way.
The Selecter are by now in their twilight life, which probably explains why Pauline is dressed up as a Virgin Atlantic stewardess. But doesn’t explain what she’s going to be doing in the next four years waiting Virgin Atlantic to be invented. But she’ll do alright in the end. There’s going to be loads of media work and 2 Tone documentaries for her to narrate. Her and the band do put a rigorous amount of energy into the performance and the audience are jumping along accordingly (no sign of the rough lads from last week thought), but after a great run of singles this doesn’t quite cut it for me. It’s not bad in the scheme of things but does have a feel of “might as well put this one out now” about it.
But what is amusing is that in a particular camera angle, Mike Berry is very much visible just beyond the band. It does have a look of him being wrongly informed that he was up next and had stumbled in only to find this lot on the stage already. It’s a bit like the second series episode of Dear John when Kevin Lloyd’s Ricky Fortune character ends up standing next to Freddie & The Dreamers. Fear not, Mike, your time will come.
Sunshine Of Your Smile - Mike Berry
But first we have to have Bloody Annoying Robertson. Constantly moving around so goes off camera (not permanently unfortunately) he tells us how relaxed he is and having full use of the stage and then goes on to say thanks to his mum and dad for looking in and putting his dinner in the oven. He hopes it’s not egg and chips again. The chances are his parents are actually tossing a coin to establish who’s putting their head in that oven first. He does some more waffling about being relaxed and that Peter Powell is not here, and then decides to actually introduce poor old Mike who’s been standing around for far too long by now.
Obviously it’s a new performance this week, and Mike is bedecked in a white jacket, black shirt and black trousers and with a yellow carnation on his jacket, as if he’s going on a blind date. Maybe he thought it was Pauline Black. It’s to the record again, but it does sound like Mike may be singing a live vocal. But if so, then it’s to an instrumental version of the song which has kept the chorus vocal line in, as it does sound a bit double tracked during those bits. There’s to be no mouthing something to a member of the audience this time. So his date isn’t amongst that lot either.
I think there was a follow-up in the same vein as you’d expect, but it would never match the triumph of this 1913 song, and Mike went back to the acting lark. Turning up the next year as the Buster Merryfield to Trevor Bannister’s Lennard Pearce in Are You Being Served. Not sure what he’s doing nowadays which I could research, but I can’t be bothered. I’m sure it’s all out there.
Circus Games - The Skids
In front of some Marshall stacks B.A. is club singing the last song until Powell puts his hand over his mouth. This then leads B.A. to bite (real or pretend, can’t decide) Powell’s hand which enables him to trot out the biting the hand that feeds you line. The idea of Powell feeding Robertson is something which I do not want to contemplate at this or any other time. For some reason Powell states that it’s the first donkey they’ve had this show, which obviously leads to some ee-orring from Robertson. Bring back the pilot please. Ignore what Joan Armatrading implored.
And so it’s to the stage for the Dunfermline new wavers. Richard Jobson looking very smart in a black blazer with shirt and tie and nicely combed hair, conveying an air of the yuppie phenomenon to come later this decade, while Stuart Adamson looks like he might have recently been to his barbers and asked for a Mike Berry. Jobson’s dash cutting is a little undermined by the gap in his lower teeth, which always looks a wrong place to have a gap if you’re going to have one.
It’s an energetically straightforward studio performance, with the accompanying audience very much getting down to it. Including two girls, one with a Toyah from Quadrophenia short peroxide crop and the other with peroxide braided hair, who seem to be the regulars at the front of the stage during this episode. Except for Mike Berry’s performance.
However, there is a notable twist in this performance. The first chorus is essentially an instrumental of the melody line, but all subsequent choruses are handed over to some guest vocalists. And for their participation we have to go over the outside broadcast where six eleven-ish year old kids in a school yard rush up to the camera and do their own take on “we don’t need no educashon” by inviting us to come and play circus games. An eyelid may not have been batted in 1980, but in the now, there is something a little troubling about this. Once we’d gone back to the band for the next verse, the next filmed insert has the same kids now guiding us to where the circus games are happening. Although more likely to the lying-in-wait police. As this second footage is outside the school by a street, my inbuilt location spotting tendency is to try and establish where it was filmed. There’s a London Transport bus stop in view, so definitely not Dunfermline.
I do remember this one from the time and then as now, I’m not entirely sure about it. The verses are quite strong, but regardless of whether it’s children singing them or not, the choruses don’t quite fit in with the good work the verses have done. By having an elastic synth underlying the whole song it also appears to have invented the Kaiser Chiefs as well. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
Sartorial Eloquence - Elton John
It’s back to Robertson and Powell to take us on a journey from outro-ing the Skids and intro-ing Reg, by way of talking about Sartre, Barcelona and Watford. That’s all I’m prepared to write on that link. See the original for the full version.
Like Little Jeannie, Elton’s on stage with his piano. But unlike that previous song, I do remember this one from the time. In particular wondering what a sartorial eloquence actually was. Looking resplendent in a two-shaded purple striked jacket, black shirt, with some bling and wearing a white/red striped baseball cap, he’s nearly very much the epitome of the song title. Now I know what one is.
This is one of those songs where the title is either absent or mentioned once in a verse, as one would think it’s actually called Don’t You Wanna Play No More. It’s a bit of a slow thoughtful sounding song, but I quite like it as it has some nice textures and synth sounds. And that’s it really. I haven’t really got anything else to say about it. It's been a bit of a tiring week!
You Gotta Be A Hustler If You Want To Get On - Sue Wilkinson
Back to a solo Powell who waffles on about Elton’s new album, while privately hoping he isn’t coming back for some more co-presenting as B.A. is more than enough. He then advises us that if we want to be a hustler then we’re going to have to do it this way, and waves a pointy finger in the general direction of the next item.
So here’s Sue again. Along with her trusty back-up of the disturbing keyboard player and Don Powell on the laziest busman’s holiday ever. She’s looking a bit more lustrous this time in a black vesty thing (I don’t know the proper term for them in women’s fashion), tight white leggings and sporting blingy black gloves. I reckon Daltrey would really approve this time round. Once again Don has the full kit set-up, and I hope the stage-hand who assembled it previously hasn’t fallen for it again.
The audience are generally watching in awed stillness, but as the camera zooms out towards the end we see some lad in a red t-shirt and a white belt round his black trousers doing that thing of working out where the camera is in relation to his appearance on the monitor. No hustler tips needed for this chap. But a more tasteful belt would help.
This would be the last time we would ever see Sue on TOTP as she was very much the epitome of one-hit wonder. Sadly she passed away in 2005 but had a reasonably successful career as a jingle writer in Nashville beforehand. I wonder if she did any work on a new ad for the Plymouth Barracuda.
I Want To Be Straight - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
Robertson takes the solo mic and waffles on about Powell not being here, and being a hustler and that this is a monologue. If only his links could be one-hit wonders. Anyway, after finishing talking about himself, he kindly introduces the next act.
Before the man himself, we meet Charlie on the drums, Norman on the bass, Mickey on the keys, Wilko on the guitar, Johnny on the other guitar and Davey on the upside down sax, which he promptly forgets to mime as it comes in just after his introduction. And lastly of course, Ian, in a white overcoat and also in white foundation and red lippy. There’s some interesting visual work on this performance, as the cameraman is actually on stage with them and walks right around the back of Dury while he’s singing the first verse. Halfway through this rotation we see Powell straight ahead just coming down some steps to have a chat with a floor person. We can only speculate, but maybe the subject of a certain co-presenter might have come up.
I remember when Ian Dury came on the scene with What A Waste. I didn’t know the actor’s name at the time, but I initially thought he was Ron Pember having a go at new wave. I absolutely love Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt 3 which remains one of my particular favourites from the late 70s/early 80s. However by now, they have lost the songwriting talent of Chaz Jankel which seems to show in this relatively lacklustre offering. I do quite like the associated album Laughter (which doesn’t feature this song) for all its patchiness. But there is a decline apparent for which hindsight wasn’t necessarily required. Even the presence of the newly recruited guitar genius that is Wilko Johnson wasn’t enough to lift this in any way. Although he did have by far the coolest intro line, by just saying his first name. But, if the most interesting aspect of a song is by having the band members introducing themselves at the start, then it’s time to move on.
Can’t Stop The Music - Village People
“Back with a vengeance” says the foresight deficient Powell who goes on to give us some good news that B.A. has gone. I wonder if that chat on the steps involved just two words: “kill him”. However there’s also some bad news. So have Legs & Co. Thankfully this isn’t down to a misunderstanding during that brief chat, they’re just on holiday. Whether that meant they each had their own downtime or all went away to Torremolinos together is something that will remain a mystery and for Roger Daltrey to think long and hard about. Anyway, we have the next best thing apparently.
Now, if the Village People were all here tonight at Wood Lane, then maybe that would be something approaching an acceptable alternative, but it’s the same NTSC polluted video from the film as it was two weeks ago. But, it does suggest what L&Co would have been dancing to if they hadn’t booked their air tickets. As I’ve already covered this one, I was going to try and guess which Leg would have doubled for which Villager. But as there’s one more Legs & Co member than there is a Village Person, it would mean having to lay one of them off, and I just don’t have a man or Leg manager mentality. Plus it would mean one of them having to be the biker which just wouldn’t be fair on whoever I selected. So, let’s just re-iterate that it’s a terrible song and move on.
United - Judas Priest
Despite Powell’s assurances a little while ago, B.A. Baracack is on hand to do some more tiresome linking. In outro-ing (not outing) the last item he gives his own spin on Daltrey’s infamous comment on the Village People by telling us he’s glad he doesn’t live in their village. He then tells the (either silent or absent) audience not to laugh as they’re not here to enjoy themselves. Yep, already have that memo, B.A. Having sought confirmation from (either silent or absent) Judas Priest that they played a storm at their recent Castle Donington show, he tells us that Cliff Richard’s hairdresser told his hairdresser that they were fab. And so a running joke continues on from last week’s show and will feed into next week’s also.
And now I can see why the Marshall stacks were present earlier. Even if it’s only a mimed performance, if you’re Metal, you’ve got to have those Marshalls on the stage. I know very little about the Priest, except that they’re from Birmingham and the lead singer’s called Rob Halford. Because he’s kitted out in the regulation leather that the rest of the band have, he looks a little like he was the victim of a haircutting prank by the others while he was asleep on the way down to Shepherds Bush. But it’s quite refreshing really. There should be no rule that everyone in a heavy metal band must have long straggly hair, and for his individualism Rob should be applauded. But who nicked his other glove?
This is very much not in my wheelhouse and in the main it’s a bit of a lumpen slog. But it does have quite a good chorus which lodges into the old brain quite effectively. Nonetheless it holds no long-lasting appeal to me, but I do understand and get the loyal following they have. And at least it’s proper British metal, not that airy fairy US-inspired poodle hair mush that would come along later in the decade.
Back to a B.A.-less Powell who tells us that as well as Castle Donington, they also played at Nuremberg too. Somebody else once played there with a similar message in unity I seem to recall. Anyhoo, here’s the top 10 complete with its fun size clips.
10) Sunshine Of Your Smile - Mike Berry Clip from the fortnight hence TOTP, before he joined the dating agency
9) Oops Upside Your Head - The Gap Band Are they still here? Once again the red cowboy roustabout
8) I Die: You Die - Gary Numan Clip from what we saw earlier, and still with the terrible sound
7) Upside Down - Diana Ross Is she still here? Yep, that same clip of the video of Di performing not to Upside Down
6) Tom Hark - The Piranhas Last week’s TOTP with the topless drummer banished to the back
5) Feels Like I’m In Love - Kelly Marie Last week’s black and black minstrel show
4) The Winner Takes It All - Abba Agnetha still wandering glumly around that harbour and defiantly not joining in with the laughter in the cafe
3) 9 To 5 - Sheena Easton The by-now very nostalgic TOTP clip of 7 August when Peter had an easier time with Elton
2) Start - The Jam Clip of the video, which I suspect will be given a fuller airing again next week
And it’s briefly back to Pete in front of the spoliertastic video screen of Bowie from a slightly earlier era to introduce us to the top of the crop.
Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie
Obviously it’s the pink beach black sky padded cell exploding kitchen Steve Strange nightmare once again. Not much more I can add, except that the one Bowie follower not done up in black but wearing a blue boob tube and white ra ra skirt is a bit of a cutie. And who on earth is that old woman walking with Bowie/Pierrot on the beach at the end? Some have suggested that it’s Bowie’s real mum, but I believe it wasn’t. And what was she going on at him about? She looks like she’s ranting on at him about shortchanging her for deckchair usage or something. Anyway it’s all academic now. Three more weeks of bite size chunks in the top 10 section and that’s your lot.
Except of course donating its name to the later police drama series which is very popular round these parts, but alas I’ve never really got into.
Best Friend - The Beat (credits)
And so we bid a grateful farewell to the dynamic duo who are in the thick of an audience scrum. Powell says they’re finishing as they started, in chaos. And throughout the whole episode if truth be told. B.A. says that when he’s finished here he is going to do some work, which apparently means writing a new album. Look forward to that. Then the jangly intro to the final playout song comes in and the hordes close in on our two heroes and we go to the static overhead camera elsewhere to see the credits, look at the bopping minions and hear the Beat.
Another corker from the hideously overlooked Brummies which owes very little to their 2 Tone origins, providing instead a very early prototype of Britpop. But let’s not hold that against them. It’s far too good a tune to be tucked away for a minute long section right at the end of the episode, but the good news is it will return properly next week, so I can rag on about it more then.
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Nightfly
Screenwriter
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Post by Nightfly on Nov 7, 2022 21:05:36 GMT
Summer Fun - The Barracudas I'd almost forgotten about this one which was quite a good effort. IIRC it was championed on Radio One by Adrian Juste. Remember him with his "witty" old comedy clips? Adrian:- that was Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. War ? Mmm, wonder what Basil Fawlty would have to say about that..(Basil Fawlty Clip) Adrian:- Indeed. Well that's all from me 'till next Saturday. I'm off for a pint. A pint ? Mmm, wonder what Tony Hancock would have to say about that...(Hancock Blood donor clip) Adrian:- Ha ha - here's The Barracudas...Spot on with the Ian Dury comments. Chaz Jankel was an essential bit of the partnership and things went downhill when they fell out. Dury was talented, but then he had the support of a cracking bunch of musicians. The Skids - I won't do the Mark Lamar joke about Richard Jobson becoming a TV presenter and Stuart Adamson becoming....
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Post by Perfect Pseudonym on Nov 8, 2022 9:13:17 GMT
The Skids - I won't do the Mark Lamar joke about Richard Jobson becoming a TV presenter and Stuart Adamson becoming.... Had to think about that for a bit! Absolutely right on the Adrian Juste comments. He was the destitute man's Everett wasn't he? Not the greatest of episodes, for which the Barracudas possibly the highlight, the other "good" acts tending to have relatively sub-par offerings. The Beat doesn't count, being the episode closer. Mike Berry photobombing the Selecter was also a good bit! And compared to this episode, B.A. Robertson's presence on the pilot was almost acceptable. He was appalling. I felt sorry for Powell.
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Post by Perfect Pseudonym on Nov 14, 2022 12:30:02 GMT
04/09/1980
Once again and so soon, the Chart Music podcast has been here first (episode 15 “BA Robertson’s Hairdresser Thinks It’s Fantastic”) so some more trying to avoid referring to their coverage. This is going to be a bit of a rush job anyway as I’ve not had much time to work on this over the week.
We open with the sight of DLT with his beard and hair pretty much forming a hairy halo around what constitutes as his face. If you look closely you can just see the presence of someone standing behind him. This is soon revealed as the equally curly haired Kevin Keegan in a somewhat loud stripy golf shirt. Before things can get under way, Travis hands Keegan a telegram from California which turns out to be from Elton John who hopes that Keegan’s injury gets better soon and that Southampton do really well this coming season. It’s all treated as some kind of topical joke which means nothing to me these days. Travis then says they’ll discuss the hamstring more later and says that Keegan will be doing some joss dicking tonight. But before any of that can be contemplated, here’s what’s coming up.
The Jam - clip from the video which will continue to be the exclusive way Start is presented on TOTP Kelly Marie - the original 7 August TOTP performance gets another brief airing Nick Straker Band - the TOTP performance from a fortnight ago Hazel O’Connor - ditto Billy Joel - in the form of Legs & Co Cliff Richard - clip of that mysterious empty studio performance as shown previously Sheena Easton - the 7 August 9 To 5 performance, but not what we’re getting today The Beat - clip from the video we’ll see later Randy Crawford - clip from the multi-layered performance we’ll be getting later
Sound Of Confusion - Secret Affair
An unseen DLT takes us straight to this opener. It’s a somewhat spread out looking line-up for this performance, as if they’d all had a massive row with each other just before they were due to take to the stage, with Ian Page taking a very un-lead vocalist position to the right of the rest of the band. As the mod associated band that they were, they’re very smartly turned out as you’d expect, although Page’s hair just a little bit longer than should be expected.
And I don’t know, but a sax player? He’s actually brought two of them along to go with the bit when there is a double sax section in the solo. I’m not against the use of saxophones in general, but for something like this, it doesn’t seem right to me. It takes away a bit of the clean unfussy feel that this song could have had. They also utilised it on their previous single My World which was a fine song, but ruined by the sax solo.
But, regardless of the presence of a sax or not, this is no My World. And certainly no Time For Action. It is a bit of a slight song which pretty much signposts that the Quadrophenia rays are by now diminishing, and it’s going to be a battle with the Chords and Purple Hearts for headline supremacy at local pub band nights soon enough. As a hopeful roll of the dice, they bring in a bit of phasing towards the end, which does nothing to make the song stand out anymore than it isn’t already. A disappointing tail-end to what had been so much promise.
Feels Like I’m In Love - Kelly Marie
Back to the curlsome duo and Travis “secretly” asks Kevin if he likes redheads. He reveals that taking second place to Alan Ball is the lady just over there. Travis congratulates him on his choice in the way that Travis does and the camera pans left to the stage for another new performance of a track that seems to have become a staple of these write-ups. And it’s still to get to number one.
Kelly and her two friends start the performance by walking up some steps in a budget reverse Busby Berkeley style. Kelly then dons a glittery bowler hat and gets to work, while her friends do their twirling in a white suited variant of their previous minstrel steps. I don’t know if it’s the hat, but Kelly does actually look quite good in this performance. I mean, she wasn’t actually unattractive, it’s just that she always had a look of a perfectly nice but perfectly ordinary provincial girl who suddenly found herself on the stage.
Anyway, all I can hope for is that there will continue to be new performances of this in the next couple of weeks otherwise I’m stuck for anything more to say on it.
A Walk In The Park - Nick Straker Band
Keegan takes the solo spot for the next link and compliments Kelly for her red-headedness, singing and dancing, and then introduces one of his favourites in the charts at the moment.
Another new performance of one we’ve had before. Nick still in his white outfit, but it looks like words have been spoken regarding lighting allocation. In fact, Nick does seem to have become quite magnanimous by placing himself at the back, and promoting the previously out in the cold drummer (Roger Lloyd Pack as the first series Black Adder) right to the coveted at-front position. The guitarist, still wearing the Stanford 76 shirt and silver PVC trousers, gets to do his solo again, with added ultra-violet effects from the visual boffins.
Quite a good performance which actually made me re-appreciate the song a bit more this time round. Funny how visuals and stage arrangements can make the audio seem better.
Eighth Day - Hazel O’Connor
Travis’s turn now on the solo presenting, and he goes into the background of Hazel O’Connor’s ascent to being on TOTP, in that travelling around the world she met a man with a stetson in Nashville who asked her to audition for a film called Breaking Glass. She passed this audition which has helped her no end, although not many people have seen the film yet. Including me, 42 years and counting! During this monologue we do get a brief clip of Haze with blue face paint doing a C3-PO impression, which I presume is from the film.
I do have to refer to Chart Music at this juncture, as when this link was being discussed, it transpired that Hazel was not in Nashville when the approach was made, but at the Nashville Rooms in West Kensington. And the man in the stetson was one Dodi Fayed, the executive producer of Breaking Glass. Whether it’s Dave Lee Travis or Al Needham who are the ill-informed oaths I don’t know myself, but I think I know who I’d believe more.
Anyway, maybe Hazel is actually in Nashville this time, as it’s a repeat of the performance from two weeks ago, so it’s hello again (not for the only time) to the white shirted pogo-er from when TOTP was more from the streets. And indeed the camera in the crowd does get a bit jolted during the performance, which I didn’t pick up on before.
Sadly, Hazel has not been too well in modern times having suffered a brain haemorrhage at the start of the year, but has been making steady progress and I’m sure we all wish her well.
It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me - Billy Joel
Back to a solo Travis, as presumably Keegan is away doing some of that joss dicking, who takes us into the charts. However, there’s a twist this week as we stop at number 20, because that’s where the next item is. Travis tells us fellas to hang on to our armchairs as he letches us towards L&Co.
And they’re back. Only a week’s holiday though. Shame on you Beeb. Garbed in relatively matching yellow, orange and green vaguely wild west themed mini-dresses, they rush through the crowd onto the stage and after their two pre-holiday stints trapped on podiums, take full delight at being given the freedom to move around. And they certainly do that. A very lively and energetic performance, with a nice bit of acrobatic forward rolling over Sue and Rosie’s outstretched arms from Patti at one point, and some piggy backing a little later.
As I’m going through these episodes I realise that I’m beginning to change my stance on Legs & Co’s appearances. I have generally felt that I’d rather see the artists themselves or at least a video. But seeing this routine compared to an NTSC’d Billy Joel doing a s**t impression of Shakin’ Stevens? No contest man.
Dreaming - Cliff Richard
Returning to Travis while Keegan is still elsewhere doing, er, what he has to do, he describes L&Co as an explosion in a paint factory (good one, Mr Scripwriter - shame you didn’t research the story of when Hazel met Dodi properly) and takes us through the charts from 19 to 11. On our return back to Travis, he tells us not to put the kettle on yet, and then for no apparent reason, Hank Marvin turns up. And for reasons only best left to Hank he starts pulling at DLT’s beard while introducing the next act, Cluff Ruchard.
It’s a new performance this week, so there’s no sodding about with cut-tos and froms as there was last time, but the keyboard player’s shorts remain the same unfortunately. He’s decided to complement them with a white shirt with black dickie bow, and one red and one blue glove. I can only ascertain that he has made this sartorial decision to to avoid being confused for Eddie Shoestring. Just getting rid of the ‘tache would have been the smarter choice really. As for Harry himself, he appears to have snuck into Nick Straker’s dressing room as he’s gone for the white suit combo, with a sort of bluey green shirt. And still looking as tanned as he always was.
And that’s it really. Straightforward band performance regardless of shorts and gloves and the song remains as dull as it always did. But no worries, it’s now less than a year to go before Wired For Sound.
Modern Girl - Sheena Easton
We return to solo Travis, but not for long as Keegan turns up with an overly large fake black beard. In response to Travis’s interrogation he reveals that he is getting ready for the breakfast show tomorrow and tells us to not forget to watch it. Watch it, Kevin? Too much joss dicking obviously. Apropos of nothing, Travis then asks Keegan if he has a single out, to which Kevin replies in the affirmative, explaining that it’s gone down to number 200 this week. A quick online search revealed this single to be something called ‘England’. It is available on YouTube should you be so inclined. By way of compensating for Keegan muscling in on his act, Travis then heads a football. Sadly no sounds of breakages were forthcoming. This sets up a comment on no body contact which obviously leads to Travis liking the idea of body contact with the next act, hastily toned down to a peck on the cheek. Keegan then looks around the whole studio before pointing to in front of him where Sheena Easton isn’t.
Not only wearing a fake beard, but also trying to con us into believing that Sheena is in the house tonight. And that we can watch a radio show. Is it too late now for the FA to review his penalty appeals?
Yes, it’s a repeat of the performance from two weeks ago, minus the long and winding camera route from Steve Wright and Cluff Ruchard of course, but with the air of pogo-ing menace retained once again. However, it is telling that this performance is cut somewhat short, and it is cut immediately before the pogo-ing camera invader moment happens. No more publicity for him.
Best Friend - The Beat
From this premature chop, an unseen Travis introduces Birmingham’s finest (other Birmingham’s finest are also available) and the video is presented to us. Although a video, it is very much to all intents and purposes a straight TOTP studio performance, with all the usual visual tricks and editing. Just a different studio somewhere else entirely. I’m not very sure about Dave Wakeling’s rather lurid yellow t-shirt, which clashes a bit with his overall blonde appearance, but nice CND badge. Saxa meanwhile staying sharp for the late summer in a blue Bermuda shirt, and with a handy stall provided for him nearby should it be needed. While David Steele and Andy Cox both looking like the gruff lads who stand around looking on while a fight is happening.
Another quality product from the Beat who hardly put a foot wrong during their string of singles in 1980 and 1981. For this one, they were able to guarantee a bit of future-proofing by eschewing the whole 2 Tone/ska sound, and going for a more new wave slant while still sounding like the Beat. Sadly there wouldn’t be too much future for them to proof, but it was good while it lasted. The only problem I have with this song nowadays is I keep hearing “why doesn’t everybody listen to UKIP?”.
Sadly Saxa isn’t going to need that stall as Captain Cutshort waves his boney finger once again, as there’s more mirth to be had back in Wood Lane.
One Day I’ll Fly Away - Randy Crawford
Oh yes, because not only do we have Travis and the now unbearded Keegan, but Cliff Richard also pops up, still in his white suit work clothes of course. The latter two are initially stood on a step just beyond Travis, but are soon ordered down so that he can be taller than them. Not hard in Keegan’s case. Travis then asks for their opinions on the current state of the charts. Kev plays it safe and decides that there’s something for everyone, while Cliff mutters something that I can’t make out despite several rewinds, but is obviously complementary to Keegan going by his reaction. In the background Elvis Presley’s current hit It’s Only Love is playing during this section and Travis takes the opportunity to ask for Cliff’s opinion on his now-dead rival. Cliff responds that it doesn’t matter what he thinks, B.A. Robertson’s hairdresser thinks he’s terrific. And thus that gag now goes into its third consecutive week. Will it make a fourth? Stay tuned to find out. Presumably the Chart Music podcast hadn’t seen the previous two weeks as this reference completely passed them by. DLT then calls for a bit of schtum as coming up is the best record that anyone’s ever heard in their life. “If you fly away, eventually I’ll wait” is Cliff’s final word, which makes as much sense as the appearance of Hank Marvin earlier.
Randy is definitely in the TOTP studio, but I suspect on an audience-less pre-record. The word I’m pretty much getting on this performance is teeth. Because we do see a hell of a lot of hers. As it’s a band-less performance of a slow song, the visual editor gets to work with his overlay machine so that a lot of the time we get up to three Randys in one sitting. And therefore three times her teeth.
Although it’s not the best record I’ve ever heard in my life, it is a beautiful song nonetheless. A lot of the time, such songs can be a bit of a dull watch in the context of a “something for everyone” (thanks Kev) music show. But because Randy’s schtick is to grimace her way through it, even during the less-extraneous bits, it does lend a bit of an edge and it becomes quite a compelling watch. But just as compelling a listen, as her voice is sublime. Thumbs up to this one.
It’s back to solo DLT who back-announces Randy in that sort of French accent he always employs when he wants to coo (or letch) over something he approves of. He then takes us off to the top 10.
10) Dreamin’ - Cliff Richard Clip of the first appearance when he was multi-tasking as co-presenter also.
9) The Sunshine Of Your Smile - Mike Berry Clip of the 14 August TOTP.
8) The Winner Takes It All - Abba Once again Agnetha moodily walks along a harbour and sulks in a cafe. The last time we’ll see this as a current chart hit.
7) Tom Hark - The Piranhas Clip of the 21 August TOTP, the non-fish and gloves one. DLT utilises his “cockney” voice for this one.
6) I Die: You Die - Gary Numan Clip of the video as Gary leans on a car bonnet, but sadly missing out on the Top Gear job. I didn’t realise this had got so high in the charts. Why so forgotten now?
5) Eighth Day - Hazel O’Connor Her one and only TOTP appearance so far, with the pogo-ing and waving to the camera frenzy.
4) 9 To 5 - Sheena Easton The same old 7 August clip. Despite its high position, seemingly forgotten by now in favour of Modern Girl.
3) Feels Like I’m In Love - Kelly Marie From the vast back catalogue of Kelly Marie appearances, they choose the 21 August minstrel show.
2) Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie The full size glory days are over, just small chunks of the bulldozer left to remind us.
It’s briefly back to DLT who says that as he’s on a diet he can’t announce the number one. So, he drags Keegan in to do it. His first two suggestions of Creamy Big Cream Cake and Greasy Bacon Sarnie are apparently wrong, but he hits gold with Jam. Which DLT also says, so renders the employment of Keegan somewhat pointless. But I would like to check out Creamy Big Cream Cake’s album. Kev then pulls at Travis’s beard, establishes it’s real and cues VT.
Start! - The Jam
After a bit of a climb, this finally managed to equal its predecessor Going Underground and hit the top spot. Albeit for only one week. Kelly Marie was too potent a force to keep at bay. As established previously, we would only ever get the video of this on TOTP, as I suspect that they were touring elsewhere in the world during the single’s run.
I had cottoned on to the Jam’s singles from When You’re Young in 1979 and had liked what I heard so far. At school they were a massive draw and a mate of mine had already invested in the albums, but I would be a little slow on the uptake and not start dipping in until a year later, and would soon catch up. The album this was from, Sound Affects, was a bit of an oddity in the cannon, and was basically Weller flexing his creative muscles. Along with cracking conventional tracks like Man In The Corner Shop and Boy About Town, there was also the mainly instrumental Music For The Last Couple (with buzzing fly in the intro), the psychedelic Dream Time and the rather minimalist Scrape Away, with added French spoken words. Not by DLT I hasten to add. It would also contain another single, the sublime That’s Entertainment. Never an official UK release, and despite charting quite highly for an import, would never appear on TOTP either.
Aside from a re-visit of Going Underground in the forthcoming review of 1980 show, it won’t be until June next year that we get our next full size Jam. Good news for those on diets.
Bankrobber - The Clash (credits)
It’s our final return to DLT and KK, the former immediately falling off the wagon by back-announcing the last band’s name and then asking Kev if he’s enjoyed himself. Keegan replies that he has and is coming back next week. Presumably he hasn’t seen who’s doing it yet. DLT definitely the lesser of the evils there. Nonetheless Travis forbids him anyway as he’s been too good and could do the lads out of a job. Well, he was better then Daltrey I suppose. DLT then wishes Keegan’s foot better, bids us goodnight and a volley of streamers is immediately released.
Then over to the static overhead camera looking over another part of the studio to see the restless audience throwing balloons about, with lots of popping sounds adding to the soundtrack of the famously TOTP-averse Clash, given yet another airing on TOTP. There was a video for this, but presumably this was also subject to the boycott, otherwise we wouldn’t have had L&Co throwing bits of paper about in front of iron bars.
I do like the Clash, and I know I should appreciate this single a lot more than I do. It has the right ingredients, nice melody, guttural vocals from Strummer, loose reggae/dub soundtrack and good story telling lyrics, but I’ve just never really taken to it. I can’t explain why. I don’t dislike it, it just doesn’t quite push my buttons. I much prefer the slightly earlier Armagideon Time which was along similar lines.
And here endeth this episode of TOTP. For next week, I shall be employing my airbrush.
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Cartman
Producer
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Post by Cartman on Nov 14, 2022 19:12:43 GMT
Another good one with, IMO, no duds. I include Kelly Marie too, bit of a guilty pleasure
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Post by Windy Miller on Nov 14, 2022 21:19:10 GMT
It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me - Billy JoelBack to a solo Travis, as presumably Keegan is away doing some of that joss dicking, who takes us into the charts. However, there’s a twist this week as we stop at number 20, because that’s where the next item is. Travis tells us fellas to hang on to our armchairs as he letches us towards L&Co. And they’re back. Only a week’s holiday though. Shame on you Beeb. Garbed in relatively matching yellow, orange and green vaguely wild west themed mini-dresses, they rush through the crowd onto the stage and after their two pre-holiday stints trapped on podiums, take full delight at being given the freedom to move around. And they certainly do that. A very lively and energetic performance, with a nice bit of acrobatic forward rolling over Sue and Rosie’s outstretched arms from Patti at one point, and some piggy backing a little later. As I’m going through these episodes I realise that I’m beginning to change my stance on Legs & Co’s appearances. I have generally felt that I’d rather see the artists themselves or at least a video. But seeing this routine compared to an NTSC’d Billy Joel doing a s**t impression of Shakin’ Stevens? No contest man. This episode never got a repeat showing on the BBC Four rerun, so it's one I've never watched (apart from the Legs & Co bit of course). Glad to hear your stance on Legs & Co is changing. With dance sequences like this, and the sexy cow girl style dresses that they're wearing, it's no surprise. Highlight of this L&C outing has to be Lulu's Bo Derek hairstyle, which definitely scores a 10 with me. The cow girl dresses get worn on a second occasion, when Legs & Co appear on TISWAS, along with Dennis Waterman, and the girls get severely gunged.
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