Sparky
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Charts
Jan 26, 2020 17:19:34 GMT
Post by Sparky on Jan 26, 2020 17:19:34 GMT
Interesting that they didn't mention Ireland in the early part of clip one, just England, Scotland and Wales, but then added it in later with the other three! Yes - good spot there 3L. I hadn't noticed this at first.
I think the final 'package' in the end did feature "Ireland"
It's hard to believe these days that Radio 1 pulled in massive audiences and was quite well respected. Most of the Nation would tune into the Charts on a Sunday.
I used to like Pick of the Pops with Alan Freeman on a Sunday too.
Saville had an "Old Time Record" show on a Sunday lunchtime - never liked Saville as a child for some reason (that old 6th sense again I think). So switched off, had dinner and watched ATV Star Soccer instead!
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jan 26, 2020 17:59:19 GMT
Yes I used to enjoy the chart update on Sunday nights, I think it was the top 20 and was on from 6 to 7. From memory, a bloke called Tom Browne did it initially when I listened to it regularly from late 75 until I can't remember when, probably early 80s. The chart used to update on Tuesday lunchtime so one of the gang of lads I knew at school used to bring his transistor radio on Tuesdays and we used to cluster round it.
Happy days 😂
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Jan 26, 2020 18:34:51 GMT
BBC4 did a documentary a couple of years ago about the "Record" or "Single" as it was. It was one of those 'talking heads' shows - but featured quite a few of the older DJs (those who haven't been either locked up or are under some cloud of suspicion).
But it showed you just how corrupt the Charts were - and how easily they could be rigged by the various Record Company "pluggers". The "Pluggers" knew, if they got their record played on Radio 1 - it could be heard by a very large audience, and once it reached the charts - could then be legible to be shown on Top of the Pops - and even wider audience.
The "Pluggers" would each door step DJs as they arrived or left the R1 studios - offering them bribes in literally anything from cash to women (or men, if they were that way inclined) to get a particular record played on their show.
On the other hand the Record shops - had to return their record sales figures to "Gallup" each week, who of course produced the charts. The "Pluggers" saw this as an easy target as most shop assistants were on sod all an hour, so they would offer them a half reasonable amount of cash to 'adjust' the Record returns here and there - and most would (and did) jump at the offer.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jan 26, 2020 19:11:45 GMT
BBC4 did a documentary a couple of years ago about the "Record" or "Single" as it was. It was one of those 'talking heads' shows - but featured quite a few of the older DJs (those who haven't been either locked up or are under some cloud of suspicion).
But it showed you just how corrupt the Charts were - and how easily they could be rigged by the various Record Company "pluggers". The "Pluggers" knew, if they got their record played on Radio 1 - it could be heard by a very large audience, and once it reached the charts - could then be legible to be shown on Top of the Pops - and even wider audience.
The "Pluggers" would each door step DJs as they arrived or left the R1 studios - offering them bribes in literally anything from cash to women (or men, if they were that way inclined) to get a particular record played on their show.
On the other hand the Record shops - had to return their record sales figures to "Gallup" each week, who of course produced the charts. The "Pluggers" saw this as an easy target as most shop assistants were on sod all an hour, so they would offer them a half reasonable amount of cash to 'adjust' the Record returns here and there - and most would (and did) jump at the offer.
Think I've missed out on life, no one is offering me women or money. I'd turn down the offer of men.
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Sparky
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Charts
Jan 26, 2020 19:17:04 GMT
Post by Sparky on Jan 26, 2020 19:17:04 GMT
BBC4 did a documentary a couple of years ago about the "Record" or "Single" as it was. It was one of those 'talking heads' shows - but featured quite a few of the older DJs (those who haven't been either locked up or are under some cloud of suspicion).
But it showed you just how corrupt the Charts were - and how easily they could be rigged by the various Record Company "pluggers". The "Pluggers" knew, if they got their record played on Radio 1 - it could be heard by a very large audience, and once it reached the charts - could then be legible to be shown on Top of the Pops - and even wider audience.
The "Pluggers" would each door step DJs as they arrived or left the R1 studios - offering them bribes in literally anything from cash to women (or men, if they were that way inclined) to get a particular record played on their show.
On the other hand the Record shops - had to return their record sales figures to "Gallup" each week, who of course produced the charts. The "Pluggers" saw this as an easy target as most shop assistants were on sod all an hour, so they would offer them a half reasonable amount of cash to 'adjust' the Record returns here and there - and most would (and did) jump at the offer.
Think I've missed out on life, no one is offering me women or money. I'd turn down the offer of men. Should have opened a Record shop in the 70s...
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jan 26, 2020 19:18:35 GMT
I remember that programme Sparky, quite an eye opener.
Still at least then the music was half decent.
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Jan 26, 2020 20:25:51 GMT
I remember that programme Sparky, quite an eye opener. Still at least then the music was half decent. Agree. A lot of stuff that wouldn't have made the charts or Top of the Pops - did.
And some of it was pretty good.
When BBC4 started repeating Top of the Pops in 2011 - I loved looking out for the 'fish out of water' type bands. These were the ones who had slogged their way through Pub Gigs, Working Mens Clubs, supports slot at a University, trawling around the country in a knackered transit van - and in a live situation were actually pretty good - p***ed or sober.
Then they are thrust on to Top of the Pops just because their debut single just made it inside the Top 40 - in front of 20million plus viewers and a ton of underage girls - whereas, they'd have rather have been doing the "Old Grey Whistle Test" instead as it was more their 'scene'.
One classic performance from the 1976 re-runs, and stands out as a huge favourite of mine is the appearance of the Climax Blues Band and 'Couldn't Get it Right' - which they seemed to perform live - and totally smashed it.
Sadly the audience didn't seem to quite "get it right" as wasn't quite Abba! (None the less they were also very good live too, but not quite Whistle Test!)
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jan 26, 2020 20:37:53 GMT
I remember that programme Sparky, quite an eye opener. Still at least then the music was half decent. Agree. A lot of stuff that wouldn't have made the charts or Top of the Pops - did.
And some of it was pretty good.
When BBC4 started repeating Top of the Pops in 2011 - I loved looking out for the 'fish out of water' type bands. These were the ones who had slogged their way through Pub Gigs, Working Mens Clubs, supports slot at a University, trawling around the country in a knackered transit van - and in a live situation were actually pretty good - p***ed or sober.
Then they are thrust on to Top of the Pops just because their debut single just made it inside the Top 40 - in front of 20million plus viewers and a ton of underage girls - whereas, they'd have rather have been doing the "Old Grey Whistle Test" instead as it was more their 'scene'.
One classic performance from the 1976 re-runs, and stands out as a huge favourite of mine is the appearance of the Climax Blues Band and 'Couldn't Get it Right' - which they seemed to perform live - and totally smashed it.
Sadly the audience didn't seem to quite "get it right" as wasn't quite Abba! (None the less they were also very good live too, but not quite Whistle Test!)
Hey, thanks for reminding me! That is a great track, just played a bit of it on iTunes.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jan 26, 2020 21:42:24 GMT
Late 70s were the best ever, great variety, I was a massive chart fan then. Still like a bit of a mixture, on one of my download CDs, I've got the one song The Saturdays did which I liked, Higher, on immediately before Tubthumping by Chumbawanba! A glamorous girl group morph into anarchist punks from Burnley 😁
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Jan 27, 2020 7:21:20 GMT
Agree. A lot of stuff that wouldn't have made the charts or Top of the Pops - did.
And some of it was pretty good.
When BBC4 started repeating Top of the Pops in 2011 - I loved looking out for the 'fish out of water' type bands. These were the ones who had slogged their way through Pub Gigs, Working Mens Clubs, supports slot at a University, trawling around the country in a knackered transit van - and in a live situation were actually pretty good - p***ed or sober.
Then they are thrust on to Top of the Pops just because their debut single just made it inside the Top 40 - in front of 20million plus viewers and a ton of underage girls - whereas, they'd have rather have been doing the "Old Grey Whistle Test" instead as it was more their 'scene'.
One classic performance from the 1976 re-runs, and stands out as a huge favourite of mine is the appearance of the Climax Blues Band and 'Couldn't Get it Right' - which they seemed to perform live - and totally smashed it.
Sadly the audience didn't seem to quite "get it right" as wasn't quite Abba! (None the less they were also very good live too, but not quite Whistle Test!)
Hey, thanks for reminding me! That is a great track, just played a bit of it on iTunes. Yes, I dug it out too.
Still sounds fresh today.
Fun Lovin' Criminals did a cover of it in the 90s.
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