Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,899
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on Jul 27, 2016 9:55:13 GMT
David "Kid" Jensen's apparently "live" episode on 4th March 1982 didn't look particularly exciting on paper, but there were a couple of moments to highlight. Zoo dancing to "Deutscher Girls" by Adam & The Ants, a re-release by his former record label hoping to cash in on his new fame, was plain embarrassing with about eight pretty girls dressed up in cliched Bavarian lederhosen, hats and braces and slapping their thighs at regular intervals ! It was fun in the mid 70s when Pans People / Legs & Co did that sort of thing, but I thought the show had moved on from performances like that more towards bizarre costumes, sexy pouting and gymnastics (still silly, but more 80s !) And the super-imposed "whops" and "handclaps" to "liven up" what was no doubt perceived as a dull tune by someone now famous that needed playing. were very awkward. Car-crash TV - watched it all the way through of course !! Tight Fit's performance of their now Number One hit also kept my attention all the way through as did ABC's "Poison Arrow" - in fact I watched that one TWICE as it said on the info on my Sky Planner that it was "with Anne Dudley" (from Art Of Noise) and was intrigued as I didn't recall any female part in the song and couldn't see any girl on stage with them. She did work on the song according to internet investigations, but couldn't see her on TOTP - or did I blink at the wrong times ?! Toni Basil and Imagination also gave it their all in their performances as you'd expect and the video for Abba's "Head Over Heels" was also an eye opener with Anni-Frid and Bjorn trying their hands at "acting" and the vid having more of a "modern" 80s feel to it, but for me Abba love them as I do, were always a 70s group and the signs were clearly here that the end was nigh ... Can't stop ... I gotta feed them chickens ! Oooooh ... one of them has done a whoopsy ! The performance of Deutscher Girls was interesting. I saw it as a throw back to old style Pans People/ Legs dressing up of a song. As you say ABBA looks 80's but sounds 70's. The clothes had changed but the music style hadn't evolved too much from the late 70's. Good as they were, by 1982 they were looking a little old fashioned when compared to what was happening with the Synth styles and new romantics etc. Overall i think the change in musical and fashion style changed rapidly from 78 to 82. I dont remember that happening over the following decades. This is why these TOTP repeats make great viewing.
|
|
|
Post by Windy Miller on Jul 28, 2016 11:09:59 GMT
11 March 1982: Presenter – Simon Bates: Broadcast BBC Four 28/07/2016 (Thanks to POPSCENE for the running order) (9) BOW WOW WOW – Go Wild In The Country (4) BANANARAMA & FUN BOY THREE – It Ain’t What You Do It’s The Way That You Do It (video) (6) DEPECHE MODE – See You (36) PLUTO – Your Honour (24) JULIO IGLESIAS – Quiereme Mucho (Yours) (video) (3) HAIRCUT 100 – Love Plus One (25) THE ASSOCIATES – Party Fears Two (12) ADRIAN GURVITZ – Classic (1) TIGHT FIT – The Lion Sleeps Tonight (video) (14) STARSOUND – Stars On Stevie There’s a lot on tonight’s show that we’ve seen before, but we are into a run of 10 consecutive episodes without a Yewtree in sight, so the continuity between shows will be better. Pluto, The Associates, another medley that's sneaked in and an interesting special guest all feature on tonight’s show. Pluto had a UK hit back in 1976 with “Dat" – a record about a Rastafarian trying to buy cheap cuts of pork (without naming it aloud), contrary to his faith, so that he can afford marijuana. “Your Honour” was written around the same time but never got released as a single until now. Pluto, who lived in Miami at the time, makes a studio appearance to plead his innocence to a crime of infidelity with a married woman he says he did not commit. As far as novelty records go, this is one of the best of the decade. Highlight tonight is The Associates, with Billy Mackenzie on stage making an impressive Frank Spencer impersonation. Setting the Benchmark high, Party Fears Two is a classic wedge of overwrought eighties electronic power pop, with Martha from Martha and The Muffins on stage playing keyboards. The Associates later performances of “Club Country” are unfortunately on shows presented by DLT and Savile and won’t be seen. Bad luck for them and us as they were good performances. Ironically, all five shows with Tight Fit singing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” can be broadcast without any hindrance – Sod’s Law eh? Annabel Lwin from Bow Wow Wow :-
|
|
Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,899
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on Jul 28, 2016 11:25:11 GMT
Cheers for the rundown Wind's Regarding Tight Fit being shown 5 times, it always seems to be the way with these type of songs. Over the last few years I think we had to endure Dance Yourself Dizzy, The Nolans and Brotherhood Of Man a number of times
|
|
|
Post by Windy Miller on Jul 28, 2016 12:33:04 GMT
Cheers for the rundown Wind's Regarding Tight Fit being shown 5 times, it always seems to be the way with these type of songs. Over the last few years I think we had to endure Dance Yourself Dizzy, The Nolans and Brotherhood Of Man a number of times Fans of The Goombay Dance Band will also relish all five appearances by the group - No Yewtree for them. While Kid Creole & The Coconuts' performances of "I'm a Wonderful Thing Baby" and "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy" will remain firmly locked away in the archive video vault
|
|
|
Post by Steve Austin on Jul 28, 2016 12:36:25 GMT
Thanks Windy, great review as ever and I always look forward to Thursdays and your comments. I have to disagree with you however, I can guarantee that The Associates will most definitely be getting the FFWD treatment in the Austin household, neither me, Jamie or Sasquatch can stomach it!! Depeche Mode, Bow Wow Wow & Bananarama & Fun Boy Three will not suffer the same fate.
|
|
|
Post by Dirty Epic on Jul 28, 2016 15:19:26 GMT
Nice review again Windy. I reckon Depeche's performance might be a replay of the one from a few weeks ago. I'll be having a butchers tonight for sure.
|
|
|
Post by Windy Miller on Jul 28, 2016 19:24:10 GMT
|
|
Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,899
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on Jul 29, 2016 0:00:42 GMT
Watched the edit last night and here's how I saw proceedings. 11 March 1982: Presenter – Simon Bates: Broadcast BBC Four 28/07/2016 (Thanks to POPSCENE for the running order) Simon Bates Not a great outing from smashy. He didn't know his studio guests name Lynval from Fun Boy Three, called Haircut One Hundred "you know who" because he couldn't be arsed to say, then went on to tell us that The Associates would become mega stars ! . Not content with this he calls Kenny Everett "That" but then asks him for a kiss. All in all old Si was suffering from a clear case of verbal diarrhea The best thing he did on this episode was telling that doughnut to "calm down fella" (9) BOW WOW WOW – Go Wild In The CountryYes I like this, Annabel gives a great performance. (4) BANANARAMA & FUN BOY THREE – It Ain’t What You Do It’s The Way That You Do It (video)This song is very monotonous (mainly the Banana's) whose vocal performance is nowt to write home about. Never understood it's popularity. (6) DEPECHE MODE – See YouNever heard this before and thought it was so so. (36) PLUTO – Your Honour Not in the edit (24) JULIO IGLESIAS – Quiereme Mucho (Yours) (video)Oh god cheeeeeeeeeese ..... Next (3) HAIRCUT 100 – Love Plus OneI like this song, it's got a nice little bass line and still sounds good 35 year later in my book (25) THE ASSOCIATES – Party Fears TwoOh dear, what utter shi'ite. Frank Spencer lookalike singer gives a horrid sounding performance that doesn't fit this track at all IMO Laughed at the geezer on banjo who looked like Monkey Magic !!!! ... brilliant (12) ADRIAN GURVITZ – ClassicTotal turd. (1) TIGHT FIT – The Lion Sleeps Tonight (video)Remember this song getting to number 1 and kids at school singing A wembahway (14) STARSOUND – Stars On StevieStarsound thought they would milk the last drops off the medley teat. Not one of the best episodes. Still watchable though. I really liked Kenny Everett's cameo on "this crappy little show" Shame BBC4 didn't show the Kenny Everett video show straight after. Thursday evening was always good telly viewing back then.
|
|
|
Post by Dirty Epic on Jul 29, 2016 14:30:07 GMT
Watched it last night too and my faves were Bow Wow Wow, The Associates and although it's not as good as their better known tracks from the 1980's Depeche. Fun Boy Three/Bananarama can take or leave and the rest was tosh being honest also like Del mentioned thought we'd seen the last of turds like Startrax too. Yeah would be nice to see the Kenny Everett Show on BBC Four and as he wasn't really mates with the 'banned' crew shouldn't really be an issue repeating it. I know Granada Plus/ITV4 showed a few of these a fair while back but Kenny seems persona non gratia these days! Looking forward to next weeks performance Japan's Ghosts - class track!
|
|
|
Post by Frank Spencer on Jul 29, 2016 20:30:12 GMT
I always watch these fab TOTP repeats with a pen and paper by my side so I can come online later and share my thoughts with everyone and it never fails to amaze me when I come on here and find another regular contributor has already "got in first" and written exactly what I was going to say ! Nice to know that "it's not just me" sometimes ... I totally agree with Del Boy about Simon Bates on last night's episode - was it a "live" one again ? He was all over the place and that would explain a lot ! If not then I am glad they kept the "mistakes" in as it made great viewing for us TOTP afficionados. (Straying away from the subject in hand, I only appeared on the show once, as an "overage player" in 1990, and have to say I was very impressed that they only had to stop and start again twice during recording - I was expecting a lot more disruption ) Annabella Lwin put in a very assured performance indeed especially considering she would have been about 15 years old at the time. I always took an interest in her as she came across very similar in many ways to a young girl I was friendly with around the same time, who would have been about the same age (nearly 50 now and a respectable mum I'm back in touch with on Facebook !) and who drove her mum & dad up the wall with her wild ways - I was supposed to be a "responsible influence" on her, but it worked the other way !! And as for other highlights last night ... the low budget Tight Fit video complete with a gorilla suit ripped under the armpit ... Julio Iglesias doing his best "Mateo from Benidorm" impersonation ... and of course The Associates giving everyone else a chance to see Frank Spencer in action ! Back again soon to see what we can come up with on the next epic ...
|
|