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Post by Arthur Pringle on Apr 7, 2017 14:08:20 GMT
Remember very well the haunting theme from 'Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence', a film I would've probably seen on Channel 4 in the mid 80s. A good film but it's the music that people remember most. 'Forbidden Colours' is the title of a novel by Yukio Mishima, the forbidden colours refers to homosexuality. Mishima's image, holding a samurai sword, was seen on t shirts in the 80s, my brother had one, it had some text on it about Seppuku, the Japanese term for the ritual suicide known in the West as 'harakiri'. Mishima was an ultra nationalist who committed ritual suicide after his attempt at a coup failed.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 8, 2017 0:04:38 GMT
Well this weeks TOTP offering is : Thanks as ever to Popscene for the rundown 14/07/83 Andy Peebles & Peter Powell (32) Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Everyday I Write The Book (10) Malcolm McLaren – Double Dutch (video) (2) Paul Young – Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home) (6) Heaven 17 – Come Live With Me (30) Echo & The Bunnymen – Never Stop (21) Bananarama – Cruel Summer (18) Sylvian & Sakamoto – Forbidden Colour (video) (1) Rod Stewart – Baby Jane (video) (29) Donna Summer - "She Works Hard For The Money (audience dancing/credits) A diverse bunch of artists that had roots in the 60's 70's 80's Had a top fest lately to catch up and there's been some good records. This is a period in time where I was really into the chartso remember it fondly. I can't believe how much Andy peebles appearence has changed since he first appeared on one of the 70s episodes. Best of this episode for me is Paul Young and the nanas with cruel summer which was on the Karate Kid movie. Not a fan of Rods 80s work really and what was the video about. Rod prancing about In pastel colours ..... He beat Don Johnson to that look by two years.
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Post by Frank Spencer on Apr 8, 2017 9:48:14 GMT
This week's two episodes are now sitting waiting patiently on my Sky Planner and as usual I am a week behind the rest of the world (much longer with other projects I need doing though !! ) so here are my thoughts on the last two TOTP83 shows ... Richard Skinner & Tommy Vance introduced a really strong line up of names that were huge in 83 including Shalamar, Nick Heyward, Bucks Fizz & Paul Young live in the studio and an enjoyable vid by Heaven 17, but it was Tommy's mind blowing multi-coloured jumper that stole the show - I thought this was a June episode and that TV studios were very hot ?! John Peel & Kid Jensen weren't quite on their usual sparkling form I felt, but some of that might have been down to crowd noise drowning out some of Peel's subtle comments ! But there were many minor highlights from the acts shown ... Roman Holliday giving it some welly looking like some kind of combination of half a dozen other acts that had hits in the previous 12 months ... Mary Jane Girls looking very "street" accompanied by two toned fellas gyrating in their briefs by the side of the stage (sexual equality in 1983 - wow !) and one of the girls wearing a "I Love Mary Jane" badge, clearly a Spider Man fan, tee hee ... the Hassani Troop returned but we were shown more of Zoo, looking pretty but not dancing as spectacularly, to "IOU" by Freeeze, although the troop were allowed to stand around grinning in one of the links and could be seen having a little shuffle at the end ... The Cure's Robert Smith was just starting to cultivate his "completely wild and unkempt" look on "The Walk" , well on the way to the image we all remember him by ! ... The Eurythmics put on a very "arty" performance for "Who's That Girl", not sure if it was a video or in the studio, it was pretty cool ... E.L.O. were very much at the tail end of their career with a terribly dated song and video for "Rock n Roll Is King" and for the soul boy in me there were the Funk Masters, although I am 90% sure that the girl doing the "live" vocal in the studio on "It's Over" wasn't Juliet Roberts who actually recorded the track ! Not sure why, but I would imagine she got a chance to appear on TOTP in the 90s when she had a run of half a dozen solo hits... Nice to see a bit more activity on this thread lately, obviously the Newcastle curry has settled down now ! Must dash , things to do !
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 8, 2017 12:35:42 GMT
Top report as ever Frank. I'm looking forward to this week's Totp.
Details to follow.
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Post by Steve Austin on Apr 8, 2017 19:44:22 GMT
Thank goodness for The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen otherwise there would be one less post on this thread I must admit to liking Double Dutch at the time, I do like a "craze!!
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Post by Frank Spencer on Apr 14, 2017 9:48:02 GMT
Yes, it was all about the "Double Dutch" last week ! Andy Peebles & Peter Powell presented the video on 14/7/83 with Malcolm McLaren popping his head into shot now and then as the girls did some amazing routines with the ropes, then two weeks later on 28/7/83, low and behold, some of them were in the studio, flown in from New York (but no sign of McLaren this time...) and equally impresssive doing their stuff "live" . Sorry to slate them again, but Zoo were NOT as impressive trying to imitate them with some pretty lame "double dutching" over the end credits, tripping over the rope at least twice - not that I would have been any better, even aged 21 in 1983 !!! The first show last week was generally enjoyable I thought with several acts and songs I enjoyed at the time, but TBH the highlight was a group I never took much notice of in the 80s, not really my cup of tea, but I thought Echo & The Bunnymen, especially their lead singer, oozed charisma & mystique, although I don't recall the song, it made a nice change from the "obvious". I thought he was going to start removing his shirt again at one point as in a previous TOTP, but thakfully he held back ! And if I ever see that "Baby Jane" video again .... how many times now ??!!
Across the two programmes there was some mysterious editing of links. Peter Powell must have said "something" right at the start as we went straight into Andy Peebles introducing Elvis Costello, then later on there was the clumsy but "necessary" removal of presumably Jonathan King's USA piece (not listed on Popscene, but I am guessing from Peebles "now back in OUR charts" comment !) whilst right after the No:1 we only hear from Janice Long, with clearly a witty comment missing from Mike Read and no "goodbyes" Makes you wonder what on earth was said - or who popped into shot maybe ?! Meanwhile back to the music ... KC appeared live but without his Sunshine Band, but with two hot young ladies to sng his future No:1 "Give It Up" .. there was a (nearly) cool video from Depeche Mode, growing up fast ... Siouxsie raiding the dressing up box for the vid for "Right Now" by the Creatures ... and Bananarama looking lovelier than ever (on both shows!) singing "Cruel Summer" - never knew which one I fancied the most, oh, the fantasies !!!
With thanks to Popscene again, we know that we missed out the 21/7/83 episode featuring Saville, but TBH there was nothing much that we hadn't seen before or any unique performances, maybe the Police video for "Wrapped Around Your Finger" but they weren't the best band at making promos, I felt ... The next scheduled episode will be the 11/8/83 shown today (Friiday morning) hosted by Richard Skinner & Tommy Vance, so another one we miss out on is John Peel teaming up with Mike Smith on 4/8/83 featuring Wham debuting "Club Tropicana", a maturing nicely Kim Wilde singing "Love Blonde", Bruce Foxton from The Jam with his solo hit "Freak" and Gary Byrd apparently doing a "TOTP rap" in the studio around "The Crown" - shame, there are a few bits there I'd love to have seen Mind you, there's usually a way if you know where to look - just takes a while !!
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Post by Frank Spencer on Apr 14, 2017 9:50:42 GMT
For instance, I quickly found the Wham performance on You Tube ! I never knew George Michael was such a talented piano player !!
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Post by Frank Spencer on Apr 14, 2017 10:11:57 GMT
Kim Wilde looking soooooooo good on the DLT hosted TOTP 18/8/83 ... And I am no musician, but I am sure the camera homed in on the bass player for the guitar solo !
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 17, 2017 19:08:20 GMT
Kim was looking smoking in that video. She smashed it when she landed in 1981 with Kids in America and I think that her pop career lasted into about 86-87 and she certainly shifted some units in that time. Club Tropicana studio performance is one i remember from back in the day. Remember really wanting the Fila tracktop Andrew was wearing.. expensive stuff back in 83 and had no chance of my mum getting me one
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Post by Del Boy on Apr 17, 2017 19:26:13 GMT
On to the 11/8/83 edition. Thanks to Popscene for the running order Popscene can be found here >>> Popscene<<< 11/08/83 Hosted by Richard Skinner & Tommy Vance
(34)David Grant - Watching You Watching Me (8) The Style Council-Long Hot Summer (video) (33)Level 42 -The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) (12)Spandau Ballet - Gold(video) (17)The Creatures -Right Now (21)The Lotus Eaters -The First Picture Of You (10)Depeche Mode -Everything Counts (11)Robert Plant -Big Log (video) (1) KC & The Sunshine Band- Give It Up (15)Herbie Hancock- Rockit(audience dancing/credits) Whats the betting Tommy will have a jumper on in a hot studio on this summer week in August 1983 ? And the big question is will the current number 11 song be a pile of S*** Looking forward to seeing this episode again as i seem to remember it from the rundown. Remember Herbie Hancock's Rockit being a different sound at the time that was loved by all at my school.
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