tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post2679621211463284572..comments2024-02-23T08:40:24.961+00:00Comments on Yes It's Number One: TOTP 15/7/76 (tx 27/7/11): look what the 'puss dragged inUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-37579633186510595292011-08-05T15:25:39.263+01:002011-08-05T15:25:39.263+01:00I was literally weeping tears of hilarity when the...I was literally weeping tears of hilarity when the Ruby Slipper interpretation of Heaven Must be Missing an Angel was shown. What started out as halos had seemingly metamorphosed into a set of dangerous looking lassos by the end of the performance, the wire and tinsel constructs whipping dangerously between head height and the dancer's lower backs. I half expected one of the devils to become ensnared!FishyFishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02259465543772816314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-4711588783196357352011-08-03T16:39:50.503+01:002011-08-03T16:39:50.503+01:00Media connections? Really?
The Dortie Era would b...Media connections? Really?<br /><br />The Dortie Era would be 1991-93, when new producer Stanley Appel, who was nearly 60, brought in a set of changes including making acts sing live, broadening the age range of performers for an older audience and bringing in a specific set of presenters (Tony Dortie, Mark Franklin, Claudia Simon, Adrian Rose, Femi Oke) who were largely rubbish.Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05834265575179460764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-87469705062899036472011-08-03T07:10:24.886+01:002011-08-03T07:10:24.886+01:00re: alternative canon - how about early 80's e...re: alternative canon - how about early 80's equivalents of sunfighter or glamourpuss? (i suspect that TOTP had stopped giving exposure to such unknown wannabes by then - a shame if so...)<br /><br />like old applejack i'd love to carry on watching these old TOTP's in an alternate universe for the next decade (before the likes of stock aitken and waterman started killing pop music ha ha!), but it wouldn't surprise me if the beeb pulled the plug even before the year's out, never mind at the end... perhaps people like simon and steve of tv cream should use their media connections to put some pressure on them to continue with it...?<br /><br />ps - what's the "dortie" era?wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-83502755235664656052011-08-02T20:34:29.654+01:002011-08-02T20:34:29.654+01:00How about 'Acts that still had hits in the ear...How about 'Acts that still had hits in the early 90s but weren't as popular as they used to be'?<br /><br />Erm, you might have to work on the title, but I was thinking of the likes of :<br /><br />'Do you love me like you say?' - Terence Trent D'Arby<br /><br />'The violence of summer' - Duran Duran<br /><br />'Love is holy' - Kim Wilde<br /><br />'Am I the same girl?' - Swing out Sister<br /><br />'Stand above me' - OMD<br /><br />OK, it's a bit rubbish and is mainly an excuse to see some Pops from the Dortie era. Laters.Noaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-36945076709382750592011-08-02T12:57:39.952+01:002011-08-02T12:57:39.952+01:00Unreliable word is no decision has been made but i...Unreliable word is no decision has been made but if the ratings are good enough BBC4 will certainly look at continuing into 1977. There's only four wiped shows from that year.<br /><br />While everyone's here, it's another week off next week which usually means a set of five Alternative Canons. Anyone want to suggest a theme following July's novelty songs week? Or indeed any clips? (Alternative Canon, for the uninitiated, is entertaining or memorable performances that aren't as famous as they should be in the show's annals)Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05834265575179460764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-36318842128067019992011-08-02T12:47:22.295+01:002011-08-02T12:47:22.295+01:00Whoa, fellers, do we know these repeats are going ...Whoa, fellers, do we know these repeats are going on beyond 1976? Don't get me wrong, I'd love this to be a fixture for the next ten years or so, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope for 1977...<br /><br />And Noax, thanks for that reminder of Legs and Co doing Say When. I saw that on TOTP2 about eight odd years ago, and it instantly became one of my favourite routines. Rosie's smile deserves a place in a gallery somewhere...Old Applejacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-34779808698975764192011-08-01T22:59:44.732+01:002011-08-01T22:59:44.732+01:00The Clash must have been humiliated the most by Le...The Clash must have been humiliated the most by Legs & Co then... :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-35788324385846568172011-08-01T20:59:11.380+01:002011-08-01T20:59:11.380+01:00bobby's comments have prompted another thought...bobby's comments have prompted another thought: did any artists actually object to the idea of pan's people or their successors dancing to their song in their absence? did they even know that was going to happen? <br /><br />maybe the producer used that as leverage: "if you don't turn up this week, your song will be subjected to a hastily-contrived dance routine performed by people who aren't always entirely sure what they are doing... oh, and it may also be likely they will be doing it in silly costumes"wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-82485932553856052062011-08-01T20:01:16.389+01:002011-08-01T20:01:16.389+01:00Noax- Surely Punk/New Wave and Legs & Co is an...Noax- Surely Punk/New Wave and Legs & Co is an accident waiting to happen. Even though I whinged about 77 and 78, you can bet I'll be glued regardless. After all, who knew there were so many great records in 1976!Bobby Morrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03689537922354304205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-90087624839670112792011-08-01T19:44:14.609+01:002011-08-01T19:44:14.609+01:00Simon - the Tavares routine definitely was on the ...Simon - the Tavares routine definitely was on the late night version and there was a reference to 'It only takes a minute' but not to Jonathan King. Therefore I can only assume that someone did a very clever edit!<br /><br />Bobby Morrow - I am looking forward to 77 and 78 as that's when I started showing more interest in pop. When I hit 7 years old in 1979 I regularly started listening to the chart so I'm really looking forward to that year. Watching Legs & Co dancing to Lene Lovich's 'Say When' on a TOTP2 repeat (on Dave, natch) this weekend has whetted the appetite.Noaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-43790411731148987012011-08-01T18:01:43.149+01:002011-08-01T18:01:43.149+01:00I forgot to mention that even I couldn't find ...I forgot to mention that even I couldn't find any merit in that hideous Bobby Goldsboro thing from last week... I'm amazed he managed to keep a straight face whilst singing it. That said, it is a song one could conjure up some wonderful 'alternate' lyrics too...Bobby Morrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03689537922354304205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-84972115524172394792011-08-01T17:56:29.529+01:002011-08-01T17:56:29.529+01:00I don't think Mud were on TOTP with 'Tiger...I don't think Mud were on TOTP with 'Tiger Feet' as much as they were with 'Shake It Down'! <br /> <br />Like I said, I watched the show utterly without fail so can only conclude that such acts as The Surprise Sisters ('Prisoner Cell Block H' set to music!) and the stunning Sunfighter were treated with complete contempt by my young self and then promptly forgotten about (almost) forever.<br /><br />I remember hating Pan's People/ The Flipper and Legs & Co with a passion as when they were on doing their dismal dances, it meant that the proper group/artist couldn't be arsed to turn up! <br /><br />35 years later, of course, I'm a little more forgiving and the highlights for me have been the records that didn't chart too well.<br /><br />I can only dream of what treasures are to come. 1976 has been given stick for being a dreadful year in music but give me this year anyday over 1977 (Punk and New Wave rearing their ugly heads) and 1978, which I seem to remember the charts being comprised mainly of songs from 'Grease' and Boney M.<br /><br />Still, I daresy there'll be untold treasures in those years too. I just don't remember 'em!Bobby Morrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03689537922354304205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-59742014944363648222011-08-01T13:29:00.019+01:002011-08-01T13:29:00.019+01:00i think this is the biggest response to a totp blo...i think this is the biggest response to a totp blog so far - hurrah! (even if a lot of it has been my own contributions ha ha!)<br /><br />also hurrah to all the nobodies on the show that help make this all such fun... the sunfighters, the glamourpusses, the surprise sisters-ers (erm... is that right?) and all their fellow brethren who had henceforth vanished into the mists of time... until now!<br /><br />like bobby, i don't remember these non-entities despite also being a regular viewer of the show at the time (and strangely enough also the mud hit despite their track record - as i said before, maybe i chose to expunge it from my memory thanks to "rocket" and "lonely this christmas" ha ha)<br /><br />of course the real reason all the no-namers got a chance on the show was because the superstars either couldn't be bothered, or had bigger fish to fry (for instance macca was in the middle of one of the biggest-grossing tours of the states at that point)... but a big cheer to the producers who wouldn't be held to ransom and just show some video the likes of rod and queen had knocked up whilst making their millions elsewhere! (btw, i have this vision of dave the drummer from mud sitting at home and watching what passed for daytime tv in those days, waiting for the show's producer to phone him and say "you're on again this week"...)wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-75208501100224937032011-08-01T00:26:47.961+01:002011-08-01T00:26:47.961+01:00Edited from the repeat or from the 7.30 showing? I...Edited from the repeat or from the 7.30 showing? If the former they seem to have decided on a policy of one dance routine per show, but by all accounts a line where Noel mentioned Tavares had had a US hit with the song King had earlier done was excised, because it wouldn't have made sense with no It Only Takes A Minute shown.<br /><br />Let's Fall In Love is coming but not as opener, as it's the song before the famous Noel-introduced clip of Can. That'll be on in mid-September 'our' time.<br /><br />In further discussion of the wiped show, I saw a second hand 7" of Superspike just earlier today. Having been completely unaware of it about a fortnight ago I fear this song may now follow me everywhere.Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05834265575179460764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-47528176919588731742011-07-31T22:59:57.113+01:002011-07-31T22:59:57.113+01:00Just one more point...the tavares dance routine ma...Just one more point...the tavares dance routine may have been edited because, not for the first time in the edition, Noel dicks up an act's intro by yet another back-reference to Jonathan Bloody King. Did they share the same agent, by any chance?Arthur Nibblenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-81986358595803206302011-07-31T16:27:15.498+01:002011-07-31T16:27:15.498+01:00I watched TOTP avidly during this time yet have no...I watched TOTP avidly during this time yet have no recollection of Sunfighter, Glamourpuss, The Surprise Sisters etc. I suppose there's little wonder! Have some old Record Mirrors from July 1976 and Sunfighter gets rather a snotty review, but is predicted to be a hit!<br /><br />That said, it is these 'lost' songs that keep me intrigued. Also loved the Marmalade 'Falling Apart At The Seams' rip-off from a few weeks ago. I'd even put Mud's 'Shake It Down' in this catergory. I know it reached #12, but I honestly can't recall ever hearing it... Good song, though, isn't it?<br /><br />So, bring on the flops and the forgotten souls of 1976. Abba, Elton, The Real Thing etc, all good but terribly over-familiar 35 years on even. <br /><br />Look for for poor Robin Sarstedt's 'if It ain't broke..' follow-up to 'My Resistance Is Low', the deathly 'Let's Fall In Love' that has to be looming. Wonder if it will open the show?!Bobby Morrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03689537922354304205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-81562616095206692682011-07-31T14:25:18.152+01:002011-07-31T14:25:18.152+01:00Hi folks! On holiday in the west country, delibera...Hi folks! On holiday in the west country, deliberately trying to keep away from a computer, but just waiting to check in at a hotel, so just a quick note before the missus gets annoyed...<br /><br />Loved the camera zoom during 'Bucky' and the startled look on the girl who was facially Olive from On The Buses but halfway through growing an Omnipresent frizz.<br /><br />Now then, Glamourpuss! I found them on the net by mistake when trying to find the comedy record on the 1st July edition and thought it was them instead until I checked the date. Apparently five beauty queens, who released two singles (yes, they were allowed a follow-up!) on a label whose only two chart acts were Opportunity Knocks winners, which says it all really. Five women dressed in your nan's curtains, none of whom were near enough to the mic to be heard at the start of the last chorus. Does anyone know how this sounded on record? Surely the OTT orchestration and the falling-down-the-stairs ending were improvised on the back of a fag packet.<br /><br />For the record, my fave was the second lead vocalist (unusual blonde hairstyle and 'look! shaved' armpits), and I'm gonna miss Cherry when she finally falls from the Flipper tree.Arthur Nibblenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-91280747310501074332011-07-31T02:52:52.457+01:002011-07-31T02:52:52.457+01:00Liverpool Express' frontman is Billy Kinsley, ...Liverpool Express' frontman is Billy Kinsley, from 60s popsters and perennial beatles support band the Merseybeats (best known for Sorrow, released as the Merseys and covered by Bowie on Pinups). It was a good effort to resurrect his career with a piece of modern 10cc-esque pop, 15 years on from his Cavern days. Merseybeats had been playing the soup-in-the-basket circuit but Billy gave the mainstream another go. Good man. He's still fronting the Merseybeats...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-78677535252246497272011-07-30T18:14:55.889+01:002011-07-30T18:14:55.889+01:00For further evidence on 'what killed prime-tim...For further evidence on 'what killed prime-time variety', cf. the repeats of 3-2-1 from its dying days that Challenge have shoved out on weekend afternoons these past few weeks. I've been enjoying those far much more than I should be, though I shall shift all blame onto Mr. Williams for his reminders via the Cream. A fair amount of pop on there - Gloria Gaynor & the Searchers a few weeks back, Georgie Fame & Madeline Bell on today's. Great fun, anyway!Adam Maunderhttp://getoffmyfoot.tumblr.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-55587176341120296982011-07-30T09:05:16.054+01:002011-07-30T09:05:16.054+01:00noax: a devotee of both vintage TOTP and Formula 1...noax: a devotee of both vintage TOTP and Formula 1 is psssibly an even rarer breed than the lesser-spotted <a href="http://yesitsnumberone.blogspot.com/2011/07/disappeared-1776.html" rel="nofollow">ornithological funkateer</a>...?<br /><br />ps - in the baffling absence of mr nibble this week (come back arthur - we miss you already!), just another observation on glamourpuss: the lady with the dark hair looks like she's had her wig squashed too hard onto her head!wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-91950589264363114452011-07-30T08:17:25.648+01:002011-07-30T08:17:25.648+01:00Cripes, you've got to get up early in the morn...Cripes, you've got to get up early in the morning these days...<br /><br />Particularly enjoyed the guy in the white sleeveless t-shirt behind Bobby Goldsboro, managing to get a surreptitious wave in, having first gone to scratch his ear.<br /><br />Agree that the Beeb are saving themselves from a torrent of Daily Mail outrage and I don't blame them. We can all see the clip if we want to. Bizarre though that the Beeb could be said to be indulging in what Mail readers would decry as "Peecee gawn maaaddd". They can't win. <br /><br />As someone said though, King has one of the weediest voices thus far. It's no great loss.<br /><br />As ever, we delve into the realm of lookalikes, kind of. The lead singer of Glamourpuss. The one on the right at least. I think it's because she's got Sarah Brightman's gob, but she looked exceedingly familiar. Anyone? A very quick google search only suggested that one of the 'pusses was 'West End performer Stephanie Lawrence' and photographic evidence suggests she's the blonde one on the far left.<br /><br />Until next time...Old Applejacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-83832708465516627292011-07-30T00:17:47.819+01:002011-07-30T00:17:47.819+01:00I agree with Noax about Justin Hawkins and Sunfigh...I agree with Noax about Justin Hawkins and Sunfighter; I can just see the Darkness covering that song.<br /><br />In fact, I sent a message to Mr Hawkins on facebook the other night asking him the same question and if The Darkeness had nothing better to do, maybe they'd care to cover it. Well, I'm seeing them in Cambridge in November and I'd cream myself if they did!Nick Cresswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13071474804636073905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-78404569460981976342011-07-29T21:20:37.127+01:002011-07-29T21:20:37.127+01:00Rundown - I wonder how long it'll be 'Tave...Rundown - I wonder how long it'll be 'Taveres' before they get it right. They still haven't bothered with Maureen McGovern. More disturbing still in the rundown is the evils that Elton is giving Kiki.<br /><br />Sunfighter - The theory about them being a late replacement for Queen is interesting as you would've expected them to be on at some point. I quite liked this song actually, and wonder if Justin Hawkins ever saw or heard this?<br /><br />Doctor Hook - I really hate the song, but the sheer hairiness on display was quite amusing. I only ever really liked 'When you're in love with a beautiful woman', especially the weirdo version with the keyboard solo in the middle that one Radio 1 DJ only played. I have a feeling that it might have been Travis.<br /><br />Glamourpuss - Picture the scene as the producer gets the bad news. "Oh, you're joking, first Queen pull out, now The Manhattans can't make it either?! Go down the canteen and grab anyone who can sing!" Well, that's what it sounds like.<br /><br />Demis Roussos - I presume this was recorded specially for the Pops? Doesn't seem to be any audience there and he is miming. The reason DLT couldn't present this week must be due to the hair quota already reaching union limits what with this, Sunfighter and the Hook.<br /><br />Jonathan King - Must've been a late decision to pull this as he was listed on the EPG. I wouldn't have a problem with it being on personally but I can see why the BBC dropped it. Their phone lines will be jammed enough with angry F1 fans now as it is.<br /><br />Incidentally, I suspect I'm one of the very few who fall into the TOTP / F1 fan subset but as 1976 is the year of James Hunt's title win, do we ever get him on the show? I suspect not, as chaos would result. Legs and Co wouldn't have got out alive.Noaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-60314186373232722652011-07-29T11:39:10.411+01:002011-07-29T11:39:10.411+01:00maybe the person who captioned the chart rundown p...maybe the person who captioned the chart rundown pics is the same one who does the previews for freeview schedules ("brian" ferry!)wilberforcehttp://www.gavinunderhill.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6190903519028956778.post-19921070703288720592011-07-29T11:23:51.153+01:002011-07-29T11:23:51.153+01:00I'm sure it was probably more a case of someon...I'm sure it was probably more a case of someone at the BBC being keen to avoid being harranged by the likes of the Daily Mail for providing royalty payments to convicted sex offenders.<br /><br />Look at the fuss they made when Do You Wanna Touch Me was performed on Glee.Grantynickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00477793507439525997noreply@blogger.com