The Rolling "Top of the Pops" BBC4 Revival thread.

What year is it in now?

http://arc.lib.montana.edu/brook-0771/objects/283.jpg
"It is 1953, young man!"

35 years ago, so '77

Oh I was only 4. Probably saw some episodes but no chance of remembering.

We're now moving into the 'Showadywaddy on nearly every cocking week' period of 77/78.

i guess it was Top Of The Pops 2 that made it look so great; all those glossily packaged highlights flitting from decade to decade but week by week in the mid-late 70s the actual original show looks like sheer misery.

tbf this week hasn't been bad: Eddie & the Hot Rods, Thin Lizzy, Fleetwood Mac

Although on the other end of the scale, Barry Biggs, WTF? He's like a bag of stale three day old current buns on the supermarket shelf.

Also, drink a shot every time 'Kid' Jensen says "disco scene"...

Should note, the latest from the "BBC" seems to suggest they're not continuing these repeats into 1978...

But we're just starting to hit the good stuff.

I know, is this blatant "let's see how loud the objections are", umm, trolling?

Where do we object to? I've given up watching these because they're unbelievably shit, but I'm really looking forward to 1979/80.

A surprisingly filler free week so far.

The appearance of the Adverts feels like the first genuine breakthrough of punk. The Jam & the Stranglers could've broken through on the back of Dr Feelgood, Eddie & the Hot Rods etc.
EDIT - Oh, I forgot the Saints.

most punk thing last week was Phil Lynott's shiner!

Latest news seems to be that any episodes involving Saville (as he now seems to be referred to) will not be shown...

'BBC in Saville row'

As something a bit extra, tonight at 8PM on BBC4 there's a 1973 edition presented by Kenny Everett (part of a KE night).

(the stylistic difference between 1977 and 1973 will probably give everyone whiplash)

'73 > '77 on this showing. and kenny has that vic and bob thing going on.

o_O at #1 but i can't say i'm not enjoying it

1/9/1977 - first posthumous Elvis #1

odd chart, lots of electronic stuff. the rah band is still in there at #7 (seems like 2 months since it was on first? actually, 7/7/77 according to web. and the repeats are about a month behind), jarre at 12, space at 5 and donna summer just outside the top 10 (twice?)

I'm amused by the combination of bafflement and derision Tony Blackburn used to introduce the punk/new wave acts.

Can't watch any of these things now without wanting to retch. Everett chatting up young girls. The strangely silent (about Savilegate) Blackburn saying "Why not? You can't get done for it" and "Have you ever been to Spain with me?" Now I look upon every presenter and performer and think, a la Olivier in Marathon Man: are they safe?

http://www.comedy.co.uk/images/library/people/180x200/d/dear_john_kirk.jpg

lipsmackin'

the bloke singing the elvis tribute had lightbulbs on his jacket. but they never lit up.

Slade's pirate look is bad enough (even if it does predict Ten Pole Tudor), but Noddy's curly mullet takes it over the edge.

Rod's haircut here looks like a bad Tina Turner Halloween wig that's been put through a tumble dryer.

kind of astounded by that Baccara song being one of the top 10 best selling singles ever, was only googling to find out their nationality ¯\(°_o)/¯

I quite liked punky Slade. Dave Hill looked liberated: bald and proud.

I haven't watched this for ages - are we still in sync? i.e. is it exactly 35 years ago this week, or have the Saville/DLT whitewashes from history meant a load of shows were missed out?

It's never really been 'in-sync', due to odd missing episodes and the need for "The Sky At Night" to have its slot once a month.

Tonight's episode is 3/11/1977 - they were slightly further behind than that, so they've skipped a few.

The skipped ones have purely been Savile and DLT presented ones.

I'd guess DLT will be OK by the time his next show comes up, I'm wanting Otway&Barrett for my comp DVDr.

I also note, "Mary of the 4th form" is on shows presented by Savile, then DLT.

The Barron Knights - every annoyingly smug thing about Robbie Williams cloned and turned into a comedy music act.
Queen - in their 'The Darkness but not shit' phase.

Heroes, Rocking All Over The World and We Are the Champions, all songs i associate with LiveAid, years later.

baron knights. why do i remember half the lyrics to that?

Wait until they show that Barron Knights' joint about Rubik's Cube - why is stuff like that clogging up my memory, when I can't remember useful stuff that would help me earn more money?

I wish I could forget the fact that the first gig I ever went to was by the Barron Knights, but it was 1981 and I was 11, but it's engrained on my memory. (shudder).

years ago a friend of mine was recording a demo in a pokey little studio in the middle of nowhere, the producer/engineer guy said he used to be in a band but was reluctant to say who "oh won't have heard of them" etc etc. of course they eventually found out that it was the Barron Knights.

Not to worry, that "Mr Rubik" got nowhere near the charts or the TOTP studio

Two weeks back to back tonight at 8PM

For those who wished to see "Mary of the 4th form" by The Boomtown Rats..

This was on twice, back in the day. First time, introduced by Jimmy Savile. Second time, by DLT.

Guess which song you won't be seeing any time soon on BBC4.

Looks like it's going to be all Kid Jensen/Edmonds/Tony Blackburn until we hit the Peter Powell years.

thought PP had been on already

I don't think he's a regular presenter until 1979.

November 3, 1977 - Peter Powell

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/trivia/presenters/list2.shtml

and semi-regular from '78