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Topic: Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Two.

Started by Dr Rock, August 26, 2018, 02:21:41 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

buzby

#2130
Quote from: daf on March 07, 2020, 12:27:15 PM
20 April 1989: Presenters: Nicky Campbell & Sybil 'Emperor' Ruscoe

(3) TRANSVISION VAMP – "Baby I Don't Care
I said a while back on the subject of Sabrina and Wendy James' previous appearances about artists being desperate enough for a hit record that they would do anything, and it's definitely seems to be something that 's in evidence here.

daf, the Simple Minds entry belongs here ,not before the Number One...
Quote
(13) SIMPLE MINDS – This Is Your Land (video)
This is absolute gash. FUCK OFF BO-....JIM
Quote
(20) INNER CITY – Ain't Nobody Better
Kevin Saunderson being Billy Big Bollocks now, with a Fairlight Series III, which almost certainly wasn't used on the track. Cracking tune though - I love the vocal counter-melody in the chorus in particular.
Quote
(4)   HOLLY JOHNSON – Americanos
Holly and his glamourous female assistants return, and he gives good camera as always  As well as that polished metal Les Paul-alike (no Brian May, or any guitar at all for that matter on this one), we get the now standard Roland D50 and the latest iteration of the DX7 - the DX7-IID. Upgraded to 16 bit processing, double the number of patch memories and most importantly multi-timbral capability in an effort to compete with the D50. It also features 3 additional sliders on the left hand side (just visible at the start) that can be used to make parameter changes in real time, added in an effort to make programming less arcane.
Quote
(21) MIDNIGHT OIL – Beds Are Burning (video)
Alrhough it's got absolutely nothing to do with them, this song always sounds like INXS to me. I don't know why - I think it's that three note horn blast leading into the chorus, but I can't think of an INXS song that has a similar element.
Quote
(12) THE CURE – Lullaby
Simon Gallup doing his best Hooky impression with the Fender Bass VI, while nicking The Edge's hat in the process. Porl Thompson's 'central casting Goth' on guitar at the back is hilarious too. Best of all is Roger O'Donnell's (Lol's replacement) vintage ARP Solina string synth - a rare treat these days. I'm not sure why this was chosen as a studio performance as the ambient playback does the song no favours at all - you can barely hear Fat Bob's whispered vocal above the audience hubbub.
Quote
(23) THE BEATMASTERS with MERLIN – Who's In The House?
I'll cover the song in the next episode, but the video needs to be mentioned. Although we only see it's roof very briefly right at the end of this clip, Jimmy Cauty lent them Ford Timelord Mk1 and Mk2 (which would soon be sold to Simon Matthews of Jesus Jones) to act as the police cars in the 'raid' . I'm pretty sure Cressida Cauty was the policewoman with the bullhorn, so I expect Jimmy was in there somewhere too. The full video (though a slighly different edit compared to the TOTP one) can be seen here

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: buzby on March 11, 2020, 02:52:31 PM
Yes - it got to #27 in the Billboard Chart in January 1985 off the back of Hughes' (uncredited) use of it in Sixteen Candles (which also featured The Specials' 'Little Bitch'). Hughes then used it fully-credited in the Weird Science soundtrack.
It's a song I do have huge affection for: 15 years ago, I visited an internet friend in LA and this was one of the first songs I heard on the radio in their car (the very first was 'Crash' by the Primitives). I remember saying "this guy sounds just like the singer from the Beat"*, as I was a fan and had their three albums, and being informed about General Public. I wound up buying the parent album 'All the Rage' while over there, and it's nice enough pop, I'm a little surprised it did close to nothing over here, but perhaps they focused their promotional energies on that side of the pond.

Of all the songs recently mentioned, for some reason 'Americanos' is the one that really sticks out in my memories of the time. I have no idea why.

*to which they didn't say "who, Paul Collins?", signifying their good taste.

JesusAndYourBush

Quote from: buzby on March 11, 2020, 09:50:04 PM
I said a while back on the subject of Sabrina and Wendy James' previous appearances about artists being desperate enough for a hit record that they would do anything, and it's definitely seems to be something that 's in evidence here.

Careful, you'll conjure him up!

daf

#2133
Quote from: buzby on March 11, 2020, 09:50:04 PM
daf, the Simple Minds entry belongs here ,not before the Number One...

FFS! Gonna have to fire that frigging useless butler of mine!

canadagoose

Quote from: buzbyAlrhough it's got absolutely nothing to do with them, this song always sounds like INXS to me. I don't know why - I think it's that three note horn blast leading into the chorus, but I can't think of an INXS song that has a similar element.
Both Australian bands, I suppose. Maybe the accent comes through in the songs somehow?

famethrowa

Quote from: canadagoose on March 12, 2020, 08:03:11 PM
Both Australian bands, I suppose. Maybe the accent comes through in the songs somehow?

It might be regarding Kiss The Dirt by INXS, which starts with a similar standalone 3-crochet riff. Different notes though.

Peter Garrett really turns on the accent in Beds Are Burning, more than he normally does. My problem with the song is the drums, Midnight Oil has one of rock's best drummers and yet this song reduces him to a drum machine impression, going kick splat kick splat and stopping occasionally. Such is the mid 80s....

buzby

Quote from: daf on March 08, 2020, 03:55:03 PM
27 April 1989: Presenters: Gary Davies
Bloody hell, he's still here!
Quote
(11) LONDON BOYS – Requiem
The UK Top 40 debut of Edem Ephraim and Dennis Fuller, who had originally met at school in Greenwich, and later reunited after moving to Hamburg in 1981 to work as dancers (Fuller had been a member of the Roxy Rollers rollerdisco troupe, who had released the single I Need A Holiday in 1979 - it didn't chart here). In 1985 they were spotted by songwriter/producer Ralf René Maué to become the frontmen for his latest creation - a blend of Hi-NRG disco and baroque europop.

They were signed to Telefunken's TELDEC label, and released their debut single I'm Gonna Give My Heart in mainland Europe and South Korea(!) in 1986. It was a minor hit in Greece (where the TV performance is from). The follow up single, 1987's Harlem Desire also failed to make much of an impact (apart from in Japan), and their subsequent singles Dance Dance Dance and My Love also failed to make much of impact outside of the Far East and southern Europe, Thsee singles were all from thier debut album The Twelve Commandments Of Dance, which was released in 1988.

A fifth single from mthe album, Requiem, was reelased in late 1988, and was picked up for distribution in the UK by WEA in December It bobbled aroud the upper reaches of the Top 100 for the next two months, peaking at #61 on 10/12/88, the week it was released. WEA then commissioned a 'Mixmaster' Pete Hammond S/A/W remix which gained some traction in the Hi-HRG gay disco scene and was promoted by Pete Waterman on The Hitman and Her, and it re-entered the charts at #55 on April Fool's Day, before finally entering the Top 40 two weeks later.

It's all a bit cheesy eurodisco with religious overtones (I believe they were both born-agains, and later in their career after the hits had dried up the recorded an album of religious Eurodance songs). I mainly remember them as the back-flipping dancers.
Quote
(23) DE LA SOUL – Me, Myself & I
they came all rthe way over to the UK and get two and a half minutes! An absolute belter (i've got a cassette of John Peel playing it the week it was released, before it entered the charts). Shame it's another mimed performance, though :(
Quote
(8) THE BEATMASTERS with MERLIN – Who's In The House?
The follow-up to Burn It up, which featured PP Arnold. This time ,the featured voclaist is Justin 'Merlon Boreland, who was Smiley Culture's nephew. He had made his recording debut as the featured rapper on Bomb The Bass's Megablast, and after a couple of further singles on Rhythm King (Born Free and the Drop the Weapon 12" EP) which made no chart impact he was asked to feature on his labelmate's next single. The track was subtitled 'The Hip House Anthem' and was a shot across the bows of Tyree and Kool Rock Steady, who had called their 1987 single Turn Up The Bass the first Hip House track, (The Beatmasters and Cookie Crew's  Rok Da house was recorded and promos were pressed in August 1986). Fast Eddie, who had reelased Yo Yo Get Funky in 1988 also gets dissed.

The track was recorded in Manda Glanfield's bedroom studio in a couple of days using an E-Mu SP1200 sampling drum machine driven by an Ensoniq EPS-16 sequencer. Unfortuantely Boreland had been arrested on a burglary charge so the recording of his vocals was delayed, and shortly after this performance he was sentenced to 6 months in prison. Luckily for the Beatmasters, a new collaborator was not far off.
Quote
(27) YAZZ – Where Has All The Love Gone?
After having hits produced by Coldcut, The Beatmasters and Youth, for this single Ms Evans teamed up with
Mark Brydon and Robert Gordon of Fon Force. It sounds very reminiscent of the Peter Slaghuis/Hip House track Jack To tHe Sound Of Underground to my ears (similar stabbed piano chords and bassline0. Although this would be a Top 20 hit, Yazz was definitely on a downward trajectory, charts-wise.
Quote
(26) POISON - Your Mama Don't Dance (video / credits)
This is complete wank of the highest order. They just remind me of the bellends in The Destruction Of Westenr Civilisation: The Metal Years.

Quote from: buzby on March 12, 2020, 11:40:51 PM

He had made his recording debut as the featured rapper on Bomb The Bass's Megablast


The "Who's In The House" refrain is actually sampled from the intro of Megablast Rap.

Pauline Walnuts

Quote from: buzby on March 12, 2020, 11:40:51 PM
Fast Eddie, who had reelased Yo Yo Get Funky in 1988 also gets dissed.


But he was the best guitarist Motörhead ever had!

the

Quote from: Better Midlands on March 13, 2020, 07:10:24 AMThe "Who's In The House" refrain is actually sampled from the intro of Megablast Rap.

Which is taken from an ident by Heavy D and The Boyz for Tim Westwood's Capital Rap Show - at 32:30:

      https://www.mixcloud.com/deepspace5/tim-westwood-capital-rap-show-29-january-1988/

Quote from: the on March 13, 2020, 10:40:54 AM
Which is taken from an ident by Heavy D and The Boyz for Tim Westwood's Capital Rap Show - at 32:30:

      https://www.mixcloud.com/deepspace5/tim-westwood-capital-rap-show-29-january-1988/

Nice spot, it's crazy hearing Westwood stumbling over pronouncing JVC Force, it must have been one of Strong Island's first ever UK radio plays.

the

Quote from: Better Midlands on March 13, 2020, 11:26:36 AMWestwood stumbling over pronouncing JVC Force,

Perhaps understandable when it was written like this

     

Quote from: the on March 13, 2020, 01:04:16 PM
Perhaps understandable when it was written like this

     

That would throw you off when you're on live radio

steveh

Quote from: Better Midlands on March 13, 2020, 11:26:36 AM
Nice spot, it's crazy hearing Westwood stumbling over pronouncing JVC Force, it must have been one of Strong Island's first ever UK radio plays.

He's always said he has dyslexia and in radio shows of that time he tends to stumble over bits he has to read out. Not heard him on the radio for years so dunno if he still does.

Quote from: steveh on March 13, 2020, 04:08:25 PM
He's always said he has dyslexia and in radio shows of that time he tends to stumble over bits he has to read out. Not heard him on the radio for years so dunno if he still does.

I wasn't criticising him, it was just interesting hearing him introduce what turned out to be a hip hop classic on the radio for perhaps the first time.

daf

4 May 1989: Presenters: Andy Crane & Jenny Powell

(28) EDELWEISS – Bring Me Edelweiss
Abba Dabba Doo!
(9) MIDNIGHT OIL – Beds Are Burning (video)



(21) DEBBIE GIBSON – Electric Youth
(18) BON JOVI – I'll Be There For You (video)
(26) ROXETTE – The Look
She's Got The Puffy Shirt
(2) KYLIE MINOGUE – Hand On Your Heart
(16) POISON - Your Mama Don't Dance (video)
(-) LIVE REPORT – Why Do I Always Get It Wrong?
Good luck Ponytail Pimp!
(1) BANGLES – Eternal Flame (video)
(23) CHAKA KHAN – I'm Every Woman (remix) (video / credits)

Norton Canes

Missed that one last night. Probs won't even bother with a catch-up

Except maybe for that Live Report song which I don't remember at all.

came home drunk to this one.

Quote(28) EDELWEISS – Bring Me Edelweiss
Abba Dabba Doo!

oh my

Quote(21) DEBBIE GIBSON – Electric Youth

the dancing on this, particularly the LHS dancer, is something to behold.

Quote(26) ROXETTE – The Look
She's Got The Puffy Shirt

enjoyed.

Quote(-) LIVE REPORT – Why Do I Always Get It Wrong?
Good luck Ponytail Pimp!

Indeed! Good luck.


daf

Quote from: Norton Canes on March 14, 2020, 02:28:09 PM
Except maybe for that Live Report song which I don't remember at all.

Astonishingly, it came
Spoiler alert
second
[close]
!!

This
Spoiler alert
was the winner, from the soon to be #cancelled country of Yugoslavia.
[close]

daf


The Live Report song isn't bad at all IMHO but was too downbeat for Eurovision.

Norton Canes



daf

11 May 1989: Presenter: Bruno Brookes

(28) SWING OUT SISTER – You On My Mind
(8)   CHAKA KHAN – I'm Every Woman (remix) (video)
Charkah?
(16) YAZZ – Where Has All The Love Gone?
(3)   QUEEN – I Want It All (video)
(29) HUE & CRY – Violently
(5)   NATALIE COLE – Miss You Like Crazy (video)
(21) STEVIE NICKS – Rooms On Fire
Save the Cocaine Blowpipe!
(4)   LONDON BOYS – Requiem
(1)   KYLIE MINOGUE – Hand On Your Heart (video)



(22) STEFAN DENNIS – Don't It Make You Feel Good (video / credits)

DrGreggles

Quote from: daf on March 15, 2020, 11:37:41 AM
STEFAN DENNIS – Don't It Make You Feel Good

I was at school with a kid who, by the age of 14, had one record in his 'collection'.
It was this.

kalowski


The Culture Bunker

The Stevie Nicks song is probably the only one of that lot that I would consider "not crap". I looked it up on wiki and chuckled at this piece of story telling: "The night I met (producer) Rupert Hine was a dangerous one. He was different from anyone else I had ever known...He was older and he was smarter, and we both knew it."

That's Stevie Nicks (born May 1948) talking about a man born in September 1947. I suppose it's a big age gap when you're in your, err, early 40s.

Quote from: The Culture Bunker on March 15, 2020, 12:47:10 PM
The Stevie Nicks song is probably the only one of that lot that I would consider "not crap"

I'm Every Woman?

The remix here is unusually for the time as good as the original.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: Better Midlands on March 15, 2020, 02:45:53 PM
I'm Every Woman?

The remix here is unusually for the time as good as the original.
I like Chaka's voice, but that song, for some reason, never did much for me. I suspect it might have something to do with the Whitney Houston version.