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

[non capisco]

Best bit is Brookes does an involuntary sort of confused 'is it me/what's her problem?' look to the camera.

Up there with Peter Powell's arsey "get off me!" to mayo.

My favourite is still Gary Davies making Simon Bates do his 'Doctor and the Medics' dance, which Bates starts doing then visibly chickens out of. "It went better in rehearsal!" taunts Davies as Bates inwardly seethes. Radio 1 backroom politics on display for the Thursday masses.

[edon]

Best bit is Brookes does an involuntary sort of confused 'is it me/what's her problem?' look to the camera.

Up there with Peter Powell's arsey "get off me!" to mayo.

There's Janice Long pretty much molesting him live on air as well

"Don't squeeze me like that, please"

https://youtu.be/9b3QGYq7IAM?t=250

[Sebastian Cobb]

She's got form for being a bit handsy hasn't she?

[Menu]

There's Janice Long pretty much molesting him live on air as well

"Don't squeeze me like that, please"

https://youtu.be/9b3QGYq7IAM?t=250

Great stuff! So awkward.

[boki]

I'm watching this episode now and must say QUIREBOYS are more shit AC/DC than shit aerosmith.

I think they were aiming for Shakin' Faces rather than either of those, but it's all academic really.  The talent had gone when they sacked Ginger (which they had to do, to be fair, he was a perma-pissed liability it seems).

[buzby]

To be fair 49ers producer Gianfranco Bortolotti the founder of Media Studios in Italy came before Black Box. Limmy favourite Cappella - Helyom Halib was released in 1988 and eventually got #11 in the UK charts three months before Ride On Time got to #1 in 1989,

Helyom Halib doesn't follow the Black Box template of Italo Piano House + sampled soul diva vocals though. Touch Me is certainly following the Black Box template (right down to recruiting someone to front the sampled vocals). Bortolotti was following the trend of what was popular on this one.

Also I think copyright laws were a bit different in Italy to anywhere else making it a lot easier to use samples or just rip-off tracks wholesale (Anne Joy - Anthem, KLFS - What Time Is Love etc etc)

Italy was also the source of many bootleg albums that used to be sold in shops like HMV too, due to their  lax copyright system..

[Sebastian Cobb]

That megamix was less of a 'mix' and more like they'd cut bits of tape up, thrown them in the air and stuck them back together. Bag of shite.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I think my old man was telling me Gary Davies has re-appeared on the radio out of nowhere. I'm almost happy for him, he seems basically ok. I prefer him to most of them.

Incidentally, my old man while quite young used to help out doing the engineering work at what would later become BRMB, Peter Powell was one of the dj's then and my dad hasn't a kind word to say about him. Les Ross was the breakfast dj at the time, my dad says he was sound, and apparently regularly slept on a camping bed in the record library when he had to get up to do his breakfast show.

[buzby]

11 January 1990: Presenter: Simon Mayo

(14) |  F.P.I. PROJECT feat. SHARON DEE CLARKE – Going Back To My Roots

The other half of the double A side this time, with Sharon Dee Clarke in the studio (take that, Black Box!). Slighly different gear setup this time with the D50 subbed for a Roland W30 sampling workstation. We also get a return of the 'TOTP 70s pervy cameraman' getting a lensful of the dancer.

(24) |  JIMMY SOMERVILLE – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)  (video)

The third entry in Jimmy's 'covers of 70s disco anthems' series, and fittingly he's probably the only person who could rival Sylvester's falsetto. He's clearly having a ball in the video (and nice to see some shots of Sylvester from the original video amongst the collage).

(16) |  D-MOB feat. NUFF JUICE – Put Your Hands Together

I'm going to use the Needhamism again, but this seems very much Shakin' Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. Nuff Juice's only other credit was as guest rapper on the Junior Giscombe's Step Off later in the year (which stalled at #63 - unsurprising with those horrific snare rolls).

(12) |  MANTRONIX feat. WONDRESS – Got To Have Your Love

BANGER. Apparently Mantronix was under pressure from his label to write something that would cross over to become a pop hitt. His inspiration to write this came from Jacko's Smooth Criminal. It certainly shows in the bassline.

(17) |  THE MISSION – Butterfly On A Wheel

Old 'Mr Potato Head' Hussey returns with his third-rate Bono act. This was the lead single for their Words Carved In Sand album, and Hussey was inspired to write it by guitarist Simon Hinkler's breakup from All About Eve singer Julianne Regan (who had guested on The Missions earlier single Severina). Old goths do love a bit of melodrama.

(21) |  DEACON BLUE – Queen Of The New Year

Hmm, Ricky looks less psychotic in this performance. I wonder if he had taken it easier in the Green Room before the shoot.

[Sebastian Cobb]

.

[Icehaven]

I'm showing my ignorance here but I genuinely had no idea Norman Cook was involved with Beats International. I just recognised him and thought "that bass player looks a lot like Norman Cook". Durrrr.

[kalowski]

Cannot put into words how much I hate the fucking Beloved.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I'm showing my ignorance here but I genuinely had no idea Norman Cook was involved with Beats International. I just recognised him and thought "that bass player looks a lot like Norman Cook". Durrrr.

You might've missed an entire chapter before that, he was also in the Housemartins.


Sorry this would come across as really patronising if you did know that but not bi.

[Menu]

I think my old man was telling me Gary Davies has re-appeared on the radio out of nowhere. I'm almost happy for him, he seems basically ok. I prefer him to most of them.

Incidentally, my old man while quite young used to help out doing the engineering work at what would later become BRMB, Peter Powell was one of the dj's then and my dad hasn't a kind word to say about him. Les Ross was the breakfast dj at the time, my dad says he was sound, and apparently regularly slept on a camping bed in the record library when he had to get up to do his breakfast show.

What's he got against PP?

[daf]

2 February 1990: Presenter: Bruno Brookes

(9)   |  LONNIE GORDON – Happenin' All Over Again
(29) |  WRECKS-N-EFFECT – Juicy
(20) |  AND WHY NOT? – The Face
(19) |  SYBIL – Walk On By
- - - - - - - - - - - (Breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(32) |  BIRDLAND – Sleep With Me  (video)
(36) |  THE BELOVED – Hello  (video)
(34) |  EURYTHMICS – The King And Queen Of America (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(22) |  HOUSE OF LOVE – Shine On



(4)   |  MANTRONIX feat. WONDRESS – Got To Have Your Love  (video)
(25) |  CHER – Just Like Jesse James  (video)
(3)   |  TECHNOTRONIC feat. YA KID K – Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)
(1)   |  SINEAD O'CONNOR – Nothing Compares 2 U
(23) |  SKID ROW – 18 And Life  (video and credits)

[jamiefairlie]

Cannot put into words how much I hate the fucking Beloved.

they were a really good indie guitar band before taking E and growing their hair and getting shite.

[daf]

No idea about their indie years, but I really liked 'Hello' - thought that was absolutely cracking!

Surpised to see Jon Ronson handling the vocal chores, though - a man of many talents!

[Jockice]

they were a really good indie guitar band before taking E and growing their hair and getting shite.

So I believe. But I have no recollection from them in those days, even though indie guitar bands was exactly what I was into in the mid/late 80s. I remember when The Sun Rising was in the charts hearing a mate bemoaning that they'd sold out and he preferred them when they 'sounded like The Cure.' Even then I couldn't remember them. They totally passed me by. Which I find very strange. I mean they did Peel sessions and all that and I'd read all the music papers every week, study the indie charts etc.

Anyway, I like Hello. Although I just don't know what he's doing with his hand when he mentions Jeffrey Archer in the video.

[Jockice]

TOld 'Mr Potato Head' Hussey returns with his third-rate Bono act. This was the lead single for their Words Carved In Sand album, and Hussey was inspired to write it by guitarist Simon Hinkler's breakup from All About Eve singer Julianne Regan (who had guested on The Missions earlier single Severina). Old goths do love a bit of melodrama.

I think they're friends again now though. Incidentally I bumped into Hinkler last year. You know those flowing locks he had? All gone. He could be a CaB member. Good job he wears a hat on stage. Lovely bloke though. He really is.

[Huxleys Babkins]

I think my old man was telling me Gary Davies has re-appeared on the radio out of nowhere. I'm almost happy for him, he seems basically ok. I prefer him to most of them.

He does Sounds of the 80s on Radio 2 these days. He's nothing short of perfectly competent.

[The Culture Bunker]

(22) |  HOUSE OF LOVE – Shine On

Ah, good old Guy Chadwick and the chaps. The sections in 'My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry for the Prize' regarding Alan McGee's coke-frenzied moves to secure the largest advance possible (successfully, it turned out) for them from a major, followed by aborted recording sessions, a couple of flop singles* then inevitable decline, are amongst my favourites in the book.

*'One of them, I Don't Know Why I Love You', was miles better than 'Shine On' but stalled at #41.

[Jockice]

Ah, good old Guy Chadwick and the chaps. The sections in 'My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry for the Prize' regarding Alan McGee's coke-frenzied moves to secure the largest advance possible (successfully, it turned out) for them from a major, followed by aborted recording sessions, a couple of flop singles* then inevitable decline, are amongst my favourites in the book.

*'One of them, I Don't Know Why I Love You', was miles better than 'Shine On' but stalled at #41.

Nah, the bit about The Jasmine Minks, the hammer and the crowbar and the bit about My Bloody Valentine, the cat shit and the lighter are far better.

[the]

I'm going to use the Needhamism again, but this seems very much Shakin' Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince.

Nah that can Shakin' Fuck Off. I've waxed lyrical about D Mob before, but their album has a glut of really solidly produced hits on it, and I think this is one of the stand-outs.

I'm guessing it's the gleeful ascending bassline you find a step too far (overriding the more cautious one from Put Our Heads Together by the O'Jays*). But I think this stands nicely alongside some of the other infectiously upful chart dance hits from around this time (stuff like Rockin' Over The Beat and Wiggle It).

This predates Summertime anyway, which I'm assuming is what you're alluding to.


^{* and not Put Your Hands Together by the O'Jays, something which tripped me up years ago when I was trying to find a copy of the original track sampled in this}

[daf]

8 February 1990: Presenter: Gary Davies

(10) |  YELL – Instant Replay
(27) |  JANET JACKSON – Come Back To Me  (video)
(15) |  BEATS INTERNATIONAL feat. LINDY LAYTON – Dub Be Good To Me
(11) |  DEL AMITRI – Nothing Ever Happens
(19) |  LISA STANSFIELD – Live Together  (video)
(24) |  THE BELOVED – Hello
( 7 ) |  PHIL COLLINS – I Wish It Would Rain Down
(12) |  SKID ROW – 18 And Life  (video)
( 1 ) |  SINEAD O'CONNOR – Nothing Compares 2 U  (video)



(29) |  EURYTHMICS – The King And Queen Of America  (video and credits)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Sebastian Cobb]

What's he got against PP?

I think even then on some tin-pot local radio station he was a jumped up prick who swanned around like he owned the place.

I think this stemmed from the following conversation when I said I was watching the reruns:
Me: "Bruno Brookes wasn't a very likeable presenter was he?"
"No. He wasn't."
"There's another one on the go at the moment I can't really stand either, but I can't remember his name."
"Peter Powell, probably?"
"That's the one!"

[Dr Rock]

Bruno Brooks was briefly my business rival. I was doing a club in that nineties Camden on a thursday and he only thought he could open his own indie type club nearby. It lasted three weeks. Fuck off wanker.

[kalowski]

hello peter, hello paul
saints and sinners, welcome all
tommy cannon and bobby ball
hello, hello, hello, hello

little richard, little nell
willy wonka and william tell
salman rushdie and kym mazelle
hello, hello, hello, hello.

..

mork and mindy, brian hayes
barry humphries and paris grey
little neepsie, chris and do
hello, hello, hello, hello...

billy corkhill, vince hilaire
freddie flintstone, fred astaire
desmond tutu, steve and claire
hello, hello, hello, hello...

charlie parker, charlie brown
leslie crowther, come on down
mary wilson, di and flo
hello, hello, hello, hello...

sir bufton tufton, jean paul sartre
zippy, bungle, jeffrey archer
andre previn and the lso
hello, hello, hello, hello...

[Norton Canes]

2 February 1990: Presenter: Bruno Brookes

(9)   |  LONNIE GORDON – Happenin' All Over Again

A better than average SAW effort? Did they have a late flourish? Along with the Sonia single that Buzby mentioned on the previous page, it sounds like a track destined for Kylie's Rhythm of Love album that didn't make the cut.

(29) |  WRECKS-N-EFFECT – Juicy

Horrible, horrible, horrible. Was going to quote some of the most offensive lyrics but, well, all of them. Even the internet is too embarrassed to yield them up. 'Bleuuuurgh', as Smash Hits might say.

(20) |  AND WHY NOT? – The Face

Shades of Bros

(32) |  BIRDLAND – Sleep With Me  (video)
(22) |  HOUSE OF LOVE – Shine On

Shoulda had John Peel back to host this episode, huh. The Birdland bandwagon passed me by back in the day. Doesn't sound like I missed much. Saw The House of Love around the time of this, though; seem to recall they were pretty good, though Guy had three attempts at a new song at the start of their encore before finally giving it up.   

(3)   |  TECHNOTRONIC feat. YA KID K – Get Up (Before The Night Is Over)

"PUMP IT, STOMP IT, JAM, TRIP ON THIS!" - the greatest exhortation in pop history. I fancy getting it translated into Latin and put under my coat of arms. 

8 February 1990: Presenter: Gary Davies

One of those disappointing episodes where the 'no repeat performances from the previous week' just means we instead get repeats from a fortnight ago.

(11) |  DEL AMITRI – Nothing Ever Happens

Yeah, he looks smug as fuck. Still like the song a bit though.

(19) |  LISA STANSFIELD – Live Together  (video)

From Coldcut vocalist to this anaemic shite in the space of a few months. Way to go, Lisa.

(24) |  THE BELOVED – Hello

The sound levels seemed really down on this.


Not much else to say really. CYPHER GRAPHICS still looking good.

[edon]

A better than average SAW effort? Did they have a late flourish? Along with the Sonia single that Buzby mentioned on the previous page, it sounds like a track destined for Kylie's Rhythm of Love album that didn't make the cut.

Apparently it was one they originally had written for Donna Summer, but was given to Gordon after she fell out with them over some of the crap she was getting. It isn't too bad, but I assume after this they gave her some dashed off efforts as well.

[jamiefairlie]

So I believe. But I have no recollection from them in those days, even though indie guitar bands was exactly what I was into in the mid/late 80s. I remember when The Sun Rising was in the charts hearing a mate bemoaning that they'd sold out and he preferred them when they 'sounded like The Cure.' Even then I couldn't remember them. They totally passed me by. Which I find very strange. I mean they did Peel sessions and all that and I'd read all the music papers every week, study the indie charts etc.

Anyway, I like Hello. Although I just don't know what he's doing with his hand when he mentions Jeffrey Archer in the video.

One of my favourites from their indie era

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yO-Md9InuLY