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

[daf]

Ahem...

Whoops - C. where C. is D!

(memo to daf : read all of buzby's posts in future, not just the bits with 'daf' in them - you massive big 'ead!)

[buzby]

2 April 1987: Presenter: Gary Davies & Janice Long

They are definitely trying to set these up as a new pair now Peel has retired. Janice (via her baseball cap) is promoting the never-quite-made-it Scottish power-pop band Win, whose debut album Uh! Tears Baby was being released at the end of the month. They are mostly remembered for their second single which provided the soundtrack for the iconic McEwans Lager 'Escher' advert in 1986

(21) THE POGUES & THE DUBLINERS – The Irish Rover

Something my dad would have approved of. The band makes enough noise on the studio ambient feed that they bleed over the playback. Nice sturdy handshake between MacGowan and Drew at the end.

(5) MADONNA – La Isla Bonita (video)

Would this be considered cultural appropriation these days? Early appearance of a young Benicio Del Toro as the young lad sat on the car bonnet at the end. A early version of this song (before most of the lyrics had been written) was offered to Michael Jackson, who turned it down.

(22) CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT – Ordinary Day

JESUS CHRIST IT'S BACK KILL IT WITH FIRE

(17) FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS – Ever Fallen In Love

No thank you. I'm all for putting your own stamp on a cover ,but they completely rob the song of it's teenage lovelorn angst.

(33) HERB ALPERT – Keep Your Eye On Me

Jam & Lewis recycling chunks of 'What Have You Done For Me Lately?'. The video is a typical late 80s Quantel Harry composite-fest by acclaimed director Zbigniew Rybczyński (responsible for Tango, which inspired the Ariston adverts) presumably to finance his more artistic ventures (it won best video at the 1988 BRIT awards, inexplicably). SAY NO TO DRUGS

9 April 1987: Presenter: Mike Smith

(28) THE RAINMAKERS – Let My People Go-Go

Lead singer Bob Walkenhorst looks remarkably like Peter Capaldi. Another one-hit wonder here, but unlike Timbuk3 they had no hits in the US. They are still inexplicably popular in Norway, apparently.

(14) JUDY BOUCHER – Can't Be With You Tonight

This was all the fault of Mad Lizzie, who heard the song on the radio and decided to use it for her aerobics bit on TVAM. Boucher's producer rush-released it to capitalise on the publicity.

(23) LIVING IN A BOX – Living In A Box

They were from Stockport, Sheffield and Nottingham and formed in Manchester you dunce, Smith! They were basically a manufactured band, when Chrysalis Records A&R suggested solo singer-songwriter Richard Derbyshire provide vocals for some demos being recorded by duo Anthony Critchlow (drums) and Marcus Vere (keyboards). They got on well together and he decided to sign a contract with them, and they named themselves after the song they had been  working on. The proper recording was another production of Landscape's Richard Burgess.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I've just noticed that Fight for Your Right appeared on that, does it ever get an outing?

[buzby]

I've just noticed that Fight for Your Right appeared on that, does it ever get an outing?

The video was shown on The JAMs-sampled 12/03/87 Wright/Smith episode daf linked to here.
They next appear in June, when the video for No Sleep Til Brooklyn is shown on 05/06/87 followed by their Montreux performance (which had originally been shown in Part 1 of the BBC's Montreux package on 26/05/87) the following week.

[daf]

Just re-uploaded it (as the old link had expired) : 12 March 1987

(The Beastie Boys bit is around 19 minutes in)

[PinkNoise]

They are definitely trying to set these up as a new pair now Peel has retired. Janice (via her baseball cap) is promoting the never-quite-made-it Scottish power-pop band Win, whose debut album Uh! Tears Baby was being released at the end of the month. They are mostly remembered for their second single which provided the soundtrack for the iconic McEwans Lager 'Escher' advert in 1986

Thanks Buzby - I've been wondering what this tune was for the past 33 years, but never had the gumption to find out. Sounds like The Safety Dance mashed up with Need You Tonight - which is a good thing, right?

[buzby]

Thanks Buzby - I've been wondering what this tune was for the past 33 years, but never had the gumption to find out. Sounds like The Safety Dance mashed up with Need You Tonight - which is a good thing, right?

Yes. Produced by 'the new Trevor Horn' David Motion. He started off on keyboards and synths in early 80s electronic new wave band Home Service, then moved into the studio work, eventually becoming something of a house producer for Cherry Red. That brought him to the attention of Rob Dicken at WEA and he was asked to produce Strawberry Switchblade, Black and Red Box's debut albums as well as Win's

[Sebastian Cobb]

Cheers buzby/daf.

[Jockice]

Obscure fact that I don't think even Buzby or Daf will know. Living In A Box nicked their name and their song title  (although they apparently denied this) from a track by a band called The Wealthy Texans. One of my colleagues was in this band. He didn't like the one of LIAB from Sheffield - whose name I have totally forgotten - at all.

https://pulpwiki.net/Pulp/SeeYouLaterAgitator

[jamiefairlie]

Thanks Buzby - I've been wondering what this tune was for the past 33 years, but never had the gumption to find out. Sounds like The Safety Dance mashed up with Need You Tonight - which is a good thing, right?

Win we're the band formed by Davy Henderson after he was, against his will, convinced to quit The Fire Engines. He regarded it as his biggest regret.

[Jockice]

Win we're the band formed by Davy Henderson after he was, against his will, convinced to quit The Fire Engines. He regarded it as his biggest regret.

Love Units by Win (12'' version) was the first song I played on the turntable I have at the moment. Which I haven't used for years since all my vinyl got taken down to the cellar while the place got decorated and has never been brought back up again. So is no doubt totally unplayable.

[buzby]

Obscure fact that I don't think even Buzby or Daf will know. Living In A Box nicked their name and their song title  (although they apparently denied this) from a track by a band called The Wealthy Texans. One of my colleagues was in this band. He didn't like the one of LIAB from Sheffield - whose name I have totally forgotten - at all.

https://pulpwiki.net/Pulp/SeeYouLaterAgitator

They have put their album Mason Texan Line containing the track up on Bandcamp.

It was Marcus Vere, the keyboard player, who was from Sheffield. From interviews I've seen of him he does seem a bit up himself. Regarding the name theft, Vere said it came from a comment made by a friend of his in Sheffield who after moving into a small council flat said 'It feels like I'm living in a box'. Now, Gleadless is in Sheffield and I gather is rather infamous for the boxy blocks of flats around Blackstock Road in particular (where Woody & Lol's flat was in This Is England '86, I believe):

Although your colleague my not actually have been a friend of Vere's  I think it's probably more a case of him being economical with the truth rather than totally denying they nicked the name from The Wealthy Texans.

[daf]

16 April 1987: Presenters: Janice Long & Peter Powell (Double-Denim Special!)

(9) FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS – Ever Fallen In Love
While Wobbling Your Legs About
(17) DAVE BOWIE & THE DAVE BOWIE BAND feat. ARNOLD CORNS – Day In Day Out (video)
. . . A  HA-A-ANDBAG?
(10) LIVIN' IN A BOX – Livin' In A Box
He's a-Livin' in a Ca-a-a-ardboard Box . . . (He's a-Livin' in a Box!!)
(19) HERB ALPERT – Keep Your Eye On Me (video)
Al Herbert & His Marijuana Brass
- - - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(20) KIM WILDE & JUNIOR – Another Step (Closer To You) 
(14) FIVE STAR – The Slightest Touch 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(13) BON JOVI – Wanted Dead Or Alive (video)
He's not a Cowboy . . . (He's a very naughty boy!)


https://www.flickr.com/photos/51106326@N00/sets/72157662260488754

RIKKI – Only The Light (not in chart)
Only the Shite!
(1) FERRY AID – Let It Be  (video)
Wavey Arms Crowd
(2) MADONNA – La Isla Bonita (video / credits)
I Wish it Could be Easter Everyday!

[jamiefairlie]

Shite name anyway for a shite band. Perfect representation of everything that was wrong with music then.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I'm alright with Livin' In a Box. Best of a bland bunch.

[buzby]

Win we're the band formed by Davy Henderson after he was, against his will, convinced to quit The Fire Engines. He regarded it as his biggest regret.

That doesn't tally with what he's said in recent interviews - he says they never really split, but just stopped working together at the end of 1981. He then bummed around with some other bands for a few months before asking Russell Burn if he fancied working together again to write pop songs and get a record deal. Burn was already playing with Ian Stoddart, so the three of them started Win:
http://section-26.fr/in-the-lands-of-scotland-davy-henderson/

[Jockice]

They have put their album Mason Texan Line containing the track up on Bandcamp.

It was Marcus Vere, the keyboard player, who was from Sheffield. From interviews I've seen of him he does seem a bit up himself. Regarding the name theft, Vere said it came from a comment made by a friend of his in Sheffield who after moving into a small council flat said 'It feels like I'm living in a box'. Now, Gleadless is in Sheffield, and although your colleague my not actually have been a friend of Vere's  I think it's probably more a case of him being economical with the truth rather than totally denying they nicked the name from The Wealthy Texans

I had that on cassette! The Masons and Wealthy Texans were two different bands who as far as I know only got together for the sake of that terrible Mason Texan Line pun.

I can't remember anything about The Masons though except that the drummer was bald, worked with a mate of mine at the council and apparently didn't like me. Even though I only ever met him once.

There was a lot of cross-pollination between Sheffield bands at the time so it is entirely possible that Marcus Vere's mate knew the Wealthy Texans or something. But it's hard to tell the truth of the matter considering it was over 30 years ago.

Sadly my colleague (Martin Lilleker - he's mentioned in the blurb for the album) died a three years ago but he did a couple of excellent books on the Sheffield music scene up to the mid-80s. I was asked at his funeral (attended by The Human League, Pulp etc) if I fancied doing a book continuing the story but haven't as yet. I don't think I'd do as good a job as he did anyway.

And as for Gleadless, the only reason sane humans ever go there is to use the rubbish dump.

[DrGreggles]

(13) BON JOVI – Wanted Dead Or Alive

Hate those cunts SO much.

[Satchmo Distel]

Never heard that Bowie single until just now. The absolute pits of his chart career.

[Jockice]

I can't remember anything about The Masons though except that the drummer was bald, worked with a mate of mine at the council and apparently didn't like me. Even though I only ever met him once.

No NO, NO!. That's The Warhols I was thinking of. And not the dandy ones either, let me tell you. The Masons was a band containing a local radio bloke, who I never particularly got on with but at least never threatened to beat me up like Baldy Warhol apparently did. Mr Mason (not his real surname) is now some sort of BBC bigwig, who judging by his Linkdin profile (and profile picture) still retains the smugness that so endeared him to me originally.

(I'm being careful not to identify him here because a few years ago a former colleague of mine, who was an absolute cunt to me in the way only a mid-20s Oxbridge graduate could be to a naive teenager who had left school after his A-levels to take up his first job, did a couple of TV programmes and when he was mentioned on another forum I had a go at him. A couple of days later there was a message on the thread from the man himself saying he wasn't sure who I was (I wasn't totally specific about his cuntdom, just that he was a cunt) but he'd like to apologise for having been a cunt. Although he didn't really think he was a cunt. It was a very obscure forum too, so he'd obviously been googling his name. The cunt. And if you're reading this Nick, I'd like to add that I still think you're a cunt. I'm not even going to look you up on Linkdin but am very glad you seem not to have  appeared on television since. There are enough cunts on there already.)

Anyway, this is the sort of thing that wakes me up in the middle of the night. Forget Brexit and all that shite. The minutiae of local bands from over three decades ago combined with long-held personal grudges is what really gets me going.

[Bently Sheds]

I always thought it was "Imma living in a box. Imma living in a cardboard box" but iPlayer subtitles insist it's "Am I living in a box? Am I living in a cardboard box?" everything I thought i knew was wrong! My life is a sham!!

(Living in a Box have the look of a Go West tribute band made up of mid-80s John Lewis trainee department managers.)

[kalowski]

I remember nothing about Ferry Aid

[bim sherman shirts]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51106326@N00/sets/72157662260488754

That Bon Jovi interview is priceless. What an absolute arse.

[Norton Canes]

Never heard that Bowie single until just now. The absolute pits of his chart career

A career that included Tin Machine.

[daf]

23 April 1987: Presenter: Gary Davies (St George's Day Special!!)

(8) FIVE STAR – The Slightest Touch
Steadman Take a Spin
(13) THE SMITHS – Sheila Take A Bow
Get off the Stage!
(14) KIM WILDE & JUNIOR – Another Step (Closer To You)
The Dream Team - Together at Last!!
(2) JUDY BOUCHER – Can't Be With You Tonight
In the Wee Small Hours of the Wedding Reception
- - - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(15) STARSHIP – Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
(12) TOM JONES – A Boy From Nowhere
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


https://www.flickr.com/photos/51106326@N00/sets/72157664448032591

(17) GLENN & CHRIS – Diamond Lights
feat. Dave 'Thunderstick' Seaman on drum duties
(1) MADONNA – La Isla Bonita (video)
Last night I ate baked po-tayto
(7) TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY – If You Let Me Stay (+ credits)
Scrollin' Scrollin' Scrollin'

[kalowski]

Probably discredited, but I frigging love Shelia Take a Bow.

[famethrowa]

I always assumed Madonna was singing "last night I dreamt of some Pedro" as a kind of mild racial slur, turns out she wasn't

[DrGreggles]

Probably discredited, but I frigging love Shelia Take a Bow.

Always reminds me of the theme to Supergran.

[the]

I have fairly vivid memories of watching TOTP in this era, yet I literally have never heard that Judy Boucher song, heard of it, nor heard of her. Cack of the highest order (do they seriously think that the song itself is strong enough to not vary the musical palette at all throughout the entire track?).

So imagine my utter disbelief when the chart rundown came on and I realise it got to number 2! Number fucking 2.

That and the Kim Wilde track have "This will never appear on a retrospective 80s compilation" written all over them.

[Norton Canes]

(13) THE SMITHS – Sheila Take A Bow
Get off the Stage!

Didn't Vic Reeves cover this on Big Night Out? Sure I can remember him singing "Boot the grime of this world in the cobblers!"

(14) KIM WILDE & JUNIOR – Another Step (Closer To You)
The Dream Team - Together at Last!!

Marks the point at which Kim Wilde became properly hot, is all I'm saying.