Ready Steady Go!

[daf]

On BBC Four Tonight :

9pm : The Story of Ready Steady Go!

The story of Britain's iconic 1960s music show, Ready Steady Go! The programme revolutionised television 'for the kids' and coincided with the tremendous explosion of British pop talent that took the world by storm. It championed emerging talent like The Beatles, The Who, Sandie Shaw, Cilla Black, Otis Redding and The Rolling Stones.

This definitive documentary covers every aspect of a pioneering show. Its style rewrote the rulebook for music programmes, with its intoxicating blend of performance, celebrity interviews and items on fashion. It often featured cameras in shot, live mishaps and the young audience interacting with their pop star heroes.

We go behind the scenes and speak to the people who made it all happen, including original producer Vicki Wickham and the programme's pioneering director, Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Plus further contributions from Annie Nightingale, Eric Burdon, Chris Farlowe, Mary Wilson, Martha Reeves, Paul Jones, Gerry Marsden, Spud from The Brumbeats and Jools Holland.

10pm : The Best of Ready Steady Go!

Kicking off in 1963, for over three years music fans around the country would religiously tune in to watch unmissable performances from some of the top recording artists of the time. Each week, the line-up offered an evocative snapshot of the British pop scene.

This priceless archive has rarely been seen and includes some of the most memorable performances from the greatest stars of the day. Tune in to see The Beatles perform Twist and Shout on a moving stage, The Rolling Stones presenting their very own episode, and Otis Redding's sensational duet with Chris Farlowe and Eric Burdon. Other acts include Cilla Black, Lulu, The Brumbeats and Martha and the Vandellas. Dusty Springfield also takes centre stage.

No word if they're going to show any more - fingers crossed!

[Twonty Gostelow]

I wonder if all glimpses of Paul Raven have been cut out.

[Nice Relaxing Poo]

The Chart Music peeps should do an episode on this to mix things up.

[kalowski]

Wiped the James Brown edition.

Wankers!

[Egyptian Feast]

Michael Lindsay-Hogg used to buy his Sunday papers from the Dublin corner shop I worked in during the late 90s. I told my partner when he came on that he used to come in wearing his dressing gown but now I come to think of it, that was probably some other gruff rich cunt from around the corner. Fascinating contribution to the thread, I know.

[Cuntbeaks]

It's no Beat Club.

[maett]

My aunt was on a 1965 episode.  She remembers the bands she saw and that her new white boots featured in a close up.  Looked up the episode based on the bands she saw, wiped.

[gilbertharding]

Last time I saw a documentary about RSG, it was from the era when Dave Clark Five owned all the rights, so I was surprised how little Dave Clark Five appeared in this show - I had formed the impression the the best band of the decade were on every week.

Also surprised about how much Cathy McGowan sounded like Bluebottle from The Goon Show. Is she married to tubby songster Michael Ball?

One of the best bits from A Hard Days Night film is the bit where George takes the piss out of what I thought was obviously Ms McGowan, but perhaps it wasn't: 'we turn the sound down on her, and say rude things...'

[gilbertharding]

Double post.

[daf]

Think most of those Dave Clark performances were spliced in from other shows - as they were hardly in the UK after they broke in America.

>BOFF! BOFF! BOFF! BOFF!<

[kalowski]

Is she married to tubby songster Michael Ball?

Yes. And according to my wife it's a sham marriage to hide the fact that they're both gay.

[Jockice]

I quite liked the Generation X single Ready Steady Go when it was released in 1978. But I had no idea at all that it was named after a TV show, because I was either not born at all or a baby when it was on. I thought Billy Idol was singing: "i'm in love with Cathy McGow' and she was maybe a girl he'd fancied at school or something.

I know better now of course.

[daf]

Also turned up in Elton John's Part Time Love video - recreating the RSG experience.

(Elt. looks a bit sweaty there - Too much cocaine in his pie?)