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March 28, 2024, 11:09:01 AM

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Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Three

Started by daf, November 05, 2020, 08:25:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

edon

Quote from: Norton Canes on November 28, 2020, 11:49:17 PM
It really is the arse end of the SAW golden days. They get four big smashes from Kylie's 'Rhythm Of Love' album (Better the Devil You Know, Step Back in Time, What Do I Have to Do and Shocked) but apart from that they struggle to get much at all into the top 20. Just rejoice!
And TOTP still seem to be putting it front and centre during these shows, even with the tables noticeably turning already. Obviously it was the safe option for them and all that, but that piss poor Sonia effort probably should've only been given the playout slot instead of Ghetto Heaven.

Also noticed yet another rickety disco cover by Pat & Mick and SAW sneaking into the lower reaches of the chart during the second show. Bet even that got a studio performance as well in the coming weeks.


Quote from: the on November 28, 2020, 10:46:38 PM
So why the 1990 resurgence of The Blues Brothers? Ten year anniversary? Re-release on home video?

It got a rush re-release after being included on Jive Bunny's That Sounds Good To Me which came out earlier in the year and was just going out of the charts IIRC, pretty sure the OST album was around again too.

Norton Canes

Quote from: edon on November 29, 2020, 12:32:55 AM
And TOTP still seem to be putting it front and centre during these shows, even with the tables noticeably turning already. Obviously it was the safe option for them and all that, but that piss poor Sonia effort probably should've only been given the playout slot instead of Ghetto Heaven.

Also noticed yet another rickety disco cover by Pat & Mick and SAW sneaking into the lower reaches of the chart during the second show. Bet even that got a studio performance as well in the coming weeks

Their stuff suddenly sounds so dated. The new decade really has booted them into orbit. But yeah, their acts will be like Shakin' Stevens, stinking the studio out when you least expect it.

Sebastian Cobb

It's their 'carnival' synth patches that date them badly I reckon. If you listen to Sonya's 'you'll never stop me from loving you' the intro has some decent piano house/techno components to the first 15 seconds before the carnival fanfare synths shit all over it.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: Norton Canes on November 28, 2020, 11:49:17 PM
It really is the arse end of the SAW golden days. They get four big smashes from Kylie's 'Rhythm Of Love' album (Better the Devil You Know, Step Back in Time, What Do I Have to Do and Shocked) but apart from that they struggle to get much at all into the top 20. Just rejoice!

That's the thing though, this looks and sounds like it was made by the 'C' team while the A/B team were busy doing something else.

Icehaven


crankshaft

Quote from: icehaven on November 29, 2020, 04:38:12 PM
Sonya is the devil

It's her relentless cheeriness. After a while it just comes across as sinister. To be fair, "Counting Every Minute" is her best single yet, but where the hell is the SAW that gave us "Say I'm Your Number One"?

dissolute ocelot

Just working my way through spring 1990

Quote from: daf on November 07, 2020, 07:35:02 PM
8 March 1990: (15)BROS – Madly In Love
This is horrendous. Putting aside the forgettable music, Bros were once one of the most stylish of boy bands, with their bleached denim, white shirts, leather jackets, Grolsh bottle tops on big black shoes, etc. Maybe not your taste but fashion forward, wearable, and popular. Now, Singer Goss seems to be channeling Future Donald Trump with camel-coloured blazer, white trousers, and baseball cap. Truly awful, and certainly not something boys or girls will be wearing down the disco.

On a more positive fashion vibe, recent weeks have had Black Box with a chain mail g-string and Electribe 101 with a wire singlet. Was 1990 rave fashion really all black clothes with wire over the top?

Does anyone know what was the deal with Candy Dulfer's Lily Was Here. Wikipedia says it wasn't from a film or anything else, she just randomly played her sax with the skeevy dude from Eurythmics and suddenly she was climbing the charts?

I've also been trying to unearth what happened with Jamie J Morgan of the terrible Lou Reed cover, Walk on the Wild Side. He apparently somewhat worked as a songwriter, being credited on Buffalo Stance for some peripheral stuff. Is it the case that whether you're on your way up (Morgan) or on your way down (The Stranglers, sigh) you have to do a cover version if you want to release a single? Whatever your problems with the Lou Reed original, at least Lou knew what he was singing about, and taking out the word "coloured" isn't going to make it radio-friendly.

Anyway, The Mission are great in comparison with most of this, despite Wayne being dressed like a dental assistant. And Cher's Just Like Jesse James is fucking fantastic too. EDIT: Candy Flip: fantastic intro, but song doesn't really kick off the way it should. Does anyone know the name of the duck in the Love Shack video?

phantom_power

Morgan was part of Morgan McVey that had a song called Looking Good Diving, the remix of which forms the basis of Buffalo Stance. There is more detail on this from Buzby elsewhere on this thread or a previous version

buzby

#160
Quote from: icehaven on November 29, 2020, 04:38:12 PM
Sonya is the devil
I've met Sonia IRL (she was at the Widnes Show a few years back, dressed as the Fairy Godmother to promote that year's panto). I was there with my sister's family looking at the vehicle displays and as we were walking past I looked at her and said to my sister 'Bloody Hell, it's Sonia!'. She came over to have her photo taken with my niece. She was lovely with her, and had a bit of a chat with us too. She really is tiny though - and that's coming from someone who is a shortarse.

Quote from: dissolute ocelot on November 30, 2020, 04:50:20 PM
Does anyone know what was the deal with Candy Dulfer's Lily Was Here. Wikipedia says it wasn't from a film or anything else, she just randomly played her sax with the skeevy dude from Eurythmics and suddenly she was climbing the charts?
She was a star in the Netherlands during her teens, and her band Funky Stuff played support to Madonna for the two Rotterdam shows on her 1987 Who's That Girl Tour. David 'A' Stewart was asked to do the soundtrack for the Dutch film De Kassière (translated to Lily Was Here for English-speaking markets) in 1989.

He had heard about Dulfer and invited her to his studio for a jam session for the instrumental theme song for the film. The recording was done in just one take at the end of the day and at that time not meant to be released. The film was released in June 1989, and Stewart released the theme as a single in mainland Europe the following November, where it went to #1 in numerous countries. That led to it getting released in the UK in February 1990.

Prince must have heard about her as well, as Funky Stuff were asked to support him at the August 1988 Rotterdam leg of his Lovesexy Tour. However, he scrapped the support slot at the last minute (after they had soundchecked). Dulfer (who was 17) attended all three shows in the audience and had a note delivered to Prince saying "You missed the chance to see a girl play her ass off on the saxophone" That got her an audience in the dressing room on the third night (I bet it did, Prince you dirty bollocks) and a guest spot playing on Blues in C (If I Had A Harem). Prince obviously 'took a shine to her', as he asked her to appear in the video for Partyman off the Batman soundtrack in 1989 and she would later become a member fo the NPG for the Musicology tour.

The image of these musicians with seedy reputations circling around this girl who is young enough to be their daughter is a bit creepy, really.

Quote from: phantom_power on November 30, 2020, 08:03:44 PM
Morgan was part of Morgan McVey that had a song called Looking Good Diving, the remix of which forms the basis of Buffalo Stance. There is more detail on this from Buzby elsewhere on this thread or a previous version
From the previous thread:
Quote from: buzby on November 05, 2020, 10:13:58 AM
Morgan was a photographer and director who was part of Ray Petri's fashion/photography/music Buffalo Collective (which also featured Neneh Cherry and her partner Cameron 'Booga Bear' McVey) who were the inspiration for Neneh Cherry's lyrics on Buffalo Stance. That track had actually originated as the B-side of Morgan's previous effort at music, the S/A/W-produced Looking Good Diving which was released as part of a duo with McVey in 1987.

He had signed to Tabu Records and this single was released to promote his album Shotgun. A further single Rocksteady would be released which limped to #97 and he thankfully wouldn't be heard of again until 1992, when his final single Why was released and failed to chart.

phantom_power

I think Prince had a genuine interest in helping and developing new talent, though they were admittedly mainly girls it seems. Lianne La Havas tells a story about how supportive he was to her on an early Adam Buxton podcast, and I don't recall any creepiness involved

Jockice

Quote from: crankshaft on November 29, 2020, 08:41:53 PM
It's her relentless cheeriness. After a while it just comes across as sinister. To be fair, "Counting Every Minute" is her best single yet, but where the hell is the SAW that gave us "Say I'm Your Number One"?

I'm another one who has met Sonia. Before she'd even released a record. I had to cover some Hitman And Her type thing that was on in a local club. Someone pointed out from the other side of the room that I was 'press' and she actually ran across to me, bursting with enthusiasm and telling me she was going to be famous. I found it quite scary actually. It was like getting my knees lovebombed. Yes, she - as has been pointed out - is pretty small.

I don't think she's the devil though. Billie Piper is the devil.

Bobby Treetops

Quote from: Jockice on December 02, 2020, 09:47:39 AM
Billie Piper is the devil.

Oh do tell us more. Is she an even bigger arsehole than her ex-husband(s)?

Jockice

Quote from: Bobby Treetops on December 02, 2020, 11:52:07 AM
Oh do tell us more. Is she an even bigger arsehole than her ex-husband(s)?

I know this is going to shock some of you but I've never met or interviewed her. Or Messrs Evans or Fox. And the only time I've seen her in real life was from a distance backstage at a festival when she went into a portacabin toilet which had someone standing guard outside while she was in there. Oh yeah, and a mate of mine is originally from Swindon and is old friends with her dad. He claims to have babysat her a couple of times when she was a kid.

It's just her face. I think she looks demonic. Like she has an aura of evil about her. This may only be my opinion though. But she creeps me out.

Gulftastic

After she'd had her first hi, and her initial star was fading (before the acting really took off), she was switching on the Xmas lights in Leeds.

I was behind the stage wandering off and saw her being escorted by her huge minder with much haste back to their car. They needn't have rushed. No one gave a single fuck.

edon

Quote from: crankshaft on November 29, 2020, 08:41:53 PM
It's her relentless cheeriness. After a while it just comes across as sinister. To be fair, "Counting Every Minute" is her best single yet, but where the hell is the SAW that gave us "Say I'm Your Number One"?
Wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people think she's hard to work with because of that Reborn in the USA thing, although I suppose she was the lesser of the two evils in the spat between her and David Van Day.

I was actually thinking there'd be no TOTP at the end of this year, with 1990 not at December yet + lockdown restrictions giving the BBC a perfect excuse to not bother with the yearly specials, but apparently those are still on, and they're showing the one from 1995 at some point too. Seemed like a random choice at first but does make some sense with it being 25 years ago now.

Menu

Quote from: Jockice on December 02, 2020, 12:47:45 PM
I know this is going to shock some of you but I've never met or interviewed her.

BOLLOCKS! Yes you have.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

I once had sex with a young lady from Milton Keynes who looked like a cross between Billie Piper and Beatrice Dalle.

A nice, old skool post for the LAFF[nb] Lisa's Avid Fucking Fans[/nb] audience, and also a post that relative newcomer Menu might appreciate.

Menu

Quote from: Lisa Jesusandmarychain on December 03, 2020, 06:40:43 AM
I once had sex with a young lady from Milton Keynes who looked like a cross between Billie Piper and Beatrice Dalle.

A nice, old skool post for the LAFF[nb] Lisa's Avid Fucking Fans[/nb] audience, and also a post that relative newcomer Menu might appreciate.

I appreciate all your posts.

matjam13

Quote from: edon on December 02, 2020, 07:31:56 PM
Wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people think she's hard to work with because of that Reborn in the USA thing, although I suppose she was the lesser of the two evils in the spat between her and David Van Day.

I was actually thinking there'd be no TOTP at the end of this year, with 1990 not at December yet + lockdown restrictions giving the BBC a perfect excuse to not bother with the yearly specials, but apparently those are still on, and they're showing the one from 1995 at some point too. Seemed like a random choice at first but does make some sense with it being 25 years ago now.
Christmas 1995 has been chosen for a 1995 Night with the One Foot In The Grave Special and What We Were Watching: Christmas 1995

dissolute ocelot

Quote from: phantom_power on November 30, 2020, 08:03:44 PM
Morgan was part of Morgan McVey that had a song called Looking Good Diving, the remix of which forms the basis of Buffalo Stance. There is more detail on this from Buzby elsewhere on this thread or a previous version
Thanks all. I knew about Buffalo Stance and Morgan, but that just seemed to deepen the mystery. It seemed bizarre for a photographer and occasional songwriter (the Looking Good Diving thing was a few years before, Cherry had been kicking around a while from post-punk to S.A.W., and Nick Kamen was on the original A-side) to be covering a Lou Reed song from the early 1970s. Morgan was allegedly very important in The Face's visual style in the 80s and that would have led to him making an album (Shotgun) which was largely based around cool contemporary club sounds, not slightly shoddy solo Velvets (sorry, it's a fact). But why was Wild Side the lead single? The only explanation is aging record company executives. It's also funny the narrow distance between the lamest late-80s music (SAW, Kamen) and the coolest (many of whom worked on Shotgun).

I'd not heard of another associated figure, fashion designer/stylist/guru Ray Petri, before. He died of Aids-related Kaposi's sarcoma in 1989, before Walk... was even released, apparently one of the first people in London to die of AIDS. Morgan had a lot of very talented people around him on the Shotgun album, involving Nellee Hooper, Cameron McVey, Tim Simenon, DJ Mushroom from Massive Attack and Richard Mazda (punker turned R&B-er). It's apparently around in places online, and was allegedly not bad but despite all the Soul II Soul and Massive Attack talent (to say nothing of McVey whose career is a bit more chequered IMO), it flopped and Morgan went back to the day job. A talented visual guy, but a shit pop star. (Record companies often seem to have trouble knowing what a male pop star should be like or what he should do, away from the tween girl market. Kids love Lou Reed? Is she in Neighbours?)

And wow I never knew Candy Dulfer had a Prince connection. With something like Lily Was Here it often takes a particular DJ playing it to death, was it a Radio 2 thing? Everything can be blamed on Radio 2.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: matjam13 on December 03, 2020, 07:12:23 PM
Christmas 1995 has been chosen for a 1995 Night with the One Foot In The Grave Special and What We Were Watching: Christmas 1995

lol, peak. 'should we see if we've anything else in the archives?'

'nah, fuck it.'

Lisa Jesusandmarychain


Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Quote from: Lisa Jesusandmarychain on December 03, 2020, 06:40:43 AM
I once had sex with a young lady from Milton Keynes who looked like a cross between Billie Piper and Beatrice Dalle.



Edward Lear in a particularly boastful mood considers rewrite.

daf

I once had sex in Milton Keynes
with a young lady who was chock full o' beans
She looked like Billie Piper
Or Beatrice Dalle - something like her
That sexy young lady from Milton Keynes

Jockice

Quote from: Menu on December 03, 2020, 02:14:20 AM
BOLLOCKS! Yes you have.

I really haven't. The exceptions that prove the rule. Or something.

buzby

#177
Quote from: dissolute ocelot on December 03, 2020, 09:09:34 PM
Thanks all. I knew about Buffalo Stance and Morgan, but that just seemed to deepen the mystery. It seemed bizarre for a photographer and occasional songwriter (the Looking Good Diving thing was a few years before, Cherry had been kicking around a while from post-punk to S.A.W., and Nick Kamen was on the original A-side) to be covering a Lou Reed song from the early 1970s.
Morgan and Mcvey's band had been going for a long time prior to them getting a rercord deal. They worked in the basement of his photographic studio - The Buffalo Collective covered music (which was Mcvey's main involvement) and visuals as well as fashion and photography.

Nick Kamen recorded a cover of Looking Good Diving for his Move Until We Fly album in 1990 (which was released as a single, and didn't chart) - he wasn't on the Cameron-Mcvey original version. His older brother Barry was also a model, stylist, photographer and artist (he art directed and photgraphed the covers for Nick's records) and they were members of the Buffalo Collective, so he would have been familiar with Morgan's earler musical output. Morgan's famous photo of Nick in one of Ray Petri's leather kilts (Petri was Scottish) appeared in The Face, and was the inspiration for Jean Paul Gaultier to start producing kilts.

Quote
Morgan was allegedly very important in The Face's visual style in the 80s and that would have led to him making an album (Shotgun) which was largely based around cool contemporary club sounds, not slightly shoddy solo Velvets (sorry, it's a fact). But why was Wild Side the lead single? The only explanation is aging record company executives. It's also funny the narrow distance between the lamest late-80s music (SAW, Kamen) and the coolest (many of whom worked on Shotgun).
The Face's art director Neville Brody and graphic designer Ian Swift designed the sleeve for Shotgun, so there was obviously some mutual admiration there.

From reading the few comments Morgan has made about his music career it just seems he really liked Walk On The Wild Side. I don't think there was anyone in particular at Tabu/CBS pushing him into anything. Most of the collaborators on the album were already friends of Morgan & Mcvey (Nellee Hooper, Mushroom and 3D were part of the Wild Bunch, who had reworked the B-side to Looking Good Diving) or had worked with the Buffalo Collective on other projects - Morgan shot the cover for Soul II Soul's Club Classics Volume 1, and Caron Wheeler ended up working with Soul II Soul after Jazzie B heard her backing vocals on some of Morgan's tracks, long before Shotgun was released (she did backing vocals on Wild Side and the title track, and her Afrodiziak bandmates Claudia Fontaine and Naomi Thompson also worked on the record). Morgan had been the one who contacted Tim Simenon to rework Looking Good Diving With The Wild Bunch for Neneh Cherry's debut album, and he did some work on Shotgun too.

After Ray Petri died, it seems Morgan took on the role of de facto leader of the Buffalo Collective. He was a rubbish singer IMO, but it seems he had a lot of contacts and was very good at getting people together to collborate on projects.

Quote from: buzby on December 04, 2020, 09:27:14 AM
He was a rubbish singer IMO, but it seems he had a lot of contacts and was very good at getting people together to collborate on projects.

Yes, i think this too - similar to Malcolm Mclaren's music career without the success.

phantom_power

The Nick Kamen version of Looking Good Diving is on Spotify and it is pretty much identical to the original, even having the same squiggly noise that carried on to the Neneh Cherry version. Maybe a bit smoother