Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Three

[Pauline Walnuts]

Losing the top 40 rundown, obv. Play it over Stevie, no-one cares. In case anyone was wondering (no?),
And not even voicing the top ten. Come on, guys, put a shift in

That's a point, where they still having the BBC Radio 1 Sim-o-cast in STEREO?

Also I didn't like the loss of a music video at the end, seemed unnecessary. And the theme song is pure Going Live.

[A Hat Like That]

Laterz

[A Hat Like That]

Though, 2Unlimited sorta live was BANGING and the screen literally turning into Bryan Adams arrow were highlights.

[non capisco]

Though, 2Unlimited sorta live was BANGING and the screen literally turning into Bryan Adams arrow were highlights.

2 Unlimited were my highlight of the two episodes, particularly Anita Doth in a reduced non-vocal role behind the keyboards striking a halfway point between sultry and 'aving it.

[matjam13]

That's a point, where they still having the BBC Radio 1 Sim-o-cast in STEREO?

With BBC One now having NICAM Stereo activated, not anymore.

[monkfromhavana]

2 Unlimited were my highlight of the two episodes, particularly Anita Doth in a reduced non-vocal role behind the keyboards striking a halfway point between sultry and 'aving it.

God I fancied her when I was 13 - 15. Plus it was Anita Dels then.

[Norton Canes]

10 October 1991: Presenters: Tony DOrtie & Mark Fr@nklin

Stanley Appel might have been a modern day Cnut but he couldn't hold back the tide of dance music for long (yes I know Cnut didn't actually try to hold back the tide, he was in fact demonstrating that the tide couldn't be held back) as we're straight into the club for a Carl Cox HOUSE ANTHEM. You can't stop the future, Stanley! I said these would deliver bang for their bucks, singer, DJ and decks, couple of rave dancers and bosh, it's all good. That effect where the screen goes all green though, could it be any more seventies? Is this the first instance of TOTP falling back on some retro stylings? Total actual words sung live: 6. And yeah after Franko's monitor manifestation I'm looking forward to seeing where the presenters will show up in future.

It might lack a voice-over (and numbers 40-11) but that top ten rundown with the numbers spinning around is a nicely done sequence. The whole sculpture look like it's been made by Wilf Lunn off of out of Vision On. Ha, not to be outdone by Franko's spectral in-vision appearance, is that Dorts gliding around on a camera dolly? Brilliant. Good to see the guys really, uh, exploring the possibilities this new set offers. Oh dear, Morrissey exists. Fortunately his performance is lent a shred of relevance by the brilliant pan over to Marc Cohn. "Now, Mr Cohn... when the man in the transparent blouse stops singing, that's you cue to come in, okay?"

Then it's onto probably the most tragic and affecting Queen single, and fortunately Franko and Dorts manage to capture the sombre gravity of the situation. That logo's massive, isn't it? Oh, and we're back into the meta-telly of detached viewing. Probably the set's cheapest and most expensive props right next to each other, there. Dorts walking over to the Cathy Denis stage reminds me of Alan Partridge attempting to navigate the This Time... set while remaining on cue. Bit of Prince about this song, no?

Spoiler alert

   No   

[close]

(So okay, I've always wondered this: when someone's miming a song, or singing to a backing track, and the sound is actually being played into the studio, what happens when people are playing instruments that actually make a noise? Like violins, for instance, as opposed to electric keyboards (or drums - yeah, drums are the obvious one). Do you hear the sound of the violin on the record and the noise of them actually being played? That must be really distracting.)

Hmm. I know I said last week I liked the singles from Stars, but I didn't expect to get another one so quickly. Woah! You just never know where these presenters are going to pop up from, do you!

But fuck, they saved the best for last. Even though it's a bit of an strange entourage the band have brought with them, including what appear to be two characters from Harry Enfield's Kevin the Teenager sketches and what I can only describe as a 'diversity corner'. Nice lighting switch for when the 303 kicks in (someone will tell me it's an 808), and the audience are looking at least vaguely interested, anyway. Total actual words sung live: 5. Suck on that, Coxy!

From 2U to U2, huh? Can't wait to see that bwand new video. Director, you twat, you faded his 'Laterz!"

[non capisco]

(So okay, I've always wondered this: when someone's miming a song, or singing to a backing track, and the sound is actually being played into the studio, what happens when people are playing instruments that actually make a noise? Like violins, for instance, as opposed to electric keyboards (or drums - yeah, drums are the obvious one). Do you hear the sound of the violin on the record and the noise of them actually being played? That must be really distracting.)

There are a few performances over the years where either the drummer hasn't got the memo not to whack the shit out of their kit as usual or for some reason TOTP have fully mic'd the kit up despite the fact the band are miming. The Simple Minds drummer is audibly clodhopping out of time all through this performance of 'Promised You A Miracle' for example. There was also an early 80s Elton John appearance, can't remember which song but one of the pre-I'm Dill Danding era ones, where they've accidentally mic'd up the out of tune old joanna they've given him to mime with and for the first few bars it sounds like Les Dawson is playing over the top of the song until someone hurriedly kills the live mic. Presumably the studio audience were treated to the whole discordant thing.

[Pauline Walnuts]

Edited to remove Anita ramblings...

Anyone remember the Melody Maker 2 Unlim cover?



The Letter's page the week later was 'interesting'.

Yeah, suck that up Q Magazine!

[DrGreggles]

Year Zero TOTP didn't seem quite as awful this time round, but I suppose I knew what was coming.

[Catalogue Trousers]

I kept waiting for the breakbeat to kick in, then was disappointed that it wasn't 1992.

You what you what you what?

'Walking In Memphis' is hardly the greatest song ever, but it's 'God Only Knows' next to crap like 'Ravin' I'm Ravin''.

[Norton Canes]

I seem to remember Q Magazine putting Ray Slijngaard at #1 in their '50 Coolest People in Rock' feature c. 1992.

[JesusAndYourBush]

...Walking In Memphis every bloody week for the next two and a half years.

I'm only familiar with the Cher version and last year Radio Leeds used to play another version all the bloody time and every time I'd think "Cher's voice sounds funny... oh no, it's another version".  I still don't know if they were playing Mark Cohn's version of if someone else released a version last year.

[Better Midlands]

There's actually a SUAD remix of the Cher version.

[Darles Chickens]

I'll have to catch up with all this, but I'm glad I caught 2 Unlimited singing live.

Just wait till you hear Anita trying to hit the notes in Twilight Zone in their 1992 appearance.

[monkfromhavana]

There's actually a SUAD remix of the Cher version.

There is also this version that I think was released in the US around the time the original SUAD version got pulled. It's legit, with Marc Cohn credited as the writer and basically rips off SUAD's version.

The production credit is in as "What If?" which is a bit needlessly sarky

Memphis Rave Mafia - Walking In  Memphis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oknPvqehE6M

[Norton Canes]

Bah! Off to the pictures tonight, so this is the second consecutive brace I'll have to watch on catch-up. And it's not on at all next week! I knew the aPOPSaclypse would be cataclysmic but I didn't realise it would be a month before I got to see any of it going out live.

Oh yeah, something I mean to ask each week but keep forgetting - what's been your week's earworm from the previous shows? I've had about 75% 'Love To Hate You' with 20% 'Saltwater' and an occasional soupçon of Carl Cox's 'I Want You' 

Been working all week on my listing revamp - hope everyone likes it

Exquisite... absolutely exquisite

[gilbertharding]

Is it Tony DOrtie & Mark Fr@nklin every week for the forseeable? No wonder Jakki Brambles was browned off.

LOVING the revamp, by the way, daf. Loving it.

[daf]

Is it Tony DOrtie & Mark Fr@nklin every week for the forseeable? No wonder Jakki Brambles was browned off.

Don't panic - there's more presenters coming - four or five at least, I think.

A change comes in September 1992 when they chuck all that out, and just have Dortie and Frankin alternating solo shows, This goes on until the Radio 1 DJ's return in February 1994

LOVING the revamp, by the way, daf. Loving it.

Che3Rs!

[Icehaven]

God Enya really was a massive con wasn't she/it.

[cosmic-hearse]

"Time for some drum & bass... it's Danni Minogue!"

[daf]

That massive new BBC FOUR logo can do one right now!

[ElTwopo]

Was all that dry ice deliberate during Lisa Stansfield's performance or did she leave her freezer door open?                                                                                                                                                                                                           

[Icehaven]

"Time for some drum & bass... it's Danni Minogue!"

I know! What?! And wasn't this years before Drum and Bass was even a thing?

[Icehaven]

GET OFF THE STAGE!!

[Icehaven]

I enjoyed the Bright Side stuff, and they couldn't/wouldn't have done it in the old format so maybe it's not all bad.

[Icehaven]

Victor Reeves ballsing the lyrics there. Godluvim.

[Icehaven]

Carter!

[mrClaypole]

Victor Reeves ballsing the lyrics there. Godluvim.

Hasn't Bob admitted in interviews that everyone on that stage were pissed as farts?

[ElTwopo]

Is this the last week of Bryan Adams at no.1? I've lost count.