Chart Music Podcast 2 (Man Sound) - ITS PIPOU TIME!

[prelektric]

You're aware of this, right?

This needs to pinned somewhere - actually not sure how that would work in this format, but every now and again, it needs to be posted just for new pop-crazed youngsters. Somehow.

[prelektric]

EDIT: New page Al Needham porn anecdote

(I have fucked it up. Never mind.)

[prelektric]

Actually, while we wait for more magnificence, what's your favourite "Chart Music" moment? (Sort of hate this idea, but you know what I'm on about).

(Any mention of Bummerdog will be smacked down as gah, as much as I love Bummerdog, it needs some work. I've always thought it needs an umlaut in there. Bümmerdog - extreme Krautrock, of summat)

My absolute favourite is our dear Taylor's description of Ian Hunter of "Mott the Hoople" fame, as looking like what Robert Plant might look like to a dog. Bit cruel perhaps, but exceptionally funny. I love Taylor. And his droll delivery probably helps enormously with that.

Plenty more though I'm sure... anyone?

[non capisco]

Actually, while we wait for more magnificence, what's your favourite "Chart Music" moment? (Sort of hate this idea, but you know what I'm on about).

Possibly the one that made me laugh the hardest is 

AL: This must be the first time that sex has reared its head in the Michael Jackson catalogue. Although I don't want to look too deeply into Ben.

TAYLOR: That's not what he said.

My favourite section of all Chart Music episodes as experienced at the time will always be the first pandemic/lockdown era episode where Neil, Sarah and Al all rhapsodise about the Meatloaf and Cher 'Dead Ringer For Love' video. That pulled me out of a deep trough. A proper sunlight piercing through a seemingly impenetrable cloud moment.

[prelektric]

Yep. Never really spoke about this podcast on this thread, but here is how I feel about it.

It's no mistake that when I'm re-listening to these episodes, I always prefer the ones that Taylor is involved in. I just, I dunno, I empathise with him and I love his contributions. Even if I don't often agree with his opinions on stuff, he is consistently funny yet I'm not convinced he knows it - he's just naturally funny in a way that I appreciate. Which is just great.

I love Neil, and Simon, and Sarah (Sarah's the same age as me by a couple of weeks so I love her contributions). Stubbs can bugger off to be honest, not his fault necessarily, but he's too wrapped up in that world to allow himself to be funny and not take this too seriously).

Al, our dear wonderful Al, is just the greatest, he's funny, he's had a weird professional life, and he's the perfect personality to be fronting this.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Taylor's Ian Hunter line is one for the ages. Just perfect.

And I totally agree, non capisco, Neil and Sarah waxing lyrical about Dead Ringer for Love was wonderful. I know I'm not alone in citing this podcast as a lifeline of sorts, it's got me through some very rough patches. Whenever a new episode cropped up during the lockdowns, well, it lifted my spirits. And it continues to do so.

As for favourite moments, this one is obvious, but Al, Taylor and Simon reacting to Two Man Sound is honestly one of the funniest things. It's a go-to happy place for me. Al insisting that we pause the episode, watch Two Man Sound on YouTube, then come back for the rest of their almost dumbstruck review was quite the interactive moment. I was crying with laughter, which is a very rare occurrence.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Oh, and Taylor ordering a special offer* Seinfeld DVD box-set, only to receive a shit 20 Romantic Moments CD twice by mistake, is tragicomic gold.

_{* I think he got it off eBay for £1?}

[Egyptian Feast]

Actually, while we wait for more magnificence, what's your favourite "Chart Music" moment? (Sort of hate this idea, but you know what I'm on about).

Some of Taylor's descriptions have me laughing until I hurt, but the one I recall causing the most pain was his imagining of Barry White's lovemaking, which made me pause it for a couple of minutes to regain my composure. He is an absolute master of dark poetry. Nobody who has ever heard it can scrub away that Rick Astley comparison which hits you out of the blue like a used johnny flung from an adventure playground.

I'm up to #45 on a relisten, and one bit I'm really looking forward to hearing again is the discussion about Jaz from Killing Joke, which I seem to remember leaving me in bits.

[prelektric]

As for favourite moments, this one is obvious, but Al, Taylor and Simon reacting to Two Man Sound is honestly one of the funniest things. It's a go-to happy place for me. Al insisting that we pause the episode, watch Two Man Sound on YouTube, then come back for the rest of their almost dumbstruck review was quite the interactive moment. I was crying with laughter, which is a very rare occurrence.

Jesus Christ, of course. I did the same when Al insisted, just utter Chart Music Gold! So many moments I'm forgetting some, this one is perfect.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Listening to the Two Man Sound bit again (as I say, a go-to happy place/cool wet grass).

Simon getting mixed up with regards to the identity of Lou Deprijck just adds to the mirth, and I love it when Taylor cackles at Al's bombshell: the crazy bloke on congas is commonly known as Pipou. A perfect storm of silliness.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Jesus Christ, of course. I did the same when Al insisted, just utter Chart Music Gold! So many moments I'm forgetting some, this one is perfect.

Never mind Bummerdog, the heart and soul of Chart Music is Pipou.

[prelektric]

Never mind Bummerdog, the heart and soul of Chart Music is Pipou.

After that revelation, I showed the TOTP "Two Man Sound" video to my my housemate - he laughed so much he vomited into his pint glass.

That entire section is complete platinum CM though.

He is an absolute master of dark poetry. Nobody who has ever heard it can scrub away that Rick Astley comparison which hits you out of the blue like a used johnny flung from an adventure playground.

He is truly a poet. He'd fucking hate that description, but he is. There was something else I heard him say a on a re-listen a few days ago that caused an instant uncontrollable belly laugh - I'll have to go back to that and dig it out.

EDIT: In the meantime - from "The A-Z Of Chart Music" - the entry for "Two Man Sound"

"Two Man Sound
Belgian dance trio, consisting of a dancing bollock called Pipou on congas, Lou Depryck - a former seafarer and voice of Plastic Bertrand - on vocals, and some bloke in all red with his legs all splayed out on bass. Inspiration for the Hair Bear Bunch and performers of Que Tal America on a 1979 edition of Top Of The Pops, deemed as the all-time favourite TOTP performance covered on Chart Music so far."

Sigh, magical.

[beanheadmcginty]

I can't quite remember exactly how Taylor worded it, but hearing him expressing a desire to crack open an infant Jason Donovan's head on a sink is so vivid a moment in my mind I can picture exactly where I was walking when I heard it.

[Egyptian Feast]

Was it not the infant B.A. Cunterson? I can't remember him being quite that vicious about hapless old Jase.

[DrGreggles]

SP "He was 26"

AN "NOOOOOOO!"

[George White]

I'm 26 and genuinely feel depressed that bloke from Brotherhood of Man was 26. I feel like a late bloomer.

[Cottonon]

It's no mistake that when I'm re-listening to these episodes, I always prefer the ones that Taylor is involved in.

I've definitely heard the ghost of his delivery in couple of "Y'know what I means" from Neil and Sarah in the past. Its been said here before but a book of his stuff (on anything) would be so good.

[Norton Canes]

Yes, as far as we can tell, the last half-decent sax solo in popular music can be found in Tina Turner's The Best... unless you know better. Tell us if there's a more recent example worthy of inclusion and we'll consider adding it to our timeline...

There's one in I Will Always Love You. Can't imagine how they missed it.

Oh yeah...

[dr beat]

Taylor's withering take on contemporary mores: "what's your favourite plant-based milk? Oatly is killing it right now".

I'm also going to stick up for Rock Expert David Stubbs.  I remember Mr Agreeable, and he contributes his fair share to CMP eg 'bad skit', and his response to Taylor's GUM clinic story - from Acker Bilk to chlamydia in 60 seconds.

[phantom_power]

Stubbs is a bit repetitive and has verbal tics that can be annoying but when he gets into his flow he has a great musical knowledge and a dry sense of humour

[bigfatheart]

I think my favourite Chart Music moment would be from the first episode I listened to, and the episode naming line too - 'Guys N Dolls Get Ready To Bomb Iraq'.

Favourite extended sequence would be Dave Dee, Creepy, Twat and Cunt, particularly Dee's horrific open letter to women. You can almost hear Neil's toes curling in particular.

Chalk me up as another defender of Rock Expert David Stubbs. He does have a tendency to repeat certain lines or ideas, but he's got a nice line in self-deprecation, and particularly in the last year or two he's pretty regularly brought his A-game to the podcast.

[SteveDave]

Stubbs is a bit repetitive and has verbal tics that can be annoying but when he gets into his flow he has a great musical knowledge and a dry sense of humour

"etcetera etcetera"

Actually, while we wait for more magnificence, what's your favourite "Chart Music" moment? (Sort of hate this idea, but you know what I'm on about).

Taylor Parkes- "I've driven away more beautiful women than a Swedish funeral director" 10/10. I think I applauded when I first heard that.

[Levi]

Taylor's description of Alvin Stardust's backing band as "egg and chips filth" is a relatively minor moment but it never fails to lift my spirits.

As does Al's furious "FUCK OFF!" after hearing the intro to Lady in Red.

Oh, and any mention of the treacherous Steph.

Fuck, there's loads now I think about it. I absolutely love it.

[SteveDave]

"THIS CUNT" Al's introduction to Little Jimmy Osmond was the first moment I realised this was the podcast for me.

[Brundle-Fly]

Stubbs is a bit repetitive and has verbal tics that can be annoying but when he gets into his flow he has a great musical knowledge and a dry sense of humour

The gang all have verbal tics, but Stubbsy is an essential elder 'rawk expert' statesman to CMP, and I won't hear a word against him. As a fellow ancient music teenage snob, I love his self deprecating reflection on stuff.

[LordMorgan]

Taylor describing DLT as looking like a talking goats arse

[Das Reboot]

"We've already covered Oasis, IN THIS FUCKING EPISODE"

[DrGreggles]

https://twitter.com/BBCEssex/status/1522384135003770880

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Hahaha.

[Nice Relaxing Poo]

The imagined gay indicators of Showaddywaddy's stage uniforms was an amazing moment. I can't remember exactly how it went but was something like "Dave Bartram wearing a purple jacket there which indicates a enjoyment of fisting"