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

[Darles Chickens]

What's the BBC micro for in that? Sequencing?

Yeah - here's an article from a BBC Micro magazine back in 1988.

[buzby]

What's the BBC micro for in that? Sequencing?

Yes - see the video I posted of him demonstrating it for Rock School. It hosted the UMusic UMI-2B sequencer and MIDI interface board and as well as Vince it was used by Queen, Genesis, Depeche Mode, A-ha, Blancmange and many others:

Wasn't that 'Whenever You're Ready'? Sorry, I haven't been fact-checking your posts! Just that I remembered them doing it on one of the recent shows, before the latest Smith-gap.

Yes, sorry - that's what I get for rushing my posts through. The glut of Smithed episodes I had to get thorugh was to blame, your honour!

[Gulftastic]

Tonight we had George Micheal



immediately followed by little Rick Astley

[daf]

29 October 1987: Presenters: Gary Davies & Steve Wright

(26) THE STYLE COUNCIL – Wanted
Strobe-foiling Grey Fug
(2) GEORGE MICHAEL – Faith (video)
Rhythm is a Diddley
(11) RICK ASTLEY – Whenever You Need Somebody
The Magnificent Ambersons


https://www.flickr.com/photos/51106326@N00/sets/72157677331362140

(15) RAY PARKER Jr – I Don't Think That Man Should Sleep Alone
What You Gonna Wear?  . . . Wood Lapels!!
- - - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(25) EURYTHMICS – Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)
(22) GEORGE HARRISON – Got My Mind Set On You
(19) T'PAU – China In Your Hand
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(30) SCARLET FANTASTIC – No Memory
Swans Who?
(1) THE BEE GEES – You Win Again (video)
Best of Three
(5) FLEETWOOD MAC – Little Lies (video / credits)
They'll be picking straw out of that piano for years!

[Better Midlands]

(15) RAY PARKER Jr – I Don't Think That Man Should Sleep Alone 

https://youtu.be/e01J3Hz9yoo

[DrGreggles]

(30) SCARLET FANTASTIC – No Memory

The most apt of titles for a song/band I have zero recollection of!

[Norton Canes]

I do like that Little Lies video. Something about the band playing in a rotting, rusting rural idyll and not acknowledging each others' presence epitomises where the band were at the time, I guess. 'Beethoven' is a magnificent Eurythmics track, suicidal from a commercial point of view but utterly compelling. The sorely under-rated Savage is one of the best long-players of the 80's.




Also, there's something quite sinister about the Bee Gees.

[DrGreggles]

Also, there's something quite sinister about the Bee Gees.

"Fetch the slipper!"

[daf]

I do like that Little Lies video.

Don't know where Stevie Nicks had got to, but it was nice to see Green from Scritti Politti guesting on BV's -

[Camp Tramp]

I guess. 'Beethoven' is a magnificent Eurythmics track, suicidal from a commercial point of view

I remember listening to that track when it first came out and really liking it, it is very different.

[daf]

5 November 1987: Presenters: Janice Long & Mike Smith

(5) T'PAU – China In Your Hand
In Stereo 104.8 FM (London only)
(7) GEORGE HARRISON – Got My Mind Set On You (video)
Old Brown Room
(32) HEARTBEAT – Tears From Heaven
Drizzle
(12) FREDDIE MERCURY & MONTSERRAT CABALLE – Barcelona (video)
It ain't over till the Flash Laddie sings
- - - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(17) WHITESNAKE – Here I Go Again
(15) THE COMMUNARDS – Never Can Say Goodbye
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


https://www.flickr.com/photos/51106326@N00/sets/72157678678867356

(28) ERIC B & RAKIM – Paid In Full
Beats & Pieces
(1) THE BEE GEES – You Win Again (video)
Pub Lunch at Hanging Rock
(10) WAS (NOT WAS) – Walk The Dinosaur (credits)
Teeth (False Teeth)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
https://wetransfer.com/downloads/585f827ffed45c4dddfc56d54a8fae6920190509050428/e85c85

[DrGreggles]

(28) ERIC B & RAKIM – Paid In Full

I love it when a song is mentioned that makes you go and listen to it immediately.

[daf]

12 November 1987: Presenters: Gary Davies & Peter Powell

(6) THE COMMUNARDS – Never Can Say Goodbye
Tintin and the Studio 54 Adventure
(10) BILL MEDLEY & JENNIFER WARNES – (I've Had) The Time Of My Life (US TOTP clip)
(He's Had) The Tan of his Life
(13) MIRAGE – Jack Mix IV
M/A/R/R/S on 45
- - - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(23) DONNA SUMMER – Dinner With Gershwin
(22) MARILLION – Warm Wet Circles
(20) WHITNEY HOUSTON – So Emotional
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(28) ALEXANDER O'NEAL – Criticize
The Girl I Nag is up in the Gallery
(1) T'PAU – China In Your Hand
600 down, only 754 to go!



(11) NINA SIMONE – My Baby Just Cares For Me (video / credits)
Claymation N°5

[Johnboy]

Bill and Jennifer really did seem to be having the time of their lives
It's good when people duetting actually look at each other and interact, though he goes a bit far with the arm round the shoulder and she extracts herself awkwardly at the end - cringe!

Weller had his front teeth blacked out - strange cat.

No need for two guitarists in t'pau - but which one would you get rid of?

[gib]

I love it when a song is mentioned that makes you go and listen to it immediately.

That's aged as well as anything from 1987, wow i can almost remember how it felt at the time.

[kalowski]

(6) THE COMMUNARDS – Never Can Say Goodbye

I love it when a song is mentioned that makes you go and listen to the original immediately.

[daf]

F**k my Hat!

I just found out Glorious Gaynor's 1974 version was also a cover - original by Jackson 5 in 1971 (and originally intended for the Supremes)

[kalowski]

F**k my Hat!

I just found out Glorious Gaynor's 1974 version was also a cover - original by Jackson 5 in 1971 (and originally intended for the Supremes)

Yes, so hopefully not #Cancelled as it's a great original.

[buzby]

29 October 1987: Presenters: Gary Davies & Steve Wright

(2) GEORGE MICHAEL – Faith (video)

I really hate this song, primarily due to the video. It's just so fake, a blatant attempt to appeal to the US market. The moves stolen off Elvis, the biker jacket, cowboy boots and shades, Wurlitzer jukebox and most of all the posing with a guitar that he's clearly not playing.

(11) RICK ASTLEY – Whenever You Need Somebody

SAW are just taking the piss already. Not only does it sound exactly the same as most of their other productions for Astley (it's even got the same tom run-down at the start as NGGYU) but it was a cover of one of their own songs. It had originally been written for O'Chi Brown in 1985, which had been #1 on the Billboard Dance chart but only got to #97 in the UK chart that December.  I much prefer the Brown version, to be honest

- - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(25) EURYTHMICS – Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)

Like Norton I really like this track (it got my attention back after they had drifted away from their early avant garde synth pop sound a couple of years previously). It's just such and odd and compelling sounding record (even if it suffers from ORCH HIT OVERLOAD towards the end - Stewart had acquired a Synclavier, which was used heavily on the album). It's also a little reminiscent of Sex Crime in it's production. Unfortunately as Norton says, the album was not commercially successful, and did particularly badly in the US. However Dave and Annie regard it as their favourite of all of the band's albums.

The video is a tour de force from Annie, as she transforms from the mousy, neurotic housewife into the blonde vixen featured on the album's cover (and the character she plays on the next track, I Need A Man). Sophie Muller had been asked to direct a video for each track on the album that woudl be released as a longform video album. The themes in the video and Lennox's inner monologue delivery always remind me of Julie T. Wallace's Ruth and how she transformed herself into Mary Fisher in The Life And Loves Of A She-Devil (which was shown on the BBC the previous year).

(30) SCARLET FANTASTIC – No Memory
Swans Who?

Swans Way, daf - they had a Top 20 hit in 1984 with Soul Train. After two further singles that failed to dent the Top 40 They split in 1985 with singer Maggie De Monde and bassist Rick Jones going on to form Scarlet Fantastic.

The track and it's parent album 24hrs was produced by Daize Washbourn and Rick Jones, but for the single release Arista had it remixed by 'Mixmaster' Pete Hammond, supervised by Pete Waterman at PWL.  Unfortunately this too proved to be a one-hit wonder - they issued 3 further singles and an album that also failed to make any impact before being dropped by Arista and splitting up.

(1) THE BEE GEES – You Win Again (video)

Hurll has realised he can't keep recycling their one studio appearance and has opted for the video instead.

(5) FLEETWOOD MAC – Little Lies (video / credits)

I don't like this one as much as Big Love. I do like the 'moving sepia photograph' Paintbox animation effect it uses though.

[DrGreggles]

(2) GEORGE MICHAEL – Faith (video)

I know a still was posted earlier, but FUCK ME it's funny!

[buzby]

5 November 1987: Presenters: Janice Long & Mike Smith

(5) T'PAU – China In Your Hand

It's a decent song and great vocal from Decker, but it's more of a conventional power ballad compared to the more interesting and unusual Heart And Soul. Decker wrote the song's lyrics after seeing a documentary on Mary Shelley, and the verses are a potted retelling of the Frankenstein story. The title in the chorus was inspired by a bone china teaset that Rogers' mother had bought them - the cups were so thin that they were transparent when held up to the light (and had a cameo of a Japanese lady embossed the base).

When they were in the US recording Bridge Of Spies with the producer Roy Thomas Baker they had reached an impasse with another song and Baker asked them if they had any other songs to work on in the meantime, and Decker produced a cassette of a basic demo of the song she and Rogers had worked on. It was Baker who decided to turn it into a power ballad with a false ending and sax solo (inevitably for this era it was provided by the Pete Waterman-sueing session sax ace Gary Barnacle).

The demo and album versions have 3 verses (the first and second run into each other with no chorus betwen). For the single version Baker suggested the second verse was cut (though the last 2 lines were substituted into the third verse instead). The album version is slower and a bit more stripped-back than the version used for the single, and I think it sounds better for being less bombastic.

I'm pretty sure the pizzicato strings are an early example of the Roland D50 'PizzaGogo' preset, most famously used by Enya on Orinoco Flow and loads of her other tunes. Mike Chetwood had one in his rig for their 1987-88 tour (it can be seen in the 'Live At Hammersmith' video, along with a JX8P and an RD-500 digital piano)

(7) GEORGE HARRISON – Got My Mind Set On You (video)

The curse of a Jeff Lynne production - it always sounds like a Jeff Lynne record, no matter who the artist is. It's a cover of a 1962 James Ray track - The Beatles used to perform a cover of Ray's hit If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody early in their careers, and Harrison had purchased a copy of Ray's album while on a trip to visit his sister in the US in 1963.

The video shown on TOTP was actually the second attempt - the first version was set in a vintage arcade, with Harrison and Lynne seen performing via a mutoscope and featuring a young Alexis 'Wesley from Buffy' Denisof.

(32) HEARTBEAT – Tears From Heaven

Christian pop eh? On this evidence it must be true that the Devil has all the best tunes. This insipid pap is the output of a band who used to go around schools for the British Youth For Christ organisation spreading the good word. After years putting stuff out on indie Christian labels they recorded an album with dance label Priority, produced by their house producer Barry 'Biggles' Evans. They then managed to get the album remixed by 'Mixmaster' Phil Harding at PWL, and it peaked at #32 (there must have been some support from a DJ to get it into the chart - God-botherer Mayo?)

It's follow-up, the more obviously PWL-sounding The Winner only reached #70, and Priority pulled out of releasing their album. It was put out by US-based Christian label Dayspring International/Word Inc., and they were never heard of by people outside the Christian scene again (apart from the occasional appearance of lead vocalist Sue Rinaldi on Songs Of Praise).

(28) ERIC B & RAKIM – Paid In Full

I covered this earlier in the thread when The Story Of 1987 and Big hits 1987 were on (the also provided the link to Coldcut's commentary on the track).

Coldcut were commissioned to produce the remix 'off the books' by Island's 4th & Broadway (Def Jam's UK licensee) to produce a M/A/R/R/S-style remix of the original track 'off the books', for which they would be paid £700. They had no access to the master tape, instead being given 10 copies of the album featuring the track. They also had no sampler, as their tracks up to that point (Say Kids What Time Is It? and Beats & Pieces) had been constructed using tape splices, cassette pause edits and spun in from records.

For the remix Island gave them access to the label's own studio, where the engineer showed them how to load a sample into the Bel digital delay unit, and this was used to play the drum loop on the track. Everything else was played in live from records or stitched together using tape edits in a 36 hour session (though it still features one of the most awkward edits ever, which they tried to cover up with a load of echo). Eric B and Rakim did not know about the remix until it was released, and were none too happy about it (Eric B in particular dismissed it as 'girly disco music'), as can be seen in their demeanour during the performance.

Their use of Ofra Haza's Im Nin'alu led to a resurgence of her career in the West, with her 1984 album Yemenite Songs being rereleased and Im Nin'alu being remixed as a single in 1988, and she was invited to collaborate with a number of Western acts (most notably on the Sisters Of Mercy's 1992 re-recording of Temple Of Love).

[Better Midlands]

There was another remix of Paid In Full at the time by UK rapper/producer Derek B who added a large chunk of John Cougar Mellencamp's - Jack and Diane that works incredibly well.

https://youtu.be/016dZDTIjpg

[monkfromhavana]

I was struck by how much Bill Medley looks like Al Bundy.

[DrGreggles]

I was struck by how much Bill Medley looks like Al Bundy.

Can't unsee that now. Thanks!

[buzby]

12 November 1987: Presenters: Gary Davies & Peter Powell

(6) THE COMMUNARDS – Never Can Say Goodbye

A triple-threat of DX7s - 'Reverend' Coles has the traditional DX7 Corner. June Miles-Kingston and the Venomettes return. Caroline Buckley (a future member of Banderas, alongside the violin player Sally Herbert) appears on backing vocals. It's hilarious to see the bassist miming to what is clearly a DX7 bass preset. As was the fashion at the time, the track was remixed for the single release by Shep Pettibone.

(10) BILL MEDLEY & JENNIFER WARNES – (I've Had) The Time Of My Life (US TOTP clip)

Another live vocal from TOTP USA. It's not doing Medley any favours, to be honest - he sounds like Paul Shane did on his infamous version of You've Lost That Loving Feeling.This song still gives me the horrors, having been subjected to my sister watching Dirty Dancing on VHS every day of the school holidays for about 3 years straight.

(13) MIRAGE – Jack Mix IV

This is really bad 'Stars On 45' style shite. I do detect some real samples being used by Sellars and Wright though - Rakim saying 'Pump Up The Volume' and the Criminal Element Orchestra's 'Put The Needle On The Record' sound like the real thing to me.

(28) ALEXANDER O'NEAL – Criticize

Another O'Neal banger (though not as good as Fake, but that gets another chance in the charts off the back of this). Co-written and produced by ex-The Time drummer George 'Jellybean' Johnson for Flyte Time and then given a final polish by Jam & Lewis themselves. The backing vocals were by Jam & Lewis regular Lisa Keith (it's not her up on the gallery, btw - I think it might be Alexander's old mucker Cherrelle), who was also used by Jam & Lewis to replace the Human League's Joanne & Susan on Human (much to Phil's disgust).

(22) MARILLION – Warm Wet Circles

Fish & the lads doing their full 'poundshop Genesis' act, complete with double-necked guitar.

(11) NINA SIMONE – My Baby Just Cares For Me (video / credits)
Claymation N°5

Aardman getting on on Giblets 'animated video for old soul reissue' video market. As pointed out by daf, the track was licenced for a reissue by Charly Records on the back of it's exposure in a Chanel No.5 advert, and Charly then commissioned the animated video from Aardman to try and duplicate the success PRT/Passion Music had with the Giblets-animated videos for their Jackie Wilson reissues.

[Satchmo Distel]

I have to correct you on the Nina Simone single. Charley had originally reissued it back in 1982 as CYX 201 as both a 7" and 10":

http://www.45cat.com/record/7cyx201

The 1987 hit, CYZ 7112, was released back in April 1985 and made the Top 100 in May 1985, peaking at 82:

http://www.45cat.com/record/cyz7112

https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28085/nina-simone/

So Charly had already put it on the market twice before Jackie Wilson had his #1 and inspired Charly to have a third try using the animated video. It was third time lucky.

OTOH the Simone performance clearly had an underground popularity for it to be picked up for a TV advert.

Finally, Simone's recording was itself a cover of a song that had been performed in racist blackface by Eddie Cantor:

https://abagond.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/nina-simone-my-baby-just-cares-for-me/

[buzby]

I have to correct you on the Nina Simone single. Charley had originally reissued it back in 1982 as CYX 201 as both a 7" and 10":

http://www.45cat.com/record/7cyx201

The 1987 hit, CYZ 7112, was released back in April 1985 and made the Top 100 in May 1985, peaking at 82:

http://www.45cat.com/record/cyz7112

https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28085/nina-simone/

So Charly had already put it on the market twice before Jackie Wilson had his #1 and inspired Charly to have a third try using the animated video. It was third time lucky.

OTOH the Simone performance clearly had an underground popularity for it to be picked up for a TV advert.

The 1982 Charly reissue was to promote their My Baby Just Cares For Me compilation album (Charly had licenced the tracks for the compilation from RCA), but neither the single or album charted. The May 1985 single reissue did get to #82 in the chart, and was released on the back of the publicity surrounding her concert at Ronnie Scott's and the Nat King Cole tribute concert at the Savoy Theatre in May 1985.

The 1987 reissue was definitely riding on the back of the Ridley Scott Chanel commercial though, and Charly stumped up the money for the Aardman video to capitalise on it based on what they had recently seen of classic reissues becoming hits off the back of Levis commercials and the animated videos PRT had commissioned for it's Wilson reissues (which did not have the benefit of being cross-promoted by being used in adverts).

At the same time PRT were reissuing Wilson's tracks as singles, reissue compilation label Ace knocked out a quick cash-in compilation album (The Very Best Of Jackie Wilson), as PRT were only licencing single tracks from Brunswick. Charly at least had the good sense to reissue their 1982 compilation off the back of the single's success in 1987.

[daf]

19 November 1987: Presenters: Simon Mayo & Steve Wright ("May-O . . . Ma-a-a-y-O . . . DJ Come, an me wanna go home!")

(18) MAXI PRIEST – Some Guys Have All The Luck
Will no one Rod me of this turbulent Priest?
(9) WHITNEY HOUSTON – So Emotional (video)
Houston, We have a Pettibone remix
(25) THE PROCLAIMERS – Letter From America
Diddy-dee HUH! . . . Diddy-dee HUH! . . .
(20) BARRY WHITE – Sho' You Right
'Walrus', surely?
- - - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(26) BOY GEORGE – To Be Reborn
(23) THE SMITHS – I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


https://www.flickr.com/photos/51106326@N00/sets/72157675054349893

(17) DONNA SUMMER – Dinner With Gershwin
An American in London
(1) T'PAU – China In Your Hand (video)
Electrodes in your Neck
(11) WHITESNAKE – Here I Go Again (video / credits)
Unorthodox bonnet buffing technique

[DrGreggles]

Will no one Rod me of this turbulent Priest?

And with that, daf won the internet.

[Satchmo Distel]

"Letter From America' was one of Robbie Coltrane's Desert Island Discs.

David Stubbs has posted a good analysis of pop at this time:

https://www.facebook.com/david.stubbs.9404/posts/10157562791171807?notif_id=1558136932431792&notif_t=nf_comment_story