Old TOTP (BBC4)

HATING the new chart format.

But oh Kate Bush in the studio, with a very fetching power suit and bow.
 
One of the better Top Of The Pops from early 1986 and as it was co-presented by Mike Smith it won't be shown on BBC4... but fortunately it can be downloaded!

Thursday 13 March 1986

13/03/86 (Mike Smith & Steve Wright)
The Blow Monkeys – “Digging Your Scene” (20)
Bangles – “Manic Monday” (2) (video/chart)
Hipsway – “The Honeythief” (22)
David Bowie – “Absolute Beginners” (8) (video)
Freddie Jackson – “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Time’s Sake)” (26)
The Rolling Stones – “Harlem Shuffle” (27) (breaker)
Howard Jones – “No One is To Blame” (23) (breaker)
Culture Club – “Move Away” (17)
Diana Ross – “Chain Reaction” (1) (video)
Prince – “Kiss” (13) (video/audience dancing/credits)

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/4643fe39c39c39ecefc42100a9f2a42120180824075002/4b8dea
 
The only thing I remember about "Move Away" was the tiny 5" picture disc they made that sounded like absolute shit and half the pressing had the first minute or so of the song cut off. Allegedly etc.
 
Ag said:
HATING the new chart format.

But oh Kate Bush in the studio, with a very fetching power suit and bow.
Click to expand...

They said on the story of 1986 programme that they abandon the ill judged chart countdown pretty quickly. BOO to replacing the audience and dancers casually getting down with a video at the end of the programme too.
 
It's the end of an era tonight on Top Of The Pops as it's the last edition to feature 'Yellow Pearl' as the theme tune. The next episode (a Mike Smith co-hosted edition) features 'The Wizard' by Paul Hardcastle. The edition that will be shown tomorrow night (at 9.30pm), a Janice Long and John Peel hosted edition was the second to feature the new theme tune.
 
It's 27 March 1986 and it's Mike Smith co-hosting with Bruno Brookes

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/33b183e8f479650cb80320d35b6fdf4020180830210103/65b954

Samantha Fox – “Touch Me (I Want Your Body)” (4)
Atlantic Starr – “Secret Lovers” (24) (video/chart)
Tippa Irie – “Hello Darling” (33)
Bronski Beat – “C’mon C’mon” (40) (breaker)
Big Audio Dynamite – “E=MC2” (34) (breaker)
Falco – “Rock Me Amadeus” (27) (breaker)
Queen – “A Kind Of Magic” (16) (video)
The Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy – “Peter Gunn” (12)
Cliff Richard & The Young Ones – “Living Doll” (1) (video)
Stevie Wonder – “Overjoyed” (25) (video/audience dancing/credits)

I thought this edition of the programme marked the arrival of 'The Wizard' but seemingly not, it must be the edition that is being shown tonight. The quality of the recording isn't that great.
 
Ag said:
God I always did hate The Young Ones.
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When Rik Mayall died, they showed a couple of episodes and one of them was just totally unfunny. But then they showed the University Challenge episode ("Bambi") and it was absolutely priceless. So, like most things people only vaguely remember, patchy as anything but when it was good, it was very good.
 
Now I'm LESS of a LITTLE STEVIE WONDER fan than most but I do have a SOFT SPOT for OVERJOYED *plink*

I've no BEEF with the REAL THING AT ALL but just how many QUITE UNNECESSARY REVIVALS were there in the mid-80s?

That's why we needed HOUSE MUSIC HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HOUSE MUSIC :disco:
 
I LOVED the Young Ones. But then as an 11-14 year old it really felt revolutionary - comedy prior to that (at least what I was largely exposed to) was Frank Carson and Mike Reid, with Jim Davidson breaking through to replace them. Each generation will seek out and latch on to comedy its parents don't really understand, much the same as music really.

For me part of the appeal was going upstairs to watch it on the old black and white portable that needed retuning by the dial every 5 minutes, or else the picture would roll.

It did feel hugely 'alternative' as much as that title is a pile of wank really. And the whole team really were the vanguard of what comedy became - even if possibly a lot of them became too exposed.
 
By the time I was that age alternative comedy seemed a bit wank and the likes of Reeves and Mortimer/ Fast Show and then later Chris Morris et al seemed fresher.
 
Although Reeves and Mortimer and Fast Show were debatabley the tail end of alternative comedy.
 
Ag said:
By the time I was that age alternative comedy seemed a bit wank and the likes of Reeves and Mortimer/ Fast Show and then later Chris Morris et al seemed fresher.
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By then I'm sure it was. But I don't think the shift in comedy in that period would have been anywhere near as seismic as the same period before it.
 
To be honest LIVING DOLL really isn't representative AT ALL of what was great about the Young Ones
 
Shirley said:
To be honest LIVING DOLL really isn't representative AT ALL of what was great about the Young Ones
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Oh I know, I still think it's SHIT. I get that I wasn't there. I remember enjoying Bottom as a teenager, but got passed that pretty quick.

I
 
In other TOTP news, they've really brought the joy of a-ha to my attention. Obviously I knew Take On Me and Sun Always Shines, but I hadn't realised they had 9 top 10 hits.
 
It's getting into my era now, with the change of theme tune and starting credits. I remember it WELL.

What is it with all these disco hits? Mind you it makes up for some of the rather anaemic state of the show at the moment.
 
I remember buying a-ha's Train Of Thought on picture disc at HMV Marble Arch on my first trip to London when I was 15.
 
lolly said:
By then I'm sure it was. But I don't think the shift in comedy in that period would have been anywhere near as seismic as the same period before it.
Click to expand...

Reeves And Mortimer, or, more accurately for the period "Vic Reeves Big Night Out" felt huge to me at the time and I have similar memories of watching The Young Ones, Not The Nine O'Clock News, The Comic Strip, Who Dares Wins and the second series of Blackadder on either my brother's black 'n' white portable or, later on, my own. Vic and Bob felt like a fresh take, one that existed within its own world but a world into which we were all welcome. Comedy had got a bit too close to politics so the wild surrealism was a total escape into an alternate reality.
 
Shirley said:
To be honest LIVING DOLL really isn't representative AT ALL of what was great about the Young Ones
Click to expand...

Totally fair. That record was designed to be sold for a charity - a "family" record made possible by Neil's "Hole In My Shoe" and, in fairness, Cliff being game for a laugh. I think the bit where Vyv hits Rik over the head was cut for radio. Nowt wrong with it for what it was designed to be.
 
octophone said:
Totally fair. That record was designed to be sold for a charity - a "family" record made possible by Neil's "Hole In My Shoe" and, in fairness, Cliff being game for a laugh. I think the bit where Vyv hits Rik over the head was cut for radio. Nowt wrong with it for what it was designed to be.
Click to expand...

Particularly when you look at some of the absolute dross that charted in the name of charity following Band Aid.
 
The next edition of Top Of The Pops to be shown on BBC4 is from 17/04/86 as the 10/04/86 edition was co-hosted by Mike Smith...

10/04/86 (Mike Smith & Steve Wright)
Bronski Beat – “C’mon C’mon” (25)
The Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy – “Peter Gunn” (8) (rpt from 27/03/86 + chart)
Bryan Ferry – “Is Your Love Strong Enough?” (29)
Janet Jackson – “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” (37) (breaker)
Big Country – “Look Away” (18) (breaker)
Simple Minds – “All The Things She Said” (15) (video)
Five Star – “Can’t Wait Another Minute” (36)
Cliff Richard & The Young Ones – “Living Doll” (1) (video)
Queen – “A Kind Of Magic” (7) (video/audience dancing/credits)

https://wetransfer.com/downloads/c429acb6f075d90bde4fbaec667acd2c20180903162935/ec2b2b

The best thing about the edition is the VT clock at the start (it's a BBC Archive copy), it's not the strongest of line-ups.
 
We can't be so far from the last Bucks Fizz appearance with New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) now. Hope it hasn't been Smith/Yewtreed.
 
Ag said:
"It's Michael Jackson's sister, she's looks like him..."
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I’m glad I didn’t mis-remember Janet’s introduction to the UK. I swear it wasn’t until the mid 90s before she wasn’t pre-fixed with “Michael Jackson’s sister”
 
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