Old TOTP (BBC4) (6 Viewers)

Sleeper's Inbetweener is ace. Felt a bit obvious at the time but out of the Britpop context, it really shines. Very XTC meets Blondie.

Fun fact - guitarist Jon Stewart moonlights with The Wedding Present these days.
 
I'd forgotten about The Human League's "everyone in a line" thing. Band democracy or just for the visuals? Doesn't matter - looks good, decent tune.
 
Really substandard, over-synthed fare from Barry White but I'd have had him on the show in a heartbeat too so...
 
The only thing I like about Simple Minds is that, even now, Charlie Burchill, the only other permanent member still looks like he has to concentrate really hard on his guitar parts, even when he's miming along to a boring three-chord dirge like that.
 
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I've never "got" The Wildhearts but I have every respect for how they've kept going just doing their own thing - their fans absolutely adore them.
 
Kylie looking amazing but also TOTP's worst theme tune making its debut. No memory of this M People single either.
 
One Man In My Heart is probably one of my least favourite singles by Human League. I just find it a bit PLODDING, and as much as they are utterly essential in a backing (or featured) vocal sense - and even more so in a live sense - I really do not need Susanne/Susan Anne or Joanne on lead vocals, particularly on a song as stripped back as that.
 
This episode is gash. Why was the next one skipped - I see R K*lly is in the top 10, was he on it?
 
Spoke too soon, REM being camp as tits. Crush With Eyeliner another one I didn;t get at the time but I now love.
 
lolly said:
One Man In My Heart is probably one of my least favourite singles by Human League. I just find it a bit PLODDING, and as much as they are utterly essential in a backing (or featured) vocal sense - and even more so in a live sense - I really do not need Susanne/Susan Anne or Joanne on lead vocals, particularly on a song as stripped back as that.
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Phil standing in the back just repeating every line the blonde lady sang in a monotone deadpan had me and my friend in stitches. I appreciate it was probably a deliberate inversion of their usual style, but it just came across as unintentionally(?) comical.

 
This remix of Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag is fucking terrible. I have no recollection of it at all.
 
VoR said:
Phil standing in the back just repeating every line the blonde lady sang in a monotone deadpan had me and my friend in stitches. I appreciate it was probably a deliberate inversion of their usual style, but it just came across as unintentionally(?) comical.
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Few bands over the years have been able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory quite like the Human league. But, ultimately, their pigheadedness gave them a type of longevity, albeit one tied into the nostalgia circuit. The thing you hear people say after seeing them is that they knew more songs that they expected.
 
I actually did see the League when they played at Leeds Uni years ago. I remember it being a lot of fun.

My abiding memory is of the blonde one looking very glam and gleefully pulling focus at every opportunity while the poor dowdy brunette stood stock still in the shadows with a face like she was chewing a wasp. :D
 
octophone said:
Few bands over the years have been able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory quite like the Human league. But, ultimately, their pigheadedness gave them a type of longevity, albeit one tied into the nostalgia circuit. The thing you hear people say after seeing them is that they knew more songs that they expected.
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I saw them live quite some time ago and they were great fun. One of the best audiences I've been in.
 
That Alex Party tune always bothered me because the bridge has the same chord sequence as the bridge in "Coping" by Blur. Can't imagine it was cribbed, given how few copies Modern Life Is Rubbish sold at the time.
 
VoR said:
I actually did see the League when they played at Leeds Uni years ago. I remember it being a lot of fun.

My abiding memory is of the blonde one looking very glam and gleefully pulling focus at every opportunity while the poor dowdy brunette stood stock still in the shadows with a face like she was chewing a wasp. :D
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Susanne certainly serves ARMOGRAPHY (and usually camel toe) like nobody else live.
 
This Vanessa Mae perf is some weird shit. Trying to make classical violin hip was always a fool's errand but this is just BAD.
 
Elastica were awful - so shallow and contrived. Compared with the wit and verve of Sleeper a few weeks previously, this has absolutely nothing. Their producer recently admitted that their album was made with samples because they couldn't really play - all of which is fine as long as you're not strutting about rewriting Wire and Stranglers songs like you're here to save us all.
 
There were some 90s gays getting their absolute LIVES to Tina Arena in the front row there :D
 
I'll have to catch up, but was it the Björk performance of Army of Me with Skunk Anansie? I've been waiting literally over a decade to see a higher quality version of it than the ones on YouTube :o
 
It was Army of Me, but I didn’t notice Skunk Anansie.

I think it was billed as an exclusive though so presumably she’ll be back in a couple of episodes when it hits the top ten.
 
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I'm skipping over the past few weeks. Lovely perfs from Brownstone and Grace. Surprisingly efficient from Strike too.
 
Strike lady really impressed me with her STRONG VOX.

Brownstone really were fabulous too. I’m sure a young(ish) @funky was living for it.
 
I hated the EXCLUSIVES thing. It almost never was as it had normally been on radio for at least days or even weeks. Plus they were often big names with shit songs.
 
VoR said:
Strike lady really impressed me with her STRONG VOX.

Brownstone really were fabulous too. I’m sure a young(ish) @funky was living for it.
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Brownstone were very underrated. Overshadowed by En Vogue and SWV but their vocal harmones were on point. Both albums were fire, shame we didn't get a third.
 
The chart rundowns really are 90s heaven now, I feel like there's 5-6 big (to me at least :D) hits in the top 10 every week now, particularly dance-wise.
 
These episodes have been (largely) great. Even Wet Wet Wet turned out one of their better songs, as much as it sounded like Oliver's Army.

Looking forward to Whigfield's hosting gig.
 
GinAg (39) said:
I hated the EXCLUSIVES thing. It almost never was as it had normally been on radio for at least days or even weeks. Plus they were often big names with shit songs.
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The problem was that video channels and The Chart Show were showing songs for weeks and TOTP was left looking a bit old hat by only being able to show them once they were in the actual chart, by which time, demand had often peaked. But the problem was that it eroded the shows essential appeal - "Here Are Some Songs That Are In The Charts". You ended up with a very narrow strata being catered for and you stopped seeing random metal and indie bands because they would have an exclusive by a Big Pop Act instead. This, the show got boring.
 
Christ I HATE Bon Jovi. Gimmie a time machine and that's who I'd take out. Unmitigated shite.
 
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