The Rolling "Top of the Pops" BBC4 Revival thread.

It's not like 1984 and 1985 were short of great music... 1984 probably moreso than 1985, you wouldn't have thought it watching that, though!

The transition from 1980-1981 to 1984-1985 both musically and aesthetically has always fascinated me, though... reading through the Smash Hits archive, you can feel things change with Duran Duran's mega success, then Frankie, then Live Aid happens and by 1986 the whole feel of the decade has changed entirely.

haha Passenger what a wretched racket. DL called it one of the worst songs of the 80s in the Elton track-by-track thread.

Well, "Deny the passenger, who want to get on" is a potentially good lyric, but hmmm where it went.

Okay, here we go...

Actually, this Bucks Fizz doesn't have a bad riff - interesting mining on the guitar going on there, tho...

*miming, I mean.

Although we are in '84, so...

FFS. Spandau again? I mean, this is one of their better songs (IMO) but it wasn't a big hit. The riff in the verse is essentially Japan's 'Quiet Life' slowed down, too.

Ooh... Heaven 17 and Kraftwerk are in this week...

and what do they show? Level fucking 42.

The young David Miliband on keyboards, there.

The only Level 42 song that I can sort-of stand.

lol Alphaville

The sight of Mark King jumping up and down while his thumb is going ten to the dozen on a bass that's worn chest-height is just cringe.

John Peel: "Agadoo. What a gem." - loooooooooooool

Yeah even with their most tolerable song they still look terrible.
Liked 'Big In Japan' but never could make out most of the lyrics. Reading them now they're bobbins. And the singer looks like Simon Amstell.

Also I will never know how the fuck Black Lace ever became popular. I can only guess that the 'pissed up Brits on holiday' demographic is far larger than I thought.

"Agadoo. What a gem."

Oh I'm watching the stream and it's ~20 seconds behind.

Noel Edmonds: "Watch out for the flying bit of toast in Stevie's video!" he said to no audience applause or reaction whatsoever.

Okay, not Stevie Wonder's finest moment, but it coulda been so much worse... and 'I'll Fly For You' was really Top 10? I seem to remember it being somewhat of a relative flop for Spandau... huh.

Oh wait that's a different version of the video. Also Stevie Wonder's laziest hit is still miles ahead of everything else this episode.

Oh great, Tory bellend Bruno Brookes followed by that fucking Elton John track again - what a combo.

Also the multiple key change is like *ugh*. Come on, Stevie "I wrote the 'Superstition' riff btw" Wonder sinks to this? Although it shows how great he is that his lows still beat most people's highs.

Also I will never know how the fuck Black Lace ever became popular. I can only guess that the 'pissed up Brits on holiday' demographic is far larger than I thought.

― Zings Can Only Get Better (snoball), Friday, October 6, 2017 6:52 PM (three minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

At least there's 'The Chicken Song' to look forward to when the inevitable backlash happens... didn't one half of Black Lace end up joining Smokie in a bid to be taken seriously?

That'll be the Smokie of "Who the fuck is Alice" infamy..

I did buy "Agadoo" on 45. I was 7 tbf

Oh god, I hated Careless Whisper at the time. Too adult, too slow. I've revised that opinion now of course

xxpost:

Well, it clearly didn't have the desired effect!

Did we work out why Pete Wylie was dressed like Dave Vanian that one time?

This is my favourite podcast at the moment. Various ex-Melody Maker journos dissect a random episode of TOTP. Its hilarious

https://chartmusiccouk.wordpress.com/

yeah he joined Smokie then died in a tour bus crash in the mid 90s.

speaking of the 'pissed up Brits on holiday' demographic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMGNiAD-tMA

Did I mention I bought their first single?

Bohemian Rhapsody.

Also I will never know how the fuck Black Lace ever became popular. I can only guess that the 'pissed up Brits on holiday' demographic is far larger than I thought.

Weren't here also smutty versions of a lot of their songs so while they might be singing Agadoo one TOTP, 'Ave A Screw was maybe what a lot of people were singing in their heads? So kind of subversive but in a really gross and rapey sort of way

Having a Gangbang has sort of eclipsed Agadoo as their legacy song I thought.

Rugby songs on a package holiday basically, summer anthems for aspiring sex offenders

'Superman' somehow manages to be more annoying than 'Agadoo' ... it's still infuriating that when people think "'80s", they think of shit like Black Lace.

Thank fuck they're not showing the long format version of 'Blue Jean' as it's fuck awful.

Steve Wright, chimp par excellence for this sea of shit.

Now this is the version of the Stevie Wonder with the flying toast.

Aww fuck, I missed it!

Second part of the Nile doc and a funk doc on later will make up for it, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXvAaNcXNzI

Tuning in now and... *groans* ... Matt Bianco.

Huh, that looks like Lord Voldemort in the video to Duran Duran's Wild Boys. That vocal remains utterly horrible. I like the video, though!

xp a bunch of wankers

Bruno Brookes being asked if he's been eating magic mushrooms!?!

Dave Stewart waa enjoying himself a lot in that Eurythmics vid, eh?

*was

Alvin Stardust not really sure what to do with his arms here.

Someone in my year at school looked like Nick Kershaw and always got really pissed off when anyone mentioned it.

Every time I see a Nik Kershaw performance on this show he always looks either confused or mildly annoyed... the lyrics to this are utter bollocks!

I'll never get bored of this Chaka Khan track. Better than the Prince original!