While you miss the excitement of the media behind the music at the time that might be compensated by the greater amount of music from the past that is available.
And there has always been a degree of marketing with music, the punks had their brand as well, including their look and clothes.
While you miss the excitement of the media behind the music at the time that might be compensated by the greater amount of music from the past that is available.
And there has always been a degree of marketing with music, the punks had their brand as well, including their look and clothes.
There has always been marketing and fashion but until the 80s it was rarely as important (hell, rareky anywhere close to as important) as the music - especially with the better performers.
Well the better performers I suppose never have needed marketing as much as lesser ones but have still benefited from it nonetheless. Indeed some of the more famous performers of earlier decades are well known for their ability to market their music, from David Bowie to the whole Beatles brand. I suppose you could say the media around music expanded even more with music video and music channels and more music magazines in the 80s, more radio stations.
But your very argument about the excitement of the media when the music came out as being so important would surely not count against the 80s when music was still a big part of the people's general media experience, at least up till the mid 80s.
I thought the Fleetwood Mac Rock Family Trees was really good!
But I'm still waiting to see a Blondie documentary on TV and have never seen a Kate Bush documentary either!
The 'Blondie: One Way Or Another' documentary mentioned in my posts of 28 February is on BBC Four at 10.50pm tonight!
To equate New Romantics with SAW I think isn't really that accurate. Better to equate new romantics as a branch off from new wave. New Romantics did have decent musicians and not soap opera stars made into singers.
Except that there is more music of the past readily available to people than ever before, so it is probably easier (for those with the time and inclination) to look through earlier music periods in detail.
Decent musicians? Really? And they may not have had soap stars but instead they had B movie stars made into singers.
I think the best periods were from 1966-70 and 1978-81.
I was too young to really appreciate the former but perfect age for the latter.
The first period had such a fine range from pop like The Kinks and The Small Faces to proper rock from The Rolling Stones and The Who. There was the 'experimental' groups with Pink Floyd to the fore. From the US the West Coast sound was at its peak and the more folk style sound, led by Dylan and including The Mamas and the Papas, stood with it. Sly and the Family Stone, Marvin Gaye, Joan Baez and Janis Joplin reflected the political momentums of the time whilst The Doors provided something altogether darker and heavier. This was all crowned by the marvellous Soul music.
Oh,and the UK had a thriving Blues and (proper) Rhythm and Blues scene.
The late 70s had punk which allowed the largely superior new wave to come in without upsetting the oldies. Everything from The Jam to Ian Dury and the serious beginnings of undertanding reggae, in part through the "Two Tone" Bands made this a far more interesting and imaginative time than the mid 90s with lame "up their own arse" so called 'Britpop' and The Spice Girls:sleep:. The US was generally quieter but the often overlooked musicality of Disco had enough worthy moments.
From 81 the "New Romantic" stuff came in and the fashions started to become more important than the music (satirically summed up beautifully by the Not the Nine O'Clock News team with "Nice Video, Shame About the Song"). culminating in the awful, cookie cutter, marketed stuff of SAW:o
Bit of a jump from 1981 New Romantics to late 80s SAW isn't it? :rolleyes: No connection between them at all. Both were only very minor parts of the whole 1980s pop scene. Even at their height SAW may have had 10 records in the Top 40, that's still 30 records that had nothing to do with them.
Actually some new wave bands transformed themselves into new romantics anyway, so it was just a natural progression. And of course syth pop had been part of the development of late 70s pop/rock anyway, and image in this area was very prominent from David Bowie to Kraftwerk. I wonder if those who claim some music from the first half of the 80s is just about image (when people remember the melodies more) are actually being more shallow than the actual music they are criticising, which would be ironic.
I think the best periods were from 1966-70 and 1978-81.
Yes I agree - I wasn't around in the late 60s - but judging from some of the songs/bands/LPs that were around at that time, it seems a really good period to be getting into music and going to gigs!
The late 70s and early 80s were good too.. So I would say from 1977 - 1983 was the perfect time for me!
Aaaaaaaaaaarggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!! :mad: :mad: - I've missed it again!!!! :mad: I was out last night and have just seen the message!! :rolleyes:
Why do I always miss the Blondie documentaries?!!! :mad:
Wait a minute - panic over! - Does it have Iggy Pop talking at the start? - If so - I've just realised my friend gave me a copy of it on dvd a couple of years back!! :rolleyes: Silly me!!
However - I still haven't seen a Blondie documentary going out live on TV though!!
Wait a minute - panic over! - Does it have Iggy Pop talking at the start? - If so - I've just realised my friend gave me a copy of it on dvd a couple of years back!! :rolleyes: Silly me!!
However - I still haven't seen a Blondie documentary going out live on TV though!!
I missed it as well Ursula but I've spotted that it is repeated again on bbc 4 later this week - maybe Thursday ? I've set sky+ to do the honours.
Relating to 1978, and 1977 before it, who would have believed that an artist we have regularly seen from the 1977/78 repeats would be doing our Eurovision entry this year, Bonnie Tyler. I must check out the song, I haven't heard it yet.
But even better for all Abba lovers is that Agnetha is back out of retirement, has some new music out! She has a new single coming out called When You Loved Someone. I believe she may even be coming over to the UK to promote it, which is quite something. Plus she looks utterly fantastic. The album is going to be simply entitled "A". So if we can't have Abba, at least we can have A.
Go on Richie !!! I request that you do compile your fave list. Better make it a top 100 though - I've seen close on 100 great songs listed on the mant posts on this thread.
Do I still have to? ;)
By the way, I will defend the Andy Williams song "Sad". Yes it was out of place on a 1978 TOTP, and I'd never heard it before, but a few further listens and it is quite a powerful and emotive ballad from an un-doubtedly great singer. It was just that an edition of March 1978 Top Of The Pops was not really the best placement, among the other great relevant material of that time, although as has been said he did have a No2 album called Reflections the very week of the TOTP he was on, only kept off the top by Abba. So not bad going really.
Also the sax has been mentioned. My opinion is that today there is too much sex and not enough sax on music. It almost always enhances a track, and rarely spoils it, in my opinion. I own Will You?, and the sax on Ian Dury's No1 sounds like it is being throttled at one point near the end of the song Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. I'm sure most will know the point I mean!
Just want to say welcome to our ex-pat newcomer from NZ, Dead Wing.
Relating to 1978, and 1977 before it, who would have believed that an artist we have regularly seen from the 1977/78 repeats would be doing our Eurovision entry this year, Bonnie Tyler. I must check out the song, I haven't heard it yet.
But even better for all Abba lovers is that Agnetha is back out of retirement, has some new music out! She has a new single coming out called When You Loved Someone. I believe she may even be coming over to the UK to promote it, which is quite something. Plus she looks utterly fantastic. The album is going to be simply entitled "A". So if we can't have Abba, at least we can have A.
What do we think here?
Well, since you asked......... I think for once you are talking complete sense.
Just want to say welcome to our ex-pat newcomer from NZ, Dead Wing.
Thank you, happy to be here ; just kicking myself that I've missed the 1976 and 1977 repeats, having to be content with what full shows there are on Youtube...
Thank you, happy to be here ; just kicking myself that I've missed the 1976 and 1977 repeats, having to be content with what full shows there are on Youtube...
Great that the thread is building in popularity on from 1976 through 1977 and into 1978 now. I suppose it is Tuesday lunchtime about 1pm where you are right now, as it's midnight in a sub zero wind chilled UK!
By the way, I will defend the Andy Williams song "Sad". Yes it was out of place on a 1978 TOTP, and I'd never heard it before, but a few further listens and it is quite a powerful and emotive ballad from an un-doubtedly great singer. It was just that an edition of March 1978 Top Of The Pops was not really the best placement, among the other great relevant material of that time, although as has been said he did have a No2 album called Reflections the very week of the TOTP he was on, only kept off the top by Abba. So not bad going really.
hmm maybe i'll give it another try then although i'd rather go and listen to his version of solitaire off his greatest hits when i need to hear him sing a ballad, great compilation which i bought for my mum but ended up keeping as it was so good :rolleyes:
By the way, I will defend the Andy Williams song "Sad". Yes it was out of place on a 1978 TOTP, and I'd never heard it before, but a few further listens and it is quite a powerful and emotive ballad from an un-doubtedly great singer. It was just that an edition of March 1978 Top Of The Pops was not really the best placement, among the other great relevant material of that time, although as has been said he did have a No2 album called Reflections the very week of the TOTP he was on, only kept off the top by Abba. So not bad going really.
Also the sax has been mentioned. My opinion is that today there is too much sex and not enough sax on music. It almost always enhances a track, and rarely spoils it, in my opinion. I own Will You?, and the sax on Ian Dury's No1 sounds like it is being throttled at one point near the end of the song Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. I'm sure most will know the point I mean!
Just want to say welcome to our ex-pat newcomer from NZ, Dead Wing.
I agree. Andy Williams was a fantastic singer and when you compare him to punk there is no contest. People will always listen to ballads. Where are the punks now eh, eh?!!
Relating to 1978, and 1977 before it, who would have believed that an artist we have regularly seen from the 1977/78 repeats would be doing our Eurovision entry this year, Bonnie Tyler. I must check out the song, I haven't heard it yet.
But even better for all Abba lovers is that Agnetha is back out of retirement, has some new music out! She has a new single coming out called When You Loved Someone. I believe she may even be coming over to the UK to promote it, which is quite something. Plus she looks utterly fantastic. The album is going to be simply entitled "A". So if we can't have Abba, at least we can have A.
What do we think here?
Can't wait to hear Agnetha's album. I haven't heard the Bonnie Tyler Eurovision entry yet, but I can't see us doing well even if the song is great. Added to Bonnie and Agnetha, don't forget Olivia Newton-John doing her first UK tour for years.
Can't wait to hear Agnetha's album. I haven't heard the Bonnie Tyler Eurovision entry yet, but I can't see us doing well even if the song is great. Added to Bonnie and Agnetha, don't forget Olivia Newton-John doing her first UK tour for years.
I thought Aggie was finished with the music biz forever and retired to be a mad multiple cat lady.
She was the one who always refused the ABBA reunion album and tour
Don't know if a reformed ABBA would be good or not ?
I thought Aggie was finished with the music biz forever and retired to be a mad multiple cat lady.
She was the one who always refused the ABBA reunion album and tour
Don't know if a reformed ABBA would be good or not ?
I kind of remember her turning her back on the music industry some time in the last century.ABBA earned a zillion pounds when they were together so you wonder why she would attempt a comeback when the music has changed so drastically.Perhaps her multiple cats have expensive tastes!:D
I love TOTP 78,because that was the year that I first started watching it.But the dj's who I thought were so cool at the time I would now like to punch just for the sake of it.Although I heard a bit of David Jensen when I was randomly flicking through stations recently and it's like he hasn't moved on even a day.
Comments
And there has always been a degree of marketing with music, the punks had their brand as well, including their look and clothes.
There has always been marketing and fashion but until the 80s it was rarely as important (hell, rareky anywhere close to as important) as the music - especially with the better performers.
But your very argument about the excitement of the media when the music came out as being so important would surely not count against the 80s when music was still a big part of the people's general media experience, at least up till the mid 80s.
The 'Blondie: One Way Or Another' documentary mentioned in my posts of 28 February is on BBC Four at 10.50pm tonight!
Decent musicians? Really? And they may not have had soap stars but instead they had B movie stars made into singers.
Bit of a jump from 1981 New Romantics to late 80s SAW isn't it? :rolleyes: No connection between them at all. Both were only very minor parts of the whole 1980s pop scene. Even at their height SAW may have had 10 records in the Top 40, that's still 30 records that had nothing to do with them.
Aaaaaaaaaaarggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!! :mad: :mad: - I've missed it again!!!! :mad: I was out last night and have just seen the message!! :rolleyes:
Why do I always miss the Blondie documentaries?!!! :mad:
Yes I agree - I wasn't around in the late 60s - but judging from some of the songs/bands/LPs that were around at that time, it seems a really good period to be getting into music and going to gigs!
The late 70s and early 80s were good too.. So I would say from 1977 - 1983 was the perfect time for me!
Wait a minute - panic over! - Does it have Iggy Pop talking at the start? - If so - I've just realised my friend gave me a copy of it on dvd a couple of years back!! :rolleyes: Silly me!!
However - I still haven't seen a Blondie documentary going out live on TV though!!
I missed it as well Ursula but I've spotted that it is repeated again on bbc 4 later this week - maybe Thursday ? I've set sky+ to do the honours.
I don't have sky!! - Still using my old DVD recorder - but have got a few TOTP episodes out of it!
'Blondie: One Way Or Another' is repeated in the early hours of Thursday morning (1.45am - 3.00am).
Thanks for this - I am fairly sure I have seen it afterall now!
Relating to 1978, and 1977 before it, who would have believed that an artist we have regularly seen from the 1977/78 repeats would be doing our Eurovision entry this year, Bonnie Tyler. I must check out the song, I haven't heard it yet.
But even better for all Abba lovers is that Agnetha is back out of retirement, has some new music out! She has a new single coming out called When You Loved Someone. I believe she may even be coming over to the UK to promote it, which is quite something. Plus she looks utterly fantastic. The album is going to be simply entitled "A". So if we can't have Abba, at least we can have A.
What do we think here?
Do I still have to?
By the way, I will defend the Andy Williams song "Sad". Yes it was out of place on a 1978 TOTP, and I'd never heard it before, but a few further listens and it is quite a powerful and emotive ballad from an un-doubtedly great singer. It was just that an edition of March 1978 Top Of The Pops was not really the best placement, among the other great relevant material of that time, although as has been said he did have a No2 album called Reflections the very week of the TOTP he was on, only kept off the top by Abba. So not bad going really.
Also the sax has been mentioned. My opinion is that today there is too much sex and not enough sax on music. It almost always enhances a track, and rarely spoils it, in my opinion. I own Will You?, and the sax on Ian Dury's No1 sounds like it is being throttled at one point near the end of the song Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. I'm sure most will know the point I mean!
Just want to say welcome to our ex-pat newcomer from NZ, Dead Wing.
Well, since you asked......... I think for once you are talking complete sense.
Thank you, happy to be here
Great that the thread is building in popularity on from 1976 through 1977 and into 1978 now. I suppose it is Tuesday lunchtime about 1pm where you are right now, as it's midnight in a sub zero wind chilled UK!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dave-lee-travis-says-hes-1757457
hmm maybe i'll give it another try then
I agree. Andy Williams was a fantastic singer and when you compare him to punk there is no contest. People will always listen to ballads. Where are the punks now eh, eh?!!
Can't wait to hear Agnetha's album. I haven't heard the Bonnie Tyler Eurovision entry yet, but I can't see us doing well even if the song is great. Added to Bonnie and Agnetha, don't forget Olivia Newton-John doing her first UK tour for years.
I thought Aggie was finished with the music biz forever and retired to be a mad multiple cat lady.
She was the one who always refused the ABBA reunion album and tour
Don't know if a reformed ABBA would be good or not ?
I kind of remember her turning her back on the music industry some time in the last century.ABBA earned a zillion pounds when they were together so you wonder why she would attempt a comeback when the music has changed so drastically.Perhaps her multiple cats have expensive tastes!:D
I love TOTP 78,because that was the year that I first started watching it.But the dj's who I thought were so cool at the time I would now like to punch just for the sake of it.Although I heard a bit of David Jensen when I was randomly flicking through stations recently and it's like he hasn't moved on even a day.