[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by darren1090

Nope, they didn't wait, they were just ignored by the media for some reason. NYN had already been a hit in the USA and it spread over here, but their follow-up releases completely missed here. I think possibly one or two of them reached the lower reaches of the billboard charts.

I have all of Odyssey's first five LPs on mp3. Native New Yorker is on their first LP. Their next hit, in summer 1980 was from their third LP.

Interesting. It has always appeared an oddity to me, coming out with such a fabulous Top 5 single and then hearing nothing much more for such a long time, and then smashing to No1. A strange choice not to nurture such clear talent, who had numerous top 5 80's classics in the end, none dated to this day.

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

Interesting. It has always appeared an oddity to me, coming out with such a fabulous Top 5 single and then hearing nothing much more for such a long time, and then smashing to No1. A strange choice not to nurture such clear talent, who had numerous top 5 80's classics in the end, none dated to this day.

I think I'm right in saying that 'Use It Up, Wear It Out' climbed the chart and got to number 1 around the time of the 1980 Musicians' Union strike that took TOTP off air for at least a couple of months. The singles chart without TOTP's influence was an echo what happened in 1974 - black music flourished and, in that climate, Odyssey scored their first number one. Would that single have become as big a hit with no MU strike and TOTP intact? We'll never know ...

I would also hazard a guess that, by 1980, it must have become clear to RCA in the UK that some of the artists they had been spending time and money promoting (e.g. Bonnie Tyler, Gerard Kenny) were either no longer generating hits or indeed never going to, and so it might be worth putting a bit of welly behind a group that could land a number one without any TOTP exposure. And so began Odyssey's three-year run of hit singles ... all after disco was declared dead in the US!

[Black Velvet]

Really enjoyed this last night. There were some damn good music on and hosted by my favourite radio one dj Peter Powell.
I watched also the story of 1978 TOTP. It was just nice to see Peter and Dave Lee Travis who I am glad they did not leave out and Lulu and sue from Legs & Co. Mike Read David Jenson. Nice memories of TOTP back then and not tarnished by sexual preditor jimmy Savile as there were other dj's regularly appeared hosting the show beside him and just recently it felt like when he was talked about that he had been the only dj ever hosting the show.

[ramraider1]

Originally Posted by Servalan

I think I'm right in saying that 'Use It Up, Wear It Out' climbed the chart and got to number 1 around the time of the 1980 Musicians' Union strike that took TOTP off air for at least a couple of months. The singles chart without TOTP's influence was an echo what happened in 1974 - black music flourished and, in that climate, Odyssey scored their first number one. Would that single have become as big a hit with no MU strike and TOTP intact? We'll never know ...

I would also hazard a guess that, by 1980, it must have become clear to RCA in the UK that some of the artists they had been spending time and money promoting (e.g. Bonnie Tyler, Gerard Kenny) were either no longer generating hits or indeed never going to, and so it might be worth putting a bit of welly behind a group that could land a number one without any TOTP exposure. And so began Odyssey's three-year run of hit singles ... all after disco was declared dead in the US!

You are quite correct here Servalan. I loved a lot of the music which was on the go mid 1980. Also recall the late Teena Marie's sublime first UK hit single 'Behind the groove' doing well in the top 10 at this time. Likewise Crown Heights Affair classic 'You Gave me love' . Mind you my preferred genre is dance / soul / r n b. Other records I bought around this time were Average White Band 'Let's Go Round Again',
Jermaine Jackson 'Let's Get Serious' and New Musik's sublime 'Sanctuary'. Wish they'd music like that today !!

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by ramraider1

You are quite correct here Servalan. I loved a lot of the music which was on the go mid 1980. Also recall the late Teena Marie's sublime first UK hit single 'Behind the groove' doing well in the top 10 at this time. Likewise Crown Heights Affair classic 'You Gave me love' . Mind you my preferred genre is dance / soul / r n b. Other records I bought around this time were Average White Band 'Let's Go Round Again',
Jermaine Jackson 'Let's Get Serious' and New Musik's sublime 'Sanctuary'. Wish they'd music like that today !!

Thank you for refreshing my memory. I'd guess other soul/disco hits of that era that flourished in the absence of TOTP were George Benson's 'Give Me The Night', Tom Browne's 'Funkin' For Jamaica (NY)' and Change's Chic-tastic 'A Lover's Holiday' ...

[JBO]

Got You Gave Me Love and Give Me The Night on me Ipod.


Cracking stuff

[Alrightmate]

Can anybody explain why there was so much Teddy Boy stuff in the charts in the mid-70s?
I just don't get it because it wasn't the 1950s.

Is this due to the age of the show makers trying to promote music they used to like as teenagers? A bit like Simon Cowell promoting dated ballady type music from the 80s and 90s on The X Factor?

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Alrightmate

Can anybody explain why there was so much Teddy Boy stuff in the charts in the mid-70s?
I just don't get it because it wasn't the 1950s.

Is this due to the age of the show makers trying to promote music they used to like as teenagers? A bit like Simon Cowell promoting dated ballady type music from the 80s and 90s on The X Factor?

Have you not heard of retro/revivals, and of art going in cycles?

[Alrightmate]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

Have you not heard of retro/revivals, and of art going in cycles?

Of course I have. But this, I don't know, feels a bit different to when I usually see retro revival stuff appear in the charts.
Usually retro stuff has a fresh spin and is almost a new sub-genre in its own right.

I think the 70s was quite a strange time culturally in the media anyway. It felt like a mish mash of all sorts of different time periods. On television as a kid we had Flash Gordon type serials from what must have been the 1930s, and cartoons and TV shows from the 1960s, Laurel and Hardy and Three Stooges type shorts which were from decades earlier.
I mean 'strange' in a good way by the way, as a kid it felt great having all this mish mash of different things from different eras going on.

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by Alrightmate

Can anybody explain why there was so much Teddy Boy stuff in the charts in the mid-70s?
I just don't get it because it wasn't the 1950s.

Is this due to the age of the show makers trying to promote music they used to like as teenagers? A bit like Simon Cowell promoting dated ballady type music from the 80s and 90s on The X Factor?

I'd say that the early seventies was the first instance of pop music becoming aware of its own history. From the Teddy Boy fashions adopted by Mud, through the more overtly retro-styled hits of the Rubettes (at first) and Showaddywaddy to re-releases of 'Nut Rocker' and 'Rock Around The Clock', there's a growing awareness of musical heritage. Even David Bowie, T Rex and Mott The Hoople doffed their caps to it but gave it their own distinctive twist on tracks like 'Drive In Saturday', 'I Love To Boogie' and 'Roll Away The Stone'.

The retro rock 'n' roll-styled groups that charted in the seventies were, of course, quite 'end of the pier' and sanitised compared to the genuine Teddy Boys of the 50s, who had a pretty violent reputation. Ironic, then, that the 70s Teds aligned themselves with the establishment in their hatred of the visible youth movement of the day - punk.

But I don't think it's like anything to do with the odious Cowell, who is only interested in marketing opportunities and making money out of mugs ...

[Glyn W]

Originally Posted by Servalan

Only one other major clanger: the comment that TOTP didn't know how to deal with Siouxsie & The Banshees so they layered their performance with special effects. Clearly someone hadn't done their research as that clip is a promo video - the Banshees never performed 'Hong Kong Garden' live in the studio, as I recall ...

There was another dropped bollock in the documentary. The story of Captain Sensible not being allowed to be in drag on TOTP was brought up - but that wasn't in 1978, it was in 1979, when The Damned had a hit with Love Song and Captain wanted to wear full bridal outfit alongside Vanian dressed as the groom...

[milliejo]

Loved the song at the end, when the credits rolled...And I just love Peter Powell's energy, when he jumped over those people.

[ramraider1]

Originally Posted by Servalan

Thank you for refreshing my memory. I'd guess other soul/disco hits of that era that flourished in the absence of TOTP were George Benson's 'Give Me The Night', Tom Browne's 'Funkin' For Jamaica (NY)' and Change's Chic-tastic 'A Lover's Holiday' ...

I don't think there's much wrong with your memory Servalan - based on your past posts! Pretty good nick - I would say. However you did refresh my memory with your reference to the classic Tom Browne single 'Funkin For Jamaica' which was my favourite record of 1980. And it was in the charts at the same time as Odyssey. Oddysey UIUWIO was the 257th single I bought and FFJ was the 260th. So I know they were out at the same time and like you say - dance music flourished without TOTP back in the mid 1980. Also love Change's A Lover's Holiday and the other side The Glow of Love with Luther was equally as good . Excellent value for money. As Smashie and Nicey would say 'Halicon Days' !!!

[Zimbo78]

Originally Posted by Alrightmate

Can anybody explain why there was so much Teddy Boy stuff in the charts in the mid-70s?
I just don't get it because it wasn't the 1950s.

I think there is always a craze for the music of 20 years earlier. When I was a kid in the 80's, everybody was going on about the 60's and so on.
Also, Happy Days was very popular then. The Fonz has a lot to answer for!

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

I'm pleased I'm not the only member of the Dollar appreciation society. They had great singles, and a decent pairing, and later a fab producer!

I was so cross when they got booted off Re-born In The USA some 10 years ago first act to go. They should have won, or at least come second to Tony Hadley, if anyone recalls this odd Davina fronted ITV show. It ended up more like Killed Off In The USA to me. Oh, and David Van Day had a big spat with the talent free zone that was Sonia, good on him!

I agree that Dollar had some great songs but "Burger" Van Day is a horrible little man, a really nasty piece of work which was evident from his behaviour on both Reborn in the USA and later on Coach Trip where he was paired up with Tony Blackburn who was a total gentleman.

Cheryl Baker was on Coach Trip at the same time and she said on camera how much she loathed DVD and he really does himself no favours, he's a nasty, sexist little pig.

[andyd1302]

Originally Posted by Servalan

That version is only - as far as I know - on the Thank You For The Music boxset ... a shame it was never on the original single as I really think that orchestral intro is a much stronger opening to the song.

Hi all, the extended version with the "Benny intro" also appears as an extra track on Voulez-Vous (Deluxe Edition) Track 11....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Voulez-Vous-Abba/dp/B003IB38UM

[Rich Tea.]

A few interesting points Servalan, regards the 1980 strike and it's possible effects chartwise. If I recall from previous postings, the whole of June and July 1980 TOTP were wiped out. Only last year I discovered for the first time the hit single that Change had in 1980, A Lover's Holiday & The Glow Of Love, a double A side I believe, and not 2 separate hits. Got them both, and played them to bits on iPod.

Regards Bonnie Tyler, of course by 1980 she appeared washed up, and in the start of 1978 was having her biggest hit to date with It's A Heartache, which was No6 in Thursdays edition I think. But of course she was still years away from her two biggest ever hit singles, a No1 in 1983, and a No2 in 1985. By summer 1980, Abba had not topped the UK charts for exactly the same gap as Odyssey had been absent, and looked to be in slight decline some said, but then hit with two further No1 hits by the end of the year. Mind you, in that two and a half year period from early 1978 to summer 1980, all their hits went top 5 still, and were up to scratch without a doubt.

Alrightmate mentioned why there was so much 50's revivalism in the late 70's, and it is only through watching TOTP 1976 through to the first TOTP 1978 that I have become aware of how much appeared to be showing. I recall later Showaddywaddy from about 1978, and then hearing their earlier tracks later on, and considered them all new tracks to me at the time as a 9 year old that year. I Wonder Why? and A Little Bit Of Soap from '78 are more covers I presume?

Listened to Smooth's Double Top 20, with the "Kid" Jensen tonight (6pm-8pm if interested) and he played this week in 1976, so about 3 months before the re-runs began. What struck me was not just the revivals in the charts but the actual original hits coming back as re-releases for some strange reason. At No11 was the ancient Laurel & Hardy Trail Of The Lonesome Pine that had been way up at No2 the week before, even more curious was why the Small Faces were at No9 with Itchycoo Park again, from the 60's. Even Chubby Checker was at No6 with the original versions of The Twist/Let's Twist Again! We saw evidence of this continuing when the re-runs began in the April, when a few Beatles tracks charted and I recall Ruby Flipper doing a sequence to Back In The USSR.

I think 1978 was the last really retro year, and by '79 it was different, until we get to 1986/87/88 with ad's making big hits.

Anyway Alrightmate, if you really want to be shocked at retro music in the 1970's, just take a look at the list of No1 albums from autumn 1976 to spring 1978 and you will be astounded by it, and who was selling. I mentioned it once before on last years thread. If you think 1977 is all about punks and disco, the album chart that year will shatter your illusions massively.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Zimbo78

I think there is always a craze for the music of 20 years earlier. When I was a kid in the 80's, everybody was going on about the 60's and so on.
Also, Happy Days was very popular then. The Fonz has a lot to answer for!

No, Happy Days was much later (1976/7). I think one of the influences was the 1973 David Essex film That'll Be The Day. The first retro Rock and Roll hit I can think of is California Man by The Move in 1972. Can anyone think of an earlier one?

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

I agree that Dollar had some great songs but "Burger" Van Day is a horrible little man, a really nasty piece of work which was evident from his behaviour on both Reborn in the USA and later on Coach Trip where he was paired up with Tony Blackburn who was a total gentleman.

Cheryl Baker was on Coach Trip at the same time and she said on camera how much she loathed DVD and he really does himself no favours, he's a nasty, sexist little pig.

I thought he was good on I'm A Celebrity.

[The Gatherer]

"Where Are We Now?" Down from six to 41 that's where!

[Galaxy266]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

I agree that Dollar had some great songs but "Burger" Van Day is a horrible little man, a really nasty piece of work which was evident from his behaviour on both Reborn in the USA and later on Coach Trip where he was paired up with Tony Blackburn who was a total gentleman.

Cheryl Baker was on Coach Trip at the same time and she said on camera how much she loathed DVD and he really does himself no favours, he's a nasty, sexist little pig.

I think you'll find much of the the bad blood between David Van Day and Cheryl Baker is as result of the court action they were both involved in concerning the rights to use the group name Bucks Fizz!

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

A few interesting points Servalan, regards the 1980 strike and it's possible effects chartwise. If I recall from previous postings, the whole of June and July 1980 TOTP were wiped out. Only last year I discovered for the first time the hit single that Change had in 1980, A Lover's Holiday & The Glow Of Love, a double A side I believe, and not 2 separate hits. Got them both, and played them to bits on iPod.

Regards Bonnie Tyler, of course by 1980 she appeared washed up, and in the start of 1978 was having her biggest hit to date with It's A Heartache, which was No6 in Thursdays edition I think. But of course she was still years away from her two biggest ever hit singles, a No1 in 1983, and a No2 in 1985. By summer 1980, Abba had not topped the UK charts for exactly the same gap as Odyssey had been absent, and looked to be in slight decline some said, but then hit with two further No1 hits by the end of the year. Mind you, in that two and a half year period from early 1978 to summer 1980, all their hits went top 5 still, and were up to scratch without a doubt.

Alrightmate mentioned why there was so much 50's revivalism in the late 70's, and it is only through watching TOTP 1976 through to the first TOTP 1978 that I have become aware of how much appeared to be showing. I recall later Showaddywaddy from about 1978, and then hearing their earlier tracks later on, and considered them all new tracks to me at the time as a 9 year old that year. I Wonder Why? and A Little Bit Of Soap from '78 are more covers I presume?

Listened to Smooth's Double Top 20, with the "Kid" Jensen tonight (6pm-8pm if interested) and he played this week in 1976, so about 3 months before the re-runs began. What struck me was not just the revivals in the charts but the actual original hits coming back as re-releases for some strange reason. At No11 was the ancient Laurel & Hardy Trail Of The Lonesome Pine that had been way up at No2 the week before, even more curious was why the Small Faces were at No9 with Itchycoo Park again, from the 60's. Even Chubby Checker was at No6 with the original versions of The Twist/Let's Twist Again! We saw evidence of this continuing when the re-runs began in the April, when a few Beatles tracks charted and I recall Ruby Flipper doing a sequence to Back In The USSR.

I think 1978 was the last really retro year, and by '79 it was different, until we get to 1986/87/88 with ad's making big hits.

Anyway Alrightmate, if you really want to be shocked at retro music in the 1970's, just take a look at the list of No1 albums from autumn 1976 to spring 1978 and you will be astounded by it, and who was selling. I mentioned it once before on last years thread. If you think 1977 is all about punks and disco, the album chart that year will shatter your illusions massively.

Right backatcha, Rich ...

Re Showaddywaddy: they were interspersing covers with original material up to 1976, with varying success - but the success of 'Under The Moon Of Love' must have had Bell Records on their case to stick with cover versions ... and that's precisely what they did. 1978 is their last big year as a singles chart force.

Re the retro influence: the charts were full of re-releases between 1972 and 1976. Northern Soul is responsible for a certain amount of them ('There's A Ghost In My House', 'The Night', 'Footsee', 'I've Been Hurt') but, beyond that, a growing awareness of pop's past and - The Gatherer is right - the success of That'll The Day helped drive this trend.1976 is particularly bad because of the Beatles' back catalogue, but 1974 isn't far behind with 'Young Girl', 'Baby Love', 'Da Doo Ron Ron', 'Rock Around The Clock' and 'What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted', to name but a few.

If disco, punk and electronic music blew anything away, it's that.

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

"Where Are We Now?" Down from six to 41 that's where!

Not entirely surprising given that CBS made no effort to promote the track once it had been released and most people will be waiting for the parent album.

Spookily, I saw Duncan Jones' film Moon for the first time this weekend. What were the opening words on screen? 'Where are we now?' So is Bowie's latest single part of a well-established tradition of composing songs for his son ('Kooks', 'Joe The Lion', 'Everyone Says Hi')?

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Servalan

Not entirely surprising given that CBS made no effort to promote the track once it had been released and most people will be waiting for the parent album.

Spookily, I saw Duncan Jones' film Moon for the first time this weekend. What were the opening words on screen? 'Where are we now?' So is Bowie's latest single part of a well-established tradition of composing songs for his son ('Kooks', 'Joe The Lion', 'Everyone Says Hi')?

A bit off topic, but what was Moon like? I've seen good reviews of it. (And Joe The Lion is fantastic!)

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

A bit off topic, but what was Moon like? I've seen good reviews of it. (And Joe The Lion is fantastic!)

Very good - but quite subtle. And quite hard sci-fi - it's not a soap opera in space or anything. It's not clear quite what is going on before you are some way into the film - so it requires some patience. But the setting does lend a hint of Bowie influence to the whole thing.

Definitely worth watching.