How did 'Breathing' do so badly in the chart relatively? I'm a bit biased 'cos I love Kate!
It's a good question. I seriously wonder how many people (myself, to my now embarrassment very much included), who back then just didn't 'get it' at the time, but 30 something years on now realise, my god, the woman is genius like and innovative beyond belief. Amazing stuff from Kate B. Really, was just a wow type moment.
It's a good question. I seriously wonder how many people (myself, to my now embarrassment very much included), who back then just didn't 'get it' at the time, but 30 something years on now realise, my god, the woman is genius like and innovative beyond belief. Amazing stuff from Kate B. Really, was just a wow type moment.
Is Kate's output not to be criticised on this, the cliquiest of boards ?
The answer to why, even with a TOTP appearance, it didn't do so well, was that the song was tuneless and poor, to put it technically, it was shit.
We indulge in humour on this thread, it is allowed as is criticism, but I think we expect a bit more than a four letter word in critical discussion. Surely not much to ask, without meaning to sound pompous about it.
A top twenty hit is hardly failure anyway. I'm not immune to Kate Bush criticism at all. I do not like her 1981 hit Sat In Your Lap which made No11 just over a year from these 1980 shows.
I'd go for a 10/10 on that one. I don't do that very often.
Ooh, there's high praise. I'm close to that on this one but am sticking with 9.5, but on second viewing would push it to 9.7/10, (I'm getting creative with my marking now! ;-)). Was great but as you said earlier, where do you do you go if you hit 10, You need to leave a touch of leeway there. Just had a peak at next week's line up. Looks good! We've got a very different and interesting one coming up there I think.
Is Kate's output not to be criticised on this, the cliquiest of boards ?
The answer to why, even with a TOTP appearance, it didn't do so well, was that the song was tuneless and poor, to put it technically, it was shit.
Kate can be criticised. That's what the forum's for. Everyone can have their say.
Sometimes people come on and try to be 'clever' and look for an argument. Most of the posters on here can see right through thatl
Ooh, there's high praise. I'm close to that on this one but am sticking with 9.5, but on second viewing would push it to 9.7/10, (I'm getting creative with my marking now! ;-)). Was great but as you said earlier, where do you do you go if you hit 10, You need to leave a touch of leeway there. Just had a peak at next week's line up. Looks good! We've got a very different and interesting one coming up there I think.
I know. I might have been a bit generous with the 10. Lol
The success of that Rodney Franklin instrumental The Groove is quite interesting and surprising to me. Not a track known to me before hearing it on TOTP these past weeks but No7 seems very generous and it had a rapid rise too - 70, 27, 13, 7 and equally quick fall 11, 14, 46, 58, 74. It is what I call "coffee table music" which is ironic considering the routine with the sofa but no table.
We indulge in humour on this thread, it is allowed as is criticism, but I think we expect a bit more than a four letter word in critical discussion. Surely not much to ask, without meaning to sound pompous about it.
A top twenty hit is hardly failure anyway. I'm not immune to Kate Bush criticism at all. I do not like her 1981 hit Sat In Your Lap which made No11 just over a year from these 1980 shows.
I'll not have a bad word said about 'Sat In Your Lap' Mr. Rich!!
It's a good question. I seriously wonder how many people (myself, to my now embarrassment very much included), who back then just didn't 'get it' at the time, but 30 something years on now realise, my god, the woman is genius like and innovative beyond belief. Amazing stuff from Kate B. Really, was just a wow type moment.
Yes - a lot of Kate's greatest songs failed to make the Top 10 unbelievably - ( including Sat In Your Lap - Rich T )
The same could be said for a few of other great artists at the time - like the wonderful XTC & The Undertones, whose wonderful singles barely scraped into the Top 10 ever!!
The success of that Rodney Franklin instrumental The Groove is quite interesting and surprising to me. Not a track known to me before hearing it on TOTP these past weeks but No7 seems very generous and it had a rapid rise too - 70, 27, 13, 7 and equally quick fall 11, 14, 46, 58, 74. It is what I call "coffee table music" which is ironic considering the routine with the sofa but no table.
The success of 'The Groove', like 'Jazz Carnival', reflects the growth of the jazz-funk scene in the UK at the time, and is also proof of how black music never got sidelined in the British charts in the way anything vaguely disco-y struggled in the US post-1979.
'The Groove' was a big club hit and also spawned a dance craze called 'the freeze' - where dancers would suddenly hold the positions they were in at the point the music pauses.
Is Kate's output not to be criticised on this, the cliquiest of boards ?
The answer to why, even with a TOTP appearance, it didn't do so well, was that the song was tuneless and poor, to put it technically, it was shit.
You may think it was 'poor' but it clearly isn't tuneless. What 'Breathing' is, however, is challenging, political and experimental. Which may not be to everyone's tastes, granted - and Kate had quite mixed fortunes on the singles chart - but it's her versatility and her willingness to push boundaries that sets her apart from so many others.
The success of that Rodney Franklin instrumental The Groove is quite interesting and surprising to me. Not a track known to me before hearing it on TOTP these past weeks but No7 seems very generous and it had a rapid rise too - 70, 27, 13, 7 and equally quick fall 11, 14, 46, 58, 74. It is what I call "coffee table music" which is ironic considering the routine with the sofa but no table.
'The Groove' was a very popular track in clubs / discos at the time and the track created a short-lived dance craze called "The Freeze". Basically when the music stopped during the track the dancer would "freeze" on the spot until the music restarted.
The single was very popular in the south, especially in the London area, and I'm guessing a large percentage of its sales were from the south. The single topped the Record Mirror Disco chart for 3 weeks in mid to late May 1980 - I think most of the DJ's who provided the data for the chart were southern based.
Another record that was popular during the short lived craze of "The Freeze" was 'The Scratch' by Surface Noise. That record made number 26 in June 1980. Top Of The Pops was off-air when this record was in the top 40 - goodness knows what dance routine Legs & Co could have done to this one as their dance routine to 'The Groove' was abysmal!
'The Scratch' is a nice, groove-driven, jazz-funk track that seems to be long forgotten these days. Again, like 'The Groove', it reached number 1 on the Record Mirror Disco chart, this time for one week on the chart dated 5 July 1980 - the same day that Bjorn Borg beat John McEnroe at Wimbledon in a 5 set thriller.
Comments
It was a No16 sandwich between Breathing and Army Dreamers later in the year.
It's a good question. I seriously wonder how many people (myself, to my now embarrassment very much included), who back then just didn't 'get it' at the time, but 30 something years on now realise, my god, the woman is genius like and innovative beyond belief. Amazing stuff from Kate B. Really, was just a wow type moment.
I know Rich. 'Babooshka' deserved so much more than No.5!
Shit song.
Simple.
You summed it up perfectly Torch.
Would have been an extra point but for that atrocious Lemmy track and the generic Chords.
Shit post!
Even simpler. ;-)
I'd go for a 10/10 on that one. I don't do that very often.
Very adult.
Is Kate's output not to be criticised on this, the cliquiest of boards ?
The answer to why, even with a TOTP appearance, it didn't do so well, was that the song was tuneless and poor, to put it technically, it was shit.
A top twenty hit is hardly failure anyway. I'm not immune to Kate Bush criticism at all. I do not like her 1981 hit Sat In Your Lap which made No11 just over a year from these 1980 shows.
No it wasn't. But it's all about personal taste I suppose so....
... each to their own.
Indeed. ;-)
Slightly harsh but true assessment RT. Didn't mind The Chords personally but the Motorhead track was very forgettable.
Ooh, there's high praise. I'm close to that on this one but am sticking with 9.5, but on second viewing would push it to 9.7/10, (I'm getting creative with my marking now! ;-)). Was great but as you said earlier, where do you do you go if you hit 10, You need to leave a touch of leeway there. Just had a peak at next week's line up. Looks good! We've got a very different and interesting one coming up there I think.
Kate can be criticised. That's what the forum's for. Everyone can have their say.
Sometimes people come on and try to be 'clever' and look for an argument. Most of the posters on here can see right through thatl
I know. I might have been a bit generous with the 10. Lol
I'll not have a bad word said about 'Sat In Your Lap' Mr. Rich!!
Jumped off your lap for once.
Yes - a lot of Kate's greatest songs failed to make the Top 10 unbelievably - ( including Sat In Your Lap - Rich T
The same could be said for a few of other great artists at the time - like the wonderful XTC & The Undertones, whose wonderful singles barely scraped into the Top 10 ever!!
The success of 'The Groove', like 'Jazz Carnival', reflects the growth of the jazz-funk scene in the UK at the time, and is also proof of how black music never got sidelined in the British charts in the way anything vaguely disco-y struggled in the US post-1979.
'The Groove' was a big club hit and also spawned a dance craze called 'the freeze' - where dancers would suddenly hold the positions they were in at the point the music pauses.
You may think it was 'poor' but it clearly isn't tuneless. What 'Breathing' is, however, is challenging, political and experimental. Which may not be to everyone's tastes, granted - and Kate had quite mixed fortunes on the singles chart - but it's her versatility and her willingness to push boundaries that sets her apart from so many others.
The single was very popular in the south, especially in the London area, and I'm guessing a large percentage of its sales were from the south. The single topped the Record Mirror Disco chart for 3 weeks in mid to late May 1980 - I think most of the DJ's who provided the data for the chart were southern based.
Another record that was popular during the short lived craze of "The Freeze" was 'The Scratch' by Surface Noise. That record made number 26 in June 1980. Top Of The Pops was off-air when this record was in the top 40 - goodness knows what dance routine Legs & Co could have done to this one as their dance routine to 'The Groove' was abysmal!
'The Scratch' is a nice, groove-driven, jazz-funk track that seems to be long forgotten these days. Again, like 'The Groove', it reached number 1 on the Record Mirror Disco chart, this time for one week on the chart dated 5 July 1980 - the same day that Bjorn Borg beat John McEnroe at Wimbledon in a 5 set thriller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYNIc_M1ng