I hope that doesn't spoil anything for anyone. I did wonder whether I should have put that info in spoiler tags but didn't think it really necessary. A good and very eclectic looking line up also. But I won't mention anyone's name whose on! If you want to know go look yourself.
Not much point in spoiler tags now, given that the intro to the show in the new format previews everything!
A real pity that we have two successive Yewtreed episodes at the start of September. The second of them (co-hosted by Savile) features Splodgenessabounds version of "Two Little Boys"...could that performance be the first ever example of a "double Yewtree"?
The Roxy song is obviously great, but because it has such good punch to the music it really doesn't need the usual drunk swaying over-performance.
Errol don't need no microphone.
The Kelly Marie song I see as looking backwards (not a bad thing) to classic disco with that heartbeat effect.
The Gap Band song I don't remember liking, and the dull sound of the music from that video (I assume not the single recording) didn't help.
The Odyssey track they only played a little rhythm from, hard to recognise the melody at all from that.
Mariana had a raspy verse vocal like Cuba, a bit melodramatic again but all good fun I guess. The chorus of course is a very catchy singalong.
The blue eye makeup on the Abba track is a bit strange but I wonder if it was just meant to add to the tired older look in the video, like she's a performer at the end of her career.
At the end, next to the dancers, they had a screen of some images of the acts at the top of the charts.
The Piranhas' song was decent (drummer at front again and a bit funny, but it's all fun), so was Sheena's. Tom Browne's song actually grows on me as it goes on, like it builds up the energy.
The blue eye makeup on the Abba track is a bit strange but I wonder if it was just meant to add to the tired older look in the video, like she's a performer at the end of her career.
.
Blue eyeshadow was all the rage back then. I remember my older sister doing her make up before setting off to work & she had a palette of blue eyeshadow just like Agnetha's!! ;-)
Peter Powell still doesn't sound like a natural presenter to me - he is prone to say things like "forthcoming album out coming out soon", seemed unable to mention Hot Chocolate without referring to "Every 1's a Winner", and just generally seems a bit "awkward".
If you've seen any of the recent Yewtreed DLT episodes - there is a man who was completely at ease in the role and never seems to fall over his words.
Peter Powell still doesn't sound like a natural presenter to me - he is prone to say things like "forthcoming album out coming out soon", seemed unable to mention Hot Chocolate without referring to "Every 1's a Winner", and just generally seems a bit "awkward".
If you've seen any of the recent Yewtreed DLT episodes - there is a man who was completely at ease in the role and never seems to fall over his words.
I know... I kept getting my hopes up that Hot Chocolate were really going to play "Everyone's a Winner"!! (My favourite song of theirs!!)
DLT may have seemed more at ease - but I always found him a bit corny as a presenter, not that we'll be seeing him presenting anymore now anyway...
I know... I kept getting my hopes up that Hot Chocolate were really going to play "Everyone's a Winner"!! (My favourite song of theirs!!)
DLT may have seemed more at ease - but I always found him a bit corny as a presenter, not that we'll be seeing him presenting anymore now anyway...
DLT was very good within the show's makeover, and arguably the DJ best suited to the changes, in terms of his own personality. Peter Powell was good mind, on that first edition, although he didn't do much explaining about the new features within the show's format. Tommy Vance this week explains the meaning of the new up and down arrows during the top 40 countdown (not that it isn't obvious in its own way).
Peter Powell still doesn't sound like a natural presenter to me - he is prone to say things like "forthcoming album out coming out soon", seemed unable to mention Hot Chocolate without referring to "Every 1's a Winner", and just generally seems a bit "awkward".
If you've seen any of the recent Yewtreed DLT episodes - there is a man who was completely at ease in the role and never seems to fall over his words.
Presenting is much harder than it looks. Try coming up with interesting and original things to say in just 10 or 15 seconds between the songs. It's quite a skill. Always thought Peter Powell did a decent job given the limitations of the format.
I think I snobbishly wrote these of as Pub Rock, Power Pop at the time ,saw a live OGWT appearance "sounds of the 70's ?" recently and realised I was very wrong, they sounded tight as f**k.
DLT was very good within the show's makeover, and arguably the DJ best suited to the changes, in terms of his own personality. Peter Powell was good mind, on that first edition, although he didn't do much explaining about the new features within the show's format. Tommy Vance this week explains the meaning of the new up and down arrows during the top 40 countdown (not that it isn't obvious in its own way).
No way! Well, if that's the case I'm very much looking forward to that. I'm sure the viewing audience was utterly perplexed at the time by this extraordinary innovation. ;-)
DLT was very good within the show's makeover, and arguably the DJ best suited to the changes, in terms of his own personality. Peter Powell was good mind, on that first edition, although he didn't do much explaining about the new features within the show's format. Tommy Vance this week explains the meaning of the new up and down arrows during the top 40 countdown (not that it isn't obvious in its own way).
Will you do me a favour Jedikiah and explain them for me ahead of Thursday's show so I'm fully prepared, thanks.
Just saw Roger Daltrey doing his set at Glasto and although he looks good still, his voice failed him a couple of times and was struggling in parts I thought. The Who did one of my fave's of theirs which we will see on TOTP in a few months time in early 1981 with You Better You Bet.
Just saw Roger Daltrey doing his set at Glasto and although he looks good still, his voice failed him a couple of times and was struggling in parts I thought. The Who did one of my fave's of theirs which we will see on TOTP in a few months time in early 1981 with You Better You Bet.
Love The Who!! They are a great live band - even though they will never have the same energy as back in the 60s & 70s!! Think this may be their last tour!
I'll be seeing Roger in a Q&A session soon with the film Tommy!! Can't wait!!
Yes, from the context of today things are a little different, because we aren't actually subjected to that amount of disco, and all the more mediocre and novelty disco etc. which has fallen by the wayside in the intervening years. What we hear generally on the radio today etc. is cherry picked and very much the cream of the crop. I think we are much more sensitive too about a comment like Roger made, relating to homophobia, when his comment was really more targeted at disco, because it related to its early cultural beginnings, which was because Roger was throughly cheesed off with it, and it was a way of venting his frustration. He makes comments about Legs & Co. too, which perhaps wouldn't be the norm today, as it would be deemed a little sexist. However, those days were very different, and possibly not having the added interpretation the likes of the recent paedophile cases, have encouraged, changes one's perceptions a little.
Sorry, but I have to say that Daltrey's comment in that TOTP re Village People is very obviously homophobic - not a word in use in 1980, but that is unmistakably what it is. VP's origins may have been oblivious to most people when 'YMCA' got to Number 1, but by this time the tabloids had done their exposés and the group's chart fortunes had already started waning. Vance knew what kind of response his question would elicit and so we have our second 'anti-disco' comment in two editions from two artists whose own chart fortunes were hardly sparkling. So really Daltrey's and EJ's comments smack of sour grapes from two artists panicking that their own music might no longer be relevant to the youth market.
EJ was, of course, one of the first white artists to try and capitalise on the first wave of disco with 'Philadelphia Freedom' in 1975 - clearly he was trying to rewrite history by rubbishing it. And hugely ironic that Daltrey's comment followed a performance by Grace Jones, an artist whose career and reputation were built on disco, before she was paired up with Sly & Robbie.
As for what we hear on the radio today - it is cherry-picked, but by whom? The music industry, trying to control what we listen to, and radio stations, toeing the line (with the exception of 6Music). And it most certainly isn't the cream of the crop - unless the crop is limited to three musical genres (and calling them 'genres' is being generous).
Unlike in the past it's very hard to control what people listen to now. Most listen to their mp3s and not music on the radio. These days you can hear stuff from all around the world and obscure stuff much easier than you could in the past when many things would have been impossible to hear from within your own country.
And Elton John made fun of himself as having killed disco. Then he said he would have liked the Chic mixes more than what Diana Ross ended up with.
Unlike in the past it's very hard to control what people listen to now. Most listen to their mp3s and not music on the radio. These days you can hear stuff from all around the world and obscure stuff much easier than you could in the past when many things would have been impossible to hear from within your own country.
And Elton John made fun of himself as having killed disco. Then he said he would have liked the Chic mixes more than what Diana Ross ended up with.
BIB - even though he couldn't have heard them! ;-)
He is, though, actually right on that issue - the original Chic mixes are, in general, better than the official diana album.
EJ even making fun of himself for having killed disco doesn't quite scan. The songs he did with Thom Bell in 1979 may have faltered over here at the time, but generated a Top Ten hit in the US ('Mama Can't Buy You Love') … and, of course, 'Are You Ready For Love?' became a number one here in 2003 after being remixed by disco devotee Ashley Beedle … so actually, Elton didn't kill disco at all - neither in 1980 or since!
Presenting is much harder than it looks. Try coming up with interesting and original things to say in just 10 or 15 seconds between the songs. It's quite a skill. Always thought Peter Powell did a decent job given the limitations of the format.
It is a skill if you have to ad-lib, but TOTP presenters knew exactly what was coming up on the show, and had time to prepare. Some of them clearly didn't bother.
Mind you, I speak as one who would have been happier without the whole lot of them: just the performance and a TOTP2-style caption is all I required. Like the presenter-free bits of Glastonbury. Although there, I wish they would leave the captions up a little longer. Because too often I'm doing something else, think "this is good, what is it?" and by the time I get a look at the screen, the caption's gone.
Sorry, but I have to say that Daltrey's comment in that TOTP re Village People is very obviously homophobic - not a word in use in 1980, but that is unmistakably what it is. VP's origins may have been oblivious to most people when 'YMCA' got to Number 1, but by this time the tabloids had done their exposés and the group's chart fortunes had already started waning. Vance knew what kind of response his question would elicit and so we have our second 'anti-disco' comment in two editions from two artists whose own chart fortunes were hardly sparkling. So really Daltrey's and EJ's comments smack of sour grapes from two artists panicking that their own music might no longer be relevant to the youth market.
EJ was, of course, one of the first white artists to try and capitalise on the first wave of disco with 'Philadelphia Freedom' in 1975 - clearly he was trying to rewrite history by rubbishing it. And hugely ironic that Daltrey's comment followed a performance by Grace Jones, an artist whose career and reputation were built on disco, before she was paired up with Sly & Robbie.
As for what we hear on the radio today - it is cherry-picked, but by whom? The music industry, trying to control what we listen to, and radio stations, toeing the line (with the exception of 6Music). And it most certainly isn't the cream of the crop - unless the crop is limited to three musical genres (and calling them 'genres' is being generous).
No, Philadelphia Freedom was in no way disco, it was "blue eyed soul". World of difference between that and the disco of 1978 onwards.
It is a skill if you have to ad-lib, but TOTP presenters knew exactly what was coming up on the show, and had time to prepare. Some of them clearly didn't bother.
Mind you, I speak as one who would have been happier without the whole lot of them: just the performance and a TOTP2-style caption is all I required. Like the presenter-free bits of Glastonbury. Although there, I wish they would leave the captions up a little longer. Because too often I'm doing something else, think "this is good, what is it?" and by the time I get a look at the screen, the caption's gone.
The captions on TOTP2 usually tell us nothing or are wildly inaccurate so I for one am pleased TOTP never had them.
BIB - even though he couldn't have heard them! ;-)
He is, though, actually right on that issue - the original Chic mixes are, in general, better than the official diana album.
EJ even making fun of himself for having killed disco doesn't quite scan. The songs he did with Thom Bell in 1979 may have faltered over here at the time, but generated a Top Ten hit in the US ('Mama Can't Buy You Love') … and, of course, 'Are You Ready For Love?' became a number one here in 2003 after being remixed by disco devotee Ashley Beedle … so actually, Elton didn't kill disco at all - neither in 1980 or since!
Listening to it the Chic mix has much more energy which is the purpose of a dance track. I read someone suggesting it was too disco for 1980, obviously referring to the US and not here. I think the Chic version could definitely have done well here.
I think Elton was referring to his slightly later Victim of Love album. The 'Thom Bell sessions' (and what a great producer/songwriter Thom was) did produce the mighty 'Mama', 'Are You Ready' isn't as memorable for me, which shows the randomness of what gets resurrected and what doesn't.
Comments
Not much point in spoiler tags now, given that the intro to the show in the new format previews everything!
A real pity that we have two successive Yewtreed episodes at the start of September. The second of them (co-hosted by Savile) features Splodgenessabounds version of "Two Little Boys"...could that performance be the first ever example of a "double Yewtree"?
No. I thought he might have done a song or two but it wasn't to be. They were brilliant though, well worth seeing.
Although you could argue that really it's nothing to do with Rolf, the song was written decades before he was even born!
Diana Ross song is ok, but the best dance number by her is Gettin' Ready For Love for me, much more uplifting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywbUh0KjNPQ
The Roxy song is obviously great, but because it has such good punch to the music it really doesn't need the usual drunk swaying over-performance.
Errol don't need no microphone.
The Kelly Marie song I see as looking backwards (not a bad thing) to classic disco with that heartbeat effect.
The Gap Band song I don't remember liking, and the dull sound of the music from that video (I assume not the single recording) didn't help.
The Odyssey track they only played a little rhythm from, hard to recognise the melody at all from that.
Mariana had a raspy verse vocal like Cuba, a bit melodramatic again but all good fun I guess. The chorus of course is a very catchy singalong.
The blue eye makeup on the Abba track is a bit strange but I wonder if it was just meant to add to the tired older look in the video, like she's a performer at the end of her career.
At the end, next to the dancers, they had a screen of some images of the acts at the top of the charts.
The Piranhas' song was decent (drummer at front again and a bit funny, but it's all fun), so was Sheena's. Tom Browne's song actually grows on me as it goes on, like it builds up the energy.
Blue eyeshadow was all the rage back then. I remember my older sister doing her make up before setting off to work & she had a palette of blue eyeshadow just like Agnetha's!! ;-)
If you've seen any of the recent Yewtreed DLT episodes - there is a man who was completely at ease in the role and never seems to fall over his words.
I know... I kept getting my hopes up that Hot Chocolate were really going to play "Everyone's a Winner"!!
DLT may have seemed more at ease - but I always found him a bit corny as a presenter, not that we'll be seeing him presenting anymore now anyway...
the motors of 1978 hit airport.....
here in 1980
DLT was very good within the show's makeover, and arguably the DJ best suited to the changes, in terms of his own personality. Peter Powell was good mind, on that first edition, although he didn't do much explaining about the new features within the show's format. Tommy Vance this week explains the meaning of the new up and down arrows during the top 40 countdown (not that it isn't obvious in its own way).
Presenting is much harder than it looks. Try coming up with interesting and original things to say in just 10 or 15 seconds between the songs. It's quite a skill. Always thought Peter Powell did a decent job given the limitations of the format.
I think I snobbishly wrote these of as Pub Rock, Power Pop at the time ,saw a live OGWT appearance "sounds of the 70's ?" recently and realised I was very wrong, they sounded tight as f**k.
Just saw Roger Daltrey doing his set at Glasto and although he looks good still, his voice failed him a couple of times and was struggling in parts I thought. The Who did one of my fave's of theirs which we will see on TOTP in a few months time in early 1981 with You Better You Bet.
Love The Who!! They are a great live band - even though they will never have the same energy as back in the 60s & 70s!! Think this may be their last tour!
I'll be seeing Roger in a Q&A session soon with the film Tommy!! Can't wait!!
Sorry, but I have to say that Daltrey's comment in that TOTP re Village People is very obviously homophobic - not a word in use in 1980, but that is unmistakably what it is. VP's origins may have been oblivious to most people when 'YMCA' got to Number 1, but by this time the tabloids had done their exposés and the group's chart fortunes had already started waning. Vance knew what kind of response his question would elicit and so we have our second 'anti-disco' comment in two editions from two artists whose own chart fortunes were hardly sparkling. So really Daltrey's and EJ's comments smack of sour grapes from two artists panicking that their own music might no longer be relevant to the youth market.
EJ was, of course, one of the first white artists to try and capitalise on the first wave of disco with 'Philadelphia Freedom' in 1975 - clearly he was trying to rewrite history by rubbishing it. And hugely ironic that Daltrey's comment followed a performance by Grace Jones, an artist whose career and reputation were built on disco, before she was paired up with Sly & Robbie.
As for what we hear on the radio today - it is cherry-picked, but by whom? The music industry, trying to control what we listen to, and radio stations, toeing the line (with the exception of 6Music). And it most certainly isn't the cream of the crop - unless the crop is limited to three musical genres (and calling them 'genres' is being generous).
And Elton John made fun of himself as having killed disco. Then he said he would have liked the Chic mixes more than what Diana Ross ended up with.
BIB - even though he couldn't have heard them! ;-)
He is, though, actually right on that issue - the original Chic mixes are, in general, better than the official diana album.
EJ even making fun of himself for having killed disco doesn't quite scan. The songs he did with Thom Bell in 1979 may have faltered over here at the time, but generated a Top Ten hit in the US ('Mama Can't Buy You Love') … and, of course, 'Are You Ready For Love?' became a number one here in 2003 after being remixed by disco devotee Ashley Beedle … so actually, Elton didn't kill disco at all - neither in 1980 or since!
It is a skill if you have to ad-lib, but TOTP presenters knew exactly what was coming up on the show, and had time to prepare. Some of them clearly didn't bother.
Mind you, I speak as one who would have been happier without the whole lot of them: just the performance and a TOTP2-style caption is all I required. Like the presenter-free bits of Glastonbury. Although there, I wish they would leave the captions up a little longer. Because too often I'm doing something else, think "this is good, what is it?" and by the time I get a look at the screen, the caption's gone.
I drove my wife mad practising Animal Nitrate on guitar.
No, Philadelphia Freedom was in no way disco, it was "blue eyed soul". World of difference between that and the disco of 1978 onwards.
The captions on TOTP2 usually tell us nothing or are wildly inaccurate so I for one am pleased TOTP never had them.
Listening to it the Chic mix has much more energy which is the purpose of a dance track. I read someone suggesting it was too disco for 1980, obviously referring to the US and not here. I think the Chic version could definitely have done well here.
I think Elton was referring to his slightly later Victim of Love album. The 'Thom Bell sessions' (and what a great producer/songwriter Thom was) did produce the mighty 'Mama', 'Are You Ready' isn't as memorable for me, which shows the randomness of what gets resurrected and what doesn't.