[Robbie01]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

Wow! That is fascinating Robbie, thanks for that quick and detailed reply! Any idea what Bowie at No6 sold last week? I've been wondering, and guessing about 60,000 maybe?

Not quite 60,000! It was 30,849. That was just the sales of the single 99p download, sales of the track as part of the pre-order promotion which saw a purchaser pay 99p now for the track with the balance for the album to be paid when the album is released were classed as ineligible sales (as they will count towards sales of the album when it is released) and therefore aren't in the above total. I don't know how many sales weren't included but Alan Jones wrote that if those sales had been counted the track "absolutely would not have been number one".

[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

Yup. Liz Kershaw apparently hated him but was professional throughout.

Well he clearly looked very pushy towards the end last night and was damned determined to get his face on screen at all costs it looked like to me!

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

But you still have to wonder why the hell they were prepared to showcase such total amateurish garbage as Long Tall Ernie & The Shakers, and Tonight, amongst quite a few from previous editions, when these acts were not "Top" of anyone's "Pops" and were never going to be.

BIB - Tonight also appeared on Crackerjack and 'Drummer Man' peaked at No. 14 in the chart.

[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

Not quite 60,000! It was 30,849. That was just the sales of the single 99p download, sales of the track as part of the pre-order promotion which saw a purchaser pay 99p now for the track with the balance for the album to be paid when the album is released were classed as ineligible sales (as they will count towards sales of the album when it is released) and therefore aren't in the above total. I don't know how many sales weren't included but Alan Jones wrote that if those sales had been counted the track "absolutely would not have been number one".

Well I was one of those 30,849 people, as were a few on here I dare say. This week in 2005 he would have been No1 with that. I tend not to buy albums until I hear them, even with Bowie.
I have heard, and correct me if I am wrong, that the sales of singles down the entire chart are more evenly spread nowadays, with no huge differentials between the top tracks and the lesser ones, and considering I overestimated Bowie's sales almost double, it reminded me of this fact I've heard.


Fave St, Tonight at No14, hell that passed me by!

[milliejo]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

Yup. Liz Kershaw apparently hated him but was professional throughout.

I remember week after week he was digging at her for putting on weight until she revealed she was in fact pregnant. It was nasty stuff...And Bruno Brookes had that kudos at the time because he did the Top 40 on Sunday evenings. It also must have got to him to be around Peter Powell who was married to Anthea Turner and most likely knew what he was like. He was angry and vicious, yet Liz Kershaw was very cool about it.
He has also said nothing about her being felt up, even though he was there, if it happened during the weekend breakfast shows.

[pete137]

Long Tall Ernie ! WTF was that all about ?

[Tele_addict]

We may not be able to see the DLT episode next week or a full upload but it's surprising what you can find thanks to youtube. Most of the performances from 19th January 1978 are available, so I have compiled them in order. At least it's better than nothing, enjoy!

HEATWAVE – The Groove Line (Audio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPlEuIpxp4o

NAZARETH - Good Train Gone (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yJGM...e=results_main

ODYSSEY - Native New Yorker (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToLpTEPwc1w

SMOKIE – For A Few Dollars More (Performance from another programme, not TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoioTX3xm6s

BROTHERHOOD OF MAN – Figaro (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eAvMMRikEI

THE IMPERIALS – Who’s Gonna Love Me (Audio of the original single)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSdgzVIg96c

SCOTT FITZGERALD & YVONNE KEELEY – If I Had Words (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfN0RLCr2jY

THE SWEET – Love Is Like Oxygen (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdsBfovFOfk

ALTHIA & DONNA – Uptown Top Ranking (danced to by Legs & Co)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJmUIdlt2f4

RADIO STARS – Nervous Wreck (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGzLQsqn1nQ

WINGS – Mull Of Kintyre (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFRcMYjut4o

Thankfully for me it is not one of the best TOTP episodes we are missing, some of this stuff belongs in 1976 and is rather forgettable, apart from the Legs and Co routine to Uptown Top Ranking! So not a great loss really. That can't be said for the next TOTP episode though featuring Blondie's first appearance, but hopefully if DLT is let off without charge in march then that will be the last of his episodes to be missed.

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

Fave St, Tonight at No14, hell that passed me by!

Tonight made their second TOTP appearance as the opening act on 9 February 1978 - again introduced by Peter Powell - so there's a treat in store for you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYhTtMCNqyQ

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Tele_addict

THE SWEET – Love Is Like Oxygen (TOTP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdsBfovFOfk

One of my all-time favourite tracks!

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

Fave St, Tonight at No14, hell that passed me by!

Tonight reaching number 14 is almost certainly down to that first TOTP appearance from last night's show - a major achievement by the group's record label and/or pluggers, given that the single wasn't, I'm pretty sure I'm correct in saying, even in the Top 50 then. I certainly have a strong recollection of seeing that episode and wondering who the hell the group was and why they'd got a slot on the show ...

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

One of my all-time favourite tracks!

Mine too!

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Tele_addict

We may not be able to see the DLT episode next week or a full upload but it's surprising what you can find thanks to youtube.

ALTHIA & DONNA – Uptown Top Ranking (danced to by Legs & Co)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJmUIdlt2f4

Thankfully for me it is not one of the best TOTP episodes we are missing, some of this stuff belongs in 1976 and is rather forgettable, apart from the Legs and Co routine to Uptown Top Ranking!

Thanks for that link Tele_addict - you've gone to a lot of trouble .
BIB - it's 35 years since I last saw that routine - I had no idea it was on YouTube .
I'd also forgotten it was (criminally) cut short .

[alcockell]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

Love that track!

As I didn't actually see this tonight, it's not the one where they showed a cartoon video to the song, is it? I seem to recall something from the time about TOTP playing Native New Yorker over a strange cartoon video set in a high-class New York hotel, set somewhere in the 1920s-40s. It looked like an old cartoon that seemed to fit the song, or had been edited to.

That would have been back in 1976 - You Don't Have To Go by the Chi-Lites. Synced over Page Miss Glory (I think) , an old Tex Avery Warner Merrie Melodies cartoon.
TOTP1976 Chi-Lites version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWFLKj4CyyY

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Originally Posted by alcockell

That would have been back in 1976 - You Don't Have To Go by the Chi-Lites. Synced over Paging Miss Polly, an old Tex Avery Warner Merrie Melodies cartoon.
TOTP1976 Chi-Lites version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWFLKj4CyyY

Yes! That's the one I remember! I remember the woman getting her dress's skirt stepped on and it coming off, then her doing the dance with the ferns-also the bell-hops and the lifts going up and down. My memory had changed the song to Native New Yorker, which seemed likely given New York would have lots of hotels!

[davethecue]

Originally Posted by Tele_addict

We may not be able to see the DLT episode next week or a full upload but it's surprising what you can find thanks to youtube. Most of the performances from 19th January 1978 are available, so I have compiled them in order. At least it's better than nothing,

Excellent. Thanks for this

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Servalan

Mine too!

Yes - my favourite Sweet song too! - Luckily we get to see it on TV in Tony Blackburn's edition!

[Misty08]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

To be fair I was talking about singles, I haven't heard the albums. In my view, with a few exceptions of course, his singles from Mull of Kintyre onwards were nowhere near as good as the ones before.

To be fair, you should listen to the albums. He is notoriously bad at picking singles. And alot haven`t had airplay, anyway. I though "Fine Line" was an excellent single. Know that one? (I bet you don`t).

I`m glad I`m not the only one defending Paul, incidentally.He really shouldn`t need to be defended, though.

[Zimbo78]

I never liked Bruno Brookes when I was a kid, but I could never put my finger on why! He didn't have a particularly pleasant broadcasting voice and was quite ugly too.

I remember being disappointed when he took over the top40 from Mark Goodier in 1992.

Incidentally, when brookes appeared on one of the recent bbc 4 programmes on the charts, he looked exactly like Andy Gray!

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by Zimbo78

I never liked Bruno Brookes when I was a kid, but I could never put my finger on why! He didn't have a particularly pleasant broadcasting voice and was quite ugly too.

I remember being disappointed when he took over the top40 from Mark Goodier in 1992.

Incidentally, when brookes appeared on one of the recent bbc 4 programmes on the charts, he looked exactly like Andy Gray!

He seems to be the epitome of "small man syndrome" and there definitely is a resemblance to Andy Gray (blech).

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I used to quite like Bruno Brookes. He once said Who Were You With In The Moonlight, by Dollar, was one of his favourite songs. Ditto here. So he can't be all bad.

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

I used to quite like Bruno Brookes. He once said Who Were You With In The Moonlight, by Dollar, was one of his favourite songs. Ditto here. So he can't be all bad.

Yes I like that one too! - Good intro!

[welwynrose]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

One of my all-time favourite tracks!

And mine

[darren1090]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

The Odyssey track is the best on this edition by a mile. After this hit, strangely they waited until Summer 1980 for the next hit, a No1!

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.

[Servalan]

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.

I rather suspect the 'reason' is that RCA weren't prepared to put any effort into developing Odyssey as long-term artists. Rightly or wrongly, disco's consistency lay more in its writers and producers than in performing artists - the likes of Donna Summer and Earth, Wind & Fire were exceptions to the rule - and most records' fate lay really with the dancefloors and DJs in the US and then here.

If an act had a hot streak, then money would be spent on them - Chic, for instance - but as soon as the hits started drying up, the record company would lose interest. Rock and pop acts were treated far less mercilessly.

[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

I used to quite like Bruno Brookes. He once said Who Were You With In The Moonlight, by Dollar, was one of his favourite songs. Ditto here. So he can't be all bad.

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!