[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

Is it right that we wont see Blondie's debut singing Denis cos it's a DLT episode?

If so, I will have to wait an extra three weeks at least to see Manhattan Transfer perform 'Walk in Love' in the TOTP studio.

[Westy2]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

^^ You're welcome. Is it right that we wont see Blondie's debut singing Denis cos it's a DLT episode?

Wasnt that performance used on DLT's Dj Heaven?

[SillyBoyBlue]

Originally Posted by UrsulaU

Exactly!! - I'm so lucky to have grown up in the late 70s/early 80s as the music then was truly unique and groundbreaking - I feel sorry for the young of today with their manufactured pop and near x-rated videos to try and sell mediocre music!!

- In our day you didn't need sexy videos to sell the music - it sold by itself!!

The problem, as I see it, with most of today's music is that it just isn't sexy. Yes, lyrics may be much more explicit than they were in the past, and the videos full of near-naked gyrating bodies, but the actual music is totally neutered.

Homogenised production techniques and uninspired songwriting have replaced the pure sex of music that so excited kids in the 60s & 70s. When you see young girls screaming at, I dunno, One Direction for instance, it seems so orchestrated, so manufactured. Yet watch the Rolling Stones early performances in the film Crossfire Hurricane - the music itself is brimming with an unspecific burning lust - the (mainly female) audience are riotous with genuine hysteria.

Listen to a song like T.Rex's 'The Slider'... it positively oozes sex even though the lyrics aren't sexual at all. Now listen to something by Lady GaGa...

NEUTERED!

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Westy2

Wasnt that performance used on DLT's Dj Heaven?

I can't remember off the top of my head - has that series ever been rebroadcast since its first screening on BBC2 twenty years ago?

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

What an absolute scunner that is. Picture This is my favourite track off Parallel Lines. I veer between that and Union City Blue as my all time fave Blondie single.

Yes - one of the reasons why the BBC should stop messing around with the episodes - Blondie's FIRST ever TOTP appearance will be cut!

P.S - My favourite Blondie song was/is Always Touched by Your Presence Dear - another 1978 classic!

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

Hmmm......

But I certainly haven't picked a fight with Rich Tea, I have just objected to the way he has hijacked the thread to voice his strongly negative and often offensive views which have nothing to do with the topic. As examples, SAW (not around till the mid 80s), rap (not around till the next year), X Factor (not around till mid 2000s) have nothing to do with TOTP 1978. If people wish to make such comments on this thread they should not object when others rebut them. You will notice that I haven't made any such comments myself, apart from in response to what other members have posted.

I take your point - but I think references to other eras, and the present state of the charts in particular are valid in the context of comparison with 1978. I'd say one reason the 1978 TOTP repeats are equally invigorating and frustrating is because, for all the flaws of the charts back then, they look positively glorious next to the homogenised tripe that the music industry is now using to render the Top 40 pointless.

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Servalan

I take your point - but I think references to other eras, and the present state of the charts in particular are valid in the context of comparison with 1978. .

Yes me too!

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by UrsulaU

Yes - one of the reasons why the BBC should stop messing around with the episodes - Blondie's FIRST ever TOTP appearance will be cut!

P.S - My favourite Blondie song was/is Always Touched by Your Presence Dear - another 1978 classic!

BIB - yes, yes, and yes. I love Blondie but that track is my favourite too. Represented on TOTP by a promo video, as I recall - but there's an OGWT performance in the studio ...

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Servalan

BIB - yes, yes, and yes. I love Blondie but that track is my favourite too. Represented on TOTP by a promo video, as I recall ..

Hurray!

- A promo clip is better than nothing - hope it's not on DLT's/JS's show!

..Yes - fortunately I have the OGWT version!

[Robbie01]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

What an absolute scunner that is. Picture This is my favourite track off Parallel Lines. I veer between that and Union City Blue as my all time fave Blondie single.

'Picture This' is brilliant as is the B side, 'Fade Away (And Radiate)', another track from the excellent 'Parallel Lines' album. It was the first Blondie single I bought, and on yellow vinyl too.

I also preferred 'Union City Blue' to 'Dreaming', the first single from 'Eat To The Beat'.

[Rich Tea.]

The Gatherer has form going back a long way in nitpicking fault with other posters on this forum. They all know who they are too. Using such incendiary words towards me as "hijacking" , "nasty" and "racist" is completely un-acceptable in my view, and I will stand my ground in no uncertain terms when such false allegations are directed in my direction.

I certainly will not take accusations of going off topic lying down.

The root cause of my being in his firing line goes back to the TOTP 1977 thread last year when Donna Summer was at No1 with I Feel Love, and a quick succession of other hits all the way to the current point in 1978. I began comparing her 1977 output under Georgio Moroder, with her later output under SAW. That is when he took offence at me for some odd reason.

I mean; Donna Summer 1977/78 Georgio Moroder vs Donna Summer 1988/9 SAW. No contest, end of.

Who cares if it gave her a brief couple of hits. So what? You should have heard Tony Blackburn's dismissive comment about the production on her August 1989 hit Love's About To Change My Heart when he played it on Pick Of The Pops last year. Quite right too.

So SAW may have been a decade later, but were brought into that 1977 discussion as a compare and contrast issue, which was perfectly valid against an artist having massive success in 1977 as we were watching. The personal affront over the issue just baffles me.

Insofar as other words being used against me, such as "hijacking" and "nasty" these are just designed to demean. There is no substance in the use of those words against me. None. But those words could apply elsewhere.

Finally I will come to the really crude accusation made, namely the word "racist" against me, for using the word "ghetto".

The Gatherer must have had many pre-conceived ideas about me in his own mind. How does he know I am not black, or a jew, gay or straight and many other minority issues? I suggest looking up the myriad of meanings that the word ghetto entails. It is a word that simply describes a minority area. ANY minority area of things. Initially first used in relation to the Jewish community, but I bet The Gatherer was thinking black all the way, just because I mentioned rap music. Well I hate white rap too, such as Eminem and his white counterparts in recent times. I've actually spoken to my local black shopkeeper today about the word "ghetto" and he laughed in my face at it being considered racist, so did his son working nearby.

The Gatherer is one of those people in life who actively wants to be offended, and isn't happy unless making a jibe against somebody at least once in a while. We all know people like this.

I have nothing whatsoever to have to defend myself against. Nothing, except to say to Erithian that I now just wish when I posted, I had just put that I wish the rap music genre could be put back into the genie bottle, whatever colour, religion, gender, sexuality, or other that those who make such music are.

I have held out more than one olive branch to The Gatherer in recent weeks, without success. I will happily withdraw my trolling accusation without hesitation. The Gatherer, are you big enough to withdraw your "hijacking" and "nasty" accusations towards me, as well as the crude "racist" one?

To think I joined DS last year solely for this thread based on it's great friendly informed chatter and now find myself distracted and defending myself unjustly is incredible. It's a public forum, correct Mrs M, not a private club, but people can surely dis-agree without insults flying and comments almost being taken at a personal level on the general issues talked about, which I will remind you, all stems back to that initial comparison I made last year on the TOTP 77 thread.


Now let's just talk about Top Of The Pops 1978, the show, our own memories, and associated issues, even if they do drift from the year here and there. Bring on Thursday! See you then.

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by SillyBoyBlue

The problem, as I see it, with most of today's music is that it just isn't sexy. Yes, lyrics may be much more explicit than they were in the past, and the videos full of near-naked gyrating bodies, but the actual music is totally neutered.

Modern music and videos in general are smutty - NOT sexy (there is an unsubtle difference). IMO young female artists nowadays try far too hard.

Homogenised production techniques and uninspired songwriting have replaced the pure sex of music that so excited kids in the 60s & 70s.

A year or two before the BBC finally pulled the plug on its weekly TOTP show Paul McCartney was decidedly unimpressed, describing it in a nutshell as 'all synthetic music, boy bands and girls not wearing very much'.

Listen to a song like T.Rex's 'The Slider'... it positively oozes sex even though the lyrics aren't sexual at all. Now listen to something by Lady GaGa...

I'm never heard 'The Slider' but 'Get it On' and 'Jeepster' positively ooze sex IMO. These songs work because the sexuality is understated (as opposed to modern rap or R'n'B tracks where the sexuality is overstated).

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Servalan

I take your point - but I think references to other eras, and the present state of the charts in particular are valid in the context of comparison with 1978. I'd say one reason the 1978 TOTP repeats are equally invigorating and frustrating is because, for all the flaws of the charts back then, they look positively glorious next to the homogenised tripe that the music industry is now using to render the Top 40 pointless.

Yes, I would agree with that, it's when something is just slagged off out of the blue with no connection to TOTP 78 or the current discussion that I object to. I must admit I haven't listened to the Top 40 for ages, but mainly because I just couldn't keep up with the (a few years ago perhaps more than now) constant changeover of hits. But I am sure there must be some decent current songs out there - for example, Umbrella from 2007 is one of my favourite songs, so I'm sure there is some other decent Rihanna stuff.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

'Picture This' is brilliant as is the B side, 'Fade Away (And Radiate)', another track from the excellent 'Parallel Lines' album. It was the first Blondie single I bought, and on yellow vinyl too.

I also preferred 'Union City Blue' to 'Dreaming', the first single from 'Eat To The Beat'.

Yeah, forgot about that, totally agree! Also think the later (1980) singles, e.g. "Call Me" were better than the 1979 singles from "Eat to the Beat".

[SgtRock]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

Back to the last TOTP 1978..... I think "Hot Legs" is one of Rod's best singles, but that the double A side to it is even better. "I Was Only Joking" is my favourite Rod ballad. It includes the line "Verse 7 was never clear" which I think was a reference to "Maggie May".

Yes, that is a great song, and what a contrast between the subtlety of "Joking" and the crudity of "Hot Legs". I'm still amazed that video was considered suitable for family viewing, even in 1978!

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

The Gatherer has form going back a long way in nitpicking fault with other posters on this forum. They all know who they are too. Using such incendiary words towards me as "hijacking" , "nasty" and "racist" is completely un-acceptable in my view, and I will stand my ground in no uncertain terms when such false allegations are directed in my direction.

I certainly will not take accusations of going off topic lying down.

The root cause of my being in his firing line goes back to the TOTP 1977 thread last year when Donna Summer was at No1 with I Feel Love, and a quick succession of other hits all the way to the current point in 1978. I began comparing her 1977 output under Georgio Moroder, with her later output under SAW. That is when he took offence at me for some odd reason.

I mean; Donna Summer 1977/78 Georgio Moroder vs Donna Summer 1988/9 SAW. No contest, end of.

Who cares if it gave her a brief couple of hits. So what? You should have heard Tony Blackburn's dismissive comment about the production on her August 1989 hit Love's About To Change My Heart when he played it on Pick Of The Pops last year. Quite right too.

So SAW may have been a decade later, but were brought into that 1977 discussion as a compare and contrast issue, which was perfectly valid against an artist having massive success in 1977 as we were watching. The personal affront over the issue just baffles me.

Insofar as other words being used against me, such as "hijacking" and "nasty" these are just designed to demean. There is no substance in the use of those words against me. None. But those words could apply elsewhere.

Finally I will come to the really crude accusation made, namely the word "racist" against me, for using the word "ghetto".

The Gatherer must have had many pre-conceived ideas about me in his own mind. How does he know I am not black, or a jew, gay or straight and many other minority issues? I suggest looking up the myriad of meanings that the word ghetto entails. It is a word that simply describes a minority area. ANY minority area of things. Initially first used in relation to the Jewish community, but I bet The Gatherer was thinking black all the way, just because I mentioned rap music. Well I hate white rap too, such as Eminem and his white counterparts in recent times. I've actually spoken to my local black shopkeeper today about the word "ghetto" and he laughed in my face at it being considered racist, so did his son working nearby.

The Gatherer is one of those people in life who actively wants to be offended, and isn't happy unless making a jibe against somebody at least once in a while. We all know people like this.

I have nothing whatsoever to have to defend myself against. Nothing, except to say to Erithian that I now just wish when I posted, I had just put that I wish the rap music genre could be put back into the genie bottle, whatever colour, religion, gender, sexuality, or other that those who make such music are.

I have held out more than one olive branch to The Gatherer in recent weeks, without success. I will happily withdraw my trolling accusation without hesitation. The Gatherer, are you big enough to withdraw your "hijacking" and "nasty" accusations towards me, as well as the crude "racist" one?

To think I joined DS last year solely for this thread based on it's great friendly informed chatter and now find myself distracted and defending myself unjustly is incredible. It's a public forum, correct Mrs M, not a private club, but people can surely dis-agree without insults flying and comments almost being taken at a personal level on the general issues talked about, which I will remind you, all stems back to that initial comparison I made last year on the TOTP 77 thread.


Now let's just talk about Top Of The Pops 1978, the show, our own memories, and associated issues, even if they do drift from the year here and there. Bring on Thursday! See you then.

Just responding to the BIB, this illustrates the point I was making perfectly. "No contest, end of." Sort of makes the whole point of a discussion forum pointless doesn't it. What Rich Tea says is fact, end of.

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

'Picture This' is brilliant as is the B side, 'Fade Away (And Radiate)', another track from the excellent 'Parallel Lines' album. It was the first Blondie single I bought, and on yellow vinyl too.

BIB - it probably goes without saying that Chrysalis put it out on yellow vinyl to match the colour of Debbie's hair.

The first two Police singles on A & M were pressed in blue vinyl for obvious reasons (the boys in blue, thin blue line etc.) and 'Message in a Bottle' was originally released on green vinyl (to simulate the colour of a common wine bottle).

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by UrsulaU

Yes - one of the reasons why the BBC should stop messing around with the episodes - Blondie's FIRST ever TOTP appearance will be cut!

P.S - My favourite Blondie song was/is Always Touched by Your Presence Dear - another 1978 classic!

Now that's a "sexy" song!

My best friend used to have the hots for a guy who's surname was "Weir" and we changed the lyric to "touched by your presence Weir", ah great days.

[Zimbo78]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

I mean; Donna Summer 1977/78 Georgio Moroder vs Donna Summer 1988/9 SAW. No contest, end of.

Who cares if it gave her a brief couple of hits. So what? You should have heard Tony Blackburn's dismissive comment about the production on her August 1989 hit Love's About To Change My Heart when he played it on Pick Of The Pops last year. Quite right too.

Tony was in a bit of a waspish mood that day! He said SAW "using the same old backing track there".
He also played an unimpressive Bon Jovi song (can't remember which) and said that it had been cut down from 6 minutes to be a single, adding that "It was the right thing to do"
He is superb, is Tony!

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

To think I joined DS last year solely for this thread based on it's great friendly informed chatter and now find myself distracted and defending myself unjustly is incredible. It's a public forum, correct Mrs M, not a private club, but people can surely dis-agree without insults flying and comments almost being taken at a personal level on the general issues talked about, which I will remind you, all stems back to that initial comparison I made last year on the TOTP 77 thread..

Rich, please just remember this is only an internet forum, it's really not that important.

I understand when someone riles you online it can seem really personal and significant but it's neither of these things.

Ultimately we're all chatting about a light entertainment show that was initially broadcast half a lifetime ago.

My personal bugbear with some posters is their fondness for placing 2013 sensibilities onto a programme that's 35 years old. Moaning now that nobody acknowledged Marc Bolan's death/Song X was robbed of the Number 1 slot by the vastly inferior Song Y/Kid Jensen's got his arm round a teenager...eww..." etc.is pointless and futile in my opinion so now I just skim over those posts, otherwise I get into fisticuffs Endless chart stats leave me cold as well, but it's an open forum and some people find them fascinating .

Music preferences are hugely subjective. I'm not particularly fond of rap either but have to concede that there are some great examples of the genre and I try to keep an open mind.

For example I could never stand Michael Jackson but dismissing him as "crap" would make me look at best foolish and at worst blinkered and bigoted. Just because I don't like his musical output doesn't mean it's not valid and worthy of a place in pop music history.

I do however draw the line at Michael Bolton...

Both you and The Gatherer have good points to make and decent posts for the rest of us to read.

Just try to have some perspective.

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by Zimbo78

Tony was in a bit of a waspish mood that day! He said SAW "using the same old backing track there".
He also played an unimpressive Bon Jovi song (can't remember which) and said that it had been cut down from 6 minutes to be a single, adding that "It was the right thing to do"
He is superb, is Tony!

He must have the best "Radio" voice in the land. Considering how long he's been broadcasting, his voice has never changed.

He played a really obscure ancient track a few weeks ago, I think from around 1961 and almost burst out laughing at the end saying "Does ANYBODY remember that? I certainly don't, and no wonder".

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

My personal bugbear with some posters is their fondness for placing 2013 sensibilities onto a programme that's 35 years old.

When Jimmy Savile apparently pinched a 19 year old girl's backside on TOTP in 1976 it would have been clearly seen by the show's producer - yet he saw no need to edit it out or do a retake (I gather it was common practice to retake DJ links if there was a problem as the show did not go out live).

At the time of the original broadcast TOTP was at the peak of its popularity, regularly attracting an audience of around 17 million - but there was no brouhaha about Savile's onscreen behaviour in the tabloids. The BBC were not inundated with complaints from horrified viewers. Savile continued to present his childrens TV show 'Jim'll Fix It' for many years after the incident without any hullabaloo and until his death 36 years later he was regarded by most of the public as an eccentric "saint" who had a good influence on people and raised a lot of money for good causes.

This is not an attempt to defend Savile or suggest that what he did to that girl on TOTP was right - I'm just trying to put it into perspective.

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by faversham saint

When Jimmy Savile apparently pinched a 19 year old girl's backside on TOTP in 1976 it would have been clearly seen by the show's producer - yet he saw no need to edit it out or do a retake (I gather it was common practice to retake DJ links if there was a problem as the show did not go out live).

At the time of the original broadcast TOTP was at the peak of its popularity, regularly attracting an audience of around 17 million - but there was no brouhaha about Savile's onscreen behaviour in the tabloids. The BBC were not inundated with complaints from horrified viewers. Savile continued to present his childrens TV show 'Jim'll Fix It' for many years after the incident without any hullabaloo and until his death 36 years later he was regarded by most of the public as an eccentric "saint" who had a good influence on people and raised a lot of money for good causes.

This is not an attempt to defend Savile or suggest that what he did to that girl on TOTP was right - I'm just trying to put it into perspective.

I agree with you. I can understand in the light of the revelations about Savile that they'll no longer show his episodes in deference to his victim's horrible experiences at his hands but it's when people "look" for things to complain about/criticise when the show is set in stone 35 years ago.

What's done is done.

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by faversham saint

When Jimmy Savile apparently pinched a 19 year old girl's backside on TOTP in 1976 it would have been clearly seen by the show's producer - yet he saw no need to edit it out or do a retake (I gather it was common practice to retake DJ links if there was a problem as the show did not go out live).

.

Yes I agree!
I know this thread keeps getting back to the JS issue - but it's true! - I know Savile was obviously guilty of some serious sexual assaults - but ever since it was announced - people keep jumping on the bandwagon about this, that and the other that wouldn't have been given a second thought years ago.
The whole thing just seemed to get blown out of proportion - so little wonder the BBC reacted as they did with both him and DLT - and as a result we the viewer have had to suffer by having our TOTP episodes axed !!

Let's hope it will all blow over soon and viewing can get back to normal!

[Robbie01]

Originally Posted by SgtRock

Yes, that is a great song, and what a contrast between the subtlety of "Joking" and the crudity of "Hot Legs". I'm still amazed that video was considered suitable for family viewing, even in 1978!

I think it's because the video was a bit risque that I can still recall it from being shown on TOTP at the time. From what i can see the video was only played once on TOTP yet can clearly recall watching the video on TOTP. Normally I can only recall videos from back then that were shown a few times.