[Robbie01]

Originally Posted by Torch81

I used to love (still do) a single by John Foxx called 'Burning Car' which I remember buying as a kid. I don't remember him ever performing it on TOTP, but I thought it done well in the charts and was a decent sized hit?

I bought 'Burning Car' on 7" picture disc. I loved the song but the sound quality on the picture disc was poor, with too much surface noise.

It peaked at number 35 the week that TOTP returned after being off air for several weeks due to the Musicians Union strike and TOTP had a lot to cram in that week so it was (sadly) overlooked. Ironically, the following week Ultravox made their TOTP debut, performing 'Sleepwalk'.

[Torch81]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

I bought 'Burning Car' on 7" picture disc. I loved the song but the sound quality on the picture disc was poor, with too much surface noise.

It peaked at number 35 the week that TOTP returned after being off air for several weeks due to the Musicians Union strike and TOTP had a lot to cram in that week so it was (sadly) overlooked. Ironically, the following week Ultravox made their TOTP debut, performing 'Sleepwalk'.

Thanks for the info, I was sure it was a 'hit record' of sorts, tough luck on his part that he never got a TOTP appearance with it. I think it would have got a lot higher if he had.

Like some of their songs but not a big Ultravox fan personally. I thought Sleepwalk was a brilliant song though and am shocked that only got to number 29! That and 'All Stood Still' were their 2 best songs IMO. Can totally understand its appeal to many, but I never really liked 'Vienna', then or now. Now more so as I've just heard it too much. Same thing as with tracks like Human League's 'Don't You Want Me' or Soft Cell's 'Tainted Love' from around the same time. Yes, they're all great songs but when you hear them for the umpteenth time, the appeal kinda wears off, well for me anyway. Especially when all the groups in question have got equally good songs (and sometimes better) that don't get the same kind of respect.

[1fab]

Originally Posted by Torch81

Thanks for the info, I was sure it was a 'hit record' of sorts, tough luck on his part that he never got a TOTP appearance with it. I think it would have got a lot higher if he had.

Like some of their songs but not a big Ultravox fan personally. I thought Sleepwalk was a brilliant song though and am shocked that only got to number 29! That and 'All Stood Still' were their 2 best songs IMO. Can totally understand its appeal to many, but I never really liked 'Vienna', then or now. Now more so as I've just heard it too much. Same thing as with tracks like Human League's 'Don't You Want Me' or Soft Cell's 'Tainted Love' from around the same time. Yes, they're all great songs but when you hear them for the umpteenth time, the appeal kinda wears off, well for me anyway. Especially when all the groups in question have got equally good songs (and sometimes better) that don't get the same kind of respect.

The Ultravox songs you quote are from the Midge Ure years, I think. Try listening to the pre-Ure Ultravox, e.g. the Systems of Romance album. Tracks like 'I Can't Stay Long' and 'Slow Motion', or go back even further to 'Hiroshima Mon Amour', my personal favourite. Very much of its time, yet still sounding Ultracool.

[Torch81]

Originally Posted by 1fab

The Ultravox songs you quote are from the Midge Ure years, I think. Try listening to the pre-Ure Ultravox, e.g. the Systems of Romance album. Tracks like 'I Can't Stay Long' and 'Slow Motion', or go back even further to 'Hiroshima Mon Amour', my personal favourite. Very much of its time, yet still sounding Ultracool.

Thanks, will investigate. I've discovered some of my (now) favourite music over the years via recommendations from others.

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by CreamPuff

BIB Even though I have seen this performance umpteen times I am excited about seeing it after so many years in the context of a whole TOTP. The only problem is I always get irritated at the audience who just don't seem to understand (or care) whose presence they are in!

There's never been a moment like it. Before or since.

[1fab]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

There's never been a moment like it. Before or since.

It makes it even more magical, knowing what happened after.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

The Rats tearing up the Travolta posters is one of the all time highlights of TOTP for me. During the October half term school holidays in 1978 my mum said she would take both my sisters and myself to see Grease at a major cinema in Newcastle. I opted out and was given a pound instead - some of which I used to buy 'Rat Trap'. I still think I made the right choice... and when I saw the Rats rip up those posters a few weeks later I was over the moon

Personally I found it rather childish.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by 1fab

It makes it even more magical, knowing what happened after.

What happened after? Not a lot. The Man With the Child in His Eyes is a superb single, but nothing can beat her first hit.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by UrsulaU

I know this isn't really relevant - but I wonder if ITV are going to cut out all the "Kevin Webster" episodes (after the actor's arrest) just like the BBC cut's off TOTP!!

- After all - Coronation St is a lot more mainstream than TOTP!!.....we shall see

Yes they have.

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

What happened after? Not a lot. The Man With the Child in His Eyes is a superb single, but nothing can beat her first hit.

I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt in that your not a fan of Kate Bush and you don't know very much of her work. And by "not a fan" I don't mean that you dislike her, just that you are not specifically one of her followers or fans.

Hounds of Love is acknowledged as one of the best British albums ever made, Kate was the first solo female artist to go straight to Number 1 in the album charts (with Never for Ever). All her work is written, produced and published by Kate and Kate alone.

Her 1979 tour was widely acclaimed as a theatrical and musical tour de force.

Kate's achievements are myriad, please don't dismiss them as "not a lot".

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

All her work is written, produced and published by Kate and Kate alone.
.

All her work is written, produced and published as well as doing all the singing and piano playing by Kate!

Yes looking forward to Thursday - she was/is a truly unique performer - and there was no other woman like her at the time or has come close since!

I remember people used to call her a novelty act - I even remember them doing Kate Bush impressions on the Generation Game back then - but few people had a clue how talented she really was!

[Mrs Mackintosh]

It's too late to edit my post, but incase any pedants feel the need to point it out...Kate's first two albums were produced by Andrew Powell (although she assisted on Lionheart). She co-produced Never for Ever with Jon Kelly, after that she produced all her own work.

And as much as Wuthering Heights, Man With the Child In His Eyes (which she wrote when she was FOURTEEN!!!) and the whole of The Kick Inside album has a huge place in my heart, she went on to make music and write lyrics that were just so much more than that.

The Dreaming is still my favourite album, it was so intense, dark and threatening compared to her previous work and saw her blossom as a musical force to be reckoned with. It was a critical and commercial failure but is now widely regarded as one of her best albums.

She then went on to great critical and commercial success with Hounds of Love and currently holds "National Treasure" status (hence the CBE).

So, I think that's "quite a lot", not "not a lot".

[Robbie01]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

Personally I found it rather childish.

It was a bit of fun, plus a piss take of the entire Grease / John Travolta thing that had gripped the nation for several months, hence the yawning when they ripped up his picture.

[pinkyponk34]

Worst No 1 of 1978 ?

Three words to chill the blood............Althia and Donna.

BoM may be a poor man's ABBA, but at least they had a career, a run of hits, a back catalogue, an ouvre, enough hits to fill a friggin' CD.

Lay off the Brotherhood.................if you know what's good for you.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt in that your not a fan of Kate Bush and you don't know very much of her work. And by "not a fan" I don't mean that you dislike her, just that you are not specifically one of her followers or fans.

Hounds of Love is acknowledged as one of the best British albums ever made, Kate was the first solo female artist to go straight to Number 1 in the album charts (with Never for Ever). All her work is written, produced and published by Kate and Kate alone.

Her 1979 tour was widely acclaimed as a theatrical and musical tour de force.

Kate's achievements are myriad, please don't dismiss them as "not a lot".

So says someone who doesn't like all the facts and figures on this thread. By "not a lot" I meant that she hasn't been very prolific since plus, IMO, nothing of hers is as good as her first hits. Didn't like her mid 80s stuff (apart from the duet with Peter Gabriel which is superb).

[giftednumber10]

I'd just like to point out that Lulu's was not a 60s comeback as she'd had a top 3 hit in 1974 almost four years to the day from her TOTP performance with Bowie's "Man Who Sold The World", IMO one of the best Bowie covers.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

It was a bit of fun, plus a piss take of the entire Grease / John Travolta thing that had gripped the nation for several months, hence the yawning when they ripped up his picture.

Yeah, maybe, but the trouble was a lot of the audience would have bought all that John Travolta stuff so I felt he was being a bit insulting. (I also took it that Geldof thought he was better than anyone else, which he probably still does!) Also, as someone interested in the charts, The Rats ruined the perfect Top 3 - JT and ONJ at Number 1, JT at Number 2 and ONJ at Number 3 - regardless of what anyone thinks of the music that would have been unique.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by pinkyponk34

Worst No 1 of 1978 ?

Three words to chill the blood............Althia and Donna.

BoM may be a poor man's ABBA, but at least they had a career, a run of hits, a back catalogue, an ouvre, enough hits to fill a friggin' CD.

Lay off the Brotherhood.................if you know what's good for you.

Most of the back catalogue was by a different line up with the same name IIRC. Hated Angelo, and Figaro wasn't much better, but for some strange reason I liked he preceding hit Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In).

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

So says someone who doesn't like all the facts and figures on this thread. By "not a lot" I meant that she hasn't been very prolific since plus, IMO, nothing of hers is as good as her first hits. Didn't like her mid 80s stuff (apart from the duet with Peter Gabriel which is superb).

Yeah, whatever "Gatherer" you're convincing no one, least of all you.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Mrs Mackintosh

Yeah, whatever "Gatherer" you're convincing no one, least of all you.

Reverting to type eh Mrs Mackintosh, after your attempt to be friendly last week? Kate well known for her prolific output is she?

[tiltonland]

Young girls with Peter Powell seem happy enough,,,,,,don't blame them at least they dodged jimmy savilles show,,,,loving ELO Mr blue sky,,, and Baccarra weren't too shabby either

[Lab]

Originally Posted by giftednumber10

I'd just like to point out that Lulu's was not a 60s comeback as she'd had a top 3 hit in 1974 almost four years to the day from her TOTP performance with Bowie's "Man Who Sold The World", IMO one of the best Bowie covers.

Agreed. Not that there's too many Bowie covers to choose from. Not hit singles anyway (Mott excepted).

It helped that it was basically a Bowie record but with Lulu singing. Featuring as it does, the dame producing and on sax, guitar and backing vocals, Mick Ronson on guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass and Mike Garson on piano.

[Robbie01]

Originally Posted by Lab

Agreed. Not that there's too many Bowie covers to choose from. Not hit singles anyway (Mott excepted).

It helped that it was basically a Bowie record but with Lulu singing. Featuring as it does, the dame producing and on sax, guitar and backing vocals, Mick Ronson on guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass and Mike Garson on piano.

Which brings us back to TOTP again as the repeat of TOTP which has just finished ended with the Rich Kids. The single ('Rich Kids') and indeed the entire album was produced by Mick Ronson.

[Lab]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

Which brings us back to TOTP again as the repeat of TOTP which has just finished ended with the Rich Kids. The single ('Rich Kids') and indeed the entire album was produced by Mick Ronson.

Aye, I can't help thinking a young(ish) Midge Ure was taking notes on production with a view to future projects.

I know Ronson did a lot of producing work after the Spiders disbanded. What I don't understand is, given his pedigree, why he didn't carve out a career as a producer of choice. Personal issues maybe?

Funny thing is I always thought Ed Buller (producer of Suede and Pulp amongst others) owed a lot to Ronson's production sound.

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by Robbie01

The Rats tearing up the Travolta posters is one of the all time highlights of TOTP for me. During the October half term school holidays in 1978 my mum said she would take both my sisters and myself to see Grease at a major cinema in Newcastle. I opted out and was given a pound instead - some of which I used to buy 'Rat Trap'. I still think I made the right choice... and when I saw the Rats rip up those posters a few weeks later I was over the moon

I remember all the squealing and jumping around at school the next day, talking about it. It seems really tame now but at the time it was a big deal.

I had really loved the Grease stuff but I loved Rat Trap as well and I doubt John Travolta was neither up nor down about it