Originally Posted by Rich Tea.:
“
That's the appeal isn't it. He sounds much the same on the January 1980 top forty I have on my iPod. Alcockell posted his link which showed the chart he played from 1974 today was the one when he presented TOTP that first week of December 1974 too. It's kind of reassuring in a kind of way.”
It's only when you get used to hearing Tony on Pick Of The Pops regularly and have a mental recollection of what he sounds like, that you realise when listening to old broadcasts of his, that his voice has actually aged a fair bit. I think he sounds different in 1980, not that that doesn't happen to us all. He's as good as ever, mind, in his own way, just a little older. Noel Edmonds sounds different too, if you compare his voice from Deal Or No Deal to his old Top Of The Pops appearances. He seemed to adopt a very posh BBC voice back in the early days, which he's let slip as the years have gone by. Voices naturally go a bit deeper and maybe a little huskier over the years.
"My Boy" from Elvis was a standout track from the chart of 74, and i think one of the highlights of his late period. I find it wonderfully touching and heartfelt, and although maybe not Elvis' most accessible in terms of subject matter, it is a beautiful reminder of the greatness he can bring to a song through his own interpretation. It must have been even in Elvis' late period, a real honour for him to record one of your songs. The song was great too, mind.
"Juke Box Jive" by The Rubettes was a number three hit, and was proof if ever one was needed that they could continue to be successful without the help of Paul DaVinci on lead vocals. Alan Williams was a great replacement. I was watching an old Top Of The Pops episode from 1970, where Alan and Rubettes drummer John Richardson appeared as a vocal duo called Baskin & Copperfield. Richardson had quite an impressive voice, and stylistically they were both a very long way from the sound of The Rubettes (sort of slightly post hippy). Tony Blackburn should know all about them as he was presenting the show that week !