And just like many episodes of TOTP, it's now destined never to grace our screens again

It was a very curious choice to pick the newly opened Harrogate Conference Centre for the Eurovision as the staging was tiny compared to the years around it, there was barely room to move on that stage

I do remember the BBC doing a variety show from there around that period where the audience all had buttons to press for the best act and I think it was presented by Freddie Starr but that might be a nightmare I had!!

So many of those IAK/JSF shows were wiped by the BBC anyway but luckily most survive in the other broadcasters archives, well that applies to JSF anyway.

If we could never see the Penguin game again that would be such a loss tho it isn't quite as funny without the reviled Stuart laughing his guts out

Just arrived back from Rio in time for last night's edition of TOTP.

Have read up on the past three weeks up until 7:30pm last night so far, and taken notes as I went, and have marked 50 posts for comment. I'm nothing if not diligent. Who fancies a mega-multiquote? That's before I get to the ones starting at last night's show which I haven't read yet and will do so later.

I can barely bring myself to describe the oddness of that show on many levels. So I won't, until later, when I'll attempt a decent forensic dissection. You lucky lot.


I turn my back for a while and look what happens, another biscuit muscles in, even mimicking my writing style. Crumbs. RT's are more popular than GB's. Welcome anyway Gary Baldi. But it's got to be asked, are you really a Gary and are you actually bald? If not, why not?! After all, I'm Richard and my surname starts with T.


I haven't Clare. After what Boz posted on Tuesday I'd more likely come back as Ginger Nuts or a Hob Knob if I did.


No link whatsoever. Sorry to disappoint Ursula.

Back later today with my post-mortem on the 25/3/82 TOTP. It needs one to find out what was so wrong with it.

Rich probably said it too somewhere. I would just like to add I'm NO BIG Shaky fan - I just seem to retain trivia about pop music!

I LOVE all the Children's TV we got back in the 60s, 70s & 80s - so innocent & fun. Everything we see nowadays on TV & internet, tries to treat children as if they are 'young adults' - old before their time!
I'm so glad (with the help of these old shows) that my world remained magical & special until I became a teen at least!

Once The Proms are out of the way, we're back to double headers beginning on the 15th and 16th of September (should be 15th and 22nd of April). I reckon it'll be full steam ahead from this point, we should be getting two episodes every week even if it's not Thursday and Friday.

There is far too much sexual stuff these days, and i think youngsters need protecting against it, although it is hard to see how, now things have come this far. Also, like the debate about Simon Bates and Kenny Everett's 'kiss', there is too much interpreting everything into having ulterior, or less than innocent, motives. In a way though, i believe as show like Swap Shop set a standard in being a great deal of fun, but treating youngsters with respect, and as young adults, which in some quarters has got rather lost in recent decades. On a slightly different note, but related to the sense of decline, i will be interested in seeing those comedy remakes of those classic shows that have been wiped. The chances are with the likes of Alf Garnet and Are You Being Served, even if the original scripts are used, it will prove a case of the actors pulling daft faces, instead of acting with the degree of realism and subtlety, that were the norm, back in those days.

That was shown just a few days ago on Talking Pictures TV!

While we are waiting for the next edition of TOTP 1982, got an interesting question for all you pop pickers.

We all know that some tunes have been dreadfully overplayed and become totally stale as a result, where your concentration just switches off when you hear it e.g. Come on Eileen from 1982 and Karma Chameleon and Red Red Wine from 1983.
But looking at youtube the other day, I was amazed to find a number one single from 1971 that I am certain I had never heard before. It was by Dave and Ansell Collins and called 'Double Barrel.' It sounded absolutely fantastic. The TOTP performance of it is exhilarating and energetic and it was just so refreshing to stumble across something that I am quite sure many people have never heard because of a complete lack of radio play in recent decades.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hy-_voUuDQ

Anyone care to suggest other tunes that were number ones or big hits in their day but that people might not have heard of because they are lost gems or were undeserving bit hits?

Welcome back Rich Tea! We've got a new poster called Gary Baldi who I thought might have been your good self. I'm waiting for a poster called Di Gestive to turn up!

'Double Barrel' is quite excellent! Another little heard number 1 these days is 'Free' by Deniece Williams. I love the intro to the longer album version... in fact I love the whole song. Absolute class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwlcXstlHwo

Love Billy Fury! Great film too.

I see Michael Hurll appears in the end credits at 3.36.


While browsing the contents of some early 70s K-Tel compilations online the other day I was reminded of Albert Hammond's Top Twenty hit The Free Electric Band from the summer of 1973 which was his only hit in his native UK (although he had a hand in writing plenty more well known hits for other people). The BBC wiped the original colour TOTP performance but there is a clip of him miming to playback on the German Disco programme - looking at him he reminds me a bit of Bruce Springsteen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btEmrjMRYZY


I recall watching the Gary Glitter episode circa June 1984 - a home recording of the whole 40 minute programme is available on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL5T0tJYnoQ

Children's TV in the 70s and 80s was very entertaining and good quality too.

I would suggest 90% of all the songs that have been number one since the turn of the decade.

I'm 50 years old and I only heard the Beatles last number one The Ballad Of John And Yoko for the first time last year when I sought it out on YouTube cos I realized I'd never heard it before.

Remember all the fuss over the the tellytubbies! Yes it will be good to see the remakes. Maybe the originals will gain a new generation of fans.

Yes, they may do, but today's tv does not put up much competition!

Just caught up with this week's unedited show and I have to say that Craig showed exactly how to play the cheerleader game …

Unlike LMSO - not in the studio audience this week but visible in the crowd for the repeat of Pluto's 'Your Honour' - Craig never appears desperate, throwing hands in the air with a wide-eyed 'Look at me' grin plastered across this face.

Instead, Craig plays the long game, inwardly gritting his teeth as he goes through the painful moves somebody choreographed to Foster & Allen, but nevertheless getting himself seen … then, at the end, while others furiously see how many spins they can do to 'Party Fears Two', he saunters on stage midway through the closing credits, this time resplendent in what looks suspiciously like another 1982 fashion horror, the stonewashed leather jacket, casually moving to the music but ensuring that he gets some of the spotlight - but not in a really obvious way.

What a dude. But, it has to be said, time has not been that kind to him, judging by that photo … maybe London in the 80s involved rather less hard living than present day LA?

I can't believe anyone seriously thought I'd re-registered as another biscuit on here. Although I can understand why the thought crossed minds. I was surprised it had been exactly three weeks since I last posted when I checked. Under normal conditions I cannot keep away from checking things out on here for more than 48 hours. I'll tell you something though, I began a few daily live chat Olympic threads in my absence from here and I cannot think of another thread topic you could start tonight that would by this time tomorrow have already received 3,000 posts on it and 100,000 views. Those Olympic threads were just too fast to keep up with.

I haven't yet read the posts on here from half seven on Thursday night onwards. I'm going to do my TOTP review on here first and then read back so as not to be swayed by others opinion. I took notes last night in detail as I watched rather than "live" post on here. Not something I normally do, but this particular show proved to be one well worth doing that with.

I'm very surprised that our new biccy friend had not heard of the No1 reggae hit Double Barrell before. It's not obscure at all. I've always known it from an early age. If there was one No1 from 1971 that I rate as obscure it comes a few weeks beforehand and it was the second No1 by Mungo Jerry with Baby Jump.

I also just want to say how nice it is to see China Girl back posting on here. I'm very pleased to see that. Welcome back China Girl, it's been a tough year for us Bowie lovers. I hope it wasn't a flying visit.

Completely agree, hope we get to see Now Those Days Are Gone. It should have been a bigger hit but probably didn't appeal to their young fanbase.

Yes, 'Free' is definitely one of those huge hits that has escaped being overplayed. Great Song.

When I first heard it, I was struck by how different and modern The Ballad of John and Yoko sounded compared to all their other stuff.

I'd say 'It never rains in Southern California' is more known. Surprised to learn that he is British as in both songs he goes on about California.

The first time I was aware of Double Barrel was when it a clip of it was shown on that TOTP anniversary show that Smashy and Nicey presented in the early 90s. It was just a clip of the intro and I thought it seemed a bit scary, but hearing the song in full it isn't a bad tune.

For ages I never knew how the number one when I was born - Angel Fingers by Wizzard - went, though I'd heard See My Baby Jive and, of course, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day loads of times. The same with Baby Jump, that Rich mentioned, though of course In The Summertime is always played.

I know I'm sounding like an old fogey now (that's because I am one!) kids today don't realise how hard it was to hear songs in the days before the internet. Now if you want to check out a song you just go onto youtube or spotify and there it is, then onto itunes to donwload it if you want.