Just saw this and it was a good episode. Huge 1980 logo in the studio and some decent acts. Brass in Pocket at 5. Still made it to number one with debut album following in a couple of weeks...

Kid Jensen returns this coming Thursday with the Nolan Sisters, the Skids, Abba, Dollar, Joe Jackson, UFO, Sheila B and Legs & Co. BBC4 @ 7.30pm and 2 weekend repeats. The show is from 10/01/80. It is therefore only a short while before Mike Read introduces the Rats at 44 with SLAY and then Steve Wright introduces them at No.8. 

They should do, Mike, as the presenters who introduced the Rats at 44 and later 8, have not been embroiled in any scandals unless you count Mike Read's foray into the UKIP calypso arena. 

Steve Wright introduces the Rats at 8, followed by the Nolan Sisters.

Too true! 

This particular Top Of The Pops episode was really very good. It demonstrated quite well (perhaps better than most weeks) the diverse sounds which were inhabiting the charts, in 79/80, all of which I enjoyed. It is rare for me viewing these Top Of The Pops repeats, to not feel inclined with certain acts to press the fast forward button on the remote, but aside from perhaps the choir part near the end of Abba's 'I Have A Dream', the temptation for me this week never came up. It nearly did with the Nolans but I couldn't stop watching two blokes who must now be 60 if they're a day,  dancing literally like nobody's watching.

Spacer and Dollar were quite lucky. Both songs had gone down before going back up and then being boosted by a TOTP outing.

Spacer (chart entry 24/11/79)

62-43-35-37-33-33-33-28-22-20-18-19-30-53 (14 week run)

Pink Floyd still at number one seems wearing now,  but then again the Pretenders are next and it feels like they've been around awhile already. 

SLAY is a brilliant track Timbo. The TOTP performance sees 2 Bobs,  one curled up nervously overwhelmed with paranoia on a swivel office chair trying to free himself from the restrictions of black plastic wrapped tightly around him,  the other leaping around without self consciousness,  jumping off a grand piano and giving it all he's got. It all fits the song's theme well. 

The special recordings for TOTP and Everett's show were arguably better than the official video which was a grainy recording made at a Surfacing gig. Be interesting to know how they came about,  who approached who,  who paid for what etc etc. Everett's show had 3 one would imagine quite expensive sets for Rat Trap,  SLAY and Keep it Up. KIU was not even a single yet ITV used a special cable-suspended camera to record it's performance,  something rarely seen back in 1980 and the first time ITV Thames had used it.

Simon Bates this coming Thursday introduces Dexys Midnight Runners, the Pretenders, Sister Sledge and Sad Cafe amongst others. Nothing sad about the week after; Mike Read presents the Buggles, the Nolans, Matchbox, the Specials and returning to the TOTP studio for the first time since late '78, the Boomtown Rats.

The sad bit is that the Rats would only record 2 further performances for the show, although with videos and repeat performances, there's still around half a dozen show sightings left.

SLAY would get to 4 but falls away pretty quickly after that. Like Clockwork, which had a longer chart run, sold as well as many acts that got to number 3 that year, hanging around at position 6 for 3 weeks solid and receiving 3 TOTP outings and was the play out tune in the last show of July '78. It spent 3 months on the top 75.

Still, the SLAY performance is one of the better ones and the usual time of 7.30pm applies for this week's show (17.01.80) and the show on 05.02.15 (24.01.80) with the usual scattered weekend repeats. We're out of sequence for a while until the effects of Operation Yewtree and industrial action right things.

The Rats were due to appear on a special Christmas show 21.12.78 with DLT and Peter Powell presenting. Industrial action scuppered it. BBC was off air all day, with the strike called at 8am. Children who arrived at TV Centre for Blue Peter were sent home. It was to be an hour long and would also feature other number ones from 10cc and Donna and Althia, who were also absent from the actual Christmas Show that year (which presumably would have been Part 2, if Part 1 with DLT and Powell had gone ahead.

Mark L wrote:

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Reminder for Top of the Pops tonight

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 I normally just google a particular TOTP performance rather than watch the whole thing.TOTP is the proverbial curates egg, good in parts.

noelindublin wrote:

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TOTP is the proverbial curates egg, good in parts.

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I didn't watch much of TOTP from 1975 or so due to extra-curricular activities.  When they started these re-runs I was quite excited to see what I had missed, but it didn't take long before I realised it was mostly garbage.  Rat Trap at number one was a real highlight.  Even artists I like including The Jam and Elvis Costello don't come across well.  Maybe The Clash were right all along.

We were still on 3 channels only in 1980 and this was by far the primary method of performers promoting themselves and their records visually and one of the few things we could watch each week geared to pop music. It's easy with everything we have now for the twitterasti to look back and scoff.

Mark L wrote:

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We were still on 3 channels only in 1980 and this was by far the primary method of performers promoting themselves and their records visually and one of the few things we could watch each week geared to pop music. It's easy with everything we have now for the twitterasti to look back and scoff.

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I never understand people who tweet during events. Like the political debates or whatever. Surely you have to give something your full attention, and then comment later. All this instant comment on everything is beyond me.

Also I find the media just plays into twitter's hands by highlighting very trivial things the find on the Internet and making 'stories' about them. 5 Live has a 2 hour programme devoted to the Internet Top 30 i ie whatever nonsense it  making it big in the world of  social media.Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather listen to the shipping forecast.

Couldnt agree more Jules i think that we all know and feel how good the band are , i tend to ignore unfortunately anybody elses feelings i can only presume that for instance that whoever may give a poor gig report was not actually at the gig.

I think that this was definately the case recently cant remenber the girls name but emma just out of nappies from the evening standard is close enough gave a really scathing report she just could not have been at the gig

daggerrat wrote:

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... whoever may give a poor gig report was not actually at the gig.

I think that this was definately the case recently cant remenber the girls name but emma just out of nappies from the evening standard is close enough gave a really scathing report she just could not have been at the gig

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Interesting one.  I went to see Elvis Costello and the reviewer commented about his lackluster show which opened with I Hope You're Happy Now...

Thing is he opened with Accidents Will Happen.  Ooops!

Everyone gets bad reviews, but it is often more about the reviewer.  If I was a cub reporter and got sent to review, say Phil Collins, I would be incredibly scathing.  For most of the young reporters I can imagine that they may be mightily hacked off if their mate got to review Royal Blood at The Electric Ballroom whilst they were sent to cover The Rats at the Forum.  Even I was bit hacked off they both played nearby venues the same night.

The Rats, well Geldof, come with considerable baggage, so every review is going to have an angle.  What has been very encouraging is that so many people write that they put on a good show that is worthwhile seeing.

ArrGee wrote:

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daggerrat wrote:

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... whoever may give a poor gig report was not actually at the gig.

I think that this was definately the case recently cant remenber the girls name but emma just out of nappies from the evening standard is close enough gave a really scathing report she just could not have been at the gig

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Interesting one.  I went to see Elvis Costello and the reviewer commented about his lackluster show which opened with I Hope You're Happy Now...

Thing is he opened with Accidents Will Happen.  Ooops!

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 Remember almost all the day after newspaper reports of Live 8 Edinburgh mentioned Geldof doing Mondays. He didn't, he did Rat Trap and Indifference.

Can't remember the last time I bothered with a live music review, it's so subjective, you're almost always going to get a slightly poncy overcritical viewpoint, which most of them seem to think is the job.

Jules wrote:

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There's an interesting difference between subjectivity and lies . They obviously thought it was safe to assume he did Mondays, when safe they were not.

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 Ha, true! Rat Trap went down much better in the stadium probably precisely because it was a pleasant change.

daggerrat wrote:

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I might write something quickly and go down the pub.

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That's the incentive!  In days of yore, Fleet Street used to really get going about 9pm in the evening.    I don't know what happens in town these days as all the drinkers are in Canary Wharf or Shoreditch.

ArrGee wrote:

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Tango wrote:

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Jules wrote:

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There's an interesting difference between subjectivity and lies . They obviously thought it was safe to assume he did Mondays, when safe they were not.

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 Ha, true! Rat Trap went down much better in the stadium probably precisely because it was a pleasant change.

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 ABM - Anything But Mondays.  

Mrs. ArrGee once commented about whether he ever sung anything but Mondays.    You would struggle to find any TV performances since 1991 where he didn't sing it.  Mastertapes was all the better for its omission. 

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 There can't be many, if any. Unlike most other Rats songs, I don't think I've ever found a sudden urge to listen to Mondays. Over-saturation, I suspect.

This coming Thursday

David 'Kid' Jensen presents chart hits from 31/01/80, with performances from the Revillos, Kenny Rogers, Azymuth, John Foxx, Madness, Rupert Holmes, the Ramones, Jon & Vangelis, Billy Ocean, the Specials and the usual dance sequence by Legs & Co.

It's all very well for Geldof to say this,  but he has been happy to receive the royalties from this song since 79, cheerfully collecting awards such as the Ivor Novello and best pop song etc back in the day. The song is one to be immensely proud of and like it or not,  it is what most people remember him for from the Rats' days. They are not talking about the echos on LANO and the lyrics to Real Different or the US version of Drag me Down. 

There are repetitive elements to my job, most jobs,  but guess what.....there's no choice. 

Mark L wrote:

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...it is what most people remember him for from the Rats' days. 

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Playing it to death over the last 35 years has made it the only thing people remember of Geldof pre-Band Aid.  The Rats are often denounced as one-hit wonders, but if all Geldof ever does is regurgitate Mondays then why would anyone think any different?  If nothing else, the odd airing of Rat Trap down the years, which was almost as big in terms of shifting units,  wouldn't have done any harm.  It is hard to think of an another act so associated with one song.  I would argue that Mondays isn't that representative of what The Rats did given the total absence of guitars.  It is a fine song, but it has overshadowed everything else.

Lots of 70s/80s acts in a similar position:

Dexys: Come on Eileen, Geno

Spandau: True,  Gold

Human League: DYWM, Mirror Man

Ultravox: Vienna.....erm

Rats: Mondays,  Rat Trap

and I've seen plenty of Mondays-free performances over the years,  inc Diamond Smiles on Parky 2005, Joey on US tv and LANO was shown on 1983's TOTP special for the 1000th show. 

Naturally,  you'll see and hear more of Mondays as the biggest hit,  but the idea anything else is rarely played doesn't bear out. 

I only recall Diamond Smiles being broadcast on Parky 2005? 

He did Rat Trap unplugged on the One Show 2013 or last year. Are you thinking of that? 

In the mid 80s, they went on the Tube and performed Drag me Down, Do they know it's Christmas and.........Rat Trap.

It's definitely not a case of auto-default to Mondays. I've seen album tracks aired on 'Three of a Kind' at Christmas 1982 (Up All Night) and on Kenny Everett's show in 1980 (Keep it Up) and when they were invited to perform 2 songs on the 6:55 special in mid '82, as well as airing the latest single, Charmed Lives, they chose to play their version of Arnold Layne, when Mondays might have been the other song everyone was expecting.

Without watching them all again, I'm pretty certain Mondays did not feature at Self Aid, Goldiggers (Sight and Sound) and on the recent 25 minute Sky Arts programme showcasing their Isle of Wight performance 2013 (although it was performed there).

For obvious reasons, it can't have been performed on the 1978 Rock Goes to College broadcast or the Hammersmith broadcast from the same year, and when Sky featured the Rats on 'Video killed the Radio Star' a few years back, they didn't simply concentrate on Mondays but many of their other productions including a detailed look at the video for their number 62 hit, Never in a Million Years.

I would venture to suggest that since Mondays, TV companies over the years have been fair and balanced to the Rats and that whilst we may see and hear more of Mondays, it is in proportion to the immense talent and hit this song was.

Mark L wrote:

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I only recall Diamond Smiles being broadcast on Parky 2005? 

He did Rat Trap unplugged on the One Show 2013 or last year. Are you thinking of that? 

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No,  he did Rat Trap as well.

http://theboomtownrats.blogspot.co.uk/2005/02/geldof-on-parkinson-itv.html

I don't think whether you look at pre 1991 or post 1991 performances,  Mondays has been showcased out of proportion to the substantial hit it was. 2013's Late Late Show featured LANO and Rat Trap was redone, as opposed to Mondays,  with Dustin in 1996 gaining considerable tv exposure in Ireland helping it become a big hit all over again. 

Not the best, was it? 

Better next week as the Rats climb from 14 to 8 and debuting Steve Wright introduces SLAY,  which is the same swivel-chair,  leaping off the piano performance that Mike Read introduced 2 weeks ago. 

The Rats may not be on the Thursday evening show. They sometimes cut 2 or 3 acts to make it fit the 30 mins slot but the full show on Sat into Sun is rarely truncated. 

Nothing now from the Rats until later in 1980 with Banana Republic and one episode will not repeat as DLT introduced. 

Reasonable show last night with the Rats at 14 (not shown as falling).

Good to see the video for Atomic after all these years. 

Not so good was Alabama Song by David Bowie. His version of this track sounds like a train wreck. I've never heard the opera version but can't believe it could be as bad. The Doors did a better job making it fairly enjoyable. 

A rather excitable Peter Powell, complete with strange voice intonations, presented the one just gone, with the Jam's excellent Going Underground still at the top. Quite topical lyrics what with the election coming up. You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns, the public gets what the public wants.

I think even Alex is annoyed Sturgeers won't rule out another stab at nationalist separation and some say he thinks she's not up to the job. Careful Nicola, Salmonds looking at you.

The Buggles were on again this week, with their policy of releasing poorer singles the longer they went on. Shame they couldn't have put out something to match 'The Back of my Hand', which they produced for the Jags,  after 'Video killed' 

The shows square peg in a round hole, Simon Bates, fails to predict the correct tenure at number one for the Detroit Spinners who are to spend another week at the top before Blondie depose them. 

No record will spend longer than 3 weeks at number one in 1980 apart from the Police's Don't Stand.

Tommy Vance presented this week's show and great to see Dexys top with Geno. Put the subtitles up and never mind misheard lyrics,  this was almost an entirely misheard song. Anyone else have trouble understanding Kevin?

Interesting to see OMD debut on TOTP as well as The Human League. Neither track was within the top 40, in fact even this TOTP outing would not boost THL into the top 50 from where it started at 72. Jona Lewie was also fortunate to be granted an appearance at 73 with 'You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties'.

Or as Peter Powell billed it, 'You'll always find me in the kitchen at midnight'.

It's like the 9 week strike never happened. BBC4 showed an early August 1980 edition last night,  so expect the usual weekend repeats, with ABBA at number one (Winner takes all). I suspect with unbroadcastable episodes, we will get back on track otherwise expect Banana Republic earlier than should be the case - you herb it here first 

Steve Wright this week at the helm, introducing David Bowie,  The Jam and EL0. Mike Berry takes time out of Grace Bros next week as 'The sunshine of your smile' continues its steady chart climb.

Legs & Co clock in as normal. 

Why's that then? 

Ashes to Ashes is quintessential Bowie but the video is over the top  and merely repeats visual effects TOTP engineers had worked out how to do years earlier. Hiring a bulldozer hardly elevates it over other good 80s videos. 

ArrGee wrote:

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Mark L wrote:

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....the public gets what the public wants.

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 Looks like we are gonna get the SNP tail wagging the dog.  Maybe the rest of us will get the chance to vote on independence next time out. 

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 Prophetic after the SNP activity at Westminster this week.....although the dog turned out to be true blue. 

Hi Mike

In 1980, Banana Republic was shown on the 20th November and the 4th December. In 1981, it was shown on the New Years Day edition. The 2015 rerun dates loosely correlate to the actual 1980 dates, sometimes more loosely than other times, and this is down to the 1980 strike, excluded reruns due to damaged DJ reputations and so on. 

This week's show, for instance, is from 18/09/80 and is first being shown on 23/07/15 (later today). If that prematurity continues, you could see Banana Republic in the charts as early as late September.

Unfortunately, only one of the three Rats' performances will be screened. Dave Lee Travis presented the 20/11/80 show, so this will be pulled in all probability together with the New Years Day edition from '81 as he co-presented this with Tommy Vance.

Peter Powell presented the 04/12/80 edition and unless anything emerges to prevent that rerun, it will air.

There were 7 episodes from the beginning of September 1980 through to the Christmas Day edition which featured Saville or DLT and so the culling already underway of these (we've been spared Kevin Keegan co-presenting with DLT 2 weeks ago) should more or less bring the chronology back on track for the 1981 reruns, if this rerun format continues. However, in that year, 17 shows face being culled on the present information so the best thing is to check this feed where I usually give advance notice of a Rats appearance. Sadly, there'll be nowt in '81 to point up, but Simon Bates and Peter Powell with Garth Crooks should in theory be introducing House on Fire in the Spring of 2017.

This Saturday at 10.50pm  BBC4 are showing 1979  Big Hits featuring the Rats. Repeated Tuesday evening at a similar time. 

This week saw the Police go straight in at number one with Don't stand, only the 7th act at the time to do that since the charts started in 1952. Forgot how rare this was at the time. Happy to forget the antics of Russ Abbot and Leo Sayer however, clowning about between hits. 

So many misheard lyrics, watching this with subtitles on. 

No show tomorrow 

Just watched Spandau Ballet (To cut a long story short) with the subtitles on. What a revelation. Heaven knows what I'd imagined they sang after  'standing in the dark'

We were also treated to Blondie, number one with The Tide is High and the video for Fashion by David Bowie. 

ABBA provided the corniest rhyme of the show with, in Super Trouper, ' I was sick and tired of everything when I called you last night from Glasgow,  all I do is eat and sleep and sing, wishing every show was the last show'

Usual 1980 unfathomable guest appearance moment with Stu Francis. 

The Boomtown Rats will appear on 26/11/15 on this show. Jona Lewie and Abba also feature together with AC/DC.

7.30pm and Midnight next Thursday for Banana Republic's outing introduced by Peter Powell.