Top of the Pops repeats 1981

Mark L · Loudmouth

Top of the Pops repeats 1981

Mark L · Loudmouth

17 of these shows will fail to air for reasons well known.

I hear on the grapevine that Boy George is to be a judge on the Voice. I don't care really as I won't watch it but isn't it curious who the BBC will let air and who they won't? As they used to say at school, 'compare and contrast' convicts - the once-jailed O'Dowd with the never-jailed DLT.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Rats at 13 this week, falling. The uncomfortable -looking Richard Skinner introduced The Look, Bad Manners and Sad Cafe, amongst others, with John Lennon at the top with Imagine. Queen played out with Flash.

The Rats will still get a chart mention at 30 next week before a chart mention for Elephants Graveyard at 26 in February. No TOTP performance however at either opportunity places (40 and 26) which still seems unfair after all these years and unusual for a single accelerating sharply by 14 places.

suss · In the Long Grass

I watched this week. I know it's been said elsewhere but there really was more dross than great on TOTP than I daresay any of us care to admit. Maybe I just switched off (mentally) at the time but for every song that appealed there were, in hindsight, twice as many that appalled. I have absolutely no recollection of that Barry Manilow track that even Legs & Co looked bored by, and now wish it had remained that way.

Enjoyed Bad Manners and the Beat but the rest was anodyne

Now where did I put my rose-tinted glasses......

Big thanks to Mark for persevering with these updates and sitting through that last night

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I think I just ignored the dross back then and concentrated on everything I enjoyed listening. It does come as quite a shock when you watch TOTPs that there was such dire music and the extent of it!!

.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Or is just the TOTPs had a habit of finding the worst songs?

suss · In the Long Grass

In fairness to TOTP could only play what paying public dictated via chart positions. WHO bought those songs?? hmm

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

hmm They missed out the Rats, as above.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Agreed, some of it was rubbish. However, personally, I find it interesting looking back and there were some gems amongst the garbage, as Suss suggests.

For every Fawlty Towers, there's George & Mildred and Terry & June.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

The gems make it all worthwhile and remind you of what you were listening to.

suss · In the Long Grass

The point is that some people obviously saw our dross as their gems, if the charts are to be believed, and TOTP operating on meritocracy had to play them.

What I can't work out is who these people were, not through narrow minded and blinkered devotion to punk/new wave/ska etc, more because I know of no one who bought them. A silent majority obviously, probably silent through embarrassment

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I know of someone who is a Barry Manilow fan. Embarrassing.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
I know of someone who is a Barry Manilow fan. Embarrassing.

I'd be embarrassed if I knew a Barry Manilow fan as well.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Something odd afoot. TOTP 1981 now going out twice a week on BBC4, Thursdays and Fridays, new shows. So last night, after 15/01/81 was Yew Tree'd, we saw 22/01/81 with Peter Powell therefore introducing many of the same acts Richard Skinner had introduced on the 08/01/81 show, shown Thursday.

This means we will scuttle through 1981 quickly and could end up completing the year by May/June! How odd might Christmas songs sound then?

XTC were on, as were Adam and the Ants and Spandau Ballet. Not a bad show as the infectious Look song was on again and Lorraine was under threat again from Buster Bloodvessel.

Thankfully, Matchbox and Racey were absent.

Hope the Beeb are not racing to axe it and that all that will happen is that House on Fire will appear Autumn this year as TOTP 1982 starts unexpectedly early.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

ArrGee wrote:
Jules wrote:
I know of someone who is a Barry Manilow fan. Embarrassing.
I'd be embarrassed if I knew a Barry Manilow fan as well.

She's a friend of my sister. Don't blame me. Please .

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Jules wrote:
I know of someone who is a Barry Manilow fan. Embarrassing.
I'd be embarrassed if I knew a Barry Manilow fan as well.

You not a Fanilow then?

Mark L · Loudmouth

Today and tomorrow, 29/01/81 and 05/02/81 shows. Tommy Vance with Ultravox tonight at 11.30pm if you missed it earlier and Simon Bates tomorrow with the act that kept Ultravox at 2 for several weeks with Vienna.

Variously, Spandau Ballet, Dire Straits, Madness, The Gap Band, Rainbow, Blondie, XTC, Stranglers and Slade all make an appearance as well.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Was it that dreadful Shudduppa Your Face, or whatever it was called, that kept Ultravox off the no. 1 slot?

Mark L · Loudmouth

It was!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I can remember one of my school teachers getting up in assembly and proudly announcing he was as school with Joe Dulce who sang it. Silence fell upon the whole school. Not a single person was impressed with this. It's been etched on my brain. Ever since.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
I can remember one of my school teachers getting up in assembly and proudly announcing he was as school with Joe Dulce who sang it. Silence fell upon the whole school. Not a single person was impressed with this. It's been etched on my brain. Ever since.

I was appalled this was shown 05/02/81 at no.30 whilst the Rats were overlooked at 26, having been overlooked last week at 40. Apparently, Dolce had been 8 weeks at the top in Australia, according to Simes, so they thought they were on to a sure fire thing with S Y Face obviously.

Slipping to 27 next week, Graveyard is well and truly buried, going deeper to 32 the week after.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Richard Skinner at 7.30pm tomorrow introduces Slade, the Pretenders, Coast to Coast, Freeez and Beggar & Co. John Lennon still at the top but Dolce has shot up from 30 to 3.

Rats lose their grip on things with Graveyard slipping one place to 27 before falling to 32. I wonder what number they would have got to if they had been invited on to TOTP last week at 26?

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Why did I have a dream last night that I was watching this and the Rats were on it? That's weird. It was as if they weren't expected to be and was a surprise, even though it was a repeat. I can't remember which song it was supposed to be.

. Weird dreams.

Mark L · Loudmouth

I rarely dream or if I do, I don't remember them.

The Rats appearing on TOTP is definitely in all our dreams as far as Elephants Graveyard is concerned. Still, I recorded the video off Tiswas on our family's newly acquired Betamax video recorder and watched it over and over again that eventually I spotted the sexual element. Mind you, in 1981 it's a wonder that didn't send it straight to the top of the eligibility list for a TOTP outing!

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
I rarely dream or if I do, I don't remember them.
The Rats appearing on TOTP is definitely in all our dreams as far as Elephants Graveyard is concerned. Still, I recorded the video off Tiswas on our family's newly acquired Betamax video recorder and watched it over and over again that eventually I spotted the sexual element. Mind you, in 1981 it's a wonder that didn't send it straight to the top of the eligibility list for a TOTP outing!

I love all things to do with dreams and take a great interest in my dreams. Big interest too in Lucid dreaming ie when you dream and you realize that you are dreaming. Then you get to control the dream to a certain extent. Great websites on the net devoted to lucid dreaming if anyone is interested. Probably helps to be interested in psychology I find, and then dreams will be important to you.

Amazing too to realise that we spend one third of our lives asleep. So anyone around 50 will have spend around 17 years asleep if you average eight hours per night sleeping.

Its probably a good idea to be aware of your subconscious processes to better understand your waking life and that's why dreaming is important. Some dreams are random but equally I think lots of dreams have important messages to convey.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I rarely dream or if I do, I don't remember them.
The Rats appearing on TOTP is definitely in all our dreams as far as Elephants Graveyard is concerned. Still, I recorded the video off Tiswas on our family's newly acquired Betamax video recorder and watched it over and over again that eventually I spotted the sexual element. Mind you, in 1981 it's a wonder that didn't send it straight to the top of the eligibility list for a TOTP outing!
I love all things to do with dreams and take a great interest in my dreams. Big interest too in Lucid dreaming ie when you dream and you realize that you are dreaming. Then you get to control the dream to a certain extent. Great websites on the net devoted to lucid dreaming if anyone is interested. Probably helps to be interested in psychology I find, and then dreams will be important to you.
Amazing too to realise that we spend one third of our lives asleep. So anyone around 50 will have spend around 17 years asleep if you average eight hours per night sleeping.
Its probably a good idea to be aware of your subconscious processes to better understand your waking life and that's why dreaming is important. Some dreams are random but equally I think lots of dreams have important messages to convey.

Dreams are interesting, but I don't think you can predict anything from them or they bear any real significance. Freud was just looking to gain notoriety with his meanings of dreams. They are clearly related to your unconscious thinking and things that are on your mind, or that you have read or seen the day before.

Those dreams when you know you are in a dream are very odd. I get them a lot, especially relating to my Dad, who died in 2008. As to why I dreamed about the Rats on TOTP - well the Rats are always on my mind, obviously and I probably had seen this thread, it slipped into my unconscious thinking.

I am very interested in Psychology - studied it at degree level biggrin .

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I rarely dream or if I do, I don't remember them.
The Rats appearing on TOTP is definitely in all our dreams as far as Elephants Graveyard is concerned. Still, I recorded the video off Tiswas on our family's newly acquired Betamax video recorder and watched it over and over again that eventually I spotted the sexual element. Mind you, in 1981 it's a wonder that didn't send it straight to the top of the eligibility list for a TOTP outing!
I love all things to do with dreams and take a great interest in my dreams. Big interest too in Lucid dreaming ie when you dream and you realize that you are dreaming. Then you get to control the dream to a certain extent. Great websites on the net devoted to lucid dreaming if anyone is interested. Probably helps to be interested in psychology I find, and then dreams will be important to you.
Amazing too to realise that we spend one third of our lives asleep. So anyone around 50 will have spend around 17 years asleep if you average eight hours per night sleeping.
Its probably a good idea to be aware of your subconscious processes to better understand your waking life and that's why dreaming is important. Some dreams are random but equally I think lots of dreams have important messages to convey.
Dreams are interesting, but I don't think you can predict anything from them or they bear any real significance. Freud was just looking to gain notoriety with his meanings of dreams. They are clearly related to your unconscious thinking and things that are on your mind, or that you have read or seen the day before.
Those dreams when you know you are in a dream are very odd. I get them a lot, especially relating to my Dad, who died in 2008. As to why I dreamed about the Rats on TOTP - well the Rats are always on my mind, obviously and I probably had seen this thread, it slipped into my unconscious thinking.
I am very interested in Psychology - studied it at degree level.

I have a big interest in neuroscience, ie the science of how the brain works. No qualifications in that area, but have read dozens and dozens of books on the subject. Also pretty interested in meditation, eastern philosophy and all that kind of thing, so dreaming seems to fit as an area of fascination. Lots of brilliant documentaries about neuroscience on the Internet, endlessly fascinating for me.

Freud had some pretty crackpot ideas about dreaming. But the Freud was a bit of a cokehead so can't be relied on.Carl Jung was a much better investigator into the unconscious and for me he is more interesting than Freud. I think Freud's brain was 'fried', frankly. smile

I think everyday consciousnesses is akin to the 'tip of the iceberg'. I find that I often dream of my schooldays, and of people I barely knew, who turn up in my dreams. Lucid dreaming and dream yoga are two very interesting fields. Wish 'real life' was as interesting.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Richard Skinner seemed more confident and introduced Ultravox at the start of their 4 week run at number 2 as well as the others previously listed.

Elephants Graveyard at 27 with group picture on TOTP chart countdown same as the flipside picture to Banana Republic.

6 weeks later in March 1981, here is Guilty with an almost complete instrumental ending (most of the shimmy shames are missing)

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/12/the-boomtown-rats-the-elephants-graveyard-guilty.html

Mark L · Loudmouth

Mike Read introduces the 5th March '81 show, featuring amongst others Duran Duran, Shakin Stevens, the Who, Adam & the Ants, Toyah, Talking Heads and the Teardrop Explodes, with a dance performance from Legs & Co. Dolce is number one so Ultravox languish at 2.

BBC4 Thursday 7.30pm.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Nearest we got to the Rats tonight was a mention of Howard Hughes in the Teardrop Explodes' brilliant Reward. Also enjoyed the Who, first time on TOTP in 8 years, with You Better You Bet.

Ultravox 'languishing' at 2 for week 4.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Last night, at 7.30pm, we got the 12/03/81 show with Tommy Vance. Good show with Reward again from TDE, which does not age, Adam and the Ants, Kim Wilde and Landscape, the latter two complete with shiny new good definition videos. Roxy Music have dislodged Dolce from number one but Vienna has slipped to 4. Interesting though that in the best selling singles of 1981, Dolce is at 8 and Ure and the boys are at 5. Some sweet justice?

The show is repeated Saturday into Sunday 2.25am.

Beware, Shaky has landed in the top ten for the first time ever with This 'Ole House (7).

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Landscape, that was that one hit wonder, Einstein a go go. How do I remember this rubbish?

.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I'd forgotten it was Roxy Music who ousted Dolce from the top spot. Thank goodness it was a good band.

Oh my best friend at school was a Shaky fan. Oh dear. She and another friend went to see him at the Oxford Poly. I declined that one. This is why I rarely discussed music with my female friends. It was always a subject I shared with the boys. Another was into country music. Eek.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
I'd forgotten it was Roxy Music who ousted Dolce from the top spot. Thank goodness it was a good band.

Oh my best friend at school was a Shaky fan. Oh dear. She and another friend went to see him at the Oxford Poly. I declined that one. This is why I rarely discussed music with my female friends. It was always a subject I shared with the boys. Another was into country music. Eek.

and then there's the Fanilow. Dodgy company you keep Jules smile

This would be the start of a prolific chart career for Shaky and between now and 1987 he would be rarely out of the singles chart. There is still nearly 5 years to go til his '85 Christmas number one.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Ha ha, yes. As I said the Fanilow is a friend of my sisters. Maybe it's in our genes to hang out with people with err interesting taste in music.

Shaky was successful. I have no idea what the appeal was. Neither he nor his music did anything for me.

.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Me neither!

Bob Mortimer can be seen looking on seemingly with admiration though in the 1987 'What do you want to make those eyes at me for? ' video.....

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Mark L wrote:
Me neither!
Bob Mortimer can be seen looking on seemingly with admiration though in the 1987 'What do you want to make those eyes at me for? ' video.....

He was probably paid to do so. biggrin

suss · In the Long Grass

Jules wrote:
Landscape, that was that one hit wonder, Einstein a go go. How do I remember this rubbish? .

Because of the intrinsic link with Rats??

suss · In the Long Grass

I recall the track Norman Bates too...but may not have troubled charts.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I'd forgotten about that. According to Wiki it got to no 40, whilst Eistein a go go got to no 5.

youtu.be/pLvnYwvJMKE

Mark L · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
Jules wrote:
Landscape, that was that one hit wonder, Einstein a go go. How do I remember this rubbish? .
Because of the intrinsic link with Rats??

Lost me, how they are linked?

suss · In the Long Grass

Pete Thoms of Landscape went on to be Rats trombonist for ITLG and tour

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

suss wrote:
Pete Thoms of Landscape went on to be Rats trombonist for ITLG and tour

I didn't know that, maybe I had some kind of intuition.

Mark L · Loudmouth

19/03/1981

Top of the Pops

Peter Powell introduces the show tonight, featuring Sharon Redd, Bucks Fizz, Colin Blunstone & Dave Stewart, Toyah, the Who, Phil Collins, Shakin Stevens, Visage, Roxy Music and Duran Duran, and a dance performance from Legs & Co.

-- Edited by Mark L on Thursday 11th of February 2016 06:00:34 PM

Mark L · Loudmouth

Another day, another episode of TOTP sees Shaky up to No 1.

Mark L · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
Pete Thoms of Landscape went on to be Rats trombonist for ITLG and tour

Anyone recall Landscape appearing on Tomorrow's World? It was a few months before Einstein a Go-Go was a hit and they were showing how synths might replace guitars and drums.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Mark L wrote:
Another day, another episode of TOTP sees Shaky up to No 1.

Oh dear!

Mark L · Loudmouth

Indeed!

Not a bad show otherwise, including Landscape, Bad Manners and Linx. Thought Intuition was a half decent track, eventually reaching #7 on the UK Pop charts featuring a distinct Caribbean flavour. The follow up single, Throw away the Key, was even better, driven by a classic funk bass line and David Grant's effortless vocals but it only made 21.

Bucks Fizz on playout. It hasn't charted yet but the BBC are hyping it like crazy as it's the Eurovision entry in a couple of weeks.

We would win it, beating Germany by 3 points.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

More oh dear! Bucks Fizz... Yes, I remember it well and it won the Euro.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
More oh dear! Bucks Fizz... Yes, I remember it well and it won the Euro.

They have had two TOTP outings so far, with 5 more to come. Chart run below for Making Your Mind Up. 3 weeks at number 1 in the Spring of '81. The insufferable Land of Make Believe appears later in 81/82 at number one too.

-- Edited by Mark L on Saturday 13th of February 2016 11:56:07 AM

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

It's amazing what gets to no 1 at times. Three on the trot. I guess it would be boring if we all had the same taste.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
It's amazing what gets to no 1 at times. Three on the trot. I guess it would be boring if we all had the same taste.

Yes, their own 'Having my picture taken' got to number one in the Spring of '82. Called 'My camera never lies' it is full of similar 'clicks' and 'snaps' and I immediately thought of the Surfacing gem when I heard it. They refrained from going all the way by putting a Polaroid 1000 sound effect at the end. One week only at number one. Thankfully.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Mark L wrote:
Jules wrote:
It's amazing what gets to no 1 at times. Three on the trot. I guess it would be boring if we all had the same taste.
Yes, their own 'Having my picture taken' got to number one in the Spring of '82. Called 'My camera never lies' it is full of similar 'clicks' and 'snaps' and I immediately thought of the Surfacing gem when I heard it. They refrained from going all the way by putting a Polaroid 1000 sound effect at the end. One week only at number one. Thankfully.

Yes, I remember that. Wonder if they were inspired by Having My Picture Taken biggrin biggrin biggrin wink wink wink

Mark L · Loudmouth

Nothing this Thursday but Friday at 7.30pm sees Simon Bates introduce the pop programme, featuring Stiff Little Fingers, Liquid Gold, Children of Tansley School, Sugar Minott, Spandau Ballet, Shakin Stevens, Stevie Wonder, the Nolans and Bucks Fizz, and a dance performance from Legs & Co. Show from 02/04/81.

If you're a fan of Kraftwerk, there's a related hour long programme at 11pm to enjoy.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Show from mid-May is the latest to have been broadcast, a special Cup Final edition with Chas and Dave, and Ossie Ardilles, on the way to number 5. Adam and the Ants are in the early stages of 5 weeks at number one with Stand and Deliver.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Forgot how really bad some singer's/bands were back then. And that even the songs got into the chart's

Mark L · Loudmouth

Enjoyed Squeeze's performance last night of 'Is that love' at position 40. A rare example of a song then going down the charts to 43 before a recovery, eventually peaking at just 35.

Adam and the Ants hold the top spot still.

Mike menzies · V Deep

I agree mark I thought squeeze were great another fab group like the rats. Who faded after this People are fickle the 80s had some great bands & artists. But there was also some dire stuff out there

Mark L · Loudmouth

Mike menzies wrote:
I agree mark I thought squeeze were great another fab group like the rats. Who faded after this People are fickle the 80s had some great bands & artists. But there was also some dire stuff out there

18/06/1981 now!

Tomorrow:

Peter Powell introduces Linx, Phil Collins, Odyssey, the Specials, Imagination and Smokey Robinson, and a dance routine from Legs & Co.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Two more programmes, one later today and one Friday, when the 16/7/81 show will be shown. Only 9 months until the Rats' top 25 hit, House on Fire, set the charts alight (!) but at the rate they're getting through them, we might see this in August this year!

Dexys, Spandau, Bad Manners, Depeche Mode and the Specials at various points over the Easter weekend on BBC4.

Think the revised Yellow Pearl theme and exploding coloured records visuals will appear on these shows. And lots of balloons.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Richard Skinner, Thursday, and Steve Wright, Friday, present shows from late July 1981 including the Vapors, Spandau Ballet, Sheena Easton, Bill Wyman, the Specials, Depeche Mode, Kim Wilde, Tight Fit and the usual dance sequences from Legs & Co.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Shakin Stevens now back at the top for a few weeks with The Green Door. Quite a jump too, from 22 to 1. Quite a few 'medley' songs abound with Stars on 45, Gidea Park and Tight Fit.

The Rats third single from Mondo Bongo climbs......oh sorry that never happened of course. Except in Ireland. Anyone know what number it got to there?

-- Edited by Mark L on Saturday 2nd of April 2016 03:02:51 PM

Mark L · Loudmouth

Simon Bates BBC4 tonight 7.30 introduces the pop programme, featuring Duran Duran, Soft Cell, Aneka, Shakin' Stevens, ELO and Bill Wyman, and a dance performance from Legs & Co. It's the 13th August 1981 show.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Best song on the night was ELOs Hold on tight The rest I could take or leave

Mark L · Loudmouth

Would tend to agree, Bev Bevan excellent. Not a bad video.

Aneka was embarrassing and Simon Bates described Bad Manners as a former number one when they reached 3.

The new theme tune works well, written by Phil Lynott and Midge Ure.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

It didn't sound like it at the time. But not much great songs about why back then

Mark L · Loudmouth

Richard Skinner introduces tonight's programme, featuring Startrax, Ultravox, Cliff Richard, the Rolling Stones, Aneka and Genesis, and a dance sequence from Legs & Co.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Wish they had shown ELO's video rather than have Legs and Co dancing to the excellent Hold on Tight. Cloth-capped Midge Ure with Ultravox sang the Thin Wall, and I remember being disappointed with this after Vienna.

Hard to believe Cliff still doing well in 1981, 20 plus years after first charting, with 20 years or so to go still until the absurd Millennium Song.

Enjoyed the Stones with Start me Up.

How on earth did Aneka get to number 1 with ridiculous knitting needles through her wig?

Still, an interesting show.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Soft Cell, OMD, Teardrop Explodes (with the brilliant Passionate Friend) and Dollar entertained (?) tonight in a special live edition of Peter Powell's Christmas jumper. From September 1981.

House on Fire now oddly just six months away if they continue galloping through 1981 at this pace.

Gary Numan was able to climb to 6 with She's got claws. He's got lucky.

-- Edited by Mark L on Thursday 28th of April 2016 11:57:08 PM

Mark L · Loudmouth

Steve Wright tomorrow presents Adam and the Ants, Sheena Easton, the Pointer Sisters, Bucks Fizz and Legs & Co perform a routine. BBC4 7.30pm. We are all now back at school and it's the 17th September 1981. Pupils wonder what has happened to Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats as Adam, Spandau, Duran and Ultravox fill the void but Bob is concerned with celluloid:

Mark L · Loudmouth

Steve Wright tomorrow presents Adam and the Ants, Sheena Easton, the Pointer Sisters, Bucks Fizz and Legs & Co perform a routine. BBC4 7.30pm. We are all now back at school and it's the 17th September 1981. Pupils wonder what has happened to Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats as Adam, Spandau, Duran and Ultravox fill the void but Bob is concerned with celluloid.

Mark L · Loudmouth

No show tomorrow but Friday sees the 24th September 1981 show aired. Alvin Stardust and Slade still around in '81, together with Adam and the Ants and Imagination, amongst others.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

The list of the band's you put out Is enough of a turn of already How did this type of songs ever get played in the 1st place. God 81 was a really Sh@t year Apart from Nov 81 when one of the years best songs didn't even get a look in As the song say's Never in a million years

Mike menzies · V Deep

Man at the top,I totally agree 1981 other than Jan ( elephants graveyard) & Nov ( never in a million years) was poor I don't understand how much garbage in the charts I certainly didn't buy a much music (( apart from rat tracks ep,

Mark L · Loudmouth

manatthetop wrote:
The list of the band's you put out Is enough of a turn of already How did this type of songs ever get played in the 1st place. God 81 was a really Sh@t year Apart from Nov 81 when one of the years best songs didn't even get a look in As the song say's Never in a million years

Generally agree, anyone who saw the ridiculous Aneka with her knitting needles in her hair or the Birdie Song currently charting, would think we had all taken leave of our senses in 1981.

Just occasionally in 81 something decent came along. Obviously the Rats in this category, but I'm also thinking ELO, Teardrop Explodes, Dexys, the Beat etc

I suppose we must accept that in the same way we cannot understand why anybody could fail to enjoy the Rats, some people thought of the bands you and I deride as magnificent. I can't help but say it again : each to their own smile

Mark L · Loudmouth

Two shows this week from 01/10 /81 and 15/10/81. Squeeze and Altered Images are both featured.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Would you believe next week we move into December 1981 so the Human League feature in both programmes. Unfortunately, a single hovering around position 62 fails to have the impact hoped for and the Rats first single to stiff comes to fruition. Never in a Million Years. Geldof vows to rerelease it, but that doesn't happen until Spring 1985 and then only as a B side to A Hold of Me.

Feels really '81 at the moment, with ABC, Soft Cell, Ultravox, Duran Duran, Queen and David Bowie as well as the League popping up all over the place.

Not to worry, as long as the Beeb continue the format, the Rats will be back to set the top 30 ablaze very soon and sooner than we all would have thought! House on Fire gets 2 TOTP outings.

Mike menzies · V Deep

Yeh not forgetting appearance ( video ) of Monday's in1994 when loudmouth was released. I believe it got to 38 in singles chart

Mark L · Loudmouth

I remember, Bruno Brookes was presenting that show and said 'the Rats are back' before we got a brief bit of the video played to us.

Mike menzies · V Deep

Yeh i remember that it should've been given better AirPlay some so called friends slagged them off while it was on and said one hit wonders as you can imagine I filled their tiny minds with inf on about the rats chart run from 1977 onwards they shut up then once they checked it out in Guinness Bhutto singles book and

Mark L · Loudmouth

Rats non -movers at 62 this week with Never in a Million Years. Next week on BBC4 it's the 1981 Christmas show with Kid Jensen on Thursday and the 1981 New Year's Eve show on Friday.

Every indication the BBC continue this as Big Hits 1982 scheduled for a couple of weeks. So House on Fire's two outings should appear September time. Simon Bates presented them at 24 but unusually the record fell on the back of this to 26.

Mike menzies · V Deep

House on fire when at24 we had a supply issue at Menzies we could not get some polygram records back in stock we had atleastbyou 4 people ask for house but out of stock at time then obviously next week momentum faded with this song although in local chart it climbed to14

Mark L · Loudmouth

Mike menzies wrote:
House on fire when at24 we had a supply issue at Menzies we could not get some polygram records back in stock we had atleastbyou 4 people ask for house but out of stock at time then obviously next week momentum faded with this song although in local chart it climbed to14

That's interesting because, if yours was a chart return store or there was a supply issue at other chart return shops, we may not be able to regard 24 as it's true highest position.

Hope it's not an issue than ran v deep smile

Mike menzies · V Deep

We were not a bmrib( forerunner of gallop) chart shop but we were part of a local chart ours varied as some sold well on ours and not on other chart but hey swings and roundabouts

Mark L · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
Rats non -movers at 62 this week with Never in a Million Years. Next week on BBC4 it's the 1981 Christmas show with Kid Jensen on Thursday and the 1981 New Year's Eve show on Friday.
Every indication the BBC continue this as Big Hits 1982 scheduled for a couple of weeks. So House on Fire's two outings should appear September time. Simon Bates presented them at 24 but unusually the record fell on the back of this to 26.

Bob was on a boat this time 35 years ago, surrounded by poodles, with Pete nearby and a reporter furiously scribbling everything down. In 2016, has anything changed??!! Answer: Never in a Million Years.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
Mark L wrote:
Rats non -movers at 62 this week with Never in a Million Years. Next week on BBC4 it's the 1981 Christmas show with Kid Jensen on Thursday and the 1981 New Year's Eve show on Friday.
Every indication the BBC continue this as Big Hits 1982 scheduled for a couple of weeks. So House on Fire's two outings should appear September time. Simon Bates presented them at 24 but unusually the record fell on the back of this to 26.
Bob was on a boat this time 35 years ago, surrounded by poodles, with Pete nearby and a reporter furiously scribbling everything down. In 2016, has anything changed??!! Answer: Never in a Million Years.

Maybe someone should dig that video out for the 'out' campaign. Also maybe Farrage could have got hold of the Rats Europe Looked Ugly, Bob being a bit disillusioned with Europe back in 1981/82. Maybe a counterblast to In With The In Crowd should have blared out from Nigel's boat. smile

Mark L · Loudmouth

The Daily Wail have described it as 'Geldof's foul-mouthed flotilla' and refer to him as 'former Boomtown Rats frontman'.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
The Daily Wail have described it as 'Geldof's foul-mouthed flotilla' and refer to him as 'former Boomtown Rats frontman'.

So which side are you on Mark, leave or remain? Personally I think Geldof can be a bit boorish, arrogant and not a good listener. A big posh boat up against ordinary Kent fishermen - the rich or middle class up against the working class. The London elite against the rest of the country-totally out of touch. I write this as an outsider ,but keen observer of British politics and culture.

Part of me looks forward to the results of Brexit if it happens- the morning after when Blair, Cameron, Brown, Corbyn and all those business types end up with egg on their faces.

Mark L · Loudmouth

I will answer but first, wonder whether you think I am a Brexiteer or Remainer.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
I will answer but first, wonder whether you think I am a Brexiteer or Remainer.

Well ours is currently touring the country promising the most abject human misery for eternity if we dare to vote Brexit. Why did he even call a referendum if the 'No' outcome is so apocalyptic ?

Judging for those comments in the 'Our Pm/other stuff' thread you're more likely to be a Brexiter, though it's hard to tell and there are other forums if people really want to air their politial views. We've seen what can happen sometimes when people on the Rats forum have different polital opinions. Though I must say this Brexit scenario has got me strangely gripped, even though I live in a country not directly affected by the result.

Mark L · Loudmouth

noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I will answer but first, wonder whether you think I am a Brexiteer or Remainer.

Well ours is currently touring the country promising the most abject human misery for eternity if we dare to vote Brexit. Why did he even call a referendum if the 'No' outcome is so apocalyptic ?

Judging for those comments in the 'Our Pm/other stuff' thread you're more likely to be a Brexiter, though it's hard to tell and there are other forums if people really want to air their politial views. We've seen what can happen sometimes when people on the Rats forum have different polital opinions. Though I must say this Brexit scenario has got me strangely gripped, even though I live in a country not directly affected by the result.

Yes, I intend to vote to leave. It is marginal though as I think it is for a lot of people on both sides actually.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I will answer but first, wonder whether you think I am a Brexiteer or Remainer.

Well ours is currently touring the country promising the most abject human misery for eternity if we dare to vote Brexit. Why did he even call a referendum if the 'No' outcome is so apocalyptic ?

Judging for those comments in the 'Our Pm/other stuff' thread you're more likely to be a Brexiter, though it's hard to tell and there are other forums if people really want to air their politial views. We've seen what can happen sometimes when people on the Rats forum have different polital opinions. Though I must say this Brexit scenario has got me strangely gripped, even though I live in a country not directly affected by the result.

Yes, I intend to vote to leave. It is marginal though as I think it is for a lot of people on both sides actually.

Whatever the result at least it's democracy in action even though it could go 51%/49% either way. Can't wait for the exit polls next Thursday and the counts overnight.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Could go 50/50. Then what? Digging through bins to find spoiled and invalidated voting papers?

.

Mark L · Loudmouth

There's not going to be an exit poll. The results will come in as they do in a General Election (so Sunderland will race to be first and Cheshire East will be one of the last) with an idea how it's gone taking shape around 4am and the result from Manchester Town Hall around 7am.

Mike menzies · V Deep

Looking forward to 1982 house on fire on totp hopefully round sept time they did appear on afew other shows around that time I sure they did a prog with Bob Harris I remember him interviewing Bob & Johnny fingers I think it was about tour

Mark L · Loudmouth

Didn't think I'd be starting a TOTP 1982 thread in June and it has been strange watching Christmas and New Year shows in high Summer but the BBC has a plan so who can argue?

The 1981 New Year's Eve show was a rerun of all the year's number ones, heavily reduced to fit the schedule and introduced by Mike Read, new Radio 1 Breakfast Show host that year who as I recall was rather fond of the Rats. I remember when Eamon Andrews collared Bob with the red book four years later, Mike was with him and Bob regularly appeared on Mike's TV shows. It was not unusual to hear the Rats on his radio show either especially in 1982 and 1984. I can also remember him playing Rat Trap and Mondays in 1983.

Mark L · Loudmouth

noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I will answer but first, wonder whether you think I am a Brexiteer or Remainer.

Well ours is currently touring the country promising the most abject human misery for eternity if we dare to vote Brexit. Why did he even call a referendum if the 'No' outcome is so apocalyptic ?

Judging for those comments in the 'Our Pm/other stuff' thread you're more likely to be a Brexiter, though it's hard to tell and there are other forums if people really want to air their politial views. We've seen what can happen sometimes when people on the Rats forum have different polital opinions. Though I must say this Brexit scenario has got me strangely gripped, even though I live in a country not directly affected by the result.

Yes, I intend to vote to leave. It is marginal though as I think it is for a lot of people on both sides actually.
Whatever the result at least it's democracy in action even though it could go 51%/49% either way. Can't wait for the exit polls next Thursday and the counts overnight.

You were right with the percentages! Democracy in action indeed.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I will answer but first, wonder whether you think I am a Brexiteer or Remainer.

Well ours is currently touring the country promising the most abject human misery for eternity if we dare to vote Brexit. Why did he even call a referendum if the 'No' outcome is so apocalyptic ?

Judging for those comments in the 'Our Pm/other stuff' thread you're more likely to be a Brexiter, though it's hard to tell and there are other forums if people really want to air their politial views. We've seen what can happen sometimes when people on the Rats forum have different polital opinions. Though I must say this Brexit scenario has got me strangely gripped, even though I live in a country not directly affected by the result.

Yes, I intend to vote to leave. It is marginal though as I think it is for a lot of people on both sides actually.
Whatever the result at least it's democracy in action even though it could go 51%/49% either way. Can't wait for the exit polls next Thursday and the counts overnight.
You were right with the percentages! Democracy in action indeed.

I went to bed and didn't stay up or listen in to the count during the night. I was very surprised at the result, like most expecting it to go in favour of 'Remain'. Heard it first on RTE Radio 1 at 7.30.Been listening to RTE and BBC 5 Live since then.A truly mementous result and great for the chattering classes on tv and radio, and in the newspapers for months to come.

I wasn't guessing the outcome just saying that the margain could be as close as two percentage points.It turned out to be four, though in fovour of the 'underdogs'.Anothe incidence of the polls getting it wrong and lots of big names with egg on their chins including BG.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Friday 24th of June 2016 12:02:07 PM