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Underground > Radio & Music >

Top Of The Pops

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17:41 / 05.06.06

I was talking to my Mum once about TOTP, complaining that it was mostly idiots miming or sometimes just dancing, and that music used to be much better (this was in the early nineties, little did I realise how far we still had to fall). She told me it had always been appalling, even in the sixties, somehow making good bands seem bland and bad bands blander still. She was amazed it was still going and had never been replaced by anything better, especially since the spread of MTV and the million other music channels in the last fifteen years. Since then I think it's got worse if anything, yet it just won't die.

What do you think? There have been some good moments on the Pops, but not many- does it serve a useful purpose and I am just an old curmudgeon? Or is it appalling tripe that should be scrapped and move over for a show that plays good music and has interesting things to say about it?

For me, the website alone is a crime against the gods (Argh! My eyes!) and I'd love to see TOTP binned and Flyboy's Half Hour funded in it's place. But I'm not a teenage girl. Maybe they would be desolate if it finished and riot in the streets demanding boybands.

So, Tip top brit pop or crap hits by rock gits? Whaddaya reckon?

Regrettable Juvenilia

18:28 / 05.06.06

I don't know what teenage girls have to do with it - I doubt they're watching it anymore, which is one of the reasons why it's now on at 7pm on a Sunday on BBC2, instead of the same time on a Friday on BBC1. In a sense, it has been replaced by other things - mostly better things, although there are always exceptions like the Album Chart Show.

Television's relationship with pop music has always been... problematic at best.

18:58 / 05.06.06

So who *does* watch it? It still seems to be aimed at young teens going by the branding.
Come to think of it, are there any good music TV shows? Have there ever been? Old Grey Whistle Test was apparently quite good in the 70s, but the only programmes I can think of are Saturday morning tripe and TOTP. TOTP2 is actually one of the better ones as I recall, classic old performances amongst the dross and kitsch fun.

Regrettable Juvenilia

20:13 / 05.06.06

Classic old performanzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

PopWorld isn't bad. Everything that's had just the studio performance / short interview / studio performance format has been at best inconsistent. I liked Naked City at the time but I doubt it would stand up to a modern day viewing.

foolish fat finger

21:02 / 05.06.06

it's funny, I watched totp for the first time this century on sunday... I mentioned it briefly in the thread about myspace...

my opinion is that it went wrong when Chris Cowey took over as producer (previous claim to fame- being insulted by John Lydon in a TV interview. Lydon walked out). he changed the rules so that they could play records that were going down the charts, have 'exclusives' etc.

for me that was the start of the rot- in my opinion, it is not the function of totp to 'hype' records, or play stuff that isn't in the charts. I am with John Peel, who said (and I paraphrase) 'the great thing about top of the pops was that it gave you what records were hot in the charts, sometimes in the form of an enema...'

but yeah, it has always been pretty bad, but the few moments of genius make it worthwhile somehow...

10:56 / 06.06.06

A friend pointed out that 'Later...' was pretty good, all live, some good bands.
Except for Jools Holland of course.

Regrettable Juvenilia

11:25 / 06.06.06

I don't know whether Later's music policy became more conservative or whether my own tastes have changed, but for the last five years or so it has been dreadful. If and when they get decent people on, they'll get to play one song, in between four Paul Weller numbers and a lot of the smug sycophancy that passes for 'interviews' as conducted by that terrible little man.

13:41 / 06.06.06

I think the little kids watch ToTP on a saturday morning. I quite like it. It was REALLY terrible in the seventies when it had to cross over into the MOR / radio 2 market.

My fave ToTP moments: Banshees doing Spellbound, Pan's People doing The Clash's Bank Robber, Take That doing Relight My Fire with (eerrrrrr) Lulu??? Anyway - all moments when natural ToTP elements got tangled up with something else.

Pop World is book. Or it was -- dunno if the new versh will pass. Not sure they ever quite got over Busted splitting. goes misty eyed Busted were ace.

16:46 / 20.06.06

Top Of The Pops cancelled, after 42 years (!) on the air.

16:54 / 20.06.06

Absolutely gutted, I wouldn't be half the man I am today without it. Apparantely we can now enjoy the chart on Radio 1 instead. Great, NOT!

Peace Love And Respect

Pato.

All Acting Regiment

18:00 / 20.06.06

I liked pop world. They took the piss out of everything and the presenters looked like they were really into taking the piss, as opposed to the odious Holland of Flyboy's ire or in fact most other pop telly presenters who look like they're sucking up without really caring.

I think the point of pop telly is to have bands on and kids dancing, yeah? What about interviews?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:32 / 20.06.06

I feel a bit shit about saying this, really, as I haven't watched TOTP in about 15 years, but it's quite sad to see it go.

21:30 / 20.06.06

Well, it always seemed to have pretty good title music.

Watched 'Later' the other night for the first time in years and it seemed ok. A few good bands on, Gogol Bordello, Dresdon Dolls, a couple of bands i've forgotten the name of. It's still a pretty fine format. Big round stage. Bands round the edges that play a couple of songs each in rotation as the camera spins round and covers them. But, like someone said above, that little piano bollock spoils it all with his smug shit. Innane conversations with Phil Jupiter and Jo Brand and 'the singer from the Kaiser Chefs who just happned to be in the audience' i can do without.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:53 / 20.06.06

I miss Snub. And The Chart Show before it got shit. Music magazine programmes without presenters were great.

I'mm sad I missed Gogol Bordello on Later. But I'm happier that I also missed Jools Holland.

Much as I'm railing against presenters, I also miss Rapido. Antoine de Caunes was actually quite amusing, and they had some great stuff on there. In fact, the best part of twenty years ago, it was Rapido on which I first heard Nick Cave. 'Twas The Mercy Seat video, and an interview. 'Twas good.

Haus of Mystery

00:07 / 21.06.06

TOTP isn't allowed to be cancelled. It must always be there, whether we believe in it or not. Like Father Christmas, Tinkabelle, and Tunnock's Tea-Cakes.

Regrettable Juvenilia

07:58 / 21.06.06

I feel a bit shit about saying this, really, as I haven't watched TOTP in about 15 years, but it's quite sad to see it go.

Stoats, I think there are going to be a LOT of people who haven't watched it in a long time (and plenty who probably didn't even like it then) who will bemoan its passing. This is understandable for the reasons MacReady mentions, but I reckon it's also about to get very annoying very fast...

09:42 / 21.06.06

Bring back The Tube!

Arrest Upon My Chest

Pato.

10:18 / 21.06.06

Didn't they cancel One Man and his Dog about 6 years ago due to poor ratings, only to face a huge public outcry*? Basically people didn't want to watch it, but liked seeing it in the schedules. I think the phrase 'Heritage show' was used. I imagine something like that might happen...

*Or was this just tabloid astro-turf?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

11:02 / 21.06.06

They could do an alternative Radio Times for all those kind of programmes- kind of "comfort scheduling" that you don't have to actually, y'know, watch.

Mon Oncle Ignatius

14:02 / 21.06.06

I won't miss TOTP very much at all, really. I would occasionally watch it in the last decade or so to check what the pop charts had to offer, generally be fairly horrified by the whole shebang and not watch again for a month or three.

Now if I want to do the same I can switch over to TMF, I suppose; or watch Later if I want to see some live TV-friendly acts (Jules Holland's supreme gitwizardliness notwithstanding). I'd like to have seen Gogol Bordello for example, but was too busy getting through a few beers elsewhere that night. I'm sure they'd forgive me though.

TOTP2 was vaguely good for nostalgia purposes though (always nice to see Can in cod-disco mode on a wet afternoon for example), so it's good to see that's not been pulled entirely from the schedules.

Does anyone still read the Radio Times?

14:25 / 21.06.06

For me the most important thing about TOTP was the 'shared experience' - the idea of an entire nation of pop fans (and haters) watching the same thing at the same time. And I suppose that stopped happening years ago. Perhaps they should do a Doctor Who and ressurect it 20 years from now.

14:27 / 21.06.06

What, and in the interim it'll survive in novels and audio dramas? TOTP: The New Adventures...

15:14 / 21.06.06

Christ, imagine the illustrations on the covers - dodgy renderings of Dave Lee Travis and Richard Bacon.

Let's see now:

Jimmy Saville = William Hartnell
Dave Lee Travis = Tom Baker

Errr...

15:15 / 21.06.06

Of course!

Simon Bates = Colin Baker

22:21 / 21.06.06

Well it looks like it can die, and in fact will.

00:07 / 22.06.06

Dude. The thread is only 24 posts long. Could you at least pretend to read the salient bits?

Hattie's Kitchen

10:22 / 22.06.06

Ah the memories...All About Eve not being able to hear the backing track during their appearance, which resulted in them sitting on stools and looking dumbfounded for 3 minutes...Dexy's Midnight Runners performing "Jackie Wilson" in front of a picture of darts player Jockie Wilson...Peter Powell and Bruno Brookes trying to sound hip and look fly in their 80s lurex blouses...

I won't miss it that much, I was more of a "Tube" person.

10:27 / 22.06.06

And of course the show's signature dance, the 'Indignant Bop', which involved moving your arms vaguely in a tight circle with a sour look on your face, glancing at the monitors every few seconds to see if you're on camera.
...Oh Devo, this thread is turning into 'I Love TOTP'...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:50 / 22.06.06

Hattie- yes, the Dexy's moment was fucking genius. They should do a compilation DVD of all the best bits- not the best performances, or best bands, but the best BITS. Bowie pretending to suck off Mick Ronson... the All About Eve thing... The Orb playing chess over a backing track...

It's probably just as well it's gone, really- the best thing about it was that every now and then Peel would present it and slag off all the bands very politely. ("That's the best thing I've heard since, well, since teatime. Mind you, I had a late tea").

Without that to hang on to, what's the point, really?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:51 / 22.06.06

And I forgot Ooh Gary Davies.

Never did find out what the Ooh stood for, mind you...

Haus of Mystery

08:09 / 23.06.06

Didn't Nirvana do a version of 'Teen Spirit' where Kurt sung like Morrissey? And the bassist was blatantly not touching his strings with a big shit-eating grin on his face?

Stoat - forgot about the Orb. I seem to also remember Beck doing loser with a backing band made up of really old men, while he engaged in some atrocious breakdancing...

lord nuneaton savage

09:42 / 23.06.06

That Nirvana thing was one of the only telly moments which I can honestly say changed my life.

My Mum: "They're not even TRYING".

Me: "I want a guitar".

Blame Nirvana.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

10:36 / 23.06.06

And Shane McGowan lying semi-conscious over a piano while Kirsty McColl bravely tried to pretend it wasn't a backing tape...

12:14 / 23.06.06

I remember an Eels performance for Novocaine... where they were all playing tiny instruments to the backing track, and at about halfway through they started to smash them up until at the end, the stage was demolished and the backing track was still playing. I love Mr E.

Oh, and I remember the Outhere Brothers (is that it?) getting really out of breath trying to shout along to their big chart hits of the day. I agree with the DVD idea, but it should just be made up of the amazing/cringy bits. I don't really care if this Madonna performance was really good, I wanna see twats from the 70's gurning to a backing track and winking at the sour-faced girls in the front row. Ace.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

13:20 / 23.06.06

On a slightly off-topic but similar tip, did anyone ever go to a Radio 1 Roadshow? I always wanted to when I was a kid, but looking back it would probably have been horrific.

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