vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Aug 28, 2018 20:51:16 GMT 1
13/2/16. Davies and Wright. We start with Belouis Some, great name, he is on two weeks in a row. Who is the girl in the blue dress? She's gorgeous. Dull song though which got a lot of publicity, sounds like it's aimed at the US market. Blue-eyed-soulish. Seems to be forgotten nowadays.
Whitney Houston at 10. God, so is she. Fast forward. Wright. Fast forward. Latin Quarter, with "Radio Africa". This seemed to go on for ever. Bit like a Tarkovsky film though, it sort of beguiles you into its hypnotism. Or maybe that's the female vocalist, who is also gorgeous. This is an eye candy episode.
Biggest climber is Su Pollard. This was the theme of a telly programme following a couple (or couples? Can't remember) arranging their marriage and the start of their life. Reality TV is not a new thing. But why Su Pollard? Oh, the video gives the story. They should have had Tracey Ullman sing this.
Charts. Don't know who Audrey Hall is, sounds like someone from 1933. PiL at 12, well, they were breakerish last week, they should be on this week, but the BBC hates the British.
Breakers. Paul Hardcastle with a normal single. Singer doesn't get credit. Selfish. It's Carol "Temptation" Kenyon. Survivor, this is utter gash. And Diana Ross, with a time-travelling video. Was "Chain Reaction" really a 1960s single that's been revamped? It's convincing. Best thing she's done since 1980 and it's by going back to that glorious Tamla sound. Should have heard more of that.
Instead we get Shakin' Stevens. "Turning Away". This would definitely be a Pointless answer. It's back to basics. Even with the vocals faded in the mix. This is quite a nice production that deserves a better song. There seem to be only two words in it. The musicians get a go on stage this time.
Top 10. The Damned are at no. 4. Is this a sign of the apocalypse? Ocean is at no. 1. The playout is Madonna because the BBC is obsessed with sh*t Yanks. Eastenders next. That's quite a new thing. And a pointless thing, just wastes a couple of hours per week on unimaginative drivel. I hate soaps.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Sept 1, 2018 10:32:53 GMT 1
I had completely forgotten Love Comes Quickly by the Pet Shop Boys. I tend to think of them as a band who consistently made the top 10, when actually following the massive success of West End Girls it took them a little while to get into their stride.
I never realised before that the video version of Cliff Richard & the Young Ones’ Living Doll is quite different to the single. I wonder why they did that?
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 2, 2018 11:08:29 GMT 1
20/02, Longreid. They give Carol Kenyon the credit Hardcastle eschews. He looks a prannet in Miami Vice suit and keytar. I suppose given that he couldn't exactly perform "19" he decided to turn up for this. Dance by numbers.
Diana Ross. Great video, great single. The director does a great job of looking bemused and shocked. And Diana is looking sexxxxxxay.
Depeche Mode with a VERY dark sounding single. This is really good. Suffused with bitterness and with hints of industrial. They are eschewing the commercial pop sound for something rather interesting.
Survivor. Nominative indeterminism as I wish they hadn't. Charts. Tavares are back? Are they on an advert? Nana Mouskouri & Pitta Bread? Is that a joke or a genuine credit?
We stop at 11 because Rotten is in the studio. Wow. Two drummers, always a good sign. Is that Don Letts? Kin love this single. Which was technically called "Single", because PiL was branding everything literally - an album called Album, other than the CD which was called Compact Disc and the cassette which was called Cassette, and also producing things like a t-shirt with T-Shirt on it.
Top 10. Doobul. Damned at 3, damn, not quite. Pollard? Jeez. Damned get a playout. Weird choice for a playout as it's not exactly dance-y.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 4, 2018 18:38:07 GMT 1
27 February. Steve Wright and Paul "Who?" Jordan. They look sooooo un-Radio 1. Wright looks like a paedo and Jordan like the head of geography on casual day. We start with Sigue Sigue Sputnik. The hype for these was off the charts. They said they were going to outsell The Beatles. That the history of music would be the history of Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Didn't translate very well to the TOTP studio as they didn't have that ultraviolence swagger that the video had. Mayhew and Kavanagh on drums in particular look like they're in the wrong band and are barely tapping at the drumpads. And not sure what Yana is actually doing.
And what gets overlooked is what a bloody fantastic song this was. It just needed a bit more vocals. Love the sound effects that give it a real kick up. The hype in the end did them no favours. Had they just burst out perhaps they might have taken off a bit more. Or perhaps they were just Tony James' joke taken too far.
Talking Heads at 18. Early example of Sausage Or Legs. This is quite an avant garde opening to the prog. Albeit this is more a straightforward pop single than normal from the Heads.
Audrey Hall. Never heard of her. It's lilting reggae, apparently. Heh, diverse. Hm, this is more lovers rock. And it's, well, nice. Really nice. Sweet little song. Nicely composed too in the way it gets to the chorus.
Charty McChartface. Jim Diamond is back. Madness stuck at 35. Sic transit gloria mundi. To be fair, it's their worst, and most pointless, single ever. Frank Sinatra? Dafuq? And how come PiL are going DOWN?
No. 24. American professional footballer. Alexander O'Neal. Really? Well, it's crap.
Breaker McBreakface. Kate Bush, surely something from la Bouche should have got a proper play rather than a brief smidgeon? Epsecially as the video looks rather interesting? And then Tavares, for no reason at all.
No. 10. The Bangles. Susanna Hoffs, oh my God, be still my heart. Nobody does side-eye like her. This was on a Saturday Superstore vote and it got 40 points out of 40. Written by some chap called Christopher. There's never been an all-woman band have a no. 1 hit, Clout came close. These may break that though, they're up 14. Them against the Sput. Even though Clout's single was better.
Top 10. Damned missed out on the top, dammit. Ross inching up. Too little too late? We play out with Colonel Abrams, with what sounds exactly like his last single.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 23, 2018 9:08:28 GMT 1
Six three. Davies and Peach. A slightly different show than normal. How so? Davies is wearing a ludicrous pullover. First up, Mike & The Mechanics, with "Silent Running". That was a great film. Must have been a while since Paul Carrack was on Ver Pops. There is a Genesis sound to this. Albeit a lot darker now they've gone all poppy. Quite profound indeed. Bit of a jarring opening.
One of the changes is a look at the charts now. OK. Over a Tavares video. Ah. So this brand new rejig involves watching something from decades ago. This is not a welcome revival, they did so much better. Where are the freaking charts? I'd prefer listening to "Yellow Pearl". Oh, they're rading them out. We've got a rotating chyron. No pics any more. Only mentioning the songs going up or entering. Hm, I'm not sure about this at all.
Kate Bush in the studio. Now this is better. Much better. Staccato and bouncing, discordant and exotic. Brilliant stuff.
Now, as part of the new refreshing modern revamp, Frank Sinatra. What the actual?
Jim Diamond, he's got a band with him this time. Plus a guitar. Theme from Boon and it's given him a belated follow-up. OK, nothing more than that, really.
Breakers. Mr Mister. Do they know what "κυριε ελεισον" actually means? Prince with something funky that is spoilt by his performing in falsetto. Two breakers? Cut Prince short to show Whistle, which is complete, total, and utter gash.
Top 10. Damned going down, damn. SSS stopping at three, also damn. Good no. 1 though. The director in the video is brilliant. And the playout now is going to be a video. Another theme choon.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 23, 2018 9:26:37 GMT 1
20.3. No introduction at all, we go straight into Jim Diamond. So, what did they say that's verboten?
Oh, maybe not, they're introducing after. Long and Bates. Rolling Stones, trying to roll with the zeitgeist, which is usually a mistake for them. Simon Mayo gets an introduction and he introduces the Pet Shop Boys with a follow-up I totally don't remember. They're always on TOTP but they never seem to be in concert. Strange.
Breakers. Wonder with some lush garbage. Siouxsie with something rather faster than normal but still their trademark dark minorbeat sound. Like.
Segues straight into The Young Ones, who have done a Comic Relief single with Cliffy. This is f***ing hilarious. If this is what we have to expect from this new charity venture, we've got some real treasures to look forward to over the next few years. It's new in at 4. If it's not no. 1 next week I'll eat my left bollock.
Bates talks about Comic Relief while "Kyrie" plays in the background. The Real Thing are back, for no evidently explored reason. Top 10. Bangles never made it to no. 1. Bowie at 2, Comic Relief is going to stiff him. Ross at no. 1 still. "Kyrie" is the playout.
Ho-hum show but the top five was looking pretty strong.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 23, 2018 19:10:36 GMT 1
3 April. WHAT THE f*** IS THIS? THIS IS HORRIBLE!!!! WHERE IS "YELLOW PEARL"? WHAT THE f***ing f*** IS THIS sh*t?!?!? f***ing SUB NETWORK SEVEN GRAPHICS!!!!!
Whatever it was, it was short, and we segue into BAD. Who seem to be very quiet ab initio. Is that Don Letts? It's certainly Mick Jones. The Clash famously eschewed TOTP so is this his debut? Quite a fun single, quasi-list. It's also quite long.
Long and Peel finally appear, to introduce George Michael and his Aran sweater at no. 4. This is so obviously going to be a no. 1 even though it's dull and clichéd emoting aimed solely at the angsty girl market. "Oh, he so understands how I feel!" Eff it.
We go from teenbait to...Aha. Hm. And this is very by numbers. Totally unmemorable. Which is why I don't remember it. Almost the definition of a fourth album single.
Long is introducing Paul Hardcastle, who has done the abomination that appears at the beginning. They had "Whole Lotta Love" for a decade, they could have left "Yellow Pearl" for a while. It's amazing that he's taking credit for the utter heap of sh*t that is being played all the f***ing time on the programme.
Real Thing, who look as if they were a very last-minute call-up.
OK, they've already dropped the idea of running the charts over a video and are back to the rundown, alas to the backing of Hardcastle's "tune" which is apparently called "Wizard". The opening graphics are in the background, albeit distractingly there are a couple of diagonal lines that occasionally park up either side of the number, which make it look as if a song is going down, even though it isn't. Despite the revamp we are still on Clarendon Italic. Names are all in capitals.
No. 10 is Falco. It's number 1 all over the world. Listening to it, the world is wrong. This is diresville. Only redeemed by Peel's joke referring to the scandal in which antifreeze was found in Austrian wine. Peel is on a roll, he refers to Queen as the Sun City Boys. Samantha Fox is at 3? Huh?
Cliff & TYOs are still no. 1. It's still funny. We play out with The Style Council. Who have turned into Matt Bianco. Christ alive, someone get Weller to a therapist.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 29, 2018 9:45:06 GMT 1
17.4. God, that theme tune is sh*te. Straight into Big Country, have they had a hit for a while? Theyr'e in the top 10. OK, but goes on a bit. Needs more soary guitar.
The latest attempt at revamping the 40 is to have Faclo ina window while Davies talks over it. Best use of Falco, really, given that it is crap. Highest chart entry from It's Immaterial at 28. Then the highest new entry is Grange Hill at 26. Confused dot com. Brand new no. 1, no more Comic Relief.
A-ha fill in a bit of time. We regard the breakers. Suzanne Vega. Quite a cute little song. Grange Hill, with Fay Lucas as the lead vocalist, it seems. Brief shots of the late Joann Kenny who had been in two top 20 videos already. John Alford would also have a hit. One of the girls would be in short-lived girl group TSD. Amma Asante, who became a director.
Janet Jackson, with a Rockwell - i.e. it would be nowhere without the Jackson name.
OK. It's Immaterial. I don't remember it at all. It has a tinge of country rock about it. Spoken word intro from a Sean Hughes lookalike. Actually, it's mostly spoken word. Driving for 30 miles? Don't go too far, will you? They sound like a serious band who will end up one-hit wonders because their normal stuff won't impact as much as this one. It gets old fast.
No. 1 is George Michael, dullsville. Playout is Houston, ditto.
Anaemic show.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Sept 30, 2018 10:13:58 GMT 1
“The highest climber this week is for Robert Palmer, but forget about him, just have a look at these girls!”. The past is a horrible place, isn’t it?
What’s with this highest chart entry / highest new entry thing? I thought it was a mistake at first but they’ve said it a few times now. Are they distinguishing between songs which have climbed into the top 40 from outside and ones which enter on their first week of release? I didn’t know anyone ever did that.
The Chicken Song is fantastic, still a classic for me. My kids were in hysterics at “climb inside a dog”, they didn’t understand much of the rest.
Great and unexpectedly poignant to see Chas & Dave in the top 10 with their musical ode to what is to this day the only sport I ever watch. Funny that they refer to the fact that Steve Davis has not yet won the world championship, that soon changed.
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Post by o on Sept 30, 2018 13:07:10 GMT 1
Yeah, I noticed that as well sherrifffatman, but I'm sure Janice Long occasionally did the same with some fit blokes? Highlight for me was Rock Lobster.
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ad1
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Post by ad1 on Oct 6, 2018 13:38:55 GMT 1
Yes they use "chart entry" when a single climbs into the top 40 from 41-75 and "new entry" when it enters the top 75 within the top 40. What’s with this highest chart entry / highest new entry thing? I thought it was a mistake at first but they’ve said it a few times now. Are they distinguishing between songs which have climbed into the top 40 from outside and ones which enter on their first week of release? I didn’t know anyone ever did that.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Oct 7, 2018 21:30:31 GMT 1
I never realised before that the video version of Cliff Richard & the Young Ones’ Living Doll is quite different to the single. I wonder why they did that? Interesting you say that as I didn't enjoy seeing the song as much as I thought I would, so maybe that's why. I'm behind with the shows but I'm surprised so far by how much I've not been familiar with. 1986 seems to be a year I don't know as well as the previous 3. Glad we're now on The Wizzard era!
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Oct 8, 2018 19:57:40 GMT 1
Forgot to add, I enjoyed seeing the first appearance for A Different Corner last week, one of my favourite George Michael singles. I first heard it on Pat Sharp's Capital FM weekday show in his Top 10 at Ten feature, (retro chart from a particular year though he did do themed ones too at times). I think it was No 1 that week and it just stopped me in my tracks, loved it instantly. For me it's underrated and doesn't get played enough which is probably why that memory sticks out. I actually went back to the place where I heard it that day only a few days before seeing the episode so it felt especially poignant.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Oct 13, 2018 23:42:30 GMT 1
24 and itself divided by six. We cut straight into the SOS Band who sound like a Five Star tribute. The voiceover is Long. The song is utter crap. It's the musical equivalent of wallpaper paste. Tasteless, colourless, anonymous, lumpen, probably toxic in large doses. Who in the name of arse is buying this? And now we see Dixie Peach is co-presenter in a rad shirt. Highest climber is the Grange Hill cast. Melissa Wilkes was cute. Oh, Simone Hyams. Michael Winner tupped her. Rap break? Don't remember that. Probably never listened to it long enough to get that far. Oh God, having had the Five Star ripoffs we now get Five Star. Feck this sh*te. Charts. There's a charity record in there. At no. 28 is Gary Newman. Dear sweet f***ing God, that sums up the complete total and utter vacuity of this f***ing show and this f***ing sh*t backing. Aurra at 20 and we've already hear they're on. SOS Band were on for NOT MOVING? Jesus H Jones. To be fair the charts are mostly gash. Breakers. Princess, who, per Long, looks good (agreed) and sounds good (nope). Level 42, they should really have had the SOS slot. Madonna has the highest new entry, looking, per Long, like Eva Braun. Wow, that escalated quickly. Although I bet Eva Braun never recorded anything as sh*t as this.
Back to Aurra, which is terrible. Top 10, ditto. No. 1 is Michael, dull. Queen and an interesting video on the playout.
But. Frankly.
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Post by suedehead on Oct 14, 2018 0:59:44 GMT 1
I've not read this thread for a while. Therefore, this is the time for me to mention that I once stood in for the lead (male) singer of Latin Quarter. I was always a big fan of Radio Africa.
I agree that Love Missile F1-11 was a teriffic single. Hiwever, the hype surrounding them was so ridiculously OTT that they never really stood a chance.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 15, 2018 13:11:06 GMT 1
Dear sweet f***ing God, that sums up the complete total and utter vacuity of this f***ing show and this f***ing sh*t backing. I've been following this thread for years, it seems to have got a lot quieter, this year in particular. I post in it whenever something on one of the repeats inspires me to do so, I never miss any but I don't always have something to say about them. It is quite hilarious that the only person who still regularly posts in here seems to absolutely hate the program. Much as I enjoy reading your comments and would hate to see the thread get even quieter, I wonder whether for the sake of your health you might be better taking a break from it for a bit?
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Oct 21, 2018 12:43:18 GMT 1
It's a sort of social experiment in seeing just when music fell off the perch. I think the initial fatal wound was "Thriller", but it definitely turned down in 1985.
Anyway. 8/5, Longpeel, straight into The Cure. Audience is trying to give it a party atmos which is not really fitting. This is perhaps as commercial as The Cure have got hitherto, other than the novelties. Smith isn't bothered about miming. 29 years ago today they were no. 2 in the States. Random.
Two people sing a song called "On My Own". Erm. LaBelle looks like she's auditioning for Treasure Hunt. Macdonald for Robinson Crusoe. Can't be arsed with this sh*t.
Long prepares us for something ghastly by talking about sport. It's "Snooker Loopy". Chas & Dave in the studio, the Matchroom Mob - players represented by Barry Hearn - remain on celluloid. Is Tony Meo the most obscure person to have a top 10? At least it's not meant to be serious. The Davis bit is that Hearn doesn't matter who wins the title as he's got all the best players signed up. Let's hope that the 1986 title doesn't go to a total outsider like, ooh, say, Joe Johnson.
Top 40. Two strong newies at 40 and 29. Not so strong for the next two. Highest new entry is at 11. We are going to see that per the opening.
Breakers. 34, Force MDs. Sounds like a krew. Actually it's more like The Commodores at their most saccharine. Doubtless the lickle girlies will go beresk at this. "Oh, ie's so emotional." I suppose detestation is an emotion. Van Halen, per Long, "sounding like an old Bucks Fizz song". She's not wrong. How does this count for the rock charts? Peel reckons it sounds even worse. It does, but not all Fizz songs were bad. Now for a startling video from Peter Gabriel which has got a lot of attention, and must have taken smegging ages.
And the song at 11. Spitting Image. I remember when this was on the programme on the playout. I said at school the next day that they should release it as it would become a massive hit. As usual, the vasman is right. Kate Robbins back in the charts. We're getting all of it. Heh, Lord Lucan on decks.
Billy Ocean at 27. Miami Vice jacket. Ça ne m'interesse point. Vamoosons au top 10. Marvin Gaye? Wow. The vapidity of the charts, it's novelty songs and rehashes. Michael goes 1-6, precipitous. Falconius is no. 1 for no adequately explored reason. And we play out with Shitney even though she's a non mover and the song is truly, truly terrible.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Oct 21, 2018 13:50:57 GMT 1
22/5 and here to start us off is Jaki Graham. FF.
Powell and Davies in I Ran The World tees. Hm, I wonder if they're on ebay? B52s with a Found Objects type video. "Rock Lobster". No idea why this has been re-issued butthank God it has because we need some stochastism in the charts. It's a killer baseline. They've tried to put a chyron in the shape of a lobster. Cute.
Can safely FF both Ocean and Labelle/Macdonald. Top 40. Freddie Mercury at 39, have Queen split then? Real Thing with another re-issue. Charts are booooooring.
Breakers. Pete Wylie's "Sinful", this is very decent, and it stands out amidst the utter dross. Not sure what's going on with the video. A midget cameraman, an Urkel lookalike, in a drained swimming pool. Oh, we don't get to see any more. We get some Accadacca with a video that's like all of their other ones, other than the addition of some metal jedi. Should be "Who Made Whom". At no. 16, Davies suggests forgetting about Palmer and looking at the girls. I'm inclined to agree. They've got a contempt about them. The ones on the right are more animated than the ones at the left. I'm also not 100% certain they've ever been introduced to musical instruments at all.
Highest chart entry, Simply sh*te. They can f*** off.
Top 10. Doctor & The Medics at 5. I'm not sure he's a real doctor. Level 42 unlucky to be at 3 behind an horrendous pile of sh*te and Spitting Image. SI are in the studio, Reagan on drums, Thatcher on keys, and Black Lace on vocals. There are chickens everywhere. Reagan using chicken drumsticks, lol. Playout is "Snooker Loopy", which at least has some clever rhymes. I hear the follow-up is going to be "Conkers Bonkers".
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Post by o on Oct 21, 2018 15:39:51 GMT 1
I still watch every ep. but again, there's not been much to type about sadly
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Oct 27, 2018 9:10:37 GMT 1
29 May. Must be half-term. Straight in with no. 3. Dr & The Medics. Quite fun, but a bit pointless as it sounds close to the original. Not sure what the girls are there for other than being Bezes. They're not even trying to mime.
Show sounds like a Scouse takeover. Although first we have Robert Palmer and his harem. I think the rhythm guitarist is my favourite. Although the bassist has a resemblance to Stella Barker of the Belle Stars. Peel is sarcastic.
Real Thing. This is what it's come to. Opportunity Knocks re-issues. What a vapid year.
Charts. They're all fairly rubbish other than Pete Wylie. Peel dissed sexism but Long fawns over George Michael. Breakers include Nu Shooz. I remember buying the Top 20 book in about 1988 and looking at the more recent charts, and thinking "who the hell were Nu Shooz?" They utterly passed me by at the time. Ca$hflow but they don't change the S.
Highest new entry is the Sport Aid theme. They have literally just changed one word. And I disagree with the title. A brisk walk will do for me. Peter Ustinov? Totally mondar.
Pete Wylie. it is indeed sinful that this has basically just staggered up to 20. Sexy nuns. Josie Jones of Big Hard Excellent Fish on guitar. She died three years ago. ;(
Top 10. The no. 1 is about the best record in it. Gabriel plays out, bit of a waste of the video.
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