mfr
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Post by mfr on Mar 31, 2021 19:30:27 GMT 1
Don't go letting facts get in the way of Vastariner's distorted opinion They seem to support it though... In what way? Were they slavishly following the chart while you thought they should take a punt on something lower down at the expense of a bigger hit? Or were they knowingly or unknowingly already doing that by editing out some acts and favouring others despite their chart positions? You can't have it both ways.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 31, 2021 19:51:36 GMT 1
I Dont know, there is reason to believe that something was going on. If you look at the release schedules indie and rock releases tried to land in the week they were most likely to get a Chart Show play, this gets even more apparent as we move into the 90s. So scheduling the top 5 albums in the week that indie songs are most likely to chart, maybe a coincidence or not, who knows. Thankfully the top 5 will be going soon. But cmon it must be annoying that Sonia gets a play at #38 one week and Jesus Jones doesnt at #31. It maybe just how the entries fall but really. Indie and rock releases were occurring all the time, as their individual or label's resources allowed. For independent companies (PWL included) they almost certainly, unlike the majors, didn't have their own manufacturing plants and also had to fit into the schedules of their distributors. Therefore I can't see they would all be released the same week. They would be crazy to compete against each other so directly as well. How many charts did the Chart Show feature? I remember they did indie, rock and dance. Was there a fourth? Even so the monthly look at the album charts on TOTP wouldn't coincide with what the Chart Show was doing for long. It's probably not known by many that there actually was a monthly album chart, though TOTP's use of the feature didn't always coincide with the release of it, but delaying the October top 5 from the November 1st to November 8th shows would have enabled them to feature the official chart for October rather than commissioning one. What the chart position of the lowest single featured on TOTP would be would have been impossible to predict in advance, because there were too many variables, and of course that position went up and down. In an era when virtually every single had a promo video, knowing that TOTP had to have a proportion of studio performances meant that the smart thing to do was to make sure your act was available to appear in the studio whenever TOTP might call, just in case it mattered. Well that last point is the clincher, PWL acts were always very available. Sinita would turn up to the opening of a packet of crisps
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Post by ManicKangaroo on Mar 31, 2021 20:22:59 GMT 1
If you want to sell singles then of course you make sure you're available
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mfr
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Post by mfr on Mar 31, 2021 20:39:59 GMT 1
My observation only applies to the difference between whether you become a breaker of get a full appearance in the studio.
Sinitta was on Fanfare, not PWL. Sonia was on Chrysalis. Rick Astley was on RCA. Big Fun were on Jive. Only Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan were actually on PWL, of the acts people associate with SAW. At this point the third most successful act on PWL was probably Sybil.
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vya
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Post by vya on Apr 4, 2021 9:27:57 GMT 1
15 No no no nov Brookes
Black Box - Fantasy Still better than anything Technotronic have done
Inspirál Carpets - Biggest Mountain Subtle and melancholic and rather beautiful. More of this, please.
Charts: Caron Wheeler and Julee Cruise with things of note
Robert Palmer & UB40 - I'll Be Your Baby Tonight No, you won't. And do mockingbirds really SAIL away?
Caron Wheeler - UK Blak Really wasn't expecting this on here (given it got no higher than 40). More understated and rawer than her solo debut, and in a similar stylish groove as Mica Paris of late. A subtle and beautiful celebration.
Breakers The Mission - Hands Across The Ocean: whoever tone-policed and popped/danced down their sound wasn't doing them a favour Jon Bon Jovi - Miracle: more of his usual overblown rock theatrics Julee Cruise - Falling: sublime
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers - Let's Swing Again Amazed that people are still buying their singles..long after the inspiration or novelty ran out
Megabass - Time To Make The Floor Burn A.k.a. Jive Bunny going contemporary, in case everyone was bored of Mirage. Inclusion of Inner City and 49ers good, of Technotronic (two tracks) bad. Why??? Even by the standards of this genre not much cop
Kim Appleby - Don't Worry Big hearted but a bit bland musically. A bit, really, Brother Beyond album track. Worse, respectable, even.
Righteous Bros - Unchained Melody Not sure why 1990 Britain was so steeped in nostalgia, but not complaining
Prince - New Power Generation Relatively straightforward and appealingly accessible purple funky pop, even if the unrevolutionary music mismatches the lyrics.
Good edition, at times
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vya
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Post by vya on Apr 4, 2021 10:10:45 GMT 1
Maggie's Last Party Turner
EMF - Unbelievable Adolescent male energy. Much better than anything the Farm or Soup Dragons will ever do. America has New Kids, we have EMF. Even though they too are not up to much, we win.
Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby It's all about the samples and backing, which are rather brilliantly minimalistic and skilfully assembled. Less said about the rap or the lyrics the better.
Proclaimers - King Of The Road Feels like a cultural reclamation given the immense Scottish (and Ulster) influence on US Country and offshoots. Suits the group really well. Almost makes me wonder if they're pushing for the Christmas number one. And Anthea Turner says the same. So.
Rod Stewart & Tina Turner - It Takes Two Superfluous.
Julee Cruise - Falling Haunting. Damn fine
Jimmy Somerville - To Love Somebody A bad idea's a bad idea
808 State - Cübik In. Your. Face. Fantastic genre-switching going on here, as, in another way, in Tunes Splits the Atom too.
Righteous Bros - Unchained Melody Still the same
Bruno, Liz & the Radio One DJ Possee - Let's Dance Sub-Pat and Mick charity number. Indeed sub-LadBaby. Hope there's no one Yewtreed in the vid.
Apart from the ending not bad overall
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Apr 4, 2021 19:50:29 GMT 1
Fantasy by Black Box - am I alone in really liking this? Obviously it’s a cover, and as per their usual schtick the miming model is not the real vocalist, but whoever is actually singing it is doing a fantastic job. The luscious, somewhat Christmassy production is excellent too, in my humble opinion. Maybe it’s just that I am too young to remember Earth Wind & Fire, but I like this version best.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 4, 2021 21:06:19 GMT 1
Quinze onze. Quinzonze. Brookes in a Noel Edmonds shirt. Guarantees a good show and introduces Black Box. Does he know just how ironic he was being? Repeat performance as well. f*** it.
Brookes has finally learned how to pronounce Inspiral. It did sum up just how clueless Radio 1 DJs were that he thought it was IN-sprull when they had had a load of success in the indie charts. Never looked outside their playlists. Knowing and caring nothing about music. This has the air of an album track. Not in a filler way; but when a band goes slightly experimental to close out side 2 with something a little different. It's almost a Tom/Clint duet. I can imagine this as an All About Eve track, weirdly.
Charts. Caron Wheeler, NWA, Julee Cruise all coming in or going up.
Palmer & UB40 to be the second cover version on the show. And a video. I'll pass.
"Back To Life". No, it's "UK Blak" but the intro is IDENTICAL. Unfortunately she's forgotten to bring along any hooks or tune. It's just a vague meandering around with no real purpose. There's probably a message in there somewhere but I can't be bothered to dig it out. It just gets in the way of that mellow backing.
Breakers. Mission at 28 with something very Cult. They're gradually heading for U2 territory. Jon Bon Jovi with something that, on the Moh's rock hardness scale, is around talc. He's sounding like Waxl Rose vocally. Is this a Faces/Stewart deal? Julee Cruise at 35 is the highlight, quiet and alluring, and rather lovely.
Aaaaand we go to Jive Bunny, which is still a thing. Credit to them for realizing just how dead the horse is yet still managing to flog a few more singles. It's Pigeon Detectives, sussing out your moment is extremely short so just exploit it like feck, you're having eternity without any more hits. Video seems to be condoning child and animal abuse.
Bruno's guarantee does not seem to be worth the paper it wasn't written on, does it? Charts. And we get Jive Bunny AGAIN, via the Megabass monicker with another artlessly joined together run of old hits, only this time the oldness is restricted to the last few months rather than decades. Remind me again why it's wrong to play stuff outside the top 40 but it's fine to play the same artist twice in the same show? And you would actually have to be thick to buy this, wouldn't you?
Kim Appleby, it's another repeat performance. Such is the allure of the number 1 music show.
Top 10, same no. 1, Prince on the playout, so no NWA despite being entitled to 2 plays. This is standard Prince Goes Funky, there's nothing here for people who do not like Funky Prince.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Apr 5, 2021 8:00:59 GMT 1
And we get Jive Bunny AGAIN, via the Megabass monicker with another artlessly joined together run of old hits, only this time the oldness is restricted to the last few months rather than decades. Remind me again why it's wrong to play stuff outside the top 40 but it's fine to play the same artist twice in the same show? And you would actually have to be thick to buy this, wouldn't you? Well, to answer the first question, the show is based on the top 40 and if the same artist has two singles that are new or climbing there’s no obvious reason why they shouldn’t be shown, is there? Besides which I’m not sure many people realised Megabass and Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers were the same artist. To answer the second question, I bought Time To Make The Floor Burn. At the time I was in the bottom set for science, but looking back I think that was more due to lack of effort than lack of ability. I was in the middle set for maths, which probably over states my ability, but the top set for English, which I was very proud of. Broadly speaking I think the answer is no, you didn’t have to be thick, although maybe I was at the higher end of the intelligence scale of purchasers, and if you really were very clever you wouldn’t have been into it.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 5, 2021 10:43:14 GMT 1
All the twos and all the ones. Is that a description of this show or the date? Turner as perky as ever. The Mef, see above. At least they are there for a second go.
Vanilla Ice. Oh dear. Sums up the racism in the record industry though. Black rappers, limited success. White rapper, pushed to the moon.
Charts. 24/7, Fields of the Nef, PSBs, Deee-Lite, Dimples D, Bombalurina (oh God) all new in. Prince drops, not surprised.
The Proclaimers have dressed up for the occasion. And it's a cover version. For some reason there's a pic of Jonathan King on the double bass. They haven't blurred that out. It's a more country sounding cover than the Roger Miller no. 1.
Rod & Tina. Oh, surprise surprise, ANOTHER f***ing COVER VERSION. The SAWmill has a LOT to answer for. They've eviscerated real music and captured the cretins at Radio 1. That's 2.5 covers out of 4 so far.
Charts again. Soul II Soul, no sign of Caron Wheeler though, Dream Warriors. Stops at 11 as we get Julee Cruise, and, having LITERALLY just said that Julee Cruise is at no. 11, Turner says it's got to no. 10. Dear God. This is the theme to Twin Peaks, which is the only reason why it's become a hit. Not because it's rubbish, but because it's obvious Radio 1 would never f***ing play this otherwise, it's not a cover and it's not sh*te. The audience has the good sense to shut up.
Jimi Somerville, cover, 3.5 out of 6.
Now for something startling. This is where TOTP can be brilliant, following up a milquetoast sub-UB40 load of cack with some stark almost atonal banging techno. 808 State who have made the top 10 despite near ignorance on the show.
Charts, top 10, Kim Appleby is the only one in the top 5 that's not a cover. So another cover at no. 1.
And, finally, as if to disprove the contention above that TOTP should only ever look at the charts and not outside the top 40, TOTP does exactly that. We do not get the new entries though by Soul II Soul or FotN or Deee-Lite that are entitled to a play; we do not get breakers that could have covered them all. No, we get a song that is not even in the top 40.
So, it can be done.
And what do they choose?
RADIO 1 DJS DOING A COVER VERSION.
JESUS f***ing CHRIST.
DEFEND THAT, PEOPLE.
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Post by ManicKangaroo on Apr 5, 2021 11:47:45 GMT 1
And, finally, as if to disprove the contention above that TOTP should only ever look at the charts and not outside the top 40, TOTP does exactly that. We do not get the new entries though by Soul II Soul or FotN or Deee-Lite that are entitled to a play; we do not get breakers that could have covered them all. No, we get a song that is not even in the top 40.
So, it can be done. And what do they choose? RADIO 1 DJS DOING A COVER VERSION. JESUS f***ing CHRIST. DEFEND THAT, PEOPLE.
Because it's this year's Children In Need single
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 5, 2021 13:28:12 GMT 1
I know, I was partly being facetious, but there is still something immoral about spending time, money, and energy in recording something so utterly devoid of any merit whatsoever, and guilt-tripping people into buying it for the sake of charity whereas in fact it will only boost the egos of the participants. I'm guessing it won't make the top 40 and the cost of making and distributing it will mean any charity benefit will be minimal.
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Post by ManicKangaroo on Apr 5, 2021 13:38:55 GMT 1
But it would have probably made even less without this showing so in that way it is justified, plus it was only the playout. When they used to show the Eurovision entry before it charted it was during the main show.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Apr 11, 2021 7:59:32 GMT 1
Does anyone know how to watch the two episodes that were not broadcast last Friday because BBC4 was switched off? I can’t see them on the iPlayer, and on the link below it says the next one to be broadcast will be 13/12/1990 next Friday. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00704hg/broadcasts/upcoming
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Apr 12, 2021 19:42:36 GMT 1
Does anyone know how to watch the two episodes that were not broadcast last Friday because BBC4 was switched off? I can’t see them on the iPlayer, and on the link below it says the next one to be broadcast will be 13/12/1990 next Friday. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00704hg/broadcasts/upcomingI can answer my own question - that link has been updated now to show that they’ve just put the episodes back by a week. The episodes from 29/11/1990 and 06/12/1990, which were both due to be shown last Friday, will now be on this week.
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Post by o on Apr 12, 2021 19:48:47 GMT 1
It was lovely to watch various animals doing various things rather than pop singers singing pop songs, because animals which Philip used to shoot all the time didn't remind me of his death at all...
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Tom
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*Of Royal Blood*
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Post by Tom on Apr 15, 2021 21:53:47 GMT 1
Long way behind but shouldn't fall any further behind and will be doubling up when 1991 starts. 24th May Having seen it back it wasn't Anthea Turner's finest hour but will mention a bit more on her in later episodes. I'm also not convinced I ever saw this at the time, was away for half term and the weekend is when I would have seen it. Shame as I thought it was the best show of May so far. B52s - Roam/Don Pablos Animals - Venus Given that other than Gezza's thread I don't think I've heard either since the time I'm surprised how well I remember them. They were the joint highest climbers so Simon Mayo would have played them, otherwise doubt I heard either much. Liked both. Was Not Was - Papa Was A Rolling Stone Pretty good end to the show. 31st May Again, school holidays and a particularly memorable show. This might have been my favourite one so far. Talk Talk - It's My Life Remembered the video for this (which is notable as I don't think I paid as much attention to videos then as performances). Liked it then but appreciate it more now, brilliant song. Erasure - Star Seem to remember this video too. Another I liked. Chad Jackson - Hear the Drummer Get Wicked The most memorable performance (though that isn't saying much, there weren't many that were new) with someone showing the lyrics on a board. I imagine had I been listening to the top 40 at the time the song may have got boring after a while though. Betty Boo - Doin the Do This is one I feel I should remember more than I do as I was a fan at the time. Loved Hey Dj and this was another good one. World in Motion The best football song ever (and this is coming from someone who wasn't into football then and has no memory of Italia 90 whatsoever). The video holds particular significance for me as it was recreated in my school singing competition! Not by me before anyone asks! Charlatans - The Only One I Know Interesting that Simon Mayo said this was an old record of the week, as this and The Inspiral Carpets This Is How It Feels are songs I particularly associate with the journey to school
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vya
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Post by vya on Apr 17, 2021 21:37:26 GMT 1
29 Nov Campbell, overexcited by a new PM
Dream Warriors - My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style Brandishing sticks like relations of morris dancers and rapping live, quite possibly the most exciting thing ever to have come out of Canada. Substantially better than their debut. A good start. Only thing missing is active and enthuisastic audience participation.
Soul II Soul ft Kym Mazelle - Missing You Far from unpleasant, and indeed rather attractive both in terms of melody and beat, while the vocal contribution of Mazelle is always a plus, but continuing the sense that they actually might only have one volume of Club Classics in them. The problem is mostly one of trying to innovate and extend a style that they themselves brought to a mass audience, and indeed, played a big part in creating.
Megabass - Time To Make The Floor Burn The emphasis in the excerpt is first on the understated Cooltempo European House, Bizz Nizz et al, then Inner City (whose latest, truly deep house album "Fire" has been criminally ignored). Then alas Technotronic turn up. James Hamilton would either approve or be bored by the BPM matching going on here.
Honor Blackman & Patrick Macnee - Kinky Boots Vastly better than Donald Where's Your Troosers. Good fun.
Dimples D - Sucker DJ Makes sense that this had been recorded as long ago as 1982. Old school rap. Innocent fun, Sugarhill-adjacent world, flash forward it kind of makes sense in this context as a pre-Christmas semi-gimmick.
Chris Isaak - Wicked Game Pure sublime beauty and genius. Rather more than 50s revivalism going on here. Thank you David Lynch.
Pet Shop Boys - Being Boring More high quality songwriting and creation, atmopherically and lyrically. Probably too subtle to be a big hit, but a career high point. The cut demanded by the beeb (the final verse, bringing the story up-to-date and which gives the song its entire purpose being excised entirely) is not just brutal but brutish.
Bombalurina ft Timmy Mallett - Seven Little Girls Sitting On The Back Seat From the sublime to the ridiculous. The musical approach (kind of SAW/Sam Fox c. 1987) is at least better than their previous offense. And still the "oh yeah" sample lives on. Also, the video is too ironic and knowing to work.
Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby A very odd record. And a very odd no 1. The production/samples are sewn together professionally (during the verses more than the chorus), the rapping is err not so good. Could have been something special.
Deee-Lite - The Power Of Love I think I prefer this to "Groove...", it too has charming eccentricities, and some 70s touches mixed with a contemporary house approach, but it is kind of minor overall, and I don't think this act will have a shelf life to note or recall...
In places, a really good edition. A curate's Easter egg.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 18, 2021 9:38:31 GMT 1
St Andrew's Eve. Campbell with a few John Major references. Dream Warriors rapping live to Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova". Indeed it is very little more the original with rapping over the top. Nowhere near as imaginative or ground-breaking as their previous single and wears out its welcome pretty sharpish.
Soul II Soul, with Kym Mazelle. Hello. They've found their groove and are not leaving it. It's appealing if nothing as grabbing as their biggest hits.
Megabass, aka Jive Bunny. It's stitched together better than their Mastermixers stuff but even so it's a pointless conceit. They even weave in the original videos. Best bit is 49ers, so why bother with listening to anything other than 49ers?
Charts. Campbell tries to get cred on Accadacca's back. Campbell throws shade on novelty Christmas records before introducing one that I think he has had a huge amount of input into creating a hit. Patrick Macnee may have been the quintessential gentleman but he could not sing.
Cut back to Campbell who for some reason is saying "don't know". Dimples D, which is...my God, it's the I Dream Of Jeannie theme. What's next? The Good Life? Dad's Army? f*** THIS sh*t.
Chris Isaak that was obviously recorded in advance, someone knew this, or suspected, was going to be a hit. The video for the UK was him in a blue fifties suit, nothing that imaginative. For the States they got Helena Christiansen wearing nothing but panties. Anyway, is he in Twin Peaks? There's a Lynch dream-like vibe to this, it wouldn't take much to have Julee Cruise sing this. Weird staging as the bass is a big element in this but they don't bother putting one on stage. The classiest moment on the show by far. Good job they didn't get the yelping unwashed ruining it.
Charts. PSBs, "Being Boring", which these days seems to have grown in reputation as being an all-time classic. Me, I have the same opinion as I did at the time, namely they should have removed the word "being". Only interesting thing about this is Tennant has come dressed as a dirty old man.
Bombalurina. Jesus. Let's hope there is one omen though. Paul Evans took about 20 years to follow up this hit. This is just aimed at toddlers, isn't it? And that number plate is not legal.
Top 10. Cover, cover, cover, television, cover, cover, Kim Appleby, Mef, cover. God almighty. And the new no. 1 is also a cover, which takes out 95% of what was good about the original and replaces it with sh*te.
Playout is Deee-Lite. It's not as accessible as their debut, but it's possibly better, there's a deeper and even darker element in it.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 18, 2021 9:59:12 GMT 1
2x3-2x2x3. Goodier. "We may see the Christmas number one." Be still my heart. Twenty 4 Seven. Are we SURE that girl is 16? Actually has a great chorus, but the verses are a wasted. "Dreams...can be very nice." Thanks for that. At least the Cap lets everyone else have a go. Always a bit suspicious though whenever anyone spends more time on the dancing than the music.
Madonna, with something breathy and louche, that she's basically nicked from Malcolm McLaren. It's way better than most of her output. But we see TOTP bias again because they've plainly mocked up a video for her because there isn't one they can play. Which they didn't do with e.g. Stone Roses.
Charts. Kylie on top of INXS, heh. James at 38, probably won't get a play cos they're not Madonna. McCartney in at 35.
Goodier goes way out on a limb and predicts that a new entry at no. 12 will make the top 5. The Farm, sampling Pachebel, with posters showing a Subbuteo soldier, aiming precisely at the "Pipes Of Peace" market. Audience sounds like it's marching. I'm also going out on a limb and suggesting that it would be a no. 1 released at a less competitive time of the year.
"One of America's premier rappers." Hm, who? KRS-One? PE? NWA? No, it's MC Hammer. My God. Is he the worst musical artist ever to have existed in the entire universe? I've run out of adjectives as to how bad he is. This is worse than f***ing genocide.
Charts. Cliff Richard with another tilt for the top. New in at 6. Wow, he's on chartfire lately. This is however a bit rubbish. Attempts to throw some Scots in there. Although Mr Webb is wearing a sparkling hoodie way ahead of time.
Top 5 albums, just to play the same records as they always play. Mad Donna, Not Garfunkel, Housem, Bill Collins, Reg Dwight. Well, my life is immeasurably improved by seeing old f***ing records rather than, say, James.
Snap! OK, I was wrong about MC Hammer. Jesus H f***ing Buddha, this is a f***ing cover of "Mary Had A Little Lamb". And Turbo B still sounds like he is rapping while having a burger. Surely you have to be monumentally thick, or literally have never heard another record in your entire life, to buy this ****.
Oh God. I was wrong about Snap! New Kids On The Block. "This One's For The Children". Even Diogenes in his barrel would say "f*** me, this is so f***ing cynical". Total complete utter corporate wankstain. Everyone involved in this needs to be fed into a mincer, genitalia first. Oh, look, they've thrown St f***ing Winifred's in there as well.
Top 10. Top four don't move. Playout is the Boo, trying to move away from rap to singing. I think she needs a television show, she has the charisma to carry it off. The record though is a spacefiller.
Five records on that show were amongst the worst ever recorded. Absolutely terrible. OK, they had to play the no. 1, but I think as editor I would have taken an executive decision and announced I was banning sh*t!, New ****s On The Block, and MC Hummer until they recorded anything that was listenable without gouging out the eardum. I.e. never.
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