David Brent

Sad to hear that the final edition of 'Top Of The Pops' has been broadcast in the UK.
The show has been a British institution for the last 42 years and was still being shown in 118 countries worldwide.
I remember the great days of TOTP in the sixties. Everyone used to wait every week to see who would be Number One. I remember seeing The Beatles on those early shows. DJ's that hosted the show back then included Pete Murray, Jimmy Saville, David Jacobs and Alan Freeman.
Then followed the likes of Dave Lee Travis, Mike Read, Noel Edmunds and of course everyone's favourite Tony Blackburn.
TOTP today was only a pale shade of its former glory days but I'm sure it will still be missed.

Dave.

Marky B

I know I felt old watching it last night - I mean,who the hell is Rufus Hound? Is that a made up name or what? Watching the eighties clips brought back fond memories,when I was younger,single,footloose and carefree. As for now,replace those for older and I do care,but still single and footloose.
Ta Ta
Marky B:)

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

djdave

Sad to see it go. It was a fabulous programme in its best years. I watched it religiously from the very late-70s through to the late-80s.

Reasons for its decline are probably numerous: more TV channels, especially of MTV-type music stations; new technology, such as mobile phone, MP3 and computer downloads; the fact that the BBC music chart hasn't been the only chart available for some time; the rise of pop videos from the early 80s onwards.

Perhaps there are other contributory factors. I don't think changing it to a Sunday night (and shunting it to BBC 2) helped.

But I'll miss it. Perhaps the Beeb could start making TOTP2 again, to show us clips of the very best bits?

DB7

Was probably for the best to put it out of its misery. They've altered the format and moved it around the schedules but with numerous 24hr music video stations on satellite I'm not sure there's any need for TotP. There probably is the need for a 'live' show like The Tube or the Old Grey Whistle Test and CH4 have launched a show called Transmission (after the Joy Division track?) but it's on the graveyard shift and mostly new indie bands.

Freddy

TOTP gave us some great music videos as well. Sinead O'Connor with 'Nothing Compares' but my favourite was the film which accompanied Simply Red's 'Holding Back the Years'.
I wonder if the people who created those short films went on to something bigger.

Freddy

Vincent Broadhead

Sad to see it go, although I haven't watched it in years in all fairness.

Steve

Steve Crook

In the case of Tony Vandenende who directed the Holding Back the Years video - not a lot. See his IMDb entry

John Maybury who directed the Nothing Compares 2 U has done quite a bit more. But nothing that leaps out as overly significant to me. See his IMDb entry

Steve

Freddy

Steve


The actress who plays the teacher in HBTY is familiar, can't place the name though.

Freddy

Steve Crook

I'll look up data for you but asking me to actually watch a Simply Red video is asking too much :eek:

Steve

Freddy

;)

Is it based on taste Steve or jealousy because he once went out with Steffi Graf

Freddy

Steve Crook

Steffi Graf

It's definitely based on taste. I thought it was just his music but I think I'll now make it a more general difference in taste

Steve

bartonbank

One thing that struck me about the final programme is that Dave Lee Travis seemed not to have taken on board 'Smashie and Nicey"...it was uncanny!

Steve Crook

All the DJs thought that "Smashie and Nicie" must be based on someone else :)
With a few notable exceptions they are just (& only) an ego on legs. They can't comprehend the idea that anyone would find them absurd

Steve

Marky B

I do know it was filmed in Whitby.
Ta Ta
Marky B:)

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

Johnny Rico

I'm sure Mick Hucknall must have a silver tongue cos it aint his looks that attracted Steffi ( hubba! ) and many other Babes into his arms ( and other parts! )

Since the Charts were last relevant to me in the 1970's , I have to Guess but I would reckon that " The Charts" are just not paramount in the lives of anyone over 12 today. You hear stories that acts were charting with sales of a few thousand.

While the manufactured Act was about in the 1960's , the recent "Reality" phenomen ( Pop Idol etc ) and the Conveyor Belt of Boy/Girl Bands seemed to Drain the heart out of popular music. Of course there are always Acts that have a little more integrity but they still need outlets.

Rather handily , the Internet became a surprising outlet through Downloading. I would imagine that many Acts now are able to Demo their songs without using a record Company or a Plugger. Recently "Gnarls Barkey" topped the Charts through Download Sales Only.

Of course we are all aware of MP3 if only through the " BSSHTT_BSHHTT " coming out of earphones of the person next to you on the Bus. On the other hand it isnt half handy to have all my CDs available on my hard Drive or Burned on to CDs for the Car.

Which sort of makes you wonder how long the CD has?

As regards Music on TV - I have access to 2 cut-rate Video Channels on Freeview. If you can see the Video through the Verbiage onscreen you are fairly lucky. I have lost Beyonce on many occasions as she disappears behind a Love-o-Meter telling Darren from Redditch he has 67% Chance of a Knee-Trembler with Chantel from Arbroath. The other videos consist of

*Ugly Rappers shouting ugly things and getting Bleeped
*Hilarious Euro-Beat Anthems featuring Belgian DJs and some Bikini Clad German Dancers
*Girly Men in Cable Knit Sweaters whinging on about how tough life is
*Indie Rock Acts who sound like the Who and look like the male cast of Hollyoaks

I have to admit that Jools Holland appears to be a refuge for serious artists. Even if he occasionally deserves a Good Slap!

I'm sure there was a point in there somewhere;)

Couldn't You just try acting , Old Boy...It's so much easier