Top Of The Pops

[RetroDon]

They say that it's under threat and complain it's not getting enough viewers. Whatever one might think of the content and the way it is presented now, if they're concerned about that why the hell did they move it to Fridays and up against Corrie? Are these people really THAT stupid??

I've got videos of old TOTP's from the 70's thru to the mid-90's, and they are mostly superb. The format used from 1981 to the mid-80s was proabaly the best (some of those shows are wall-to-wall classics), the atmosphere and style suited the music (which, in terms of chart consistency & quality pop, 79-85 was probably an all-time high). The 70's shows normally had a fair bit of MOR tripe chucked in, and that awful way they used to have the BBC orchestra play the music for the Three Degrees etc to sing to was awful ("Strut Your Funky Stuff" by Frantique has to be heard to be believed) - the way they did the chart rundown at the beginning was cool though...
I also reckon the show also hit a high point around 94/95, it seemed to be all about the music. Alas, its been downhill since then.....

[rrankin]

It's total shite now. Bring back the Old Grey Whistle Test.

[stevieboy]

TOTP is for kids now. I still watch it just for a laugh and I'm in my fortys. But like most things in life nothing stays the same . In my day TOTP was cool and we had real bands like T Rex and slade Etc !! Every generation either loves it or hates it . And yes i agree bring back live music shows Like Old grey whistle test . Even that oldie the Word had live bands. Jools Holland is about the only decent show these days with live music. But at the end of the day its all about money . So expensive to play live

[The Last Word]

The one thing I don't like about the Jools Holland show is Jools Holland. Weirdly annoying, and horrible suits.

TOTP? They piss about with the presentation far too much, but in general it can only be as good as the acts featured, so many people are bound to say it was better when they were younger when you think about it.

[steve56]

bob harris what happened to him?,saw many a good band on that show:cockney rebel,horslips,snafu.

[RetroDon]

Harris has been on Radio 2 for years

[gorgeous gee]

much as "the last word" rightly says, it can only reflect the status quo...the fact is, that pop music just isn't very interesting anymore.
ask anyone to name a classic guitarist....and they will say eric clapton, jimmy page, jimi hendrix...etc.
the fact is that the geezer out franz ferdinand is probably as good....even the guy out of busted or mCfly....but it just dont matter anymore.....
were baccara really better than the cheeky girls...sadly probably not but yes sir, they could boogie!
lol

[steve56]

who recalls the paper dolls? circa 1968 i fancied the 3 of them.

[gorgeous gee]

who could forget the paper dolls ?!

here's some totp trivia questions ?

which soft goth group sat through half their song before the female vocalist realised to start miming?

who's picture was accidentally displayed as the backdrop to jackie wison's hit performance?

which totp presenter introduced "big country" as the band that put the
tree back into country ?

[steve56]

the jocky wilson pic was put up,was all about eve the miming fiasco our summer or marthas harbour?