Ok so here we are back in 1980. No boating blazer for Tommy Vance – he is resplendent in a white satin bomber jacket and those glasses. First up is New Musik – the poor mans Buggles – with their slightly less catchy second single World of Water. Whatever they are doing with a vocoder is incredibly annoying. However All can be forgiven once you realise how like Lionel Messi the frontman looks. Some pop-funk next from Narada Michael Walton – he shoulda loved ya – ushering in this week’s theme, the golden age of drum kits. His is quite modest but he does sing from it. legs and co look like they’re having a quite night in on the worlds longest sofa, but before long Rodney Franklins the groove has them up and gyrating. I had to Shazam Mr Franklin, a tasty bit of instrumental jazzy grooving. Why is Tommy hosting? Part one coming up: video for Fool for your loving no more. After Whitesnake in the ‘solo singer’ cage of no band shame is Jimmy Ruffin – there is an corking key change hallway through the inconsequential piece of pop-soul that is Hold On To My Love. Somewhere » Continue Reading.

Your correspondent is disgracefully late with an update from the world of 1980. But hey available for another 21 days to UK brethren on the iplayer. To kick off Smokie take good care of my baby – the seventies don’t die easily do they. A thin leather tie is a very token nod to the 1980s, a bit like leg warmers for men.

Video for Macca – Coming Up – including a very prominent Linda on backing vocals. Everyone has wacky costumes and facial fuzz. His solo career at this point was a bit wierd – this, temporary secretary, it’s all over the shop.Look out for Linda and her finger!

The Cure take us back to new wave concerns with a forest. V difficult to see Robert Smith in his pre lipstick and birds nest days as just another angsty young man. Have you ever seen him and Helen Bonham Carter in the same room? No concessions here, Mr Smith looking like a young Michael Owen and everyone in the band is trying to do the blankest blank stare. Excellent roto toms set up – is that the right word?

ELvis Costello video next for hi fidelity – » Continue Reading.

We start with the hyperactive liquid gold. I can’t help but love a group of chancers for whom a TOTP appearance was so clearly the equivalent of an Olympics gold. Then it’s a repeat of the Genesis in the studio clip from two weeks ago AKA Phil’s Shirt. After their manful attempt on Spirit of Radio last week legs and co are back on more familiar turf – doing a flapper hoofer number to the Brothers Johnson Stomp.

The ‘can I prolong my career by going a bit disco’ movement continues with Doctor Hooks Lamentable sexy eyes. Now, is this a band that anyone on the blog can find a single kind word for? Apart from the fact that he really did have one eye. He had some maracas last time out, this time Rays been upgraded to congas.

Ver Priest are on next, an ace performance of Living After Midnight. Great pop song and they’re live in the studio after a brief stop down the leather and studs emporium. Make that ‘give me every single stud you have in the shop please’.

Great how The programme reflects the tribal face-offs there were at break in the fifth form. From » Continue Reading.