in lieu of a great modern TV show lets go back to the 20 March 1980. Easter hols have got the better of me and I’m a week behind. this one has disappeared from the iplayer, but for those on TiVo you can still enjoy…
Ska is still hot, and The Bodysnatchers invade the stage. Brilliant to see an all-group sounding and looking great entirely on their own terms. A slight number (Do Rock Steady) but a feisty performance.
You really do have to see this week’s highlight for yourself. Yes it’s Legs and Co do The Spirit of Radio. There’s a lot going on here. Some coloured negative video is overlaid with some picture-in-picture box that well, tells a story. They get up, have some tea – generally start the day with a friendly companion. Later on their is lots of slo-mo miming with a transistor radio. Then there’s some freaky dancing.
Squeeze do a straight up good performance of Puling Mussels from the Shell.
i had Sad Cafe down as a one-hit wonder but here they are again with their other hit, My Oh My. The song, and the band’s duds, are straight out of 1976 but hey it’s a broad church here.
The mod revival continues apace. Today it’s The Lambrettas with Poison Ivy. The singer’s moves interpet the ‘move and twitch’ lines literally and appears to be wearing the logical missing sartorial link between tonic suit and beau brummel.
Joining marti Webb in the West End belter slot is Barbera Dicson with January, February. She can clearly sing, but as for the song I don’t understand. Next Shaky with Hot Dog – clearly he started out as a credible rockabilly revivalist a la Matchbox before the years of double denim. Nice to see the keyboard player kitted out in one of those bankers/golfers eyeshades just in case the studio lights prevent him miming with 100 per cent accuracy.
And speaking of 1976 Mike Read chats to David Soul bfore we are bang back to 1980 and UB40’s debut. They rehearsed round the corner from my house dontcha know. Food for Thought, top tune. As is Martha and The Muffins Echo Beach – one of the great new wave riffs – but we get an in concertish video rather than them live in the studio. More women musos, as we have a martha on keyboards as well as singing Martha.
Mike marks BA Robertson’s Kool in the Kaftan by chaning into an Eastern number. A kaftan. Now, have you ever seen BA and Jimmy Nail in the same room? Thought not. He really is an exceptionally irritating individual. BA not Jimmy.
the Jam are splat in their imperial period. going underground is straight in at number one and we have a pretty nifty video instead of the band. Bruce Foxton is rocking some awful bowling shoes matching his tie while Paul has a natty Paisley scarf. I so wanted to be them aged 15.
I will try and watch this weeks a bit earlier. Honest.
Weller must have been the only person of his age wearing in paisley in 1980. There was a kind of mini psychedelic revival not long after this though, more into 1981.
I must say, I though BA Robertson was crap and annoying at the time, but the passage of time has only trebled the irritation. Who bought his records? Why?
Somebody posted on your last TOTP digest, Mole, about the 7 foot guy from Secret Affair being an idiot dancer. I had that thought in mind when the Lambrettas came on this episode. Was that dance ever popular in mod revival circles or was this character a one-off?
The Bodysnatchers did manage to exude a really joyful vibe, though didn’t they?
That was the mighty BJ Cole miming (on a giant Fender Stringmaster steel guitar) with Shaky, in the eyeshade. Geraint Watkins was on keyboards – he’s also a fine musician!
Did Mike Read refer to Shakin Stevens as “Eddie Cochran of the 80s”? Yes I’m afraid he did.
I
Oh, you little tease
Umm, that was ‘I heart Shaky’.
Bloody tablet.
Crikey, you’re on medication for a cardiac condition? Eeee luv, you want to go easy on the Tijuana music!
*parps*
That parp was meant for Moose.
Kindle: Add “parp” to dictionary?
Me: Might as well.
It got here eventually. It smells of burritos.
BA Roberston was everywhere at that time. He wrote a few theme tunes for kids shows – was a reliable presence on Swap Shop etc. A friend of mine bought the single because the cover folded out to the shape of a kaftan.
iplayer update the last months episodes are on, though it only shows when you search for top of the pops the latest one. click on that and previous episodes pop up – including this one currently. So no excuse for missing Legs vs Rush.
Nobody won in that contest. Certainly not the viewers.