BS: Top of the Pops....plops

Subject: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 11:52 PM

Dont know whether I am sad about this or not. In the early days many of the bands were live and some decent bands appeared, but then it switched to lip synching and more and more crap.

Then there were occasions like Clive Dunn singing "Grandad' and the St Something or Other (Winnifreds?) School Choir singing 'Grandma' which had you cringing in yer boots.

Plus my dad only watched it to check Pan's People out.


Top of the Pops is relegated to BBC2
By Kate Howard
(Filed: 30/11/2004)

Top of the Pops is being relegated to BBC2 after 40 years as BBC1's bastion of chart music, the broadcaster announced yesterday.

Once required viewing for generations of teenagers, a slump in viewing figures has pushed the pop music chart programme on to the second channel. In the 1970s the show had audiences of 14 million but last week it pulled in just 3.1 million viewers.

The first episode, broadcast on Jan 1, 1964, was presented by Jimmy Savile and the first act to perform were the Rolling Stones with I Wanna Be Your Man.

Since then, the theme music and presenters have changed but the formula remained the same, with artists considering an appearance on the show a sign that they had officially "made it" in the British pop world.

Although a relaunched edition was watched by 5.5 million viewers last November, nearly three million had deserted the show by the summer.

Now the BBC hopes that it can win back audiences with a new version which is to go out next spring on Sunday evenings.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 11:55 PM

Slightly unconnected but the RN every year issued a memo (known as a Defence Council Instruction) which listed the number of cases of VD in various ships and establishements. Known as the 'Top of the Pox' DCI

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: MBSLynne
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 02:57 AM

I hadn't heard this. I always watch Top of the Pops, but the changes they've made to it in the last year or so have certainly not made it better....including getting rid of Led Zeppelin in the background when they do the chart countdown. Let's hope they can improve it again. There are some exceptionally good bands and singers around at the moment and it's a good way to check out who is around and doing what.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 04:55 AM

I remember with glee the week they had a great big photo of Jocky Wilson a fat Scottish darts champion, at the back of the set. Apparently it was meant to be Jackie Wilson, and some dim AFM misheard. Don't forget Terry Wogan singing Floral Dance!!!!!
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: GUEST,rat
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 05:35 AM

I think Jools Holland has replaced top of the pops for real musicians, but the real fact is music sales have been steadily dropping for years now.

"live music is kiliing home taping"

rat

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 09:22 AM

top of the pops is shit, bease of to many modern music on it, and i stopped wahtching it ages ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 10:32 AM

Bet I stopped watching before you did!
Giok ¦¬]

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Cluin
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 10:36 AM

Of course it's full of modern music. Kinda the nature of the beast, jOhn. It's called "Top of the Pops", not "Top of the Trad and Folk stuff One jOhn from Hull Likes".

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 11:10 AM

oh.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: *Laura*
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 04:30 PM

still crap, calling itself 'dance' puh! or 'RnB' puh! - thats the voice from me. the youth of today. as in - the youth of tuedsay the last day of november.

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 30 Nov 04 - 04:54 PM

"THe problem is that nobody's writing songs from the heart, they're just writing them from their cunning for money"

Guess who said that? My brother. He's ten...smart kid. People can tell when the music that's being pushed to them is devoid of passion, meaning, integrity...and they stop listening to it. The music industry will catch up, eventually....:0)

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: MBSLynne
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 02:47 AM

But there is STILL a lot of good music around! There may be a load of rubbish too but then, there always was.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 05:16 AM

Top of the Slops more like.

eric

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 05:36 AM

It was always rubbish. there gasps of disbelief all round, when it survived and Ready Steady Go stopped. it started out as a crap reaction by the toffs at the beeb to RSG's success.

Later on it became a marketing tool of the dreaded music industry - the geniuses who masterminded the downward spiral of England as the pre-eminent artistic force that it was in the 60's.

If you thought Gary Gltter and Suzy Quatro and Lieutenant Pigeon really were the best of the 70's....prepare to shed your tears now. Otherwise thank god its gone.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Cluin
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 07:31 AM

Actually, I would probably tune in for a show called "Top of the Trad and Folk Stuff One jOhn from Hull Likes".

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 11:14 AM

I suspose it was always loosely aimed at children...well pre 16 anyway. Because they bought the majority of the 7inch singles. Now they have numerous music progs on cable etc, again aimed at that age group.

Also I don't think it ever really recovered from 'The Tube.' Which was brave enough to showcase new music and not the tried and tested formula.

Jools Holland's 'Later' is hopefully the way of the future, multi national and not tied to promoting any one particular genre of music. Other than fine exponents of the art.

Subject: RE: BS: Top of the Pops....plops
From: Firecat
Date: 01 Dec 04 - 12:54 PM

TOTP went downhill when it got revamped and Andi Peters took over from Chris Cowey as Executive Producer. It's also suffered from the rise in popularity of MTV and rival shows like CD:uk.