Totp 1976

[Hornblower]

Nowadays a record enters at it's highest position, that was almost unheard of back in 1976.

Also can I just point out that TOTP was ALWAYS shit. Watching any 1970s episode, especially early 1970s when there was a massive divide between bands who made 'singles' and those who made albums, won't give you a good insight into the true nature of 1970s music

That's only because, back in the day, radio didn't play records until they were released. For the last 10-15 years labels have sought as much pre-release airplay as possible in order to achieve a (artificial) high chart position. Unfortunately this practice encouraged illegal downloading and so it is slowly being phased out and we will go back to the halcyon days of records charting low and creeping up the charts week by week. Unfortunately top 5 singles wont sell 500,000 anymore like they did in the 70's.

BTW
I was working in Top Gear music shop on Denmark Street in 1976 and The Pistols were recording in the studios in the basement, Chrissy Hinde was a drugged up groupie following The Pistols and used to fall about in the music shop, much to our amusement.

Also, as some of you will know, I was in Britains biggest selling band of 1978. We were a very good live band that released OK pop records. The live performances was where we excelled and Johnny and most of the members of the bands mentioned above used to come to our gigs. Unfortunately, the history books only talk about punk, but I'm not bitter!!!

See you next Wednesday.

 

[Superphil]

flares and slippers annoy me

Oi !

 

[Icy Gull]

.

Also, as some of you will know, I was in Britains biggest selling band of 1978. We were a very good live band that released OK pop records. The live performances was where we excelled and Johnny and most of the members of the bands mentioned above used to come to our gigs. Unfortunately, the history books only talk about punk, but I'm not bitter!!!

.

I am intrigued, please tell

 

[cheeseroll]

I am intrigued, please tell

Abba?!?!

 

[rool]

Abba?!?!

Don't be ridiculous, it's the Bee Gees

 

[Icy Gull]

Abba?!?!

I was thinking maybe Showaddywaddy

 

[chimneys]

Complete guess but maybe your name gives you away:

Darts:

Horatio Hornblower, saxophone (born ***, 15 January 1957, Brighton, Sussex)

Have left your name out (if it is you) to protect the innocent!!

Do I win a gold star.

A great band!!!

 

[cheeseroll]

Complete guess but maybe your name gives you away:

Darts:

Horatio Hornblower, saxophone (born ***, 15 January 1957, Brighton, Sussex)

Have left your name out (if it is you) to protect the innocent!!

Do I win a gold star.

A great band!!!

Good call sir!

i'm going with Darts as well now..

 

[Brovion]

Complete guess but maybe your name gives you away:

Darts:

Horatio Hornblower, saxophone (born ***, 15 January 1957, Brighton, Sussex)

Have left your name out (if it is you) to protect the innocent!!

Do I win a gold star.

A great band!!!

Correct, he is indeed 'Horatio Hornblower' from The Darts. Now working for the MU. And he's changed his name three times since I first met him back in 1968!

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Punk started the year before. 6th November 1975, St martins college London.

Anarchy was released 26th November, 1976 beaten by a week by New Rose by the Dammed.
Widely recognised as the the first punk single.

In my post I did mean coming into the genral publics eye. But I disagree with you Sir, have you heard Love me by the Phantom 1960 (although people think it is a rockabilly song it is far more intense than that), there was also The Legendary Stardust cowboy, The Trashmen and countless american 60s punk underground bands, we stole the name and sold it back to the genral mass market, but the yanks already had punk and the people that matter or were there playing there stuff knew we ripped them off.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

[yt]mqyPINiCijw[/yt]

 

[Hornblower]

Correct, he is indeed 'Horatio Hornblower' from The Darts. Now working for the MU. And he's changed his name three times since I first met him back in 1968!

Outed. Thanks for the great band comment.

 

[whitelion]

Outed. Thanks for the great band comment.

Did a guy called John Senders have a connection to the band?

 

[cheshunt seagull]

This is a thread about charts, so I digress when I talk about how I saw the music scene then. Yes, Who, Zep, Sabbath and Tull etc had all run out of ideas and swallowed themselves in their own sauce. Genesis were a comparatively recent prog band but Gabriel saw them as having lost their way and stagnated I think. Rory Gallagher, Wishbone Ash, Camel, Caravan and King Crimson hadn't gone just because the radio wasn't playing them.

But there was a lot of great music - pub-rock revealed Dire Straits, Squeeze, GParker & Rumour, Costello and Dr Feelgood, and 'some' of the truer artists from glam and prog were still vital and good. Fleetwood Mac re-invented themselves with two new members, and The punk scene was emerging while a few seeds of the indie bands to follow were starting out.
It was about seeking out the good stuff, and where there was any perceivable 'lull' it just signaled you to go find out what was happening outside of what radio 1 was chucking out.

Never imagine the music scene is down to what the media put on your plate unless you want to be a fed sheep.

Actually looking back at it there was some very innovative and diverse music in the 72-76 period but you had to hunt to find it: just look at the likes of Can, Kraftwerk in Germany, the Canterbury bands, Tom Waits , Big Star in the US, emerging reggae bands to name but very few and many of these styles emerged almost out of nowhere. Truth is I only scratched the surface but usually through reading the music press , Whistle Test and taking risks on interesting covers in shops like the Cottage. The template for a lot of the music we hear now can be found in this period. The charts were awful and maybe one of the biggest criticisms of the time was the massive gulf between pop and the more 'serious' forms of music favoured by the intense young teenager I was at the time.

 

[Gwylan]

Actually looking back at it there was some very innovative and diverse music in the 72-76 period but you had to hunt to find it: just look at the likes of Can, Kraftwerk in Germany, the Canterbury bands, Tom Waits , Big Star in the US, emerging reggae bands to name but very few and many of these styles emerged almost out of nowhere. Truth is I only scratched the surface but usually through reading the music press , Whistle Test and taking risks on interesting covers in shops like the Cottage. The template for a lot of the music we hear now can be found in this period.

Yes, add David Bowie (of course), Iggy and the Stooges and the various relics of the Velvet Underground and you have a complete list of the only interesting music of that period.

But you make a very good point about being the templates for what was to follow - Can and Kraftwerk were hugely influential, you can hear their echoes in much of the music being produced these days.

But you underestimate how hard it was to find stuff. It wasn't always easy to listen before buying; Peel was only the DJ playing anything interesting (people talk about the pirate stations but the stuff they played was only slightly more radical than the BBC). If it wasn't for the specialist shops in London, I'd have been lost.

And good to hear from Horatio Hornblower on this thread. I saw Darts in 1978 and 1979 and they were a terrific live act.

 

[alofbrighton]

Around 78 I really started getting into music as a shy 12 year old. Between 76 and 80 was a real golden era for me with New Wave really kicking off. Everyone was someone whether it was a skin, punk, ted, rocker (grebo as we used to call them), mod. So many genres and I lapped it up. Tubeway Army, The Pistols, The Jam, The Specials, Ultravox (with John Foxx of course!), Bowie, Souxsie Soux, The Ruts, The Skids, Blondie (oh dear lord!), Bauhaus, The Buzzcocks, Elvis Costello, Joy Division, early Human League, The Damned, XTC, The Stranglers, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead....the list goes on. For me nothing will beat those times musically. I'm now starting to sound old so I'm going to dig out some old sounds and relive my teenage years....great thread!

 

[generation x]

Outed. Thanks for the great band comment.

For years I sang Daddy Cool to the kids as the wife & I got ready to hit the pubs and clubs on an evening out. Don't think they agreed with me.

 

[Grassman]

Here we go...............

http://youtu.be/TQVsTHDbrFM

Did you really need that many singers, Hornblower? Cut the money down a bit, didn't it!

 

[generation x]

[yt]mqyPINiCijw[/yt]

Wow thanks for that. Reminded me of an album Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease by Big Beat that included the Phantom, Gun Club, Meteors and loads more. One of the best compilation albums covering about 3 decades. Only beaten by my well worn copies of Attrix Records Two Sides of Brighton Vaultage 78 and 79.

Elvis is dead. I don't care anymore. Marvellous.

 

[SpongebobSquarepants]

Around 78 I really started getting into music as a shy 12 year old. Between 76 and 80 was a real golden era for me with New Wave really kicking off. Everyone was someone whether it was a skin, punk, ted, rocker (grebo as we used to call them), mod. So many genres and I lapped it up. Tubeway Army, The Pistols, The Jam, The Specials, Ultravox (with John Foxx of course!), Bowie, Souxsie Soux, The Ruts, The Skids, Blondie (oh dear lord!), Bauhaus, The Buzzcocks, Elvis Costello, Joy Division, early Human League, The Damned, XTC, The Stranglers, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead....the list goes on. For me nothing will beat those times musically. I'm now starting to sound old so I'm going to dig out some old sounds and relive my teenage years....great thread!

Wow I was 12 in 78 and you have just listed all the bands I was into!!