Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Music] The Old Grey Whistle Test to return - BBC4 tonight







Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,209
Withdean area
Loved it when they played a record along with ancient cartoons - Betty Boop and that. Zappa, Led Zep... Watched in early 70s. Harris let himself down, later, sneering at the New York Dolls - a cracking band. Stand out peformances for me were Little Feat, Tom Petty, Alex Harvey, Gil Scott Heron, Beefhart....mmmm.....nice.

I could well imagine that hippies/heavy rockers weren't enamoured by pre-punk and punk upstarts coming along, upsetting their order of musical things. In contrast John Peel was open minded and went with the changes.
 


Nitram

Well-known member
Jul 16, 2013
2,263
Well certainly confirms my recollections of old. Sitting around hoping something will come along. Meanwhile tedium. What’s that vote about? Has someone forgotten to pay the electricity bill? Can we have a whip round so they can plug in the guitars to a few amps and make a bit of noise.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,209
Withdean area
It covered so many tastes that it’s hard for most not to consider some of it as dross. As an example I know Gary Numan gets lots of love, to me he absolute shit and unwatchable. One man’s meat and all that.

As a teen liked much of the the music of Numan & similar, I had fairly broad tastes.

At school and since, the people who seemed to really despise anything like that were into ACDC, Def Leppard, Led Zepp etc.

As you say, varied tastes.
 


jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,738
Sullington
****ing dreadful so far - Kiki Dee and Peter Frampton plus a bunch of settee wankers explaining how wonderful it was back in the day.

Could/Should have been so much better - time for an early night.
 




Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,209
Withdean area
Well certainly confirms my recollections of old. Sitting around hoping something will come along. Meanwhile tedium. What’s that vote about? Has someone forgotten to pay the electricity bill? Can we have a whip round so they can plug in the guitars to a few amps and make a bit of noise.

Self indulgent at the moment, the producers letting their favourites dominate the evening with several songs each act. Zzzzzzzz

You're right. At the time, unless a devout hippy rocker, we were lucky to get one or two other genre acts per programme. Youtube and nostalgia since has made OGWT seem better than that.
 
Last edited:


Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,756
Fiveways
Dare I say it, it looks horribly white, male and middle class. Best things so far have been Curtis Mayfield and Bob Marley who at least share one of those.
 






vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
28,267
Mrs V wants to watch it on catchup Saturday so I'm in control of the music tonight... just remembered how great REM were in the day.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,292
Well certainly confirms my recollections of old. Sitting around hoping something will come along. Meanwhile tedium. What’s that vote about? Has someone forgotten to pay the electricity bill? Can we have a whip round so they can plug in the guitars to a few amps and make a bit of noise.
This. A full hour into a three hour live programme before the first electric guitar made an appearance. Was starting to think it was an 'OGWT Unplugged' special.
 


marlowe

Well-known member
Dec 13, 2015
4,285
Loved it when they played a record along with ancient cartoons - Betty Boop and that. Zappa, Led Zep... Watched in early 70s. Harris let himself down, later, sneering at the New York Dolls - a cracking band. Stand out peformances for me were Little Feat, Tom Petty, Alex Harvey, Gil Scott Heron, Beefhart....mmmm.....nice.

Old Felix the Cat cartoons too. Regarding his New York Dolls comment Harris has since admitted the error of his ways. What might not have helped endear them to him was David Johansen telling him he had "bunny teeth" before they started their set. Mind you Harris was equally dismissive of Roxy Music and I doubt if Brian Ferry made a comment like that

https://youtu.be/j2R8sZ4SlXI
 






loz

Well-known member
Apr 27, 2009
2,480
W.Sussex
These were the days when you listened to bands you didn't know or particularly like, it helped you understand other types of music.
 
















catfish

North Stand Brighton Boy
Dec 17, 2010
7,677
Worthing
Numan is drek. Makes the earlier acts seem stellar in comparison.
 




Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here