Oh Top of the Pops, why aren’t you with us anymore? Yes we know you crop up on Christmas Day and that, but it’s simply not enough. We need weekly pop performances from our chart stars, not just endlessly looping video music channels. Videos are all very well and good, but it’s not the same as the live performance / miming. We need both! Oh TOTP, we miss you!
It always looked like so much fun in that Radio One Roadshow way that John Peel hated so much. Despite his appearance on the show, he never really threw himself into it. Japing about with fellow co-workers with tidy beards in loud clothing whilst larking with teenagers ’twas not the way for Peel. It was for this lot though, behold:
Look how smart ad well turned out Noel is. That’s what we want from our telly heads.
Simon Bates and Bruno Brooks in happier times. Nice sweater Bruno.
DLT and Savile. It’s like a massive bear strangling a child with a crippling ageing disease. It could be considered cruelty.
We are honouring the good name of the Pops at our Guilty Pleasures parties this month. Manchester was last week, Brighton is this Saturday 12th and KOKO on Saturday 26th. It’s all because we have a new GP album coming out and we’re dreaming of chart fame. SIGH.
The dance troupes were always our favourites though, that’s pretty much why we have our army of twinkle-toed and bodied types whirling around at our discos as we try and replicate the wonder of the best telly show ever for you our pop loving crowd.
TOTP had various types over the years.
Pans People obviously the iconic first batch who set the precedent, then came
Legs & Co who were well, a bit like Pans People but without the charming innocence before Arelene Philips corrupted some of them, made them get all racy with MEN would you believe, as part of her Hot Gossip troupe.
Hot Gossip. Tea time raunch.
But who was the best? PP or L&C? Who’s interpretational dance routines to chart smashers reigned supreme? There’s only one way to decide… FIGHT
Legs & Co / Donna Summer:
Pans People / Gilbert O’Sullivan: