TOTP BBC4

[DJB]

I see that BBC4 is beginning a season of TOTP repeats this Friday 1st April starting with the show from 1st April 1976. Presumably the reason they chose this date is that up from this point onwards,the Beeb seemed to decide to retain the shows in the archive-although there are some other missing editions later in '76. However,prior to this point the archive is patchy. There are quite a few pre '76 shows still in the archive-in fact back in the 1990s,UKGold showed a number of them although Noel Edmonds blocked repeats of any of his editions!-but the vast majority were wiped. "Orphaned" clips also survive and new ones still surface from time to time. It seems a pity that the Beeb aren't showing any of these-German TV showed most of the surviving colour editions(up to the end of 1976)last year. They are,however,showing a highlights show of 1964-75 also on Friday-although TOTP2 did the same for much of the 1990s and into the noughties. They are also doing(again on Friday) a new documentary called The Story of 1976,in conjunction with the season. It seems to be adopting the strange ploy of suggesting that 1976 was not a vintage era for the show. The Glam era was pretty much over and the New Wave had yet to hit the mainstream and as a result the period was rather MOR. True,but hardly good publicity for the season and also begging the question why they seem to be restricting the season to shows from 1976! Ah well, it'll still be interesting.

[Daniel Freeman]

Shame that.  My favourite era's were early 70's - Abba, Bay City Rollers, New Seekers, Showaddywaddy...etc. And then the 80's with Bucks Fizz, Duran Duran, Modern Romance, Nik Kershaw (Yes Honestly!! I've grown up since though...but still proud to admit it)
The late 70's was the punky time wasn't it.....no likey!

[Hampstead]

Well I'm afraid I still prefer the 60's,the music of that era was and still is fantastic. I don't remember the 60's much,but I have it on good authority from our very own Daniel Freelance.

[Daniel Freeman]

Cheek! Yes the 60's were good too - not keen on the beatles though     I was more into Herman's Hermits and The Tremeloes (Well I was only an infant). I also liked Lulu and The Seekers (Pre-New). Oh and Dave Dee, Dozey Mick and Titch or whatever.

[Maria No. 1.]

I'll be tuning in to Friday BBC4, the 1976 programmes look good,.

[Castlewich]

1976 and 1977 were magic pop years for me, so it's a 'must watch'.

[Maria No. 1.]

I'm watching BBC4 at the moment, the programme directly before TOTP two programmes on 1976.  It's called Big Hits TOTP 1964-1975, and alot of famous hits are being played.  It came on at 8.30 p.m. and is on till 10.00 p.m.  I was watching Corrie till 9.00 p.m. so missed first half hour but what I've seen so far its very good.

[DJB]

Glad you enjoyed it,Maria. It's always fun to see these clips. However,the diehard fans are less than happy with the selection chosen in the 64-75 show. Those of us who watched BBC2's TOTP2 saw these clips a number of times. The feeling is that there are a number of performances which exist in the archive that never get shown while the same old reliables are always shown. In addition there have been a number of full length wiped TOTPs which have been recovered in recent years(including from the personal archives of "Diddy"David Hamilton,Lulu and Dick Emery!). Although they are not of the same quality of the BBC Archive shows-obviously-they're all reportedly in very good nick and could be broadcast. There is a feeling among the fans that the Beeb are not too anxious to publicise some of this "missing" material as it will reveal to the general public just how much is missing from the Archive pre-April 76.

[Mike of CAS]

In the documentary, I agreed with Tony Blackburn on 'punk'.

And the bird saying the presenters were too old, tut tut. Look at the 'young plank' they brought in under Andi Peters the presenting skill of a plank of wood.

[Maria No. 1.]

I liked the Documentary.  I agreed with what Tony said too on punk, but at the time in 1976/77 punks were everywhere.  They seemed it anyway. 

It would be normal to get on a bus on a Saturday to go shopping and punks getting on with their safety pins, hairstyles, everything.  Old ladies would be looking at one another tutting.  It makes me smile thinking about it.  I was a bit fascinated as to how they got their hair to stay like that but that was it.

Then there was the swearing incident between The Sex Pistols and Bill Grundy on live tv.  I found that funny rather than shocking but they were just out to make headlines.

[DJB]

The next show is on BBC4 tomorrow,Thurday at 7.30pm. It's from April 8 1976 and is hosted by Noel Edmonds.

[DJB]

"Hairy Cornflake"DLT presents tonight's show from April 15 1976 - BBC4,7.30pm.

[DJB]

I don't know if anyone's been watching,these. The BBC has bowed to fan pressure and agreed to show the unedited versions-some of those already shown have been cut to fit a 30minute slot. The primetime version will remain 30 minutes,but the late night repeats(Thursday and Saturday)will be full length-usually 40 minutes-from this week.

[Maria No. 1.]

I've watched a couple of them on the Thursday evening slot.

[DJB]

This week's show features the first appearance of Ruby Flipper,the dance troop that suceeded Pans People and preceded Legs and Co.