Totp

[garinda]

After forty years TOTP was one of the longest running programmes in the world. The back archive is staggering and it seems such a shame that the BBC will never be able to add to it with future musical acts.

Even though a lot of the acts mimed you still got to see how they really perform, unlike the studied performances they give in videos.

Big blond Babs in Pan's people was defintely my favourite, and I remember tut-tutting aged seven at the outrageousness of Marc Bolan.

It's very sad.

I'm sure with the right regular time slot it could have survived.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by garinda

My favourite TOTP's moment comes from 1982, after Culture Club appeared whilst still unknown. Everyone was asking the next day 'what was it?' That dainty, skipping, painted, six foot doll, was Boy George.

I remember that - my Dad was arguing that it was a girl and I was convinced it was a boy. I totally copied his look and my Dad couldn't work out what was wrong but he knew something was (a girl dressing like a boy who dresses like a girl) it didn't compute.

They kept switching TOTP around and then fiddled with the theme music. If they'd have gone retro back to the old theme tune and started airing TOTP2 on BBC1 at 7 o'clock on a Thursday night people would still be watching it. TOTP2 on satellite has Steve Wright presenting it and it works really well with a mix of old videos and whatever was on TOTP during the week. I suppose that will go too!

[accymel]

Blimey at last someone mentioned Pans People & there was legs & co after - the days before pop videas were the norm treat for all the daddies

Shame its a dying institution as it was something that was not missed, my mum taped the 25yr birthday edition & another one think when the 80's ended which was a great nostalgic look at the start to present of the time, i think it charged my love for old music of the 60's the show looked great in black & white then 70's & 80's, you have all mentioned memorable events - tinks shut yer eyes a mo cos i mention tom jones when he did kiss on TOTP he split his pants & had red undies on eewwww lol

TOTP lost its credibility certainly in the late 90's when more of us are tuning into MTV & VH1!! I remember they changed to Elstree [i think or from it] to modernised it sort of & brought the daft rule of singing live in 91/92 & there after therefore killing the interest & eardrums specially with rave/house/dance music thats technically altered or Dj'd mixed from other songs cos then the obvious became more obvious than the hayday of the mime.