19th January

1978: lots today so let's just pile through them, starting with Odyssey in what I suspect is meant to be some sort of appropriate native dress but looks like someone didn't get the message - they got rid of him not long after. Brotherhood Of Man's attempt to become a Tony Hiller Abba with less than half the effort has been well documented, though after Angelo's fairly flagrant steal this seemed dialled back a bit. What are the blokes actually doing on this?

1979: Nile Rodgers tells a story about being at TOTP in some circumstance in 1975 (maybe accompanying Labelle) and, having only been exposed domestically to genre specific radio, being surprised to find the kids attentively watching Mike Reid's The Ugly Ducking. He didn't appear under his own steam until Chic brought Le Freak, Luci Martin and Alfa Anderson getting right behind their men to a hesitant audience. No wonder when their usual musical diet was thematically clothed poor man's Hot Chocolate Olympic Runners, with the last chicken in the shop-titled Sir Dancealot, and Racey playing their other hit and all looking like darts players. Almost certainly watching intently, or getting horribly pissed and abusing them in the green room, were Ian Dury and the Blockheads, dressed up for the occasion and a week away from going top. Note Davey Payne's two-sax trick and a too early initial deployment of silly string.

1989: Marc Almond and Gene Pitney, one looking a bit like early Vic Reeves, the other looking like a golf expert. Another once sexually over 80s icon, Holly Johnson returned in his wedding outfit and backing singers who must have forgotten their names a lot.

1991: The KLF always made sure to put on a show even if they had to put the pretend instrument players and Ricardo da Force front and centre. This time Drummond and Cauty are among the former. Seal brought a similar cape with him, though in his case it was for the mere purposes of abandoning it ASAP.

1995: The pillars of fire ornaments that popped up around this time suited some acts (Take That, Manics) more than others. Coupled with Massive Attack's Protection it looks more like overexuberance with the petrol. Tracey Thorn fronts and plays guitar in the manner of someone guardedly stroking a stray dog. More fire, ill-advisedly, for Rednex, as well as whatever could be rescued from a local skip as stage decoration. What is the audience screaming at exactly?