8th July

1964: Doesn't exist any more, inevitably, but the Beatles became the first and only band to play three songs on the same show - Long Tall Sally, A Hard Day's Night and Things We Said Today.

1971: As with Bowie a couple of days ago here's a defining image of a glam-pop legend made through a single TOTP appearance, T Rex, Marc's glittery cheek and pink trousers, Elton on inaudible piano (apart from the single glissando, played by Rick Wakeman, there isn't any piano on the record) and multitudinous dancing girls.

1976: Ruby Flipper were out in the Blue Peter garden, taking advantage of the celebrated summer, and went all pagan for the Blackburn-confusing Champs Boys reinterpretation of Tubular Bells. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (odd how Tony doesn't add 'sensational' to their name as he did so often, isn't it?) appeared for a second time, and it looks like, and indeed is entirely plausible that, Harvey hadn't been to bed in the two week interim. Watch for the unspectacular cannon behind him. Quite some image change of shot between Linda Kelly and the rest of 5000 Volts, isn't it? Look out, he's got a talkbox! The Real Thing and their own absolutely unconnected wardrobes were number one, provoking a stage invasion the likes of which would rival any punk gig that year.

1982: Having clearly not had his fill of body popping just yet, Jeffrey Daniel came back a fortnight after his initial triumph for a second bash at Shalamar through the artistry of movement. This time he borrows an old silent comedy visual gag and adds a Marcel Marceau/fates tempting element to the moonwalk. It was another eight and a half months before Michael Jackson did it. If that was the way forward, Trio were very much of their day - battery powered Casios, robot dancers, a giant parasol, the big Pops screen, a cheeky smoke and some sort of drawing competition. How does it all fit together? It doesn't but it's fun watching it try. "Why wasn't that the German entry for Eurovision?" Jensen pointedly states, given Germany had won it with Nicole. Very odd looking man to David's left. Stripes, pantaloons and a headband - the Bananarama guide to 1982 fashion.