Wednesday 28 November 2012

28th November

1991: He was trying to impress Morrissey, he claimed. Though it's also said he had a bad throat and had been told to sing live, which may have been more of a factor. Nirvana's famous appearance is on their Live! Tonight! Sold Out! video/DVD but this is recorded from original broadcast - that's Adrian Rose doing the intro, by the way - so we can greater admire the grinning girls wandering off at 3:25 and Tony Dortie at the end with his back to the still developing action carrying on as if nothing had happened, no acknowledgement from him or the people wanting to get on telly around him, who seem to be nearly the only people left not on the stage. His job is to throw to James, who seem to be on a much grander stage and get to wear shades on stage, everything.

2003: Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. All New Top Of The Pops, the Tim Kash-fronted, Andi Peters-produced (with a mission statement to cut down on the music in favour of gossip and interviews, which would somehow prop up the music element of the show) revamp that was supposed to resuscitate the ailing series. It lasted in this form until the following May. Featured were Elton John doing Your Song via satellite and Mis-Teeq and Lisa Maffia doing hit medleys, which is obviously exactly what's required from a chart-based show. Kylie Minogue turned up in a mini-dress that someone had spraypainted over. Maybe it was Blazin' Squad's extras before making their way outside for TOTP's tribute to the Roy Castle tapdance troupe record.

1 comment:

Lee Trevain said...

Wow, that Nirvana performance is intense. I always thought that was the performance on the Word.
Listening to that opening line....Kurt was never going to make old bones was he.