Sunday 30 December 2012

30th December

1982: Having thrown everyone at the problem on Christmas Day it turns out the number of DJs actually required for an end of year special can be pared down to four. The full show here, part one proving Martin Fry couldn't find a bow tie for himself and surely putting non-Eurovision winners in the year in review show is a little after the Lord Mayor's show. It does at least raise the TOTP standard, literally. Pat Sharp appears to introduce the Fun Boy Three and Bananarama through gritted teeth, Lynval and Neville fighting with balloons, the girls all sporting those hats they'd wear on and off for years to come. Who's Terry waving at at the end, or has he just badly misjudged the end of the song? Part two kicks off with Jonathan King's US chart rundown from Chinatown - the glamour! - before Jimmy, who likes a silly wig, leads us into the Belle Stars. Part three features Leee John of Imagination's greatest outfit, full superhero-cum-wrestler with cape to match the latter. Lots of spinning involved too. Don't know what's happened to the Zoo routine, it doesn't seem to be online otherwise which is a shame as anything involving lots of torches deserves a proper look, but that does mean room for everyone pelting sitting duck Hugh Cornwell with balloons. Come part four it's electric pianos at dawn for Shakatak before Jimmy, who seems to be replicating his first link, sees us out via Pigbag and their trombonist's badly timed indisposition.

1 comment:

Steve Williams said...

Really love this episode, I like the concept of Jim training up the new presenters. It's odd seeing Pat, pre-mullet, on these early eighties shows with his glittering TV career to come. He must be the only DJ to become more famous after he left Radio 1 and went to ILR. The Fun Boy Three link is also notable for Pat's curious dancing and what a tongue twister it is, which is not very kind to him for his first ever link.