Electric Music: Top of the Pops LP's (1968-1984)

 

HOWZ ABOUT THESE THEN POP PICKERS

Before music got rubbish and long before the Top 40 turned into one long promotion to X-Factor, the number one program for music fans in the UK was Top of the Pops. Every Thursday at 7pm, you'd find me sat in front of our wooden Rediffusion telly watching Jimmy Savile, Dave Lee Travis, John Peel and Kid Jenson introducing all the latest pop hits from people and groups like the Beatles, Elvis, Slade, David Bowie, Showaddywaddy, Bay City Rollers, ABBA and many more classic artists. The sixties and seventies were fantastic decades to grow up in if you had any interest in music. 

One of the by products of the show was there was always a special No1's compilation vinyl album put out just in time for Christmas by Pickwick Records under their Hallmark label. I had a few and I remember them because they always had a hot looking babe on their covers. Something to look at while you listened to Lieutenant Pigeon belting out "Mouldy Old Dough." through your single mono speaker. Geez, those really were the days and you really only truly discover what you're missing when it's long gone..

Retro Music: Dansette Junior Deluxe Record Player (1969)

ROCKING ALL OVER THE BEDROOM

My first record player. The Dansette Junior Deluxe single speaker was a 1969 Christmas present that was much loved at the time. First record on it, from memory, was a double sided Disney 45 with "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the A side with a recording from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Heigh Ho.." on the B. Hey, I was six for the love of Mike. It was a great little machine. Best described as chunky and kid proof. I remember lugging it around using the handle on the side and sat in the backyard with Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" belting out mono style. They don't make 'em like this anymore which is a crying shame.

Retro Music: Buddy Holly (1936 - 1959)

CHARLES HARDIN HOLLEY - THE REAL KING OF ROCK AND ROLL

Love this guy so much. More than any other musician, his was the voice I grew up with during the sixties through the single speaker of the family record player. Dancing around the room, strumming my red plastic toy guitar to the locomotive epic sounds of "That'll be the Day." and "Peggy Sue." Great days. Gone far too soon and the tragedy of that moment means we'll never know just how great he would have been. And great he would have been without question. He was a step ahead of everyone in his craft and today would have been his 75th birthday. Reason enough to remember his genius. Happy birthday Buddy Holly. Sleep well.

Retro Music: Noddy Holder and SLADE.

SLADE - KINGS OF GLAM ROCK.

Okay, here's a confession I'm not in the least bit embarrassed to admit to - I fucking loved the Glam-Rock period of the early 70's where butch - and not so butch - blokes pranced around the stage looking like they'd been dragged backwards through a paint factory. Groups such as the brilliant T-Rex with the tragic Marc Bolan, batshit insane Roy Wood's Wizard, the peroxide poodles of Sweet and too many more to mention here. But for me, the best were Slade with front man, Noddy Holder. No one could belt out a rock and roll song like Noddy. His voice could strip wallpaper and put the shits up the undead.  The man gargled pure whiskey to be blessed with a grunt like that. Slade were brilliant. No fancy crap, just straight up and down rock and roll ballads. They were huge back then. Seventeen consequtive top ten singles - six of those got to number one when the charts actually meant something to everybody. Personal favourite was "Momma weer all Crazee now" from 1972. Great memories from a great band.

Retro Music Live: Small Faces 1966.

"ALL OR NOTHING"

Remembering the great Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane.

Retro Music: David Bowie.

The Man from Mars.