I'm going to be controversial now. I didn't rate that Wailers clip so much. It was alright, but not best clip material for me - neither the tune or the vid were exciting enough.
Oh, and whilst I'm putting a downer on things I didn't warm to Toyah Wilcox either. Far too intense for my liking. Toyah, your talking to Whispering Bob; chill a little.
The Old Grey Whistle Test really opened up alternative music to me. I really got into music and used to go to see at least two to three concerts a week. Good to see John Otway still in good form. Cor Baby that's really free.
I'm going to be controversial now. I didn't rate that Wailers clip so much. It was alright, but not best clip material for me - neither the tune or the vid were exciting enough.
Oh, and whilst I'm putting a downer on things I didn't warm to Toyah Wilcox either. Far too intense for my liking. Toyah, your talking to Whispering Bob; chill a little.
Context. The Wailers then were a breath of fresh air, something the OGWT audience weren't familar with. Maybe without that clip Marley and the Wailers wouldn't have gone on to the world audience they deserved. But yes, when you see it now.....
I'm going to be controversial now. I didn't rate that Wailers clip so much. It was alright, but not best clip material for me - neither the tune or the vid were exciting enough.
Oh, and whilst I'm putting a downer on things I didn't warm to Toyah Wilcox either. Far too intense for my liking. Toyah, your talking to Whispering Bob; chill a little.
Context. The Wailers then were a breath of fresh air, something the OGWT audience weren't familar with. Maybe without that clip Marley and the Wailers wouldn't have gone on to the world audience they deserved. But yes, when you see it now.....
I only managed to catch a bit of the prog but I loved the OGWT. I feel I must of watched every show. One that will always stay with me was Lynyrd Skynyrd playing free bird.
Great sessions from old timers Richard Thompson and Albert Lee, Wildwood Kin and Robert Vincent are good new acts. Saw Wildwood Kin who were supporting Seth Lakeman at a gig last year, they gave a fine performance. You can check out their video clips with Seth on You Tube.
The Old Grey Whistle Test really opened up alternative music to me. I really got into music and used to go to see at least two to three concerts a week. Good to see John Otway still in good form. Cor Baby that's really free.
Otway is still touring regularly, a pretty crap musician but bloody funny and a true eccentric. Well worth going if you haven't seen him before.................And even if you have seen him before actually!
I thought Numan was really good too, haven’t listened to any of his stuff of late, anyone know if it’s any good?
God knows why Toyah was on the show her music was shite as was her voice.
His last Album Savage made number 2 in the charts , been getting great reviews , a number of people where I work know I'm a Numan fan and have commented on his new stuff after seeing him plugging it on T.V saying its great, and as such brought the Album . Have a listen I'm sure you will surprised .
I never watched more than about three minutes of this at a time when I was a teenager. It always seemed to be very intense men with long hair and beards who seemed to be about 50, but were probably really 20. Did it lose the 'old grey' and go a bit more mainstream at one point or is my memory letting me down?
Well Albert Lee certainly passed the "Old Grey Whistle Test". Competent on the keyboards, he then showed that he hadn't lost any of his magic on the guitar even in his 75th year. A truly magnificent performance.
What a genuinely knowledgeable and decent bloke Bob seems to be.
Had the opportunity to interview the man, way back in 2007, live in the Radio 2 studio with Joe Bonamassa playing acoustic live. Bob, was due to go into hospital the following week, he was so friendly and happy to talk,even though he was pretty ill, his love of music just shines through.
Was delighted to find this on iPlayer last night. 90 minutes of non-stop archived performances, untroubled by Whispering Bob (never liked the bloke in truth, way too wet to present a rock show IMO), just some pertinent text info. Preferred it to three hours of Whispering Bob and the Cartoon Spanner blathering away. First time I ever saw Captain Beefheart in the flesh, or learnt that Robert Palmer was in Vinegar Joe.
Question is, if they can pump out old TOTP filler every week, why not an OGWT?
Was delighted to find this on iPlayer last night. 90 minutes of non-stop archived performances, untroubled by Whispering Bob (never liked the bloke in truth, way too wet to present a rock show IMO), just some pertinent text info. Preferred it to three hours of Whispering Bob and the Cartoon Spanner blathering away. First time I ever saw Captain Beefheart in the flesh, or learnt that Robert Palmer was in Vinegar Joe.
Question is, if they can pump out old TOTP filler every week, why not an OGWT?
Probably because the OGWT was very much a cult programme (it was always on after 11.00 at night) whereas TOTP catered for the mainstream. Wish they did show more of it though if only for the fact that you see these artists playing live - and most of the time they didn't on TOTP but mimed and badly at that!
Was delighted to find this on iPlayer last night. 90 minutes of non-stop archived performances, untroubled by Whispering Bob (never liked the bloke in truth, way too wet to present a rock show IMO), just some pertinent text info. Preferred it to three hours of Whispering Bob and the Cartoon Spanner blathering away. First time I ever saw Captain Beefheart in the flesh, or learnt that Robert Palmer was in Vinegar Joe.
Question is, if they can pump out old TOTP filler every week, why not an OGWT?
Probably because the OGWT was very much a cult programme (it was always on after 11.00 at night) whereas TOTP catered for the mainstream. Wish they did show more of it though if only for the fact that you see these artists playing live - and most of the time they didn't on TOTP but mimed and badly at that!
That was then, though. Now we have BBC4, and 24 hour programming, I think it is made for that channel's demographic, and they can show it whenever, as most will watch on catch up anyway. Does anyone know if they were pleased with the ratings for the 3 hour monster?
Was delighted to find this on iPlayer last night. 90 minutes of non-stop archived performances, untroubled by Whispering Bob (never liked the bloke in truth, way too wet to present a rock show IMO), just some pertinent text info. Preferred it to three hours of Whispering Bob and the Cartoon Spanner blathering away. First time I ever saw Captain Beefheart in the flesh, or learnt that Robert Palmer was in Vinegar Joe.
Question is, if they can pump out old TOTP filler every week, why not an OGWT?
Probably because the OGWT was very much a cult programme (it was always on after 11.00 at night) whereas TOTP catered for the mainstream. Wish they did show more of it though if only for the fact that you see these artists playing live - and most of the time they didn't on TOTP but mimed and badly at that!
That was then, though. Now we have BBC4, and 24 hour programming, I think it is made for that channel's demographic, and they can show it whenever, as most will watch on catch up anyway. Does anyone know if they were pleased with the ratings for the 3 hour monster?
They might also not have kept as much footage of OGWT either but I would absolutely love it if they did show more of the shows.
Was delighted to find this on iPlayer last night. 90 minutes of non-stop archived performances, untroubled by Whispering Bob (never liked the bloke in truth, way too wet to present a rock show IMO), just some pertinent text info. Preferred it to three hours of Whispering Bob and the Cartoon Spanner blathering away. First time I ever saw Captain Beefheart in the flesh, or learnt that Robert Palmer was in Vinegar Joe.
Question is, if they can pump out old TOTP filler every week, why not an OGWT?
What a genuinely knowledgeable and decent bloke Bob seems to be.
Had the opportunity to interview the man, way back in 2007, live in the Radio 2 studio with Joe Bonamassa playing acoustic live. Bob, was due to go into hospital the following week, he was so friendly and happy to talk,even though he was pretty ill, his love of music just shines through.
Have to say I find those teeth a bit unnerving, do the extend out of his mouth like the Alien’s?
I'm about half way through the 3 hour monster and it is great so far. Bob comes across as a great guy and the bit with Dave Stewart, who admitted to a martini beforehand, was hilarious.
Comments
But yes, when you see it now.....
Whispering Bob, you are a fucking legend!
Sublime song and performance.
Saw Wildwood Kin who were supporting Seth Lakeman at a gig last year, they gave a fine performance.
You can check out their video clips with Seth on You Tube.
God knows why Toyah was on the show her music was shite as was her voice.
Did it lose the 'old grey' and go a bit more mainstream at one point or is my memory letting me down?
Radio 2 studio with Joe Bonamassa playing acoustic live. Bob, was due to go into hospital the following week, he was so friendly and happy to talk,even though he was pretty ill, his love of music just shines through.
Question is, if they can pump out old TOTP filler every week, why not an OGWT?
Does anyone know if they were pleased with the ratings for the 3 hour monster?
The Old Grey Whistle Test – The Definitive Collection [DVD] [1977]
The Old Grey Whistle Test 2 [DVD] [1971]