Top of the Pops

[JimN]

The extant TOTP clip of Don't Make My Baby Blue from the summer of 1965 dates from before the BBC's (and ITV's) 1966 decision not to allow miming to commercial records any more and is therefore an "official" miming performance to the single.

The group were all "playing" their Burns guitars and were all clad in dinner suits (tuxedos) and bow-ties.

As mentioned a couple of lines above, it wasn't only the BBC which adopted a "no miming to records" policy in 1966. The ITV network did the same, though that really only had a big effect on Rediffusion's "Ready, Steady, Go!" and on whatever regional programmes the other contractors did locally.

[RayL]

RAY - I love this sort of 'behind the scenes' stuff. You'll probably have enough material for a book. Have you ever considered writing one?

I doubt that there's enough material for a book. Here's some more from 'behind the scenes', though.

The 'Top Of The Pops Orchestra' was used every week in the '60's and '70's to back singers who did not have their own accompaniment. Assembled by Johnny Pearson, it was composed of London's top session musicians. These guys (all men - there was no Carol Kaye equivalent on the London scene) were expert sight-readers. They would come in on the morning of the show, flip through the sheet music, then put in a dep for the morning and afternoon rehearsals while they went off to do sessions in the studios around central London (there were many studios and masses of work at that time). Come the evening, they would return and sight-read (without rehearsal) for the evening show. That way they got the BBC fee and the session fees and it paid well enough for them to pay for their dep. I can't remember all the names now but, for example, on drums were people like Clem Cattini and Barry Morgan. Shadow-for-a-time Dave Richmond with his Burns Black Bison bass was another member of that elite group.

[tim.cooper5]

RAY - I love this sort of 'behind the scenes' stuff. You'll probably have enough material for a book. Have you ever considered writing one?

I love stories like this too, from people who worked in the "background" at the time.

[RayL]

I love stories like this too, from people who worked in the "background" at the time.

Tim,
I'd written another 'behind the scenes' piece but when I came to 'Submit' this wretched website had timed out and i lost the lot! Another time, maybe.
Ray

[Fenderman]

It's interesting that they were on TOTP playing The Dreams i dream as the track only made number 42 which was their lowest chart position ever. Usually only songs that were in the top 40 were played so i'm assuming this was a 'new release' section? I don't know as i wasn't around in 1966.
By this time, even though their music was still very intersting they were losing pace with the more 'exciting' and louder groups such as The Who, The Stones, The Kinks and The Small Faces. The Shadows in tuxedos just didn't seem cool or hip, they were at this time drifting into Talk of the Town and part of the MOR set. These other groups just didn't do that. You wouldn't see Mick Jagger in evening dress singing 'Mary Ann'

[drakula63]

I love stories like this too, from people who worked in the "background" at the time.

Tim,
I'd written another 'behind the scenes' piece but when I came to 'Submit' this wretched website had timed out and i lost the lot! Another time, maybe.
Ray

Can I suggest...

Write it in Word.
Cut and Paste onto blank forum message and submit. I do this if I have a long email or post.

[drakula63]

It's interesting that they were on TOTP playing The Dreams i dream as the track only made number 42 which was their lowest chart position ever. Usually only songs that were in the top 40 were played so i'm assuming this was a 'new release' section? I don't know as i wasn't around in 1966.
By this time, even though their music was still very intersting they were losing pace with the more 'exciting' and louder groups such as The Who, The Stones, The Kinks and The Small Faces. The Shadows in tuxedos just didn't seem cool or hip, they were at this time drifting into Talk of the Town and part of the MOR set. These other groups just didn't do that. You wouldn't see Mick Jagger in evening dress singing 'Mary Ann'

But you might see him in a DRESS singing 'Honky Tonk Women'...

[RayL]

Write it in Word. Cut and Paste onto blank forum message and submit. I do this if I have a long email or post.

But should that be necessary?

Perhaps the 'timing out' period is too short? Perhaps Admin or a Mod can tell us what the 'timing out' period is?
Ray

[MartcasterJunior]

Alternatively, there's a 'save draft' button on the left-hand side at the bottom of the window where you compose your posts. If you're writing a long post then hitting that every few minutes should keep it safe(r). The system might even auto-save drafts so clicking into your profile and checking your drafts folder might be worth a try?

Matt

[Moderne]

It's interesting that they were on TOTP playing The Dreams i dream as the track only made number 42 which was their lowest chart position ever. Usually only songs that were in the top 40 were played so i'm assuming this was a 'new release' section? I don't know as i wasn't around in 1966.
By this time, even though their music was still very intersting they were losing pace with the more 'exciting' and louder groups such as The Who, The Stones, The Kinks and The Small Faces. The Shadows in tuxedos just didn't seem cool or hip, they were at this time drifting into Talk of the Town and part of the MOR set. These other groups just didn't do that. You wouldn't see Mick Jagger in evening dress singing 'Mary Ann'

I believe in years gone by they featured more 'New Release'/'bubbling under' records than in later years. I read somewhere that Hank performed Break Another Dawn on TOTP with White Plains backing him,