The Old Grey Whistle Test thread

Jalapeno · September 2013

HAL9000 said:

OGWT was broadcast in the years when I was just getting into music and it was the one program that I used to look forward to more than any other. The trouble with Jools is that it's like falling for the same joke again and again - I look forward to it, but then end up fast forwarding through most of it.

Thought it was just me being an old fart !

Later has introduced me to plenty though - Hot Club of Cowtown, KT Tunstall, Janelle Monae ... But I'd agree there's too much cronyism

To be fair OGWT was the only programme on UK TV, it was run on a shoestring and pumped out at god-o'clock at night (Fridays after the pub !) - it certainly helped it's cult and niche status. Though I do recall endless Loggins & Messina sessions

bertie · September 2013

apart from the greatest band ever, that Fret posted in his 8th ............. I always liked the Johnny Winter stuff

Jalapeno · September 2013

Fretwired said:

And from Scotland ... another great band

Watch the end - this is where Louis Balfour comes from !

Lexie1 · September 2013

Always makes me laugh when people immediately associate TOGWT with Bob Harris.

Fer Gawd's sake, it was Richard Williams who first presented it!

There we go, old age showing again.

\m/

Jalapeno · September 2013

Not at all, and Whispering Bob was the worst for "Mmmm nice" and for favouring long chats with west coast trendy bands.

Annie Nightingale
The Live Aid crew (OGWT's finest hour IMNSHO) David Hepworth, Mark Ellen, Richard Skinner and Andy Kershaw

hywelg · September 2013

Jalapeno said:

Thought it was just me being an old fart !

OK, Old fart test.

What was the programme called that preceded and morphed into TOGWT on BBC2 callled?

RocknRollDave · September 2013

I cannot stand Bob Harris.

Sorry, I'm sure he is a good man with a good heart but listening to him makes me want to stab my radio.

hywelg · September 2013

Another old fart test and I genuinely can't remember the correct order or indeed all 5 of the names.

Which five presenters held the 10-midnight slot on Radio 1 in the early seventies and on which nights of the week?
(yes we can all remember it was Peel on Friday, Friday Night is Booogiee Night)

Jalapeno · September 2013

hywelg said:

Jalapeno said:

Thought it was just me being an old fart !

OK, Old fart test.

What was the programme called that preceded and morphed into TOGWT on BBC2 callled?

No idea old timer ! :P

Lexie1 · September 2013

Monday: Bob Harris

Tuesday;

Wednesday;

Thursday; Gambuccini

Friday; J. Peel

Forerunner to OGWT was 625 Special or some such?

hywelg · September 2013

Jalapeno said:

No idea old timer ! :P

Then you are not old enough to be an old fart. Maybe just a fart!

not_the_dj · September 2013

I cheated as I'm not an old fart...but I have read The Whispering Years book so I reckon it was Colour Me Pop, which is a rubbish name for a show.

Old Grey Whistle Test on the other hand is a brilliant name for a show (if you know the meaning behind it).

hywelg · September 2013

not_the_dj said:

so I reckon it was Colour Me Pop,

Eeargh Uuuurghhh (you know the noise that buzzer makes in the crappy Les Dennis show)

hywelg · September 2013

Lexie1 said:

Monday: Bob Harris
Tuesday;
Wednesday;
Thursday; Gambuccini
Friday; J. Peel

Dont think it Gambaccini was at the beginning, reckon he was later, but not sure. There was a Mike Harding, not the folk singer and I think, Pete Drummond. Now I really need to know.....

I think 625 Special was forunner to Top of the Pops, it wasn't the precursor for TOGWT.

not_the_dj · September 2013

hywelg said:

not_the_dj said:

so I reckon it was Colour Me Pop,

Eeargh Uuuurghhh (you know the noise that buzzer makes in the crappy Les Dennis show)

Bummer. After further review of chapter 3 in Bob's book I reckon it's.... Disco 2

Lexie1 · September 2013

Anne Nightingale and Tommy Vance

Wasn't it "The Friday Night Rock Show" with Mr Vance?

Annie Nightingale may have been on Tuesdays...... or Wednesdays

Gawd I do feel old.

not_the_dj · September 2013

Tommy Vance was fantastic on a Friday night on Radio 1. That formed such a huge part of my musical education. I won a competition on that to go to the playback of Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark album. Met Tommy and some of the band (I was a spotty teenager so my parents drove me all the way to Norwich for that).

hywelg · September 2013

not_the_dj said:

Bummer. After further review of chapter 3 in Bob's book I reckon it's.... Disco 2

Correct. Give yourself a big fat prize.....!

hywelg · September 2013

not_the_dj said:

Tommy Vance was fantastic on a Friday night on Radio 1. That formed such a huge part of my musical education. I won a competition on that to go to the playback of Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark album. Met Tommy and some of the band (I was a spotty teenager so my parents drove me all the way to Norwich for that).

It was Tommy Vance that introduced me to SRV, he played loads of great stuff on a Friday night. It was the 80's though, we were mostly in on a Friday night with two young kids. I believe I still have a cassette of his top 20 albums of the year programme that he did around Christmas/New Year one year.

It was John Peel for most of the 70's IIRC on a Friday Night, and he also had a programme on a Sunday I think it was. Then he went and did two nights a week from 10-12 for a spell.

Deadman · September 2013

My fave:

close2u · September 2013

I saw this on a new year highlights show .... not a live in the studio clip but hey ho ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUA76M67Gd8

And I remember this bit of quirkiness on the same year (I had the show recorded on video tape so watched it a few times!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcXA_pkfLso

close2u · September 2013

Youtube embed instructions please? Thanks

Deadman · September 2013

close2u said:

Youtube embed instructions please? Thanks

Just copy and paste the link. No need to embed.

close2u · September 2013

Deadman said:

Just copy and paste the link. No need to embed.

I did (above) but the video embed looks so much better.

dogload · September 2013

close2u said:

I saw this on a new year highlights show .... not a live in the studio clip but hey ho ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUA76M67Gd8

And I remember this bit of quirkiness on the same year (I had the show recorded on video tape so watched it a few times!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcXA_pkfLso

I remember seeing The Church on there in the early 80s and as a result of getting into them I began an almost 30-year lust for a Ric 12-string!

And not forgetting a love affair with paisley!

And 'Fish Heads'? Brilliant! Where would we be without Whistle Test, eh?

AlexHunter · September 2013

This guitarist chap Barry was rather slick:

mart · September 2013

RocknRollDave said:

I cannot stand Bob Harris.

Sorry, I'm sure he is a good man with a good heart but listening to him makes me want to stab my radio.

Completely with you on that - I find him incredibly annoying. But I still wish they'd put out a few more OGWT DVDs, since there is so much good stuff in the archives that hasn't been released yet.

[Deleted User] · September 2013

not_the_dj;26859" said:
Of course there was the definitive performance of May You Never by John Martyn

Lovely. His D28 looks virtually new on that clip. A genius acoustic player with a beautiful voice....

equalsql · September 2013

AlexHunter said:

This guitarist chap Barry was rather slick:

Thanks for the clip the Atlanta Rhythm Section.. never seen that one before. I love that band 'Champaign Jam' is a classic too!

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