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UK Top of the Pops 1970s

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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=123442
Printed Date: December 03 2024 at 21:51
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Topic: UK Top of the Pops 1970s
Posted By: Rick1
Subject: UK Top of the Pops 1970s
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 03:00
Prog rarely bothered the singles charts in the UK - but what was your favourite moment when prog heroes suddenly appeared on TV on Thursday nights?



Replies:
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 03:23
Renaissance' Northern Lights is the Top of the Pops appearance that really stands out in the memory for me.
 


Posted By: thief
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 03:50
Fantastic selection, but I have to double down on Jethro Tull's The Witches Promise. I absolutely love that Benefit/Living in the Past era, Ian had a great voice and stage presence, everyone was so young and involved, and the song itself is just pure eargasm Cool


Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 03:53
I voted for the only one that I'd seen -- Robert Wyatt's "I'm A Believer".

(extended version).

As I recall, the producers didn't want the wheelchair to be visible, and instead maybe put him in a chair of the non wheel variety, thinking that it would/might make audience members uncomfortable. Wyatt insisted that the wheelchair be visible. For any who might not know perusing this poll topic, Wyatt had an accident, a fall which left him a paraplegic. It's quite the line-up playing with him., Fred Frith, Andy Summers, Richard Sinclair, Nick Mason, Dave Macrae.

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https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXcp9fYc6K4IKuxIZkenfvukL_Y8VBqzK" rel="nofollow - Duos for fave acts


Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 04:03
Good poll. Proggy stuff was not unknown in the UK charts in the 70s with Argent, Curved Air, Focus, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Procol Harum and Gordon Giltrap also having hits. I was tempted by Tull but in the end opted for my favourites ELP. Ian Anderson gave a great mugging performance when they did Witches Promise on TOTP:
ELP gave a less than stellar performance of All I Want is You on Top of the Pops in 1978, remember Greg Lake was chewing gum.



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"And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!"

"He's up the pub"


Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 04:12
^ I didn't want to crowd the poll out but yes, what is it with Greg Lake and chewing gum?  He did that all the way through California Jam.  Perhaps to try and cut back on the fags?


Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 04:20
You could tell there were problems in the ELP camp when they did that performance of All I Want Is You. I remember thinking "Come on lads, make an effort!"


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"And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!"

"He's up the pub"


Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 04:49
Tough choice, it could be Yes, Tull or Renaissance and Question is a cracker of a song. Now if Hocus Pocus had been there it might have been easier.
 
I wouldn't have Steely Dan there, good songs but neither very proggy.


Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 05:00
Genesis - FYFM

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Welcome to the middle of the film.


Posted By: Neu!mann
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 05:04
Some good music here, but the Silver Machine destroys them all...


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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 05:12
It's between The Moody Blues and ELP, but I'll give the Moodies the vote, as they're more likely to need it.

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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!


Posted By: Earl of Mar
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 05:23
Back then it would have been silver machine but now in my more mature years it's Northern Lights.


Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 06:04
Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

Tough choice, it could be Yes, Tull or Renaissance and Question is a cracker of a song. Now if Hocus Pocus had been there it might have been easier.
 
I wouldn't have Steely Dan there, good songs but neither very proggy.
It could have been an all-British poll if it wasn't for Steely Dan being included. Smile


Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 06:13
Strawbs: The Hangman And The Papist in which Rick Wakeman breaks out a paint roller to play the solo on his organ!

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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 06:31
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

Tough choice, it could be Yes, Tull or Renaissance and Question is a cracker of a song. Now if Hocus Pocus had been there it might have been easier.
 
I wouldn't have Steely Dan there, good songs but neither very proggy.
It could have been an all-British poll if it wasn't for Steely Dan being included. Smile
Good point. I'm now wondering if Steely Dan actually appeared in the studio or was it a video?


Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 07:19
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Strawbs: The Hangman And The Papist in which Rick Wakeman breaks out a paint roller to play the solo on his organ!
 
I'd completely forgotten that Rick Wakeman used to be a member of the Strawbs in 1970. Smile


Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 07:22
Ok, seriously, Northern Lights! Smile

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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 07:51
Great poll--very evenly matched--until you started listing Steely Dan songs. 

"Do It Again" > "I Know What I Like" 


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https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/


Posted By: AlanB
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 08:12
I would have voted for Focus (Hocus Pocus or Sylvia) if they were included.


Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 09:16
OK Focus - serious omission (I knew I had missed something...)

Steely Dan - always considered them progressive in the broadest sense (I am from the prog school of thought that jazz needs to be in there somewhere...)  No apologies for their inclusion


Posted By: Olape
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 09:45
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 +1



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Posted By: Gentle and Giant
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 09:53
Hawkwind - Silver Machine.  Good poll too.

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Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen


Posted By: digdug
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 10:21
I'm from Canada.... never heard most of these on the radio  :)

I did hear Another Brick in the Wall Part2  quite a few times
and I'll give it a vote.

Fanfare and Question would be next.


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Prog On!


Posted By: progmatic
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 11:05
Great poll! Voted for "Do It Again" but "Question" was a very close second. There is something truly special about "Do It Again" for me. Rounding out the top 5 are Tull "Teacher," "Solstice Bells," and "Haitian Divorce."

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PROGMATIC


Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 13:35
Tull #1 

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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.


Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 13:40
Originally posted by Man With Hat Man With Hat wrote:

Tull #1 
Yes, Tull Witch's Promise and Teacher are on top of my list, though the rest are also wonderful memories. 


Posted By: Dopeydoc
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 14:15
Hawkwind, then Yes.


Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 15:06
Tull and the Moodys.

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Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: July 09 2020 at 23:13
Tops Of the Pops weren´t shown in Finland as 70`s, I believe I would have watched them because started to interest music so early and watched quite much television already then. But watched Witches Promise on the Tops from Youtube, so voted that! Really would like to see Hawkwind´s performance, it´s not in youtube (at least I haven´t found anything from their Lemmy-period, except that later made video from Silver Machine).

Have to say Kenny Everett Show came from Finland television in 79/80, there I heard first time "Another Brick In the Wall", what I remembered there wasn´t band, no vid, just dancers with the music.


Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: July 10 2020 at 00:35
ELP - Fanfare For The Common Man, I still YouTube that video on a regular basis. It made a big impression on me at the time.
Renaissance - Northern Lights also stands out.

What about Radar Love? that was also a biggie.

 


Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: July 10 2020 at 00:40
If every song the Moody Blues wrote was similar standard to Question, I'd have them higher on the prog ladder than Pink Floyd. 


Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: July 10 2020 at 00:43
Steely Dan - Do It Again. Great song. Why only 2 votes. Also where are the Supertramp songs?


Posted By: Braka1
Date Posted: July 10 2020 at 02:15
Not often something with Lemmy on lead vocals gets votes in a prog poll.


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Believe me Pope Paul, my toes are clean


Posted By: AZF
Date Posted: July 10 2020 at 02:30
Northern Lights is fantastic, but I just went with Silver Machine. Wasn't Hawkwind with a Disco beat and was more representative of their sound. And it charted highly!


Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: July 10 2020 at 02:33
Really challenging poll this. I think Northern Lights, a wonderful song which is still played regularly on many of my playlists, although it could have been many of the others.

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Posted By: Moyan
Date Posted: May 26 2024 at 10:35
"Wonderous Stories"


Posted By: Floydoid
Date Posted: May 26 2024 at 10:47
Robert Wyatt.

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'We're going to need a bigger swear jar.'


Posted By: Octopus II
Date Posted: May 26 2024 at 12:01
Jethro Tull - Witch's Promise/Teacher


Posted By: Big Sky
Date Posted: May 26 2024 at 17:42
ELP


Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: May 27 2024 at 03:18
Tull : Solstice's bells



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