Top of the Pops

Patrick Humphries started out as a 'hip young gunslinger' on New Musical Express in 1976, and has been writing about music ever since. In the intervening years he has interviewed three Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Roger Waters, Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, Cher, Neil Tennant and Art Garfunkel, among others. He has contributed to The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, Mojo and Sunday Express and has written numerous books including definitive biographies of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson and Lonnie Donegan. He has also written and presented a wide variety of series and individual documentaries for BBC Radio 2 and Radio 4. Steve Blacknell started in promotions and A&R working for the likes of ABC, Decca and Chrysalis promoting acts such as The Moody Blues, Leo Sayer, Jethro Tull and Steely Dan. In 1980 he joined Jive Records and signed A Flock of Seagulls. In 1982 he made the heady leap into TV - hosting the BBC's pop/fashion flagship show Riverside, became a regular music correspondent on BBC Breakfast Time and was Europe's inaugural Video Jockey. He was a regular at Radio 1 hosting In Concert and also hosted The Old Grey Whistle Test on a number of occasions. In 1984 as host/co-creator he won a coveted 'Ace Award' in the USA for best music show with his MTV USA show London Calling. He now specialises in PR and brand development.

This is the story of popular music over the last 50 years as seen through this long-running television pop programme.

Contents v Acknowledgements ix Sir Cliff Richard: Foreword xi Stanley Dorfman: Top of the Pops Co-creator, Producer and Director xv Introduction 1 Chapter 1 The 1960s: Skipping the Light Fandango 41 Chapter 2 The 1970s: Feel the Noize 97 Chapter 3 The 1980s: Don't Look Back in Anger 133 Chapter 4 The 1990s: Shiny, Happy People 151 Chapter 5 The 21st Century: I predict a Riot 171 Chapter 6 Music and Fashion 1964-2006 181 Harry Goodwin: Uncrowned King of Pop Photography 185 Those Top of the Pops Themes in Full 187 The Top of the Pops Crossword 188 57 Things You Never Knew About Top of the Pops 190 Bibliography