Chart Music: the Top Of The Pops Podcast

Neil Kulkarni  and  Simon Price  commence their gleeful rip into this episode of TOTP, egged on by  Al Needham . Tommy Vance gets his debut cap, and lords it above everyone else from the confines of his gun tower. Funky Belts! New Musik’s keyboard player making a tit of himself! American Pipou! The Chords disguise themselves as Generation X! And some weapons-grade Dadisfaction…...

Simon Price  and  Neil Kulkarni  join  Al Needham  to set the scene for an episode of Top Of The Pops from 1980 which comprehensively demolishes the theory that that year was a bit rammel, breaking off to riffle through that week’s issue of Sounds, discuss the pros and cons of organising a skinhead disco, and recoil at the introduction into Chart Music of The BPT… Video Pl...

In  the last episode of Chart Music , we broke down Nationwide's Jubilee Fair - an astonishing melange of forelock-tuggery, Trad Jazz and moaning that things were better when we had an empire and National Service, which offered its viewers both an opportunity to revel in the past and a chance to experience what it was going to be like in the entertainment room of a care home in the future. Bu...

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; are the Wurzels going to float in an eternal hellscape of bodily waste and toenails for singing about turning bulls gay? This episode would have been perfect for the other month while Shakin’ Jubilee was occurring – but no matter, Pop-Crazed Youngsters, because we’re going right back to the apogee of the Silby Joobs, which no-one ever said in 1977 beca...

Taylor Parkes  and  Neil Kulkarni  join  Al Needham  to put the Silver Jubilee episode of The Pops firmly to bed, as Legs & Co make do with Demis Roussos’ cast-offs, recount the time Bob Marley met the Wurzels, and examine the most shameful event in chart history, as Little Rabbit Arse holds down the Sex Pistols. GOD SAVE HISTOREE, POP-CRAZED YOUNGSTERS… Video Playlist...

Taylor Parkes  and  Neil Kulkarni  continue their drill into the Silver Jubilee TOTP with  Al Needham . Discover how the Wurzels let down Al at a visit to a farm in 1978! Thrill to the sight of Tony Blackburn pulling a bit of string so Neil Innes can look confused as he waves a tiny flag about! Gasp as the Stranglers take the strings off their instruments, swap them with each o...

Neil Kulkarni ,  Taylor Parkes  and  Al Needham  continue their journey into the Silver Jubilee episode of Top Of The Pops, pausing to gaze forlornly at Tony Blackburn – who is in full Fathers 4 Justice mode – before being a bit disappointed by Osibisa failing to do the West Midlands Safari Park advert, and having to talk about ELO AGAIN… Video Playlist  |  Subscribe...

Taylor Parkes  and  Neil Kulkarni  join  Al Needham  for a massive street party to commemorate the Silver Jubilee episode of Top Of The Pops – but before that, it’s a coat-down for the Monarchy, a comprehensive breakdown of the Nationwide Jubilee Fair, a flick through that week’s Melody Maker, and a look at how the Department of Transport thought that a picture of Simon Ba...

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; has anyone ever lost their virginity while listening to a Jive Bunny record? It’s the long-awaited return of Our Sarah and Taylor after their encounter with the Spiteful Armoured Bollock, Pop-Crazed Youngsters – and to welcome them back, Al allowed them to pick out an episode. Consequently, we’re heading deep into the heart of the Neighties. Your panel...

Taylor Parkes  and  Sarah Bee  straddle  Al Needham  and ride him hard in the final furlong of this episode of The Pops, pausing along the way to muse upon the hardcore Dad-hop of Jive Bunny, celebrate an actual decent #1 single, ask if you can get poppers in pound shops, and give full respect to the one with the Gordon Honeycombe hair in Inspiral Carpets. GET ON ONE, POP-...

Sarah Bee  and  Taylor Parkes  realign with  Al Needham  and – like the dog that returns to its own vomit – proceed to tuck in on this episode of The Pops. There’s a wodge of Breakers to wade through, followed by a chance for the Dads who were outraged by Candy Flip to have a good laugh at the absolute  state  of Bobby Omnishake… Video Playlist  |  Subs...

Taylor Parkes ,  Sarah Bee  and  Al Needham  commence their excavation of this episode and rapidly uncover an extremely knackered Simon Mayo introducing some Pub Goth, New Kids On The Block playing some exceedingly futile basketball and trying to show off to some girls, and stare aghast as Candy Flip herald the dawning of the Age of Nadirius... Video Playlist  |  Subs...

Sarah Bee ,  Taylor Parkes  and  Al Needham  ready themselves for a comprehensive rummage through an episode of The Pops from the spring of 1990, leafing through that week’s NME and its four-page spread on the Stone Roses chucking some paint about, and a discussion Human Frogger and the deepest of delves into Mike Read’s Heritage Chart, before concluding that the world is...

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; if Steve Miller is in a consensual relationship, and keeps away from certain designated areas, and he’s not just doing it to show off in front of his mates, is it acceptable in today’s society to reach out and grab her? This episode, Pop-Crazed Youngsters, sees your panel – who are currently toting huge consignments of heroin around Leeds, swiftly clim...

Neil Kulkarni ,  David Stubbs  and  Al Needham  fight to resist the Siren-like lure of the ‘ITV1’ button and the West Germany – France game as this episode of TOTP enters the final stretch. Odyssey drop one of the greatest singles EVER, Bananarama cock a leg in some giant nappies, Bucks Fizz have a day off from bombing Hamburg, Captain Sensible brings along some giant rabbits,...

David Stubbs, Neil Kulkarni and Al Needham continue their intensive tuck-in of a wildly influential episode of The Pops. AC/DC get their cannons muffled, and then Jonathan King introduces the UK to Deeley Boppers, Mr T, and a steaming dollop of white American rubbish. But here come the Germans to save the day! Video Playlist  |  Subscribe  |  Facebook  |&nbs...

Neil Kulkarni ,  David Stubbs  and  Al Needham  commence a gleeful rip into an episode of The Pops smack in the middle of the Yellow Hurll era. And what a start! Kid Jensen pops up in a monarchist Robert Mugabe shirt, Imagination have a proper slink-about, Bruno’s dad lamps someone, and Jeffrey Daniel changes the face of shopping precincts on a Saturday for the rest of the deca...

David Stubbs  and  Neil Kulkarni  join  Al Needham  for a dance on the car roof of 1982, and prepare the ground for an episode of The Pops from that glorious, World Cup-drenched summer. Prepare for shocking revelations about the toilets in St Pancras Station 40 years ago and how the Rock Expert ended up On Top Of The Pops in someone’s codpiece…    Video Play...

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; does playing  Legend  by Bob Marley constitute a hate crime? Finally, Chart Music gets off its fat arse, gets on its bike and starts looking for a job, and it’s a particularly fraught one: rummaging through an episode from the arse-end of the Yellow Hurll era in an attempt to find anything nourishing and skill. It’s the other side of Easter ’...

Neil Kulkarni, Simon Price  and  Al Needham  bring this episode of Top Of The Pops to a close by blanching at the sight of Julio Iglesias practically caressing Willie Nelson’s beer gut, scratch their heads at Echo and the Bunnymen channelling the spirit of Spinal Tap, witnessing the Flying Pickets performing in front of a massive Guess Who board, and attempting to get a handle on Li...

Simon Price, Neil Kulkarni  and  Al Needham  continue to gingerly pick through the rubble of April ’84. After gasping at the outright Lijkenpikkerij of Belle and the Devotions, they tackle Lilt Advert Bob Marley, before getting out of the way of Duran Duran’s Come Tsunami… Video Playlist  |  Subscribe  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  The Char...

Neil Kulkarni, Simon Price  and  Al Needham  commence their plunge into this episode of Top Of The Pops, stopping to pay respects to Our Janice and giving Simon Bates’s new jacket a thorough examination. There’s a rare opportunity to give a slight bit of credit to Morrissey for not being a complete bell-end four decades ago, before blanching at the sight of a Mayan mask with Phil Co...

Simon Price, Neil Kulkarni  and  Al Needham  gird their loins in anticipation for an episode of The Pops located slap bang in the middle of the  Aydeez,  taking the time to discuss the decline of New Pop, leaf through that week’s NME, and ruminate upon the career of The Mary Brennell Boy’s Murder… Video Playlist  |  Subscribe  |  Facebook  | ...

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; Singleton Noakes Purvis and Judd, or Baxter Woollard and Rodd – who was the better Prog band? Santa has come once more to Chart Music, Pop-Crazed Youngsters – but this year he’s decided not to curl one off into our stocking, and has dropped off what is indisputably the greatest episode of the Pops we’ve chanced upon thus far in our five-year odyssey, p...

Neil Kulkarni, Taylor Parkes  and Al Needham gleefully rip into the final part of their exhumation of the last TOTP episode of 1972, and it’s banger after banger after banger. The Osmonds begin their journey on the Highway to whatever Mormons think is Hell! Chuck Berry tempts the youth into mutual masturbation in Coventry, while Rolf Harris tries to distract them! Michael Jackson and his fami...