Top of the Pops 18 January 1990

 

Words: Chris Arnsby

Nicky Campbell: “Oh well. Good evening and welcome to Top of the Pops and can I be the first person to wish you a very happy new year. What a show tonight. A gallimaufry of musical wonders to... seduce your senses. Starting off with a potent mixture of Tina Beale* and genuine talent, here they are. It is, Halo James.”

*Tina Beale? (John- Google tells me she's a real estate and planning educator in Jamaica. Probably not who they meant?)

[13] HALO JAMES: could have told you so. Blue and purple. Blue and purple. Everything is blue and purple. Chris Kempton is still assigned to the Lighting and Stanley Appel is still driving the show. Actually, to be fair to Chris Kempton, he has allowed some orange to creep into the lighting. It looks nice, in the same way that all modern television looks nice because its all teal and orange (nurse, he's out of bed again). I can't blame Chris Kempton for 25+ years of films and television. Or can I?

Halo James closed last week's show on video and now they open it in studio. More lack of communication between Brian Whitehouse (last week) and Stanley Appel (this week)? Or a sign that Stanley Appel regards the final video slot as a preview for next week? It's funny because I've always regarded the end of show video as the most disposable part of the programme. The everyone's-turning-off point. When of course, it isn't. It's when everyone turns on for Eastenders. Videos shown here are seen by the audience for Top of the Pops and Eastenders. It was probably one of the most watched programme junctions of the week.

The audience are easily pleased. There are shrieks of approval when Christian James bobs up and down a bit. When he spins round there are actual screams. It's not healthy for the crowd to get this excited this early. Meanwhile at home, Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot watches, and a single tear runs down his cheek and falls onto the beret he is wringing in his hands. “How soon they forget.” He whispers.

[20] LIL LOUIS & THE WORLD: I called u. Promo VT.

CHARTS: 40 to 31

[23] MARTIKA: more than you know. Nicky Campbell is as intolerable as usual this week. I've just deleted a paragraph slagging him off because it added nothing and overused the word smug.

Let's move on to Martika. This is a pre-recorded performance. She was in studio for the 11/01/1990 edition, judging by the flickering white spotlight behind her which was also there when The Mission performed.

Newspaper listings for Top of the Pops on 11/01/1990 include Martika as a guest a week early. Presumably her name was accidentally included by whoever on the production team was responsible for compiling this information. Martika also appeared as a guest on the 03/02/1990 Little and Large show. It seems fair to assume this was recorded the same week as Top of the Pops.

[3] 49ERS: touch me. Promo VT.

CHARTS: 30 to 11

[18] MEGADEATH: no more mr. nice guy. Promo VT.

BREAKERS

[31]  NENEH CHERRY: inna city mamma

[30] SINEAD O'CONNOR: nothing compares 2 u

[19] QUIREBOYS: hey you. “A brilliant live band,” according to Nicky Campbell. He decides to drop the above-it-all persona for this warmed up tapioca?

CHARTS: 10-3

[2] KYLIE MINOGUE: tears on my pillow. Promo VT. I can be quite negative about Stanley Appel and what I perceive as his workman like attitude to shoving Top of the Pops on tape as quickly and easily as possible.

Just occasionally, he wrong foots me. Breaking the Top 10 countdown at [2] is oddly disruptive and for a second it feels like the programme has gone wrong. It's much more effective than just dropping the Tears On My Pillow promo into the running order earlier. I like this new unpredictable Mr Appel. More please.

[1] NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: hangin' tough. Promo VT.

[27] ADAMSKI: n-r-g. Promo VT. “Mark Gooder and also Jakki Brambles” next week.

 Performance of the week: Halo James, Could Have Told You So; I guess.

Fast forward: New Kids on the Block and the Quireboys.

Mute: No one.