Top of the Pops 12 Nov 1987

 

Reviewed by Chris Arnsby. Gary Davies: “Hi, good to see you again and welcome to another Top of the Pops. Action packed as always, in the studio tonight we have Mirage, Alexander O'Neil, and T'Pau.”

Peter Powell: “It's hit! After hit! After hit! One of the biggest! The Communards! Never can say Goodbyyyyyyyyyyye!”

Gary Davies: “Yey,”

[6] THE COMMUNARDS: never can say goodbye. Brian Whitehouse is sitting in the studio gallery this week and taking the Produced and Directed By credit. Approaching Christmas, Michael Hurll is off tending to the far reaches of his Light Entertainment principality. There's a new series of Entertainment USA on BBC2, preparations are in hand for 1987's Noel-Edmonds-Christmas-Post-Office*-Tower-Thing, with Gordon Kaye in Battersea; Mike Smith presumably preferred to spend Christmas Day 1987 with Sarah Greene. He's not going to get far with that attitude. Most intriguing of all, Michael Hurll's got a new Noel Edmonds vehicle on BBC1 called Whatever Next... “Presented with an unusual situation can you foresee the outcome?” I can foresee this 16 episode oddity won't be picked up for a second series by programme planners. You can watch the opening titles here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_xLi1xu9PU, stay for the moment when Noel Edmonds bounds on to the most late eighties set ever. All pastel pinks, and muted greys.

 

Meanwhile, back in TC3. Brian Whitehouse opts to start The Communards off with a closeup of Richard Cole, before cutting to the traditional wide shot of the studio for the caption. Dickie Higham is back on Lighting and he follows Geoff Beech's setup for T'Pau. He keeps the studio lights low so the neon tubes around the main stage really stand out. He does up the flashing light quotient a bit, positioning a couple of those irritating rotating light poles at the edge of the stage and mounting a white spotlight between the drummer's feet so it shines on Jimmy Somerville's legs. I guess Dickie thought it looked nice.

The Star Gate stage is back. You can spot it when one of the handheld camera operators (no Steadicam this week, Top of the Pops isn't made of money) wanders to the back of the stage to catch a shot looking into the studio. Now the Star Gate stage isn't used this week but, in the glimpses we catch of it, it seems to be set up with instruments; signs of a pre-recorded performance to come?

*It's the Telecom Tower now, grandad.

[10] BILL MEDLEY & JENNIFER WARNES: i've had the time of my life. Live on tape from Hollywood. Complete with burned in Top of the Pops USA captions telling us the song is at [15]. Brian Whitehouse's solution is to follow the American caption with one labelled UK-CHART POSITION. Also, because Top of the Pops USA has bigger captions they are properly able to render the title as (I'VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE.

[13] MIRAGE: jack mix IV. Top of the Pops trips over its own branding policy. The caption should read, jack mix iv. It's important not to get Mirage confused with Visage.

TOP 40.

[28] ALEXANDER O'NEAL: criticize. Awkward staging at the start of Alexander O'Neal's performance causes confusion. Gary Davies introduced Alexander O'Neal and the camera pans left to one of the scenery staircases where a woman starts singing. Did Gary Davies just mispronounce Alexandria?

No, of course not. Alexander is on the stage over there but it takes a while for the camera to find him. Brian Whitehouse wants a kind of Romeo and Juliet, up the balcony, effect for the chorus. It works once the watching audience know the geography of the setup but it's distracting at first. This might be a rare occasion when the Director forgets the viewer at home can't see the whole studio.

TOP 40 BREAKERS. [23] DONNA SUMMER, dinner with gershwin; [22] MARILLION, warm wet circles; [20] WHITNEY  HOUSTON, so emotional.

TOP 10.

[1] T'PAU: china in your hand. A repeat from 05/11/1987.

[11] NINA SIMONE, my baby just cares for me. Peter Powell suddenly veers wildly off piste. “Britain has a new number one! T'Pau! Lovely fresh exciting new band! With their own material! Well done to them!” I guess you didn't think much of Mirage then, eh Peter? Let's hope they weren't listening. Gary Davies looks amused. Simon Mayo and Steve Wright next week.

 

Performance of the week: The Communards, Never Can Say Goodbye.

 The Roxy Playlist (10/11/1987): Mirage, Jack Mix IV; T'Pau, China In Your Hand; The Fall, Hit The North; Joe Cocker, Unchain My Heart; Rick Astley, Whenever You Need Somebody. On video; George Harrison, Got My Mind Set On You; The Smiths, I Started Something I Couldn't Finish. Studio guest, Ben Elton.