Part of being 14 in 1977 (a snippet).
Like most people of my age in 1977 on a Sunday night we would listen to Radio 1’s top 20 and then on Tbursdays avidly watchTop Of The Pops on the BBC to see who was number 1 in the pop chart (it seemed important at the time), you needed to know who everyone else would be talking about at school. Until the 1st of July 1977 things had been poor for a while to say the least below are some highlights.
Tina Childs, The Wurzels, Demis Roussos, Pussycat, Johnny Mathis, David Soul, The Manhattan Transfer had all had no 1’ singles. The best selling song of 1976 was Brotherhood of Man with Save All Your Kisses for Me, and in 1977 It was the shocking BollockKintyre that apparently sold over 2 million copies (shame on them all), all of it boringly dire. Yes you may have fallen into the trap of liking the odd song, but on the whole a very sad state of affairs.
Top of the Pops would be packed with this dross and more of the same, mums and dads were happy letting you watch this light entertainment.
On the 1st July 1977 it all changed, safe went out of the window. Love them or hate them in 1977 something came along that rocked the establishment, and thankfully opened the door to much of the far better British music that was to follow. After the shit that had gone before it on that particular show I vividly remember watching the British music scene being turned upside down in front of my eyes. Here was something that actually made you listen, something with energy something new. Without them, would the Jam and New Wave have taken off, would Oasis have stood a chance, look at this video and then visualise Radiohead’s Creep video, the vacant looks the hair. They spawned an awakening in Britain’s music industry, fashion and culture, they were at that particular time incredible and their album to this day is a classic. They had a lead singer who by a force of nature demanded your attention. They made you question not just the music industry but society and its institutionalised ideas. You dread to think were we would be without them, still singing about combined harvesters, yellow ribbons or rocking along to the Muppets (not just the puppet variety)?
NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS (and at the time there was bucket loads).
http://vimeo.com/47600916
