17-07-2021, 01:09 PM
I know people interested in pop and TV are likely to be otherwise engaged at 8pm on a Friday, but while I've been watching Pops on BBC4, I've been recording Guy Garvey From The Vaults on Sky Arts, which is proving to be an absolutely fascinating series.
This is the series that makes use of footage from the ITV archives. The last series that did this was Pop Gold on actual ITV a few years ago, but that wasn't a very good series at all, thanks to the presence of Andy Kershaw on voice-over duties - who I don't much care for at any time, but who was particularly sneery and insufferable here - and a bizarre selection of clips which seemed to prioritise obscurities for obscurity's sake and would have been tough going on BBC4, let alone ITV1.
This series is loads better, though, both in terms of clip selection - familiar tracks, but unfamiliar performances - and also in terms of presentation, with Garvey a million times better than Kershaw as he seems genuinely interested in the clips. Those who saw the first series last year may be pleased to know that we've lost the bits where he talks during the clips.
Last night's episode of 1985 was probably the most interesting so far, just as much as a record of the year's TV as the year's pop. Inevitably there was lots from The Tube, which is always nice to see but it's been a bit anthologised to death, though we got to see some nice clips of the surrounding presentation. But there was lots more to enjoy as well, including Stevie Wonder being interviewed by Tony Slattery on short-lived Saturday morning show TX and Ian McCulloch on a YTV schools programme, and Prefab Sprout performing on Hold Tight, at Alton Towers of course, with Granada flag fluttering proudly behind them.
The best bit, though, was the selection of clips from Border-produced C4 youth show Bliss. I've always been a sucker for a Border show and this was brilliant to see, just as much for the clips of Muriel Gray's links and the magazine items as it was the performances (though these were great, too, China Crisis performing in the midst of a throng of Carlisle's teens was particularly enjoyable).
The whole series is on on demand and repeated a million times, and it's been really interesting so far. As I say, it's worth seeing as a record of some long-forgotten TV shows as it is for the music.
This is the series that makes use of footage from the ITV archives. The last series that did this was Pop Gold on actual ITV a few years ago, but that wasn't a very good series at all, thanks to the presence of Andy Kershaw on voice-over duties - who I don't much care for at any time, but who was particularly sneery and insufferable here - and a bizarre selection of clips which seemed to prioritise obscurities for obscurity's sake and would have been tough going on BBC4, let alone ITV1.
This series is loads better, though, both in terms of clip selection - familiar tracks, but unfamiliar performances - and also in terms of presentation, with Garvey a million times better than Kershaw as he seems genuinely interested in the clips. Those who saw the first series last year may be pleased to know that we've lost the bits where he talks during the clips.
Last night's episode of 1985 was probably the most interesting so far, just as much as a record of the year's TV as the year's pop. Inevitably there was lots from The Tube, which is always nice to see but it's been a bit anthologised to death, though we got to see some nice clips of the surrounding presentation. But there was lots more to enjoy as well, including Stevie Wonder being interviewed by Tony Slattery on short-lived Saturday morning show TX and Ian McCulloch on a YTV schools programme, and Prefab Sprout performing on Hold Tight, at Alton Towers of course, with Granada flag fluttering proudly behind them.
The best bit, though, was the selection of clips from Border-produced C4 youth show Bliss. I've always been a sucker for a Border show and this was brilliant to see, just as much for the clips of Muriel Gray's links and the magazine items as it was the performances (though these were great, too, China Crisis performing in the midst of a throng of Carlisle's teens was particularly enjoyable).
The whole series is on on demand and repeated a million times, and it's been really interesting so far. As I say, it's worth seeing as a record of some long-forgotten TV shows as it is for the music.