THE FRIDAY FIVE – 10.10.2014

1. Charli XCX – London Queen
2. McBusted – Air Guitar
3. Hozier – Take Me To Church
4. George Ezra – Blame It On Me
5. Future Islands – Seasons

Last Saturday night saw some inspired scheduling on BBC 2, with a whole night of programmes dedicated to Genesis. I haven’t got round to watching the documentary yet, but I have seen the Top Of The Pops 2 special.

In, um, celebration of this, here’s a Genesis Top Five

FIVE SONGS BY GENESIS

1. Land Of Confusion
2. Congo
3. Turn It On Again
4. That’s All
5. Invisible Touch

And as a bonus, how about a Genesis related Top Five?

FIVE GENESIS RELATED SONGS

1. Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer
2. Mike and the Mechanics – Over My Shoulder
3. Mike and the Mechanics – Word Of Mouth
4. Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
5. Phil Collins – Sussudio

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50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : SEP 26 – OCT 2

We begin this week with the suavest man in the North-East of England …….. not Jimmy Nail, but Bryan Ferry.

Bryan Ferry wrote “Slave To Love” after Courtney Love won a charity auction for him to be her servant.

And now, a much loved popular Australian* actress and singer ……..

Bet you’re all expecting Kylie.

(* She was actually born in England though. Pity she wasn’t born in Greece, then you could say Olivia Newton John from Grease is from Greece)

And a Legs and Co tribute.

Remember Hilary Duff?

Suede. Anything but Trash. Back in the days when Mat Osman was the most famous member of his family.

Bros are 46 this week.

The answer to that question is, 1988, briefly.

Marc Bolan would have been 67 this week.

Meanwhile, it’s been a while since Sugababes have been on this blog.

Mariska Veres of Shocking Blue would also have been 67 this week, born the day after Marc Bolan.

(WARNING : Intro contains Jimmy Savile)

Don McLean appeared on TOTP a long long time ago, but I can still remember.

Meanwhile, if you ever need your car fixed, why not try Mike Rutherford from Genesis?

I don’t know what i’d do if I ever lost my faith in Sting.

Phil Oakey turned 59 today. He’s only human.

Remember Aqua?

Lynsey De Paul died today. Here she is getting ready for Eurovision in 1977.

And we finish this week, with a not very well drawn boy.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : APR 18 – APR 24

Hope you’re all in a dancing mood, as this week, Bez hits the big 50. Here’s one of Happy Mondays more bizarre (even by their standards) performances, covering Thin Lizzy in 1999.

Someone whose 50th birthday was a while ago is Iggy Pop. I think he might be miming here.

Robert Smith’s 50th was a few years back, not as many back as Iggy’s though. The only birthdays he enjoys are ones that fall on a Friday, as it’s his favourite day of the week. His 55th birthday was last Monday.

And an interview from 1988 where he discusses Top Of The Pops.

Sad anniversary now, and it’s a year since the death of Chrissie Amphlett of The Divinyls.

Peter Frampton was 64 this week. The best tribute? A Reggae cover by Big Mountain, not to be confused with Big Country or Big Fun.

Paul Carrack of Mike and the Mechanics was 63 this week. I remember when I had just started the big school, this song was always on Atlantic 252.

Every week of the year, a former member of Sugababes celebrates a birthday. It’s Amelle’s turn this week. Here she is in 2006 performing “Red Dress”, ironically, not wearing a red dress, or even a dress of any colour.

Captain Sensible turns 60 this week. I think this will be the only song on this series that is a cover of a song from a musical by a member of a Punk band. Also note, he’s wearing a The Dammed t-shirt.

And where do you go from there? To the very first winner of American Idol of course.