Wednesday, 28 August, 2002 15:43
The Old Grey Whistle Test |
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| Sally
Taylor and Bob Harris |
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The
Old Grey Whistle Test first went on air in September 1971 and became
one of the most influential music shows for a generation. Sally Taylor
has been meeting some of the figures from the South who were instrumental
in its sucess. |
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Despite
it's low budget the show was a great success. Bands soon found their
album sales would soar after an appearance.
When the Old Grey Whistle Test went on air in 1971 it was unique.
In a world accustomed to Top of the Pops, here was a show on which
the bands performed album tracks and were interviewed after they had
played. This was before the days of miming. The music was live and,
since the idea was to air new sounds, many of the bands were making
their first television appearance. Presenter Bob Harris recalls how
the show's name was inspired by the doormen (in grey suits) who worked
at the music publishing houses in London's Denmark Street, known as
'tin pan alley':
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| Bob
Harris on the show |
"It
was a 'tin pan alley' phrase from years ago. When they got the first
pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the
old greys. The ones they could remember and could whistle having heard
it just once or twice had passed the old grey whistle test".
The
programme went out on BBC2, last thing on a Friday night, from a tiny
studio on the fourth floor of Television centre. In the days before
24 hour television the station would close down at the end of the
evening. This gave the last programme of the day some flexibility.
If things were going well for the Old Grey Whistle Test they could
stay on air. Some shows ended after 25 minutes while particularly
good ones sometimes extended to an hour and a half.
They had a budget of £500 per show, which was very low even in those
days. In addition to the technical costs the artists themselves had
to be paid. David Bowie, for example, played three songs and was paid
£50.
John Lennon refused to accept his fee in cash, insisting that he should
be rewarded instead with chocolate Bath Oliver biscuits!
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| The
Starkicker |
The
titles sequence featured an animation of a man kicking a star. He
was to become affectionately known as The Starkicker.
The show's title music, with it's distinctive harmonica, was a track
called Stone Fox Chase by a Nashville band, Area code 615.
When bands were performing the sound was often so loud that the camera
crew could not hear what the director was saying in their headphones.
The programme makers continually broke new ground. The first ever
'simulcast' of radio and television , the first live transatlantic
broadcast of a rock concert and the television coverage of Live Aid
were all achieved by the Whistle Test team.
Sadly, the programme is no more, having ended it's run in 1987, but
it passed the musical baton to it's successors.
A succession of programmes such as 'Later with Jools Holland', 'The
Tube' and 'The White Room' have all drawn inspiration from Whispering
Bob Harris's Old Grey Whistle Test.
Do
you have a particular memory of the show? Visit our messageboard
for a trip down Whistle Test memory lane!
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