Christmas, a time to share? Unless you like The Goodies!

It's that time of year again, when the TV schedulers wheel out their annual festive offerings along with a fair sprinkling of repeats. Usually a few comedy classics are dragged out to fill the schedules.

The perennial Christmas comedy classics are of course the likes of Dad's Army, Are you being served? and Porridge. These usually get trotted out over Christmas either as early evening or peak time fillers on BBC2. This year however, their seems to have been a really bizarre piece of scheduling when it comes to comedy repeats.

The Goodies has been chosen this year. This classic series is a bit unusual in that it can't be clearly defined as a more adult comedy series although their are plenty of adult themes and jokes. At the same time you can often find a high content of physical jokes that hark back to the days of 1920's or 30's silent films. So something for both adults and children to enjoy, containing both Monty Python surrealism with good old fashioned slapstick. The obvious place for a repeat you might expect a series like to be shown would be sometime between 5 and 8.30pm. Well.......you'd be wrong. The BBC schedulers in their infinite wisdom have chosen to show them at 11.30pm or later in some cases. Quite frankly a ridiculous piece of programme planning. 

The BBC do seem to be almost embarrassed to be repeating it at all, they seem to be treating the series like a hideous vase that your auntie bought you, that only gets dragged out on display when she comes to visit. The Goodies has barely seen a repeat in the UK in the last 25 years, except for a couple of special occasions when they usually dragged out "Kitten Kong". Why are the BBC seemingly ashamed of this programme?

This year is the 40th anniversary of the first episode's broadcast. Did we get a short repeat run of classic episodes?. No. We got a welcome repeat of The Return of The Goodies, a tribute show first seen in 2005. It was good to see this again but a few actual episodes wouldn't have gone amiss.

Some may argue that the series isn't really a programme for children. Try telling that to my six year old daughter who has recently discovered the show (in fact she discovered my DVDs when she was bored one afternoon). As far as she is concerned the award winning "Kitten Kong" episode is a hilarious masterpiece, an opinion which I can only to readily agree with.

The three stars and creators of The Goodies are all very much from that same 1960's school of humour as Monty Python. In fact the series partly came into being because they didn't want to create a sketch series that was seen to be too similar to Python and draw inevitable comparisons. As it was they had already had a pretty good run with a sketch series "Broaden Your Mind" in 1968-69 and were looking for ideas.

The series ran on the BBC from 1970 through to 1980. Famously, in 1975 a viewer died laughing while watching an episode (no I'm not making this up I promise). The series had no shortage of guest stars willing to over act when required and generally enjoy themselves in the escapism. Then in 1980 the BBC decided that they wanted a rest from The Goodies, not a cancellation, just a break. Partly, it seemed due to the increasing costs to make the series (The BBC spent the allocated budget on making The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy).

This led to the move to LWT, in the hope that commercial TV would lead to bigger budgets and more freedom. The Goodies made their debut on ITV over Christmas in 1981 but after one series LWT called time on The Goodies. After a single series accountants must have had a near fit when the costs had been counted. The freedom to make the series as they wanted turned out to be a bit of a myth,. If anything the constraints of commercial TV were even greater than they were at the BBC. In fact it's alleged that The Goodies were paid to NOT make anymore shows, not due to low ratings or adverse criticism of the show, but mainly because the series was so expensive to make. This left them in a bit of a void with a contract that had potentially several years to run, but unable to make anymore shows, bringing the series to an abrupt close.

Thankfully, in recent years the series has been re-appraised and has seen a few episodes successfully released on DVD (a new set has just been released in November), with an increasingly loyal fan base.

Here's a couple of classic clips:

First of all the finale of "Bunfight at the OK Tearooms":




Next, possibly the most famous episode ever made "Kitten Kong":



Finally, "Saturday Night Grease" and the legendary carrot down the trousers joke that caused a complaint from Mary Whitehouse (much to The Goodies pleasure):

Split Enz - Up There With The Best?

I've been a fan of the work of Crowded House and Neil and Tim Finn for many years now. But Neil and Tim's musical career began with their earlier band Split Enz in the early 1970's. In the UK, apart from a tiny minority of followers plus Crowded House fans who have discovered their work retrospectively, the band is largely forgotten.



They are still perceived as a bit of a one hit wonder, after their single "I Got You" became a hit in 1980, followed by a reasonably successful album "True Colours" in the same year. They had at one time in the mid to late 70's been based in London and ended up on the dole after they were dropped from an expensive record deal after poor album sales.


Originally formed in New Zealand in the early 70's by Tim Finn and fellow college friend and roommate Phil Judd, the band developed a strong theatrical on stage persona, with brightly coloured stage costumes, heavy make-up and bright sets married to melodic songs almost bordering on prog rock in places.



They soon gained attention due to their unique look and sound, gaining popularity in their home country and Australia. While on tour supporting Roxy Music in Australia, Roxy guitarist Phil Manzenera offered to bring them to the UK and produce their next album. They duly flew over recorded their second LP "Second Thoughts" in 1976 and slowly began to gig in the UK, Canada and the USA building up a small following and mainly positive critical acclaim for both the album and live performances. However, Phil Judd eventually left the band, leaving the lead guitarists post vacant. Enter 17 year old Neil Finn, who flew over to London and quickly fitted in with ease.



After the 1977 album Dizrythmia which failed to obtain any new ground in the UK but did start to sell in their homeland, they were dropped from their record deal and left high and dry, on the dole in the UK. They were eventually bailed out by an Australian Arts fund who paid for them enough money to make another LP this time back in Australia, this led to their first major hit single in Australia "I See Red" in 1978 and hit album "Frenzy".



At this time the band started to drastically tone down their image and dropped the heavy make up and unusual hair styles. This change in image matched with more concise poppy tunes led to more mass appeal, with almost a teenybopper audience with hit after hit in Australia and New Zealand. In the UK however it never went beyond one single and one album. The final straw came in 1982 after several flop singles, the classic "Six Months In A Leaky Boat" was issued and instantly banned from UK radio due the ridiculously strict regulations in force because of the Falklands war. After this no more singles were issued in the UK for the rest of the bands career.



They continued until 1984 and decided to disband a year after the departure of Tim Finn for an eventful solo career. Neil Finn went on to form Crowded House with ex Enz drummer Paul Hester. Every once in a while various members of Split Enz reform and tour in New Zealand or Australia and give their fans a treat. It's a shame they won't tour the UK, but they were sadly ignored here so the chances remain slim. I'd recommend anyone to at the very least pick up a compilation album of their best songs. It would be difficult not to be impressed by their imaginative and melodic songs.

Here's some examples of their best bits. Firstly the one and only UK hit "I Got You" from 1980. Young upstart Neil Finn getting ahead of big brother Tim and giving the band a worldwide hit.





Next from the same era (1979) is "Things", a bit of a lost song, a single that never quiet made it. Short and to the point with a simple and catchy tune and fantastic harmony vocals from the Finn's.




Moving back a few years to 1977 is "My Mistake", featuring an early appearance from Neil Finn, having joined the band months before. Notice a more theatrical appearance:




Moving back further to 1975 and the theatrics are pretty much in full flow here. This is "Sweet Dreams" featuring founder member Phil Judd on vocals and a vanishing wig! I think there is no doubt that this image grabbed them a lot of attention for them early in their career and it also put off casual listeners in equal measure.





And just to labour the point a rare surviving TV appearance from around 1974/75 with their unusual stage personalities in full flight. Ignore the poor quality footage the performance more than makes it worthwhile:




Finally, from their later early 80's chart peak is "One Step Ahead" another classic from Neil Finn. First released in 1981:

Euphemisms Of Modern British TV

Often when continuity announcers introduce a TV show or a trailer for a new series, I can often find hidden meanings in the announcements. I'm not sure if this is due to becoming much more cynical with age or if it's down to TV stations that can't bring themselves to be entirely honest about the quality of the programme they are about to show. Here's a couple of examples:

"Exclusive to Living TV/Virgin 1" which actually means "All the main channels wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, even Sky 1 and Channel 5 turned it down because they thought it was too low brow for their viewers and we got a fantastically cheap deal to broadcast this crap".

"And now on BBC1 a hilarious new sitcom starring Caroline Quentin in....." meaning "Here's another unfunny sitcom we commissioned ages ago, then realised the scripts were as funny as a mass grave and Caroline Quentin was the only actress we could get to star in it".

Piers Morgan "a talented and popular TV host" Really? I did hear him described using those exact words once. I know it may be hard to believe. He's a living contradiction. For someone with so little to offer in terms of obvious talent, charm or charisma it baffles me as to who keeps putting him on TV. If his name comes up in conversation for any reason with anyone I know, questions such as "Who gave that waste of space a prime time chat show?" or "How can such a talentless and universally disliked man get on like he has?" are asked. It's one of the eternal mysteries of life.

I seem to be finding myself seeing hidden meanings in these announcements when I'm watching these days, is it just me?

Of course the best thing to do would be to make the announcers take a truth drug before going on air, but if they did would their be any viewers left?

Kenny Everett Biopic - I Don't Envy The Casting Director

It's recently been mentioned in a few places that the BBC is planning another biographical drama series on the life of several well known comedians for BBC4, one of which is rumoured to be about Kenny Everett. Could this be one of the most difficult pieces of casting in years?

Everett was a truly unique character, a real one off for so many reasons, whoever they get to play him will need to be slightly mad and have enough energy within to power the national grid for a few months. Certainly his life story is an interesting one, with many dramatic twists so there is an entertaining story to tell, but they really need someone convincing to play him or it'll never work. All I can say is whoever has the job of choosing the actor to play him, good luck.

My favourite memories of Kenny are not so much for his radio work, more for his TV series. Way back in about 1978/9 he used to have a show that started life as "The Kenny Everett Video Cassette" which later became "The Kenny Everett Video Show". I was a mere child at the time and this show used to go out in an early evening slot on ITV on Friday's. I must have only been about five years old but it certainly made me sit up and take notice.

I think it was something in the sheer energy of Kenny's performance that drew me in and now looking back on it, he had a strange ability to be very adult and near the knuckle but also have a child like quality that appealed to kids. The shows had a very spontaneous and almost homespun feel about it. There was usually no studio audience but the crew in the studio would often be roaring with laughter and were very much a part of the fun.

Something else that struck me looking back at videos of these shows is how he used to get away with lampooning rock stars and celebrities a lot of the time and they seemed to love it. How many other comedians have managed to get away with hanging Cliff Richard live on TV? Then followed it up with having him gagged and tied up? Not to mention various sketches with Freddie Mercury, David Essex, The Bee Gees, David Bowie and many others (see the clip below for evidence of Cliff's exploits or should that be exploitation? from one of his shows).

After three or four series at Thames TV, Kenny jumped ship and went back to the BBC for his own prime time half hour sketch show on BBC1 which began in 1981, but something got lost in translation when he moved channels. It just didn't have the same atmosphere and the humour just seemed too childish. To me his glory days on TV will always be those Thames shows.

Once again good luck to the person who has to choose the actor to play him if this drama does get made, and please choose someone who can do him justice.

XTC The Most Criminally Ignored Band In The History of British Music?

XTC are without doubt one of the most ignored bands in the history of British music. I know this to be a fact because even I ignored them for years. I grew up listening to them from a young age (5/6 years old) bought singles had a couple of albums and liked just about everything I heard for several years.

Then suddenly around 1983ish I sort of forgot all about them and didn't pay any attention to them at all, that is until about 1989 when the "Oranges and Lemons" album was played constantly on Radio 1 late at night for a few weeks. Again loved everything I heard, didn't buy the album forgot all about them again until the late 1990's when I bought "Fossil Fuel" the singles compilation. This brought me back to my senses and re-awoke my interest in the band and led to me buying all of their albums and really appreciating how original, unfashionable and uncompromisingly brilliant they are.

Their music is really multi layered covering a whole spectrum of styles, from the early punk/new wave energy of their early days through to the sonic blast of their major breakthrough album "Drums and Wires" and their first real whiff of chart hits in 1979/80, to the later more pastoral albums such as the excellent "Skylarking" and "Nonsuch".

The band have had many problems to contend with over the years including members suffering stage fright, bad contracts that offered poor royalties, managerial problems (which to this day they are not allowed to discuss in public due to a gagging order!) and of course having to go on strike for several years to get out of a contract with a major label. If you can pick up the excellent "Song Stories" paperback it is a well worth reading as an honest history of the band if you are a serious fan or just as a damn good read if you love music biographies.

To me they are right up their with all the great British pop songwriters/performers of the last 40 years or so that are often mentioned in the same breath, Pete Townshend, Ray Davies and all the usual suspects. But mention Andy Partridge or Colin Moulding and all but the most obsessive music lovers would look at you with a vacant expression. I think the main reason for this is simple. Most of the time especially in later years, they made music for themselves, for them to enjoy and not to please any demographic or jump on any bandwagons. This is why they seem to have been forgotten. They have a few ardent fans but never gained the sheer adulation or respect of the great British record buying public, which is a real shame.

I'll leave you with a few examples of some of their less obvious work, first of all Generals And Majors, A minor hit from 1980 and to me is one of their best pure pop songs, my six year old daughter saw this months ago and knows it word perfect (my fault!) and before you ask that is Richard Branson in the video, he got in by default as he owned the record label, the house and the studio the song and video were made in:





Next is Dear God from the 1986 album Skylarking. Although it was never released as a single in the UK, it caused a stir in the USA when it was put out as a B side but gained heavy rotation in some areas and led to a few protests due to its strong views on religion. Possibly Andy Partridge's finest hour as a songwriter?




Next is Funk Pop A Roll from Mummer made in 1983. At this time in the bands career their relationship with their record label could be described as "frosty". In fact they were certain this was going to be their last ever album and this song is an open criticism of the music business with lines like "But please don't listen to me, I've already been poisoned by this industry" and descriptions of asking for bread but being force fed cakes and stuff that you don't need, as well as a final "Bye Bye" as the song ends as if they are signing off for good . The video is interesting as it is very similar to Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" but it pre-dates it by nearly three years.




Finally is the Beach Boy influenced single The Disappointed from the 1992 album Nonsuch. A fantastic single seemingly strangled at birth by their own record label. This would be their last album and one of their last singles before their self imposed strike which finally got them out of their deal with Virgin and finally going independent in the late 1990's.