2 Tone Top of the Pops

 

Here's something that I was looking to put together for a long time. The 2 Tone flame burned brightly and intensely... but only for a short time. But in those months across 1979 to 1981 it seemed that the world had turned monochrome, at least for a significant section of record buying teenagers.

This collection of appearances from the UK's long running chart related TV show, Top of the Pops, is not entirely complete. There were more than one appearance of some of the tracks e.g. 'Gangsters', some songs went beyond 1981.... The Beat's 'Can't Get Used To Losing You' and of course Special A.K.A.s 'Nelson Mandela'. Nevertheless, it is a good representation of the 2 Tone genre.

'We don't need no British Movement

Nor the Ku Klux Klan

Nor the National Front

It makes me an angry man'

DVD image: https://we.tl/t-fNhZZsQRCD

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-tx2AR7s55R

Terry says 'Ho Ho Ho!'

Elvis Costello (With The Imposters) Live at the BBC Radio Theatre London 28th April 2002

Here's a man like so many others that at least in part owes his success to the vibrant London pub rock scene of the mid to late seventies. Clearly a very talented man Costello has written some of the greatest songs in the English songbook...... a few of them appear in this BBC radio broadcast from 2002.

FLAC: https://we.tl/7cccn3lWod

01. 45
02. Waiting For The End Of The World
03. Watching The Detectives
04. Spooky Girlfriend
05. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
06. When I Was Cruel No. 2
07. Man Out Of Time
08. Dust 2
09. Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution)
10. Alibi
11. You Belong To Me
12. Pump It Up

Elvis Costello & The Attractions BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale Session 1994

 

Here's a great 5 track radio session for the Kevin Greening Show (possibly standing in for Simon Mayo at the time) recorded in the BBC's Maida Vale Studio in London on 20th April 1994 to coincide with the release of the back to form album 'Brutal Youth'.

FLAC: http://we.tl/GpcdV69Ry0

01. Interview
02. Sulky Girl
03. Interview
04. Rocking Horse Row
05. Interview
06. All The Rage
07. Interview
08. 13 Steps Lead Down
09. Radio Radio