The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol 1-3

A little background info on this might be an idea. The Old Grey Whistle Test was a British music television show that aired through the late 60s to early 80s. It was an interesting and fresh show in it's time as it tended to focus on bands that weren't exactly top twenty material and therefore exposed more obscure and generally interesting music to people who would have otherwise been oblivious. Well last year they released a DVD box set of a number of the best performances to be included on the show and someone was nice enough to hand this DVD over to me as a Christmas present.

As with any music show that was alive in the 60s and 80s, there are a large number of annoying hippy dippy doo bands as well as bland new wave acts. But there are easily just as many thoroughly amazing and essential bands present, mixing it up for one hell of an interesting four disc session. To start with the obligatory name checking, we have Tom Waits in his pre "Swordfishtrombone" days playing an elegant piano lead song with his dry as ever voice over the top. There's Captain Beefheart looking like he just killed his parents, Orchestral Manoeuvers In The Dark completely fucking with everyone's heads and the Adverts being plenty pissed off. There's The Pogues being Irish, Dr Feelgood showing us where Gang Of Four got all their best ideas, The Who rockin' out like no man's business (Keith Moon looks like he's about to have a fit). There really is such a large number of tight performances going on in here.

Well as this is an mp3 blog and I therefore should give you some mp3s, here are some of the songs performed that I happened to have mp3s of lying around in my itunes menu. They also happen to be four of the most interesting performances so it works out really.

The Damned - This is actually one of two songs they perform. They also play "Smash It Up" and manage to piss off the host and completely destroy everything on stage whilst they're at it.

Pil - What's this? A John Lydon performance that doesn't make me want to reach in to the screen and strangle that annoying little twerp? Shoorly shum mishtake?

The Specials - It's pretty funny watching the bassist lay down this rather complicated ska bassline whilst managing to barely ever keep one foot on the floor.

The Jesus & Mary Chain - A lot more together than I thought they'd be, they manage to keep the song going for a full two minutes before Jim and Manny seem to collectively give up and have a chat.

Well it's five hours of music, of which about two and a half are completely worth watching for around £20, I recommend you take the money you were going to spend on the new Sufjan and Xiu Xiu records and buy this instead. Yanks, get it on import.

The Damned - I Just Can't Be Happy Today
Pil - Careering
The Specials - A Message To You Rudy
The Jesus & Mary Chain - In A Hole

Expired