The Old Grey Wrinkled Testicle

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Whispering Bob at his best  



Having watched alot of Whistle Test videos that have been posted up to YouTube recently I'd forgotten just how much of a pretentious twat he was back then. 

Philtre

Up until recently somebody was posting all of the OGWT videos. Sadly, YT closed the channel due to copyright infringement.

revsorg

He was at Greenbelt 2 years ago and his talk was packed out.

That was the year I started to wonder if I need a hearing aid.  I was sitting just outside the door of the tent and I could honestly not discern a single word.

EricTheWeary

Philtre said:

Up until recently somebody was posting all of the OGWT videos. Sadly, YT closed the channel due to copyright infringement.

One of the complaints you sometimes see is that the OGWT has this enormous archive but very little of it is used. I put on some of those whole shows that were on YouTube and you suddenly realise why, they broadcast some right old shite at times. 

Philtre

EricTheWeary said:

Philtre said:

Up until recently somebody was posting all of the OGWT videos. Sadly, YT closed the channel due to copyright infringement.

One of the complaints you sometimes see is that the OGWT has this enormous archive but very little of it is used. I put on some of those whole shows that were on YouTube and you suddenly realise why, they broadcast some right old shite at times. 

True. But there were some gems - Stackridge, Sadistic Mika Band.

And perhaps they no longer have the rights to broadcast the artists' material?

dogload

Always amazes me how many of the performers were miming on Whistle Test.

Philtre

dogload said:

Always amazes me how many of the performers were miming on Whistle Test.

In the early days, yes. But in later years I don't think they were miming.

mart

revsorg said:

He was at Greenbelt 2 years ago and his talk was packed out.

That was the year I started to wonder if I need a hearing aid.  I was sitting just outside the door of the tent and I could honestly not discern a single word.

You struggled to hear whispering Bob? Can’t think why.

mart

Philtre said:

EricTheWeary said:

Philtre said:

Up until recently somebody was posting all of the OGWT videos. Sadly, YT closed the channel due to copyright infringement.

One of the complaints you sometimes see is that the OGWT has this enormous archive but very little of it is used. I put on some of those whole shows that were on YouTube and you suddenly realise why, they broadcast some right old shite at times. 

True. But there were some gems - Stackridge, Sadistic Mika Band.

And perhaps they no longer have the rights to broadcast the artists' material?

They always seem to re-show the same old clips, many of which are good, but which came from the shows featuring, what, 3 or 4 songs from each artist? So why not show us some of the others? 

Even the DVDs, which are great, have only one song per artist. I’d love to see a few more volumes released.

Mind you, a higher priority would be seeing more Tube DVDs released.

But I suppose nobody buys DVDs anymore, apart from old farts like me.

RobDavies

dogload said:

Always amazes me how many of the performers were miming on Whistle Test.

I was always confused by The Who miming Long Live Rock on TOGWT. 

pintspiller

Wasn't it a union thing like top of the pops, where they had to mime to a rerecording?

EricTheWeary

Philtre said:

EricTheWeary said:

Philtre said:

Up until recently somebody was posting all of the OGWT videos. Sadly, YT closed the channel due to copyright infringement.

One of the complaints you sometimes see is that the OGWT has this enormous archive but very little of it is used. I put on some of those whole shows that were on YouTube and you suddenly realise why, they broadcast some right old shite at times. 

True. But there were some gems - Stackridge, Sadistic Mika Band.

And perhaps they no longer have the rights to broadcast the artists' material?

I watched the Sadistic Mika Band one. Not really my cup of tea but playing live to a dead room completely robbed it of atmosphere, just hard work for any act. I guess seeing bands like that on the TV at all was something but it's odd and soulless.

EricTheWeary

pintspiller said:

Wasn't it a union thing like top of the pops, where they had to mime to a rerecording?

IIRC the first series was made in a tiny studio without the space or facilities for actual live bands. 

Philtre

For me, it was the only way to see and hear more interesting music in the early 70s. I discovered many wonderful things.

Did you see the prog rock band "Druid." Oh my, sounded a little bit like Yes. ;-)

EricTheWeary

Philtre said:

For me, it was the only way to see and hear more interesting music in the early 70s. I discovered many wonderful things.

Did you see the prog rock band "Druid." Oh my, sounded a little bit like Yes. ;-)

I saw that, I’m fairly sure that the day after the original broadcast was the day punk started. 

Their bassist became an actor, most notably the narrowboat owner in Rosie and Jim and their keyboard player did TV music including the theme for Rosie and Jim. Their drummer joined Tubeway Army. No idea what the guitarist did. 

Philtre

EricTheWeary said:

I saw that, I’m fairly sure that the day after the original broadcast was the day punk started.

I was a fan of Prog - Yes, Genesis, ELP and I probably enjoyed Druid at the time (I know, I know...) but looking back now it's clear that Prog had most definitely jumped the shark. Even without Punk I think people were losing interest in Prog and it had had its day. Also on the rise in the mid 70s was Disco, American New Wave and other things. Punk was part of the move.

Philtre

Philtre

Love a bit of Toad the Wet Sprocket.

prowla

Philtre said:

For me, it was the only way to see and hear more interesting music in the early 70s. I discovered many wonderful things.

Did you see the prog rock band "Druid." Oh my, sounded a little bit like Yes. ;-)

Fluid Druid - I've still got their album on vinyl.

prowla

I used to like the OGWT with Whispering Bob.

I went off it when they got that sneery woman on instead.

roberty

This one too :-)