#60: April 7th 1983 – We Need To Talk About Kevin Rowland

#60: April 7th 1983 – We Need To Talk About Kevin Rowland

Author: Chart Music July 16, 2021 Duration: 1:16:32

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; is the tie clip the least Rock accessory?


Remember the last Xmas episode? When 1983 revealed itself to be not as catshit as we thought it was? Well, in this episode your hosts – who at the time this episode went out were staring out of the window at the glorious panorama of Barry, writing plays about Jesus getting The Chair and electing to have a Tefal Man haircut, respectively - have a tentative sniff of a regular episode from that year, and what unfolded knocked us bandy. No word of a lie, Pop-Crazed Youngsters; this is possibly, pound-for-pound, the best episode of The Pops we’ve encountered so far. If you’ve come here for the coat-downs, you’re going to be massively disappointed. 


Musicwise, Phwoorrrr. Simon Bates and Peter Powell are joined by the actual Kids From Fame, who have taken time out from smashing up dressing rooms and screaming at each other to stand there in the TOTP studio for some severe cross-platform brand synergisation. Dexys make their first appearance on Chart Music. Culture Club hijack a plane. Some Zoo Wankers dressed as the Bisto Kids get in the way of JoBoxers. Dee Snyder electrifies tomorrow morning’s playground and upsets your Dad. Tracie, the Everygirl of 1983, puts on her white shoes. Lots of Scottish people wear Millets shirts. And Nick Heyward remembers to mime.

Simon Price and Neil Kulkarni join Al Needham around the arse of 1983 and proceed to give it a severe tonguing, breaking off to discuss such matters as record shops adopting vagrants, more details about Simon chancing across Ian Asbury getting his Wolfchild out in a Birmingham car park, the Tracey Invasion of the UK, breaking up inter-school gang wars through the power of Darnce, and an outstanding lie about sharks. And swearing!


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Chart Music: the Top Of The Pops Podcast is a deep, often hilarious dive into the archives of the iconic BBC television show. Each episode focuses on a single, random broadcast of Top of the Pops, subjecting it to a forensic and affectionate analysis that only a panel of former Melody Maker critics could provide. Hosted by Al Needham alongside creators Sarah Bee, Neil Kulkarni, Taylor Parkes, Simon Price, and David Stubbs, this podcast dissects the performances, fashion, and cultural moment of each show with a unique blend of expertise and nostalgia. Listeners will hear detailed commentary that treats pop history with both seriousness and irreverence, uncovering the stories behind the hits and the oddities that defined Thursday night viewing for generations. It’s more than a recap; it’s a critical reappraisal of a pop institution, exploring how music, television, and memory intertwine. The conversation is insightful, witty, and packed with the kind of context only insiders can offer, making each episode a time capsule opened with care and a sharp eye. For anyone fascinated by the evolution of pop culture and the specific alchemy of a weekly chart show, this podcast provides an endlessly engaging listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Chart Music: the Top Of The Pops Podcast
Podcast Episodes
#63 (Pt 3): 28.12.1972 – Thank God For Belgian World In Action [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15:55
Taylor Parkes, Neil Kulkarni and Al Needham ramp up their excitement at this astonishing episode of The Pops as the hits keep on coming. We get the twin piano attack of Hilda Woodward and Roberta Flack, followed by the W…
#63 (Pt 2): 28.12.1972 – Thank God For Belgian World In Action [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:01
Taylor Parkes, Neil Kulkarni and Al Needham begin their submergence into Top Of The Pops ’72, and discuss the less-than-immaculate interplay between Tony Blackburn and his foul nemesis Edmonds. Mike Leander (and his sing…
#63 (Pt 1): 28.12.1972 – Thank God For Belgian World In Action [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:41
Neil Kulkarni, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham frenziedly lay out the most spanglfierous buffet of Pop ever witnessed on Chart Music, as we go all the way back to late 1972 and the dawning of the Golden Age of our weekly Th…
Chart Music #62: November 3rd 1977 – WHOO! HEY! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:12:29
The latest episode of the podcast which asks; if David picked potatoes on Jack Heap’s playing field for one hour, how many Fumanchews would he able to cram into his gaping maw? Once again, Pop-Crazed Youngsters, Team Cha…
#62 (Pt 4): 3.11.1977 – WHOO! HEY! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:44
Taylor Parkes, David Stubbs and Al Needham finish off this episode of The Pops in fine style. David Bowie watches his mate cheat on his missus up against a wall. Showaddywaddy nick some girl’s silver top hat with ‘VOTE F…
#62 (Pt 3): 3.11.1977 – WHOO! HEY! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:44
David Stubbs and Taylor Parkes join Al Needham for further larks and japery in a classic slice of Jubilee-era Pops. The Barron Knights advance the theory that Irish people are stupid and homosexuals are amusing. Freddie…
#62 (Pt 2): 3.11.1977 – WHOO! HEY! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:01
Taylor Parkes, David Stubbs and Al Needham get stuck into this episode of The Pops, but not even they can match the bundle of frizzy energy that is Peter Powell, who makes his debut and hits the ground running. He likes…
#62 (Pt 1): 3.11.1977 – WHOO! HEY! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:14
David Stubbs, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham are planning a journey into the dark heart of late 1977 – a treacherous odyssey through a land strewn with gargantuan chart acts, shape-shifting monstrosities who can change fro…
Chart Music #61: July 25th 2003 – The Arsethropocene [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:39:53
The latest episode of the podcast which asks; has Al ever been tossed off by a robot? Yes, Pop-Crazed Youngsters; after putting it off for ages, it’s finally time for another rare excursion into The Most Rubbish Century…
#61 (Pt 4): 25.7.2003 – The Arsethropocene [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:32
Simon Price and Sarah Bee join Al Needham to finish off this episode of The Pops from the Poochie Era. Benny Benassi pitches up with some Oven Ready Women, The Coral are suddenly a big deal, Beyoncé reduces everything we…