Back in the days before music videos, and if the band could not make it to the Top Of The Pops studio, then out would come dance group Pan's People. [more inside]
posted by fearfulsymmetry on Jun 26, 2009 - 8 comments

The Manual (How To Have a Number One - The Easy Way). Both light-hearted and thorough, the Timelords, aka the KLF, wrote this tongue-in-cheek manual in 1988 following their own novelty pop No. 1 "Doctorin' the Tardis". "If you are already a musician stop playing your instrument. Even better, sell the junk. It will become clearer later on but just take our word for it for the time being." Oh and apparently have lots of tea on hand.
posted by yeti on Jul 12, 2007 - 35 comments

'Top of the Pops' is set to end on 30th July, 2006 after 42 years on television in the UK. The show has been loved by some and criticized by others for having bands mime their own tunes on the air, but was a mainstay up until a recent ratings slide. Over four decades TOTP saw its fair share of odd incidents and even inspired a few tunes. Presumably this bodes ill for the proposed second US version of the iconic program.
posted by ktoad on Jun 21, 2006 - 28 comments