We have arrived in February 1994 in our journey through the TOTP archives and it’s a case of “as you were” as Liam Gallagher might say. The ‘year zero’ revamp is dead, gone, finished, no more- it is an ex-revamp. Well, there’s still a few remnants of it hanging around as we’ll see but even those last few traces will be swept away by the new broom of incoming producer Ric Blaxill. The title sequence, logo and theme tune were all still the same but they would be stripped away and replaced in 1995 along with the installation of a new set. The first major change that we see is the return of the Radio 1 DJs to presenting duties who were last seen in September 1991. Tony Dortie and Mark Franklin (the last two standing of the wave of ‘year zero’ new faces) were not retained by Blaxill who wanted to re-establish the link between the show and Radio 1. First back in the host seat is Simon Mayo whose intro refers to the two institutions being back in bed together and going to be fertile which seems a totally unnecessary remark. I could never get on board with Mayo; something about his smugness that put me off. Oh, and his record of campaigning for terrible songs like “Kinky Boots” and “Donald Where’s Your Troosers?” to become chart hits.
Anyway, the new era kicks off with a record that must have passed me by at the time. After making her name in 1991 with one of the decade’s biggest dance anthems in “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)”, Rozalla had rather gone missing in the intervening years. Her previous three single releases had all failed to chart and so when it came to releasing her second album (and first for new record label Epic), a hit was definitely required. And when you need a hit…you know what comes next. Yes, a cover version was sought out. Back in 1976, Philly Soulsters The O’Jays of “Back Stabbers” and “Love Train” fame had a No 13 hit in the UK called “I Love Music” and it was that track that was chosen to reset Rozalla’s career.
On reflection, whilst certainly a safe step, it also seemed like a backward one with Rozalla being repositioned as yet another singer trying to eke out a hit with a 70s cover à la Dannii Minogue or someone. Hadn’t she been seen as the princess of techno rave anthems or something? At least a bit more cutting edge than this anyway? I mean, it gave her a hit (No 18) but in terms of re-establishing her in people’s minds it seemed to be a short term fix. Her sophomore album which included “I Love Music” did absolutely nothing (despite some decent press reviews) peaking at No 138 in the UK. Somebody on her team also thought it was a good idea to restyle her which I don’t think helped. Gone were the space cadet type spangly jackets and hair tied up look and in their place was a vampy image with long, sleek hair and a sheer black dress. It was a misplaced notion. Rozalla would have a few more minor hits during the 90s but tellingly one of them was a remix of “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)”.
Now here is a proper tune! I’d always struggled a bit with The Charlatans up to this point. Yes, “The Only One I Know” was a decent song but the rest of it hadn’t engaged me as much as I thought it would. For me though, this was the point where they really started to hit their stride. Great hit after great hit would emerge over the mid to late 90s – “Just Lookin’”, “Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over”, “How High” and “North Country Boy” spring to mind – but it seemed to start with “Can’t Get Out Of Bed”.
Nothing to do with Matt Bianco’s debut hit of a decade earlier, this was the lead single from their third album “Up To Our Hips”. Although Tim Burgess has acquired National Treasure status for his album Listening Party project which helped to keep us sane during the pandemic, I wonder if his band get the plaudits they deserve sometimes. Just looking lookin’ at their discography alone shows that they had three No 1 albums (plus two No 2s) – I’m not sure that gets talked about enough for a start. “Up To Our Hips” would go Top 10 beginning the process of restoring the band’s status which seemed to take a dip when sophomore effort “Between 10th And 11th” failed to make the Top 20.
“Can’t Get Out Of Bed” seemed to have much more melody to it than their previous work to me and, in keeping with its title, an almost lazy style to it as if Tim was really having to force himself to get the lyrics out. It was also utterly joyous. Yes, his vocals in this performance aren’t strictly the best technically but some of the best singers aren’t but are perfect for the music they make (see also the aforementioned Liam Gallagher). The single probably should have done better than it’s No 24 peak but, nevertheless, the alarm clock was ringing – we were on notice of great things to come.
I’m a bit confused about the timeline surrounding this next act’s release history. I’d ignored Red Hot Chili Peppers throughout the 80s – no, not ignored but barely been aware of them and their first four albums is a more accurate description. The release of their “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” album in 1991 brought them into the mainstream though. Produced by Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin, it rowed back on their metal/funk tendencies whilst promoted a more melodic sound. This was none more evident than on “Under The Bridge” which clogged up US radio playlists for months and rose all the way to No 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
However, the album’s lead single was “Give It Away” which showed that the band could still kick ass. The song has an almost face-blistering power, propelled by Flea’s frenetic bass line and John Frusciante’s funk guitar riffs. Add in Anthony Kiedis’ imploring vocals and it’s impossible to ignore. Here’s where my confusion comes in though. “Give It Away” was released in September 1991 so what was it doing in the UK charts in 1994? To add to the confusion, “Under The Bridge” which was the second single taken from the album was originally released in March of 1992 but I’m sure that was also in our Top 40 in 1994 because I bought it (it has a version of “Give It Away” on it called ‘In Progress’). So what gives? Well, I’ve pieced together a theory but I’m no Chili Peppers aficionado so it could easily be bulls**t. Here goes though. As far as I can tell, “Give It Away” was definitely originally released in 1991 but either did absolutely nothing over here or wasn’t actually made available in this country. I can see US and Europe versions of the single listed on the Discogs website but not a specific UK one. “Under The Bridge” definitely got a UK release though as it made No 26 here in March 1992. In the September of that year, just to confuse matters, a Best Of compilation called “What Hits!?” was released consisting of tracks from their first four albums recorded for EMI (“Blood Sugar Sex Majik” was their first for Warners). However, EMI were allowed to choose one track to include on the album recorded for Warners so naturally they chose “Under The Bridge” as their biggest hit. It made for a very lopsided and confusing collection album. John Frusciante left the band after “Blood Sugar Sex Majik” whilst Anthony Kiedis relapsed into drug use. The combination of these two things meant a delay to the recording of next studio album “One Hot Minute”. To fill that gap and to appease the fan base, a compilation box set was released called (rather unimaginatively) “Live Rare Remix Box” which did what it said on the tin. The box set included three different versions of “Give It Away” so I’m guessing that the track was re-released to help promote it. When that became a Top 10 hit in the UK, “Under The Bridge” was also re-released which was the single I bought and this time it made No 13. Phew!
I guess we have to mention the video shown here for “Give It Away”. Credited with helping to break the band commercially, rather ridiculously, Warners were scared it might be too weird, arty and out there for MTV and mainstream audiences. The opposite was true. Shot entirely in black and white in the desert with the band painted silver, wearing reflective outfits and cavorting about in a frenzy, it is a dazzling and exceptional piece of work from French director Stéphane Sednaoui.
“Now I know I’m not employed for my musical taste but this is going to be a No 1 record” Simon Mayo confidently informs us when introducing the next artist. Who is he talking about? Why, Wendy Moten of course. Not quite a one hit wonder (she had a No 35 follow up), she definitely did not have a No 1 record though as her single “Come In Out Of The Rain” peaked at No 8. Simon ‘Nostradamus’ Mayo at it again there.
As far as I can tell, this was originally released in 1992 in the US but only got its chance in the UK in early 1994. For reasons of a lack of time and unlike with Red Hot Chili Peppers, I’m not going to go into the whys and wherefores about all of that though. Suffice to say, the song is a big slushy ballad that I could imagine Dina Carroll or even Diana Ross singing.
My main memory of Wendy Moten though is that one of my colleagues (Vicky I think) at the Our Price store in Market Street, Manchester wanted a move to London and so we arranged a transfer for her to one of the soul/dance specialist stores down there. When I spoke to her on the work phone after she had moved and asked her how it was going she told me how different an environment it was. To illustrate that, she said she hadn’t yet heard the “Parklife” album by Blur that was everywhere but she’d heard the Wendy Moten album in full in the shop stereo loads of times. As my Mum says, if we all liked the same thing, the world would be a very boring place.
Who’s this fella? Joe Roberts? Sounds like somebody your Dad would know? I’m not sure I know him though. What’s his song called? “Lover”? Nope, I’ve got nothing. Hang on; did he do one called “Jessie”?
*checks internet*
Nah, that was a guy called Joshua Kadison apparently. Well, I’ve got nothing then. My research tells me his partner is Melanie Williams who was the singer with Sub Sub of “Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)” fame. They even made a record together – a cover of The Stylistics’ “ You Are Everything” – in 1995. After that the trail goes cold. Maybe he could have tried to make himself more intriguing by just going by the name Joe (like Madonna or Adele). Ah shit, somebody already beat him to it didn’t they? That bloke who did “I’m In Luv” who was on the show the other week. Hard luck Mr Roberts.
They’ve retained the Breakers under the new regime and they kick off with “Perpetual Dawn” by The Orb. This was yet another re-release following Red Hot Chili Peppers earlier and indeed following The Orb themselves as their previous hit at the end of 1993 “Little Fluffy Clouds” had itself been a reissue. “Perpetual Dawn” was originally released in 1991 from their debut album “The Orb’s Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld” and had peaked at No 61. Presumably, also like the Chili Peppers, the strategy here was to retain profile in between albums (there were three years between “U.F.Orb” and “Orbus Terrarum”) and as the “Little Fluffy Clouds” rerelease had worked so well, another old track was shoved out. The track has a dub reggae feel to it and sounds a bit like The Prodigy to my uncultured ears. It peaked the second time at No 18.
New-age was all the rage in early 1994. After the return of Enigma last week, here was a French act called Deep Forest with their track “Sweet Lullaby”. A major hit all round Europe over the previous year, it was time for the UK to experience its ethnic ambient rhythms – could the re-emergence of Enigma have played a part in their record company’s scheduling decision?
As with Enigma’s concurrent hit which was based around an Amis chant recorded by a Taiwan folk duo, “Sweet Lullaby” was similarly structured around an indigenous lullaby from the Solomon Islands. Also like Enigma, it made for a haunting, affecting piece of music. The single went to No 10 whilst their eponymous debut album also sold steadily and was nominated for a Grammy for Best World Music album in 1994. According to founding member Éric Mouquet, the name Deep Forest came from combining Deep Purple with rain forest. I guess ‘Purple Rain’ had already gone.
The final Breaker comes from a German Eurodance act called Bass Bumpers. I know, WHO? Well, their track was called “The Music’s Got Me!” which peaked at No 25 and which I don’t recall at all but that’s not really their claim to fame anyway. In 2005, they were responsible for the heinous musical crime that was the Crazy Frog version of “Axel F”. I KNOW!
A taste of things to come perhaps now. I’ve criticised the ‘live by satellite’ section many times before in this blog as being completely pointless with the majority of acts set in empty concert halls and completely undermining the whole concept of an ‘exclusive’ performance. New producer Ric Blaxill kept the slot but wanted to make it an event again by having artists perform against the backdrop of a famous/interesting landmark, building or structure. So, show No1 of the new regime have Gin Blossoms at the original London Bridge in Arizona. Here’s @TOTPFacts with the history lesson…
Interesting stuff but what about the band? Well, Gin Blossoms we’re actually from Arizona and had done the usual band stuff of constant gigging in a clapped out van and released their debut album “Dusted” on a small independent label. They were then picked up by a major in A&M and they re-recorded half of the songs on “Dusted” to form the basis of their second album “New Miserable Experience”. It sold unremarkably until the album’s third single “Hey Jealously” picked up airplay and became a No 25 hit in the US. Off the back of it, the album would eventually go four times platinum over there. It couldn’t replicate those sales in the UK but we bought into “Hey Jealousy” enough to make it a No 24 hit. The song has a tragic backstory. Guitarist Doug Hopkins who wrote it about wanting to get back with his girlfriend was kicked out of the band by A&M due to his alcoholism and unreliability before the song was a hit. Unable to deal with its subsequent success, he committed suicide in December 1993. There were rumours of a potential biopic of Hopkins’ life being made starring Ethan Hawke but it turned out that they were, in fact, just rumours.
One film that the band did have ties to was Empire Records for which they contributed a song to its soundtrack. Set in a US record store, I should have loved this as I spent pretty much the whole of the 90s working for Our Price. However, I found it to be completely dull and self indulgent with unlikeable characters. It bombed at the box office but has since become a cult hit. Maybe I should give it another go…
…maybe not. Anyway, I quite liked “Hey Jealousy” with its jangling guitars and catchy melody. However, I do always confuse Gin Blossoms with Gigolo Aunts who had a similar sounding band name and a similar sounding hit record at a similar time…
One of the year’s biggest hits next as Mariah Carey takes on “Without You”. I guess if anyone had the vocal range to tackle this monster of a pop song it was her. Her version would crash straight in at No 1 and be there for four weeks.
Whilst mostly known as a Harry Nilsson song before Mariah got hold of it, it was actually written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of the band Badfinger who recorded it for their 1970 album “No Dice”. Badfinger, of course, had a strong connection with The Beatles. They recorded five albums for Apple and one of their biggest hits – “Come And Get It” – was written and produced by Paul McCartney. I quite like what I’ve heard of the band -“No Matter What” is a great power pop song – but they are one of the most tragic bands in musical history. In an unbelievably grim coincidence, like Gin Blossoms, their story was also touched by the awful shadow of suicide. After Apple folded, the band spiralled into a tumult of litigation, unpaid royalties and bankruptcy. It took its toll in an awful way. Pete Ham committed suicide in 1975 after his relationship with business manager Stan Polley went bad and Ham faced financial ruin. Then in 1983, Tom Evans also took his own life after falling out with band member Joey Molland over royalties for “Without You” the previous evening.
D:Ream remain rooted to the top spot with “Things Can Only Get Better”. Simon ‘Smug’ Mayo can’t resist making a political comment referring to it as John Major’s favourite song currently. At the time, as in 2023, the Conservatives were miles behind Labour in the polls and Major was embroiled in a row with opposition leader John Smith over the sale of the Rover Group. Things would actually get worse not better for Major four days after this TOTP aired when Tory MP Stephen Milligan was found dead at his home having died of asphyxiation presumed to be the result of an auto-erotic sex practice.
God this show has been remarkably bleak and miserable in terms of back stories. Is there anything that can raise the spirits before it closes? Well, there’s one final tune to come as it seems Blaxill made another immediate change by restoring the play out song that had been missing since the ‘year zero’ revamp. So what’s the first artist to fill this slot? The Flavour? Never heard of them! It’s hardly surprising as they never actually had a hit record. This single – “No Matter What You Do (I’m Gonna Get With You)” only made it to No 81. It was rereleased a year later and got to No 79. It wasn’t helped in its chart endeavours by Blaxill only seeing fit for it to be played for about twenty seconds and not showing their video (presuming they had one). Instead we get clips of all the artists that had been in the show we’d just seen. Not especially effective use of a slot. In fairness, it was a crap song (like a cheap version of the aforementioned Sub Sub) and unlike the Badfinger track called “No Matter What”, I didn’t like The Flavour’s…erm…flavour at all.
| Order of appearance | Artist | Title | Did I buy it? |
| 1 | Rozalla | I Love Music | I do too but not this! |
| 2 | The Charlatans | Can’t Get Out Of Bed | Not the single but I have it on their Melting Pot Best Of |
| 3 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Give It Away | No but I had a version of it on that re-release of Under The Bridge that I did buy |
| 4 | Wendy Moten | Come In Out Of The Rain | Nah |
| 5 | Joe Roberts | Lover | I did not |
| 6 | The Orb | Perpetual Dawn | Nope |
| 7 | Deep Forest | Sweet Lullaby | No |
| 8 | Bass Bumpers | The Music’s Got Me | Negative |
| 9 | Gin Blossoms | Hey Jealousy | Liked it, didn’t buy it |
| 10 | Mariah Carey | Without You | It’s a no |
| 11 | D:Ream | Things Can Only Get Better | And another no |
| 12 | The Flavour | No Matter What You Do (I’m Gonna Get With You) | What do you think? |
Disclaimer
I make no claim to the rights of this show and all ownership and contents including logos and graphics belongs totally to the BBC or copyright holder(s).
All opinions on the music and artists featured are my own. Sorry if you don’t agree.
TOTP Rewind - the 90s 