The Old Grey Whistle Test: no thanks

The Old Grey Whistle Test was the Brit rockfan’s weekly dose of music considered “hip” (aka “cool”) for all of the 1970s and half of the 1980s. (By whom, ferChrisesakes?)

Required viewing in its early days, it very soon nose-dived. A succession of ageing long-hairs peddling hippy culture drowned out the few genuine musical talents. In the dark days before video recorders, life was far too short to watch BS like OGWT.

Mining the archive, the BBC released a set of highlights DVDs a couple of years ago. They’re now broadcasting (narrowcasting?) them on the occasionally inspired, if scarcely watched, digital channel, BBC Four, in a series of 13 programmes.

Tonight’s introductory documentary was a laudable summation of the programme’s history. It relied heavily on talking heads - normally a turn-off, but in this case a good call, because all of the heads housed brains. Take a bow, Messrs Murray, Morley and, especially, Radcliffe.

But tonight’s first two highlights shows gave the game away – incandescent brilliance (Bowie) bookended by drosspop (Lindisfarne, Average White Band). It’s simply not worth sitting through hours of indulgent Olde Farte ramblings for the odd gem like the legendary first, 1973, set by the Wailers, one of the highlights of all popular music on TV – and almost bound to be on You Tube.

The Old Grey Whistle Test: music for grown-ups? You kidding?


Gerry Smith