Old Grey Whistle Test
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The Old Grey Whistle Test was an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from September 1971 until 1987. The first host was Richard Williams, then features editor of the Melody Maker music weekly. During this initial period, there was a remarkable correlation between the featured artists on the show, and those appearing on the magazine's front page. Eventually, Williams was replaced by DJ Bob Harris (nicknamed "Whispering Bob Harris", due to his quiet voice and "laid back" style). The programme hosted many seminal acts of the era, including the first British TV performance of Bob Marley and the Wailers as well as little known acts of whom any footage is now considered precious, such as Judee Sill. The show's focus on "serious" rock music rather than chart hits was emphasised by the lack of showbiz glitter; bands would often perform their songs in front of plain wooden boards (actually the backs of set walls from other programmes). As with many BBC productions, this was (initially at least) as much a matter of money as of style. Other late night shows of the time, having only 'minority' appeal, also had to be content with spartan sets. Bob Harris became notorious among the younger generation for calling the New York Dolls "mock rock." The Dolls' performance on the Old Grey Whistle would strongly influence the British punk movement.
The series' opening titles consisted of an animation of a male figure (known as the 'Star Kicker') made up of stars dancing. The programme's title music, with its distinctive harmonica theme, was a track called "Stone Fox Chase" by a Nashville band, Area Code 615.
Anne Nightingale took over as host in 1978 when it was felt the programme was desperately behind the times in its failure to embrace punk. This was acknowledged when The Adverts opened Nightingale's first show, TV Smith beginning with the words "At last the 1978 show," a pun on the television comedy At Last The 1948 Show and a sigh of relief that the programme was finally contemporary. In the early 1980s Andy Kershaw, David Hepworth, Mark Ellen and Richard Skinner also took turns as presenters. In 1983 the programme had its title abridged to Whistle Test; was moved to a live mid-evening slot; and had both title credits and music changed. Although many felt that the show had run its course by the time it went off the air, it had become the template for many successive "serious" British music programmes, such as The Tube and Later with Jools Holland.
A parody of the show as part of Rutland Weekend Television in 1975, featuring Eric Idle as Harris, is the first known mention of fictional band, Toad The Wet Sprocket - a later reference on a Monty Python album gave rise to the band of the same name.
As of February 2004, the BBC has released three DVD compilations from the show. There are apparently no plans to release any more. In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, The Old Grey Whistle Test was placed 33rd.
The series was parodied on the highly influential sketch show The Fast Show, with the unforgettable Jazz Club, hosted by the eccentric (but quiet) Louis Balfour (a play on Bob Harris).
A new internet version of the show called the New Grey Whistle Test was created in 2004 and is currently in its third season. The show acts as a visual platform for unsigned bands and singer/songwriters and tries to convey the spirit and ethos of the original programme.
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[edit] Origin of programme name
According to Harris .[1], the programme derived its name from "a Tin Pan Alley phrase from years ago. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the "old greys" - the collective nickname for the office cleaners who would typically start work at 5pm as office staff were leaving. The tunes they could remember and could whistle, having heard them just once or twice, had passed "the old grey whistle test".
[edit] Humour
When the Japanese group called The Sadistic Mika Band appeared on the show a stagehand arranged for the name of the programme (Usually shown hung from the back wall) to be spelled as ""The Old Gley Whistle Test"". A joke on the pronunciation of the word Grey by Japanese people.
[edit] Historical Notes
The Old Grey Whistle Test was the template for what later became MTV in the USA. The Whistle Test's executive producer was Mike Appleton. Derek Burbidge and Kate Humphries directed and videoed many of the artists. The audio was always of prime importance. Gregg Baily was the recordist for the show on location. Other directors and camera operators were Martin Pitts in the USA, and for England, John Metcalfe and Tim Pope and many others. The location shoots all over the world were an essential part of the programme.
