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Post by Portland Road on Apr 12, 2024 7:13:15 GMT
I suspect that, as hollandpark and jno have suggested, 'Walham Green' was written in the script and spoken as the dialogue during filming.
It was a village absorbed into the outward sprawl of London, and is now an area of the London borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, i.e. very much within Minder's patch.
For the episode title, it was decided to rename it as the fictitious 'Waltham Green', which still sounds very 'London'.
This was probably to prevent the plot being related to, or insinuating, any real events in the said area.
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Post by Portland Road on Apr 4, 2024 5:51:07 GMT
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Post by Portland Road on Mar 29, 2024 5:54:56 GMT
In 1974, Cockney Rebel emerged amidst Queen, Abba, David Essex and Sparks, and easily stood comparison to all of them.
daz - I agree, if he had a long-running feud with the music press that won't have helped, and most of the original Cockney Rebel members departed.
This would pull the rug of success from beneath Steve Harley's feet.
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Post by Portland Road on Mar 22, 2024 8:45:17 GMT
I always think Steve Harley should have had a longer chart career, through the later-70s and into the 80s.
Cockney Rebel sat conveniently between pop and rock, with the potential for a wide fanbase, and their songs have stood the test of time well.
It is strange that after the outstanding success of 'Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)' and its parent album 'The Best Years Of Our Lives', their subsequent album was less successful and the two singles from it failed to chart at all.
I understand that Steve was not too easy to work with, but you have to wonder what brought such a dip in fortunes.
R.I.P. Steve Harley.
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Post by Portland Road on Mar 22, 2024 8:31:00 GMT
'Hungry Eyes' is well-remembered now, but wasn't a UK chart hit at the time.
I much prefer 'All By Myeslf' which was a top twenty hit in 1976.
R.I.P. Eric Carmen.
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Post by Portland Road on Mar 22, 2024 8:28:50 GMT
When you think about it, the Sex Pistols along with others like the Stone Roses and the Arctic Monkeys, are credited with changing whole musical scenes.
The responsibility for this is put entirely on their shoulders, yet they were part of the wider thing that was going on, and their potent chart careers were relatively short.
This is not to detract from the good music that they did, it is just that they are often portrayed as the one and only act responsible for a movement in the musical landscape.
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Post by Portland Road on Feb 19, 2024 8:54:35 GMT
Good points guys daz - yes, I grew to like Steve Wright more and more over his long career, and he didn't seem to be a 'celebrity' himself - he was dedicated to his own work, without being 'up' himself, appearing as a guest on banal chat shows etc. By contrast, e.g. Zoe Ball, as westminster suggests, has probably got worse since her younger days, and epitomises the 'lifestyle' element at Radio Two which I grew tired of.
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Post by Portland Road on Feb 19, 2024 7:57:06 GMT
It could be that since 'Waltham Green' as a place itself is central to the plot, rather than just mentioned in casual dialogue, they scripted the name specifically.
I think it is a fictional name with a London vibe, e.g. think Waltham Cross, Walham Green, Bethnal Green etc.
Similarly, 'Eastenders' is set in Walford, similar to e.g., Watford, Walthamstow, Romford etc.
And 'When The Boat Comes In' was set in the fictional Tyneside town of 'Gallowshields' - a major thoroughfare in central Newcastle is called Gallowgate, and two towns straddling the Tyne are North Shields and South Shields.
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Post by Portland Road on Feb 15, 2024 9:14:43 GMT
This is a shock as, albeit he recently left daily radio, he has passed away whilst still in his prime.
I often heard his afternoon Radio One show 1989-93ish then I became re-acquainted with him from about 2003 when Radio Two became my regular station.
I think he was better in this period than he had been on R1, where he had been amidst the late-period Smashie n Nicies and could be a bit irritating. At Radio One he was also bound by the playlist which being late-80s wasn't always inspiring, but at Radio Two he had more freedom and had a good taste in music, e.g. 60s-70s that he knew from his youth.
In the mid-2010s I drifted away from R2 as it became lifestyle-driven and I think Steve Wright noticed this himself.
69 is no age, RIP Steve Wright.
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Post by Portland Road on Feb 15, 2024 9:02:57 GMT
Unlike most young actors in the late-60s/early-70s he couldn't follow the fashion for long hair, due to his 'Dads Army' role.
RIP Ian Lavender.
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 29, 2024 7:54:49 GMT
I am sad to relate the death of the north-American folk-pop singer Melanie (Safka).
She was very much part of the musical overlap between the 1960s and 1970s, yet never quite as famous or acclaimed as many of her contemporaries.
Alongside e.g. Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez, Melanie was sort of coincidental, e.g., getting opportunities when others greater might not take them, and recording for independent labels after Clive Davis ended an early contract with Columbia.
She was acqainted with the organisers of the Woodstock festival (1969) and invited to perform low-down on the roster. When the Incredible String Band pulled-out of a prime spot due to heavy rain, she stepped-in and did an acclaimed set.
Inspired by her Woodstock experience, she wrote her memorable USA chart hit 'Candles In the Rain', and is credited as influencing the practice of holding candles, lighters and subsequently mobile phones aloft, during anthemic songs in concert enchores.
She appeared at Isle Of Wight 1970 and Glastonbury Fayre (1971) the forerunner of the current Glastonbury festival.
When the 70s music scene was established, the late-60s innocence did not really go with it, and Melanie like e.g., Donovan and Bobbie Gentry took a lower profile, though she was still remembered and continued working until her death.
Memorable later appearances included an acclaimed performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007 as part of the Meltdown festival, and on Jools Hollands Hootenanny in 2019.
R.I.P. Melanie.
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 29, 2024 7:06:19 GMT
It is feasible that, with his association with session musician pop music, Alan Parker could have played on Kenny's (i.e. the glam rock group) records.
I don't think this happened, though e.g., some Kenny tracks had input from Alan's colleagues Roger Cook & Roger Greenaway.
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 23, 2024 8:36:04 GMT
Animal Magic, The Avengers, This Is Your Life, Jason King, The New Avengers and The Professionals are theme tunes of Laurie's that spring to mind.
R.I.P. Laurie Johnson - you just don't get TV themes like those anymore.
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 23, 2024 7:36:43 GMT
The 'Kenny' on the credits must refer to the theme songwriter Gerard Kenny?
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 16, 2024 8:55:16 GMT
A great cult actress who often seemed younger than she was. I seemed to notice her in The Protectors 'Shadbolt' episode mentioned above by spacecadet, then, as so often with cult-type actors and actresses, you then spot them in many other productions, and begin an appreciation for their breadth of work. I did have the good fortune to meet her at an event arranged on another forum, and she was very genial . R.I.P. Georgina Hale.
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 16, 2024 8:47:49 GMT
I used to listen to Anne's Sunday evening request show quite regularly in the 80s, where I recall hearing e.g., such as Half Man Half Biscuit and Guns N' Roses for the first time.
I didn't really follow her career closely after this, but like John Peel she rode through the Matthew Bannister changes at Radio One - these did bring about the end of her Sunday evening show in 1994, but she gained a weekend overnight show instead.
R.I.P. Anne Nightingale - I never got used to her being called 'Annie'.
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Post by Portland Road on Jan 9, 2024 8:15:49 GMT
'Silver Lady' was an excellent hit record, totally sat well amidst records by such as Boz Scaggs and Bryan Ferry, whilst New Wave could only bang at the door.
R.I.P. David Soul.
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Post by Portland Road on Dec 22, 2023 7:29:56 GMT
Sheila White was very versatile and had a long career in West End shows. She was in the stage version of 'The Sound Of Music' in the mid-60s, and this led to a prime support role as Nancy's (Shani Wallis's) best friend in the movie version of 'Oliver!'.
She could play music hall type parts with ease and later appeared in 'The Good Old Days' TV series.
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Post by Portland Road on Dec 22, 2023 7:19:43 GMT
I suspect 'Minder' was at its peak of success then, the fact that there were two seasons in 1984 supports this.
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Post by Portland Road on Dec 15, 2023 23:20:54 GMT
He tended to get his biggest Carry On roles in the absence of Jim Dale.
Then for reasons unclear he was uncredited for a cameo in 'Convenience', and was absent until a final appearance in 'England'.
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Post by Portland Road on Dec 7, 2023 9:26:51 GMT
You could say that Denny Laine was to Wings what George Harrison was to The Beatles. Carried out his duties with dedication and on occasion contributed in a very marked way.
Perhaps though Denny's most lasting fame is on the TOTP clip where he sings 'Go Now' for The Moody Blues.
R.I.P. Denny Laine.
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Post by Portland Road on Dec 7, 2023 9:11:32 GMT
At which point in the history of Christmas music did it become so commercial you ended up hating some Christmas songs? Christmas songs in the 1970s were generally credible, and could have been hits with non-festive lyrics. John Lennon, Slade, Wizzard, Elton John, Mud, Showaddywaddy, The Wombles, Greg Lake, Johnny Mathis, Hot Chocolate and Boney M all had Christmas songs in their established hit styles. Perhaps it was the 80s when you had a more novelty element creeping-in, e.g., Gary Glitter, Shakin' Stevens, and there were the easy-listening Christmas number ones like Julio Iglesias, Renee & Renato that although not festive as such, probably wouldn't have been big hits at other times of year.
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Post by Portland Road on Nov 30, 2023 8:00:22 GMT
One of those people who always seemed perrennially young. It was almost as much of a shock to hear that he was 80 as it was that he had died. RIP. Yes, much like Jimmy Hill in that respect, both were eternally aged 40 or so.... R.I.P. Terry Venables.
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Post by Portland Road on Nov 30, 2023 7:46:51 GMT
They were quite good songs without a novelty element and I suggest they are much better than this thread suggests.
Both of these artists, in having their main chart success in the mid-70s, are associated with light entertainment, but really were much more than that.
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Post by Portland Road on Nov 30, 2023 7:41:58 GMT
Paul Mcartney's song was a pleasant one, but Roy Wood & Wizzard brought a storming song that would have been a classic hit even if the lyrics were not about Christmas.
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Post by Portland Road on Nov 24, 2023 8:59:01 GMT
Peter Gabriel will be watching that and thinking "who can it be now....?"
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Post by Portland Road on Oct 31, 2023 23:28:10 GMT
I didn't really watch 'Friends' but it was hugely popular, and several people I know are very shocked by Matthew's death - 54 is no age.
R.I.P. Matthew Perry.
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Post by Portland Road on Oct 26, 2023 7:23:39 GMT
I had noticed that we hadn't heard much from him in recent times, and figured that health problems could be taking their toll.
R.I.P. Bobby Charlton, a footballer who, on the pitch, took us from the 50s Pathe to the 70s action replay era of football, and continued as an authoritative presence ever since.
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Post by Portland Road on Oct 3, 2023 7:42:42 GMT
In the obituaries I read, his role as 'The Invisible Man' was barely mentioned, yet it was very popular at the time and is what I remember him for.
I was aware, but not overly acqainted with, his musical career, and I think some tracks were e.g., sampled by contemporary artists in the 90s-00s. I like the version of 'A Taste Of Honey' that gustav posted above.
R.I.P. David McCallum - as ltd says, one of those actors that defines 'cult'.
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Post by Portland Road on Sept 25, 2023 7:41:15 GMT
The You Tube clip of 'Wimoweh' posted above by Arch hints at the musical depth of Roger.
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