Comments on: Hughie Green to Simon Cowell….the death of music on television http://www.theclashblog.com/hughie-green-to-simon-cowell-the-death-of-music-on-television/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:19:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Glenn Aylett http://www.theclashblog.com/hughie-green-to-simon-cowell-the-death-of-music-on-television/comment-page-1/#comment-3714 Glenn Aylett Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:35:08 +0000 http://www.theclashblog.com/?p=3175#comment-3714 My parents and grandparents were very big fans of Opportunity Knocks and as only well off families had two televisions in the 70s, you had to watch it as it was dark outside and you weren't allowed out. Also the use of child singers like Lena Zavaroni must have been used to make it a family show that all ages could watch. I would say it was a show you'd put up with due to the lack of options and oddly enough The Jam auditioned for Op Knocks, as it was so big. However, compared with the sick making X Factor, Opportunity Knocks and the slightly trendier New Faces were relatively harmless as the rock industry continued on its own and punk would probably have cited Yes as something far worse than an ageing man with a mock American accent introducing a singing goat. My parents and grandparents were very big fans of Opportunity Knocks and as only well off families had two televisions in the 70s, you had to watch it as it was dark outside and you weren’t allowed out. Also the use of child singers like Lena Zavaroni must have been used to make it a family show that all ages could watch. I would say it was a show you’d put up with due to the lack of options and oddly enough The Jam auditioned for Op Knocks, as it was so big.
However, compared with the sick making X Factor, Opportunity Knocks and the slightly trendier New Faces were relatively harmless as the rock industry continued on its own and punk would probably have cited Yes as something far worse than an ageing man with a mock American accent introducing a singing goat.

]]> By: Tim at The Clash Blog http://www.theclashblog.com/hughie-green-to-simon-cowell-the-death-of-music-on-television/comment-page-1/#comment-3626 Tim at The Clash Blog Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:04:02 +0000 http://www.theclashblog.com/?p=3175#comment-3626 Glenn, Thanks so much for your reply. Your knowledge of Op Knocks far exceeds mine. Good and valid comments throughout....surely there must be a way to revive real bands making real music and selling records again? Or are we doomed to it all being reduced down to ready made disposable junk? As with everything 2010 Cowell's creation is bigger and more orchestrated, truly the Nike/Apple/McDonalds of music.... Good call on Legs and Co.....wasn't sure on when that particular strange tradition was handed over on TOTP. Thanks for visiting the blog. Tim Glenn,

Thanks so much for your reply. Your knowledge of Op Knocks far exceeds mine. Good and valid comments throughout….surely there must be a way to revive real bands making real music and selling records again? Or are we doomed to it all being reduced down to ready made disposable junk? As with everything 2010 Cowell’s creation is bigger and more orchestrated, truly the Nike/Apple/McDonalds of music….

Good call on Legs and Co…..wasn’t sure on when that particular strange tradition was handed over on TOTP. Thanks for visiting the blog.

Tim

]]> By: Glenn Aylett http://www.theclashblog.com/hughie-green-to-simon-cowell-the-death-of-music-on-television/comment-page-1/#comment-3625 Glenn Aylett Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:51:35 +0000 http://www.theclashblog.com/?p=3175#comment-3625 I read your comments on Opportunity Knocks and recalled that ITV began to see the show as stale and even though it attracted X Factor size audiences, ITV decidedly out of the blue to axe it even if it was still a ratings topper. Naturally Hughie Green went into a massive sulk, but he knew the game was up and after 18 years, Op Knocks was axed with little protest( Green did, however, try to raise a petition to the House of Commons but this was a damp squib.) In his place, of course, came the anarchic anti Green humour of Kenny Everett which was so right for the time and managed to attract a different audience to ITV that like me sat through Op Knocks because there was nothing else on or openly hated the show. However, the only worrying thing is Op Knocks lasted 18 years with very high ratings and its likely the vastly more insidious X Factor- at least Green's proteges were mostly cabaret singers and club comedians and not totally manufactured Cowellite puppets aimed at chart domination- could last the same time. ITV nowadays seems to rely on Cowell's shows as they are the only programmes to guarantee them at least 10 million viewers, whereas Hughie Green was a very small cog in a very successful wheel and could be replaced. No doubt we could unfortunately see the X Factor running for another 10 years. However, the backlash is starting as proved last Christmas. Also, finally, you mention Pans People dancing to Bankrobber. Actually it would have been Legs and Co as Pans People left TOTP the previous year. I read your comments on Opportunity Knocks and recalled that ITV began to see the show as stale and even though it attracted X Factor size audiences, ITV decidedly out of the blue to axe it even if it was still a ratings topper. Naturally Hughie Green went into a massive sulk, but he knew the game was up and after 18 years, Op Knocks was axed with little protest( Green did, however, try to raise a petition to the House of Commons but this was a damp squib.) In his place, of course, came the anarchic anti Green humour of Kenny Everett which was so right for the time and managed to attract a different audience to ITV that like me sat through Op Knocks because there was nothing else on or openly hated the show.
However, the only worrying thing is Op Knocks lasted 18 years with very high ratings and its likely the vastly more insidious X Factor- at least Green’s proteges were mostly cabaret singers and club comedians and not totally manufactured Cowellite puppets aimed at chart domination- could last the same time. ITV nowadays seems to rely on Cowell’s shows as they are the only programmes to guarantee them at least 10 million viewers, whereas Hughie Green was a very small cog in a very successful wheel and could be replaced. No doubt we could unfortunately see the X Factor running for another 10 years. However, the backlash is starting as proved last Christmas.
Also, finally, you mention Pans People dancing to Bankrobber. Actually it would have been Legs and Co as Pans People left TOTP the previous year.

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