Top of the Pops dates

Based on what Sikke wrote her last year there were 3 performances shot there - 2 of them in front of the blocks, one in front of a blue screen

Hmm interesting. There is a weird halo around Brian's Hair that suggests they were on a blue screen. I've seen lots of TopPop stuff from around then. Hit or Miss seems to be the rule.

Do all 3 versions exist? I do know that TopPop usually edited their clips or include a few takes or inserts (as opposed to TOTP 'live' clips) - see the 2 Bowie's in his Rebel Rebel clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy-rvsHsi1o

and Catapult doing some cool poses running through Let Your Hair Hang Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc9ZCVuMvQ4 (both 1974) so perhaps what what we see is a mix of shots with real blocks and some with blue screen blocks?

This also reminds me that 1:10 onwards on the Catapult video is brilliant. Check the drummer.

Can't say I've noticed a Halo around Brian's hair in any of my copies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkA_CSZqU0o toward the end?

It does seem a bit unnatural to me - Foreground / background contrast - but that's probably more testament to their MASSIVE hairdos

Looks like normal lighting to me.

I'm all about the Catapult video now. Screw Queen :D

That video is actually in 3d if you watch it with some Grand Funk Railroad Shinin' On 3D Glasses.

That would be far too much!

I'd better not tell you it's quad encoded then.

I'm a chart and TOTP geek for 70's pop dates and facts so here goes:

21 February 1974. Seven seas of Rhye Presenter: Emperor Rosko
7 November 1974 Killer Queen presenter: Jimmy Saville
30 January 1975 Now I'm Here presenter: Tony Blackburn
20 November 1975 Bohemian Rhapsody (video) presenter: Dave Lee Travis
27 November 1975 Bohemian Rhapsody (video)presenter: Tony Blackburn
4 December 1975 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter Jimmy Saville
11 December 1975 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter Noel Edmonds
18 December 1975 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter Dave Lee Travis
23 December 1975 Christmas Special Bohemian Rhapsody video presenters Dave Lee Travis and Jimmy Saville
1 January 1976 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter Jimmy Saville
8 January 1976 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter Noel Edmonds
15 January 1976 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter Dave Lee Travis
22 January 1976 Bohemian Rhapsody video presenter David Hamilton
2 December 1976 Somebody To Love danced to by Legs And Co! Presenter Ed Stewart
16 June 1977 Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy presenter David Jensen
20 October 1977 We Are The Champions ( video) presenter Dave Lee Travis
3 November 1977 We Are The Champions video presenter Peter Powell
17 November 1977 We Are The Champions video presenter Jimmy Saville
2 November 1978 Fat Bottomed Girls video presenter Dave Lee Travis
1 March 1979 Don't Stop Me Now video presenter Mike Read
25 October 1979 Crazy Little Thing Called Love video presenter Peter Powell
8 November 1979 Crazy Little Thing Called Love video presenter Jimmy Saville

Couldn't find the performance by Legs and Co. to "Somebody To Love" one of their ( Legs and Co) early performances on the show, all the others still exist, clips or full length
The performance of Seven Seas, their very first on TOTP, on the 21 February 1974 was eagerly watched by the band through the windows of an electrical shop on their way home from recording in London. It was a last minute replacement for David Bowie who couldn't make it to do "Rebel Rebel". It exists in black and white.

[QUOTE] [b]Misguided Mule wrote:[/b] Couldn't find the performance by Legs and Co. to "Somebody To Love" one of their ( Legs and Co) early performances on the show... [/QUOTE] Also see: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwJeQtxJuPk_JzrlipmFBXjAB3zBZKJWR