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Wednesday 28 June 2023

Bring On The New Messiah

I came across this clip recently and thought it might make a good starting point for an irregular series- bands performing in places they really shouldn't be. This is Echo And The Bunnymen in their 1985 pomp, miming to their then current single Bring On The Dancing Horses on The Wogan Show

In 2023 this maybe doesn't seem so odd, a big alternative act taking advantage of early evening television to sell their new single to a wider audience. In our post- irony world Terry Wogan is looked back on fondly, the man with the chuckling commentary at Eurovision. In the mid- 80s Wogan had no cool at all. The show was as mainstream as you could get. The Bunnymen approach it with customary insouciance, Mac all in black and miming his croon through his fringe, pale, beautiful and with those legendary full lips. Will, also all in black but with leather trousers and customised guitar. Les looks like James Dean with a bass guitar. Pete, again all in black, playing to the side not at the back, as they often set themselves out. Dry ice gathers round their ankles and the BBC's Wogan set flashes behind them. They do give the impression that they'd be somewhere else.

Bring On the Dancing Horses is a shimmering single with tons of hooks, Ian's vocals gliding on top of the synths and Will's gorgeous guitars. It's a real favourite of mine, a tug at the heartstrings song, one they still play live today. Some Bunnyfans are less enamoured with it- too poppy for some, too covered in Laurie Latham's slick production. The 12" version add two extra minutes, extending the intro with more guitars, more synths and FX. 

Bring On The Dancing Horses (Extended Version)

This is an early version of the song before it got it's full name and Latham's production, rough and ready and everything overloaded. 

Jimmy Brown



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

That’s some set... and those production effects... wow! The fellas look grand though, don’t they? Completely agree with you about this song. Understand the criticism but love it to pieces anyway. - Brian

Ernie Goggins said...

Sounds like a very promising idea for a series. There must be plenty of examples from 1980s kids TV. A very quick search on YouTube found this (Fun Boy 3 on Cheggers Plays Pop): https://youtu.be/tbPpxtNcH0M

Rol said...

It's definitely their poppiest moment, so it makes sense that it'd be this song that would get them on mainstream telly. I have a great fondness for Tel, having grown up in a house where the radio was glued to Radio 2. Perhaps it was when he went to TV, and was replaced by Derek Bloody Jameson, that I finally discovered the delights of R1. Still, you look back on Wogan (the show) now, and it seems a damn sight more entertaining than The One Show.

Aditya said...

Fantastic idea for a series. I'm sure you know this one but just in case...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gWoGCQJDeI

The Swede said...

What a great clip - they all look so young!

An interesting idea for a series. I remember a couple of performances by Ian Dury on Pebble Mill that might fit the bill.

Swiss Adam said...

Just remembered I posted this previously, Wylie doing Sinful on Wogan in '86

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnuuQZwHXmQ

Anonymous said...

Carter at the Smash Hits Awards spring to me. Swc.

Khayem said...

Great stuff! Spear Of Destiny on Poparound with Gary Crowley is another good one (hope this link works!) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6xnsPG22d7w&feature=youtu.be