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Product Description
Review
Compiled by Bob Harris, Radio 2 DJ and presenter of the show it celebrates, The Old Grey Whistle Test features 38 tracks spanning both years (it was first broadcast in 1971) and genres, with one significant fact connecting the myriad dots: all appeared on the 'other' music television show of the 70s and 80s, the one that went against the Top of the Pops grain.
Not that there weren't plenty of parallels between the artists the two BBC-broadcast shows would cover, but the assembled cast on this release does paint a not-wholly-accurate picture of an era dominated by album artists, one-hit wonders the preserve of the chart-following crowd. Here Tom Waits can be heard croaking from the depths of his alcoholism on the achingly beautiful Tom Traubert's Blues, immediately before prog-rock titans Yes settle their bombast down for the four minutes of synthesised tootles and mystical warbles that is Wonderous Stories. Contrasts like this illustrate what The Old Grey Whistle Test was about: putting the best music, whatever its form, into the living rooms of the limited-to-three-channels public.
Presented as the first part of a series of OGWT collections, this double-disc release does slip up in not featuring more recordings from the show itself. Only two tracks–Patti Smith's Because the Night (a co-write with Bruce Springsteen, originally appearing on 1978's Easter) and Al Stewart's Year of the Cat–are presented as live-on-the-BBC versions. Hopefully further sets will include more like these, assembled in a manner akin to the various Later... compilations. Also, despite press release mention of the likes of Led Zeppelin, Curtis Mayfield and The Eagles appearing on the OGWT, not one of them does here. But perhaps it's good to keep a few big guns in reserve, in line for volume two.
It's sad–really, really sad–that there is no obvious equivalent to The Old Grey Whistle Test on television today. But perhaps a contemporary take on the show could yet present itself. Fingers crossed, or else what will this generation's children rely upon for their televised musical education? Have you watched any of the freely broadcast music channels lately? Terrifying. --Mike Diver
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
101 of 104 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I write this with such sad disappointment:
All of these tracks (bar two) are already exisiting album/studio recordings and Not the live ones as performed on the Whistle Test. Somebody tell me: what is the point of buying this record if it ain't those live performances?
They tried exactly the same trick in 1991 with "the Best of he OGWT" CD set...which was studio / album recordings.
They've brought out some of the original performances on DVD so far; what's stopping them give us the full `spruced-up' audio equivalent?
All of these tracks (bar two) are already exisiting album/studio recordings and Not the live ones as performed on the Whistle Test. Somebody tell me: what is the point of buying this record if it ain't those live performances?
They tried exactly the same trick in 1991 with "the Best of he OGWT" CD set...which was studio / album recordings.
They've brought out some of the original performances on DVD so far; what's stopping them give us the full `spruced-up' audio equivalent?
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having received this as a fathers days present (sorry Mr Adamson) on top of getting the brilliant 4 disc set DVD set for Christmas (which can actually be played in car as a soundtrack) I thought I might venture a couple of comments and a corrective. It would be a thrill for example to have proper CD versions of a huge number of the live tracks from that DVD (and more from the vaults) since as evidenced on this compilation the storming live versions of "Because the night" by Patti Smith and Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat" really stand out. On the DVD there are brilliant performances by Nils Lofgren "Goin' back", Robert Wyatt's "Shipbuilding", XTC's "Statute of Liberty", Roxy Music "Ladytron" and an ever so fragile version of Janis Ian's "At seventeen" which all demand full and proper exposure. It is a joy in addition to have for posterity the late great Judie Sill's performance of "The Kiss" while on the other end of the spectrum is there a performance that so radiates what rock n roll should be about than Springsteen's epic "Rosalita"? Perhaps the understandable if over hostile reaction to this CD from some quarters leads to some reconsideration of a proper release of these performances in a high quality CD format then good will have come from what has emerged on a limited number of Amazon reviews as a completely over the top debate?
Indeed this compilation is by no means the disaster that some Amazon reviewers are claiming, hence while the majority of these songs are not from the show they do represent the feel and type of the Whistle Test particularly in its early days (where else would you now hear J D Souther or Curved Air for example?). More than this any compilation (not packed with the usual suspects) that includes stellar songs like Television's "Marquee Moon" , Crazy Horse's "I don't want to talk about it", Tom Waits "Tom Traubert's blues" and "I saw the light" by Todd Rundgren" has real merit and is certainly not to be sniffed at.
Clearly for some fans this release is a real disappointment and a missed opportunity and that is fully recognised. But when I hear some reviewers suggesting that "Bob Harris has sold out" or "should hang his head in shame" my response is to request that you simply grow up please. For those of us of a certain age Bob Harris along with John Peel on radio was a saviour. In these days of instant access to internet video sites we forget easily that the Whistle Test was perhaps the only show on television at one point where you could be introduced to the wonders of artists like Little Feat, Tom Petty, Stanley Clarke and great English eccentrics like Roy Harper. It was literally an oasis in a musical desert and for the immense role that Bob Harris played in introducing a generation of music lovers to these great artists we should truly celebrate and applaud his achievement. For introducing the early pioneers of alt country we also owe him a real debt, thus it is truly amazing how some can take what is a misstep and turn it into some sort of hanging offence. As for new listeners who may have heard of the the Whistle Test but never savoured its musical context this compilation is described by Harris as a "signpost" and it is a worthwhile starting point.
Indeed this compilation is by no means the disaster that some Amazon reviewers are claiming, hence while the majority of these songs are not from the show they do represent the feel and type of the Whistle Test particularly in its early days (where else would you now hear J D Souther or Curved Air for example?). More than this any compilation (not packed with the usual suspects) that includes stellar songs like Television's "Marquee Moon" , Crazy Horse's "I don't want to talk about it", Tom Waits "Tom Traubert's blues" and "I saw the light" by Todd Rundgren" has real merit and is certainly not to be sniffed at.
Clearly for some fans this release is a real disappointment and a missed opportunity and that is fully recognised. But when I hear some reviewers suggesting that "Bob Harris has sold out" or "should hang his head in shame" my response is to request that you simply grow up please. For those of us of a certain age Bob Harris along with John Peel on radio was a saviour. In these days of instant access to internet video sites we forget easily that the Whistle Test was perhaps the only show on television at one point where you could be introduced to the wonders of artists like Little Feat, Tom Petty, Stanley Clarke and great English eccentrics like Roy Harper. It was literally an oasis in a musical desert and for the immense role that Bob Harris played in introducing a generation of music lovers to these great artists we should truly celebrate and applaud his achievement. For introducing the early pioneers of alt country we also owe him a real debt, thus it is truly amazing how some can take what is a misstep and turn it into some sort of hanging offence. As for new listeners who may have heard of the the Whistle Test but never savoured its musical context this compilation is described by Harris as a "signpost" and it is a worthwhile starting point.
64 of 67 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is a disapointment, you would expect an album called The Old Grey Whistle Test to have music that was actually played on the programme live in the studio, but this is just tracks from the artists albums which most people with any interest in this music would have already.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Old Grey Reviewer
This compilation may disappoint some as the tracks are (in the main) studio versions and not OGWT performances. Read more
Published 10 days ago by freerangehips
is it possible to give zero stars!?
To echo the sentiments of many other reviewers i fail to see the point in this CD collection.. it bares no resemblence whatsoever to what the whistle test stood for... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Marc Conroy
Rubbish
Free NEVER appeared on the OGWT so why is Alright Now on the compilation? All the Young Dudes, Back Street Luv and a bunch of others also pre-date OGWT - what a load of boXXocks. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Shockleader
Rockers from the Locker
An excellent compilation of old stuff from the 70's, when "whispering" Bob Harris ruled BBC2 late Tuesday nights with excellent tracks and unexpected TV appearances live by some... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Birdman Ken
ripped off again!
recieved this as a birthday present,as iv always went on about the great OGWT, i wonder how many times these tracks appear on these sort of albums, I REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND THE... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mrs. Gail M. Christie
more to come?
Hi, It brought back memories and there is some excellent forgotten tracks on this, you get the feeling as a lot was missed off there is more to come lets hope they make the right... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. N. J. R. Nichols
Exactly what I was expecting !!!!
I don't have the same concerns as those who refer back to the TV show. Not being English, and not even knowing about it, I simply bought this CD because the list of tracks looked... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Eric
Good collection of songs
Accepting that it is not (bar two tracks) the actual renditions from TOGWT, I think that it is a good mix and I am pleased with my purchase. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Mick OKelly
The Old Grey Whistle Test
I liked The Old Grey Whistle Test, it brought back so may memories of years gone by, I had read some of the other reviews regarding this cd and thought I would make up my mind when... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mary
It does what the show did
this album contains a wide mix across a long time frame. this can lead some people who are out for their favourites to complain about the eclectic mix however, if you let go and... Read more
Published 22 months ago by M. DELANEY
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