elo tv theme

[jollops]

This has been bugging the crap out of me for about 15 years or so.

I bought A New World Record (ELO's 1976 album) in early 1990 on tape and immediately recognised So Fine as the theme tune to a late night arty programme hosted by a ginger curly haired bloke who I think was called Chris something or another and wore glasses (I think).

This show must have been on late 70's/early 80's, probably on BBC1 or BBC2 (UK) although it could possibly have been ITV. I don't think Channel 4 was around at the time.

I can't remember what the program was about but the opening credits were of a bustling city after dark with buses going past and stuff. This intro might have been animated rather than live action but it was definately a night city scene. Rather similar to ANWR's cover I suppose but without the huge ELO logo.

The verses were not used as the theme. Just the opening Ooh-laa's, the instrumental intro, the following ooh la's and then the winding down synth noise. So basically the very start and very end were edited together.

Does anyone remember what this show was called?

[kempie]

I seem to recall the track being used for an early evening programme called "The Rectangular Picture Machine" (cunning use of RPM for the logo) which showcased current music and maybe other items of pop culture. It was broadcast weekly by HTV West(?) in the late 70s.

Does the name ring any bells?

[jollops]

I think so...do you remember the presenter?

[kempie]

I may be wrong, but I cannot get the image of Fred Wedlock out of my mind whenever I think of the programme...

http://www.oao.co.uk/fredwedlock/wedlock.htm

There appears to be no information available via Google to confirm the existence of the programme other than reference to the title here.

[jollops]

That's good enough for me. Even if it wasn't Fred, it was definately someone who looked like him!

[jollops]

I think I found our man. It's Andy Batten-Foster. I sent a message to Dave Liquorice whom that site, where RPM is listed, is about. He said that he worked on the show but it was on BBC not ITV.

Finally though, after 16 years...an answer.

[kempie]

Andy Batten-Foster (pic) certainly fits your description (& the Fred Wedlock mould!).

Well done on clearing up that mystery.

...but just to confuse the issue somewhat, look at the section entitled "999" on this page (the 2nd paragraph in particular) and take note of of the TV channel.

[jollops]

Very strange!

Here's the reply I got from Dave Liquorice:

I *think* Andy Batten Foster did a stint but not particulary sure. There
is one Google link mentioning him presenting RPM but it says it was an
HTV production. Now I'm pretty sure I worked on RPM when with BBC in
Bristol and the colaboration between HTV and the BBC in those days was
almost non-existant for anything other than pooled news stuff.

> Just for clarity's sake, this is the programme that feature E.L.O's
> "So Fine" as it's theme tune?

Don't ask me... I wonder if BBC West did their own version of the show,
I think what I worked on was a regional rather than network.

Cheers
Dave.

[stevecx1]

I remember Andy Batten Foster (or Andy Bats For Gloucester as everyone seemed to refer to him at the time) and RPM. It was a regional magazine programme put out by the BBC a couple of times a week in the early 80's. RPM filmed a series of short concerts put on by local bands at the Trinity Hall in Bristol around 1983-84. I was playing in a band (Flight Seven Seven) at the time and we were filmed and broadcast during this time. We had to go to the BBC offices on Whiteladies Road and choose which songs we wanted broadcast. A guy called Liam Henshall engineered the live sound from a BBC mobile studio outside the hall. Andy Batten Foster introduced the bands and hosted the programme.