25 YEARS OF RECORD COLLECTING: MUSICAL MEMORIES 1982 - 2007

 

15. ‘Westworld’

 

“You got to go, where the action is, you got to go go go”

 

‘Derwood’, Elizabeth Westwood and Nick Burton played ‘Beatbox Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and, so the story goes, were signed after they broke into RCA’s head office and set up an impromptu gig for the head A&R person. Named after the famous film, they first hit the chart in 1987 with the amazing power-punk (and somewhat Sputnik-esque) riffs of ‘Sonic Boom Boy’, before being rendered as the punk ‘Flintstones’ in an animated video for the follow up, ‘Ba-na-na-bam-boo’. Not only that, they also provided the theme tune to Alton Tower’s very own ‘Snakes and Ladders’ quiz show ‘Hold Tight’ (however I cannot remember if it was still presented by Alistair ‘Razzmatazz’ Perrie at the time or if that was just earlier shows). This theme was called ‘Where the Action is’ and was also the title track of their only UK hit album. ‘Where The Action Is’ was a great album, and had fantastic cover art illustrated in a fashion which evoked 1950s pulp fiction novels and 1980s style comic art.

 

Unfortunately for British fans of this band, the first single taken from their second album, an under-rated cover of ‘Everything Good Is Bad’, stalled at Number 72 and after another low charting single, ‘BMG Eurodisc’ decided to release this LP only in mainland Europe. However this was not the end for Westworld, as a final LP was released a few years later in 1991, before the band re-grouped without Burton under the new name of ‘Moondogg’.

 

 

25 YEARS OF RECORD COLLECTING: MUSICAL MEMORIES 1982 - 2007

 

I've been looking for an MP3 copy of 'Psychotech' for some time now. I've liked it ever since I saw them perform it on 'Little & Large'.

Actually, I had forgotten that aspect about 1980s comedy shows, whereby all the latest chart acts would have their latest single slotted into the middle of the comedy sketches, due the fact that the shows had fallen under the ‘Light Entertainment’ banner at the BBC. I know that was the reason why ‘the Young Ones’ budget was increased from just being a ‘sit-com’ and I also remember Kirsty MacColl being on ‘French & Saunders’ every week singing songs from ‘Kite’, but I forgot that this would occur in almost every mainstream sketch show of the era. Also, with reference to the ‘Kenny Everett’ thread, do you remember when ‘ABC’ appeared on Kenny’s show dressed in their cartoon character outfits?

Ha, certainly not. The only pop star I knew back then was Adam Ant.

 

Cheers for that info though, it makes a lot of sense...and also explains why bands appeared on The Young Ones! I always thought it a little strange.

Quick quiz question :

 

What connects Westworld to Sigue Sigue Sputnik?

It was a good job they found that ‘loop-hole’ in the BBC programme budgets guide, as without it the show may have just been the four of them in a room arguing without all the destruction and ‘stunts’.

so not the film then :lol: :lol:

 

Named after the famous film,

 

actually think a remake of the film is currently in production (if its not got cancelled) for a 2009 summer release

No-one into quizzes then?

 

OK, the answer is that both Westworld and Sigue Sigue Sputnik featured ex-members of Generation X (Derwood and Tony James respectively).

Shame there is not a video available of their track "SuperMac"....

 

Anyway, I have to agree their big hit was a gem....

 

Westworld - Sonic Boom Boy (1987 UK#11)

 

 

 

You mean "Silver Mac"?

 

Yeah, that was good. I taped the video off The Chart Show.

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QUOTE(Neil B @ Oct 6 2007, 01:46 PM) 1493188[/snapback]

No-one into quizzes then?

 

only if lots of beer can be won!!! :yahoo: :w00t: :yahoo: :lol:

 

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QUOTE(Neil B @ Oct 6 2007, 01:46 PM) 1493188[/snapback]

OK, the answer is that both Westworld and Sigue Sigue Sputnik featured ex-members of Generation X (Derwood and Tony James respectively).

 

theres c/s thread with some Sigue Sigue Sputnik + big audio videos a few pages back if thats your thing. might have billy idols christmas swing album on it as well :lol:

I like all of those acts and I think ‘Big Audio Dynamite’ were cruelly robbed of a number one hit in 1991, as they were actually the double A-side to the Clash’s ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ on about three out of the four formats available (and since Bono and Frank Sinatra charted as a B-side of another ‘U2’ record a few years later). ‘Rush’ was a great single from the late ‘B.A.D. II’ period of the band and I liked ‘Looking For A Song’ as well.