Millenium Tubes and tunes

Celebrated 1980s pop prog hits yer screens again in 1999...

THE TUBE is returning for 1999 as THE MILLENNIUM TUBE.

Yorkshire TV, Tyne Tees TV and independent producers Initial are leading the project, with original creator and Initial boss Malcolm Gerrie pencilled in to produce.

Gerrie said: “I’m very excited about this. It’s my dream to see more major network shows coming from the Northeast – there’s an energy and commitment you don’t get in London.”

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No acts or presenters have been confirmed as yet. Among the bands who made their earliest TV appearances on The Tube were FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, PAUL YOUNG, FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS, THE HOUSEMARTINS and TWISTED SISTER. The show was last broadcast 12 years ago and has never really been replaced despite worthy attempts like ‘The White Room’ and ‘Jo Whiley’.

Also on a fin de siecle tip, Channel 4 launches a new series in January which reveals pop stars’ favourite songs.

Music Of The Millennium will be a year-long series showing short interviews with artists including NICK CAVE, THE DIVINE COMEDY’S NEIL HANNON (pictured) and SHANE MACGOWAN talking about the music that has been an inspiration to them.

Cave will talk about THE POP GROUP‘s 1979 record ‘We Are All Prostitutes’, while Neil Hannon‘s favourite tune is revealed to be the BERTOLDT BRECHT/KURT WEILL standard ‘Mack The Knife’ – written for ‘The Threepenny Opera’ in Weimar Gemany and covered by the likes of LOUIS ARMSTRONG, BOBBY DARRIN and FRANK SINATRA.

Shane Macgowan talks about ‘The Ragman’s Ball’ by THE DUBLINERS, sung by original singer Luke Kelly.

Other artists involved in the project include NOEL GALLAGHER, BJVRK, SAFFRON from REPUBLICA, SINEAD O’CONNOR and SIOUXSIE SIOUX. At the end of 1999 there will be a whole evening on Channel 4 dedicated to the findings of a year-long poll of Britain’s musical taste. Viewers will be asked to vote for best male singer, best female singer, best composer, best song and best album of all time.

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To make sure that DIRE STRAITS, CELINE DION and ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ don’t dominate it, use your vote wisely. There will be voting forms in the national press, music press and all HMV shops. You will also be able to vote on the Channel 4 website, though as of Friday, December 11 there was no voting form posted.

Is music on TV shit? Has it always been shit? Does it have to be shit? What kind of music shows do you want to see? Tell us what you think. Post a message on Angst!

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