Image: Meatloaf performs on Old Grey Whistle Test in May 1978.
The Old Grey Whistle Test began on 21 September 1971. As the only regular outlet for non-chart music on television, it provided many seminal musical moments for its dedicated viewers, with performances from artists as diverse as Bob Marley, Free, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Roxy Music and Randy Newman. It also made "Whispering" Bob Harris the archetypal laidback presenter.
The first presenter of The Old Grey Whistle Test was rock journalist Richard Williams. Williams explained the title in the Radio Times: "before a new record is released a rough mix is played to the grey-haired doormen. If they can whistle the tune after hearing it once, it passes the 'old grey whistle test' and is released". Harris took over from Williams and presented the show through the seventies. With the changing musical landscape came new presenters, including Annie Nightingale, Mark Ellen and Andy Kershaw.
The Old Grey Whistle Test - shortened to Whistle Test in 1983 - ended in 1988. Its focus on the straightforward studio performance by a band, coupled with creative use of black and white archive to illustrate album tracks when the bands were unavailable, influenced later music shows. Bob Harris has survived many affectionate parodies and can now be heard on 成人快手 Radio 2.
September anniversaries
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Close down of Television service for the duration of the War
1 September 1939 -
The Morecambe and Wise Show
2 September 1968 -
Chamberlain announces Britain is at war with Germany
3 September 1939 -
Start of first series of Porridge
5 September 1974 -
Droitwich transmitter becomes operational
6 September 1934 -
The News Quiz
6 September 1977 -
Casualty
6 September 1986 -
Only Fools and Horses
8 September 1981 -
The Woodentops
9 September 1955 -
First live Children's 成人快手 from 'the Broom Cupboard'
9 September 1985 -
The Saga of Noggin the Nog first transmitted
11 September 1959 -
Crackerjack
14 September 1955 -
The Royle Family
14 September 1998 -
Opening of 成人快手 Bristol
18 September 1934 -
First episode of Fawlty Towers
19 September 1975 -
First episode of I, Claudius
20 September 1976 -
The Old Grey Whistle Test
21 September 1971 -
The Shock of the New
21 September 1980 -
CEEFAX: world's first teletext service
23 September 1974 -
Pride and Prejudice
24 September 1995 -
成人快手 Television for Schools begins
24 September 1957 -
Question Time
25 September 1979 -
The Epilogue
26 September 1926 -
Start of 成人快手 European Service, News in French, German and Italian
27 September 1938 -
成人快手 Singers
28 September 1924 -
The beginning of The Third Programme
29 September 1946 -
Have I Got News For You
28 September 1990 -
War and Peace
28 September 1972 -
First episode of Come Dancing
29 September 1950 -
Start of Radios 1, 2, 3 and 4
30 September 1967 -
Chamberlain returns from Munich
30 September 1938