TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

The next in a seemingly endless supply of short lived Whistle Test replacements. However, this one was better than the others. Leaving any notion of World Music behind the Sting performed theme tune confirmed the target audience of Q readers and CD buyers, and for once no one from The Tube production team were involved.

There would be a review of the album chart by a fellow musician, reports on album recording sessions in progress and live sets from the Town and Country Club and the Camden Palace in London. Several of these live sets would be shown in expanded format in Rock Steady Specials, a stand alone series later in the year.

The hosts were ex-Capital DJ Nicky Horne who had been on several of these shows before and DJ and journalist Dave Fanning.

Live sets from Eric Clapton & Buddy Guy, Wet Wet Wet, J J Cale, Van Morrison & Mose Allison, Dan Reed Network, David Bowie among others suggested some pulling power. So why it never returned for a second series is a mystery. Considering the disposable income of the intended audience advertising could have easily paid for further shows.

Fanning would be back for Friday Night at the Dome the following year.

ROCK STEADY

C4

20th February 1990 - 5th June 1990

ROCK STEADY SPECIALS

C4

7th August 1990 - 12th December 1990