TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

Having surprised just about everyone with its decision to make a (what might have been) a first-class rock show Pop Scotch in 1969 and 1970, Grampian, usually the home of Aberdeen folkies like Bill McCue and Anne & Laura Brand brought us another one, albeit three years' later.

The host, as he was with Pop Scotch, was Jack McLaughlin and the show revolved around local talent. Have an act come in do the first half of the show, have an ad' break, then return with another act for the second half. Producer/director Anthony J Bacon told the Aberdeen Evening Express "I've always felt that there was a lot of untapped talent in the pop music world. And I was right. The groups have been so good, that at times it has been difficult making a choice."

It only lasted six editions, but it gave valuable air time to The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Writing On The Wall, Babe Ruth, among others.

Whose decision it was to place the first two shows exactly opposite Top Of The Pops in the Friday night schedule must have been either dumb or maybe hoping it would fail, but it was later shifted and dovetailed nicely from 7.00 pm onwards, until the show was moved to a Wednesday evening for the final two shows.

SOUNDS '73

Grampian

13 July 1973 - 15th August 1973