The Friday Rock show with Tommy Vance.

Does anyone else have good memories of this show on a Friday night Radio 1 between 10:00 and 12:00. Between 1980 and 83 I would religiously listen to this show hearing new bands and listening to classics from older bands and then going to school and impressing everyone with my knowledge of prog rock then name dropping an obscure band name picked up from the show.

Even the theme tunes were brilliant,Van der Graff Generator if I remember correctly. The funny thing is that I never listened all the way through because I always fell asleep to a long forgotton classic song.

Best years of my life and god bless Tommy Vance.

 

yep loved it listening in the car while cruising or parked having a smoke

 

Vance had a tremendous broadcasting career. He was even a U.S. Boss Jock!

 

I've never heard of him before this.
I checked YouTube and there's some great stuff there. Great voice!
I also found this:

Tommy Vance, KOL Seattle WA 1965.
I've found out more at Wikipedia, including the story of how he took
that name.
I also applaud him and any DJ who worked on any the pirate radio
stations.

 

Many happy childhood memories. Probably stating the obvious, but the main theme tune was "Take it off the Top" by Dixie Dregs. Another lesser known one was "12 Bars From Mars" by Lenny White, a truly great piece of jazz rock fusion. Never did find out the name of that Tommy Bolin one though....

 

Yes mate.
Was a staple for me in the 80's....I even used to record it at one stage.

 

This was the show where I first heard a selection of songs from The Wall before the album was released. I taped them even though the reception was extremely poor medium wave, me being in Denmark. I didn't care, I was ecstatic, and played the tape over and over until the LP came out. On this occasion he also featured an extensive interview with Roger Waters. On another occasion he played the 1967 BBC session by the Floyd sourced from the offline recording that was the only version available then; I also had a completely unlistenable tape of Tangerine Dream at The Royal Albert Hall, 1975, that he rebroadcast.

 

I grew up listening to Thomas The Vance in the early eighties - I can still hear the theme tune in my head !!

there is a wiki page that has all sorts of stuff for the show and many of the shows can be downloaded. Friday Rock Show Wiki

My favourite was the shows devoted to a single year - the 1970 show cost me a fortune as I discovered loads of bands.

 

I remember it well. I heard all sorts of things for the 1st time and used to have loads of cassette recordings of it.

And of course the annual countdown of the best rock tunes, with stairway to heaven always at #1, was a highlight for us all back then.

 

Free Bird, and Hallowed Be Thy Name was also top 5 I think Does anyone have a listing of the Annual Countdown I would love to relive it with a home made playlist ?

 

I absolutely loved The Friday Night Rock Show...it was a must listen.

The Friday Night Connections, were a whole lot of fun, as well.

Tommy Vance...he was The Man!

 

The first top 10 from 1979 called "Now We Are One" was as follows;

• 10. "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" - Pink Floyd - from Wish You Were Here (side one)
• 9. "Starship Trooper" - Yes - Live version from the triple live set Yessongs was played.
• 8. "Suppers Ready" - Genesis - from Foxtrot
• 7. "Stargazer" - Rainbow - from Rainbow Rising
• 6. "Smoke on the Water" - Deep Purple - Live version from Made in Japan was played.
• 5. "Xanadu" - Rush - from Farewell to Kings
• 4. "Layla" - Derek and the Dominoes - from Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
• 3. "Freebird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Live version from One More for the Road played.
• 2. "Child in Time" - Deep Purple - from In Rock
• 1. "Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin - Live version from the soundtrack to The Song Remains the Same played.

The second top 10, "Two's Up - The Listener's Top Ten" was broadcast on 14 November 1980, and featured the following changes;

• 10. (-) "Awaken" - Yes - from Going For the One
• 9. (-) "2112" - Rush - Live version from All the World's a Stage was played.
• 8. (6) "Smoke on the Water" - Deep Purple - from Machine Head
• 7. (5) "Xanadu" - Rush - from Farewell to Kings
• 6. (7) "Stargazer" - Rainbow - from Rainbow Rising.
• 5. (10) "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" - Pink Floyd - from Wish You Were Here
• 4. (2) "Child in Time" - Deep Purple - from Deep Purple in Rock
• 3. (3) "Freebird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Live version from One More for the Road played.
• 2. (8) "Suppers Ready" - Genesis - from Foxtrot
• 1. (1) "Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin - Live version from the soundtrack to The Song Remains the Same played.

 

TV on the radio, Thomas Vance the music vendor
When I first started getting into music around 1987/1988 this was essential listening
I was only 12 in 1988 so I'd stay awake as long as I could and record the rest of the show to listen to over the weekend. Great show, used to love it. Introduced me to a lot of bands that I never would have heard of otherwise.
Tommy had such a cool sounding voice too.

 

Brilliant, I remember one I listened to that had at least 3 or more Maiden songs (Hallowed, Beast, Trooper) must have been the late 1980's

 

I heard that very interview with Roger Warers at the time and also recorded it on cassette tape!

I must dig it out and give it a play after all these decades.

Richard

 

Yes, loved it. Always entered the "Friday Night Connection" competition, but never won!
I'm actually listening to one right now from 3rd April 1981 with a 1974 session from Robin Trower and tracks from Gillan, Roger Taylor, Girlschool, Trevor Rabin, Saxon and more...

 

Related to the Randy Rhoads thread. I remember hearing/recording tracks off Diary of a Madman on there before the album came out, in conjunction with an Ozzy interview.

Tommy Vance had a strange relationship with he heavy rock crowd in the UK for some reason, probably as daft as him not having long hair, he used to get abuse and stuff thrown at him at Donnington etc.

 

I recall hearing Slade's storming show at Reading Festival...they tore the place down!

 

I was lucky enough to be at Reading that year, Slade played a storming set, which was the start of a mini revival for them. Def Leppard followed them on and got pelted with cans.

 

I first heard the sad news of RR's passing on The Friday Rock Show, such a shock. I remember tracks from the first Asia album being played on the same show.

Listening to the show was a Friday night ritual for me in the late 70's / early 80's.

 

our Anthem

 

When he announced the passing of Randy Rhoads on the show, Tommy Vance played Budgie's "Superstar" as a tribute....

 

He was the man with a wide knowledge about rock and if my memory is right did also present in the mid nineties on VH-1 in the UK. Highlights of the radio show for me included Iron Maiden at Monsters of Rock in '88.

 

This was a must listen for me in the early 80's and made me feel better for not having a date on Friday night!

Honourable mention must go, though, to the Saturday Rock Show which preceded the Friday show, hosted by the legendary Alan Fluff Freeman. That show introduced me to so much great stuff.

 

Thanks for reminding me of this my introduction to rock music. I used to listen on headphones in the dark. Suppers Ready really freaked me out at aged 12. Also heard Marollion for the first time and it got me into Yes and Rush. Great memories