Alphaville - Big In Japan (Top Of The Pops, )

As the saying goes: ‘The paths of destiny are winding and wondrous. In the case of Alphaville, this is 100 percent true, and not just once. ‘Top Of The Pops/TOTP’, one of the most influential and important music programmes in the UK, ran for 42 years, from 1964 to 2006, and launched the careers of countless British rock bands, from the Rolling Stones and the Beatles to Oasis and the Pet Shop Boys. Alphaville had their TOTP moment on 23 August 1984, a stroke of luck, because Stevie Wonder, at number 47 in the UK charts, was ill and the band in the next us ;-) For us, England was the promised land of pop music, almost all of our favourite bands came from here. Being able to perform in TOTP was a total highlight for us greenhorns. After rehearsals, the host of the show, I think it was still Jimmy Savile, came up to us and asked me what city we were from. He probably thought we were from some far-flung corner of England, Ireland, Australia or South Africa because of our strange accent. Whe