Alan Freeman Reads Out The Top Twenty.

Pick of the Pops - September 1970.
BBC Radio 2.
Bang and Olufsen Beocord 1100 tape recorder.

[@davidallen175]

The master. Never to be repeated

[@markc4305]

Why do we not have broadcasters of this calibre anymore? All we seem to get these days on radio are TV presenters who have very little, or no, musical knowledge

[@andyhaslam9231]

There will never be another Fluff. This is his tune. The word Pop Pickers came from Alan saying it was the people who chose the records to buy so they picked the pops, so that is where Greetings Pop Pickers comes from. Never tire of hearing this piece.

[@denisespencer6550]

Well said

[@colinconman]

Used to listen every sunday. Alan Freeman the master. Loved it at the end of the run down ...next sunday at 5...alright....stay bright. Bluddy great stuff.

[@karlblanch3898]

Thank you for uploading this . R.I.P Alan Freeman . You were a one off & no one off ,Al though I'm pretty certain that Paul Gambaccini has just finished his pick of the pops this week ready for Steve Wright too take over in a couple of weeks time .

[@mauriceb53]

I was amazed when Alan Freeman once sent me the record of this theme tune and also gave me a mention during the show. Quite a guy!

[@troubadour1562]

That run down included the first 4 records I ever bought. Band of Gold, Tears of a Clown, Black Knight and Paranoid. Still have them. I wish I could go back in time. I was 13 at the time.

[@nevittwoods1730]

1970

[@stevebuckley2429]

Iconic!

[@johnmacleod4481]

I've got a signed photo of Allan Freeman Anson the back it says lots of love from flufff and stuff

[@tdd652]

Wonderful upload. Brings me back to my twenties. A splash of "Old Spice" and a box of" Major" and out for the night. If you got to wine it had t be "Blue Nun". Happy days.

[@andrewclayton4181]

1970 was a great year for music. Had a lot of brilliant stuff around then. Fluff was just getting into his stride too. The Saturday afternoon rock show was a classic. Happy days.

[@splod44]

Thank you great to hear that again lotsa memories

[@John-gh5nn]

This is just priceless hearing the voice of the great Alan Freeman and see it being played on a reel to reel tape machine. When I think about it this was tech we had back then but wouldn’t have changed it for the world my Dad had a Grundig TK 120 reel to reel and on this is how we recorded the Top 20 just being able to use a machine like this was just amazing I remember the microphone being as big as a saucer. They were happy times that held some irreplaceable memories. R.I.P. Alan “ fluff “ Freeman.

[@Grahamvfr]

Fantastic, thanks for posting 👍

[@davidsirett5560]

Mark Punter on BBC Essex Sunday nights still uses a link by Fluff to introduce "Punters pop parts".

[@arthurpewtey]

Wow, talk about a trip down Memory Lane. Thanks for uploading that - almost makes me go misty-eyed. Oh to be young again....

[@TheHawkrat]

The master of the airwaves👍

[@johnmates5963]

wow that must be my top 20 of all time, I know all those 20 like the back of my hand and no 1 especially, always loved freda payne

[@andrewmcgee382]

so glad that he refers to it as the 'run-up', not the 'run-down'. If you start at no 20 and go on to no 1, that is a 'run-up'

[@suehedges]

I think that’s the fastest I’ve heard him read out The top20. He was unpredictable at the end. I was expecting him to go alright, right.

[@grobbler1]

Incredible DJ.

[@calebwright6151]

What a legend

[@grahamandrewsharpe1941]

Alan Freeman was brilliant DJ, He always sounded like Rory Bremner doing an impression of him.

[@ajjy1110]

did you think before typing this bollocks

[@garrywood5345]

NINETEEN SEVENTY..I WAS 17 SINGLE AND HAD AN SX 150 .HAPPY DAYS

[@dnorfed]

This was the top 20 in late august , early September

[@maida-vale]

Sue, it was always timed to the split second before it was switched to another studio for the next programme or the news and the producer would count down seconds on his fingers through the glass wall. On zero, the switch was made no matter what. Thus, sometimes a few seconds to fill in and others, haste to get it all in.

[@2001rgd]

Legend

[@marty-fh1rw]

Thanks.I have a countdown by Tom Browne on reel to reel.Very murky.Nice and clear this.Must have been taped off Radio 2 VHF.

[@martinlee5604]

Wonderful Alan Freeman. This chart had some classics, and featured Carpenters and Diana Ross (solo) making their debut in the UK Top 20 at Nos 15 and 16 respectively. I was heartbroken when 'Pick Of The Pops' was discontinued two years later. Was it because Alan was, quite rightly, playing some 'heavy' music (e.g. Led Zeppelin) which wasn't on the 'playlist'?

[@xenohtype]

Based on the UK Single Charts website, this list is from the week of 20-26 September... think it’s fair to say this aired on the 27th of September, 1970.

[@martinlee5604]

That is correct.

[@Agnethatheredhairkid]

@@martinlee5604 I went to Blackpool on a day trip the previous day, Martin, so I remember that week well! The 27th was my father's birthday. I was 11 and had just commenced secondary school.

[@MBIKES21]

NICE ONE.

[@paularnold2595]

Would be very interested in what other POTP audio this uploader has

[@1derekwinter1]

Who's the mug with his thumb down...Oh dear!

[@starbar1958]

Someone please tell me the title of this music.....?

[@starbar1958]

@@kaferere thank you !

[@DanFarrellmusic]

By The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal.

[@martinlee5604]

At The Sign Of The Swinging Cymbal

[@andyhaslam9231]

This version was recorded in 1970 by Brass Incorporated and is the jazzed up version. The original version dates from 1960.

[@patriciatibbels7772]

Does anyone have the recording of Alan Freeman saying "and here we have a new group, The Rolling Stones" ?

[@donhanlon7121]

I'd love to have that Patrica, as I am a big Stones fan💎🕺🎸☘️

[@pompeymeowth6379]

Brentford Nylons! Alright!!

[@philipwalsh1463]

Not 'arf...

[@FatNorthernBigot]

Alright?!!!

[@samseal8611]

Call me pedantic, but the VU needle's not moving.

[@oldelephantstew]

The VU needle on these machines only shews the recording level when making a recording and does not activate during playback.

[@samseal8611]

@@oldelephantstew Good answer!

[@gething44]

Was he buried in his wig?Escaped the fate of Savile The other thing is what a lot of good music was in the charts back then.

[@rmc4091]

I think he was gay not sure about a peado

[@xenohtype]

He was bi, and most fortunately not a creep at all.

[@maida-vale]

It was not a wig and he was Never a predator; just the kindest soul i've ever known.

[@prairiewolfo9274]

@@xenohtype Lots of people who hurl the p word around aren’t even sure of its meaning. I’ve heard it said that someone is a “paedo” because they don’t like children. Since this defines a paedophobe and not a paedophile somebody’s gob is bigger than their vocabulary. To them, “Sort it out!”

[@RayZappa]

Nothing to escape from.. he was a decent human being all along. Unlike John Peel who had quite a history with underage girls and who probably escaped the full destruction of his reputation by having a heart attack and dying (don't get me wrong, Peel made an enormous impact on me when I was a teenager in the late '70s).