Ready Steady Go!

:"This article referes to the T.V. show. For the song, go to READY STEADY GO (Song):Infobox Television
show_name = Ready Steady Go


caption = RSG! studio floor with Manfred Mann performing
format = Music
runtime =
creator = Elkan Allan, Vicki Wickham
starring = Keith Fordyce and Cathy McGowan
production company= Associated Rediffusion, (weekday franchisee of the ITV network in London at the time)
channel = ITV
first_aired = August 1963
last_aired = December 1966
num_episodes =
producer = Vicki Wickham
related =
imdb_id = 0196287
tv_com_id = 0196287

"Ready Steady Go!" or simply "RSG!" was one of the UK's first rock/pop music TV programmes. "RSG!" was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV, who wanted to try a music radio show. Allan was assisted by record producer/talent manager Vicki Wickham, who eventually became the show's producer. It was first broadcast in August 1963 and ran until December 1966. It was produced by Associated-Rediffusion (later re-named Rediffusion) which had the ITV franchise for the London region. The show was so successful it eventually went out live nationally. It was contemporary with the surge in British pop music of the 1960s.

The show gained its highest ratings on March 20, 1964 when a special edition featured the Beatles as guests, being interviewed and miming to their songs It Won't Be Long, You Can't Do That and Can't Buy Me Love - the last of which was becoming a smash hit single at the time.

It last aired on December 23, 1966.

Description

The show aired on Friday evenings with the by-line "The weekend starts here!", and was introduced by The Surfaris "Wipe Out" - later replaced by Manfred Mann's "5-4-3-2-1" (later replaced by Manfred Mann's "Hubble Bubble, Toil and Trouble"). It was much more youth oriented and informal than its BBC rival "Top of the Pops".

In the summer of 1964 the production team launched a competition to 'find the band to replace The Beatles', 'Ready Steady Win'. The eventual winners were 'The Bow Street Runners' a London Rnb BandFact|date=June 2008.Initially, the "RSG!" artists mimed to their records but by late 1964, some of the guests were performing live and the show switched to all live performances in April 1965. [ [http://www.tv.com/ready-steady-go!/ready-steady-goes-live!/episode/310392/summary.html?tag=ep_list;title;30 Tv.com Ready Steady Goes Live!] Episode Number: 88 Season Num: 2 First Aired: April 2, 1965 - Accessed February 2007.]

It was noted for allowing artists to perform the full version of their songs rather than the short versions demanded by its contemporary TV shows.

Despite the show's popularity in Britain, it was never shown in the United States during its production years. One possible reason could be that "RSG", like all live or taped British television series at the time, was produced in black-and-white. At the same time, the American networks ABC, CBS, and NBC were rapidly converting their facilities and programming from black-and-white to colour television.

The show was recorded at the small studios within Rediffusion's corporate headquarters in Kingsway, London. Although the company had bigger facilities at Wembley it was felt that it was easier to attract stars to a more central London location. As the studios were compact it was not possible to hide off-camera operations; consequently the laissez-faire style of production in which cameras were visible was introduced.

In 1966, around the time that the 'beat movement' was fading, the show was cut. Its disappearance at the height of its popularity only enhanced its status as a TV classic.

After the show was canceled, Dave Clark brought the rights to the series. Compilation versions of the show aired on the UK's Channel 4 in the 1980s, and in 1989 the show was seen for the first time in the US, as the Disney Channel aired the show. At the time, Disney Channel was a pay channel, and its programming at night was aimed at adults, unlike today's pre-teen programming. In addition, compilations were made available on home video. Nothing has so far been released on DVD.

Presenters

Throughout the show's run, the main presenters were Keith Fordyce and Cathy McGowan, though early shows were introduced by Dusty Springfield. In addition, the show was occasionally presented by David Gell and Michael Aldred.

Cathy McGowan joined the show after answering an advert for 'a typical teenager' to come and work as an advisor. Before long she found herself presenting the show, with her strength lying in the fact that her status as a genuine fan of the artists was evident in her presenting style; stumbling over her lines, losing her cool during interviews and apparent inexperience only made her more popular with the viewers, and by the end she was presenting the show alone. She may have been the inspiration for Susan Campy from the Beatles 1964 film A Hard Day's Night, when George Harrison tells the producer of a fictitious teen television show that Campy is "... that posh bird who gets everything wrong", to which the producer played by Kenneth Haigh replies, "She's a trendsetter. It's her profession."

Featured artists

It featured most of the successful bands and artists of the era, among them The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, The Walker Brothers, The Kinks, Gerry And The Pacemakers, The Rolling Stones, Donovan (who was, in effect, "discovered" by "RSG!"), The Fortunes, Otis Redding, Bo Diddley, The Dave Clark Five, Bobby Vee, The Animals, Cilla Black, The Searchers, The Who, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Billy Fury, Lulu, Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Gene Pitney, The Beach Boys, Sandie Shaw, Burt Bacharach, Samantha Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Lynch, Small Faces, Them and Elkie Brooks.

The show was largely responsible for breaking Jimi Hendrix worldwide. His first TV performance in England was on RSG! when he played "Hey Joe". After this appearance the club tour he was booked on sold out. The next time he returned he was playing The Royal Albert Hall.

The Who proved particularly popular on the show and in 1966 were given an episode to themselves entitled "Ready Steady Who". The programme no longer exists, but an EP of the same name was released at the same time to mark the show (although none of the recordings contained on it were from the show itself). Older footage of the Who on "Ready Steady Go!" was featured in the films "Quadrophenia" and "The Kids Are Alright".

The show's "warm up man" for many years was Gary Glitter (then known as "Paul Raven"), who also helped with security (he can been seen in a piece of film pulling screaming female fans off members of The Beatles). The show ended years before his worldwide breakthrough hit ""Rock and Roll parts 1 & 2" in 1972.

The show was also not afraid to introduce lesser-known artists from both the UK and US. It also had appearances from comedians Peter Cook & Dudley Moore.

Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles were the only act to return to the show for two weeks in a row. The show's manager Vicki Wickham was so impressed by the group that she offered to produce an album for them, of which she produced six and eventually became their manager. Wickham was the one who fostered the change from 1960s girl group Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles to the 70s all-girl glam band Labelle.

The British 1970s punk rock band Generation X (band), whose lead singer was Billy Idol, have a song called "Ready Steady Go" which is based on the television show. Idol continues to play the song live as part of his solo career..

Popular Culture

* In the 1996 special Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout, Saffy refers to Patsy as looking like a 'sad reject from Ready Steady Go!"

References

*
* [http://www.retrosellers.com/features91.htm Feature on RSG! from Retrosellers.com] With archive pictures.
* [http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/tv/variety/ready.htm Ready, Steady, Go] at Nostalgia Central. Accessed April 2007.
* [http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/rsg.htm READY STEADY GO ...] at Television Heaven . Accessed April 2007.
* [http://www.bo-street-runners.wikidot.com] Ready Steady Win