The old days

[Chester]

I was never really into music that much before the internet arrived, so I was wondering - how did people know when their favorite bands were going to be on tv before the internet? Nowadays, we all go to our favorite bands websites and they always say when the band in question is making an appearance somewhere. Did they used to talk about it on the radio or in magazines? Was tv guide the way to go? Like how did you know Fleetwood Mac was going to be on Midnight Special in 1975, or that Lindsey was going to be on Letterman or Leno in 1992?

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by Chester

I was never really into music that much before the internet arrived, so I was wondering - how did people know when their favorite bands were going to be on tv before the internet? Nowadays, we all go to our favorite bands websites and they always say when the band in question is making an appearance somewhere. Did they used to talk about it on the radio or in magazines? Was tv guide the way to go? Like how did you know Fleetwood Mac was going to be on Midnight Special in 1975, or that Lindsey was going to be on Letterman or Leno in 1992?

Oh God...pass my Geritol and back it up with my Ensure...gimme my Glucosamine/Controitin too.

Ok, sit back "kiddies" and Gramps will tell you a story about the days when TVs still had "rabbit ears" (and less than 50% were actually "in color") & computers were still the size of football fields.

Basically, there were only 7 channels (4 of which were "local"...and this was in Los Angeles, the second largest media area in the nation...for those in "rural areas" the choices were even fewer.

Does the term "check your local listings" ring a bell? Ok, that's what you did, whether it be TV Guide or your local newspaper's TV log (either daily or Sunday's)

With Midnight Special in particular, they would announce the next week's performers at the end of each episode. Plus, since MTV wasn't even a thought in someone's mind at that point in time, all pop/rock music programming was either late night on Friday or Saturday. (besides Midnight Special on NBC, there was ABC's In Concert and the competing in the same time slot NBC show Don Kirshner's Rock Concert...which followed MS. A few years later, just before MTV was launched, Bob Welch hosted a 90 minute video show called Hollywood Heartbeat)

By 1992, there WAS an Internet...albeit not as extensive as nowadays. So, Buckingham's appearance was well forwarned.

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Does the term "check your local listings" ring a bell? Ok, that's what you did, whether it be TV Guide or your local newspaper's TV log (either daily or Sunday's)

ring a bell in my book, It was how I knew when to wtach Empty-Vee to know when a decent metal concert was on or who would be the host on "Headbanger's Ball" each Saturday night.

Originally Posted by chiliD

With Midnight Special in particular, they would announce the next week's performers at the end of each episode. Plus, since MTV wasn't even a thought in someone's mind at that point in time, all pop/rock music programming was either late night on Friday or Saturday. (besides Midnight Special on NBC, there was ABC's In Concert and the competing in the same time slot NBC show Don Kirshner's Rock Concert...which followed MS. A few years later, just before MTV was launched, Bob Welch hosted a 90 minute video show called Hollywood Heartbeat)

I remember Don Kirshner's show, Have some stuff from that laying around here on VHS (Which I am still transferring to DVD even as I type this response.)

Hell, I just transferred 2 live tracks from the Bob Welch era to DVD tonight (From a WGR-2 Buffalo TV broadcast): "Spare Me a Little of Your Love" & "Bermuda Triangle"

[Nixxxed]

There were also quite a few syndicated entertainment TV shows. I remember Entertainment Tonight was around, but in a much different format. And some of the local network affiliates did their own entertainment shows.

Anyway - I remember ET especially would do segments listing which band would be on which show on the weekends, or do special reports if a band's special concert was coming on. And don't forget about American Bandstand and Solid Gold and Soul Train and all those other weekly shows.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by Nixxxed

And don't forget about American Bandstand and Solid Gold and Soul Train and all those other weekly shows.

Also, don't forget the variety shows of the era, as well...Ed Sullivan Show, Smothers Brothers, Glen Campbell Show, Johnny Cash Show (Derek & the Dominoes' only US TV appearance), Flip Wilson Show, Bobby Darin Show, Hollywood Palace (had Buffalo Springfield), etc.

Yep. But, I was talking about shows where the artists performed live...those three you mentioned the acts lip-sync'd their tunes.

[seeker007nmss]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Oh God...pass my Geritol and back it up with my Ensure...gimme my Glucosamine/Controitin too.

Ok, sit back "kiddies" and Gramps will tell you a story about the days when TVs still had "rabbit ears" (and less than 50% were actually "in color") & computers were still the size of football fields.

Basically, there were only 7 channels (4 of which were "local"...and this was in Los Angeles, the second largest media area in the nation...for those in "rural areas" the choices were even fewer.

Does the term "check your local listings" ring a bell? Ok, that's what you did, whether it be TV Guide or your local newspaper's TV log (either daily or Sunday's)

With Midnight Special in particular, they would announce the next week's performers at the end of each episode. Plus, since MTV wasn't even a thought in someone's mind at that point in time, all pop/rock music programming was either late night on Friday or Saturday. (besides Midnight Special on NBC, there was ABC's In Concert and the competing in the same time slot NBC show Don Kirshner's Rock Concert...which followed MS. A few years later, just before MTV was launched, Bob Welch hosted a 90 minute video show called Hollywood Heartbeat)

By 1992, there WAS an Internet...albeit not as extensive as nowadays. So, Buckingham's appearance was well forwarned.

Okay you snot-nosed kid. Us old farts remember when there were 3 channels. Computers where held in warehouses, and the internet wasn't even an idea at MIT. 8-tracks were the new technology, and ...... I am feeling too old to continue....Time for a cookie....

[Mageboy25]

I remember lol, billboards on the freeway(actually interstates in Nashville) use to advertise what concerts were coming to town back in the 80s and before. Better
than that we would have no idea, unless we were lucky to see a newspaper/radio add.

The internet had very little info on it still in the summer of 1997. So when I went and saw Tina Turner everywhere that summer, I actually had to call Ticketmaster and ask where she was going to be. I might be wrong, but I dont think they even had her full schedule up anywhere on the net. I couldn't find it.

[GODDESS6]

Originally Posted by Chester

I was never really into music that much before the internet arrived, so I was wondering - how did people know when their favorite bands were going to be on tv before the internet? Nowadays, we all go to our favorite bands websites and they always say when the band in question is making an appearance somewhere. Did they used to talk about it on the radio or in magazines? Was tv guide the way to go? Like how did you know Fleetwood Mac was going to be on Midnight Special in 1975, or that Lindsey was going to be on Letterman or Leno in 1992?

my mom used to wrk at a t.v. station, they kept us up on all that kinda stuff even when not airing on "their" channel~

[David]

Originally Posted by Chester

I was never really into music that much before the internet arrived, so I was wondering - how did people know when their favorite bands were going to be on tv before the internet?

CALENDAR SECTION, baby!!!!!! L.A. Times!!!!!!!!

I rarely missed a fleetwood mac tv appearance. I sat there with my vcr primed & ready many a morning & night. Plus the rock mags like circus used to run schedules of radio interviews. Believe me, you found out everything you needed to know without the aid of the Internet. The only thing you generally didn't know about were the local things in other parts of the country. For that, you had to rely on your fan network, of which I was always a member. So I had people send me tapes of stuff that was happening in, say, cleveland on wmms.

[David]

Originally Posted by Nixxxed

There were also quite a few syndicated entertainment TV shows. I remember Entertainment Tonight was around, but in a much different format.

remember that ET segment stevie did in '81 sitting on her couch with no shoes on sipping a glass of white wine?

And don't forget about American Bandstand and Solid Gold and Soul Train and all those other weekly shows.

yeah, even christine did the bandstand in '84 but it was boring because she would just lip-sync, although dick clark talked to her a bit but she had practicallynothing to say.

what's really weird is why didn't don kirshner ever have the buckingham/nicks group perform live on the show? they appeared at their awards show in '78 but that's essentially it. whenever an appearance was "booked" by fleetwood mac on that show, it was just a video or film shown in that segment, like "sara" from the tusk doc.

There was even talk at one point that jim ladd was going to do his innerview shows on tv, & that he had done one of stevie which was going to kick off the inaugural program, but that never panned out.

[WelshWitchPMD]

Originally Posted by chiliD

By 1992, there WAS an Internet...albeit not as extensive as nowadays. So, Buckingham's appearance was well forwarned.

I had no idea that Lindsey was playing in Boston. Thankfully I worked at a bank at the time and there was a customer who would rattle off what shows he just had gotten tickets to and he said 'Lindsey Buckingham" I was like "Come again"? So I got all the details of the show from him so thanks to that guy I got to see Lindsey solo in Boston.
After I saw his show in Boston I wanted to go to the show in CT the next night but back then I had no internet access and would have no idea how to buy tickets or how to find a hotel or do any of the things that we do today that youngins take for granted.

As for finding out if the Mac was on TV I used to look in the local paper and most likely the show was on some station in Boston which meant snowy TV. These were the days before my area of Providence had cable.

[DavidMn]

Well, I wasnt on the net back in '97 for the Dance tour so I wasnt too familiar with the dates except for the show I went to. If I'dve paid more attention, I wouldve gone to more.

[Mageboy25]

I remember when Ginny Karmeno had up to date Stevie news and the Nicksfix didn't know jack ****! LOL !

[David]

Originally Posted by Mageboy25

I remember when Ginny Karmeno had up to date Stevie news and the Nicksfix didn't know jack ****! LOL !

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. . . .

[jannieC]

I think I got most of my music info from the radio? It's been so long, I can't remember. Heh. But yes, I believe that's where most of my info came from.

Originally Posted by estranged4life

ring a bell in my book, It was how I knew when to wtach Empty-Vee to know when a decent metal concert was on or who would be the host on "Headbanger's Ball" each Saturday night.

Oh man Brian, I used to LOVE Headbanger' s Ball!