This show was broadcast on the Granada-ITV network for two full 14 week seasons in 1976-77. The series was produced by British television legend Muriel Young, and directed by Peter Walker (first series) and Nicholas Ferguson (second series), both to a terrific response.
The Arrows Show came about... more »
This show was broadcast on the Granada-ITV network for two full 14 week seasons in 1976-77. The series was produced by British television legend Muriel Young, and directed by Peter Walker (first series) and Nicholas Ferguson (second series), both to a terrific response.
The Arrows Show came about in this fashion. Producer Muriel Young had the Arrows guest on her show "Disco 45" in 1975, doing their single "I love rock 'n roll", and Young thought they were so good on screen that she suggested to Granada that they have a TV series of their own. Granada executives agreed, and The Arrows then took over the Bay City Rollers 1975 series "Shang-A-Lang", settling into their time slot .
The Arrows band members were lead singer Alan Merrill, guitarist Jake Hooker, and drummer Paul Varley. The Arrows had already had three hit singles by the time they got the series. The titles were "Touch too much", "My last night with you", and "I love rock 'n roll" in 1974-75.
The format of the show was that The Arrows performed three songs of their own, and they had two guests, one up and coming act, and one well known star name. They also had a dance troupe called Him and Us, which was choreographed by Teresa Scoble. They danced to hits of the day.
Also of note. For the second 14 week series The Arrows added a new member, guitarist Terry Taylor, who is currently with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings band.
The Arrows did introduce each act as hosts of the show, and they also did short interviews with guests.
However, what makes The Arrows Show so unusual is that although the band had hit singles before their TV series, their last record release (the 45 rpm single "Once Upon A Time"), was issued two months before the first show of the first series. They never released another record.
The Arrows had no recordings released at all during the full run of their TV series. This was due to a legal wrangle between their record company and management. It is totally unique in the history of televised pop music. The Arrows are the only band to have not one, but two weekly TV series of their own, and no records released during the run of either series.
It's probably not something the Arrows band members were happy about, but it's a historical fact now. Still, in spite of the oddity that there were no record releases to promote the shows, the band had the highest rating in history for the time slot, and the sponsors were happy !
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