Forever is another in a long line of
nostalgia programmes showing in the UK, on
ITV1. However, unlike the
BBC's '
I Love The 90s' it is solely dedicated to the
music of the year.
If you have seen more than one of these shows you probably have a set image of what will be included in a specific year: ie, everybody knows that 1991 = The KLF and Cathy Dennis. Right?
Forever takes a slightly different slant. The programme seems to be written (by Andy Darling) from the perspective of a non-snobby NME reader. 1991's programme did indeed feature Norwich's finest but also My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Metallica and Chapterhouse, none of whom have ever been in a nostalgia show to my knowledge.
The first time I watched Forever (at the wonderful peak time of 1am) it was the 1989 episode. I was greeted by the phrase "1989, surely the greatest year in pop history".
I myself have fond pop memories of 1989 (Donna Summer and Lisa Stansfield.. stop sniggering at the back!) but was taken aback at this sweeping comment. You tend to get laughed at if you suggest any year later than 1967 was 'the greatest year in pop history' but - for fuck's sake - 1989???!!
It turns out that this is a running joke, every year is introduced as 'the greatest'. Har dee har!
Any fool can slap a few music promo videos together and give a quick summary of the year, but Forever mixes said promos with rare interview footage. Seeing Miki and Emma from Lush doing an impression of a gagged brick wall makes you realise that the term 'Shoegazing' wasn't taking the piss.
After seeing the same old stock footage of your favourite band billions of times, it is so refreshing to see them in (often comically bad) early interviews, or introducing their 'new' video in crass fashion. It really takes you back to when you first heard them. Which is after all what a nostalgia show is meant to do, not just flash the cliched images of previous shows at you.
Like all great TV programmes lately, you can catch this at any time from 1am to 2.50am, on Saturday nights, ITV1. They wouldn't want to put anything not involving celebrity chefs or home makeovers on when people would actually watch it would they?