In the 1980s, C4 brought us The Tube. Presenters were raw, unrehearsed and linked to bands from inexplicable scaffold gantries. Swearing was considered very naughty (especially if done by presenter Jools Holland during a pre-watershed live trailer), alternative comedians were the new gods and the audience's hairspray consumption was burning its way through the ozone layer at a rapid rate. There was no better show to eat your tea to.

4Music fondly remembers...

Presenter Paula Yates using an interview with INXS singer (and future partner) Michael Hutchence to flirt outrageously, practically mounting him there and then. A technique we think should be employed on 'Newsnight' by Kirsty Wark.

The unproduced, bondage-clad first appearance by Frankie Goes To Hollywood about to change pop music forever. Read our interview with Frankie producer Trevor Horn.



John Lydon proving that punk was, unfortunately, not dead as his lovely powder blue coat was spattered with nostalgic flob while he preformed 'This Is Not A Love Song' by PiL.

The Cult performing the classic 'Spiritwalker' before they went metal (and very briefly had an accident with the bleach and the makeup and the… dear god what does he look like?)

The Jam ripping through 'A Town Called Malice' in what would turn out to be their final TV appearance. Would it ever again feel so urgent and important to be 'a youth' again?




In the 1990s, C4 brought us The Word. Swearing was now commonplace so snogging old ladies and licking sweaty armpits became the shocking order of the day and presenter Terry Christian wound up everyone with his new-lad ways, Amanda de Cadenet provided eye candy and Mark Lamarr tried his best to get himself beaten up by homophobic reggae stars. This was must-see, post-pub TV. We still have no explanation for Hufty though.

4Music fondly remembers...

Nirvana performing 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' when they were just another new Seattle band like Mudhoney or Tad. Tad eh. Remember him? No. And Kurt revealed his new relationship with Courtney by announcing she was: "the best fun in the world." At least, we think that's what he said.

Snoop Dogg's first appearance on British TV saw him bitten in the face by legendary puppet bird Emu. As the credits rolled, Snoop could be seen standing on a supine and flailing Rod Hull to stop him from doing it again.

All female group L7 dropping their 'pants' to reveal some prime grunge minge. Nice.

Goldie playing 'Inner City Life' with a full band which, for some of us, was the first time we'd heard the crazy new sound of drum and bass. There should, we feel, be more literally-named musical genres. When is someone gonna invent 'rave horn and cow bell'?



Oasis making their TV debut with 'Supersonic' and no one knowing how to dance to it. We remember thinking they were just a nineties rip-off of The Faces and would amount to nothing. And we were right!* It also documented a time before Liam learned he could keep his hands in his pockets and just stretch towards the microphone.

Those are our memories, please tell us yours...

*We were not in any way right.

See the shows on More 4 Friday October 12
11:00pm - 12:50am Channel 4 at 25: The Word

And during the witching hour...
12:50am - 1:55am Channel 4 at 25: The Tube