The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971)
- Genre:
- First Air Date: 1971-09-21
- Last Air Date: 1987-04-22
- Total Seasons: 16
- Total Episodes: 558
- Status: Ended
- Episode Runtime: 60 min.
- Production Company: BBC
- Production Country: United Kingdom
- Network: BBC Two
The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco Two", which had been running since January 1970, while continuing to feature non-chart music. It was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers. According to presenter Bob Harris, the programme derived its name from a Tin Pan Alley phrase from years before. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys—doormen in grey suits. The songs they could remember and whistle, having heard it just once or twice, had passed the old grey whistle test.
| Title | Air Date | Duration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Episode 1 | America, Lesley Duncan | 1971-09-21 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 2 | Hands, Head and Feet, Bridget St John | 1971-09-28 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 3 | The Jack Bruce Band, Cat Stevens | 1971-10-05 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 4 | Lindisfarne, Wishbone Ash, The Who | 1971-10-12 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 5 | Stone The Crows, Loudon Wainwright III | 1971-10-19 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 6 | Buffy Sainte-Marie, Day of Phoenix | 1971-10-26 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 7 | Ralph McTell, Family | 1971-11-02 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 8 | Gordon Giltrap, Alice Cooper, Shaft, Yoko Ono | 1971-11-09 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 9 | Frank Zappa, The Mothers of Invention, Jean Luc Ponty | 1971-11-16 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 10 | Redwing, Alice Stuart | 1971-11-23 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 11 | The Move, Emitt Rhodes | 1971-11-30 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 12 | Episode 12 | 1971-12-07 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 13 | Uriah Heep, Colin Blunstone | 1971-12-14 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 14 | Alexis Korner, Gerry Rafferty | 1971-12-21 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 15 | Andy Roberts, Lesley Duncan, The Roy Young Band | 1971-12-28 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 16 | The Kinks, David Ackles, Muddy Waters | 1972-01-04 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 17 | Fairport Convention, Jimmy and Vella | 1972-01-11 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 18 | Bell and Arc, John Martyn | 1972-01-18 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 19 | Curtis Mayfield, Rock & Roll Allstars | 1972-01-25 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 20 | Poco, Stevie Wonder | 1972-02-01 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 21 | David Bowie | 1972-02-08 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 22 | Mick Greenwood Band, Jimmy and Vella | 1972-02-15 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 23 | Rick Nelson, Hookfoot | 1972-02-22 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 24 | Seals and Crofts, The Strawbs | 1972-02-29 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 25 | David Elliot, Plainsong | 1972-03-07 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 26 | Episode 26 | 1972-03-14 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 27 | Judee Sill, Audience | 1972-03-21 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 28 | Randy Newman, The John Dummer Band, Chuck Berry | 1972-03-28 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 29 | Kevin Ayers, Claire Hamill | 1972-04-04 | 45 min |
| Season 1 | Episode 30 | Vinegar Joe, Jonathan Kelly | 1972-04-11 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 1 | Frampton's Camel, John Prine, Loggins & Messina, Roberta Flack | 1972-09-12 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 2 | Episode 2 | 1972-09-19 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 3 | Steppenwolf, John Kay Band, Linda Lewis, Carly Simon, ELP | 1972-09-26 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 4 | Stone The Crows, Jim Croce | 1972-10-03 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 5 | Home | 1972-10-10 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 6 | Episode 6 | 1972-10-17 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 7 | Episode 7 | 1972-10-24 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 8 | Ellis, Harry Chapin | 1972-10-31 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 9 | Episode 9 | 1972-11-07 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 10 | Episode 10 | 1972-11-14 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 11 | Bill Withers, Sparks, Neil Sedaka | 1972-11-21 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 12 | Babe Ruth, Philip Goodhand-Tait, Phil Spector | 1972-11-28 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 13 | Ralph McTell, McKendrie Spirit, The Doobie Brothers | 1972-12-05 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 14 | Focus, The Crickets, John Lennon, Yoko Ono | 1972-12-12 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 15 | The Faces, Fumble | 1972-12-19 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 16 | Episode 16 | 1972-12-26 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 17 | David McWilliams, Stackridge | 1973-01-02 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 18 | Episode 18 | 1973-01-09 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 19 | John Prine, Rick Wiseman | 1973-01-16 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 20 | Episode 20 | 1973-01-23 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 21 | Episode 21 | 1973-01-30 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 22 | Crazy Horse, Roy Harper, Sharks | 1973-02-06 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 23 | Episode 23 | 1973-02-13 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 24 | Episode 24 | 1973-02-20 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 25 | Episode 25 | 1973-02-27 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 26 | Episode 26 | 1973-03-06 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 27 | Episode 27 | 1973-03-13 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 28 | Episode 28 | 1973-03-20 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 29 | Badger, Medicine Head | 1973-03-27 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 30 | Roxy Music, Allan Taylor | 1973-04-03 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 31 | Spirit, Gallagher and Lyle | 1973-04-10 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 32 | Episode 32 | 1973-04-17 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 33 | Birtha, John David Souther, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye | 1973-04-24 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 34 | The Wailers, Pete Atkin, Yes, Bob Marley | 1973-05-01 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 35 | Episode 35 | 1973-05-08 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 36 | Roy Buchanan, Jan Akkerman, Lean Russell, B. B. King | 1973-05-15 | 45 min |
| Season 2 | Episode 38 | Golden Earring, Loudon Wainwright III | 1973-05-29 | 45 min |
