I’ve seen clips of a British TV show called Old Grey Whistle Test. I don’t understand what the title refers to but it strikes me as a U.K. version of Austin City Limits on U.S. public television. I have an import album cover, an E.L.O. collection, with a photo of what looks like a TV set with a sign reading “Old Hill Station.” Was that a real TV show? Was one a ripoff of the other?
The UK show came first. IIRC, Austin City Limits recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. I think I have same ELO album (they’re my all-time favorite group, BTW) and it is either from the UK show or possibly American Bandstand. Either way, the picture is of the group as it appeared during the time of ELO II (1973).
Which UK show? I didn’t mean that either was a copy of Austin City Limits but that they seemed to be a similar niche, though now that I think about it more similar to American Bandstand. I’ve seen clips of Old Grey Whistle Test and heard referencs to BBC’s Top of the Pops but have never seen Old Hill Station aside from the album cover.
Ooops! I’m guessing that “Old Hill Station” was possibly a set name. Since the show was called “The Old Grey Whistle Test”, I’m sure the set was designed to look like an old train station. BTW, the LP I have is the “Masters of Rock” Showdown and features ELO’s biggest hits up to that point and the guy playing what appears to be a French horn is wearing a t-shirt that says “Old Hill Plaza”
I should have dug that album out of storage and double checked. That’s the same album I have, one I picked up at Tower when they still carried vinyl along with albums from The Move and Roy Wood.
Looks like there are at least three hardcore ELO fans here with Voguevixen.
Trumpy, you have excellent taste in music AND television, if your name is where I think it’s from. 
Adrock, light up the place
And if you pull my card you pull the ace
And if you ask me turn up the bass
And if you play Defender I could be your hyperspace
Voguevixen: Yes, the name is from you think it is, and, yes I AM magical 
The Old Grey Whistle Test died a death in the late 1980s, IIRC… I can’t remember when it started.
“Whistle” = “whistle and flute” = “suit” (Cockney rhyming slang).
I believe that the title refers to a band playing for record company executives who are considering signing them: i.e. playing to a group of men in grey suits.