About this season
Ready Steady Go! is one of the UK's first rock/pop music television programmes and was a forerunner of MTV-type programming. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. Allan was assisted by record producer/talent manager Vicki Wickham, who became the show's producer, and Michael Lindsay-Hogg who was appointed the show's director in 1965. It was broadcast from August 1963 until December 1966. It was produced by Associated-Rediffusion the weekday ITV contractor for London, called Rediffusion-London post 1964. The live show was eventually networked nationally. The show gained its highest ratings on 20 March 1964 when it featured the Beatles being interviewed and performing their songs "It Won't Be Long", "You Can't Do That" and "Can't Buy Me Love" - the last of which was a hit at the time. RSG! USA! was a Dick Clark production in 1964. A trademark infringement ended the show after six episodes. Its last episode was broadcast on 23 December 1966.
Episodes (17)
1. Wayne Fontana; Sandie Shaw; Spencer Davis Group
Aired 2 September 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --The Spencer Davis Group - ""When I Come Home"" --Wayne Fontana - ""Goodbye Bluebird"" --The Fortunes - ""Is It Really Worth Your While?"" --Sandie Shaw - ""Run""
2. The Who; Peter & Gordon; David Garrick; Zoot Money
Aired 9 September 1966 • 30 min
Guests (scheduled to appear): --Eddie Cave and the Fyx --David Garrick - ""Dear Mrs. Applebee"" --Zoot Money & Big Roll Band - ""Big Time Operator"" --Peter and Gordon - ""Lady Godiva"" --Twice As Much - ""Step Out Of Line"" --The Who - ""I'm A Boy"" and ""Heat Wave""
3. The Otis Redding Special
Aired 16 September 1966 • 30 min
--Otis Redding - ""Satisfaction,"" ""My Girl"" and ""Respect"" --Eric Burdon - ""Hold on I'm Coming"" --Chris Farlowe - ""It's A Man's Man's Man's World"" --Otis Redding - ""Pain in My Heart"" and ""I Can't Turn You Loose"" --Otis Redding, Eric Burton, Chris Farlowe - ""Shake"" and ""Land of 1000 Dances""
4. Walker Brothers; Dave Dee & Co.; The Breakaways
Aired 23 September 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --The Breakaways --Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch - ""Bend It"" --The Walker Brothers - ""Another Tear Falls""
5. 30 September 1966
Aired 30 September 1966 • 30 min
6. The Rolling Stones; Paul & Barry Ryan; Eric Burdon
Aired 7 October 1966 • 30 min
--The Rolling Stones - ""Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing In The Shadow,"" ""Paint It Black"" and ""Lady Jane"" Scheduled guests: --Paul & Barry Ryan - ""Have You Ever Loved Somebody?"" --Eric Burdon (possibly Eric Burdon & The Animals - ""Help Me Girl"")
7. Dusty Springfield; Paul Jones
Aired 14 October 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --Paul Jones - ""High Time"" --Dusty Springfield - ""All I See is You""
8. The Who; Georgie Fame; Lee Dorsey
Aired 21 October 1966 • 30 min
--The Who - ""Batman,"" ""Bucket T,"" ""I'm A Boy,"" ""Disguises,"" and ""My Generation/Rule Britania"" --Also, The Who mime to Cliff Richard's ""Summer Holiday"" --Lee Dorsey - ""Holy Cow"" --Georgie Fame - ""Sunny""
9. Dave Clark 5; Troggs; Edwin Starr; Bobby Goldsboro
Aired 28 October 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --The Dave Clark Five - ""Nineteen Days"" --Bobby Goldsboro --Edwin Starr --The Troggs - ""I Can't Control Myself""
10. Cream; Bobby Darin; Manfred Mann
Aired 4 November 1966 • 30 min
--Cream - ""Wrapping Paper"" & ""N.S.U."" Scheduled guests: --Bobby Darin - ""If I Were A Carpenter"" --Manfred Mann - ""Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James""
11. Cilla Black; Spencer Davis Group; Wayne Fontana
Aired 11 November 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --Cilla Black - ""A Fool Am I"" --The Spencer Davis Group - ""Gimme Some Loving"" --Wayne Fontana - ""Pamela Pamela"" --Françoise Hardy --Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band - ""Que Sera Sera""
12. Four Tops; Small Faces; Eric Burdon & the Animals
Aired 18 November 1966 • 30 min
Guests: --The Breakaways --Eric Burdon (formerly of the Animals) - ""Jailhouse Rock"" and ""Help Me Girl"" --The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - ""I'm Dropping Out On You"" --Donovan - ""Sunshine Superman"" --The Four Tops - ""Baby, I Need Your Loving,"" ""I Can't Help Myself"" and ""Reach Out, I'II Be There"" --Kathy McGowan interviewed the Kinks' Pete Quaife and Dave Davies. --The Small Faces - ""(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me"" and ""My Mind's Eye"" Also appearing: --RSG! dancers Sandy Sarjeant, Georgie Allen and Celia Hetherington.
13. Ben E. King; Donovan; Little Richard
Aired 25 November 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --Donovan - ""Sunshine Superman"" --Ben E. King --Little Richard - ""I Need Love""
14. Herman's Hermits
Aired 2 December 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests include: --Herman's Hermits - ""East West""
15. Marc Bolan; Bobby Hebb; The Move; Alan Price Set
Aired 9 December 1966 • 30 min
Scheduled guests: --Marc Bolan - ""Bolan's Dream"" --Bobby Hebb - ""A Satisfied Mind"" --The Move - ""Night Of Fear"" --The Alan Price Set - ""Willow Weep For Me'/""Yours Until Tomorrow""
16. Jimi Hendrix; Marc Bolan; The Troggs
Aired 16 December 1966 • 30 min
Guests: --Marc Bolan - ""Hippy Gumbo"" --The Escorts - ""Head To Toe"" --The Four Tops (on film) - interview --Jimi Hendrix Experience (Jimi Hendrix, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell) - ""Hey Joe"" (their U.K. TV debut) --The Merseys - ""Rhythm Of Love"" --Keith Relf (of the Yardbirds) - ""Shapes In My Mind"" --Victor Sylvester - ""You're Dancing On My Heart"" --The Troggs - ""5-4-3-2-1,"" ""Anyway That You Want Me"" and ""I Can Only Give You Everything"" (last song with closing credits)
17. Ready Steady GOES! (final show)
Aired 23 December 1966 • 30 min
Final show: Ready Steady GOES! Guests: --Mick Jagger and Chris Farlowe - ""Out Of Time"" & ""Satisfaction"" (song excerpts) --The Who - ""Please Don't Touch"" (Eddie Cochran song they never issued a studio version of) and ""I'm A Boy"" --Paul Jones - possibly ""Baby Tomorrow"" --Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich - possibly ""Save Me"" --Eric Burdon --Alan Price --Donovan --Lulu --Keith Relf and Paul Sammwell Smith --Julie Felix --Cat Stevens --Merseys --Peter and Gordon --Small Faces --Spencer Davis Group (Note: Some of the above may have just been spoken appearances and not musical performances)