The Old Grey Whistle Test Bob Marley and the Wailers as well as then little-known acts of whom any early footage is now considered precious, such as Billy Joel, Judas Priest (with a long-haired Rob Halford), Wishbone Ash, Judee Sill, Heart, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. "Whistle Test" was also the British television debut of the American glam punk band New York Dolls. Although host Bob Harris derided the group as "mock rock," comparing them unfavourably to The Rolling Stones, their performance influenced the following punk rock scene such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash as well as alternative bands like R.E.M. and The Smiths and
Live at the BBC (Dire Straits album) June 1995, the year in which the group officially disbanded. According to Knopfler, the album was released because Dire Straits still owed one album to Phonogram Records (now Mercury Records). This album was a means to end the legal contract, before Mark Knopfler began his solo career (still signed to Mercury). "Live at the BBC" consists of eight songs, the first seven were recorded for the BBC "Live in Concert" series on 22 July 1978. The eighth song, "Tunnel of Love", was recorded for the BBC TV program "The Old Grey Whistle Test" on 31 January 1981, as stated in