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
The Tubes with dancers, video and sketches. They appeared on "The Old Grey Whistle Test" and played "God-Bird-Change" and "White Punks on Dope." After their live record "What Do You Want from Live" (1978), recorded during their record-breaking run at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, the band toured America and played a sold out run at The Pantages Theater in Hollywood, which attracted celebrities such as the cast of "Laverne and Shirley", Cher, Kate Jackson and Gene Simmons. The stage show had reached new levels of lewdness with Quay Lewd's large dildo hanging out of his costume and a fake bomb threat