Butler's Champagne Quiz Question

[castlefields_villan]

Anybody remember (Tony) Butler's Champagne Quiz Question on BRMB on a Saturday during the post match phone in ?

Looking back old "Tone" really was quite ahead of his time - the phone ins started if I remember correctly shortly after he joined BRMB in 1974 (radio 5 or whoever didn't start theirs until at least 10 - 15 years after that.

The Champagne Quiz Question used to start with something obscure - a classic example was one I seem to remember - "born in 1950 - who is it.  There would be various clues depending on the callers answers.

Caller "Hello Tone, is it Bjorn Borg ?"
Butler "No way caller - nothing to do with tennis"
Next Caller "Hello Tone - is it Jimmy Connors ?

Another one I remember (which I think I think Jasper Carrot mimicked in one sketches
Butler - It happened in 1973 - what is it ?

(Various callers it get wrong, but no -one is still any the wiser)

Caller "Hello Tone - is it 1972 ?"


What with that and "on yer bike etc.."  him playing "Theme from a silent unmade movie etc - it certainly made compulsive listening of a weekend.  Then there was also the way he would interrupt a record half way through and say dramatically "AND we're going straight to Main Road - Tony Matthews" (reporter) - Reporter would come back in a very uninteresting voice "not much has happened in the first 25 minutes here - not even a shot on goal".

I remember meeting him at a sports forum with John Gidman back in the summer 1976 (and also Andy Gray before he became a household name) and for all his aggressive manner and tough talking -I as a 19 year old as I was then found him very polite to talk to and in retrospect, very, very good at what he did.

Priceless  (shame to hear he's been in poor health over the last few years)B

[Deano's Mullet]

Heres the complete Carrott football skits off his Best Of DVD. The Tony Butler stuff is towards the end. I know some Villa fans have no time for the Carrott but I like him.

[TopDeck113]

He once said to me, "Good goal, son." - I'd just lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box in a match between Streetly Youth Club and BRMB (early Autumn 1982).   That gave me a lot of pleasure - but perhaps, in retrospect, not as much as firing in a low cross in the same match that George Gavin put into his own net.

[maidstonevillain]

He once said to me, "Good goal, son." - I'd just lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box in a match between Streetly Youth Club and BRMB (early Autumn 1982).   That gave me a lot of pleasure - but perhaps, in retrospect, not as much as firing in a low cross in the same match that George Gavin put into his own net.

Totally off topic.  Did you by any chance go to the Streetly Youth Club Saturday morning club, late 60's, early 70's.

[TopDeck113]

Before my time!

[Damo70]

Heres the complete Carrott football skits off his Best Of DVD. The Tony Butler stuff is towards the end. I know some Villa fans have no time for the Carrott but I like him.

I got his books Sweet And Sour Labrador and Little Zit On The Side when I was in my early teens and loved the football and BRMB stuff. I've told the story on here before about meeting him briefly around that time when he visited a neighbours house and me being well impressed by the fact he had a white Jag XJS just like The Saint.

[Pete]

He once said to me, "Good goal, son." - I'd just lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box in a match between Streetly Youth Club and BRMB (early Autumn 1982).   That gave me a lot of pleasure - but perhaps, in retrospect, not as much as firing in a low cross in the same match that George Gavin put into his own net.

Totally off topic.  Did you by any chance go to the Streetly Youth Club Saturday morning club, late 60's, early 70's.

I think it was the Friday night disco I went to, mid to late 1970s. They used to play a mix of disco and punk in an attempt to keep everyone happy.

[Godfrey Brian]

There was the classic question where every wrong answer would mean another coin in his glass jar which he would rattle by the microphone to demonstrate the wealth on offer to the eventual winner. All very good until the day he over rattled, dropped the jar and all the listner could hear was cascading coins broken glass and a cussing Tone!

[the-farmer]

Wasn't he sacked by BRMB for tipping a disabled DJ out of his wheel chair ?

[OzVilla]

As kids we used to tape all the Villa's European nights on cassette. Butler was in his pomp. I wish I still had them, not that I'd have anything to play them on these days.  We had the full European Cup run plus some League title stuff, commentry, phone in, adverts the lot. Just paused during the music.

"Blood, sweat, toil and tears" "on yer bike to the Germans". His phone in was the back drop to Saturday evenings my childhood. I'll always have a soft spot for Butler.

[Damo70]

Wasn't he sacked by BRMB for tipping a disabled DJ out of his wheel chair ?

I think he had an 'altercation' with a guy called Brian Savin who did the country music show if I remember correctly. I think Savin was registered as being disabled.

[Damo70]

As kids we used to tape all the Villa's European nights on cassette. Butler was in his pomp. I wish I still had them, not that I'd have anything to play them on these days.  We had the full European Cup run plus some League title stuff, commentry, phone in, adverts the lot. Just paused during the music.

"Blood, sweat, toil and tears" "on yer bike to the Germans". His phone in was the back drop to Saturday evenings my childhood. I'll always have a soft spot for Butler.

I taped all the European away nights up to the final. My old man has never forgiven me for recording the Kiev game over his Dr Hook cassette. I wouldn't mind but it was only a copy his mate had done for him on tape to tape.

[Clampy]

As kids we used to tape all the Villa's European nights on cassette. Butler was in his pomp. I wish I still had them, not that I'd have anything to play them on these days.  We had the full European Cup run plus some League title stuff, commentry, phone in, adverts the lot. Just paused during the music.

"Blood, sweat, toil and tears" "on yer bike to the Germans". His phone in was the back drop to Saturday evenings my childhood. I'll always have a soft spot for Butler.

I taped all the European away nights up to the final. My old man has never forgiven me for recording the Kiev game over his Dr Hook cassette. I wouldn't mind but it was only a copy his mate had done for him on tape to tape.

Maybe it was just an ego problem.

[Ron Manager]

Always remember Butlers Quiz Question on BRMB. The question Butler set was "Who plays at Anfield?"

 Over to Terry on Line I.

"Is it Everton Tone?"

Butler panicking with only a couple of minutes left in the show.

"Close enough give him the money"

followed by an audible deep sigh.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

http://www.mds975.co.uk/audio/BRMB_Tony_Butler_1_May_1983_80k_mono.mp3

http://www.mds975.co.uk/audio/BRMB_Tony_Butler_2_May_1983_80k_mono.mp3

http://www.mds975.co.uk/audio/BRMB_Sport_Special_7_Feb_1984_Tony_Butler_%202100-2130_64k.mp3

http://www.mds975.co.uk/audio/BRMB_Sport_Special_7_Feb_1984_Tony_Butler_2130-2200_64k.mp3