Blank sheets - Bel canto

Circa 2000 I had a growing interest in alternative and not-so-wellknown bands. This interest was fairly shortlived as many bands disappointed me: I bought their cd's and didn't play them as much as I would if I really would have liked them. But sometimes I bought some 'alternative' singles as well - with varying success.

This single by Bel Canto, for instance, is a good one, but I still didn't play it much. And I really should: the instrumental B-side is fascinating, whereas the A-side is an interesting song. The Norwegian synthpop band, consisting of Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen, has been going strong since 1985. This single was tken from their 1988 album 'White-out conditions'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3271

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, November 10, 2000

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Blank sheets' / 'Chaideinoi'

Gotta go home / El Lute - Boney M

In 1979 Boney M released their fourth album 'Oceans of fantasy'. The album contained two hit singles, of which 'Gotta go home / El Lute' (a double A-side single) was the first. 'Gotta go home' is an upbeat summer track, released just in time for the season. The track 'El Lute' was based on the life of Spanish outlaw and writer Eleuterio Sánchez.

The single was another hit for the German band, reaching number 12 in the UK and number 2 in the Netherlands. I bought the single while it was still in the charts. As young as I was, Boney M had an irresistible appeal to me.

My collection: 7" single no. 58

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Gotta go home' / 'El Lute'

King in a catholic style - China Crisis

Compared to their previous single 'Black man Ray', 'King in a catholic style' was, to me, a relative disappointment. It was much more a straightforward pop song than the shimmering beauty of the ballad that went before. Some people agreed with me, because the single peaked at number 19 in the UK, five places lower than 'Black man Ray'.

I was in a record shop last Friday and saw this 12" single. I started doubting whether or not I had it. In the end, I didn't buy it, and I was right: the disc was sitting here on the shelf all along. Sometimes a big collection takes up too much memory space in your head.

My collection: 12" single no. 460

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'King in a catholic style (extended version)' / 'Blue sea', 'King in a catholic style'

Every time I see you - Fra Lippo Lippi

I bought the Fra Lippo Lippi LP 'Songs' some time after it was released at discount price. I discovered that not only their most famous single 'Shouldn't have to be like that' and its B-side were very good, but also the eight other tracks on the album. And so I spent years trying to find the other singles released from this album.

'Every time I see you' is probably the most interesting of them all, with a re-recorded version on the A-side and the instrumental track 'The heather on the hills' on the B-side. Norwegian pop at its very best.

My collection: 7" single no. 2020

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 19, 1993

Cost: 60p

Tracks: 'Every time I see you' / 'The heather on the hills'

Love like blood - Killing Joke

Having been at it for seven years, the English post-punk rock band Killing Joke achieved mainstream success with their 1985 single 'Love like blood'. It peaked at number 18 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.

Killing Joke consisted of Paul Ferguson, Jeremy Coleman, Kevin Walker and Paul Raven at the time. Two years prior to that, Martin Glover, a.k.a. 'Youth' had left the band. He went on, of course, to become a famous producer.

My collection: 7" single no. 762
Found: March 6, 1989
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love like blood' / 'Blue feather (version)'

Too many walls - Cathy Dennis

When I heard this song and saw Cathy Dennis for the first time, I thought she was just another bimbo with a nice popsong. Almost two decades later I have to admit she's more than just a pretty face: she co-wrote Kylie's 'Can't get you out of my head', one of this decade's most wellknown popsongs.

Anyway, 'Too many walls' was not Cathy Dennis's debut single either. It was released as the fourth single from her debut album 'Move to this', reaching number 17 in the UK and number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100. Cathy Dennis has stated that she thinks the ballad is 'the best song on the album, especially in terms of lyrics. The other songs are fun, but they can be quite vacant.' The song is apparently 'about when you want to be together with someone, but other people's opinions and prejudices get in the way.'

My collection: 7" single no. 1570

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 11, 1992

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Too many walls' / 'Too many walls (acapella)'

Love is all - Roger Glover

I have vague memories of being absolutely hooked on this video. I was four years old when this song hit number one in the Netherlands, but my older brother and sister were watching Toppop every week - and I saw it with them.

Roger Glover was bassist and songwriter with the rock band Deep Purple. After spending four years with Deep Purple, Glover was dismissed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and became a record producer for bands like Judas Priest, Nazareth and Elf. His first solo album 'Butterfly ball' was released in 1974, spawning 'Love is all', a number one hit in the Netherlands - but not in other countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 2943

Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Love is all' / 'Old blind mole/Magician Moth'

He's a liar - Bee Gees

Just to show that I read the comments on this blog occasionally, here's a disc with an instrumental version on the B-side. I think this is actually a rare 12" single, since it features a slightly extended version of the 1981 Bee Gees track 'He's a liar'. I always think that 12" singles from the late Seventies and early Eighties are rare, since the format hadn't become mainstream yet. (I could be wrong of course...)

'He's A Liar' was the first single from The Bee Gees album 'Living Eyes' (1981). Even though the single sounded very different from their late Eighties disco tracks, the interest from the media for new Bee Gees work was minimal. Even though the single made number 12 in the Netherlands, it didn't do as well in other territories.

My collection: 12" single no. 299

Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 1998

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'He's a liar' / 'He's a liar (instrumental)'

Hangin' on a string (Frankie Knuckles remix) - Loose Ends

Within a couple of weeks, I spotted this remix version of 'Hangin' on a string' on television, and then bought the single during a holiday in London. The remix by Frankie Knuckles was released in 1992, seven years after the original version made its mark in the singles charts in the UK and the Netherlands.

This remix version didn't trouble the charts in the Netherlands, but still made a very respectable no. 25 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2688

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, July 3, 1996

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Hangin' on a string (Frankie Knuckles remix)' / 'Hangin' on a string (Original 7" mix)'

Cathedral song - Tanita Tikaram

I already owned the regular single of 'Cathedral song' when I found this boxset. I am a sucker for limited editions and boxsets, and so I didn't leave this one on the shelf. This limited edition boxset contains an EP instead of the regular single, meaning that it contains not two, but four tracks. The two extra tracks are live versions of songs that weren't on Tanita Tikaram's debut album 'Ancient heart' at all. The three art prints were the icing on the cake.

My collection: 7" single no. 2157

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 3, 1994

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Cathedral song', 'Sighing innocents' / 'Let's make everybody smile today (live)', 'Over you all (live)'

Loud music in cars - Billy Bremner

William "Billy" Bremner (born in 1947 in Scotland) is best known for his work as guitar player in the band Rockpile. Rockpile played on the bulk of Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds' albums throughout the late Seventies, but only released one album under their own name. After Rockpile split in 1981, Billy released two solo singles on Stiff Records: 'Loud music in cars' and 'Laughter turns to tears'. Neither charted.

I don't like cars and I don't like loud music, still I bought 'Loud music in cars' as I remembered it from when it came out. My sister bought it already in 1982, I did 16 years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 2944
Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Loud music in cars' / 'The price is right'

I am an astronaut - Ricky Wilde

Before Kim Wilde hit it big in 1981 with 'Kids in America', starting a very successful career that still goes on to this day, father Marty Wilde tried to launch his son Ricky in the early Seventies as a child-star. The first single - as far as I know - was 1972's 'I am an astronaut', recorded when Ricky was just eleven years old. It is an extraordinary piece of work, because for all the childhood innocence in the vocals, the musical backing is quite impressive, almost psychedelic. Rumour has it that 12-year-old Kim is performing backing vocals on this track.

The single was not a big hit, although I understand Ricky had some hits in Scandinavia with this and/or other singles. This song was covered recently by Snow Patrol for a charity compilation album - and several Scandinavian covers by equally young singers do exist!

My collection: 7" single no. 3222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, October 12, 2000
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'I am an astronaut' / 'The Hertfordshire rock'

One step further - Bardo

Bardo represented the United Kingdom during the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest. The duo consisted of Children's TV presenter Sally Ann Triplett and singer/actor Stephen Fischer. Their song 'One step further' finished seventh in the Contest, which was below the expectations. Two subsequent singles, 'Talking out of line' and 'Hang on to your heart' failed to chart, which led to album plans being shelved and Bardo finally dissolving in 1983.

Triplett and Fischer had by this time become romantically linked and continued to stay together. In 1990, Triplett gave birth to their son. Some years after this, the two split.

My collection: 7" single no. 3157

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 27, 1999

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'One step further' / 'Lady of the night'

Don't stand so close to me '86 - The Police

When the Police released the compilation 'Every breath you take' in 1986, I got the cassette and played it a lot. I liked the '86 version of 'Don't stand so close to me' and even preferred it to the less polished original, but didn't buy the single until I found it as a bargain in 1990. In the mean time, the cassette was enough for me.

The Police recorded 'Don't stand so close to me '86' during a rather tense session in the studio. Because drummer Stewart Copeland broke his collarbone, he was unable to play the drums. He used his Fairlight CMI to program the drum track for this track, while lead singer Sting pushed to utilize the drums on his Synclavier instead. Copeland was later quoted as saying that the argument over Synclavier versus Fairlight drums was 'the straw that broke the camel's back', and led to the group's unraveling.

My collection: 7" single no. 1245
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 14, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't stand so close to me '86' / 'Don't stand so close to me (live)'

Seven wonders - Fleetwood Mac

I know that Fleetwood Mac is famous especially for their albums 'Rumours' and 'Tusk', but my personal favourite remains the 'comeback album' 'Tango in the night', released in 1987. It has been slammed for being 'too commercial sounding', but I wonder what could be wrong with that. The compositions have stood the test of time, and best of all: most of the singles have been released on 12" single with an extended remix. Now this is a part of my collection that I'm still working on...

I recently found the 12" single of 'Seven wonders', and quite cheaply too. Released as the second single from the million-selling album, it couldn't match the success of previous single 'Big love'. It was a top 20 hit in America and South-Africa only.

My collection: 12" single no. 495

Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, March 14, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Seven wonders (extended remix)' / 'Book of miracles (instrumental)', 'Seven wonders (dub)'

Sweetest child - Maria McKee

The sleeve of 'Sweetest child' states 'featuring Maria McKee', but since no other artist is mentioned, I always take this simply as a song by her. And indeed, it was written by McKee with Brody and Glover, so my assumption should be correct.

The other assumption I made when this single came out, was that it would be a hit. I wasn't right in that respect: the single flopped in the territories I know about. Still, it is a nice song and there is no real explanation for its lack of success.

My collection: 7" single no. 1690
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, August 1, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Sweetest child (7" version)' / 'Acapella sweetest child'

Red tape - The Nits

The Nits released their fourth album 'Work' in 1981. It didn't reach the album chart in the Netherlands, but the album did spawn one hit: the single 'Red tape', released in January 1982, got to number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

The song is a beautiful slice of synthpop with a slightly mysterious lyric. I always liked this track, and was really glad when I found the single seven years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 737

Found: All that music, Leiden, February 9, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Red tape' / 'Goodbye, mr. Chips!'

Walking on air - Frazier Chorus

To strengthen their image as a dance-oriented band, Frazier Chorus released two different 12" singles of the track, of which this was the second. It contains three remixes of the track: a 12" version, the 'Maharishi Yogi mix' and an instrumental remix called '18 hole doc marten mix'.

This second 12" single contains a calendar poster for the year 1991. Judging from the state of the poster, the one I bought as a second hand copy was actually used by someone.

My collection: 12" single no. 179
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Walking on air', 'Walking on air (Marahishi Yogi mix)' / 'Walking on air (18 hole doc marten mix)'

Walking on air - Frazier Chorus

To strengthen their image as a dance-oriented band, Frazier Chorus released two different 12" singles of the track, of which this was the first. It contained the extended mix of 'Walking on air' (which also appeared on the cd-single format), plus an exclusive dub instrumental. Both tracks were remixed by Youth.

My collection: 12" single no. 178

Found: Record exchange, London, October 1993

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Walking on air (extended mix)' / 'Walking on air (dub instrumental)'

Walking on air - Frazier Chorus

Continuing the Easter theme, this is the sleeve of the last single by Frazier Chorus, released in 1990. The single version of 'Walking on air' was remixed by Youth and continued Frazier Chorus's move towards more dance-oriented music.

Sounding a lot like other bands around at the time, Frazier Chorus lost the thing that made them 'different', their identity. And so this was their last release.

My collection: 7" single no. 2525

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Walking on air' / 'Walking on air (album version)'