Toy soldiers - Martika

Some would call it an obsession. In September 1989, I realised that every time I left my hometown, I bought a record wherever I went. So when I went to Noordwijk for a three day course with my fellow students, I simply had to get myself a record too. On the morning of the last day, I ran out to the centre of town, got into a record store and bought myself the best chart single I could find. It was Martika's 'Toy soldiers'.

It was Martika's debut single, which ended up number one in the USA. The inspiration for the song came from a friend of Martika who was battling a drug addiction at the time. The chorus of the song featured former castmates from 'Kids Incorporated', an American children's TV programme.

My collection: 7" single no. 983

Found: Noordwijk, September 13, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Toy soldiers' / 'Exchange of hearts'

Download: here

Go west - Village people

The Village People were big in the gay scene at the end of the 1970's. They managed to break into the mainstream thanks to their catchy and memorable songs, often inspired by gimmicks. Their best known tracks were 'Y.M.C.A.' and 'In the navy'. However, 'Go west' was also a rather successful song, not least because it was covered in 1992 by the Pet Shop Boys.

I bought the single back in 1979 soon after it came out, but the 12" single is a relatively new acquisition. It features extended mixes of the title track and the B-side. An essential disco track.

My collection: 12" single no. 464

Found: Record exchange, London, 2005

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Go west (Disco mix)' / 'Citizens of the world (Disco mix)'

She's leaving - OMD

OMD scored a big hit in Europe with 'Maid of Orleans'. It was a number one hit in the Netherlands as well. As beautiful as I thought it was, by the time it had left the charts I was tired of it. How wonderful that the next single was fresh and exciting again: 'She's leaving' was released, and from the first time I heard it I was totally fascinated. There was this cold, emotionless synthesizer, combined with passionate vocals. I loved the musical theme of the song.

When I bought the single, it was a bargain. It hadn't reached the charts and the shop offered it for a discount price within weeks. I was very happy to have this one, and I have played it regularly since - although these days it's obviously become the mp3 I play the most.

My collection: 7" single no. 231

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'She's leaving' / 'The romance of the telescope'

Download: Album 'Architecture and morality', including both tracks

Free spirit - Kim Appleby

Kim Appleby released her last solo single 'Free spirit' in 1994. It was after she'd released two solo albums. The song was energetic enough, but didn't achieve the commercial success she must have anticipated.

Despite having followed her career ever since she rose to fame with her sister Mel as the dancepop duo Mel & Kim, I didn't know about this release when I found it in the shops in London that year. At first I bought the cd-single, but then discovered that the 12" single contained two remixes not included on the cd-single. Listening to it now, it still sounds fresh.

My collection: 12" single no. 240

Found: London, 1994

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Free spirit [12" mix]', 'Free spirit (Tony King club remix)' / 'Free spirit (Sound of Stockwell dub)', 'Free spirit (Spiritual mix)'

Download: here

Fadeaway - Loz Netto

Loz Netto played with the band Sniff 'n' the Tears until 1981. Then briefly before a tour he had an accident and wasn't able to perform live with them. After a period of recovery, he started to make music again. It led to a solo career, which started off with the single 'Fadeaway'. It was the only single that would give him some chart success: he landed in the Dutch Top 40 in January 1983 and reach no. 25.

I'd just come into a period where I wanted to buy those singles my sister didn't like. That way, we'd have a bigger record collection, because we wouldn't buy the same singles all the time. She wasn't interested in this single, and so I bought it. It's one of those things you don't regret over time: it's still a great song and not so wellknown 25 years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 182

Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Fadeaway' / 'Show me'

Download: here

Send my heart - Adventures

The Adventures were a rock band from Belfast (Ireland). They moved to London to sign with Chrysalis records and release their first records in 1984. Their second single was 'Send my heart'. It reached the lower regions of the UK charts.

I got to know the band via a local radio station which kept playing even the smallest hits from England. The fact that they consistently released double single editions made them very interesting for me. It took a long time for me to notice their 12" singles: only recently did I start buying them, discovering all the extended remixes included on them.

My collection: 12" single no. 437

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2004

Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Send my heart (extended re-mix)', 'Send my heart (Band remix)' / 'These children (live)', 'Life during wartime (live)'

Download: here

On Stage EP - Kate Bush

Kate Bush fans don't have an easy life. Unlike fans of U2, Coldplay, Madonna and whatever else is popular these days, they don't get a chance to see her play live... ever! When people complain about the fact that they haven't seen their idol in concert for, oh, two years, I can always say that I've had to wait for my turn since, well, 1979.

That's when this ep was released, a souvenir of a unique tour, the only one that Kate Bush ever did. I was eight when Kate did this, so basically, I never had a chance to see her live. At the time there was some criticism that this ep wasn't live as well: apparently Kate had overdubbed some vocals and edited one of the songs. I denied this vigorously, but had to acknowledge my mistake later. Indeed, Kate had 'worked' on these tracks. It's still a lovely souvenir, though.

My collection: 7" single no. 34

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Them heavy people', 'Don't push your foot on the heartbrake' / 'James and the cold gun', 'L'amour looks something like you'

Download: Album 'This woman's work vol. 2', including all four tracks