The Slightest Touch - Five Star

In 1987, the family holiday destination was London. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, my sister and I were off to the nearest record shop, which on the first day was Tower Records in Kensington High Street. I couldn't believe my eyes when I stepped into that store: it was much bigger than any record shop in Holland. The amount of 7" singles on display at the back of the store seemed endless. The first single I picked out of that collection was Black's 'Sweetest smile', and this was the second one: a box set from Five Star, including a free second single, which carried two older tracks 'Hide and seek' and 'Crazy'. I didn't know at the time they had been released as a single before. Adding to the two singles, the box set also contained five colour photographs of the band members. A collectable box set indeed!

My collection: 7" single no. 545

Found: Tower Records Kensington, London, 1987

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'The Slightest touch' / 'Stone court' // 'Hide and seek' / 'Crazy'

Download: here

What makes the world go 'round - Kiss

When our grandparents went on holiday to England, my sister and I, 16 and 10 years old respectively, asked them for a souvenir in the guise of a Kiss record. We were still big fans of the group, ever since their breakthrough with 'I was made for loving you'. It was the kind of youthful excitement that is very common at that age. We were very surprised when they returned with this single, one for each of us. In Holland, 'Talk to me' had just been released, but the UK had obviously preferred to release 'What makes the world go 'round'. It was not a successful release: the single didn't make the charts. My grandparents, meanwhile, were very surprised that we were into 'these painted men'.

My collection: 7" single no. 66

Found: present

Cost: 0

Tracks: 'What makes the world go 'round' / 'Naked city'

Download: Album 'Unmasked', including both tracks

Amarti è l'immenso per me - Eros Ramazzotti

Eros Ramazzotti was born in Rome on October 28, 1963 and made his breakthrough winning the San Remo festival in 1984. International fame in Europe followed in 1988 with songs like 'Musica è' and 'Se bastasse una canzone'. The track 'Amarti è l'immenso per me' was recorded for his 1990 album 'In ogni senso' as a duet with Antonella Bucci. It was a modest hit in the Dutch Top 40, reaching no. 26 in the summer of 1990.

I bought the single because of its beautiful string arrangement. The vocals can be a bit overwhelming, like most Italian songs...

My collection: 7" single no. 1259

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 12, 1990

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Amarti è l'immenso per me' / 'Dammi la luna'

Download: here

Answers to nothing - Midge Ure

I discovered Midge Ure's second solo album 'Answers to nothing' while on holiday in pre-war Yugoslavia. I owned a tape walkman and after a week on holiday I was desperate to hear something new. So I bought a tape of this album on the assumption that Midge Ure from Ultravox was certainly capable of making some interesting music. I wasn't disappointed.

As it turned out, the 7" and 12" singles drawn from this album were mainly available in England, and that's where I bought this 12". 'Answers to nothing' was a great title track and I was very curious to hear the extended version. Again, I wasn't disappointed: clocking in on 8 minutes, this is an excellent remix.

My collection: 12" single no. 103

Found: Record exchange, London, 1990

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Answers to nothing (extended version)' / 'Honorare', 'Oboe'

Download: here

Every kinda people - Robert Palmer

'Every kinda people' was recorded in 1978 by Robert Palmer on his album 'Double Fun'. With its blend of Caribbean steel pan, violins and moving lyrics, "Every Kinda People". has become one of Palmer's best-loved songs, covered multiple times by other artists (including Chaka Demus and Pliers, Randy Crawford and Amy Grant).

I bought this single, together with 'Aubrey' by Bread, in a shop in the centre of Brussels. They had a whole collection of Japanese singles for discount prices.

My collection: 7" single no. 1537

Found: Record shop, Brussels, 1991

Cost: 250 Belgian Francs

Tracks: 'Every kinda people' / 'Keep in touch'

Download: here

I'll wait - Taylor Dayne

Taylor Dayne was born as Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. Signed to Arista Records in 1987, she hit the worldwide charts with her debut single 'Tell it to my heart'. 'I'll wait' was the third single taken from her third album 'Soul dancing', released in 1993. In America, this double 12" single pack was released, featuring seven versions of the track. With remixes by Eric "E-Smoove" Miller and Steve "Silk" Hurley, this was a top three hit in the U.S. Dance chart.

I bought my copy in an obscure dance vinyl shop in the centre of Amsterdam, while I was studying there. The 'New Anthem mix', which goes on for almost 15 minutes, was the most impressive of them all.

My collection: 12" single no.

Found: Amsterdam, 2004

Cost: 25 guilders

Tracks: 'I'll wait (E-Smoove Anthem Vocal Mix)', 'I'll wait (E-Smoove Vocal Mix)' / 'I'll wait (7 Minutes of Silk)', 'I'll wait (4 Minutes of Soul)' // 'I'll wait (New Anthem Mix)' / 'I'll wait (Silky Dub Total)', 'I'll wait (Album Version)'

Download: here

Working with fire and steel - China Crisis

'Working with fire and steel' was taken from China Crisis's second album of the same name. It was the second single from that album, but it still didn't manage to reach the UK Top 40. They would only manage to do so with their next single, 'Wishful thinking'.

The 12" single included two bonus tracks plus an extended remix of the track entitled 'Fire and steel'. With added instrumental breaks, this version knocks spots off the original version.

My collection: 12" single no. 227

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1994

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Working with fire and steel', 'Fire and steel (mix)' / 'Dockland', 'Forever I and I'

Download: here