Straight lines - New Musik

'Straight lines' was actually New Musik's debut single, released in October 1979. It led to their first TV performance on the BBC's programme 'Top of the pops' (see it here), despite the fact that the single only made number 53 in the UK Singles chart. The song appeared on New Musik's debut album 'From A to B', released in 1980.

I bought the single in 1995, when I'd come to the point that I wanted to have all of the band's singles. It took me years to find them all.

My collection: 7" single no. 2531

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

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Straight lines' / 'On islands'

Download: Album 'From A to B', including both tracks (part 1, part 2)

I've got news for you - Feargal Sharkey

Feargal Sharkey was born on August 13, 1958 in Derry, Northern Ireland. In 1976 he was co-founder of the pop group the Undertones. Then in 1983 he went solo. Sharkey's debut single was a collaboration with Madness member Cathal Smyth titled 'Listen to your father', which reached number 23 in the UK in late 1984.

'I've got news for you' was taken from Sharkey's last solo album 'Songs from the Mardi Gras' (1991). I bought the cd-single in the early Nineties in a shop in the centre of Den Haag, which was selling discs for 1 guilder a piece. The cd-single contained an older single by Sharkey, 'Loving you', which I wanted to have on cd. So by chance I heard this song, which subsequently I bought on 7" vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2252
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 4, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I've got news for you' / 'I can't begin to stop'

Feel so high - Des'ree

Long before Des'ree started releasing songs with choruses like 'Life / oh life / oh life / oh life', she actually started out her music career with beautiful soul tunes like this one. 'Feel so high' was her debut single in 1991.

Born as Desiree Weeks in London on November 30, 1968, her interest in pursuing a musical career came after travelling to Barbados with her family for three years at the age of fourteen. 'Feel so high' was released twice in the UK, and eventually reached number 13 there. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 1588

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 22, 1992

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Feel so high' / 'Save this promised land'

Für alle - Wind

The German band Wind represented Germany during the 1985 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Für alle' ('For everyone'). They did so with good success: they finished second behind that year's winners: Bobbysocks for Norway.

The group was started briefly before the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985 by the composer Hanne Haller. The other members of the band at that time were Alexander "Ala" Heiler, Christine von Kutschenbach, Rainer Höglmeier, Willie Jakob, Sami Kalifa and Petra Scheeser. The band would return to the Contest twice: in 1987 and in 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 3221
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, October 12, 2000
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Für alle' / 'Feuer und Eis'

Saved by love - Amy Grant

Amy Grant's 1988 album 'Lead Me On' contained many songs that were about Christianity and love relationships, but some interpreted it as not being an obviously 'Christian' record. The single 'Saved by love', taken from the album, was a minor hit, receiving airplay on American radio stations featuring the newly emerging Adult Contemporary format.

This is one of the few singles, if not the only single I own that is obviously Christian. The lyric of this song mentions the name Jesus in a non-derogatory context, which is usually something that makes me physically sick. But I have to admit that the melody of this song is simply beautiful, the music brilliantly arranged. And Amy Grant has got a beautiful voice. It's a shame that she is so damn religious.

My collection: 7" single no. 2395
Found: Berwick Street, London, July 6, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Saved by love' / 'Shadows'
Download: Album 'Lead on me', including both tracks

Aguaplano - Paolo Conte

I feel a bit like an Alzheimer patient in reverse: I remember things I wrote but Blogger keeps taking them away. Like the entry about Paolo Conte's 'Max': I'm sure it was on this site, but it's gone and I don't even have a notification from Blogger that they stole my entry. For some reason they don't like me to write about the records I bought. Copyright gone mad, eh?

Paolo Conte was born on January 6, 1937. His performing career began as a vibraphone player in local and touring bands. In 1974 he started a solo career, which was very successful in Italy and later in Europe as well. 'Max' was a big European hit, and the record company tried to cash in on that success by releasing a compilation album and another single: 'Aguaplano'. Predictably, the single didn't become a hit. But it is a nice song - so I bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 615

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1988

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Aguaplano' / 'Come di'

Since I don't have you - Guns n' Roses

In November 1993, Guns n' Roses released a collection of punk and glam rock covers entitled 'The Spaghetti Incident?'. The album did not match the success of previous albums, which increased tensions within the band.

The first single from the album was 'Since I don't have you', a cover of a song by the doo-wop group the Skyliners, released in 1958. It peaked at number 10 in the UK singles chart. The 7" single was released as a strictly limited edition on orange vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2112

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, June 4, 1994

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Since I don't have you' / 'You can't put your arms around a memory'