Das Blech - Spliff

Herwig Mitteregger, Reinhold Heil, Manfred Praker, Bernhard Potschka and Alf Klimek were already playing together when Nina Hagen 'adopted' them as her band. They recorded two albums together as the Nina Hagen Band before continuing as Spliff when Hagen went solo.

'Das Blech' was the only single to have some sort of success outside of non-German speaking countries. It barely missed the Dutch Top 40, but was often played on the radio at the time.

My collection: 7" single no. 203

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Das Blech' / 'Tag für Tag'

Europeennes - Cocktail Chic

In 1986, France was represented in the Eurovision Song Contest by a group of four women who called themselves Cocktail Chic. They were Catherine Bonnevay, Francine Chanterau, Martine Latorre and Dominique Poulain. Written by George and Michel Costa, 'Europeennes' was about travelling to various European destinations, living a carefree lifestyle. The song must have been an attempt to appeal to the international juries, but ironically, most of the destinations were pronounced in French and thus couldn't be made out by most of those international juries.

With 20 countries (and acts) in the Contest, the French delegation only made it to 17th position in the Contest. Personally, I wasn't so impressed with the song either. I can recall I named them 'Cocktail Shit' at the time. But when I came across the single a decade later, I still couldn't resist buying it, if only for its rarity value. The cheap Eighties production is a bonus.

My collection: 7" single no. 3148

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, October 23, 1999

Cost: 4 guilders

Tracks: 'Europeennes' / 'Europeennes (English version)'

You spin me 'round (like a record) - Dead or Alive

'You spin me 'round (like a record)' was taken from Dead or Alive's 1985 album 'Youthquake'. When it was released, it was a slow starter in the UK: it lingered outside the singles top 40 for two months. After this long period, it still rose into the top 10 and then even made number 1. The single also was a top 3 hit in Australia and Italy, peaking at number 6 in the Netherlands.

Dead or Alive was formed around singer Peter Burns, who attracted attention with his eccentric image, which was often compared to then-popular Culture Club frontman Boy George. The single was the first UK number one hit for the Stock/Aitken/Waterman production trio. At the time of its release, one of the band members was Wayne Hussey, who would go on to work with the Sisters of Mercy, and then form The Mission.

My collection: 7" single no. 272

Found: LP top 100, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'You spin me 'round (like a record)' / 'Misty circles'

Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band

The Steve Miller Band has received some criticism for this song. True, 'Abra, abracadabra / I wanna reach out and grab ya' isn't one of those lyrics you have to praise for its eloquence, but it's still a good pop song. Selling the way it did (a number one hit in America, peaking at number 2 in the UK and number 18 in the Netherlands) the audiences in various countries certainly made up their own minds.

A quarter of a century later it still sounds pretty credible. If kids were still listening to music, they would buy this I'm sure.

My collection: 7" single no. 3038

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 1, 1998

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Abracadabra' / 'Never say no'

The second time around - Shalamar

Producer and booking agent Dick Griffey put together Shalamar after the first single 'Uptown festival' (1977), performed by session singers, was a hit in America. Vocalists Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel and Howard Hewett were brought together in 1978. Their first international hit in this line-up was 'Take that to the bank'. They followed this up in 1979 with 'The second time around', which peaked at number 45 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.

A young Jody Watley was part of Shalamar. In 1984 she left the group to pursue a successful solo career.

My collection: 7" single no. 2043

Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, October 30, 1993

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'The second time around' / 'Leave it all up to love'

Walk into the wind - Vegas

'Walk into the wind' was the third single taken from the album 'Vegas' by the duo of the same name. Terry Hall and David A. Stewart (of Eurythmics fame) worked together on this album, which failed to make any chart impact. The singles fared comparatively better, although 'Walk into the wind', the last single of the three, only made it to number 65 in the UK singles chart.

I discovered Vegas thanks to the album, which I bought on impulse. Subsequently I bought all of their 7" and cd-singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 2692

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

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Walk into the wind' / 'Wise guy'

Download: Album 'Vegas', including both tracks

The party's over - Sandra Reemer

After Teach-In won the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Ding-a-dong', the 1976 edition was organised in Den Haag, the Netherlands. Sandra Reemer was chosen to perform that year's song, which was written in English for the first time. 'The party's over' proved to be a reasonable success, finishing on ninth place in the Contest.

It was not the first time for Sandra: in 1972 she'd already sung 'Als het om de liefde gaat' together with Dries Holten as 'Sandra & Andres'. In 1979 she would return to the Contest, singing 'Colorado'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3279

Found: February 9, 2001

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'The party's over' / 'Mrs. Lonely'