Name and number - Curiosity killed the cat

Curiosity killed the cat was formed in 1984 by Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot, Julian Godfrey Brookhouse, Nick Thorpe and Migi Drummond. Their first success came in the guise of the video for the 1986 single 'Misfit', which featured Andy Warhol. Further hit singles were 'Down to earth', 'Ordinary day' and 'Free', all taken from the band's debut album 'Keep your distance' (1987).

Their second album 'Getahead' (1989) was led by the upbeat funky single 'Name and number'. The single peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 24 in the Netherlands. The 'Hey, how you doin'' refrain would be borrowed by De La Soul in 1991 for their song 'Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)', which would end up being a top 10 hit in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 3685
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, April 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Name and number' / 'Keep on trying'

Onyx - Space art

I have to admit, I didn't know this track but I assumed this would be instrumental synthpop when I saw the sleeve. I was not wrong. Space Art is a French band that was formed by two friends in Paris in 1977. The group consisted of Dominique Perrier on keyboards and Roger Rizzitelli on drums. Their music was all about experimenting with new sounds on new machines.

'Onyx' was released in the summer of 1977 and reached number 22 in the Netherlands. Space Art released three albums between 1977 and 1980, which have been released as a three cd box set last year.

My collection: 7" single no. 3683

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, April 25, 2009

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Onyx' / 'Axus'

They all run after the carving knife - New Musik

The single 'Churches' featured 'They all run after the carving knife' on the B-side. On this single, that track is the A-side - but it's an edited version, clocking in at 3'19 it's more than a minute shorter than the album version. It's a great dynamic track with lots of synths, which immediately explains its attraction to me.

The track also sounds a lot like A-ha's early work, which is not so strange considering New Musik's Tony Mansfield produced them in the beginning. Worth a listen if you don't know this.

My collection: 7" single no. 2919
Found: Record fair, November 9, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'They all run after the carving knife [edit]' / 'This world of Walter'

Soley Soley - Middle of the road

Middle of the road had a top 5 hit in the UK in 1971 with 'Soley Soley'. The single did even better in the Netherlands, peaking at number 1. The single was also a huge hit in the Faroe Islands, where the name 'Sóley(ð/g)' is very popular as a girl's name and is pronounced the same way as this song's title.

I bought the single a few weeks ago already, but the sleeve proved to have the wrong disc in it. I usually check the disc, but you'll always find that the one time you forget to do it, you're a victim of a bad sale. Anyway, I found the correct sleeve ánd the correct disc this time around.

My collection: 7" single no. 3663

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Soley Soley' / 'To remind me'

To die a virgin - The Divine Comedy

'To die a virgin' was the second single to be released from The Divine Comedy's 2006 album 'Victory for the comic muse'. The track begins with a sample of Jennifer Ehle in the 1992 TV film 'The camomile lawn'. The B-side, 'Long slow suicide' was an exclusive track, released on the 7" vinyl only.

The single peaked at number 67 in the UK singles chart. The single came with a small promotional poster.

My collection: 7" single no. 3669

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009

Cost: 5 euro

Tracks: 'To die a virgin' / 'Long slow suicide'

Rasputin - Boney M

A disco song about Russian history, now there's something that hadn't been tried before! Boney M recorded and released 'Rasputin' in 1978, a song about Grigori Rasputin who alledgedly healed Tsarevich Alexei of Russia from haemophilia in the first years of the twentieth century. While 'Rasputin' accurately indicates that unfavorable rumors damaged Grigori's reputation, there is no verifiable evidence to suggest that he had an affair with Alexandra.

'Rasputin' peaked at number 8 in the Netherlands and number 2 in the UK. In the Netherlands, the B-side was 'Painter man', which was released as an A-side in the UK, peaking at number 10. The B-side of 'Rasputin' in the UK was 'Never change lovers in the middle of the night'. I bought the UK single back in 1981 and got the European pressing recently. Both B-sides are here for your enjoyment.

My collection: 7" single no. 100 / 7" single no. 3642

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1981 / Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009

Cost: 1 guilder / 0,8 euro

Tracks (1): 'Rasputin' / 'Painter man'

Tracks (2): 'Rasputin' / 'Never change lovers in the middle of the night'

Knock knock who's there - Mary Hopkin

Mary Hopkin represented the United Kingdom in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest singing 'Knock Knock, Who's There?'. Despite being the pre-contest favourite, Hopkin came second to 'All Kinds of Everything', performed by Irish singer Dana. The singer expresses a long-held optimism at the prospect of love finally finding her. At the exact point that said optimism has faded, and she has resigned herself to not finding love and companionship, she hears a 'knock knock', which signifies love finally becoming attainable for her. Excited, she beckons love to 'come inside' and into her life.

"Knock Knock, Who's There?" was released as a single on 23 March 1970, reaching number 2 again in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 3.

My collection: 7" single no. 3649
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Knock knock who's there' / 'I'm going to fall in love again'