Wishing you were here - Alison Moyet

Following a period of personal and career evaluation, Alison Moyet released her third solo album 'Hoodoo' in 1991. The album was a firm step away from the glossy pop songs on the previous two albums and sounded a lot more mature and personal.

Hoodoo received little label support and only minimal promotion. The album sold respectably in Britain, but the singles fared less well. The second single from the album was 'Wishing you were here'. It only reached number 72 during its one week residence in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1448
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 15, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Wishing you were here' / 'Back where I belong'

The lovecats - The Cure

'The lovecats' was released by the Cure in 1983. It was the band's first Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 7. Originally a non-album single, it later appeared on the compilation album 'Japanese whispers'.

The single was accompanied by another Tim Pope directed music video featuring lots of cats, both living and stuffed ones.

My collection: 7" single no. 2867
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'The lovecats' / 'Speak my language'

The universal song - Kim Carnes

Kim Carnes released her sixth album 'Café Racers' in 1983. While internationally the first single from that album was 'Invisible hands', the Netherlands saw the release of 'The universal song', an uncharacteristically slow song from the American pop singer.

The single peaked at number 29 in the Dutch Top 40 in February 1984. I recorded the song from the radio and found the single a couple of years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 831
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 20, 1989
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'The universal song' / 'Invisible hands'

Love in our hearts - Peter Brown

Peter Brown was born on July 11, 1953 on Blue Island, Illinois. His only hit in the Netherlands was 1980's 'Love in our hearts', taken from the album 'Stargazer'. The single reached number 21. Between 1977 and 1984 Peter Brown released four album, after which he retired from the music business as a performer.

He had his biggest worldwide success when Madonna recorded his song 'Material girl' in 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 1945
Found: Plaatboef, Leiden, August 20, 1993
Cost: 25 cents
Tracks: 'Love in our hearts' / 'Penguin'

Codo - Tauchen Prokopetz

The band Deutsch-Österreichisches Feingefühl consisted of Joesi Prokopetz, Manfred O. Tauchen, Annette Humpe and Inga Humpe. They were alternatively known as Tauchen - Prokopetz, which is the name used on the label of the single 'Codo', which was released in 1983. This single sold more than one million copies in Europe, and gave the band a number one hit in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The band was rather short-lived: after the album 'DÖF', released in 1983, a second album 'Tag und Nacht' was released in 1985, but Manfred Tauchen was the only original member on this album.

My collection: 7" single no. 207
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Codo' / 'Rein gar nix'

Sometimes - Erasure

Although I always thought this was Erasure's debut single, it is actually their fourth release. It was their first top 10 hit in the UK, reaching number 2, and their first hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 3. The song became a huge international hit

Written by band members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, 'Sometimes' typifies Erasure's signature sound — an uptempo, dance-oriented pop tune accentuated by Clarke's analogue synthesizers and Bell's soulful vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 1961
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 25, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Sometimes' / 'Sexuality'

I'm lucky - Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading released her seventh studio album 'Walk under ladders' in 1981. From the album came this single, 'I'm lucky'. The track was made with the help of Thomas Dolby on synthesizer. The single reached number 46 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2564
Found: November 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I'm lucky' / 'Shine'