The way to your heart - Soulsister

The Belgian duo Soulsister, consisting of Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels, released their fourth single 'The way to your heart' in 1988. What was interesting about this release, was the fact that initially the single was released at half price with only one track - the B-side being totally blank. The track owed a lot to the Sixties Motown sound.

The single reached number 7 in the Netherlands and also charted in many other European countries. After its European success, the single was released in the US in 1989 were it went to number 41 in the Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 3822
Found: La La Land, July 2, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Track: 'The way to your heart'

There's no answer to it - Ph.D.

The self-titled debut album from Ph.D. did not only include their big hit 'I won't let you down' and the unsuccessful 'Little Suzi's on the up' but also this follow-up single, 'There's no answer to it'. This third single didn't trouble the charts anyway and sunk without a trace.

My collection: 7" single no. 3815
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, July 2, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'There's no answer to it' / 'Rock 'n' Roll days'

Einstein a go-go - Landscape

Landscape was formed in 1974 by Richard James Burgess, Christopher Heaton, Andy Pask, Peter Thoms and John Walters. They began experimenting with computer programmed music and electronic drums in the late Seventies, making records in the emerging genres of electronic dance music and synthpop.

They had only two hits in the UK, both in 1981: 'Norman Bates' which reached number 40 and the number 5 hit 'Einstein a go-go'. They never managed to score a hit outside of the UK, but this single appears on many Eighties compilation cd's.

My collection: 7" single no. 3824
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, July 2, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Einstein a go-go' / 'New religion'

Poker face - Lady Gaga

I don't really keep up with the hypes of today anymore. Sad to say, I've lost touch with the charts some years ago because the amount of untalented people and angry 'niggaz' became too high for me. But sometimes a new song still reaches me when I flick through the channels on TV.

Lady Gaga was born as Stefani Germanotta on March 28, 1986, in Yonkers, New York (USA). Her debut single was 'Just dance', released in April 2008, which was a number one hit in the USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. 'Poker face' was released in September 2008, and added France, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden to the countries where it topped the charts. About the song, Lady Gaga commented: 'It's about a lot of different things. I gamble but I’ve also dated a lot of guys who are really into sex and booze and gambling, so I wanted to write a record my boyfriends would like too.'

My collection: 7" single no. 3825
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, July 2, 2009
Cost: 5,9 euro
Tracks: 'Poker face' / 'Poker face (Space Cowboy remix)'

Video - The Dutch

After The Dutch had their first hit with 'This is welfare' and the mini-album of the same name, they released a new track as a single in 1984. It was 'Video', another nicely crafted popsong. The single did not chart - and in fact I didn't know it existed until today. I didn't really keep up with the band at all, so that's not so shocking.

The nice thing about buying singles is that every once in a while you can try out something. And as in this case, sometimes you get lucky.

My collection: 7" single no. 3820
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, July 2, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Video' / 'D'Artagnan'

Down to earth - Curiosity killed the cat

In 1985, the band Curiosity Killed the Cat was signed to Phonogram records. The group began recording their first album. However, producers Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare were taken off the project after some time, and replaced by Stewart Levine. As a result, the album was delayed for nearly a year.

The first single from the album, 'Misfit', was released in July 1986, but it was not successful. They had more luck when in December of the same year 'Down to earth' was released. Not only did the single go to number 3 in the UK singles chart, it also crossed over to the European audiences. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 12.

My collection: 7" single no. 3816
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, July 2, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Down to earth' / 'Down to earth (instrumental)'

Yellow boomerang - Middle of the Road

By 1973, the band Middle of the Road had stopped having hits in the UK. Their popularity remained unchanged on the European mainland. So much so, that the 1973 single 'Yellow boomerang' made it to number 2 in the Netherlands.

More singles followed, as well as a handful of albums, but by 1976 the musical landscape had changed and Middle of the Road eventually called it a day.

My collection: 7" single no. 3817
Found: La La Land, July 2, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Yellow boomerang' / 'Eve'