Opposites attract - Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul's single 'Opposites attract' was notable mostly for its colourful music video featuring a cartoon cat, MC Skat Kat, with which Abdul is dancing and singing. The vocals of the Kat were performed by Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn (The Wild Pair) and Derrick 'Delite' Stevens, who performed the rap in the song.

The idea of MC Skat Kat came from the Gene Kelly movie 'Anchors aweigh', in which Kelly dances with Jerry, the mouse from the Tom and Jerry cartoon series. Paula even choreographed the animated character's moves to match her live-action dance moves in the video. The single peaked at number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK it was released as a limited edition with a free pull-out poster, featuring stills from the music video.

My collection: 7" single no. 1190
Found: Record Exchange, London, August 5, 2009
Cost: 30p
Tracks: 'Opposites attract' / 'One or the other'

Girls on film - Duran Duran

Duran Duran are best remembered for their glossy Eighties videos, recorded in exotic places. But the music video for 'Girls on film' did not take the band halfway around the world: they simply used a studio somewhere in the UK. They created a video that was the dream of any teenage boy, with scantily clad women wrestling one another.

'Girls on film' was originally co-written by Andy Wickett, one of Duran Duran's previous singers before Simon Le Bon. When Wickett left the band, Duran Duran bought the song from him for £600 and made him sign a waiver removing his rights to the song. The single reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and also went top 20 in Australia, Sweden and Ireland.

My collection: 7" single no. 2749
Found: London, October 28, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Girls on film' / 'Faster than light'

Take back the city - Snow Patrol

This is the second 7" single of 'Take back the city', featuring a live version of 'Set the fire to the third bar', featuring Miriam Kaufmann on vocals. The live track was recorded at Union Chapel for Mencap Little Noise Sessions.

Although the track was met with mixed reviews, it still did reasonable in various charts. The single reached number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 36 in the Dutch Top 40. This 7" single was also a numbered limited edition; this is number 2261.

My collection: 7" single no. 3466
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received January 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Take back the city' / 'Set the fire to the third bar (live)'

Take back the city - Snow Patrol

Although the lyric of Snow Patrol's 'Take back the city' was inspired by Belfast and Northern Ireland in general, it applied to every other city and the relationship its habitants have with it. Band leader Gary Lightbody said that it's 'about the reasons why I grew up confused by my country and the reasons now why I love it so'.

The track was released as a single in 2008 on one cd-single and two different 7" singles. This is 7" single number 1, featuring a remix of 'Take back the city' on the B-side. It is a numbered limited edition; this is number 603.

My collection: 7" single no. 3467
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received January 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Take back the city' / 'Take back the city (Lillica Libertine remix)'

Missing you - John Waite

Ex-Baby's frontman John Waite launched a solo career in 1982. The 1984 hit single 'Missing you', from his second solo album 'No brakes', became a worldwide hit. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 9 on the UK singles chart.

The music video of the song is one I saw a lot back in 1984. The lyric of the song starts with 'Every time I think of you', which is actually the title of a single by the Baby's.

My collection: 7" single no. 1370
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Missing you' / 'For your love'

Don't worry - Kim Appleby

After her sister Melanie died in January 1990, the duo Mel & Kim was no more. With the aid of her boyfriend Craig Logan, Kim Appleby pressed on and launched a solo career before the year was over. 'Don't worry' was released in November 1990 and reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

In December 1990, Kim Appleby released her self-titled debut album, which contained a few songs that were intended for use by Mel & Kim and also co-written with Mel Appleby.

My collection: 7" single no. 1355
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 10, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't worry' / 'Don't worry (instrumental)'

Cloud 8 - Frazier Chorus

Paul Oakenfold was born on August 30, 1963 in Greenhithe, Kent (UK). His music career started in the late Seventies, when he started playing soul music in a Covent Garden wine bar. In 1985 he celebrated his birthday by going to Ibiza for a week. It was during this time that Oakenfold demonstrated the trance sound that he would later become known for. By the end of the Eighties, Oakenfold had started Perfecto Records and had gotten into remixing tracks for Massive Attack and the Happy Mondays.

Frazier Chorus were also remixed by Oakenfold. This 12" single features two remixes of 'Cloud 8', a hit for the band in the summer of 1990. Personally, I prefer the 'Future mix' to the 'Raid mix'.

My collection: 12" single no. 289
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1996
Cost: 30p
Tracks: 'Cloud 8 (Raid mix)' / 'Cloud 8 (Future mix)'