Digging your scene - Blow Monkeys

Fronted by lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and piano player Dr. Robert (born Bruce Robert Howard, 2 May 1961, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland), the Blow Monkeys formed in 1981. The other members were Mick Anker, Neville Henry and Tony Kiley. They released their debut album 'Limping for a generation' in 1984.

It was 1986's 'Animal magic', their second album, that carried their first hit, 'Digging your scene'. The lyric of the song dealt with the AIDS-fuelled backlash against gays. Robert commented: 'There was a little bit of hysteria about AIDS, I think, in the early days here in the tabloids. People were using it in order to slag off the gay scene and the gay culture. And what I wanted to do was redress the balance in my own way.' The single reached number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 37 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 405
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Digging your scene' / 'I backed a winner (in you)'

Kiss that frog - Peter Gabriel

'Kiss that frog' was the fourth single taken from Peter Gabriel's 1992 album 'Us'. Produced by Peter Gabriel and Daniel Lanois, the track was a bit of a messy affair, reminiscent of earlier singles by Gabriel, but not quite as effective.

The single only managed to reach number 46, and as a result, no further singles were taken from the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 2039
Found: HMV, London, October 22, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Kiss that frog (edit)' / 'Kiss that frog (Mindblender mix - edit)'

Ray of light - Madonna

'Ray of light' was the second single taken from Madonna's 1998 album of the same name. The track was based on Curtiss Maldoon's 'Sepheryn', although that track has a different melody and instrumentation. The track is full of weird high-pitched sounds, courtesy of producer William Orbit.

Madonna reached her creative peak with the album 'Ray of light', and the title track is an energetic, uplifting piece. The single reached number 17 in the Dutch Top 40, number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 3022
Found: Record fair, September 8, 1998
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Ray of light' / 'Has to be'

Love on your side - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins found themselves functioning as a trio as of 1982. The single 'In the name of love' had become a hit, and Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway wanted to pursue the single's different sound. They toyed with the idea of starting a new band on the side, which they planned to call 'The Bermuda Triangle'. John Hade, their manager, convinced them to downsize their original band, Thompson Twins.

Their first hit as a trio was 'Love on your side', a track that even quoted 'In the name of love' for a few seconds. The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart (their first top 10 hit in the UK) and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. This limited edition double single features the earlier single 'In the name of love' as disc 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 2314
Found: June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love on your side' / 'Love on your back' // 'In the name of love' / 'In the beginning'

Orangefield - Van Morrison

'Orangefield' was the second single drawn from Van Morrison's 1989 album 'Avalon Sunset'. The song is named after the school for boys which Morrison attended during his youth in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The single did not chart, despite the staggering beauty of the music in this track. Perhaps more people felt, like me, that the voice demolished the song a bit.

My collection: 7" single no. 1148
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 19, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Orangefield' / 'These are the days'

Angel eyes - Roxy Music

'Angel eyes' was the third single taken from Roxy Music's album 'Manifesto' (1979). It was a re-recorded version of the album track. An extended dance mix was also released on the accompanying 12" single, a relatively new format at the time. The song was in the charts at the same time as another song called 'Angeleyes', by the Swedish group Abba.

Roxy Music's 'Angel eyes' peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 515
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Angel eyes' / 'My little girl'

Baby baby - Amy Grant

Amy Grant was moving firmly into pop territory with her 1991 album 'Heart in motion'. 'Baby baby' was the first single drawn from the album and it was the biggest hit of her career. Not only did it top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, it also reached number 2 in the UK singles chart (her first and biggest hit in the UK) and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 (her only hit in the Netherlands).

I didn't like the track upon its release, but in 1995 I got an Amy Grant tape from a friend in America and since then I was hooked.

My collection: 7" single no. 2237
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, January 21, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Baby baby' / 'Lead me on'