The planet doesn't mind - New Musik

You know a single is rare when it is offered on eBay for enormous amounts of money. It is even more rare when it isn't offered on eBay at all. Ever since I knew about the existance of New Musik's single 'The planet doesn't mind' (which really isn't that long ago) I have been searching for this single to no avail. A copy recently popped up on discogs.com, offered on sale for the amount of 20 euros.

How lucky I was to find this copy of the single for one tenth of that amount. It means that I am very close to completing my collection of New Musik singles. The only one I am looking for now is the title track of their third album, 'Warp'. For a reasonable price, of course. After all, all these singles flopped.

My collection: 7" single no. 4151
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'The planet doesn't mind' / '24 hours from culture (part 2)'

I wanna dance - Novi Fosili

Novi Fosili (English: The new fossils) was a Croatian pop band, one of the most popular music acts in former Yugoslavia. They formed in Zagreb in 1969. They found success when composer Rajko Dujmić joined the band in 1976. That same year the band played at the Split Festival, where their song 'Diridonda' became a hit throughout the country. Their next several albums sold millions of copies and delivered many hits that are still aired on radios in Croatia today. The first female singer was Đurđica Barlović, in 1984 replaced by Sanja Doležal. The group's male vocalists were Vladimir Kočiš Zec and Rajko Dujmić.

In 1987 the band represented Yugoslavia at the Eurovision Song Contest. With their song 'Ja sam za ples' they reached fourth place. The single was released all over Europe, but this didn't bring them international success. The band disbanded when the former Yugoslavia fell apart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4150
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'I wanna dance' / 'Ja sam za ples'

Cygnus - Nova

The synthesizer wizards of Nova recorded two albums, but they will always be remembered for their debut single 'Aurora'. It's as if they never recorded anything else! But they did.

'Cygnus' was the first single from their second album 'Quo vadis', released in 1983. The single did not make a dent in the charts, although it didn't sound very different from the material on their first album. But perhaps that was the problem...

My collection: 7" single no. 4149
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Cygnus' / 'Jig'

Starchild - Level 42

'Starchild' was written by Wally Badarou, Mark King and Phil Gould. It was released in 1981 as a track on Level 42's debut studio album. It was subsequently released as a single.

The single peaked at number 57 on the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4148
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Starchild' / 'Foundation and empire part 1'

Megamix - Imagination

In 1989, Imagination released a compilation album entitled 'Like it is: revised and remixed classics'. To promote the album, this Megamix was released. The single did not chart in any territory.

I don't know many megamixes that were chart hits. Perhaps it's because, as this single demonstrates quite effectively, a megamix makes the entire catalogue of an artist sound like they've only made one song: everything blends together too much. Still, it is amusing to hear four Imagination tracks within five minutes.

My collection: 7" single no. 4147
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Megamix' / 'Burning up'

Young 'n' Russian - Korgis

'Young 'n' Russian' was the debut single of the Korgis, back in 1979. The label Rialto records, on which it was released, was owned by their managers Nick and Tim Heath.

The single did not chart, but it would appear on their self-titled debut album, released a few months later.

My collection: 7" single no. 4146
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Young 'n' Russian' / 'Cold tea'

Burning questions - Korgis

Things got rather confusing circa 1985. While James Warren recorded a solo album entitled 'Burning questions' in 1986, singles from this album were released under the band name 'The Korgis'. The title track was already released in 1985 as 'Burning questions' by the Korgis. The single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4145
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Burning questions' / 'Waiting for Godot'