She's a river - Simple Minds

By 1995, the Simple Minds had become 'the former super group'. The line-up had diminished to Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, using session musicians for their tenth album 'Good news from the next world'. The album was reviewed positively in the USA, but in the UK, critics panned the album.

The single 'She's a river' preceded the release of the album, and was released in a limited edition of 7000 copies on 7". (I have number 1544.) The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2233
Found: Record fair, January 21, 1995
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'She's a river' / 'E55'

Out of my system - Feargal Sharkey

Feargal Sharkey's solo career took off with a bang in 1985, with his self-titled debut album and the associated hit singles 'A good heart' and 'You little thief'. When his second album 'Wish' was released in 1988, much of his fans had moved on and new audiences were not attracted. The album was considered a flop, just like the singles that were released from it.

'Out of my system' was one of these singles. It didn't reach the chart in any territory. I bought it after a long time of seeing it in the shop were I came regularly.

My collection: 7" single no. 2078
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 26, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Out of my system' / 'A touch of blue'

Rhythm nation - Janet Jackson

'Rhythm nation' was the second single from Janet Jackson's 1989 album 'Rhythm nation 1814'. The song preached racial unity and harmony among nations, 'looking for a better way of life' and a way to stop 'social injustice'. The song contains a sample from Sly & the Family Stone's 1969 song 'Thank you (Falettinme be mice elf agin)'. The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 11 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 23 in the UK singles chart.

I actually own two different copies of this single: the German pressing, which contains an instrumental version of 'Rhythm nation' on the B-side, and a limited edition UK pressing with a gatefold sleeve and a remix of 'Rhythm nation' on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 1164 / no. 2505
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 27, 1990 / House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 6 guilders / 1 pound
Tracks: 'Rhythm nation' / 'Rhythm nation (instrumental' or 'Rhythm nation (CHR remix)'

Enter Sandman - Metallica

Hindsight is bliss. If I'd known that Metallica would be so vehemently against a service like Napster later on in their career, I would never have bought any of their records. But I did, and so now I'm stuck with them.

'Enter Sandman' was the first single from Metallica's black album, released in 1991. It was their most commercial album up until them, bringing the hardrock band into the mainstream for the first time. The single reached number 1 in Canada and Norway, but also reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1514
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, September 7, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Enter Sandman' / 'Stone cold crazy'

Neverending story - Limahl

'Neverending story' was composed by Giorgio and Keith Forsey for the German movie of the same name. Limahl, formerly from the popular band Kajagoogoo, was asked to sing the song. In the end, it didn't feature in the movie at all, but it did appear on the soundtrack album. As a reference to the film and its title, the song has no distinctive beginning, nor an end. While many songs fade out, this track not only fades out, but also fades in, thus making it 'never ending'.

The single peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 34 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1979
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 17, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Neverending story' / 'The ivory tower'

Unfinished sympathy - Massive

The group Massive Attack was only just becoming better known with their first hit single 'Unfinished sympathy', when the Gulf War started and anything slightly offensive was censored by the powers that be. So 'Attack' was dropped from the band's name for a while. (After all, as long as we're waging wars, we shouldn't really talk about it, should we?)

'Unfinished sympathy' featured vocals by Shara Nelson and is usually named as one of the first tracks to bring the 'triphop' genre to the mainstream. The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1428
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 13, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Unfinished sympathy' / 'Unfinished sympathy (Nellee Hooper 7" mix)'

Losing my religion - R.E.M.

'Losing my religion' was essentially the breakthrough single for the American alternative rock band R.E.M. The song was originally composed by guitarist Peter Buck on a mandolin which he had just bought. The title of the song refers to an expression from the southern region of the USA that means losing one's temper or civility, or 'being at the end of one's rope'.

The single was released in early 1991 as the first single from R.E.M.'s 1991 album 'Out of time'. It reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40, the only country where the single topped the chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1401
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 16, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Losing my religion' / 'Rotary eleven'