Crashed into love - Spandau Ballet

Spandau Ballet's career seemingly came to an end in 1990 with the release of 'Crashed into love', the fourth and final single from their 1989 album 'Heart like a sky'. The previous single 'Empty spaces' had stalled at number 94 in the UK singles chart and this one did no better, as it only reached number 96.

After this, Spandau Ballet, from whom Gary Kemp was already feeling estranged, split up. Tony Hadley, Steve Norman and John Keeble launched a failed court case against Gary Kemp for a share of his song-writing royalties. Although initially vowing to appeal the verdict, they later decided against this. They subsequently toured as a trio, but as they had to sell their shares in Spandau Ballet's company to Gary Kemp to pay off legal debts, and that company owned the rights to the name of Spandau Ballet, they had to tour under the moniker of 'Hadley, Norman and Keeble, ex-Spandau Ballet'. In 2009, the band surprisingly reformed completely.

My collection: 7" single no. 1202
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 6, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Crashed into love' / 'How many lies (live)'

Invisible sun - The Police

'Invisible sun' was written by Sting about the tensions in Northern Ireland. The song is a departure from Police songs before it; it contains a dark, looping synthesizer beat, and powerful, haunting lyrics. Among other things, the lyrics refer to the ArmaLite rifle used by paramilitary organizations, but mainly by the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

It was the first single taken from the 1982 Police album 'Ghost in the machine' and it reached number 2 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 458
Found: Oldies Unlimited, received 1986
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Invisible sun' / 'Shambelle'

The lover in me - Sheena Easton

Under the wings of Prince, Sheena Easton reinvented herself as a sex bomb in the mid-Eighties. This image proved to be successful mostly in the United States, but sometimes her singles would have some chart success in Europe as well.

'The lover in me' was released in 1988 as the first single from Easton's album of the same name. Produced by LA & Babyface, it was one of her biggest hits in the USA and her first top 20 hit in the UK after eight years, peaking at number 15. In the Dutch Top 40, the single peaked at number 12.

My collection: 7" single no. 775
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 23, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'The lover in me' / 'The lover in me (instrumental)'

Anne - Clouseau

The Belgian group Clouseau participated in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Geef het op', but they also tried to get on the international Eurovision stage in 1989. Their song 'Anne' was one of the candidates at the 1989 national final in Belgium, but lost in the end to Ingeborg's 'Door de wind'.

In Belgium, the single 'Anne' still managed to become a big hit. The group found themselves in a wave of popularity that would last for at least three years.

'Anne' was re-released in 1990 in a limited edition with a different B-side. I had the re-release first, but when I came across a copy of the original release I couldn't resist buying that one as well. The B-side of that one is a great acapella track.

My collection: 7" single no. 1532 / no. 2845
Found: Bruxelles, October 11, 1991 / Record fair, April 5, 1997
Cost: 100 Belgian Francs / 2 guilders
Tracks (no. 1532): 'Anne' / 'Mary-Lou'
Tracks (no. 2845): 'Anne' / 'Killertip (ze zit)'

Little 15 - Depeche Mode

'Little 15' barely made it onto the album 'Music for the masses' and was never intended to become a single. However, the French record label insisted they release it, and so it still happened. Copies of the single did make it to the UK on import, however, giving the band a minor chart placing, as it peaked at number 60. In Germany, the single was a bigger hit, peaking at number 16, in Austria it reached number 25 and in Switzerland it peaked at number 18.

The B-side is a beautiful instrumental performed by Alan Wilder entitled 'Stjärna' (mislabelled 'Stjarna'), which is Swedish for 'star', written by Martin Gore.

My collection: 7" single no. 642
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 23, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Little 15' / 'Stjarna'

Un canto a Galicia - Julio Iglesias

Julio Iglesias was well known in his native Spain, but even his 1970 Eurovision entry 'Gwendolyn' didn't make him the international star he would become later on.

His first international success was the single 'Un canto a Galicia', released in the summer of 1972. That single sold 1 million copies in Germany and reached number 1 in the Dutch Top 40. It was the start of an international career that would last well into the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 4628
Found: Markt, Rotterdam, March 9, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Un canto a Galicia' / 'Como el alamo al camino'

Du - Peter Maffay

Peter Maffay was born on August 30, 1949 in the Romanian town of Brasov as Peter Alexander Makkay. He was the son of a German mother and Hungarian father. In 1963, he joined his first band, The Dukes. After completing his education and working for Chemigraphics, an art manufacturer, Maffay worked in clubs, where he distributed his music.

Peter Maffay's solo career started with the publication of his first single, 'Du' ('You'). It was the biggest German hit in 1970 and brought Maffay instant fame.The single also charted outside of Germany: in the Netherlands, the single was a number 1 hit for five weeks in March 1971.

My collection: 7" single no. 4627
Found: Markt, Rotterdam, March 9, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Du' / 'Jeder Junge braucht ein Mädchen'