Interview - Kate Bush

There isn't a lot of information about this picture disc: the disc itself gives no information other than 'Made in England' and 'Kate Bush Interview 1985', and when you listen to the interview without any factual knowledge, it could have been recorded pretty much anywhere.

In actual fact, I do know it's the soundtrack of an interview on Music Box, the European version of MTV in 1985, when Kate Bush was promoting her album 'Hounds of love'. Martin Buchanan was the lucky fella who got to speak with her, and this is a large portion of what they were talking about. And of course, it is a bootleg release.

My collection: 7" single no. 2283
Found: Record fair, March 6, 1995
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: Interview (part 1) / Interview (part 2)

What kind of fool - All about Eve

All about Eve released 'What kind of fool' as the last single from their self-titled debut album in 1988. As usual, the single was released in a variety of different formats. This 12" single was released in a limited edition and contains a version of the song that didn't appear on any other format: the Synthesis mix.

The B-side tracks were of interest as well: 'Gold and silver' was re-recorded on the band's second album 'Scarlet and other stories' (1989) and 'The garden of Jane Delawney' is a cover of a track originally recorded by the rock band Trees.

My collection: 12" single no. 128
Found: Record fair, 1992
Cost: 10 pounds
Tracks: 'What kind of fool (Synthesis)', 'Gold and silver' / 'What kind of fool (Autumn rhapsody)', 'The garden of Jane Delawney'

Tell it to my heart - Taylor Dayne

The Eighties were loud, proud and percussive, as demonstrated on this 12" single by Taylor Dayne. 'Tell it to my heart' was her breakthrough hit in 1987, and it pretty much defines how dance music sounded around that time.

Instrumental breaks, drum beats, vocals that almost tear through your bone, and all that in three versions that don't necessarily sound all that different from one another. Still, this is a fine dance track that stands the test of time pretty well.

My collection: 12" single no. 183
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Tell it to my heart (Club mix)' / 'Tell it to my heart (Percapella mix)', 'Tell it to my heart (Dub mix)'

So cold the night - Communards

The Communards released 'So cold the night' in 1986 as a track from their self-titled album from the same year. The 12" single featured a nine minute extended version of the track. It drags out a bit but it is never boring.

The B-side 'When the walls come tumbling down' was dedicated to Nelson Mandela, who at the time was still imprisoned in South Africa.

My collection: 12" single no. 373
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 1999
Cost: 2,5 guilders
Tracks: 'So cold the night (extended)' / 'When the walls come tumbling down', 'Never no more'

Here it comes again - Black

The second single from Black's 1991 self-titled album was the beautiful 'Here it comes again'. It features backing vocals from Colin Vearncombe's wife Camilla Griehsel, who used to be a singer in the Norwegian band One 2 Many.

It was the last single by Black to reach the UK singles chart, peaking at number 70 in the summer of 1991.

My collection: 7" single no. 1693
Found: London, 1991
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Here it comes again' / 'Every waking hour'

De wereld - Frank Boeijen Groep

In a way, the single 'De wereld' ('The world') was a charity singles. All the proceeds from the sales of this single were donated to the World Wildlife Fund. It wouldn't be a very big gesture, as in the end the single did not chart. All the band could give the WWF was 2500 guilders - which in itself is a nice sum, but not too shocking.

The B-side of this single was a new song, 'Holland is vrij' ('Holland is free'). It's a cynical commentary on the release of 'The two from Breda', two war criminals who were released on account of the fact that they were, according to the minister of justice, 'very old'. Boeijen sketches the image of an old woman who is still suffering from the crimes by these people every night. In a way, Holland is only a free country for those who commit crimes against humanity. It was not a pretty picture, but good enough to be re-recorded and included on the band's next album.

My collection: 7" single no. 750
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'De wereld' / 'Holland is vrij'

Afscheid van een vriend - Clouseau

The song 'Afscheid van een vriend' ('Goodbye to a friend') was released as the fifth and last single from Clouseau's 1992 album 'Doorgaan'. According to Koen Wauters from the band, the song was about a friend of him. 'He had an illness, but instead of taking it a bit easier, he was getting more and more out of hand. I imagined him dead. I imagined burying him and wrote the song about that.'

The single reached number 12 in the Belgian singles chart. After this, it became an often requested song during funerals in Belgium.

My collection: 7" single no. 2068
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, February 19, 1994
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Afscheid van een vriend' / 'Een huis vol liefde'