Don't talk to me about love - Altered Images

Another band I've seen live at the beginning of this century, was Altered Images. Actually, it was only Clare Grogan because the rest of the band didn't participate in the Here & Now tours that went around the UK arenas back then.

Of course, I already owned 'Don't talk to me about love': I bought the 7" single in 1989 and the 12" single about a decade after that. I didn't know about this picture disc, so it was a nice surprise to find this one. It was even nicer that I thought it cost 3 euros - all the other picture discs seemed to cost that much - and was charged only 1 euro.

My collection: 7" single no. 5940
Found: Come Back, Mannheim, September 13, 2018
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Don't talk to me about love' / 'Last goodbye'

Pleasure boys - Visage

The early Eighties were full of colourful pop artists, and Steve Strange was among them. I had the pleasure of seeing him live on stage at the beginning of this century when he was touring with a pack of Eighties artists, and this song was on the set. I never bought the single, because it didn't cross my path and I almost forgot about it.

But, behold: suddenly I found this great UK pressing in a German second hand store while on my way from Darmstadt where I attended a conference, to home. My short visit to Mannheim suddenly became worthwhile.

My collection: 7" single no. 5939
Found: Come Back, Mannheim, September 13, 2018
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Pleasure boys' / 'The anvil'

If faut chanter la vie - Severine

In 1973, the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Luxembourg. The previous year the contest was won by Vicky Leandros with 'Apres toi', and in 1973, Luxembourg snatched pole position once again with Anne-Marie David's 'Tu te reconnaitras'. It was proof of the dominance of French as the 'lingua franca' at the time.

1973 was an interesting year, because Israel debuted with Ilanit's 'Ey Sham' and the United Kingdom sent Cliff Richard over to sing 'Power to all our friends' - five years after he appeared at Eurovision with 'Congratulations'. Severine, the French singer who had won Eurovision in 1971 with 'Un banc, un arbre, une rue', decided to profit from the popularity of the Contest by covering the two songs on this single. 'Il faut chanter la vie' was a French version of Cliff Richard's song, and 'Autour de nous' was the French version of 'Ey Sham'. My finding this French single in a German second hand store only emphasises the international appeal of the Eurovision Song Contest.

My collection: 7" single no. 5938
Found: Come Back, Mannheim, September 13, 2018
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Il faut chanter la vie' / 'Autour de nous'

Zeroes (2018) - David Bowie

I rarely buy new singles anymore, and that's not strange when you think that most vinyl singles these days are released by new indie bands, bands that I don't know and that I often am not interested in. My interests are, as you may have noticed, centered around Eighties artists (check out the impressive section of almost 3800 Eighties singles in this blog - more than half of the 6000+ articles on this entire blog).

David Bowie keeps releasing picture disc 7" singles at an alarming rate. The 40th anniversary picture discs are lost on me because of their staggering price (10 pounds each is a little bit much for me, considering it's all old music) but this release is interesting. 'Zeroes (2018)' is a reworked track from Bowie's 'Never let me down' album. So it's old, but still new. Just like I like it, I guess.

My collection: 7" single no. 5937
Found: Amazon UK, received September 11, 2018
Cost: 10 pounds
Tracks: 'Zeroes (2018) (radio edit)' / 'Beat of your drum (2018) (radio edit)'

Who needs love like that - Erasure

'Who needs love like that' was originally Erasure's debut single in 1985. While the original 1985 release enjoyed only minor success, this later 'Hamburg mix' version (issued in 1992 to promote the 'Pop!' compilation) reached the top 10 in both the UK and Ireland.

The lyrics are a cast-off to a destructive love relationship, in which the protagonist asks "who needs love like that?" This single features both the original version of the song and the 'Hamburg mix'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5936
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, September 1, 2018
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Who needs love like that (Hamburg mix)' / 'Who needs love like that'

Everlasting love - Worlds Apart

Just like Could it be I'm falling in love, 'Everlasting love' is a cover version - originally recorded by Love Affair - and was produced by Ricky Wilde. It also sports a poster sleeve, which is always a nice incentive for me to buy a single. 'Everlasting love' was of course also covered by German singer Sandra a few years earlier.

Unusually, this 7" single also features the 12" club remix on the B-side. It was one of the signs that record companies were becoming a bit confused by their own formats.

My collection: 7" single no. 5935
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, September 1, 2018
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Everlasting love' / 'Everlasting love (The Everlasting 12" club remix)'

Hot summer girls - Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids

This past summer was hot. While we are enjoying the last few rays of sunshine, here's a sunny summer track. Recorded by Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids in 1975, 'Hot Summer Girls' was a cover version of a song written by Marty Wilde. I knew about this single but didn't buy it online because with added postage it would become a bit pricey. I was very pleased, therefore, to find this single for just one euro in a local free record fair.

Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids started out in 1969 in Boulder, Colorado (USA). They got their name from Hughey Plumley who spent most of his time in the back of a Boulder bar, The Sink, and who entertained himself by creating names for bands. The band released five albums between 1972 and 1988. 'Hot Summer Girls' appeared on their third album, 'Sons Of The Beaches'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5933
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, September 1, 2018
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hot summer girls' / 'Time will tell'