In 1992, Gloria Estefan released the album 'Greatest hits' to try and make some money with her past successes. Her enormous popularity of the late Eighties was fading a bit, and although her fans were still very much in awe of her, the rest of the world seemed to lose interest. 'Always tomorrow' was a new track included on the album and released as its first single. The song was about starting over in the wake of tragedy or disaster.
The royalties of the single were donated by Estefan to victims of Hurricane Andrew, which ruined much of Miami, Florida in August 1992.
My collection: 7" single no. 5093 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, April 19, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Always tomorrow' / 'Words get in the way (live)'
Dina Carroll was born as Geraldine Carroll on August 21, 1968 in Newmarket, Suffolk (UK). She started singing at age of five, primarily at home with her sister. Despite the lack of formal vocal coaching, in 1981, at the age of thirteen, she won a local Cambridgeshire talent competition, with her rendition of Barbra Streisand's 'Woman in Love'. After leaving school, she worked in various jobs, including a one-day stint as a chambermaid in a Cambridge hotel in 1985.
In 1989, Carroll secured a recording contract with Jive/Zomba and released a number of singles in 1989 and 1990. After a short time at Jive/Zomba, Carroll was spotted by Dennis Ingoldsby, one half of First Avenue Management, a small and newly founded management group. She was signed to A & M Records by managing director Howard Berman. Carroll's first solo single (produced and co-written by Nigel Lowis) 'Ain't no man' was released in June 1992, reaching number 16 in the UK singles chart. Carroll and Lowis worked on future singles together, one of which being the top 20 hit 'So close', which was released in December 1992; coincidentally the title of her debut album. Carroll was approached by Robert Clivillés and David Cole of C&C Music Factory who invited her to New York to become the first British artist to work with them. Carroll interrupted the writing and recording of her album to record 'Special kind of love', which also reached number 16 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5092 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, April 19, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Special kind of love' / 'If I knew you then'
The Maisonettes were an English band formed by Lol Mason and Mark Tibenham. Their debut single, 'Heartache avenue', reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in 1983. It was also a big hit in the rest of Europe - I heard the song so often back in 1983 that it really bored me in the end.
I finally bought this single now because it was so cheap and because the feeling of boredom has finally worn off after almost two decades. And now it turns out the B-side of the single, 'The last one to know', is actually quite brilliant.
My collection: 7" single no. 5091 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, April 19, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Heartache avenue' / 'The last one to know'
The Adventures debuted in 1984 with the album 'Theodore and friends' which has recently been released on cd by Cherry Red records (Buy it here). The fourth and final single taken from that album was released after the relative success of 'Send my heart' and 'Feel the raindrops'.
Unfortunately, this single stalled at number 96 and this meant that the album didn't get the much needed promotional push. Fortunately, the band's second album, released in 1988, would do much better.
My collection: 7" single no. 5090 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Two rivers' / 'Love in chains (live)'
In 1986 the band Flip had a minor hit with 'That's what they say about love'. They were signed to Arista two years before, and - this I didn't know - released two singles as Touch before they changed their name to Flip.
This single was the second one: the very same recording of 'That's what they say about love' that would become a hit in 1986. This limited edition double pack includes their debut single 'Plague of hearts' as well. The fun thing about this double pack is that aside from 'That's what they say about love', the other tracks are different from the ones that would end up on Flip's debut album.
My collection: 7" single no. 5089 Found: Record fair, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'That's what they say about love' / 'Nothing really matters' // 'Plague of hearts' / 'Plague of hearts (the imagination) (instrumental)'
Guesch Patti had a number 1 hit in France with her single 'Etienne' (1987). Despite the French language, which can be quite difficult for non-francophones, the song had a strong enough melody to also give her a top 10 hit in Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
The single was subsequently also released in the UK. This version of the single included an exclusive English-language version of the track. Despite this, the single failed to chart in the UK.
My collection: 7" single no. 5087 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Etienne' / 'Un espoir', 'Etienne (English version)'
'Takin' a chance on you' was the second single from Dollar's second album 'The Paris collection'. Contrary to its predecessor 'The girls are out to get ya' and the follow-up 'You take my breath away', this single did make the UK singles chart, but only reached number 62.
This copy is a limited edition picture disc.
My collection: 7" single no. 5086 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Takin' a chance on you' / 'No mans land'
In 1992, Gloria Estefan released the album 'Greatest hits' to try and make some money with her past successes. Her enormous popularity of the late Eighties was fading a bit, and although her fans were still very much in awe of her, the rest of the world seemed to lose interest. 'Always tomorrow' was a new track included on the album and released as its first single. The song was about starting over in the wake of tragedy or disaster.
