Showing posts with label Altered Images. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Altered Images. Show all posts

Sunday 15 January 2023

Bring me closer - Altered Images

Last year saw a re-emergence of Altered Images, with Clare Grogan recording a whole new album. Alas, no vinyl singles were released, and so we're left with the old singles instead. I have all of them, but I recently found out about three picture discs. One is the picture disc of 'Don't talk to me about love', which I bought a little over four years ago, and here is another one: 'Bring me closer'. It really is the weakest track of the three, because as I wrote back in 2009, this single doesn't seem to go anywhere for some reason. 

I only have to buy the picture disc edition of 'I could be happy' to complete the set, and I am sure I will do that pretty soon. But visually, this one is without a doubt the most beautiful one of the three. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6843
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 January 2023
Tracks: 'Bring me closer' / 'Surprise me'

Sunday 30 September 2018

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'

Saturday 28 April 2012

Change of heart - Altered Images

The last single to be released by Altered Images was 'Change of heart', taken from their third album 'Bite'. Although that album reached the UK album top 20, it sold less than the two previous albums. Following a concert tour, the band decided to break up.

Clare Grogan and Steve Lironi formed Universal Love School, performing live together but never releasing any recordings. Eventually they got married and lived happily ever after!

My collection: 7" single no. 5306
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Change of heart' / 'Another lost look'

Sunday 7 February 2010

Don't talk to me about love - Altered Images

This 12" single of Altered Images's most successful single 'Don't talk to me about love' contains an impressive 8 minute 30 seconds version of the track. And I say 'most successful', as it was the only single by the UK band to have almost made it into the Dutch Top 40.

'Don't talk to me about love' is included on a lot of Eighties compilation albums, but this extended version remains a rarity.

My collection: 12" single no. 526
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Don't talk to me about love (extended version)' / 'Last goodbye'

Thursday 28 January 2010

Song sung blue - Altered Images

If this song sounds familiar to you, then most probably you're reminded of the original version of 'Song sung blue' by Neil Diamond, recorded in 1972. It was a number 1 hit in the USA, also reaching number 14 in the UK singles chart.

Altered Images recorded this cover version on their album 'Pinky blue' in 1982. With the peculiar but charming voice of Clare Grogan and the very Eighties treatment of the track, it was given a new lease of life. Although the single did not chart in any territory...

My collection: 7" single no. 4462
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received January 28, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Song sung blue' / 'See you later'

Friday 25 September 2009

A day's wait - Altered Images

After being championed by legendary DJ John Peel, Altered Images quickly garnered enough attention to be offered a record deal with Epic Records in 1981. Mainstream success eluded the band until their third single 'Happy birthday' was released.

'Dead pop stars', their debut single, reached a lowly number 67 in the UK singles chart, but this second single 'A day's wait' did not chart at all. It was after this single that Altered Images recorded their debut album.

My collection: 7" single no. 4070
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A day's wait' / 'Who cares?'

Monday 25 May 2009

Pinky blue - Altered Images

Taken from Altered Images' second album of the same name, 'Pinky blue' was the first single not to hit the top 10 after a hattrick of three singles that did. Released in May 1982, the track was not so different from previous Altered Images singles - but that may have been the problem of course.

The girlish voice of Clare Grogan never fails to make me feel optimistic and happy again. I'm just sorry that I missed her on the Here and Now tour this month, but I couldn't get to the UK this time around. Hopefully she'll appear live one more time not too far from now.

My collection: 7" single no. 3748
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Pinky blue' / 'Think that it might (dance mix)'

Saturday 9 May 2009

Don't talk to me about love - Altered Images

For twenty years, this was the only song by Altered Images I knew. It landed in the Dutch 'bubbling under' chart in June 1983, but failed to make the Top 40. I thought it was an interesting track, with Clare Grogan's peculiar voice as one of its standout traits.

In the UK, 'Don't talk to me about love' peaked at number 7, making it one of their best known tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 1092
Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't talk to me about love' / 'Last goodbye'

Sunday 19 April 2009

Love to stay - Altered Images

'Love to stay' was the third single from Altered Images' 1983 album 'Bite' and also their penultimate single. It was their first single since 1981's 'A day's wait' that didn't reach the UK top 40, halting at number 46. It is one of their more polished-sounding singles, thanks to Mike Chapman, who produced the track.

It has become my wish to collect all of Altered Images' singles. Six down, only four to go now...

My collection: 7" single no. 3659
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Love to stay' / 'Another lost look (recorded live)'

Monday 9 February 2009

Happy Birthday - Altered Images

'Happy Birthday' was Altered Images' biggest hit, reaching number 2 in the UK singles chart in the autumn of 1981. It was the third single taken from the album of the same name. 'Happy Birthday' was later included in the soundtrack to the John Hughes movie 'Sixteen Candles' (1984).

I bought this single as one of three Altered Images singles in December 2002, while I was following the Here and Now Tour in the UK. This was one of the tracks performed live by Clare Grogan, and one of those instantly hummable tunes you either love or loathe. In my case, I loved it.

My collection: 7" single no. 3370
Found: Record Exchange, December 2002
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Happy Birthday' / 'So we go whispering'
Download: here

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Bring me closer - Altered Images

During the Here and Now Tour 2002 I saw Altered Images, or rather Clare Grogan, live in concert and immediately liked the songs she was performing. So I went to the nearest record shop in London and found 'I could be happy' and this single. I didn't know this song - she hadn't performed it - but the sleeve looked interesting enough and so I decided to buy it anyway.

It's one of those instances where you are a little too impulsive. 'Bring me closer' is a rather directionless song, and really doesn't end up anywhere. The same goes for the B-side. Clare Grogan's typical voice sounds a bit weird in these tracks. So not one of my most prized possessions this single. But it is a nice sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3369
Found: Record Exchange, London, December 2002
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Bring me closer' / 'Surprise me'
Download: here

Sunday 25 January 2009

I could be happy - Altered Images

Altered Images released their second album 'Pinky blue' after a successful headlining tour, in 1982. The album provided them with two top 20 hits in the UK: 'See those eyes' and 'I could be happy'. Since the band were going down a pop path, many critics who supported them before started to turn sour.

'I could be happy' is an infectious song, and for me it's one of Altered Images's standout tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 3368
Found: Record Exchange, London, December 2002
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'I could be happy' / 'Insects'

Tuesday 18 November 2008

See those eyes - Altered Images

I was very late discovering Altered Images. I did buy 'Don't talk to me about love' somewhere in the eighties, but I never realised they did much more than that until singer Clare Grogan joined the 2002 Here & Now Tour, and I got to hear a selection of their tracks live.
'See those eyes' was one of them. So naturally, when the chance presented itself, I snapped up the single. That happened in 2004.
It's always good to discover music, even if it's years too late...

My collection: 7" single no. 3400
Found: Den Haag, 2004
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'See those eyes' / 'How about that then (I've missed my train)'
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