After a few disappointing singles, T'pau returned to form with 'Only the lonely', one of the standout tracks on their second album 'Rage'. For the single release, the track was remixed, which gave it a more powerful sound.The work was rewarded, since it peaked at number 28 in the UK singles chart in early 1989.
I bought a limited edition version of the single, which featured a gatefold sleeve and a booklet, which featured photographs of the band and individual members.
My collection: 7" single no. 992
Found: Record Exchange, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Only the lonely (Guitar remix)' / 'Between the lines'
Sandra Ann Lauer was born on May 18, 1962. In 1975 she visited a talent show. She was not actually taking part in it, but sitting in the audience. While the jury was counting the votes for the performers of that night, Sandra walked onto the stage, persuaded the DJ to put on the German cover version of a song from Olivia Newton-John, grabbed the microphone and started singing. Aided by newfound recognition, she released a debut single 'Andy Mein Freund'. This single flopped.
In 1979 Sandra joined the girl group Arabesque, which was successful for a couple of years. After nine albums and the end of the disco era the group broke up. In the mean time, Sandra had met musician Michael Cretu. They became romantically involved and started living together and working together in Cretu's self-built studio. Their first single together was 'Japan ist weit' (1984), a German cover of the Alphaville song 'Big in Japan', which flopped. Their second single was more successful: '(I'll never be) Maria Magdalena' was a hit in 21 countries, including a number one hit in the Netherlands, Germany and several other European countries. It launched Sandra's career, which is still going today.
My collection: 7" single no. 1858 Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 30, 1993 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: '(I'll never be) Maria Magdalena' / 'Party games (instrumental)'
Sold separately in a second hand shop in London, this single is actually part of a six disc collection called 'Six Pack'. This pack, which came in a pvc folder containing the first five hit singles by the Police ('Roxanne', 'Can't stand losing you', 'So lonely', 'Message in a bottle' and 'Walking on the moon') plus this single.
'The bed's too big without you' appeared on the second album by the Police, 'Reggatta de Blanc' (1979). This single included a previously unreleased mono version and a live track, pressed on blue vinyl.
My collection: 7" single no. 2188
Found: Record Exchange, London, September 29, 1994
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'The bed's too big without you (mono version)' / 'Truth hits everybody (live in Boston)'
After having been in Propaganda until 1986, and then in Act with Thomas Leer circa 1988, Claudia Brücken recorded a solo album, which was released as 'Love and a million other things' in 1991. Two singles were released from this album, of which 'Absolut(e)' was the first. Despite favourable reviews, the single did not reach the UK top 40.
It was released as a limited edition in a box set, including three postcards.
Céline Carzo represented Luxembourg during the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest. It was one of the most dynamic songs Luxembourg had ever contributed to the Contest. After it finished 13th in a field of 22 competitors, I lost hope that this song would be released in the Netherlands. All I could do was search for the single that was released in Luxembourg and/or France. Someone I knew actually bought a copy in France, but he also told me it was very rare.
Indeed, it took me seven years to find this single. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the single version lasted for 4 minutes, 1 minute longer than the maximum performance time during the Contest.
The band King formed in 1983 in Coventry. The band consisted of lead singer Paul King, Mick Roberts, Anthony Wall and Jim Lantsbery. Their debut album 'Steps in time' was released in 1984, along with the band's debut single 'Love & pride'. In May 1984, this single only reached number 84 in the UK singles chart, but after extensive promotion the single was re-released and made number 2 in early 1985.
This limited edition release features a colour poster. It was the main reason for buying the single at the time, because I didn't really need to hear this track anymore. Now I'm glad to have it.
My collection: 7" single no. 3084 Found: Record Exchange, London, May 10, 1999 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Love & pride' / 'Don't stop'
The Australian new wave rock band Mi-sex was founded in 1978. The band centered around Steve Gilpin (vocals), Murray Burns (keyboards) and Kevin Stanton (guitar). In August of that year, they were signed to CBS Records. Their debut album 'Graffiti crimes' included their biggest hit 'Computer games'. This single went to number 1 in Australia and was a top 5 hit in New Zealand.
The single was also released in the Netherlands - which is how I heard it - but failed to chart.
The first version of 'Opportunities' was recorded already in 1983, produced by Bobby Orlando. However, this version wasn't released. When the Pet Shop Boys signed to Parlophone records in 1985, they re-recorded the song with J.J. Jeczalik (from Art of Noise) and Nicholas Froome producing.
This single charted lowly at number 116 in the UK. Their second single on Parlophone would be 'West End Girls' in a new version. This would become what many people thought to be their debut single - and a worldwide hit.
My collection: 7" single no. 2642
Found: Record fair, May 12, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)' / 'In the night'
Opus III consisted of vocalist Kelly Hawkshaw and producers Kevin Dodds, Ian Munro and Niger Walton. 'It's a fine day', their debut single in 1992, was a cover of a 1983 single by Jane & Barton. Their debut album 'Mind fruit' was an uplifting dance album, with a strong environmental message in the lyrics and album liner notes.
This single peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart and was also a minor hit in the Netherlands.
Much has been said about Abba's later years, when both couples had divorced and their music took on an increasingly serious tone. It's easy to forget that it all started out as great fun. 'Take a chance on me' is one of those upbeat tracks. The song's origins sprang from Ulvaeus, whose hobby was running. While running, he would sing a "tck-a-ch"-style rhythm to himself over and over again, which then evolved into "take-a-chance" and the eventual lyrics.
'Take a chance on me' was a number one hit in Austria, Belgium, Ireland and the UK, and peaked at number 2 in the Netherlands. The song was covered by Erasure on their 'Abba-esque' EP (1992).
My collection: 7" single no. 2117
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, June 11, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Take a chance on me' / 'I'm a marionette'
The The was founded by Matt Johnson in the late Seventies, together with Keith Laws and Peter Fenton-Jones. The latter dropped out within a year, and Peter Ashworth and Tom Johnston were added to the band. They recorded and released the debut single 'Controversial subject'. After this, Johnston and Ashworth dropped out of the band. As a duo (Johnson and Laws), The The began playing shows with some of that era's most influential groups: Wire, Cabaret Voltaire and Scritti Politti amongst others. In 1981, Johnson issued a solo album on 4AD called 'Burning Blue Soul'; years later, it would be re-issued and credited to The The. In September 1981, the duo signed a contract with Some Bizzare Records, and released the 7" single 'Cold Spell Ahead'. Shortly thereafter, Laws left and the only remaining member of The The was Johnson.
'Cold spell ahead' was re-released in 1992. This re-release is in my collection - the original release it probably very expensive and hard to get.
My collection: 7" single no. 1755 Found: Tower Records, London, October 19, 1992
Taken from their 1981 album 'Blue lights', 'Teenage queenie' was a minor hit for the Dutch band Pussycat, peaking at number 36 in the Dutch Top 40. It was also their penultimate hit: 'Lovers of a kind' (1983) would get to number 15, but after that, the hits dried up. The band finally broke up in 1985.
Pussycat will always be remembered for their worldwide hit 'Mississippi', which gave them a number one hit in the UK in 1976. This song sounds very different from that one, though the band's signature sound, formed by slide guitars and Toni Willé's distinctive voice is still there.
My collection: 7" single no. 903
Found: All that music, Leiden, June 23, 1989 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Teenage queenie' / 'Who's gonna love you'
Tim Hardin was born on December 23, 1941. His career as an American folk musician started in 1966, with the release of his debut album 'Tim Hardin 1'. This contained the song 'Misty roses', which reached the top 40 in America. His second album 'Tim Hardin 2' was released in 1967, and contained 'How can we hang on to a dream', which was his only UK hit, charting for one week on number 50. The song did considerably better in the Netherlands, where it made number during its ten week chart run.
Tim Hardin developed a heroin addiction, which took control of his life by the time his last album, 'Nine', was released in 1973. He died of a heroin and morphine overdose on December 29, 1980. In 1987, the song was re-released after it was used on the soundtrack of the Dutch movie 'Zoeken naar Eileen' ('Searching for Eileen'). This time around, the song peaked at number 4. I always considered it to be a very moving song.
My collection: 7" single no. 1813 Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 9, 1993 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'How can we hang on to a dream' / 'Misty roses'
'The girls are back in town' was the debut single by Risqué. Although their career continued for several years, it would prove to be their biggest chart success, peaking at number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.
I bought this single as part of a big shopping spree at Disco Market, my favourite little second hand shop in Den Haag. For once, I was allowed to go in the back room, where thousands of singles were stored, just waiting to be put in the shop. I bought a few dozen singles that day...
My collection: 7" single no. 3284 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The girls are back in town' / 'Risqué disco'
Queen released 'Don't stop me now' in 1978 as a single from their album 'Jazz'. The song was written and composed by Freddie Mercury. On the studio version, Brian May's only guitar playing is in his guitar solo, but on live versions performed on the band's 1978 and 1979 tours, May would also play rhythm guitar throughout the rest of the song to add a rockier feeling to it. Despite all this, it is said that May did not like this song at all.
The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 14 in the Dutch Top 40. I bought the single over a year after Freddie Mercury died. After his death, I liked Queen a lot more than before. I still don't know why that is.
My collection: 7" single no. 1887 Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 24, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Don't stop me now' / 'In only seven days'
Sky was a UK-based instrumental group which came together in 1979. Members were John Williams (who was at that time already an accomplished instrumentalist in his own right), Kevin Peek (who'd worked with, amongst others, Cliff Richard, Manfred Mann and Jeff Wayne), Herbie Flowers (a former member of Blue Mink and T-Rex), Tristan Fry and Francis Monkman.
They fused together musical styles including rock, classical and jazz. Their second album 'Sky 2' was released in 1980, and from that album the single 'Toccata' was drawn. It peaked at number 5 in the UK and number 20 in the Netherlands. In both countries, it was the only Sky single to reach the chart, although at least two others were released.
The release of 'Better The Devil You Know' marked a milestone in Kylie Minogue's career. While still being produced by Stock Aitken and Waterman like she had been throughout her musical career up to that point, she took creative control over her image. She recorded a video for the single which broke with the 'girl-next-door' image she'd had for several years.
The single became Kylie's fifth number 2 single in the UK, having also had four number 1 hitsingles. The Dutch audience was less impressed: the single peaked at number 22 only. I only discovered the song years later, after Kylie had made some more serious music. I had to admit some of her previous work was pretty nice too.
My collection: 7" single no. 3332
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'better the devil you know' / 'I'm over dreaming (over you)'
After some personnel changes, the band Kayak, which had been going for 16 years, was working with a new lead singer, Edward Reekers, and for the first time with two female backing vocalists (Irene Linders and Katherine Lapthorn. Enormous success followed with the commercial-sounding single 'Ruthless queen' and its parent album 'Phantom of the night'.
'Ruthless queen' became the biggest hit of Kayak's career, peaking at number 6 in the Dutch Top 40. For some time, Kayak was my favourite Dutch band, even though I was only eight years old.
My collection: 7" single no. 712 Found: All that music, Leiden, December 30, 1988 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Ruthless queen' / 'Ivory dance'
After Lloyd Cole & the Commotions disbanded in 1989, Lloyd Cole decided to relocate to New York and record solo work. The first result was the 1990 album 'Lloyd Cole' and the solo debut single 'No blue skies'. I was pleasantly surprised by this track, which sounded a lot more accessible than the last few singles by Lloyd Cole & the Commotions.
Still, it only managed a number 42 placing in the UK singles chart, and no chart placing in Europe at all.
My collection: 7" single no. 1173 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 17, 1990 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'No blue skies' / 'Shelly I do'
After having been in 10CC for years, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme left the band to pursue other musical interests. They released seven albums as a duo, of which 'Ismism' (1981) was their fourth. It contained the single 'Under your thumb', which was their biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 3. In the Netherlands, it did worse than previous single 'An Englishman in New York', whcih reached number 3 in the previous year (but did not chart in the UK!), but this single still peaked at a respectable number 18.
My collection: 7" single no. 593
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 16, 1988
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Under your thumb' / 'Power behind the throne'
After a few disappointing singles, T'pau returned to form with 'Only the lonely', one of the standout tracks on their second album 'Rage'. For the single release, the track was remixed, which gave it a more powerful sound.The work was rewarded, since it peaked at number 28 in the UK singles chart in early 1989.
