Only the moment - Marc Almond

In 1988, the compact disc was still a relatively new medium so every disc my sister and I bought was shared. I heard Marc Almond's album 'The stars we are' because my sister had bought it and I liked almost every track from that album. Come to think of it, I wonder why I never bought it later.

I did buy all the singles that were taken from the album - and that was also down to the fact that there were such attractive limited editions of them. 'Only the moment' was released on clear vinyl. It was the last single drawn from the album, released in April 1989 and peaking at number 45 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3103

Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 13, 1999

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Only the moment' / 'Real evil'

Flowers in our hair - All about Eve

My All about Eve collection was only just starting when I found this rarity in a shop in London: a DJ single, 'promotional only' of 'Flowers in our hair'. It featured an edited version of the song, plus the original version on the B-side. As far as I can remember, I didn't even pay that much for it.

'Flowers in our hair' was All about Eve's first single on a major label and their fourth single overall. They were going to breakthrough with their next single, but this one, like the three previous ones, didn't chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1070
Found: London, October 19, 1989

Cost: 4 pounds

Tracks: 'Flowers in our hair (edited version)' / 'Flowers in our hair'

Train of thought - A-ha

The third single from A-ha's debut album 'Hunting high and low' came in the most beautiful sleeve they ever had. The image of the band members in the same drawing style of the accompanying music video was something very arty indeed. I was lucky enough to get the UK pressing of the single, with a stiff cardboard sleeve.

I was disappointed when the single did not chart in the Netherlands. In the UK, it was also the lowest charting single of the four that were released from the album, but it still peaked at number 8.

My collection: 7" single no. 395

Found: LP top 100, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Train of thought (remix)' / 'And you tell me (demo)'

I.M.U.R. - Luv'

This single is a present which I got from my parents when we were on holiday in Paris. Being only eight years old, my musical taste was still forming, but I did already have an ear for pretty melodies. Luv' had just hit the Dutch charts with 'Eeny meeny miny moe' (where it would reach number 11), a pretty but vacuous popsong, and I was very surprised to find that the French had put that song on the B-side in favour of 'I.M.U.R.'.

I knew that song too, and thought it was pretty modern-sounding. Indeed, in the Eighties this sound would become very popular. Girl group pop never sounded so nice.

My collection: 7" single no. 24

Found: Paris, 1979

Cost: nothing (it was a present)

Tracks: 'I.M.U.R.' / 'Eeny meeny miny moe'

Don't you write her off - McGuinn, Clark and Hillmann

After the break-up of the Byrds, Roger McGuinn released several solo albums throughout the Seventies. He also toured with Bob Dylan during his 1975 and 1976 'Rolling thunder revue'. In 1978, McGuinn joined fellow ex-Byrds Gene Clark and Chris Hillman to form McGuinn, Clark & Hillman'. The band released its debut album in 1979.

'Don't you write her off" reached number 33 in America and number 17 in the Netherlands. The single did not chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 962

Found: All that music, Leiden, August 10, 1989

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Don't you write her off' / 'Sad boy'

Big time - Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel's song 'Big time' is often compared to his previous hit 'Sledgehammer', because both tracks are uptempo, both come from the same album 'So' (1987) and both were promoted by music videos that used several animation techniques. Still, 'Big time' was not the big hit 'Sledgehammer' was. In the Netherlands, 'Big time' peaked at number 24 and in the UK it reached number 13. It was the first Peter Gabriel single that was also released on the new cd-single format.

The song deals with a man's efforts to achieve success - but his vision of success is quite peculiar and naive.

My collection: 7" single no. 524
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Big time' / 'Curtains'

Fortune fairytales - Lois Lane

After being dumped by their record company, the band Lois Lane had to find a way to release their next album. They created the label LowLand records, signed a marketing and distribution deal with Polydor records, and off they went.

'Fortune fairytales' was the first single released this way. A limited edition of the single was signed by the entire band, and as you can see, I managed to buy a copy. The single became a good success in the Netherlands, peaking at number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1212

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 20, 1990

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Fortune fairytales' / 'Just can't help myself'

Knowing me, knowing you - Abba

Recorded in 1976 at the Metronome studio in Stockholm, 'Knowing me knowing you' was released as a single in February 1977. The B-side was 'Happy Hawaii', an early version of 'Why did it have to be me'. Group member Benny Andersson named 'Knowing me, knowing you' as one of Abba's best recordings in a 2004 interview, along with 'Dancing queen', 'The winner takes it all' and 'When I kissed the teacher'.

The single became a number 1 hit in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Mexico and South Africa. In the Netherlands and Switzerland it peaked at number 3. It was a top 10 hit in eight further countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 233
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Knowing me, knowing you' / 'Happy Hawaii'

China - Tori Amos

'China' was the first Tori Amos single I ever bought. I was actually searching for 'Silent all these years', but this was the only single my record dealer had at the time. Somehow I was confident that this would also be an interesting single, and so I bought it without even having heard it. When I played it at home, I was immediately convinced. 'China' is a beautiful ballad. Not long after that, I found out that the B-side was also a beautiful piece ofwork.

'China' peaked at number 51 in the UK singles chart, but it did not chart in any other territory.

My collection: 7" single no. 1615

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 4, 1992

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'China' / 'Sugar'

An Englishman in New York - Godley and Creme

The title of this single has become associated with Sting, who released his song in 1988. Eight years before that, Godley & Creme released their own 'Englishman in New York', a totally different song with comparable success. At least, in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 3. In the UK, this single did not chart at all.

While the duo would become directors of music videos later on, this single was already accompanied by an innovate music video, directed by Godley and Creme themselves.

My collection: 7" single no. 2558

Found: November 19, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'An Englishman in New York' / 'Silent running'

Greenland - Pierre Moulin

When you search for 'Pierre Moulin' on the web, the only relevant link is a site where this very single is for sale. I guess you can say that Pierre is not a very renowned musician. And when you hear these tracks, you know why: it's muzak at best.

So why did I buy this single all those years ago? Well, the title of the B-side caught my eye. It's indeed a cover of the famous Kate Bush track. And since I am a fan of Kate Bush, I had to hear this track. (This was in the days when MP3's weren't freely available everywhere on the internet). I guess it is some sort of rarity, so another item I'm glad to own.

My collection: 7" single no. 2981

Found: Record fair, April 4, 1998

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Greenland' / 'Wuthering heights'

Only the ones we love - Tanita Tikaram

Released as the first single from Tanita Tikaram's third album 'Everybody's angel' (1991), 'Only the ones we love' was not a very big success. The single peaked at number 69 in the UK singles chart and did not chart in the Netherlands.

The song featured backing vocals by Jennifer Warnes, who also sang on a few other tracks on the album. Though critically acclaimed, commercial success seemed to elude Tikaram even more than with the previous album.

My collection: 7" single no. 1421

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 7, 1991

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Only the ones we love' / 'Me in mind'

Shades - Iggy Pop

Black, also known as Colin Vearncombe, recorded a cover version of 'Shades' in 1991 as the B-side of his single 'Here it comes again'. I loved the track, loved the melody and the sheer power of the song. When I found out it was a cover of an Iggy Pop song, I started getting curious about the original version as well. So when I stumbled across this single, I couldn't resist buying it.

The original version is a bit rawer, less polished than the Black version. The song, written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie, was not a hit. It was taken from Iggy's 1986 album 'Blah blah blah'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2545
Found: Record Exchange, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Shades' / 'Baby it can't fall'

Madre dolcissima - Zucchero

'Madre dolcissima' (1989) was Zucchero's last single before his international breakthrough with 'Senza una donna', the duet with Paul Young in 1991. Clocking it at over 7 minutes, it was quite a lengthy single and a very interesting track.

It was taken from Zucchero's 1989 album 'Oro incenso e birra', which was recorded in Memphis. The album includes the Italian hit singles 'Diamante', 'Overdose (d'Amore)', 'Il mare' and 'Wonderful world'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1354
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 10, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Madre dolcissima' / 'Nice (Nietzsche) che dice'

Send me an angel - Real life

The Australian new wave band Real life formed in 1980. Original members were David Sterry, Richard Zatorski, Alan Johnson and Danny Simcic. Their debut single, 'Send me an angel', released in 1983 was the biggest hit of their career, peaking at number 2 in Australia and number 1 in Germany. Oddly enough, the single did not chart in the Netherlands.

The first time I heard the track was on a German compilation double album which I bought in 1984 during a holiday. I liked the song a lot, but it was only ten years later that I decided to buy the single as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 2295

Found: Music Machine Mailorder, Hoorn, May 18, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Send me an angel' / 'Like a gun'

(Keep feeling) Fascination - Human League

'(Keep Feeling) Fascination' was released in April 1983 as a non-album single. It went to number 2 in the UK singles chart and peaked at number 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Philip Oakey and backing singers Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall perform vocal duties on this track as usual, but the track also features a rare vocal by band member Jo Callis.

The song has recently been used in two movies: 'Fever pitch' (2005) and 'You don't mess with the Zohan' (2008). Just to prove that Eighties music is still relevant today.

My collection: 7" single no. 2828

Found: Record Exchange, London, February 1, 1997

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: '(Keep feeling) Fascination' / 'Total panic'

Living in another world - Talk Talk

'Living in another world' was released as the second single from Talk Talk's 1986 album 'The colour of spring'. The chart performance of the single was pretty much the same in every country: the extremes being number 23 in Switzerland and the Netherlands, and number 48 in the UK singles chart.

I came to a point where buying Talk Talk singles wasn't that exciting anymore. I was waiting for them to leave the chart so I could buy them on discount. I don't know why this happened, perhaps hearing the songs so much on the radio made me less eager to have them. At the same time, I knew I had to buy all those Talk Talk singles because they were so good. I'm glad I did.

My collection: 7" single no. 404

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Living in another world' / 'For what it's worth'

Slight return - The Bluetones

The Bluetones formed in 1994 in Hounslow, Greater London. The original members were Mark Morriss, Adam Devlin, Scott Morriss and Eds Chesters. Their biggest hit was 'Slight return', originally released as a double A-side single in 1995 with 'The fountainhead'. After this failed to chart, it was re-released a year later. This release was more successful: the single peaked at number 2 in the UK singles chart in March 1996.

This single was pressed in a limited edition of 10,000 copies. I've got number 7352.

My collection: 7" single no. 2636

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 1996

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Slight return' / 'Don't stand me down'

So long - Fischer Z

The original line-up of Fischer Z consisted of John Watts, David Graham, Steve Skolnik and Steve Liddle. They got together in 1979 and released three albums in three years. From these albums, a few classic singles were drawn, of which 'So long' is my personal favourite. A beautiful midtempo track with an interesting lyric and rather emotional vocals.

I lived with the single version of this for many years until I found out there was also a longer album version. I love them both.

My collection: 7" single no. 877
Found: All that music, Leiden, June 2, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'So long' / 'Hiding'

Beatnik - The Buggles

Apparently, only 50,000 copies of the Buggles' 1982 single 'Beatnik' exist. I don't know if that's true, but I do own one copy of it anyway. It was the last single to be released from the Buggles' second and last album 'Adventures in modern recording' (1981). As far as I know, the single did not chart in any territory.

It's the first Buggles single I ever bought, the start of what has by now become a pretty complete collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 230

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Beatnik' / 'Fade away'