David Bowie recorded 'When the wind blows' for the animation movie of the same name. It was always one of my favourite Bowie tracks, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found this 12" single featuring an extended version of it.
Fortunately this extended version is well executed. The intro is intriguing and the many extra instrumental passages make sure that this extended version is indeed extended. It was a great find at the time, even if the vinyl quality left a bit to be desired.
My collection: 12" single no. 398 Found: Esprit Mailorder, 2000 Cost: 3 pounds Tracks: 'When the wind blows (extended mix)' / 'When the wind blows (instrumental)'
Yesterday Jamaican-born American rapper Heavy D died. Apparently he collapsed outside his Beverly Hills home. After being taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, he died as a result from respiratory issues.
Heavy D did a performance both on Michael Jackson's hit single 'Jam' in 1991 and on Janet Jackson's 1990 hit single 'Alright'. Personally I felt that it was a bit of needless talking through otherwise pretty nice pop music, but there you go. This promotional 12" single features no less than eight remixes of 'Alright' - with Heavy D appearing on most of them - plus three versions of 'Come back to me'.
My collection: 12" single no. 604 Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Alright (12" house mix)', 'Alright (Hip house dub)', 'Alright (acappella)' / 'Alright (12" R&B mix)', 'Alright (House dub)' // 'Alright (7" house mix with rap)', 'Alright (7" house mix)', 'Alright (7" R&B mix)' / 'Come back to me (I'm beggin' you mix)', 'Come back to me (Abandoned heart mix)', 'Come back to me (instrumental)'
'Just can't get enough' was Depeche Mode's third single release, back in September 1981. It was the final single to be written by founder member Vince Clarke, who would leave the band in December 1981. The song was included on the band's first album, 'Speak and spell', which was released a month after the single.
The single reached number 8 on the UK singles chart. It also became the band's first (and biggest) hit in Australia, reaching number 4.
My collection: 7" single no. 5220 Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Just can't get enough' / 'Any second now'
The later single 'Kiss from a rose', also from Seal's second album, became a hit after inclusion on the soundtrack of a Batman movie, but this first single, 'Prayer for the dying', went by almost unnoticed.
I was so impressed with the song that I was a bit suspicious of this 12" single featuring remixes of the track. By the early Nineties remixes were rarely an improvement on the original track. But I have to admit that these remixes are pretty good. Daniel Abraham is hardly a well-known remixer, but he really did a good job on this disc.
My collection: 12" single no. 214 Found: Big Company records, London, October 1994 Cost: 3 pounds Tracks: 'Prayer for the dying (Divine Spirit Radio edit)' / 'Prayer for the dying (Divine Spirit mix)', 'Prayer for the dying (Divine Spirit instrumental)'
Today Ricky Wilde celebrates his 50th birthday. A good occasion to present one of the singles from his teen years, when he recorded tracks with his father Marty Wilde, under the guidance of record boss Jonathan King.
'Do it again, a little bit slower' was originally recorded in 1967 by Jon & Robin. Several other versions of the song exist, but Ricky recorded his version in 1973. This sleeve comes from the Swedish version of the single; Sweden being the only country where Ricky's singles actually charted despite releases all over Europe. I spotted this copy two weeks ago just in time for this birthday; and I was happy since this is the last Ricky Wilde single I didn't have!
My collection: 7" single no. 5221 Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011 Cost: 12 euro Tracks: 'Do it again, a little bit slower' / 'Love around'
When I ordered a copy of this 22 year old 12" single by Janet Jackson, I never in my wildest dreams suspected I would receive a mint copy, still sealed. That's quite rare. It's a consolation for the fact that I searched for the cd-single of this release for years but until now I haven't been able to locate a copy for a reasonable price.
'Come back to me' was released as a single from Janet's 1989 album 'Rhythm nation 1814' and it's one of the most beautiful melodies she has recorded. It's especially nice to hear the instrumental version on this disc. Unfortunately the previously unreleased track 'The skin game part 1' is a bit of a disappointment.
My collection: 12" single no. 598 Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011 Cost: 4 pounds Tracks: 'Come back to me (7" I'm beggin' you mix)', 'Come back to me (I'm beggin' you mix)', 'Come back to me (instrumental)' / 'The skin game part 1', 'The skin game part 1 (instrumental)'
Hard to believe, but it's 30 years ago today that Kim Wilde's fourth single 'Cambodia' was released. At the time, I was only 11 years old and although I liked the music, I was a few years away from becoming a Kim Wilde 'fan'. There was a lot of good music around at the time, but this song stood out because of the strange lyrics and the music that was so different from the two previous hits by Kim, 'Kids in America' and 'Chequered love' ('Water on glass' never got a full release in the Netherlands).
30 years later, 'Cambodia' has become a classic pop song. The song is still played regularly on the radio and it's one out of two songs by Kim that are always recalled by people from my generation - even those who don't listen to much pop at all. I have several copies of this single although I didn't buy the first one - a German pressing - until 1984, when I had found all the other Kim Wilde singles in the previous year. Back in 1981, I didn't buy new singles as they were too expensive....
My collection: 7" single no. 255 Found: Den Haag, 1984 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Cambodia' / 'Watching for shapes'
The Real Thing originally released 'You to me are everything' in 1976. It reached the top of the charts in the UK in July of that year.
In the Eighties, remixes of old hits were all the rage, and so this old number 1 was up for a remix treatment a decade after its original remix. The label mentions that the remix was created by Froggy, Simon Harris & KC, which makes you wonder how three people couldn't come up with anything more original. Still, even this version reached number 5 in the UK.
My collection: 7" single no. 5219 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 27, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'You to me are everything (The decade remix)' / 'Foot tappin''
Helen "Pepsi" DeMacque (Born 10 December 1958, Paddington, London) and Shirlie Holliman (born 18 April 1962, Watford, Hertfordshire) made a name for themselves as backing vocalists for Wham! In 1986, when Wham! was about to split up, they started recording singles in their own right.
They released their debut single "Heartache", which was produced by Phil Fearon and Tambi Fernando and reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. The follow-up single, "Goodbye Stranger", produced by Fernando and Pete Hammond, reached number 9. Subsequent singles and their debut album 'All right now', released later in the year, flopped.
My collection: 7" single no. 5218 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 27, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Goodbye stranger' / 'Dreaming'
Jenny Burton was born on November 18, 1957 in New York. She was lead singer of the dance music band C-Bank. In 1983 Burton went solo, releasing the album 'In black and white'.
She had her biggest success a year later with the release of her second self-titled album, featuring the hit single 'Bad habits'. This single reached number 68 in the UK Singles chart in March 1985.
My collection: 7" single no. 5217 Found: Kringloop, October 27, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Bad habits' / 'Let's get back to love'
I wonder if anyone knew what success King would have with their debut album 'Steps in time'. 'Love and pride' became a massive hit in 1984, and subsequent singles also reached the top 40 in the UK. 'Alone without you' was to be their last top 10 hit, a second album followed, and then it was all over for the boys.
'Alone without you' was released on this attractive 12" single with not one, but three remixes of tracks from the album 'Steps in time'. The aforementioned 'Love and pride' appears here in a 'USA Summer mix'.
My collection: 12" single no. 422 Found: Record Exchange, London, 1999 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Alone without you (Scorcher mix)' / 'Love & pride (USA Summer mix)', 'I kissed the spikey fridge (Rock hard mix)'
I'm still hoping for a cd release of Private Lives' only album 'Prejudice & Pride'. It has never been issued on cd and not only is it a great album, there are also such great remixes of the singles available.
Take for instance their third single, 'From a river to a sea': not only an extended version and a dub mix of the title track, but also a version of 'Because you're young', an earlier single of the duo. Let's hope Cherry Pop will pick up the hint and start asking for a license for these tracks.
My collection: 12" single no. 597 Found: Discogs.com, received 2010 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'From a river to a sea (version)' / 'Because you're young (version)', 'From a river to a sea (7" mix)', 'From a river to a sea (dub)'
By the time German singer Sandra released 'Midnight man', her success had become limited to Central Europe only. She was still making melodious pop songs, but they sounded too much like her early hits, 'Maria Magdalena' and 'In the heat of the night'.
The 12" singles also offered much of the same: extended versions that were simply, well, extended. I have to say that I quite like these mixes, but I guess it wasn't everyone's cup of tea.
My collection: 12" single no. 202 Found: Marik, Vienna, July 1994 Cost: 99 Schilling Tracks: 'Midnight man (extended)' / 'Mirror of love'
When you read articles in the 'serious' music press, there's always a kind of disdain for David Bowie's work in the Eighties. Commercially successful, yes, but artistically doubtful. I happen to disagree: during the Eighties he made some of his most beautiful work, especially the songs created for movie soundtracks such as 'Absolute beginners' and 'When the wind blows', but also this track, 'Loving the alien' from his 1985 album 'Tonight'.
The 12" single was released in a gatefold sleeve that covered in images from the video. A limited edition also included a fold-out poster. The extended dance mix on this disc is actually identical to the album version, but with an added drum break.
My collection: 12" single no. 371 Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 2000 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Loving the alien (extended dance mix)' / 'Don't look down (extended dance mix)', 'Loving the alien (extended dub mix)'
I first heard of this single in the mid-Eighties, when a picture of it appeared in a magazine. The writer of the piece mentioned that this single could be found in the sale bins in Japan. That's nice, I thought, but how the hell do I get my hands on it? This proved to be a problem. I had to wait for almost five years until I saw a copy. When I did, I nearly froze. I considered whether I could shell out the amount the seller wanted for it, and in the end, I did. Caution to the wind, eyes closed, and just do it. Of course, in the 20 years since then I've seen this disc for fractions of the price. I can console myself with the thought that this is still a mint copy. But I'd never pay this much for a single ever again.
'Bitter is better' was released to coincide with an ad campaign for a Bitter Lemon softdrink in Japan. The track was written by Masami Tsuchiya (from the Japanese pop group Ippu Do) and Bill Crunchfield. The single was only released in Japan, in early 1982. I'm still curious whether it was a hit there - but there's no way to find out I'm afraid. My collection: 7" single no. 1517 Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 21, 1991 Cost: 100 guilders Tracks: 'Bitter is better' / 'Boys'
Released in 1985, this remixed re-release of Belouis Some's debut single 'Target practice' came after the chart success of 'Imagination'. In an effort to try and sell more copies this time around, a live version of that hit was included on the B-side.
Unfortunately, the plan didn't work out: just like the first time around in 1984, this single did not chart in any territory.
My collection: 7" single no. 5216 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 22, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Target practice' / 'Imagination (live)'
'Ik ben verkouwe' ('I have a cold') is a Dutch parody on the famous 1990 hit 'The power' by Snap, released in the same year. The track was created by the team behind Rubberen Robbie, seven years after they stopped releasing tracks under that name.
The B-side featured a story by a new character called 'Ome Henk' ('Uncle Henk'), who would become a regular visitor of the Dutch Top 40 between 1991 and 1999.
My collection: 7" single no. 5215 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 22, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Ik ben verkouwe!' / 'De spannende verhalen van Ome Henk'
The Bluebells was a Scotting band, performing jangly guitar based pop. Their single 'Young at heart', originally released in 1984, was written by guitarist and founder member Bobby Bluebell with Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama (and originally recorded on Bananarama's album 'Deep sea skiving') and made it to number 8 in the UK Singles Chart.
The band split up in the mid 1980s, but enjoyed an unexpected revival in 1993 when 'Young at heart" was used in a Volkswagen television advertisement. Re-issued as a single, it was number 1 in the UK for four weeks and led to the band reforming temporarily to perform the song on BBC Television's Top of the Pops. In the Netherlands, where the Bluebells never had a hit, the re-released single reached number 20.
My collection: 7" single no. 5214 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 22, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Young at heart' / 'Tendy mercy'
I bought Big Fun's cover of the Jackson's 'Blame it on the boogie' last year, a single that was released in 1989.
This 12" single features three remixes of the track, as well as a free giant poster of the boys. The remixes were made by Phil Harding, who was one of the big names from the Stock Aitken & Waterman stable.
My collection: 12" single no. 596 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 14, 2011 Cost: 10p Tracks: 'Blame it on the boogie (PWL mix)' / 'Blame it on the boogie (dub mix)', 'Blame it on the boogie (instrumental mix)'
'King of the mountain' was released on October 24, 2005, 12 years after Kate Bush's previous single, 'And so is love'. Written about ten years before most of the songs on the album 'Aerial', the lyrics enquire whether Elvis Presley might still be alive someplace, '...looking like a happy man...' and playing with 'Rosebud', Kane's childhood's sledge, and comment on the pressures of extreme fame and wealth. In a November 2005 interview with BBC4's 'Front Row' Bush said, "I don't think human beings are really built to withstand that kind of fame.'
The B-side of the UK single is a cover version of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual healing', which features Irish musician Davy Spillane on uilleann pipes, originally recorded for his 1994 'A place among the stones' album. The track was left off the Spillane album as it didn't fit with the sound of the rest of the record. Before the 2005 release, Kate's version of 'Sexual Healing' had only been heard publicly once, at the 1994 Kate Bush fan club convention in the Hippodrome, London.
As for this 7" single, it was a picture disc release only, featuring a drawing by Kate's son Bertie on the A-side. The quality of the vinyl left much to be desire as you can clearly hear below. Despite all this, the single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. It is the only single from the album 'Aerial'.
My collection: 7" single no. 3417 Found: HMV, London, received November 2005 Cost: 3 pounds Tracks: 'King of the mountain' / 'Sexual healing'
David Bowie recorded 'When the wind blows' for the animation movie of the same name. It was always one of my favourite Bowie tracks, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found this 12" single featuring an extended version of it.
