Iron out the rough spots - Paul Young

Most people seem to think that Paul Young landed an immediate number 1 hit with his debut solo single 'Wherever I lay my hat' in the summer of 1983, but in fact, it was this single, released in 1982, which started it all. Paul Young left his band the Q Tips and released 'Iron out the rough spots' as his debut single. The single was not successful, in fact it didn't chart in any territory.

Up next was 'Love of the common people', which was equally unsuccessful upon its first release. It was only when the third single was released, the aforementioned 'Wherever I lay my hat', when Paul reached number 1 in the UK and Ireland. 'Love of the common people', of course, still became a hit after fourth single 'Come back and stay' had gone top 10 almost everywhere. But this single remained unknown for most people - although the track still does appear on Paul Young's debut solo album, 'No parlez'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5295
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Iron out the rough spots' / 'Behind your smile'

Little darlin' - Racey

Although it was already 1981, the band Racey were still recording rock and roll tracks as if no two decades had passed. An anachronism in a way, but it was kindof charming nonetheless. 'Little darlin'' was one of their later offerings, which didn't dent the charts.

Racey's last hit, 'Runaround Sue', was released the year before. The band formally split in 1985, and since then two separate groups named Racey exist, one featuring band member Richard Gower and the other featuring Clive Wilson, Phil Fursdon and Pete Miller.

My collection: 7" single no. 5302
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks:  'Little darlin'' / 'Rock it'

Rubber ball - Marty Wilde

Today Marty Wilde celebrates his 73rd birthday. That in itself is a great achievement, but even more so when you start to realise that 55 years after starting his career with a string of top 10 hits in the UK, he is still performing across that country.

'Rubber ball', released in January 1961, was his last top 10 hit, peaking at number 9 in the UK singles chart. I was quite stunned to find this mint copy yesterday, in the stall of a dealer who was selling everything for just 1 euro. Normally one is expected to pay much more for old gems like this.

My collection: 7" single no. 5316
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Rubber ball' / 'Like makin' love'

In the springtime of his voodoo - Tori Amos

For a mere eight years I was well into Tori Amos. All that time she released five great albums, until the disastrous covers album 'Strange little girls' ended that great run and introduced a decade of wishy-washy albums, finally descending into that career nosedive called the - gasp - Christmas album.

I should have suspected that Tori Amos was not entirely artistically correct when her third album 'Boys for Pele' spawned a few very bad remix efforts. The number one hit 'Professional widow', in which the original song was mangled beyond recognition, was an offence, and it was followed by this 12" single featuring four half-decent remixes of 'In the springtime of his voodoo'. I couldn't foresee what would happen next, I bought this one out of curiosity more than anything.

My collection: 12" single no. 636
Found: Delft, 1996
Cost: 20 guilders
Tracks: 'In the springtime of his voodoo (Hasbrouck Heights club mix)', 'In the springtime of his vooodo (Quiet mix)' / 'In the springtime of his voodoo (Sugar dub)', 'In the springtime of his voodoo (Hasbrouck heights single mix)'

I can't go for that (no can do) - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Daryl Hall & John Oates wrote some very fine pop tunes in the early Eighties, and this is one of them. This single from their 1981 album 'Private eyes' was also released on a 12" single, which features an extended version of the track. This wasn't a standard practice back in those days, in fact I have a few 12" singles from 1981 which only feature the normal single version.

The funky beat of this track has been misused by many hiphop "artists" through the years, and you can also hear it in Simply Red's 2003 hit 'Sunrise'.

My collection: 12" single no. 163
Found: Record fair, 1993
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'I can't go for that (no can do)' / 'Unguarded minute'

I know there's something going on - Frida

When Frida went solo in 1982, nobody suspected that it signalled the end of Abba, the band she'd been part of for the last ten years. And when the first single, 'I know there's something going on', produced by Phil Collins, became a big hit, nobody knew that the rest of her solo career would be less successful. Her career as a solo artist became comparatively insignificant, although artistically it had some interesting moments nonetheless.

This 12" single features the full length version of the track, as it was found on the album 'Something's going on'.

My collection: 12" single no. 144
Found: Record fair, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I know there's something going on (full length version)' / 'Threnody'

You are the one - A-ha

When you look at the sleeve of the 7" single of 'You are the one' and compare it with this one from the 12" single, you'll see that a different photograph was used from the same photo session. You'd wish this was done more often, because all too often the sleeve of the 12" single is an exact replica, if only a bigger one, of the 7" single.

Another attractive feature of this 12" single was the inclusion of an extended remix of 'You are the one', plus the instrumental version. Which in turn makes you wonder why these were never released on cd.

My collection: 12" single no. 229
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1994
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'You are the one (12" remix)' / 'You are the one (instrumental)', 'Out of blue comes green'

Love you more - Groovenut vs. Kim Wilde

When the duo Groovenut decided to remix Kim Wilde's 'You came', little did they know that there were actually plans to re-record and re-release this track. It was 2005, a full 17 years after the release of the original track, and the plan was simply to update the track for the new century.

When they asked for permission to use the samples of the track, they never got that permission. But in 2006, when 'You came (2006)' was released in Europe, they were asked to recreate the mix, using the new vocal tracks. The original mix was only ever released on white label 12" singles - and fortunately I found a copy.

My collection: 12" single no. 444
Found: unknown, 2005
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love you more'

Come undone - Duran Duran

When the cd-single became the preferred format in the late Eighties, vinyl was quickly pronounced dead by the record companies, not realising they were digging their own graves at the time. But before they did, there were some efforts made to sell vinyl discs, for instance with exclusive tracks.

This 12" single of Duran Duran's 1993 single 'Come undone' for instance features the 'TV synth strings' mix of 'Come undone', which was not available on either of the two (!) cd-singles available in the UK. But it is suspicious that this 12" single was released in Italy in. So buying this in a shop in Amsterdam two years after its release was a bit of a fluke...

My collection: 12" single no. 237
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, 1995
Cost: 2,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Come undone (edit)', 'Ordinary world (acoustic version)' / 'Come undone (FGI Phumpin' 12"), 'Come undone (La fin de siecle)', 'Come undone (TV synth strings)'

Rubberband girl - Kate Bush

When Kate Bush finally released a new album in 1993, four years after the previous one, I was looking forward to it like never before. The world really needed new music from Kate Bush, as the music scene in 1993 had become boring and predictable. Kate Bush was never that: her new single showed an unexpected whimsical style.

'Rubberband girl' was released a month before a holiday in London, so I had to wait a while before I got my hands on this picture disc 12" single. Featuring the same tracks as the cd-single, the real treat was the picture disc itself which showed a still from the movie 'The line, the cross & the curve' which was released in 1994.

My collection: 12" single no. 174
Found: HMV, London, October 1993
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Rubberband girl (extended version)' / 'Rubberband girl', 'Big stripey lie'

Radio Musicola - Nik Kershaw

Nik Kershaw got through his first two albums okay, but when the 'difficult third album' came up, he was out of luck: although his music was still very interesting, it proved 'too difficult' for the record-buying audience. Hence, 'Radio Musicola', as the album was called, never got the attention it deserved.

The title track was one of the tracks to be released as a single and this 12" single features an extended version of it, which is not spectacular, but nice nonetheless.

My collection: 12" single no. 425
Found: Record Exchange, London, 2000
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Radio Musicola (extended version)' / 'L.A.B.A.T.Y.D.', 'Radio Musicola'

Mothers talk - Tears for fears

As written before, there is a difference between the extended version of Tears for Fears' 1984 single 'Mothers talk' and the so-called 'Beat of the drum mix' of that track. This 12" single is the only one that contains the latter mix, although a German pressing with the sleeve shown here claims to feature it as well.

Now if you expect to get a really good remix, you're bound to be disappointed. Personally I find this remix noisy and a bit 'too much'. But any collector of Tears for Fears will be delighted to hear this mix nonetheless, as it's pretty rare. It only found its way onto cd in 2006 when Mercury released the 'Deluxe edition' of 'Songs from the big chair'.

My collection: 12" single no. 632
Found: All that music, Leiden
Cost: 14,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Mothers talk (Beat of the drum mix)' / 'Empire building'

Break the chains - Private lives

Although the British band Private Lives never hit it big, they certainly had their chances since three different singles were taken from their only album release. 'Break the chains' is probably the least wellknown of the three, but it was still released on 7" and 12".

This 12" version features both the radio mix of the track and an extended version - although the latter is not announced as such on the sleeve. While it's a mystery to me why other singles 'Living in a world (turned upside down)' and 'From a river to a sea' did so bad, I can understand it better for this one. Although I like the tune, it certainly isn't spectacular by any standard.

My collection: 12" single no. 635
Found: Discogs.com, received 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Break the chains [extended]' / 'Break the chains (radio mix)', 'You've got to win'

Cambodia - Nobody

Nobody covered Kim Wilde's 1981 hit, 'Cambodia'. Well, there were actually quite a few of them (including a Swedish death metal band, an American dance queen, a pop singer from Luxembourg and a Norwegian electro-band), but this 12" single was released by Nobody.

A strange name for an act, but then the Belgians usually have a tendency to be quirky. Vocals on this version were by one Loredana and the track was produced by Starfighter & Club Genius. If that still doesn't tell you anything, you know just as much as me.

My collection: 12" single no. 447
Found: German website, 2007
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Cambodia (original extended mix)' / 'Cambodia (Ion rmx)'

Dancing in the city - Marshall, Hain

Although I was only seven years old when this single was released, I can say that I've loved this song from the very beginning. I bought the single years later, but that was only because I had a double LP with this track on it since early 1979. And then there was this 12" single...

Every year in June there was a street market in a street near to my parents' house. The first time ever I went there I found this 12" single, featuring 'Dancing in the city', and pressed on blue vinyl. I was stunned. Even if it wouldn't contain an extended version, I simply had to have it. And so I bought it. It didn't even cost that much, although I'm sure it's pretty rare and hard to find now. But I might be wrong of course.

My collection: 12" single no. 9
Found: Braderie, Den Haag
Cost: 3 guilders or so
Tracks: 'Dancing in the city' / 'Take my number'

That's the way it is - Mel and Kim

The last single by Mel & Kim was released when Mel was already receiving treatment for cancer, a battle she ultimately lost on January 18, 1990. Her illness was made public at the time of the release of this single.

This 12" was the first of a series and includes the original version of the B-side 'You changed my life' plus an extended version of the title track. The content of this 12" single is identical to the cd-single released at the time, which is why I never bought this one. But at 1 euro, I simply had to snap it up.

My collection: 12" single no. 634
Found: Haarlemmerstraat, Leiden
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That's the way it is [extended]' / 'I'm the one who really loves you (US remix)', 'You changed my life'

I can make you feel good - Shalamar

When I bought this 12" single there was no way to tell whether it contained an extended version of the lead track, so I just bought it. I think this version is slightly longer, but certainly not a remix of the track, which is a pity, but so be it.

Featuring three tracks, this disc was apparently sold for the price of a 7" single in the UK - or so the sticker says. Value for money then, because if anything, Shalamar were known for funky music and this is very funky music.

My collection: 12" single no. 633
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'I can make you feel good' / 'Friends', 'Help me'

Mothers talk - Tears for fears

Released some time before the album, 'Mothers talk' was actually the first single from Tears for Fears' second album 'Songs from the big chair'. Little did they know then that it would become such a successful album. And although the single did reasonably well in the UK (peaking at no. 14 in the chart) other countries weren't convinced until the next single, 'Shout', was released.

This 12" single was released as one of two different versions. It featured the original extended version. In Germany, a 12" single - which I also have - was released with the very same sleeve, but announcing this extended version as the 'Beat of the drum mix'. But that was actually a different mix, one that I will write about in the next blog about Tears for Fears...

My collection: 12" single no. 22 / no. 631
Found: Free Record Shop, 1985 / All that music, Leiden, unknown date
Cost: 7 guilders / 12,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Mothers talk (extended mix)' / 'Empire building'

Leave in silence - Depeche Mode

'Leave in silence' is still one of my all time favourite Depeche Mode tracks, and this 12" single had a little to do with that. I was very impressed with the extended remix of this single, and the 'quieter' version that was included on the B-side of this 12" single added a dimension to the beauty of the track. I remember spending some hours re-mixing these mixes on my old tape recorder, using the excellent 'pause' buttons they used to have. One mix exceeded 10 minutes, if I remember correctly.

The instrumental 'Further excerpts from My secret garden' elaborates on the B-side of the 7" single and is another highlight in the band's catalogue. In my opinion this ranks among the best 12" singles they have released during their impressive 30 year career.

My collection: 12" single no. 17
Found: Free Record Shop, 1985
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Leave in silence (longer)' / 'Further excerpt from: My secret garden', 'Leave in silence (quieter)'

Don't stand so close to me '86 - The Police

For a long time, this 1986 re-recording of 'Don't stand so close to me' was in the history books as the only reunion of the British band The Police and it is still their most recent studio recording. Produced by Laurie Latham, this version is very different from the 1980 original.

This 12" single brings together four versions of the track: the original version, the 1986 version, a dance mix of that 1986 version and a live version of unknown origin. Amazingly, a cd version of this disc also exists: a CD-Video was released in the UK, featuring all four tracks plus the music video for this 1986 version.

My collection: 12" single no. 38
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 15 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't stand so close to me '86 (dance mix)', 'Don't stand so close to me '86' / 'Don't stand so close to me (original version)', 'Don't stand so close to me (live)'