Listen to the man with the golden voice - Time Bandits

During my last visit to Velvet Vinyl Outlet in Leiden I saw a row of 12" singles by the Time Bandits, a Dutch band that was pretty popular in the Eighties. I have some singles by this band, too. I didn't buy them at the time, because my budget wasn't big enough, although they definitely were interesting: none of these 12" remixes have ever been released on cd. (Some actually have been, but that was only a handful.)

After a recent donation I was very tempted to go back and get them - and so I did. Today's visit to the shop was successful within the first few minutes, because I had a stack of 'em before I even moved to the 7" singles department. You can expect a few Time Bandits remixes on this blog in the near future. The first of them is 'Listen to the man with the golden voice', a top 10 hit for the band in 1983.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, July 14, 2017
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Listen to the man with the golden voice (extended remixed version)' / 'Words'

New fuzz / I will wait for you - The Hazzah

I'm not one to turn down gifts, which in the case of 7" singles can be tricky. A dear colleague of mine came to me with this single, and although I didn't know the band it was worth checking out. The Hazzah are based in the Netherlands and have already been signed by a record label.

This single was released by the band as a limited edition and features two tracks: the rather loud 'New fuzz' and the more relaxed - and kinda retro - 'I will wait for you'. The latter is my favourite, which is why I decided to present that one here, even if it's the B-side. It will be interesting to see what the guys come up with. With this signed copy in my collection of course I hope they will be huge!

If you like what you hear, check out the band's website and buy the single for yourself!

My collection: 7" single no. 5843
Found: a gift!
Tracks: 'New fuzz' / 'I will wait for you'

Listen to the track

Where's the revolution - Depeche Mode

The record busines has been very effective in eliminating itself in recent years. After the introduction of compact disc - which was a good move - they wiped out vinyl - which was a bad move - then wiped out the cd - bad move - and reintroduced vinyl - good move - but only for certain bands and usually not on the attractive 7" format.

This 'exclusive vinyl' is another baffling move. Given away with the German magazine Musik Express it was not on general sale - even though Depeche Mode have a rather impressive fanbase outside of Germany as well. Obviously those 7" singles now pop up on Ebay and Discogs for inflated prices. The only reason I got this copy is because the sleeve is slightly dented, which resulted in the price going down a bit. Sometimes I really wonder if record companies even want to make money anymore.

'Where's the revolution' is the lead track of Depeche Mode's most recent album 'Spirit', which was announced in the margin of a big press conference for a tour - another weird move. Thankfully the band managed to create a great album again after the rather disappointing 'Delta Machine' from five years ago.

My collection: 7" single no. 5844
Found: Discogs.com, received July 5, 2017
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Where's the revolution' / 'Should be higher (live in Berlin)'

Listen to the track

I love you - Marty Wilde

Marty Wilde released quite a few singles during the Seventies, but unfortunately none of them were hits. My quest for all of these singles continues, and it's remarkable how some of them are really expensive whereas others are relatively cheap.

'I love you' was released on September 20, 1974. Written by Marty himself, it's a country-influenced track that seems very subdued compared to the man's earlier work. There's also a stark contrast with the B-side, 'She's a mover', written by Peter Shelley and Marty Wilde, which is more of a glam-rock type of song.

My collection: 7" single no. 5843
Found: Discogs.com, received July 1, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'I love you' / 'She's a mover'

Listen to the track

Jukebox July: Fox The Fox & Time Bandits **UPDATE**

After Jukebox June went by unnoticed, I suddenly received a donation for a re-upload of songs by Fox the Fox and Time Bandits. But which ones? Those who've read this blog will know that I have quite a few songs by these bands, so here goes.

Fox the Fox:
Man on the run, Precious little diamond, Precious little diamond (Shep Pettibone remix)

Time Bandits:
1 2 3, Cool world, Cues part 2, Dancing on a string, Dancing on a string (instrumental), Don't let your love go bad, Endless road, Endless road (Special remixed dance version), Fiction, Ginny, How does it feel (my own favourite of this bunch), I won't steal away, I'm only shooting love, I'm only shooting love (US single version), I'm only shooting love (dub version), I'm only shooting love (extended version), I'm specialized in you, I'm specialized in you (extended), In town, Listen to the man with the golden voice, Lookin' out, Only a fool, Only lovers will survive, Pasadena dream world, Reach out, Sister paradise, Star, Star (special remix), Star (instrumental remix), Ushi girl, We'll be dancing, Wildfire, Words, You're not at home.

If you're interested in the stories behind these 7" and 12" singles, read the old entries about Fox The Fox and Time Bandits! You can also look forward to some new entries about Time Bandits later this year, so watch this space....

If you'd like to request a re-upload for yourself, please donate a dollar for each song you'd like to hear.

Teen wave - Ricky Wilde

Through the years I've managed to acquire all the songs released by Ricky Wilde during the Seventies. All the songs, but not all the various pressings from around the world. And, so it appears now, not all versions.

Thanks to the indispensable Discogs-website I managed to find an American promotional copy of Ricky Wilde's 1974 release 'Teen wave'. It features two versions of the song: in mono and in stereo. A lot of people are almost hysterical about the differences between mono and stereo versions, especially for acts like The Beatles, so for a Wilde afficionado, this can be considered a sort of holy grail. And yes, there are some differences between the two versions, as you can hear below.

My collection: 7" single no. 5844
Found: Discogs.com, received July 12, 2017
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Teen wave (mono)' / 'Teen wave (stereo)'

Listen to the mono version | Listen to the stereo version

Love me baby - Sheila B. Devotion

Sheila (born Annie Chancel in Créteil, France on August 16, 1945) scored numerous hits in her homeland during the 1960s and the 1970s. Among her chart toppers were 'L'École est finie' (1963), 'Vous les copains' (the French cover version of Manfred Mann's 'Do wah diddy diddy' in 1964), 'Petite fille de Français moyens' (1968) and 'Les rois mages' (a cover version of 'Tweedle dee tweedle dum', originally performed by Middle of the Road in 1971). Her success helped her producer Claude Carrere to launch his label Carrere Records.

In 1977, Sheila completely changed her public image when Sheila & B Devotion was formed. Because Carrere did not want to shock Sheila's public and the French media, the debut single of the group ('Love me baby') was released anonymously in May 1977 in France. The first pressings of the record mentioned the obscure name of S.B Devotion. The song was a radio and club hit. The identity of the group was rapidly revealed and the quartet was officially named Sheila B. Devotion. The single became a mainstream top 10 hit all over Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 5787
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 6, 2017
Cost: 0
Tracks: 'Love me baby' / 'Love me baby (instrumental)'

Listen to the song

Tomorrow is now - Howard Jones

After Howard Jones'contract with Warner Bros. ended, I lost track of him for a couple of years. I was quite surprised when I found out that he'd steadily released albums like 'Working in the back room' and 'People' while I wasn't paying attention. Thanks to the internet, I quickly reconnected at the end of the Nineties. I bought the albums and some CD-singles, and all was good in the world again.

Last week I found out that one of his late Nineties tracks was also released as a 7" single in the USA. 'Tomorrow is now' features 'Let the people have their say' on the B-side, and both were released as CD-singles at the time. It's great to finally have this 7" single as well, even if it's just a jukebox release.

My collection: 7" single no. 5842
Found: Discogs.com, received May 24, 2017
Cost: £3
Tracks: 'Tomorrow is now' / 'Let the people have their say'

Listen to the song

Say it again - Precious

The girl band Precious was formed at the end of 1998 by Sophie McDonnell and Jenny Frost. A set of auditions saw the remaining members join, these were: Anya Lahiri, Kalli Clark-Sternberg and Louise Rose. In 1999 they were chosen to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel. While the single went to number 6 in the UK singles chart, their success at Eurovision was more limited, as they ended up in 12th place.

After three more singles (two of which were hit sigles) and a debut album which failed to chart, the group were dropped by their label and it was decided that the individual members should pursue separate careers. Sophie McDonnell started presenting for BBC TV and Radio including their CBBC brand, Jenny Frost replacing Kerry Katona in the band Atomic Kitten, and Anya Lahiri returning to her modelling activities. Lead singer Louise Rose also become an actress, her credits include the 2008 mini-series "Diamonds". Kalli Clark-Sternberg has since become a session singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 5841
Found: Discogs.com, received May 24, 2017
Cost: £ 3
Tracks: 'Say it again (Cutfather & Joe mix)' / 'Essential love'

Listen to the song

Où sont-elles passées - Romuald

'Où sont-elles passées' ('Where have they gone') was the Monegasque entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1964, performed in French by French singer Romuald. The song was composed by noted French orchestra leader Francis Lai, best known for his film scores. Romuald laments the departure of the girls of his youth, explaining that as he grows older he loses the enjoyment and mystery of his early romances. It was a successful song for Monaco that year, ending up in third place.

Romuald ended up participating in the Eurovision Song Contest two more times: in 1969 for Luxembourg with 'Catherine' and in 1974 for Monaco once more with 'Celui qui reste et celui qui s'en va'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 5840
Found: Discogs.com, received May 18, 2016
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Ou sont-elles passées', 'Demain' / 'A jamais', 'Toi ma blonde'

Listen to the song

Oh-oh, I'm falling in love again - Marty Wilde

Released in 1958, 'Oh-oh, I'm falling in love again' was one of the earliest Marty Wilde singles ever released. At this stage, singles were still being released as 78 rpm discs as well, but while I'm still after those, it was good to find this little gem.

Marty Wilde and his band the Wildcats recorded this track which was originally released by Jimmie Rodgers who had a hit with it in the USA. Marty's version failed to chart but he still managed to have five top 10 hits in 1958 and 1959. 

My collection: 7" single no. 5836
Found: Discogs.com, received May 16, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Oh-oh I'm falling in love again' / 'Sing boy sing'

Listen to the song

Single - Everything but the girl

'Single' was the third single taken from Everything but the girl's 1996 album 'Walking wounded'. After two top 10 hits in the UK, this single only peaked at number 20, despite being perhaps the best track of the three of them - in my opinion of course.

I was already quite happy to find a single of the previous single Walking wounded, but it turns out that 'Wrong' and 'Single' were released as a 7" single as well - albeit just for jukebox purposes. It's just a matter of finding them online because it's nearly impossible to find these singles any other way.

My collection: 7" single no. 5838
Found: Discogs.com, received May 16, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Single' / 'Corcovado (Quiet night of quiet stars)'

Listen to the song

Ooh aah... Just a little bit - Gina G

One of the most successful Eurovision entries for the United Kingdom in recent decades was Gina G's 'Ooh aah... Just a little bit'. It was a top 10 hit in the UK even before she took to the stage at the Oslo Spektrum in Norway on 18 May 1996. Dressed in a short thigh-skimming glittery metal dress, her vocals turned out to be too weak to carry the song in a live situation, causing her to only make it to eighth place in a field of 23 competitors.

I wasn't aware that this song had even been pressed onto 7" vinyl, until I found this jukebox copy online. No picture sleeve unfortunately, because jukebox singles usually don't come with those, but the song remains one of the best efforts from the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 5839
Found: Discogs.com, received May 18, 2017
Cost: $4
Tracks: 'Ooh aah... Just a little bit (Motiv8 radio edit)' / 'Ooh aah... Just a little bit (Motiv8 extended vocal mix)'

Listen to the song

I've got so used to loving you - Marty Wilde

My listing of old Marty Wilde singles continues, because I've bought quite a few of them recently. 'I've got so used to loving you' was one of them, another unsuccessful single for Marty from the mid-Sixties. Released in 1966, it failed to chart despite its beautiful melody. The song was written by Jerry Brooks and Al Stillman. The B-side was written by Marty Wilde himself with Ronnie Scott.

'I've got so used to loving you' was also recorded by Leola Jiles, former member of the Apollas, in America in January 1967.

My collection: 7" single no. 5825
Found: Recordsale.de, received May 11, 2017
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'I've got so used to loving you' / 'The beginning of the end'

Listen to the song

When we dance - Sting

When vinyl was first pronounced dead, at the beginning of the 1990's, record companies stopped making 7" singles for shops. However, 7" singles were still being made for jukeboxes and promotion. In those days, it wasn't so easy to buy such 7" singles, but in this age of internet, nothing is impossible.

I was quite surprised to find out that there was a jukebox 7" single for Sting's 1994 hit 'When we dance'. The track was recorded for the compilation album 'Fields of gold: the best of Sting 1984-1994' and it was a smooth, slow ballad quite similar to 'Fields of gold' actually. This single features one of his earlier solo hits on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 5837
Found: Discogs.com, received May 16, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'When we dance' / 'If I ever lose my faith in you'

Listen to the song

That was then but this is now - ABC

After the success they enjoyed with their debut album 'The lexicon of love', ABC decided to do things totally different on their second album, 'Beauty stab' (1983). The single 'That was then but this is now', released in advance of that album, was an indication of their changed sound: lots of guitars, loud drums and no love song, but a politically-charged stab at Thatcher's Britain. The single was reasonably successful, reaching number 18 in the UK and number 13 in Ireland.

This is one of those singles I thought I already had, for many years. And then recently I discovered it wasn't there. It wasn't hard to find a copy online. And so I ordered it along with a handful of other great UK singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 5835
Found: Discogs.com, received May 16, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That was then but this is now' / 'Vertigo'

Listen to the song

The Mexican boy - Marty Wilde

'The Mexican boy' does not appear on all the compilation albums of Marty Wilde that appeared recently. It was originally released on September 11, 1964. Both the A-side and the B-side were written by Marty Wilde himself, using the pseudonym Frere Manston.

The song also appeared on Marty's 1969 album 'Diversions' as 'Juan the Mexican boy'. That album is definitely in need of being released on CD. The B-side 'Your kind of love' could serve as an excellent bonus track.

My collection: 7" single no. 5821
Found: Recordsale.de, received May 11, 2017
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'The Mexican boy' / 'Your kind of love'

Listen to the song

The future - Prince

Let it never be said that I stick to my own opinions all of the time. While I'm not too impressed by Prince's soundtrack for the Batman movie in 1989, I recently heard this single 'The future' and thought it was a nice track. Much of this is caused by the excellent remix by Mark Moore and William Orbit.

Moore and Orbit substituted a muted, pulsating beat in place of the original elements of Prince's song. Moore and Orbit also removed Prince's original bassline, synthline, and snippets of sampled dialogue. The single did not chart in the UK and the USA, but managed to peak at number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 5834
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, May 13, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The future (remix edit)' / 'Electric chair'

Listen to the song

Fake - Alexander O'Neal

'Can I get some nasty bass?', asks Alexander O'Neal at the beginning of this track, an obvious reference to Janet Jackson's Nasty, a big hit for producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis a year earlier. Released in 1987, 'Fake' was Alexander O'Neal's first big hit worldwide, followed by Criticize. Both singles were taken from his album 'Hearsay', which was his most successful album, the only one to chart in many countries around the world.

His career continues to the present day. He is not only successful as a singer, but also appeared in various television programmes, most remarkably in The Weakest Link and Celebrity Big Brother in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 5834
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, May 16, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Fake' / 'A broken heart can mend'

Listen to the song

Live and learn - Clannad

Nothing wrong with a bit of Clannad now and then. Their music is certainly more varied than family member Enya's. The single 'Live and learn' was released in 1988 and taken from the album 'Sirius'. It was the follow-up to White fool, and preceded the single The Hunter.

Whereas the album 'Sirius' was a success, peaking at number 34 in the UK albums chart, this single did not chart at all. Much like all the other singles taken from this album, I might add.

My collection: 7" single no. 5831
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, May 13, 2017
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Live and learn' / 'Many roads'

Listen to the song