Teen wave - Ricky Wilde

Ricky Wilde's career never really took off outside of Scandinavia - which is quite extraordinary for a British artist. Ricky only released six singles on the UK records label, before concluding that the life of a pop star wasn't something he wanted. The fact that he was teased in the school yard because of his musical aspirations probably didn't help either.

'Teen wave' was the last single release of Ricky, released in 1974. The song was written and produced by his father Marty Wilde and is the roughest of his singles, leaning heavily into the glam rock genre.

My collection: 7" single no. 2921
Found: Record fair, November 9, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Teen wave' / 'Round and round'

Hier komt de storm - Frank Boeijen Groep

The third and last single from the Frank Boeijen Groep's seventh album 'Welkom in Utopia' was 'Hier komt de storm' ('Here comes the storm'). The single version was heavily edited, which detracted a bit from the track. As a result, the single failed to reach the Dutch Top 40.

Meanwhile, the band had concluded their theatre tour across the Netherlands and work was already underway for the next album. They had never been as popular as they were right at that moment.

My collection: 7" single no. 584
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hier komt de storm' / 'Oorlog der liefde'

Time - Kim Wilde

The second single from Kim Wilde's 1990 album 'Love moves' was 'Time' - at least, it was in the UK and Australia. The record company in Europe opted for 'Can't get enough (of your love)' instead, and so a nightmare was born. Back in 1990, it was very hard to get hold of English singles.

I had to wait until a holiday in London in October - four months after the release of the single - to find a copy. And even then, it was very hard to find one. I eventually found a copy in a dark second hand shop off Kensington High Street - and it was the only copy I saw that week.

My collection: 7" single no. 1320
Found: London, Otcober 16, 1990
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Time' / 'Someday'

Hounds of love - Kate Bush

I've got very strong principles when it comes to my record collection: I never buy a single twice, unless it's from my favourite artists. Kate Bush is one of them, and so when I saw this American pressing of 'Hounds of love', I had to have it. Of course, there's always the small matter of the price: I never bought her Japanese singles because they are way too expensive.

But I happened on this American pressing for a reasonable price, and so I could get my hands on it. Not only the sleeve is different: the B-side is 'Burning bridge', which in Europe was the B-side to 'Cloudbusting'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2864
Found: Record fair, 1995
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Hounds of love' / 'Burning bridge'

On the chart tip EP - Various artists

The British music magazine Record Mirror released an EP with four tracks from various artists from time to time. This, apparently, was the first, released in 1989. It brings together two album tracks from INXS and Black plus an exclusive track from Transvision Vamp and an exclusive remix from Neneh Cherry.

I bought the EP mainly for 'You don't always do what's best for you', a track from Black's then-current album 'Comedy'. Although this is the album version, it fades away 30 seconds earlier and so this is an exclusive edit of the track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2032
Found: Sounds Familiar, London, October 19, 1993
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Johnson's Aeroplane' (INXS), 'Child of the age' (Transvision Vamp) / 'Buffalo stance (The There's Nothing Wrong Mix (Sukka Mix II))', 'You don't always do what's best for you' (Black)

Vanavond ga ik uit - Clouseau

'Vanavond ga ik uit' ('I'm going out tonight') was written by famous Belgian singer/songwriter Raymond van 't Groenewoud. He gave the song (together with another song, 'Verlangen' ('Desire')) to Clouseau, who recorded it on their new album 'Doorgaan' ('Going on') in 1992.

Released as the second single from the album, it reached number 26 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 9 in the Belgian singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1650
Found: Melody Maker, May 9, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Vanavond ga ik uit' / 'Er kan nog iemand mee'

Bye bye I love you - Ireen Sheer

Ireen Sheer was born on February 25, 1949 in Basildon, England. Sheer was discovered at the beginning of the Sixties through a talent competition, but still took time to graduate from a bank apprenticeship in spite of her early success. She sang for several pop groups, such as The Family Dogg, before she went solo in 1970. She was marked an official success when 'Goodbye Mama' became a Top 5 hit on the German charts in 1973. After that, she released several records, almost every one going on to become a hit.

In 1974 she represented Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Bye bye, I love you'. It reached 4th place in a field of 17 competitors. It wouldn't be the last time she appeared in the Contest: she returned in 1978 for Germany and in 1985 for Luxembourg again.

My collection: 7" single no. 4833
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Bye bye I love you' / 'Tous les grands sentiments'

El - Lucia

Lucia was born as María Isabel Rodríguez Lineros on April 2, 1964 in Seville, Andalusia, Spain. She is best known for representing Spain at the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Él' ('He'). She finished tenth in a field of 18 competitors.

She has also worked as a radio and TV presenter in Seville, and she participated at the reality show contest 'La Granja' (Spanish version of 'The Farm') in 2003.

My collection: 7" single no. 4832
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'El' / 'Tendras que decidir'

Right night for loving - Kikki

Kikki was born as Ann-Kristin Danielsson on May 10, 1952 in Osby, Sweden. She was adopted and lived on a farm in Älmhult, Småland from the age of five. There, she became the only child in the family while her younger sister was adopted to another place. At 5 years old, Kikki made her first singing performance, singing the Christmas song 'När Jesusbarnet låg en gång' in church. As a child, she sang in the local church choir.

In the Seventies, her career in music started seriously, as part of the bands Nickies and Wizex. In 1982, she joined the band Chips, which represented Sweden duing the Eurovision Song Contest that year. She returned on the Eurovision stage in 1985, with the song 'Bra vibrationer'. This single contains the English version of that song.

My collection: 7" single no. 4831
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Right night for loving' / 'Love can hurt'

Donne un peu de toi - Mike Brant

Mike Brant was born as Moshe Brand on February 1, 1947 on Cyprus as the son of a Polish mother who survived Auschwitz and married a Polish resistance fighter. Mike didn't start speaking until 6 years of age, and very soon told his family and friends that when he grew up he'd be "a star... or a tramp!" At the age of 11 he joined his school choir.

His career in music started in the early Sixties. He soon became very popular in France. By 1973, he was giving 250 concerts a year, some attended by 6,000 to 10,000 people. This went on for two years. He suffered from depression and loneliness. On November 22, 1974, he attempted suicide, jumping out the window of his manager's hotel room in Geneva. He received fractures but survived. He cut the number of performances and concentrated on another album, 'Dis-lui'. On April 25, 1975, the day this new album was released, Brant leapt to his death from an apartment in Paris.

My collection: 7" single no. 4830
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Donne un peu de toi' / 'Essayer de lui mentir' // 'Summertime (Tchop, Tchop)' / 'Malaguena'

Toi, la musique et moi - Mary Cristy

Mary Cristy was born as Marie Ruggieri. In 1976, she represented Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest with the disco-inspired 'Toi, la musique et moi'. The song finished third in a field of 18 contestants.

Cristy subsequently also recorded her song in Italian (as 'La musica e noi due'), Spanish ('La música, tú y yo'), German ('Die Musik und ich') and English ('Thank you for rushing into my life').

My collection: 7"single no. 4829
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Toi, la musique et moi' / 'Juste un peu de chagrin'

Per Lucia - Riccardo Fogli

Riccardo Fogli was born on October 21, 1947 in Pontedera, Italy. During the Sixties, he became a fan of The Beatles, which also influenced his decision to start his career as a singer. After some time in bands like Slenders and Pooh, he started a solo career in 1973. His main success, however, came in the Eighties.

In 1983, he represented Italy during the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Per Lucia' ('For Lucia'). He finished in eleventh place in a field of 20 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4828
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Per Lucia' / 'Altri tempi'

Über die Brücke geh'n - Ingrid Peters

Ingrid Peters was born in Dudweiler, Germany on April 19, 1954. During her career, she made several attempts to represent Germany during the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song 'Du bist nicht frei' didn't win the national final in 1979 and in 1983 she finished second during the national final with 'Viva la mamma'.

In 1986, she was finally selected to do the job with the optimistic song 'Über die Brücke geh'n'. She finished eighth in a field of 20 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4827
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Über die Brücke geh'n' / 'Mitten ins Herz'

En un mundo nuevo - Karina

Karina was born as María Isabel Bárbara Llaudés Santiago in Jaén, Andalusia on December 4, 1943. She recorded her first album in 1964 and had her biggest success in the late Sixties and early Seventies, after her breakthrough with a Spanish version of France Gall's 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son'.

In 1971, she represented Spain during the Eurovision Song Contest with 'En un mundo nuevo' ('In a new world'). The song finished second, behind Severine's 'Un banc, un arbre, une rue' for Monaco.

My collection: 7" single no. 4826
Found: eBay.be, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'En un mundo nuevo' / 'Quisiera tener'

Love don't live here - Bananarama

Obviously, when I ordered the 12" single of Bananarama's most recent single 'Love don't live here', I bought the 7" single as well. This 7" single comes with an exclusive new track on the B-side, 'Here comes the rain'.

Producer Ian Masterson was once part of the remix outfit the Trouser Enthusiasts, and it shows on these excellent tracks. Now let's hope that the single turns up in tomorrow's UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4825
Found: What records, received April 14, 2010
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love don't live here' / 'Here comes the rain'

Hounds of love - Kate Bush

'Hounds of love' is the title track of Kate Bush's 1985 album. The track starts with a sample from the British 1957 horror film 'Night of the demon'. The words 'It's in the trees! It's coming!' are spoken by an actor from the film, Maurice Denham. The song is about being afraid to fall in love; in the song this feeling is compared to being chased by a pack of hounds.

Released as the third single from the album in February 1986, 'Hounds of love' reached number 18 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 392
Found: Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hounds of love' / 'The handsome cabin boy'

Anne - Kayak

'Anne' was the only single from Kayak's album 'Periscope life' to become a hit in the Netherlands. And rightfully so, I should add: it's a beautiful track with a great melody, performed in style by the Dutch symphonic rockers.

Released in March 1980, 'Anne' reached number 26. The artwork on the sleeve was identical to the album sleeve, which makes it look a bit odd.

My collection: 7" single no. 4817
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Anne' / 'The sight'

Going through the motions - Hot Chocolate

'Going through the motions' was the title track of Hot Chocolate's 1979 album, released as a single in July 1979.

Despite its haunting atmosphere and lyrics, the song did not catch on: it only managed to reach number 53 in the UK singles chart and failed to chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4793
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Going through the motions' / 'Stay with me'

N'avoue jamais - Guy Mardel

Guy Mardel was born as Mardochée Elkoubi in Oran, Algeria on June 30, 1944. He moved to France at the age of 15. During his studies in law school, he occasionally sang in a jazz band. In 1963 he signed a recording contract with AZ Records and released two singles, until he was chosen to represent France during the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest.

He performed the song 'N'avoue jamais' ('Never admit'), written by himself and composed by Françoise Dorin. The song finished third in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4770
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'N'avoue jamais', 'Sans rien me dire' / 'S'il pleut ajourd'hui', 'Songe songe'

The way life's meant to be - Electric Light Orchestra

'The way life's meant to be' was the last single to be released from Electric Light Orchestra's 1981 album 'Time'. The song starts with gentle violins, and continues with flamenco-like guitar playing, and castanets. The south Mediterranean sound continues throughout the vocal and choiring on the refrain.

According to Jeff Lynne, 'It seemed to be [a pessimistic view] on that song. Yeah, well, and absolute that song... He's walking down the same street that it was before, like say a hundred years before. But uh, even though he's on the same bit of ground, everything that he knew is, like, buried under this new shit, y'know, that's growing up... on top of it, all these plastic towers and stuff. Ah, the castanets. It was a bit Russian but we put castanets on it and it became Spanish.'

My collection: 7" single no. 4796
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'The way life's meant to be' / 'Wishing'