Tuesday, April 22, 2008
i'm proud of you, yes i'm proud of you
Just a note to say that there is a reason why there has been a lack of posts to this site. All will become apparent in due course......
It currently involves, however:
Mark King, Nathan Moore, Simon Climie, Nick Beggs, Pat Kane, George and Shannon from Boy Meets Girl, Bobby Gee, Nik Kershaw, Gary Clark, Peter Cox, Holly Johnson, Christian James, Limahl, Walter Werzowa, Simon Toulson-Clarke, Calvin Hayes, Martin Ware and Greedy Smith.
and will (hopefully) also shortly involve:
Owen Paul, Tiffany, Toni Basil, Hazell Dean, Billy Ocean, Neville Staples, Kim Wilde, Tony Hadley, Martin Fry, Michael Jay, Robin Beck and Angry Anderson.
but not (as they are dead):
Laura Branigan, Falco, the London Boys, Rob Fisher and Jermaine Stewart.
and not as they are busy/miserable:
Jimmy Somerville, Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, Andy Bell, Vince Clarke, Sonia, Roddy Frame, Howard Jones, Feargal Sharkey, the Bangles and Bobby McFerrin.
It currently involves, however:
Mark King, Nathan Moore, Simon Climie, Nick Beggs, Pat Kane, George and Shannon from Boy Meets Girl, Bobby Gee, Nik Kershaw, Gary Clark, Peter Cox, Holly Johnson, Christian James, Limahl, Walter Werzowa, Simon Toulson-Clarke, Calvin Hayes, Martin Ware and Greedy Smith.
and will (hopefully) also shortly involve:
Owen Paul, Tiffany, Toni Basil, Hazell Dean, Billy Ocean, Neville Staples, Kim Wilde, Tony Hadley, Martin Fry, Michael Jay, Robin Beck and Angry Anderson.
but not (as they are dead):
Laura Branigan, Falco, the London Boys, Rob Fisher and Jermaine Stewart.
and not as they are busy/miserable:
Jimmy Somerville, Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, Andy Bell, Vince Clarke, Sonia, Roddy Frame, Howard Jones, Feargal Sharkey, the Bangles and Bobby McFerrin.
Monday, January 21, 2008
One Night Stand
Mis-Teeq
One Night Stand
#5, Oct 2001
Ahem. Despite not being a huge fan of the London threesome's R&B tinged pop sound (a substandard British Destiny's Child, some might say), this spectacularly good single made the top 5 in October 2001.
Who knows sometimes what makes a given record brilliant? For this one, it's the superb production and general catchiness of it, I guess. Like I say, their singles before and since were second rate schlock (and, having seen them perform them live at Glastonbury in 2002 - yes, you read that correctly - they did nothing to convince me otherwise), "One Night Stand" remains one of the singles of 2001.
I broke my right wrist by falling over on slippery grass in a field directly after seeing Mis-Teeq perform live, you know. I reckon I am the only person on Planet Earth who can make that claim.
Ding Ding! First round.
Best lyric: "...glass down, grab a man..."
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Somewhere In My Heart
Aztec Camera
Somewhere In My Heart
#3, May 1988
It's one of the late 80's most recognisable tunes, but that doesn't stop it being a little bit of pop brilliance.
For years, Roddy Frame had plodded along making his nice melodic guitar records to a modicum of success. Singles like "Oblivious" and "Walk Out To Winter" had made the band kown, but it wasn't until the spring of 1988 that this single catapulted Aztec Camera into the public consciousness.
There's little not to like about this song. From it's bold horns to the opening line that everybody knows to it's silly guitar solo, it's become almost the archetypal record for a hot summers day.
It didn't do a huge amount for Frame's career, however. Despite some excellent subsequent releases (the brilliant "Good Morning Britain" and "Spanish Horses"), nothing ever came close to emulating the enduring popularity of this great single.
Best line: "...from Westwood to Hollywood/the one thing that's understood is that you can't buy time, but you can sell your soul, and the closest thing to heaven is to rock and roll..."
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Year 3000
Busted
Year 3000
#2, Jan 2003
Say what you like about Busted (and many will), but James, Charlie and Matt were a breath of fresh air to the pure pop scene of the early 21st century.
Serious musicians they may not have been, but as an antithesis to the overproduced, manufactured bands of the time (your Steps and your Westlife), their brand of lightweight guitar pop was immensely popular until their split in 2005.
From their debut (the cheeky and somewhat wrong "That's What I Go To School For"), Busted chirped through 8 top 10 singles including three #1 records. Without being my favourite (I bought their first album...), this is the best example of their popcorn sound. Despite this song having some serious temporal flaws (someone's great great great granddaughter wouldn't in all likelihood be alive in the year 3000) and the irony of them singing about "their seventh album" (they split after two) it's a great little three minute pop song.
Best lyric: "....triple breasted women swim around town....totally naked!"
Friday, October 05, 2007
Suddenly
Angry Anderson
Suddenly
#3, November 1988
So, the moderately successful Australian vocalist and lead singer of band Rose Tattoo for over a decade got lucky in the autumn of 1988 when his album track "Suddenly" was used as the background music for the wedding of Scott and Charlene in the insanely popular (at the time) soap "Neighbours".
It's a funny one this one. It's one of those records that, at the time, was something of a novelty song (it was Angry's only UK hit) but with time and listens, it's actually a pretty decent (if somewhat cheesy) ballad of that late 80s type.
I really like this song. And the older I get, and the more I hear it, the more that is the case. It actually came within about 12 hours of being used as part of the wedding music for me and my Antipodean bride, but was culled at the eleventh hour on cheese grounds (it was an Australian #1 single but the fond nostalgia we have for this song doesn't reach Down Under).
Ignoring the fact it only made it because of its usage, listening to it out of context now only proves to me what a decent record it is.
(and he was in "Mad Max", you know. Honest.)
Best lyric: "........suddenly you're hearing me, so I'm running just as fast as I can, to you, suddenly, every part of me needs to know every part of you..."
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake)
Gareth Gates
Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake)
#1, July 2002
Amongst the not-very-good version of "Unchained Melody", the off-the-rails drinking, the sex with Jordan and the disappearance down the Dumper only to re-emerge a couple of months ago this, Gareth's second single, was actually a big-selling number 1 record and a very very polished piece of pop music.
After losing out to Will Young in the UK's first "Pop Idol", Gareth was expected to become the bigger star. His boyish looks got the girls and boys and his stammer endeared him to the older audience. However despite his four number one singles (more than Elton John) he hasn't really turned into the huge star that everyone expected.
I suspect that's because his debut album "What My Heart Wants To Say" actually wasn't very good. It had its moments but there was a bit of an absence of quality control. This, however, is a great piano-led pop record which, was it recorded today by a bigger star would be an absolutely enormous hit record.
Best lyric: "...anyone can fall/anyone can hurt someone they love/hearts will break/'cause I made a stupid mistake...."
After losing out to Will Young in the UK's first "Pop Idol", Gareth was expected to become the bigger star. His boyish looks got the girls and boys and his stammer endeared him to the older audience. However despite his four number one singles (more than Elton John) he hasn't really turned into the huge star that everyone expected.
I suspect that's because his debut album "What My Heart Wants To Say" actually wasn't very good. It had its moments but there was a bit of an absence of quality control. This, however, is a great piano-led pop record which, was it recorded today by a bigger star would be an absolutely enormous hit record.
Best lyric: "...anyone can fall/anyone can hurt someone they love/hearts will break/'cause I made a stupid mistake...."
Friday, April 27, 2007
Love Changes (Everything)
Climie Fisher
Love Changes (Everything)
#2, April 1988
OK, let's be bold. This is the finest individual pop record to come out of the 1980's.
I absolutely adore this record. From the first time I heard it in the spring of 1988, it has been a firm and consistent favourite of mine. It's certainly in my all time top 10 singles and even featured on my Shuffleathon CD as one of the 12 songs that best defined my collection.
There's not much not to like about this record and I remain astounded that it never hit the top of the charts. It's almost perfect in its construction - a brilliant melody, simple but non-cheesy lyrics, a sentiment that everyone can identify with and it's brilliantly sung.
It's got the lot. "Ah"'s and "ooh"s in the introduction, "doo-doo"'s later on, an anthemic chorus everyone can sing and great a key change. It's one of those rare records that never loses its momentum from the beginning to the end, and even though it's nearly four and a half minutes long you are left gasping for more.
Bearing in mind it is nearly twenty years old, I am astounded that no canny act has covered this and taken it back into the charts. It's timeless, and would be an enormous hit.
Sadly, of course, Rob Fisher died in 1999, aged just 39.
Great, great, great pop record. In the unlikely event I ever get my idea for a "Smash Hits" club night off the ground, it's one of my top choices. Brilliant.
Best lyric: "I was only seventeen when she looked at me that way/seems like yesterday..."
I absolutely adore this record. From the first time I heard it in the spring of 1988, it has been a firm and consistent favourite of mine. It's certainly in my all time top 10 singles and even featured on my Shuffleathon CD as one of the 12 songs that best defined my collection.
There's not much not to like about this record and I remain astounded that it never hit the top of the charts. It's almost perfect in its construction - a brilliant melody, simple but non-cheesy lyrics, a sentiment that everyone can identify with and it's brilliantly sung.
It's got the lot. "Ah"'s and "ooh"s in the introduction, "doo-doo"'s later on, an anthemic chorus everyone can sing and great a key change. It's one of those rare records that never loses its momentum from the beginning to the end, and even though it's nearly four and a half minutes long you are left gasping for more.
Bearing in mind it is nearly twenty years old, I am astounded that no canny act has covered this and taken it back into the charts. It's timeless, and would be an enormous hit.
Sadly, of course, Rob Fisher died in 1999, aged just 39.
Great, great, great pop record. In the unlikely event I ever get my idea for a "Smash Hits" club night off the ground, it's one of my top choices. Brilliant.
Best lyric: "I was only seventeen when she looked at me that way/seems like yesterday..."
Lord Bargain of Dumper
back! Back! BACK! A meandering journey through the genius of Pop....
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