I wonder why Susannah Hoffs always did that thing where she cast her eyes from side to said like a cat with its head trapped in a radiator? Was she scared one of the others was going to smack her one at any minute?
The thing about them doing 2 years in one (thanks Mike Fucking Smith), is that the fall of some of the bigger hitters of the early 80's seems all the sharper - Paul Young and Howard Jones both struggling for sales and for a tune here.
"Suburbia" was the moment the Pet Shop Boys really clicked for me. I had a double 7" with 5 songs on it and played it to death. edit - this: https://www.discogs.com/Pet-Shop-Boys-Suburbia/release/153350 - still have it.
Is Simon Bates being a sarky bugger about that Cliff/Sarah Brightman being directed by Ken Russell? It's a two quid green screen extravaganza!
Oh, here it is...very pale compared to its predecessor and indeed, confirming the stalker vibes of the "I Want To..." video weren't ENTIRELY accidental.
OH, I've had a sudden memory of being outrageously excited about The Mission being in the chart! Oh dear, oh dear...
Housemartins still sounds good - quite ballsy of them to follow-up "Happy Hour" with such a downbeat song.
Haha - quite like them looking around for the trumpet player...it's little touches like that which were most of the fun in TOTP by this time.
"Aye you comfortable...yeah you look it" - what did he even mean by that. God, Gary Davies is everything that was SHIt about the 80's in one entitled package.
"True Colours" is a delight. I hate hearing show-off singers belting it out; Lauper's fragile delivery is a massive part of why the song works so well (ditto the equally fab "Time After Time")
I like her/them but that performance of Don't Get Me Wrong felt really cringeworthy. I think it was the quick cuts between the inanely grinning band members. It is one of those songs that I think of as being bigger than grazing the top ten though.
Yeah, what was so damn funny? But you're right - radio must have loved that song because it was everywhere but my memory put it top 3 or so.
2000 Miles Brass In Pocket Don't Get Me Wrong Hymn To Her From what I remember (it's been a long time) pretty much everything else is superfluous.
I like the chord sequence of "Chain Gang", it pleases me on a guitar-player level but the song doesn't do a whole lot for me.
Mike Smith hosted edition from 04/12/86: The Communards – “So Cold The Night” (14) Oran ‘Juice’ Jones – “The Rain” (12) (video) Erasure – “Sometimes” (3) Genesis – “Land Of Confusion” (20) (video) Jaki Graham – “Step Right Up” (26) (breaker) The Housemartins – “Caravan Of Love” (23) (breaker) George Benson – “Shiver” (21) (breaker) Gregory Abbott – “Shake You Down” (15) Europe – “The Final Countdown” (1) (video) Bruce Springsteen – “War” (18) (live clip/credits) https://wetransfer.com/downloads/a59ef9e6bef8429ff9adbe6629cfd8a220181209160629/27195e
Back On The Chain Gang is my favourite. I’d chuck in Human, Popstar, You Know Who Your Friends Are and Lets Get Lost (the single version with Neil Tennant) as essential Pretenders too. Really liked Chrissie’s solo record ‘Stockholm’ too.
Even NILE RODGERS can't save NOTORIOUS 'Skin Trade' was the only DURAN single that I ever though was any use AT ALL but I'm ready to be DISABUSED OF THAT NOTION
THIS is my favourite Pretenders-related artefact And 'My Love Life' my MORRISSEY but WE DON'T MENTION HIM ANY MORE
OMG Europe. We've got a CLICHE and we're gonna use it. Big hair frightens me This Simple Minds song is a big old NOTHING. I don't remember it AT ALL and I was quite the POP CONSUMER at the time
