Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2022 i Classic Pop

WELCOME It’s been said many times before, but it bears repeating. Kevin Rowland truly is one of the great one-offs in the music world. Few have thought more deeply about putting together a complete package for a band than the Dexys leader. As you can see from the striking new photoshoot, their 2021 incarnation is just as eye-catching as ever. I’m reminded of Issue 69’s Classic Album feature for Searching For The Young Soul Rebels where Rowland set out his original mission statement: “I’ll form a great group, we’ll wear great clothes and make soulful music.” More than 40 years later, the Dexys frontman remains as good as his word. He still sets the very highest sartorial standards and his passion for making soulful music burns as brightly as ever.…

POP UP BOWIE DOCUMENTARY WILL BOAST UNSEEN FOOTAGE Thousands of hours of unseen David Bowie footage will form the backdrop for a new documentary film about the late icon. Director Brett Morgen, whose previous work includes Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck, has worked for four years on the untitled project which has been described as, “neither documentary nor biography, but an immersive cinematic experience built, in part, upon thousands of hours of never before seen material.” material.”_ Bowie’s wife Iman has thrown her support behind the film after previously stating the Bowie estate wouldn’t authorise a straightforward biopic. Also onboard is long-time Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti as the project’s music producer and the Oscar-winning sound team behind Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Members of Bowie’s estate have insisted, though, that a…

POP UP DR ROBERT HAS THE RIGHT PRESCRIPTION FOR CAPALDI Former Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi can thank an 80s pop favourite for transforming him into a bona fide songwriter. The ex-Time Lord released debut album St Christopher earlier this year and revealed: “My friend Dr Robert from The Blow Monkeys hosts a happening every year where musicians come together. He knew I played guitar and leaned on me to come along. I scribbled out a song and they turned it into proper music within a day. I then had a go at writing more.” Peter, who also happens to be cousins with Lewis Capaldi, ended up penning his album while filming The Suicide Squad, explaining to The Guardian: “I bought a cheap electric guitar and made demos on GarageBand.…

Q+A TREVOR HORN AS A MEMBER OF DIRE STRAITS LEGACY, THE ICONIC PRODUCER IS KEEPING HIS BASS-PLAYING CHOPS IN SHAPE AS HE CELEBRATES THE BACK CATALOGUE OF MARK KNOPFLER’S GLOBE-CONQUERING BAND IAN WADE As the man boasting an impressive CV of hits with the likes of ABC, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Rod Stewart, Seal, Pet Shop Boys, Propaganda and Belle & Sebastian to name just a handful, Trevor Horn is one of the most acclaimed and hugely influential producers in the history of pop. In recent years, though, he’s been stepping out from behind the mixing desk to perform with his Trevor Horn Band and also hooked up with Dire Straits Legacy. Further shows with DSL are planned throughout 2022. We caught up with Trevor to find out what he’s…

STEVE NORMAN TO MARK SPANDAU’S GLORY DAYS Spandau Ballet may be over, but their ex-saxophonist Steve Norman is determined to mark a major milestone for the New Romantic icons next year. Norman is taking his other band The Sleevz on the road in February to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Spandau’s debut album, Journeys To Glory. Steve believes it’s the closest fans will get to hearing authentic Spandau again: “I think with The Sleevz, we’ve got that punky thing going on like Spandau did in the very early 80s. I was worried that people might see me as a tribute to myself, but it’s me. There’s so much of me in that album.” He would have preferred to have had the rest of his old mates on stage with him,…

POP UP BRIT AWARDS SHAKE-UP A major shake-up of the BRITs will mark the end of gendered awards in 2022. The UK music industry’s flagship event, which takes place on 8 February at London’s O2 Arena, has moved away from the female and male categories by launching new awards for Artist Of The Year and International Artist Of The Year. The idea is to celebrate acts solely for their music, rather than how they choose to identify. Additionally, four new genre awards, all of which will go to a public vote, have been introduced including Alternative/Rock Act, Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act, Dance Act and Pop/R’n’B Act. The BRITs live show will be produced by Glastonbury Festival stalwarts Block9, also the team behind Banksy’s Dismaland. Celebrity Googlebox star Mo Gilligan takes over from…

ROBBIE WILLIAMS SAID In addition to the new mixes of the original album, Too-Rye-Ay As It Should Have Sounded will feature three cover versions of its tracks – from Robbie Williams, David Holmes… and Adrian Dunbar. The actor, best known as Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line Of Duty, knew Kevin Rowland through a mutual friend. The pair met after Kevin saw Adrian as Brendan Behan in the play Brendan At The Chelsea, about the Irish playwright’s time in New York. “I knew Adrian was a musician when we met,” says Kevin. Indeed, Adrian fronts folk band Adie Dunbar And The Jonahs, who released the album Two Brothers. “I saw Adrian on YouTube singing at an Irish show and thought he’d be good for this album. He’s a good singer and musician, and…

KEY FIGURES TINA TURNER Tina Turner began her career in the 50s alongside future husband Ike. She released her first solo album, Tina Turns The Country On!, in 1974, though it wasn’t until 1984’s Private Dancer that her solo career really took off. Sadly, she’s retired from music now, having released her final album, Twenty Four Seven, in 1999. Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin’s Tina documentary from 2021 is a must-see. ROGER DAVIES Roger Davies single-handedly revitalised Tina’s career. Instructing her to dump the cabaret club aesthetic that she was hawking at the time, the manager changed her entire act. He booked her onto the rock circuit and landed her gigs with The Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart, guiding her towards a contemporary look and sound that found Turner back…

FOUR Little WORDS “Destroy, disorder, disorientate!” As he prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of The Lexicon Of Love with a lavish new live tour, accompanied by Anne Dudley and the Southbank Sinfonia, Martin Fry tells Classic Pop how ABC set about creating a timeless pop masterpiece. PAUL KIRKLEY When Martin Fry steps onto the stage at Sheffield City Hall next June, it will be exactly 40 years to the day since the release of The Lexicon Of Love – the landmark pop classic that exploded like a musical glitterbomb from the Steel City’s grey, post-industrial landscape. “That’s going to be an emotional evening, I know it is,” says Martin, when Classic Pop catches up with him over Zoom. “It doesn’t feel like 40 years. A lot happens in four…

LIFE THROUGH A LENS ADAM ANT • LIFE THROUGH A LENS PHOTOGRAPHER JUSTIN THOM AS WAS ON SET TO CAPTURE ALL OF THE ACTION AT ADAM ANT’S 1990 ROOM AT THE TOP VIDEO SHOOT STEVE HARNELL…

JAMIROQUAI ALBUM BY ALBUM COMPILATION In its original incarnation, this 19-track affair is all killer and no filler. As one of the most consistent singles bands across the last three decades, Jamiroquai could always be relied upon to throw down two or three stellar 7"s on every studio album. Never released on vinyl – the record label needs to rectify that pronto – few bands can match this as a greatest hits compilation song-for-song. Presented in chronological release order, it’s a neat snapshot of the band’s evolution as they take on electro, rock and club-friendly influences. A full version of the band’s only UK No.1, the superb Deeper Underground makes this an essential purchase. Head to the Deluxe Edition for new twists via 10 remixes from across their career. Emergency…

TOP TEN BELINDA CARLISLE SCORES HER FIRST EVER NO.1, WHILE CHER FINDS SOMEONE AND CLIMIE FISHER RISE TO THE OCCASION… STEVE O’BRIEN WEEK ENDING 16 JANUARY 1988 01 (2) HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH BELINDA CARLISLE (VIRGIN) HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH BELINDA CARLISLE (VIRGIN) Belinda Carlisle had already been in the pop biz 10 years before hitting big with Heaven Is A Place On Earth. Though she’d released a trio of Go-Go’s albums and one solo long-player (1986’s Belinda), chart success in the UK had somehow eluded the Hollywood-born vocalist. This first single from sophomore album Heaven On Earth would change all that, topping the hit parades in Britain, the US, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway and South Africa. The Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley-penned number boasted…

POPARAZZI READERS SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE PHOTOS AS THEY GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN PLANET POP Send your Poparazzi pics now to steve.harnell@anthem.co.uk BJÖRN ULVAEUS AND BENNY ANDERSSON WITH TONY DURRANT-WOOD “Like most classic pop music fans I watched ABBA’s livestream on 2 September to announce their new album and hologram tour. The ArcelorMittal Orbit tower – where the interview with Benny and Björn took place – is only a mile from where I live. After the livestream, I decided to pop down there. I figured that if I was lucky I might catch them getting into their cars. When I got to the tower there were only a few people milling around and no sign of the boys. I assumed I’d missed them…

SUPER FAN DEVOTED FANS SHOW US THEIR COLLECTIONS AND POP MEMORABILIA KYLIE MINOGUE IAN FIFIELD WITNEY, OXFORDSHIRE INSTAGRAM: IMPY_IAN Q When did you first become a Superfan of Kylie Minogue? A My parents used to go to lots of concerts when we were kids and dragged us along with them. My dad said in return he’d take me to a gig of my choice. My sister had bought me the Hand On Your Heart 7" which I’d been playing on repeat, so I chose Kylie. He took us to the Enjoy Yourself Tour in 1990. That night a Superfan was born. What do you have in your personal collection? A In addition to the multiple formats of all the music releases, I have an array of merchandise including tour programmes,…

YEARS & YEARS NIGHT CALL POLYDOR Years & Years’ third album arrives at a crucial time for Olly Alexander, now its sole member after bandmates Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen were casually dispensed with. Their departure was no surprise – there was much intrigue about the pair’s absence from the credits for previous album Palo Santo – but it officially signposted a ruthlessness in Alexander’s approach. The singer’s public profile is so high after his heartbreaking performance in Russell T Davies’ award-winning AIDS drama It’s A Sin that he’s anchoring BBC1’s New Year’s Eve coverage with Kylie Minogue. Palo Santo was a low-key album from someone born to take centre stage like Alexander, seemingly compromised by the trio’s faltering internal relationships and the frontman perhaps unsure how to guide his…

JAH WOBBLE METAL BOX – REBUILT IN DUB CLEOPATRA It takes a bold man to deconstruct a classic, but that’s what John Wardle’s done for Public Image Ltd’s legendary second album from 1979, to which he contributed the vital bottom end. That’s despite the fact unauthorised use of recordings from those sessions for the aptly titled The Legend Lives On… Jah Wobble In “Betrayal” lost him his job in 1980. Fortunately, this proves a worthwhile endeavour, though fans that have been drawn to the groundbreaking post-punk collection’s intense claustrophobia may baulk at its more polished nature. Certainly, Albatross’s punchy drums sound like they were taped for Pil’s aggressive Album and Swan Lake refines and extends its homage to Tchaikovsky with strings and piano, though its bass rumbles are as ominous…

LEO SAYER NORTHERN SONGS: LEO SAYER SINGS THE BEATLES DEMON Since Leo Sayer’s now into his sixth decade in showbiz, he’s entitled to some fun, especially under lockdown. His solution? An album of 19 Beatles covers. They may not delight purists but they’re nonetheless more surprising than one might anticipate, none more so than his opening Eleanor Rigby. This inventively, unexpectedly summons recollections of early 2000s mashups – remember The Strokes vs Christina Aguilera’s A Stroke Of Genie-us? – by pairing it with what could be the rhythm track to Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. If you can handle that, you’ll also enjoy Girl, on which, to a backing employing endearingly lo-ficut-and-paste breakbeat techniques, he actually impersonates Jacko, culminating with sweet falsetto funk. He also offers his best Van Morrison on…

DEAD MEN WALKING FREEDOM – IT AIN’T ON THE RISE EASTERSNOW Kirk Brandon revives his CV’s most recent project, adding Stiff Little Fingers’ Jake Burns and The Ruts’ Segs and Ruffy to its line-up. Dorothy provides a gutsy opening, but it’s otherwise largely an acoustic affair, never more understated than on the sombre Man Down: “He had a bit of bad luck/ He fell out of an aeroplane”. Guilty As Sin demands a campfire singalong and My Dark Places’ raw harmonies may already be one, while veteran fans will welcome SOD classic Never Take Me Alive’s hearty reinvention. WW…

THE WOMBATS FIX YOURSELF, NOT THE WORLD AWAL Slowly rising to arena status and finally taken seriously, the trio overcome being variously based in London, Oslo and Los Angeles by getting big-name producers including Jacknife Lee and Mike Crossey to assemble the results. It’s much more cohesive than it sounds, their trademark playfulness roaming across funk, disco and trance as well as more traditional indie. As before, it’s only when singer Murph tries to get serious that matters become unstuck: they still don’t convince as grunge rumblers or epic balladeers. JE…

REVIEWS COMMUNARDS COMMUNARDS LONDON © Getty EXEMPLARY EXPANDED EDITION SHOULD HELP ITS MAKERS REALISE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AS BRITAIN’S PREMIER LGBTQ+ DISCO ACTIVISTS AND SUPPER-CLUB JAZZATEERS As he says elsewhere in this issue, Rev Richard Coles now generally thinks his pop stardom happened to someone else. The nation’s favourite TV vicar has become so established as a panel show presence that it’s hard to recall how he previously tried to destabilise the Government with political pop. Meanwhile, Jimmy Somerville only began to accept his talents around the release of his last solo album in 2015 – and has refused all interview requests since. While Somerville doubted his skills, Coles was in awe of his bandmate. If Communards’ mutual self-doubt is rather heartbreaking, you’d hope this extensive 35th anniversary reissue of the…

REVIEWS KYLIE MINOGUE DISCO: GUEST LIST EDITION BMG FOR ONCE, A DELUXE EDITION OF A RECENT ALBUM ACTUALLY ADDS SUBSTANCE TO AN ALREADY IMPRESSIVE ORIGINAL – RECORD COMPANIES PLEASE TAKE NOTE The music industry has been beset for a few years by ropey “deluxe” editions of recent albums. Sting won’t revisit his early catalogue, but cheerfully adds a couple of new songs to his current fare. The usually reliable Lorde’s startlingly terrible Solar Power was given a supposedly deluxe overhaul in November, less than three months after its original release, comprising just two additional tracks. Lorde is hardly the only culprit to devalue the “deluxe” tag. Look, we all miss B-sides and would love to revive the format, but urging fans to buy an album twice in three months, simultaneously…

REVIEWS GORILLAZ GORILLAZ PARLOPHONE After six albums, Blur were beginning to fracture following 1999’s desolate 13, which in retrospect feels like a break-up eulogy for the band and the 90s as much as Damon Albarn’s relationship with Elastica’s Justine Frischmann. At 20 years’ distance, it’s remarkable that even someone as prolific as Albarn was able to casually move inside 18 months from the heartbreak of No Distance Left To Run and Tender to becoming a pure-pop cartoon, producing with hip-hop mainstay Dan The Automator. As reinventions go, it’s the equal from one album to the next as anything David Bowie pulled off. There had been hints Blur could do something as groove-laden as Gorillaz: Alex James is a far more fluid bassist than his cheesemonger image allows, and even 13…

REISSUES ROXETTE JOYRIDE RHINO Less than a year after Roxette’s second rarities boxset Bag Of Trix, here’s a 4LP/3CD 30th anniversary box of the duo’s biggest album, promising further unreleased material. Though they were certainly prolific during their commercial heyday – sumptuous B-side The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye was covered by Laura Branigan – it’s starting to look like fans are being fleeced. Why weren’t the dozen unreleased demos included on previous boxsets, which would have allowed a regular and more streamlined Joyride celebration, rather than urging fans to stump up £80 for the 4LP version? Marketing complaints aside, Joyride is an aptly titled album. After years on the margins, previous LP Look Sharp! had made Roxette stars. They weren’t going to waste the opportunity, and at least this…

BANDERAS RIPE 90/9 In a low-key version of Wham! begetting Pepsi & Shirlie, Banderas comprised former Communards backing musicians Sally Herbert and Caroline Buckley. You’ll remember sole hit This Is Your Life, a warm Balearic mood enhanced by guitars from Electronic. The duo’s only album proves Banderas had more to offer, but also why they fell through the cracks. Buckley quit public life, while Herbert is now a successful arranger and film composer. She Sells and Don’t Let That Man have the energy of their old band, while Why Aren’t You In Love With Me? is gorgeous cocktail jazz. Featuring Jimmy Somerville on backing vocals, it predates Dido by a decade, while also slotting next to Swing Out Sister. However, the limp funk of May This Be Your Last Sorrow…

WHITNEY HOUSTON ONE WISH/I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU: THE BEST OF SONY LEGACY Both issued on vinyl for the first time, Houston’s 2003 festive album and posthumous 2012 compilation show her differing sides. One Wish’s setlist is predictable. Despite the intriguingly sparse production, Houston seems barely engaged, largely on autopilot. For true fireworks, check the hits. Chronologically arranged and newly adding Kygo collaboration Higher Love, here’s Houston as God-tier singer, getting the variety of pop, soul and R&B material to match. JE…

VARIOUS ARTISTS HEAVENLY REMIXES VOLUME 1 & 2 HEAVENLY Associated with great remixes as much as a home for talents as diverse as Saint Etienne and Doves, Heavenly’s favourite 25 excursions feature across these two compilations. It starts with Underworld slamming into Saint Etienne’s Cool Kids Of Death and sees Richard Norris help Cherry Ghost excel in reimagining CeCe Peniston’s Finally, while Confidence Man, Working Men’s Club and Jono Ma show Heavenly are still fleetfooted on the dancefloor. Any compilation reviving Espiritu’s Los Americanos really is heavenly. JE…

REVIEWS SOFT CELL HAMMERSMITH APOLLO, LONDON 16 NOVEMBER © Getty HAPPINESS VERY MUCH INCLUDED, AS THE DUO END THEIR FIRST TOUR IN NEARLY 20 YEARS BY LOOKING TO A DEVIANT FUTURE Soft Cell’s “farewell” reunion gig in 2018 was sprawling, messy and majestic. Far from a finale, Marc Almond and Dave Ball soon began planning a new record. They insisted they wouldn’t tour it… until lockdown. Marc realised playing with Dave was too much fun to stop. Who cares if that irked a handful of purists who felt cheated at 2018’s “final” billing? Besides, how better to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret than playing it in full, seeing if Marc can still spit the 100mph malevolence of Chips On My Shoulder and Entertain Me without immediately needing…

REVIEWS PAUL HEATON PALLADIUM, LONDON 29 OCTOBER © Getty SANS JACQUI ABBOTT, HEATON RAIDS HIS HOUSEMARTINS BACK CATALOGUE FOR A HIT-PACKED PALLADIUM SOLO GIG It’s typical of Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott’s luck that, back at No.1 after 22 years with Manchester Calling, they’re not only unable to tour the album for 18 months but Jacqui has to withdraw from the belated tour halfway through. Paul finishes the tour solo, offering refunds for anyone who wanted the full Heaton & Abbott experience. It’s an interesting decision, for seeing where Heaton’s solo career now resides. Before reuniting with Jacqui in 2013, his three solo albums flopped. His previous solo tour in 2010 was at pub venues. In the interim, Paul’s songwriting has belatedly been appreciated, finally winning an Ivor Award for…

LIVES OF THE MUSICIANS: PRINCE JASON DRAPER LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING The latest in what is proving to be a stellar series of Laurence King’s Lives Of The Musicians bios – artists featured to date include David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Beyoncé – this trusty tome is, like its diminutive subject, small but perfectly formed. As with previous entries, this is more of a career overview than an in-depth dive into the vaults of Paisley Park. If that’s what you’re looking for, seek out Duane Tudahl’s superb analysis of the singer’s 80s work. Instead, this casts a casual eye over Prince’s career landmarks with a healthy dose of personal background for context. Every album and tour is included, with enough insights and anecdotes from former band members, colleagues and protégés to…

THEMES FOR GREAT CITIES: A NEW HISTORY OF SIMPLE MINDS GRAEME THOMSON CONSTABLE It’s hard to fathom why a band that has sold more than 60 million albums and endured since 1977 is so poorly served in the literary world. While the work of many of their peers has been endlessly scrutinised and dissected, Simple Minds’ story has remained largely untouched – until now. Fortunately, author Graeme Thomson has produced a biography that gives the group its long-overdue credit, offering in-depth analysis of their career, with an emphasis on their most experimental albums; the creatively rich shapeshifting years of 1977-1989. Themes For Great Cities is an all-compassing portrait, though, that traces the band’s career from mid-70s Glasgow, through post-punk and art-rock experimentalism to stadium rock and beyond. Countless interviews were…

OUR CONTRIBUTORS Writing for Classic Pop since our first issue, John Earls has been to Adam Ant’s house, touched Johnny Marr’s favourite guitar and been serenaded to Last Christmas by Shirlie Kemp. This issue, he catches up with our cover stars Dexys, interviews Richard Coles on his vicarage bed and helms our reissues reviews section. Paul Kirkley is an award-winning writer, interviewer, TV critic, columnist and composer of self-aggrandising mini biogs. His favourite bands include Marillion and Girls Aloud, and not many people can say that. This issue, Paul talks all things Lexicon Of Love with ABC’s Martin Fry as the singer prepares to celebrate the iconic album’s 40th anniversary. Wyndham Wallace has written for Uncut, The Guardian and The Quietus. His documentary on Travis, Almost Fashionable, is on Sky…

NEWS EX-UB40 MEMBER ASTRO DIES AFTER SHORT ILLNESS Founding UB40 member Astro has died aged 64. The vocalist, whose real name was Terence Wilson, passed away on 6 November after a short illness. “We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken,” said a statement on Ali Campbell and Astro’s Twitter page. “The world will never be the same without him.” Upon quitting UB40 in 2013, Birmingham-born Astro said the band had been “like a rudderless ship” when he departed. “After a well-documented turbulent few years I feel that it is time to draw a line in the sand and move on,” he explained in an official statement. He went on to form breakaway band UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro. Their most recent studio album, 2018’sA Real Labour Of Love, debuted…

BIONIC MADONNA IS UNSTOPPABLE Madonna has called herself a “bionic woman” after undergoing hip surgery. The star struggled with pain during much of her Madame X Tour, but now believes she is fitter than ever. During a recent Madame Xtra Q&A session she explained: “Let me be really honest with you – I used to be a fitness and workout maniac. You probably know that, right? During my [2019 Madame X] tour – I don’t know if you’ve noticed it, but I’m limping a lot – I was in more pain that I’ve ever been in in my life. I’m a bionic woman – I had hip replacement surgery. So, how do I stay in shape? It’s all in your head. It’s called will, it’s called ‘no one’s gonna stop…

LOST & FOUND IN THE GARDEN EURYTHMICS Becoming Eurythmics proved a difficult-to-negotiate task for Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. Having exited the power pop of The Tourists, the first album of their new beginning eased them into a fresh synthesized era almost too gently. Recorded in Cologne, it combines German electronic pop with traditionally structured new wave songwriting. With the hindsight of Eurythmics’ stratospheric rise over the next two years, the remarkable theme through this extremely listenable debut is the reticence of Lennox to be the star. She feels her way through smooth opener English Summer, with its bonkers countryside interlude and lets the bouncy rhythm section dominate her vocal layering on Caveman Head and Your Time Will Come; she almost whispers the icy Take Me To Your Heart as…

Tears For Fears head back on the road Tears For Fears are marking their first studio album in 18 years with an extensive UK tour. The 16-date nationwide jaunt, which kicks off at the Telford QEII Arena on 1 July 2022 and finishes on 26 July at Powderham Castle in Exeter, also features special guest Alison Moyet. Arriving on 25_February, The Tipping Point is the band’s first studio LP since their reunion effort Everybody Loves A Happy Ending in 2004. Since then, the band have played live regularly, including a sold-out UK arena tour. In September, the duo were honoured with the Outstanding Song Collection Award at the 2021 Ivor Novello Awards.…

KYLIE THRILLED WITH DISCO LEGEND COLLABORATION Kylie Minogue returned to the source for an expanded version of her most recent studio album, Disco . The Guest List Edition features an array of remixes plus new tracks A Second To Midnight with Years & Years and Jessie Ware collaboration Kiss Of Life However, one star in particular stood out for Minogue – Gloria Gaynor – who appears on Can’t Stop Writing Songs About You “She’s the queen of disco,” admitted Kylie. “When I released the [original] album last year, she commented on my socials and said, ‘I love what you are doing. Thanks for keeping disco alive.’ I nearly fell off my chair. I was like, ‘Gloria Gaynor?’ I first heard her in the late 70s, the first time I discovered music with…

TIM FOR A COMEBACK Before next year’s Dexys tour, Helen O’Hara will feature on The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess’ new solo album, out early in 2022. Helen was part of Tim’s touring band this autumn, after getting to know the singer through his Twitter Listening Parties. “It was great to be out playing live again,” explains Helen. “Everyone asks me, ‘Is Tim really as nice as he seems on Twitter?’ and he is. Tim is great to be with, both in company and on stage. He tries to give you a beaming smile on stage when he sees you play, which is lovely.” Being back out playing concerts after lockdown wasn’t without its challenges, as Helen admits: “We were mostly playing clubs, quite packed and airless places. I’d got myself…

THE SONGS 1 I MIGHT HAVE BEEN QUEEN A perfect reintroduction to Tina, I Might Have Been Queen is a chugging upbeat rocker with squealing synths and guitars vying for prominence on the song’s anthemic chorus. Written by Jeanette Obstoj, Rupert Hine and Jamie West-Oram, the track features a self-referential lyric that pertains to aspects of Turner’s life and work. Mentions of “the girl in the fields” are about her childhood spent picking cotton, while the references to rebirth/reinvention stem from Tina’s Buddhist faith as does the song’s title which comes from her belief that she was an Egyptian queen in a former life. 2 WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT After trying various arrangements of the song in the studio, Tina’s battle-weary, cynical delivery put her stamp on…

MARTIN FRY Entering the Lexicon Lyrically, The Lexicon Of Love is a literate and witty collection of songs whose tales of hope and heartbreak suggest that, even in his twenties, Martin had taken a few knocks along love’s rocky highway. “Yes, it was real, I felt it,” he says. “I didn’t have to grow into those songs. Heartbreak is a universal feeling, and that’s definitely another big factor in the success of the record over the years. People write to tell me that a song meant so much to them when they had their first child, or got divorced, and all the things that go on in people’s lives.” There’s an edge to the words, though. “ Poison Arrow is a very spiteful break-up song,” says Martin. And then there’s 4 Ever 2…

REVVING UP TO THE VICARAGE When he went to the prestigious Wellingborough School, Richard Coles started an atheist society with his best friend. “Falling for the blandishments of religion was the one thing in life I was certain would never happen,” he smiles. “I didn’t see my religious calling coming at all, but I was always a vicar waiting to happen. Like lots of people who feel hostile towards religion, on one level at least there’s something there to identify with. Once I made the jump, it was obvious that religion was my natural habitat.” When Richard studied for his theology degree, he wasn’t the only musician seeking spiritual enlightenment. Roxy Music saxophonist Andy Mackay was a year ahead in his studies, while Richard’s other contemporaries included Working Week sax…

The Best Of 2021 NEW ALBUMS OUR PICK OF THE BEST NEW ALBUMS, REISSUES, COMPILATIONS AND BOOKS FROM ACROSS THE PAST 12 MONTHS WYNDHAM WALLACE, JOHN EARLS, MARK LINDORES & STEVE HARNELL 1 DURAN DURAN FUTURE PAST BMG We don’t dole out five-star REVIEWS often, but Duran’s 15th album earned that recognition deservedly. They took few chances with its making, bringing in Mark Ronson, Giorgio Moroder and Erol Alkan as co-producers, but the greatest stroke of genius may have been Graham Coxon’s participation as guitarist and co-writer on half its tracks. 2 CROWDED HOUSE DREAMERS ARE WAITING EMI Now joined in the band’s line-up by his sons Liam and Elroy, and with service for Fleetwood Mac under his belt, Neil Finn returned with Crowded House’s seventh album, quietly reminding us…

THE BEST OF 2O21 BOOKS 2O21’s must-haves in non-fiction, autobiographies and photo books 1 DEPECHE MODE BY ANTON CORBIJN Reuel Golden, Taschen The ultimate celebration of one of music’s most successful collaborations of artist and image-maker – that of Depeche Mode and Anton Corbijn – this beautifully presented compendium of iconic imagery, outtakes, live shots, video storyboards, stage designs and interviews is exhaustive in its attention to detail and beautifully presented. 2 PRINCE AND THE PARADE & SIGN O’ THE TIMES ERA STUDIO SESSIONS: 1985 & 1986 Duane Tudahl, Rowman & Littlefield A fascinating insight into the elusive world of Prince during one of his most creative periods, this meticulously researched and respectful account includes insights from hundreds of his collaborators and closest confidantes, resulting in an immersive experience that’s…

NEW RELEASES ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS THE BOY NAMED IF EMI Elvis Costello hurtles out of the traps on his latest studio album as though he’s going to miss the plane to his wedding. Opener Farewell, OK launches with clanging chords like The Beatles auditioning for their lives, before Steve Nieve throws in hammered pianos, then, for good measure, his organ, determined to provoke 96 Tears from the boss before it’s over. It’s enough to make Pump It Up sound laidback, and Pump It Up’s not laidback. Costello’s close to 70 now, and yet The Boy Named If finds him flexing his muscles like he’s still in his twenties. Further putting the rest of us to shame, it’s only a year since Hey Clockface – though its pace dipped…

REVIEWS PAUL WELLER WITH JULES BUCKLEY & THE BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AN ORCHESTRATED SONGBOOK POLYDOR Nowadays it seems it’s as easy to make an orchestral album as to earn a peerage. All you need is a hefty wad of cash and the right connections, or even one connection (if not for the peerage): Jules Buckley, Grammy-winning founder of the Heritage Orchestra, who managed to take Pete Tong and a mass of string-heavy Ibiza classics to the Proms in 2015. On this occasion, streamed in May 2021 from London’s Barbican, he arranged 18 of Paul Weller’s songs from across his catalogue for a performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, but the recording takes some adjustment: both the pandemic-imposed lack of an audience and the nature of these new versions sometimes leave…

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT & AMSTERDAM SINFONIETTA RUFUS WAINWRIGHT & AMSTERDAM SINFONIETTA LIVE MODERN RECORDINGS Rufus Wainwright has never been your common or garden singer and songwriter. On 2016’s Take All My Loves he put nine Shakespeare sonnets to music, and he’s also earned a reputation as an interpreter of other people’s songs, something showcased on 2007’s Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall. It’s this side of his nature he spotlights on this unusual live collection, which spans a wide gamut of styles, from folk to classical. He’s certainly got the voice, gliding with as much panache as its overture into Irving Berlin’s How Deep Is The Ocean like Errol Flynn going in for a kiss, before bounding through Excursion A Venise, written by his mother, Kate McGarrigle, and her sister, Anna.…

EELS EXTREME WITCHCRAFT E WORKS / PIAS On his 14th album Mark Everett still sounds like he’s just woken up hoarse after a heavy night, but he’s nonetheless got plenty of energy as he kicks things off with Amateur Hour’s spiky punk and the staccato Good Night On Earth. He maintains this vigour on Better Living Through Desperation and some of the fuzzy What It Isn’t, but on Strawberries & Popcorn he stretches lazily, the sun sneaking through the curtains, while the coffee kicks in gently as he twirls to Grandfather Clock Strikes Twelve’s cheeky Beck-like shuffle. WW…

ORLANDO WEEKS HOP UP PIAS The hipster colonisation of 80s pop continues with former Maccabees frontman Orlando Weeks’ second album, which he justifiably describes as ‘Cloud 9 music’. Vocally it leans to the left, often recalling John Martyn and Arthur Russell (thanks to Make You Up’s lithe harmonies). These comparisons are indicative of a generally adventurous, art-pop approach, also evident in the Mick Karn-like bass playing on the delicate Look Who’s Talking Now, while there are nods to cerebral synth-pop on No End To Love and Way To Go. WW…

REISSUES GARY NUMAN 45X15: THE SINGLES COLLECTION 1978-1983 BEGGARS ARKIVE So game-changing and zeitgeist-defining were 1979’s hulking, synth-heavy Cars and Are ‘Friends’ Electric? that it’s easy to overlook how Gary Numan got there, and what he did in the immediate aftermath. This collection of his first 15 7" singles highlights his changing public face and, perhaps inadvertently, why he lost favour with mainstream audiences. Its first duty, of course, is to remind us of his roots: debut single That’s Too Bad offered Skids-like punk, Numan spitting out lyrics speedily over a circular riff, while early B-sides OD Receiver, the pithy Blue Eyes and Do You Need The Service couldn’t shake the habit. Second single Bombers, though, hinted at Numan’s imminent conversion to electronics, with glimpses of OMD in its drum…

REISSUES VARIOUS ARTISTS NOW – YEARBOOK EXTRA 1983/NOW – YEARBOOK EXTRA 1984/NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL ELECTRONIC/NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL PUNK & NEW WAVE NOW Introduced this year, the Yearbook imprint has been a brilliant addition to the NOW brand. The 1984 version summarised the first full year of NOW while the 1983 version was even better, for showcasing what an ideal NOW disc would have looked like at the time. The latest incarnation is equally simple and just as effective: Yearbook Extra, budget-priced 3CD sets for all the other great songs of each year that the original Yearbook couldn’t find room for. This means half the tunes are actually the more interesting tracks from the margins which weren’t mainstream hits: Spandau Ballet’s Communication, The Cure’s The Walk and…

JAMIROQUAI TRAVELLING WITHOUT MOVING SONY Something of an elusive figure these days, the once ubiquitous Jay Kay has released just two new albums since 2005’s Dynamite and seems happy to live in semi-retirement. It’s at least allowed his collective’s influence to be properly assessed without Kay’s tabloid infamy, with Jungle frequently citing Jamiroquai as their dream collaboration. While Kay’s solitude means there’s no extensive deluxe reissue marking the 25th anniversary of their third album, a well-packaged vinyl release highlights how Kay’s confidence was fully merited. Unveiled at the height of Britpop, Kay matched the general euphoria of music at the time but offered slick funk that you could dance to. Virtual Insanity remains a fantastic calling card, while the title track’s whomping bassline is so infectious that it’s impossible not…

INCOGNITO ALWAYS THERE 1981-2021 UMC/MERCURY The brainchild of Britfunk guitarist/producer Bluey, Incognito have adapted their sound to take in acid jazz, house and any other new genre with a groove along the way. The covers Always There and Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing are their big mainstream tunes, with the two singles CDs on this 8CD 40th anniversary boxset highlighting Incognito’s range. Occasionally succumbing to overly loose jams, notably Colibri, they’re still offering euphoric power. The duets disc shows Dianne Joseph should be as celebrated as Always There vocalist Jocelyn Brown, a dynamite presence on Cut It Loose. A 1996 live album from Japan is a dizzying ride, Talkin’ Loud a captivating singalong. Two CDs of remixes chosen by Gilles Peterson furthers their adaptability, Jazzanova and Bluey’s son Daniel…

REVIEWS DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES LIVE AT THE TROUBADOUR BMG Originally released in 2008, the duo’s return to influential LA club venue The Troubadour gets a first-time 3LP vinyl release, with the CD also back out. The yacht rock titans treat their visit as an excuse to kick back. For a duo who exemplify the relaxed life anyway, these stripped-back takes are so smooth you occasionally yearn for the edge of their full-band show. It takes a while for the big tunes to arrive, too. Once they do you’ll be transported somewhere more luxurious. JE…

SHED SEVEN A MAXIMUM HIGH TOWNSEND The Britpoppers’ second and best album, 1996 saw Rick Witter’s confidence bolstered by success. They remained a terrific singles band and here, briefly, they were as good as they thought they were. Getting Better’s enthusiasm remains infectious, Going For Gold underrated in its yearning and album cuts like This Day Was Ours join in the raucous glam mood. The new vinyl boxset adds all their B-sides from 1994-96, a sweaty live album from London’s tiny Hanover Grand and a 15-song demo cassette. Often dismissed as a 90s punchline, here’s the perfect riposte. JE…

VARIOUS ARTISTS SONG EDUCATION 2 VINYL BASE The second compilation aimed at young vinylists collates more hits featured in recent Netflix dramas. Less purely 80s than volume one, Gordon Lightfoot from 1971 and a 2016 Band Of Horses single separate 45 years of folk. It’s the 80s songs which bring the visceral thrills, familiar songs to UK audiences such as Take On Me and The Cure’s Boys Don’t Cry joined by US behemoths Linda Ronstadt and Pat Benatar. Add OMD’s If You Leave and Hue And Cry’s Labour Of Love and it’s another 14 tracks offering an enjoyable education. JE…

LIVE & EVENTS LEVEL 42 ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON 28 OCTOBER © Christie Goodwin “Thanks for keeping the faith,” Mark King says as he surveys the Albert Hall crowd. He’s referring to the fact Level 42 are finally playing these gigs that were originally scheduled for 2020, but he means it in the wider sense, too. Over three decades on from their chart heyday, the band remain an impressive live draw still capable of packing out illustrious venues like this. Level 42’s modus operandi – the interplay between King and keyboardist Mike Lindup’s voices; King’s bass providing that solid rhythmic undertow, with synth and guitar skating on top – is one of the 80s sleekest pieces of pop design. King and co made their reputation as a live attraction in…

SAINT ETIENNE O2 INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM 24 NOVEMBER © Johnny Green SUMMERY TUNES FOR A CHILLY NIGHT AS SARAH, BOB & PETE RETURN TO FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS ALMOST 30 YEARS ON It’s 28 years since Saint Etienne last trod the boards at Birmingham’s Institute. Back then, Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were celebrating their Top 10 LP So Tough, and touring with a bunch of unknown scruffs called Oasis. Tonight’s support may not deliver the same rough and tumble swagger as that 1993 Gallagher brothers set, but for those who made it in early enough, opener Jane Weaver provided a solid 45 minutes of enticing left-field pop – bubbling with synth riffs, Afrobeat snippets and a retro/futurist vibe that echoes some of the headline act’s more quizzical excursions. A fellow…

MOMENTS SINÉAD O’CONNOR RELEASES NOTHING COMPARE S2 U 8 JANUARY 1990 © Alamy When Sinéad O’Connor decided to cover a Prince song, she gave obvious contenders such as When Doves Cry and Raspberry Beret a swerve, instead opting for an obscure number from side project The Family’s self-titled debut LP from 1985. One could argue that the Purple One didn’t realise what he had with the original Nothing Compares 2 U (which he never released as a single or performed live), but that rather negates what O’Connor brought to the song, tapping into its pained, melancholic core, and delivering a vocal of such soaring beauty that it became an instant classic, topping the charts in multiple countries worldwide. O’Connor had recorded the track without even talking to Prince, but after…

POP-UP Le Bon ponders biopic role… Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon believes a woman should play him in a movie about the band’s career. In fact, the singer has already mooted a certain BAFTA-nominated actor for the role. “Andrea Riseborough is a wonderful actress, why not her?” quipped Simon at the Music Industry Trust dinner event in November. “In these days of transgender transparency or trans something gender transubstantiation. She’s nothing like me, which is a plus.” The event celebrated the career of his DJ friend Pete Tong, whose recent output involves reimagining dance music with a classical twist, something Duran are also considering. “I can see a Duran Duran classical [project],” Le Bon confirmed more seriously. “We’ve got something in the pot bubbling away at the moment, I can’t…

1-HIT WONDER TURN IT UP THE CONWAY BROTHERS “Which one’s Russ?” asked John Peel when his Top Of The Pops co-host Janice Long introduced The Conway Brothers. Well, no Russ, but the Conways did have a Frederick, a Hiawatha, a Huston and a James, and the sibling foursome from Chicago also had a hit that came very close to the UK Top 10. Turn It Up owed almost everything to an irresistible funk groove that encircled what was otherwise an agreeable but undemanding song, and though many of the lyrics were indecipherable thanks to a foggy, four-way vocal, it evidently had been influenced by some of the earliest house records that filled the speakers of the clubs in the Conways’ home city. The title itself nodded to this; as did…

THE POD SQUAD CHECKING IN WITH OUR FAVOURITE CLASSIC POP-FRIENDLY PODCASTS SIMON GALLOWAY AND GAVIN HOGG THE GIDDY CAROUSEL OF POP What’s your podcast about? We take an old issue of the swingorilliant music mag Smash Hits – usually from the 80s – and go through it with a guest, who could be someone who worked on the magazine, someone who appeared on its pages, or just a regular pop kid who read and loved the magazine back in the day like we did. We discuss the features, song words and reviews and anything else relevant to the issue in question. How did you get into podcasting? We’ve been friends for a few years through various different music-related activities (events and a radio show), and when Simon uncovered his childhood…

IAN PEEL‘S A TO Z of POP M IS FOR … MANAGER THE MANAGER IS ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD AND, I WOULD SAY, ONE OF THE MOST UNDERVALUED AND OVERLOOKED ROLES IN THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE OF CLASSIC POP. WITHOUT THEM – AND I HAVE PROOF – THE WORLD WOULD NOT BE WHERE IT IS TODAY… In Peter Jackson’s excellent recent seven-hour three-part TV series for Disney+, Get Back, following a quick sprint through The Beatles’ history in its initial few minutes, we fast forward to 1969, two years after Brian Epstein passed away – and the most classic pop group of all time are still in total disarray. The first two hours of the documentary is a lesson on why every band needs a manager, and how wrong it…

THIS MONTH IN POP JANUARY 1980 IN OUR ROUND-UP OF JANUARY 1980’S BIGGEST MOMENTS IN POP, CLIFF GET OBE’D AND A STRANGLER AND FORMER BEATLE GET BANGED UP… STEVE O’BRIEN 01 Cliff Richard is awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List. He’d be knighted 15 years later. 07 Hugh Cornwall of The Stranglers is found guilty of possession of heroin, cocaine and cannabis. He is fined £300 and sentenced to three months in Pentonville Prison. 10 The Buggles release debut LP The Age Of Plastic. The band would produce just one more album in 1981 before splitting. © Alamy 22 The Police play at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Their US tour is in support of the band’s second album, Reggatta de Blanc. 25 The Specials…

SARTORIAL ELEGANCE The colourful new look accompanying the announcement of the anniversary tour for Too-Rye-Ay is a typically bold reinvention for Dexys. Rather than copy the original’s denims, Kevin Rowland, keyboardist Sean Read, Helen O’Hara and Big Jim Paterson have an eye-catching primary colours appeal. “The image is very bright and positive, so colourful,” nods Helen. “It’s such a great idea from Kevin to have us all looking so dynamic. He’s the complete artist, because he’s got such an eye for detail. He’ll see an unnoticed detail in a button, things that I would miss. These new photos were always going to have a similar detail – it was never going to be ‘Turn up here on this date in whatever you fancy!’” Jim adds: “When I rejoined Dexys in…

CLASSIC ALBUM PRIVATE DANCER THE VIDEOS LET’S STAY TOGETHER Director: David Mallet Tina’s debut music video was intended to reintroduce her to the public as a solo artist, beginning with a simple shot of the lone singer under a spotlight before a reveal shows her dressed in trademark tattered mini dress and stiletto heels, flanked by two female backing singers/dancers behind her, evoking the Ikettes from her early days. Even more remarkable than the official video and well worth checking out is a sublime live performance from The Tube with Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory from Heaven 17 on backing vocals. WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT Director: Mark Robinson By the time What’s Love Got To Do With It was released as a single, Tina had gone public…

MARTIN FRY The art of Anne Dudley Hired by Trevor Horn to oversee The Lexicon Of Love’s keyboard arrangements, 25-year-old classically-trained musician Anne Dudley ended up serving as the album’s orchestral musical director. Despite her relative inexperience (“When we recorded the 30-piece string section at Abbey Road, I was often the youngest person in the room,” she later recalled), her work on the album signalled the arrival of a major talent. The following year, the Lexicon Of Love team of Dudley, Trevor Horn, engineer Gary Langan as well as JJ Jeczalik – who programmed the album’s Fairlight CMI – reunited as hit-making avant-garde synth-pop combo The Art Of Noise. Anne has also worked with artists ranging from a-ha (Hunting High And Low) and George Michael (Careless Whisper) to Paul McCartney…

ALBUM BY ALBUM JAMIROQUAI LIVE DVD Regular visitors to the world-renowned jazz festival over the years, Jay Kay and his seven-piece band were at the top of their game for this appearance back in 2003. Songs are double or even three times the length of their studio incarnations as the band stretch out elegantly to show off their jazzy chops in full. They’re even confident enough to premiere rarity Shoot The Moon, written just the day before this show. Immediately winning the crowd over with a 10-minute version of Use The Force, Rob Smith shines on strident lead guitar, it’s a well-chosen setlist that finds space for the likes of Mr Moon, Soul Education and Just Another Story. They beef up the bass on High Times and get on the…

80S DUOS TOP 20 TOP 2O 80S DUOS SOMETIMES IN MUSIC, TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE. SO JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE THE GREATEST MUSICAL COUPLINGS OF THE 1980S. JON O’BRIEN Contrary to De La Soul’s hip-hop classic, three isn’t necessarily always the magic number. From French and Saunders to Cagney and Lacey, Bill and Ted to The Chuckle Brothers, the 80s spawned a whole host of acts who proved that sometimes the best things really do come in twos. The UK charts were also full of dynamic duos who, despite their often chalk and cheese nature, complemented each other perfectly. Focusing solely on their output in the decade they found fame, here’s a look at 20 of the best. © Getty 20 WOMACK & WOMACK Linda and Cecil Womack…

COMPILATIONS Our favourite Various Artists collections of 2O21 1 NOW YEARBOOK ‘83/NOW YEARBOOK ’83 EXTRA NOW Now That’s What I Call Music began in November 1983. The idea of a NOW for the whole of ‘83 proved inspired. An ideal round-up of everything going on in one of music’s finest years, the NOW team encompassed all genres, especially when the budget-priced 4CD Extra compilation was added in. 2 ARTHUR BAKER PRESENTS DANCE MASTERS: VOLUME 1 – THE SHEP PETTIBONE MASTER-MIXES DEMON One of the 80s’ best remixers himself, Arthur Baker generously highlighted the producer who virtually invented remix culture. So many of Pettibone’s remixes still light up the dancefloor, and the compilation showed the breadth of talent he reinterpreted. If only Shep could be lured out of retirement one day……

EDITOR’S CHOICE 2021 PROVED TO BE A STELLAR YEAR FOR MUSIC, WITH AN AVALANCHE OF QUALITY RELEASES FROM SOME OF POP’S BIGGEST NAMES, WRITES STEVE HARNELL With the mouth-watering news that Graham Coxon was onboard as guest guitarist, I had high hopes for Duran Duran’s long-awaited 15th studio album. But a career-best effort? That seemed a tall order… Remarkably, to these ears at least, that’s exactly what Future Past delivered, a wonderful balancing act where the band nodded respectfully to their pomp years but also absorbed exciting contemporary influences. Their well-chosen collaborators (Tove Lo and Giorgio Moroder among them) spanned the generations – it’s a triumph. Gary Kemp’s return to the fray with INSOLO was a highlight of the summer, particularly its superlative first half that boasted earworms such as…

REVIEWS AURORA THE GODS WE CAN TOUCH DECCA From her name and elfin appearance to her ethereal songs’ imagery, there’s always been something ‘fantastic’ about Aurora. On occasions, the word’s suited the quality of her work, but it’s always been applicable to the otherworldly nature of the atmosphere she creates, whether Running With The Wolves on her 2015 debut EP, titling her first album a year later All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend, or seemingly heading for George RR Martin territory on 2019’s A Different Kind Of Human (Step 2), whose name gives the game (of thrones) away altogether. As its title suggests, her third album, apparently inspired by Greek mythology, maintains this tradition. If the first, however, lacked a little character and the second sought just too…

MATT GOSS THE BEAUTIFUL UNKNOWN LEWISHAM RECORDS Having inadvertently provided many of the standout lines in 2018’s runaway documentary hit Bros: After The Screaming Stops, Matt Goss might have wanted to keep his head down. That, though, would be to deny his sizable legion of fans the denouement they deserve. Goss, after all, has filled considerable numbers of seats in a decade-long Las Vegas residency, and that warts-and-all documentary confirmed that, despite his and his twin brother Luke’s sometimes toxic relationship, interest in their music has barely waned. Recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, The Beautiful Unknown won’t substitute for that nostalgia, but it may help keep it alive, not least because Better With You is waiting in the wings, artfully exploiting contemporary interest in 80s pop at its most…

BEN WATT STORM SHELTER UNMADE ROAD Originally intended to celebrate Watt’s 2020 world tour, then released digitally a year later, this ‘unplugged’ mini album finally sees a welcome physical release long after it was recorded during rehearsals for those global travels. As always, nostalgic reminiscences are the former Everything But The Girl man’s focus, and not just because three songs will be familiar from his last album, 2020’s Storm Damage, and another from 2016’s No.53-charting Fever Dream. Watt’s a master at conjuring up sepia-tinted snapshots, and on Balanced On A Wire a fresh-faced adult has to choose the best path forward: “Nineteen years old, life in front of you/Everything on hold”. Stripping the song of the quiet drama offered by a full band version lends an additional vulnerability, and the…

NEW RELEASES THE JAZZ BUTCHER THE HIGHEST IN THE LAND TAPETE When Pat Fish died in October 2021 in his mid-sixties, it was a shock to those who’ve followed his colourful career. Though never a household name, he was central to the Creation Records roster at its peak in the mid-90s, and boxsets of his prolific work have been released in recent years. Fish, though, was apparently prepared, and his swansong’s lyrics offer a poignant experience. “My hair’s all wrong/ My time ain’t long,” he sings on Time, his voice like Matt Johnson’s with an eyebrow raised, “Fishy go to heaven/Get along, get along,” though in typical fashion he also links this with social politics. Never Give Up, too, begins with the title’s words chanted multiple times over quiet guitars,…

COPELAND KING COSMA & BELEW GIZMODROME LIVE EARMUSIC Halfway through this supergroup’s second album the band jokes that whoever guesses Darkness’ key gets to pilot their jet. Yep, it’s that kind of album. Level 42’s Mark King shares the song’s vocals, and elsewhere offers a bass solo or two, while Stewart Copeland’s still doing that Mother theatrical spoken word thing, rolling his ‘r’s on Ride Your Life and overacting on Elephant Talk. Police fans, however, will welcome a faithful rendition of Miss Gradenko amid the jazz prog rock hybrids. WW…

NEVILLE STAPLE FROM THE SPECIALS & BEYOND CLEOPATRA RECORDS Toaster Staple left The Specials in 2016, but there’s no sign of ill health on this exploration of his roots, especially not a lively Don’t Let Life Pass You By which – like the boisterous Something’s Wrong – suggests Staple’s doing anything but. Perhaps his wife Sugary Staple’s presence helps, as might Gary Shail’s on a drily entertaining What’s Really Going On, while other guests get a shout-out on a lengthy Ghost Town (40 Years Mix). His version of Toots & The Maytals’ classic Monkey Man also stands tall beside The Specials. WW…

HOWARD JONES AT THE BBC CHERRY RED Although the 80s have been heavily mined by a recent generation, there are still formerly huge acts whose impact has been neglected. China Crisis, Level 42, Nik Kershaw, Thompson Twins: none have enjoyed a dramatic, deserved critical rehabilitation in recent years. Howard Jones is another, but perhaps this 5CD set of BBC recordings covering his first four years can help explain why that is, and whether it needs to change. It opens with an irresistibly upbeat New Song from his first session, for David ’Kid’ Jensen in March 1983, which also offers Human’s Lib, complete with a fabulously over-the-top spoken word introduction. A more sophisticated version was broadcast two months later, though the session’s five songs were in fact strictly demos. A six-track…

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN PHYSICAL GREEN HILL Anyone who needs reminding of the relentless passing of time – only a small, masochistic portion of Classic Pop’s readers, one imagines – would do well to revisit Physical, Olivia Newton-John’s 11th album. It’s reissued as a 2CD/1DVD set, with the DVD containing not only Grammy-winning videos for each song but also another Grammy-earning live TV special filmed 12 months later in Utah. It’s over 40 years now since the title track topped the US charts for 10 weeks, provoking sweaty dreams from priapic teenagers globally, but what’s notable is just how remarkably tame it seems today. Compared to its saucy, body-building-fixated promo video, the song’s production feels somewhat bloodless and, though it was considered so racy it was banned, or at least edited, by…

FALCO EMOTIONAL RHINO A fantastically ambitious over-the-top character akin to Freddie Mercury without the stratospheric voice, Falco was determined to achieve global stardom. Trouble is, once he attained fame with Rock Me Amadeus from his third album, he seemed unsure what to do next. The Austrian lacked the nous to stay in the mainstream and could no longer convince as the loveable underdog either. A deeply strange and often uncomfortable album, 1986’s Emotional is like Weird Al Yankovic determined to be taken seriously. Film noir pastiche Crime Time is rotten, while Coming Home’s saga of a missing woman feels exploitative next to Falco’s superior original take on the story, Jeanny, from previous album Falco 3 in 1985. The title track is anonymous soul muzak, and there’s surely no way the…

REDSKINS NEITHER WASHINGTON NOR MOSCOW LONDON Far-left political agitators in the Socialist Workers Party, it was inevitable hardline York trio Redskins fell out with their record company and quickly became disillusioned when trying to fit in as a poppier, compromised band. They split after their sole album and, bar bassist Martin Hewes becoming a courier, nothing is known of their whereabouts in the 35 years since. It’s a shame as, with the right guidance, Redskins could have become as reliably vocal as Billy Bragg or as familiar in the mainstream as Paul Heaton. Like a more percussive take on early Dexys, their stomping anthems had a brass-filled insistency. Staccato vocalist Chris Dean sings like a more strident Holly Johnson and tracks as infectious as Keep On Keepin’ On and Lean…

JIVE BUNNY AND THE MASTERMIXERS GOLD CRIMSON While the late 80s gave us rave, PWL, Madchester and East Coast/West Coast rap rivalry, the public were excited by a Yorkshire collective’s quack-quack-oops megamixes of swing and pre-Elvis rock’n’roll. Their first three singles reached No.1 and they somehow belched out three albums of novelty pap, compiled here. It’s worth remembering that Glenn Miller was as recent to 1989 as punk is to now, a nostalgia Jive Bunny were happy to butcher. It was heinous then and sounds simply baffling now. JE…

THE MISSION COLLECTED MUSIC ON VINYL Marking 35 years since Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams’ departure from The Sisters Of Mercy, this new 3LP set of 25 singles and six 12" versions demonstrates what a wonderfully OTT proposition the goths can be. Hits including Tower Of Strength and Butterfly On A Wheel are heroically committed. They sometimes stray into wildly flatulent indulgence, but there’s invariably a song as taut as Blush to reign it in. Unlike their former band’s inertia since 1990, The Mission are still offering fresh dark thrills. Black hats off. JE…

VARIOUS ARTISTS EIGHTIES COLLECTED MUSIC ON VINYL While Music On Vinyl’s Collected compilations devoted to individual artists are generally great, this set of 80s singles is an odd one. Most artists including Propaganda, Thompson Twins, Bryan Ferry and OMD are decent. But it’s unsure whether to be a megahits sampler – Relax, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – a showcase for interesting lesser-known songs by big names (ABC’s When Smokey Sings, Paul Young’s Tomb Of Memories) or highlighting one-hit wonders like Karel Fialka and Julian Lennon. It satisfies none of those remits, so its purpose is strangely opaque. JE…

THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES INDIGO, LONDON 11 NOVEMBER The curtain is drawn back to reveal the three core members of The Brand New Heavies. Guitarist Simon Bartholomew is rocking a chiffon robe and what look like those disposable glasses you used to be given to watch 3D films. Vocalist Angela Ricci is resplendent in a sequined jump suit while bassist Andrew Levy is comparatively dressed down in pink jeans and a gold lamé shirt. Even the brass section sport glittery tour jackets. Acid Jazz’s snazziest dressers have beamed back from the mid-90s. Or is that the mid-70s? Always out of time, even back then; the fact that Levy and Bartholomew look scarcely different from their younger selves makes for an unnervingly antichronical experience. The Heavies look the same, play the…

BOOK REVIEWS THE OFFICIAL CHRISTMAS NO.1 SINGLES BOOK MICHAEL MULLIGAN NINE EIGHT BOOKS As the singles chart hurtles increasingly towards total irrelevance, thanks to ever changing rules regarding the inclusion of streaming, downloads and YouTube views as well as the ease with which it’s able to be manipulated by fervent fanbases, the annual battle to be the Christmas No.1 is a rare occasion where people still pay attention to the countdown. This enduring interest provides the subject of Michael Mulligan’s book, an entertaining marriage of trivia and nostalgia that documents every festive favourite (and not-so-favourite) since the charts began. It includes background information about the No.1 song and its runner-up as well as a rundown of the Christmas Top 10, decade overviews, brief artist bios and special sub-sections dedicated to…

SUPERSONIC OASIS HEADLINE In 2016, Oasis marked 20 years since their iconic Knebworth Park gigs with the release of Supersonic, a mesmeric documentary that detailed their ascent from small Manchester venues to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. Now, as Knebworth’s 25th anniversary is commemorated, Supersonic compiles the interviews conducted for that celebrated feature-length doc in book form, presenting them uncut to provide the definitive account of the band’s career up to 1996. Hours of interviews with virtually everyone associated with the five-piece during their heyday are featured, including, crucially, candid and brutally honest conversations with Liam and Noel Gallagher. With both brothers speaking extensively about their upbringing, the highs (both figurative and literal) and lows of life in Oasis, their creative process, personal dynamic and their…