Friday, March 1, 2024

March 1 - 14, 1984

Smash Hits, March 01, 1984

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Jon Moss
Centrespread: Nena
Back cover: Free Sticker Album offer
Interviews: Michael Jackson; Matt Bianco; General Public; Wang Chung; Nena; Jon Moss; Style Council
Lyrics: It's A Miracle - Culture Club; Cherry Oh Baby - UB40; Jump -Van Halen; Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed - Matt Bianco; An Innocent Man - Billy Joel; Down In The Subway - Soft Cell; Joanna - Kool & The Gang; She Was Hot - Rolling Stones; Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung; Street Dance - Break Machine; Hanna Hanna - China Crisis; Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell; My Guy - Tracey Ullman
Start: personal file - Roger Taylor; George Michael, David Cassidy; Jean Jacques Burnel, David Greenfield, The Stranglers, "Rain, Dole & Tea"; British Rock And Pop Awards: Boy George, David Jensen, Cheryl Baker, Sarah Kennedy, Helen Terry, Alf, Malcolm Lee, George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley, Marjorie Proops
Bitz: Michael Jackson; Nick Heyward; Fraggles; Thomas Dolby: My Five Favourite Video Props; Crass, "You're Already Dead"; Zee: Dee Harris, Rick Wright; X, "More Fun In The World"; Jack Hammer, "Down In The Subway", Earl S. Burroughs, "Great Balls Of Fire"; Stephen Singleton quits ABC; Status Quo not breaking up; O.M.D., "Junk Culture"; Cyndi Lauper, Blue Angel, "I'm Gonna Be Strong"; Jermain Stewart, "The Word Is Out"; Bourgie Bourgie; Culture Club, "A Kiss Across The Ocean"; Howard Jones; Kajagoogoo; Icicle Works, "Birds Fly" / "Cauldron Of Love"; Duran Duran, John Taylor, "New Moon On Monday", Nile Rodgers;
Single reviews (Dave Rimmer): Wood Beez - Scritti Politti; Tuesday Sunshine - The Questions; Six Sed Red - Shake It Right; Lucky Lucky Lucky - Pookah Makes 3; Cherry Oh Baby - UB40; I Want It To Be Real - John Rocca; Robert De Niro's Waiting - Bananarama; Rebel Yell - Billy Idol; My Guy - Tracey Ullman; Breakin' Down - Julia And Company; Ghost Of Love - Fiction Factory; Whatever Possessed You - Care; Hanna Hanna - China Crisis; The Smiling Hour - Kalima; The Record Keeps Spinning - Indeep; General Public - General Public; More, More, More - Carmel; High Rise - Mike Read; It's A Miracle - Culture Club; We Are Ninja - Frank Chickens
Album reviews (Mark Ellen / Neil Tennants / Johnny Black / Dave Rimmer / Ian Birch / Ian Cranna / Josephine Hocking ): The Smiths - The Smiths; Human's Lib - Howard Jones; Pacific Street - Pale Fountains; The Works - Queen; Keep Moving - Madness; Human Racing - Nik Kershaw; It's My Life - Talk Talk; Uh-Huh - John Cougar Mellencamp
Nights Out: What's Happening To Concerts? Madness, Wang Chung, Zu Zu Sharks, Yip Yip Coyote, The Questions, Blue Rondo, Nik Kershaw, Fiction Factory, Howard Jones, Style Council, Kool & the Gang, Swans Way, Gary Crowley

Friday, February 16, 2024

February 16 - 29, 1984

Smash Hits, February 16, 1984

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Madonna
Centrespread: Kajagoogoo - The Lion's Mouth
Back cover: Midge Ure
Interviews: Re-Flex; Madonna; Rick Springfield; Swans Way; Tracey Ullman; Jansen / Barbieri; Queen; The Smiths
Lyrics: Hide And Seek - Howard Jones; The Politics Of Dancing - Re-Flex; Spice Of Life - Manhattan Transfer; My Ever Changing Moods - Style Council; Let The Music Play - Shannon; Cry And Be Free - Marilyn; One Small Day - Ultravox; Soul Train - Swans Way; Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw; Help! - Tina Turner; Punch And Judy - Marillion; The Lion's Mouth - Kajagoogoo; The Joker - Steve Miller Band; Human Touch - Rick Springfield; A Night In New York - Elbow Bones and the Racketeers; 99 Red Balloons - Nena
Start: personal file - Nik Kershaw; Boy George, Miko, Terry Wogan, Selina Scott, Robert Mitchum; Thor, "Comic Fantasy"; Matt Bianco, "Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed"; Ian Page, Bop, "Too Young To Know"; The Questions, Paul Barry, Maureen Barry, "Tuesday Sunshine"
Bitz: Tom Bailey: The Five Worst Things About Teaching; Mike Read, Nick Beggs, David Grant, Paul Gambaccini; Jimmy Nail, Tracey Ullman, Allan McKeown; Break Machine, Jacques Morali, "Street Dance"; Elbow Bones; Mike Smith leaves Radio 1, John Peel stays, Gary Davies, Adrian John; Cyndi Lauper; Jack Hammer, "Down In The Subway", Soft Cell, "This Last Night In Sodom"; Matthew Wilder, "I Don't Speak The Language"; Cocteau Twins; David Gilmour, "About Face"; Susann Sulley passed her driving test; Style Council, The Questions, Billy Bragg; Thompson Twins; Six Sed Red, "Shake It Right", Cindy Ecstasy, Rick Holliday; B-Movie, "A Letter From Afar"; Roger Daltrey, "Walking In My Sleep", "Somebody Told Me"; K-Tel, "The Tube" Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Style Council, Eurythmics, Wham!, Paul Young, Aztec Camera, Jeff Beck; "Toyah! Toyah! Toyah"; "Two Of A Kind", John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, "Take A Chance"
Single reviews (Limahl): The Lion's Mouth - Kajagoogoo; Tonight - Boomtown Rats; Hide And Seek - Howard Jones; No Matter What Happens - Barbra Streisand; Bridge - Orange Juice; Organize - David Grant; An Innocent Man - Billy Joel; Middle Of The Road - Limahl; Eye Talk - Fashion; Cross My Heart And Hope To Die - Martin Shaw; Darling Don't Leave Me Out - David Gorl; She Was Hot - Rolling Stones; Punch And Judy - Marillion; Fraggle Rock - Fraggle Rock; Burning The Heat - Girlschool; Hey DJ - The World's Famous Supreme Team; Selina Wow Wow - Dee C. Lee; Rush Rush - Debbie Harry; Illegal Alien - Genesis; Your Love Is King - Sade
Album reviews (Dave Rimmer / Lindsay Shapero / Claire Sheaff / Josephine Hocking / Lola Borg / Mark Ellen / Neil Tennant): Into The Gap - Thompson Twins; Declaration - The Alarm; The Flat Earth - Thomas Dolby; White Flames - Snowy White / Victims Of The Future - Gary Moore; Slide It In - Whitesnake; She's So Unusual - Cyndi Lauper; In The Beginning - Bob Marley & The Wailers; Bodies And Souls - Manhattan Transfer
Nights Out: China Crisis; The Alarm

Friday, February 2, 2024

February 2 - 15 ,1984

Smash Hits, February 02, 1984

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Marilyn and Miranda Jardine
Centrespread: Stuart Adamson
Back cover: China Crisis
Interviews: Cyndi Lauper; Shakin' Stevens, Bonnie Tyler; Thomas Dolby; The Icicle Works; Fiction Factory;
Lyrics: (Feels Like) Heaven - Fiction Factory; Michael Caine - Madness; Hyper-Active! - Thomas Dolby; Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper; Nobody Told Me - John Lennon; Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan; What Difference Does It Make? - The Smiths; No Stone Unturned - The Truth; Run Runaway - Slade; Radio Ga Ga - Queen; Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder; I Am What I Am - Gloria Gaynor; Holiday - Madonna
Start: personal file - David Coverdale; almost famous faces; The Bank Robbers, "Jenny", Scotland Yard, Mark Walmsley; Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Stewart, Linda McCartney, "So Bad" 
Bitz: Simple Minds; The Raincoats split up, "Moving"; Carole Kenyon, "Warrior Woman", Dee C. Lee, "Felina Wow Wow"; It's Immaterial, "A Gigantic Raft (In The Philippines)"; The Trainspotters, Mike Read, "High Rise"; Kajagoogoo, "Lion's Mouth"; George Kranz, Dismal Witting, "Din Daa Daa (Trommeltanz)"; Style Council, "Cafe Bleu", "My Ever Changing Moods"; J.B.'s All-Stars, John Bradbury, "Backfield In Motion"; Billy Joel; The Clash: Paul Simenon, Pete Howard, Joe Strummer, Vince White, Nick Sheppard; BowWowWow, The Chiefs Of Relief; The Bluebells split up; Altered Images split up again; Orange Juice, "Bridge"; Gene October, Glen Matlock, "Don't Quit"; Daryl Hall and John Oates; Rolling Stones, "She Was Hot", Julien Temple; Spear Of Destiny, "Prisoner Of Love"; Debbie Harry, "Rush Rush", Giorgio Moroder, "Scarface"; Human League, Adrian Wright; Gloria Gaynor; Pale Fountains, "Unless"; Stewart Copeland, "Rumble Fish"; Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Relax", Michael Hurll: "BBC TV believes that the lyrics of this song are sexually explicit and not suitable for viewing in family viewing time"; Dave Stewart: my five video ideas that never got used
Single reviews (Neil Tennant): Another Man - Barbara Mason; Breaking Point - Bourgie Bourgie; What Difference Does It Make? - The Smiths; Talking In Your Sleep - Romantics; Cry And Be Free - Marilyn; Strangers In The Night - Baumann; Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw; Don't Touch Me - Hazel O'Connor; Love Sensation - Loleatta Holloway; Unless - Pale Fountains; Soul Train - Swan's Way; 99 Red Balloons - Nena; Touch - Earth Wind & Fire; No Stone Unturned - The Truth; Dream Of The West - Yip Yip Coyote; Michael Caine - Madness; Coup - 23 Skidoo; One Small Day - Ultravox
Album reviews (Johnny Black / Peter Martin / Lola Borg / Dave Rimmer / Lisa Anthony ): Sparkle In The Rain - Simple Minds; World Shut Your Mouth - Julian Cope; Moving - The Raincoats; Midnight Shift - Dislocation Dance; 1984 - Van Halen; Heaven Is Waiting - Danse Society; 4000 Weeks Holiday - Ian Dury and the Music Students; Milk And Honey - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Other: A Fine Romance: Valentine's Day; Jim'll Fix It: Marilyn, Miranda Jardine

Friday, January 19, 2024

January 19 - February 1, 1984

Smash Hits, January 19, 1984

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Ian McCulloch
Centrespread: Simple Minds - Speed Your Love To Me
Back cover: Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Interviews: Mike Read; John Taylor; Echo & The Bunnymen;
Lyrics: New Moon On Monday - Duran Duran; Doctor Doctor - Thompson Twins; The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen; That's Living Alright - Joe Fagin; Give Me More Time - Whitesnake; Wishful Thinking - China Crisis; Love Is A Wonderful Colour - Icicle Works; Speed Your Love To Me - Simple Minds; Sixteen - Musical Youth; Illegal Alien - Genesis; A Really Good Time - Roxy Music
Start: personal file - Holly Johnson; Barry Manilow baby photo; Sade; leather: Paul Rutherford, Holly Johnson, Freddie Mercury, Glenn Hughes (Village People), Soft Cell, Bucks Fizz, Rob Halford, Gary Numan, Steve Strange, Steve Norman 
Bitz: Ligotage, Beki Bondage, "Crime And Passion"; The Colour Field: Terry Hall, Toby Lyons, Karl Shale; Sheila Chandra, "Out On My Own"; Fashion, Mulligan, "Eye Talk", "Twilight Of The Dolls"; The Smiths, "What Difference Does It Make?"; Dead Or Alive, "I'd Do Anything"; Kate Bush; Paul Weller, Tracie, A Craze, Soul Squad; Simple Minds; ABC, "Beauty Stab"; Nik Kershaw, "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Human Racing"; Star Hits, Neil Tennant, Kimberley Leston; Reflex, "The Politics Of Dancing"; Mike Barson quits Madness; Andrew Ridgeley's five favorite cars 
Single reviews (Martyn Ware): Don't Sing - Prefab Sprout; Speed Your Love To Me - Simple Minds; Straight From The Heart - Fat Larry's Band; The Colour Field - The Colour Field; Collapsing New People - Fad Gadget; A Letter From Afar - B-Movie; Give Me More Time - Whitesnake; Stop, Look & Listen - Donna Summer; The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen; Hold On To Love - Gary Moore; Gone Daddy Gone - Violent Femmes; Future Shock - Herbie Hancock; I'd Do Anything - Dead Or Alive; Doctor Doctor - Thompson Twins; I Got The Message - Men Without Hats; Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper; Prisoner Of Love - Spear Of Destiny; Love Is Like A Battlefield - Pat Benatar; Hyper-Active! - Thomas Dolby; Hey You - Black Lace; Razor's Edge - Meat Loaf; Boys Light Up - Australian Crawl
Album reviews (Dave Rimmer / Peter Martin / Kimberley Leston): Busy Body - Luther Vandross; You Shouldn't - Nuf Bit Fish - George Clinton; Learning To Crawl - Pretenders; Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
Nights Out: Tracy Nolan meets Duran Duran
Other: puppets; fan clubs

Friday, January 5, 2024

January 5 - 18, 1984

Smash Hits, January 5, 1984 - p.01

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Eurythmics
Centrespread: The Alarm - Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?
Back cover: Paul Weller reading 1984
Interviews: Soft Cell; Eurythmics; Billy Bragg; Spandau Ballet,
Lyrics: S.O.S. - ABC; Here Comes The Rain Again - Eurythmics; King Of Pain - Police; Bird Of Paradise - Snowy White; April Showers - Al Jolson; Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke? - The Alarm; Wonderland - Big Country; A Rockin' Good Way - Shakin' Stevens & Bonnie Tyler;
Start: personal file - James Taylor; Peter Powell, Lisa Anthony, Linda Duff, Samantha Archer, Oxford Road Show / ORS, Simple Minds, China Crisis, Pookah Makes Three; Thomas Dolby, "Hyperactive!"; The Big One: Apollo Theatre, Bill Bachley, Susannah York, Hazel O'Connor, Mari Wilson, Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, Paul Weller, Style Council, The Alarm, Mike Peters; "Sanp, Razzle & Pop": Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, Merseybeat, Jill Furmanovsky, Steve Rapport 
Bitz: Herbie Hancock; Culture Club; Thompson Twins; Cocteau Twins; Pretenders: Chrissie Hynde, Martin Chambers, Malcolm Foster, Robbie McIntosh, "2000 Miles", "Learning To Crawl"; The Icicle Works: Chris Layhe, Chris Sharrock, Iain McNabb; Australian Crawl; David Bowie; General Public: Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, Stoker, Mickey Billingham, Horace Panter, Mick Jones; Simple Minds, "Sparkle In The Rain", Queen, "Radio Ga Ga"; Howard Jones; Hype [board game]; Jon Moss's five new year's resolutions
Single reviews (Ian Birch): Here Comes The Rain Again - Eurythmics; Tell Me When It's Over - Dream Syndicate; Wishful Thinking - China Crisis; Black Sheep - Vice Squad; (Feels Like) Heaven - Fiction Factory; Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke? - The Alarm; Wonderland - Big Country; Action - Evelyn Champagne King; Kruggerands - Andy Scott; S.O.S. - ABC; King Of Pain - The Police; Don't Box Me In - Stewart Copeland and Stanard Ridgway; Human Torch - Rick Springfield; A Rockin' Good Way - Shakin' Stevens & Bonnie Tyler; Love Is A Battlefield - Chris Norman; Independence Day - Comsat Angels; Sea Of Heartbreak - Leo Sayer; Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung
Album reviews (Claire Sheaff / Dave Rimmer / Lola Borg / Linda Duff / Lisa Anthony): Japanese Whispers - The Cure; Love How You Feel - Sharon Redd; The Power And The Glory - Jimmy Cliff; The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome - Slade; What A Feeling - Irene Cara; Perverted By Language - The Fall; Believer - Chic
Nights Out: Robert Plant; Simple Minds; The Police
Other: Superfans: Duran Duran, Status Quo, Madness, David Bowie, Marillion, Elvis Presley, Culture Club

Monday, December 25, 2023

Smash Hits Yearbook 1984

Smash Hits Yearbook 1984

(click on the image to see the full issue)

A big THANK YOU to everybody who visited the archive and / or liked the Facebook page during 1983 / 2023. Even bigger thanks to all of you who posted comments and wrote emails: I am *very* sorry if I have not replied to your message yet; I promise I'm working on it! And thanks for the Facebook friend requests; even if we never meet in person, I am lucky to be cyber-friends with some great people - if we aren't friends yet....what are you waiting for?!!?

Happy Christmas to all of you - and have a great 2024!!

Friday, December 22, 2023

December 22, 1983 - January 4, 1984

Smash Hits, December 22, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Howard Jones
Centrespread: Steve Strange, Cheryl Baker, Leslie Ash, Kate Garner, Stephen Luscombe, Edwyn Collins, Feargal Sharkey, Peter Coyle, Jeffrey Daniel, Jools Holland, Smeggy, Handsome John, Rory, Paul, Maggot
Back cover: Boy George and his mum
Interviews: Howard Jones
Lyrics: Pipes Of Peace – Paul McCartney; Duck For The Oyster – Malcolm McLaren; Sweet Surrender – Rod Stewart; Read ‘Em And Weep – Barry Manilow; Metal Health – Quiet Riot; Straight Ahead – Kool & The Gang; I Can Help – Elvis Presley; Where Is My Man – Eartha Kitt
Start: personal file – Marilyn; Samantha and Julian Archer; Radio 1 Christmas party: Mike Read, Simon Bates, Dave Lee Travis, Richard Skinner, Adrian John, Mike Smith, Adrian Juste, John Peel, Gary Davies, Jimmy Savile, Andy Peebles, Tony Blackburn, Peter Powell, Janice Long, Mike Read, Anne Nightingale, Mark Page, Steve Wright; Elton John, Meat Loaf; Morrissey, Sandie Shaw, "I Don't Owe You Anything"
Bitz: Dennis Waterman, George Cole, "What Are We Going To Get 'Er Indoors?"; Grime Of The Century (100 Punk Classics)", Anagram Records; "My Oh My", Slade, "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome"; Vice Squad, Lia, "Black Sheep"; The Cure, "Japanese Whispers: The Cure Singles Nov '82 - Nov '83"; the five things I miss most about Lancashire - Neil Arthur; David Bowie, Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Scheme; Herbie Hancock, "Future Shock"; "Escape" story strip, Rian Hughes; Musical Youth, "16", Jody Watley; Neil Arthur, Blancmange; Eartha Kitt, "a kind of '50s David Bowie"; Flying Pickets: Rick Lloyd, David Brett, Brian Hibbard, Ken Gregson, Red Stripe, Gareth Williams; K-Tel "Doublesiders", "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll", Spectrum 48K
Nights Out: Duran Duran; Slade; Toyah; Culture Club
Other: 1983 Readers' Poll results

Friday, December 8, 2023

December 8 - 21, 1983

Smash Hits, December 8, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Duran Duran
Centrespread: Duran Duran / Eurythmics
Back cover: Marilyn
Interviews: Nik Kershaw; Paul Young; Tina Turner; Duran Duran; Status Quo; Robert Smith
Lyrics: The Way You Are – Tears For Fears; Tell Her About It – Billy Joel; Marguerita Time – Status Quo; I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down – Nik Kershaw; Running With The Night – Lionel Richie; Many Rivers To Cross – UB40; My Oh My – Slade; Rock The Midnight – David Grant; Bark At The Moon – Ozzy Osbourne; Terry – Kirsty MacColl; My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains – Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band; Strip – Adam Ant; You’re In My Heart – David Essex; Islands In The Stream – Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton; Rat Rapping – Roland Rat Superstar; Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year) – Elton John; Only You – Flying Pickets;
Start: personal file – Mick Talbot; Adam Ant, “Strip”, Mary Stavin; Thumb Gallery exhibition: Richard Walker, Grace Jones, “Walkin’ In The Rain”, Fraser Taylor, David Bowie, “Modern Love”; F-1 Electric, Oscar Van Gelden, Alan Greenwood, Dominic 
Bitz: "Thanks For Christmas" - Three Wise Men / XTC; "Singalong-A-Santa-Again" - Santa Claus & The Christmas Trees; "Christmas Crackers" - Mike Morton Orchestra; "Christmas Time" - Free-Flying Bagoudis; "Jingle Bell Rock" - Mike Love; "Christmas Spectre" - Jingle Belles; "It's Christmas" - Paul French; "Little Jesus" - Seven Mills School Choir; "First Snow" - Robert Sleigh; "Christmas Wrapping" - Bill Stickers; "Christmas Wrapping" - Waitresses; "What Are We Going To Get 'Er Indoors" - Dennis Waterman & George Cole; "Cold As Christmas" - Elton John; "Merry Xmas Everybody" - Slade; Culture Club, "The Electric Dream"; Thompson Twins; "Birdie Song", Tweets; "All Wrapped Up", Undertones: Feargal Sharkey, Assembly, Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley, David Drumgold, John O'Neill, Billy Doherty; Wham!, "Club Fantastic Megamix"; Mainframe, "Tenants Of The Lattice-Work"; "Street Sounds 7", "The Dance Decade"; my six favourite expressions - Steve Wright; Paul McCartney, "Pipes Of Peace"; Charlie Gillet, "Sound Of The City"; Jamming magazine: Madness, UB40, Paul Young, Wah!; Spandau Ballet, "Live Over Britain"; Blancmange, "That's Love, That It Is", dance mix; "Nightshoot", Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, Hazel O'Connor, Martin Rushent; Michael White, Colour Me Pop, "The Girl Who Shares My Shirt"; "BMX Boys", Danny & The Mongoose Boys"; Marilyn; The Alarm; Slade: Noddy Holder, Don Powell, Dave Hill, Jimmy Lea
Single reviews (Dave Rimmer): Strip – Adam Ant; Marguerita Time – Status Quo; Straight Ahead – Kool & The Gang; Many Rivers To Cross – UB40/Tyler – UB40; Smile – Will Powers; I’ll Let You Slide – Luther Vandross; Sweet Surrender – Rod Stewart; Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top; Oh My Papa – John DuPrez; In The Mood – Robert Plant; Nubian Nut – George Clinton; Standing On The Corner – The Four Corners; Why Me? – Irene Cara; Move Over Darling – Gina Lamour; The Way You Are – Tears For Fears; Animal Rhapsody – The Raincoats; Rules Of The Game – Bucks Fizz; Frankenstein 1984 – Edgar Winter; Show Me – Dislocation Dance; Too Late For Love – Def Leppard; Single Handed – Haywoode; Tell Her About It – Billy Joel
Album reviews (Mark Steels / Josephine Hocking / Ian Birch / Lola Borg / Peter Martin / Linda Duff): You Broke My Heart In 17 Places – Tracey Ullman; Ooh Wallah Wallah – King Kurt; Back To Back – Status Quo; Fire & Water – D. Greenfield & J. J. Burnel; Drawings Of O.T. – EinsturzendeNeubaten; Who’s Been Sleeping In My Brain – Alien Sex Fiend; The Power Of Love – Captain Sensible
Nights Out: Ozzy Osbourne; Cabaret Voltaire; Shakin’ Stevens; The Smiths
Other: Pop Stars and their Children

Friday, December 1, 2023

Woolworth Christmas Special 1983

Smash Hits Woolworth Christmas Special 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Friday, November 24, 2023

November 24 - December 7, 1983

Smash Hits, November 24, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Jim Kerr
Centrespread: Howard Jones (What Is Love?)
Back cover: Adam Ant
Interviews: Care; Simple Minds; Thompson Twins; Frankie Goes To Hollywood; Tears For Fears; KC & The Sunshine Band; Tom Robinson; Paul McCartney
Lyrics: Victims - Culture Club; This Charming Man - The Smiths; Move Over Darling - Tracey Ullman; Flaming Sword - Care; Owner Of A Lonely Heart - Yes; Never Never - The Assembly; Let's Stay Together - Tina Turner; Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division; The Same Old Song - KC & The Sunshine Band; What Is Love? - Howard Jones; On A Sunday - Nick Heyward; Thank You For The Music - Abba; Undercover Of The Night - Rolling Stones; The Rules Of The Game - Bucks Fizz; The Vow - Toyah; 2000 Miles - Pretenders; Church Of The Poison Mind - Culture Club
Start: personal file - Tracey Ullman; "vertical hold" hair: Colin (GBH), Kim Wilde, Smegs (King Kurt), Gavin Friday (Virgin Prunes), Jay Aston (Bucks Fizz), Mac (Echo & The Bunnymen), Mike Peters (Alarm), Rory (King Kurt), Limahl, Robert Smith, Tok (Tik & Tok), Nick Cave (The Immaculate Consumptive); Tina Turner, Glenn Gregory, Martyn Ware; Renee & Renato, "Jesus Loves Us All" 
Bitz: Soft Cell: David Ball, "In Strict Tempo", Virgin Prunes, Marc Almond, Immaculate Consumptive, Lydia Lunch, Clint Ruin (Foetus On Your Breath), Nick Cave; Animal Liberation Front compilation LP: Limahl & Hazel O'Connor, Paul Weller, Beki Bondage; Duran Duran; Maddy Pryor, "Photo Assignment", Steeleye Span, "Deep In The Darkest Night", Dave Stewart, Annie Lennox; King Kurt assaulted in Liverpool: John Reddington, Paul Lavender, 'Liverpool people hate the Scots, you see'; Spear Of Destiny; Yes, Jon Anderson; Abbacadabra: BA Robertson, Elaine Page; "Ziggy Stardust Live", David Bowie; Marilyn; Kirsty MacColl; Siouxsie & The Banshees, Nocturne, Albert Hall; Whitesnake tour postponed, Micky Moody; Test Department, "Compulsion/Pulsations"; Culture Club: "Victims", "Colour By Numbers", "Romance Revisted"; five strangest presents from fans - Limahl 
Single reviews (Jools Holland): Love Of The Common People - Paul Young; Thank You For The Music - Abba; What Is Love? - Howard Jones; Love's Gonna Get You - Freeez; Terry - Kirsty MacColl; Four Little Diamonds - ELO; Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins; Only You - Flying Pickets; Deep On The Darkest Night - Maddy Prior; I Just Want To Dance - Robert Marlow; Lips Can't go - Alien Sex Fiend; I Want To Be With You - Jane And Barton; Push The Boat - The Higsons; Love Is A Wonderful Colour - Icicle Works; Rat Rapping - Roland Rat Superstar; Silver Lining - Gang Of 4; Good Friday - Silver Lining; Good Friday - Modern Romance; Rock The Midnight - David Grant; Michael Barrymore - Kenny The Kangaroo; That's Love That It Is - Blancmange; Let's Stay Together - Tina Turner; I Get A Feeling - Lisa Stansfield; My Oh My - Slade; Crazy Over You - Jools Holland
Album reviews (Lisa Anthony / Peter Martin / Dave Rimmer / Linda Duff / Fred Dellar / Josephine Hocking): Touch - Eurythmics; Seven And The Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran; 90125 - Yes; The Bop Won't Stop - Shakin' Stevens; Undercover - Rolling Stones; Beauty Stab - ABC; Scandalous - Imagination; Catch As Catch Can - Kim Wilde
Nights Out: Eurythmics; Cliff Richard; Public Image Limited

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Dear Catherine Wheel - another winner from Team Philpott!

Dear Catherine Wheel

One of the most endearing and enduring pop journeys of the last few years has been the epistolary odyssey undertaken by the redoubtable members of Team Philpott, who have been firing off missives to some of the most famous and infamous musicians of the last forty years, feigning confusion and asking for clarification on the lyrical content of their most memorable hits.

The enquiries are amusing in and of themselves and they are complemented perfectly by the replies from the actual popstars. This latest volume is a collection of correspondence between the Philpotts and the luminaries of the C86 generation, so readers are treated to the likes of Bis, Fuzzbox, Helen Love, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Utah Saints and many more explaining their songs to a slightly bemused older gentleman who appears to be slightly out of step with the youth of today....and yesterday.

One of the great things about Smash Hits was that the magazine took music very seriously and usually didn't take musicians seriously at all. Something similar happens in these books: the Philpotts take a comically earnest approach to the songs, whilst the musicians are great sports about deflating their own egos.

It's delightful, of course, and will remind some readers of some great bands they might have forgotten, as well as introducing other readers to some great music they haven't heard before - no finer legacy for any book. There's some talk that this will be the last in the series: a shame, if true, but a finale every bit as entertaining as all the previous volumes.

It's nearly Christmas: don't just tell your friends and family that you love them - demonstrate how much you love them by popping a copy of Dear Catherine Wheel in their stockings. As before, a donation from the sale of each book will be made to charities helping people experiencing homelessness - a cause which is even more laudable now than ever before - so Dear Catherine Wheel will ease your conscience whilst tickling your funny bone.

Get your copy of Dear Catherine Wheel here or here!

Friday, November 10, 2023

November 10 - 23, 1983

Smash Hits, November 10, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: ABC
Centrespread: Belle Stars (The Entertainer)
Back cover: Nick Heyward
Interviews: Blancmange; ABC; Julian Cope; Police fact file; The Smiths; Genesis; Eddy Grant; John Lydon
Lyrics: Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins; A Solid Bond In Your Heart – Style Council; Calling Your Name – Marilyn; Waterfront – Simple Minds; That’s Love That It Is – Blancmange; Listen To The Radio: Atmospherics – Tom Robinson; Sunshine Playroom – Julian Cope; Dancing In The Dark – Kim Wilde; Good Friday – Modern Romance; The Entertainer – Belle Stars; Love Of The Common People – Paul Young; Destination Zulu Land – King Kurt; That’s All – Genesis; Please Don’t Fall In Love – Cliff Richard; The Eternal – Joy Division; Till I Can’t Take No More – Cliff Richard; Kissing With Confidence – Will Powers
Start: personal file – Paul Young; Jeremy from Haysi Fantayzee; SPK; Steve Norman, Spandau Ballet
Bitz: Billy Joel; Gallup; The Pretenders, "2000 Miles"; Thompson Twins, Alex Sadkin; David Essex, Royal Albert Hall; Samantha Archer, Carol Singleton; Wham!; "Absolute Beginners", Colin MacInnes; "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me", Simon Napier-Bell; "Love's Gonna Get You", Freeez Arthur Baker; Style Council; Simple Minds; Michael Hemingway, RSVP, 700 replies; Toyah, "The Vow"; Eurythmics, "Touch"; David Bowie, Hammersmith Odeon; Dolby's Cube, Thomas Dolby, "Get Out Of My Mix" - "Europa And The Pirate Twins", "She Blinded Me With Science"; videosingles: David Bowie, New Edition, Style Council; Prince, 1999; compilations: Abba, Bucks Fizz, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Modern Romance, Cliff Richard, Sylvester, Motown, Visage; Frank Stallone, "Staying Alive", "Far From Over"; "The Bauhaus - The Singles"; Stray Cats; Geoffrey Deane, "What About Romance", Steve Levine; UB40, "Labour Of Love", "Cherry Oh Baby", Eric Donaldson, "Please Don't Make Me Cry", Winston Groovy, "Red Red Wine", Tony Tribe, "Many Rivers To Cross", Jimmy Cliff; My Heroes & Heroines - Leee John 
Single reviews (Mark Steels): Waterfront – Simple Minds; The Vow – Toyah; A Solid Bond In My Heart – Style Council; Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins; Sunshine Playroom – Julian Cope; Listen To The Radio: Atmospherics – Tom Robinson; Willow Weep For Me – Carmel; This Charming Man – The Smiths; That’s All – Genesis; Rebels Rule – Stray Cats; The Beauty Of Poison – Specimen; Union Sundown – Bob Dylan; Screaming Skull – Fleshtones; Never Never – The Assembly; What About Romance – Geoffrey Deane; Really Glad You Came – Ian Dury; Owner Of A Lonely Heart – Yes; Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood; Undercover Of The Night – Rolling Stones; White Lines (Don’t Do It) – Grandmaster & Melle Mel; The Lifeboat Party – Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Album reviews (Ian Birch / Fred Dellar / Peter Martin / Mark Ellen / Josephine Hocking / Peter Stockton / Claire Sheaff): Strip – Adam Ant; Dancing For Mental Health – Will Powers; Rhythm Of Youth – Men Without Hats; Dreams Less Sweet – Psychic TV; Can’t Slow Down – Lionel Richie; Pipes Of Peace – Paul McCartney; Play Dirty – Girlschool; Head Over Heels – Cocteau Twins; Soul Mining – The The
Nights Out: Musical Youth; King Kurt

Friday, October 27, 2023

October 27 - November 9, 1983

Smash Hits, October 27, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Roddy Frame
Centrespread: Limahl (Only For Love)
Back cover: Tracey Ullman
Interviews: Siouxsie Sioux; Aztec Camera; Marilyn; King Kurt; UB40; Madness
Lyrics: Right By My Side – Eurythmics; Superstar – Lydia Murdock; The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats; Mess Of The Blues – Status Quo; Uptown Girl – Billy Joel; Oblivious – Aztec Camera; Sister Surprise – Gary Numan; Cry Just A Little Bit – Shakin’ Stevens; Puss ‘N’ Boots – Adam Ant; I Made It Through The Rain – Barry Manilow; Only For Love – Limahl; Synchronicity II – The Police; Sun And The Rain – Madness; That Was Then But This Is Now – ABC; Working With Fire And Steel – China Crisis; New Dimension – Imagination
Start: personal file - Howard Jones; Simon Le Bon, "Union Of The Snake", Simon Milne; Madonna, "Lucky Star", John "Jellybean" Benitez, Freddie De Mann; Saturday Superstore, Boy George, Claire Brownjohn 
Bitz: Men Without Hats: Ivan, Colin, Stephen Doroschuk, "The Safety Dance", Tim Pope, Al McDowell; Royal Variety Show: Rock Steady Crew, Twiggy, Gene Kelly; Steve Levine to produce Beach Boys; David Bowie to play Abraham Lincoln?; ABC, "Beauty Stab"; Screen 3; Siouxsie live LP and video, Albert Hall; Wham! £12.50 pocket money; Wham tour sponsored by Fila; Musical Youth tour sponsored by Nike; David Sylvian, Mark King; Bananarama in Japan; Paul McCartney gives Stevie Wonder a £50,000 bed; Simon LeBon receives 65-foot letter from two Sheffield girls; Pete Townshend on the cover of Time: "I'd much rather be on the cover of Smash Hits"; Virgin "Rock Yearbook Volume IV", Omnibus "Rock's Family Trees", Pete Frame; The Big Store: Jimmy, Tich, Tina, "The Price Of A Secret"; Style Council, "A Solid Bond In Your Heart"; Duran Duran; "Pop Goes Guy Fawkes": Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Carmel, Roman Holliday, Gary Byrd; Lydia Murdock, "Superstar"; ABC; Revillos, "Bitten By A Love Bug"; Billy Idol, "Dancing With Myself", Tobe Hooper; Ultravox, "Monument"; Eddy Grant, "Going For Broke"; The Undertones compilation; Tom Robinson, "Listen To The Radio: Atmospherics", Peter Gabriel; five most embarrassing moments - Nick Heyward; Will Powers, Lynn Goldsmith, "Kissing With Confidence", Carly Simon; New Order, "Blue Monday" the biggest selling 12" of all time; The Group: Mrs Julie Fletcher, "Technology", Thomas Dolby, Mike Hedges; Paul Young
Single reviews (Peter Martin): That Was Then But This Is Now - ABC; Right By Your Side - Eurythmics; Calling Your Name - Marilyn; Only For Love - Limahl; Oblivious - Aztec Camera; New Dimension - Imagination; Mess Of The Blues - Status Quo; Sister Surprise - Gary Numan; Cry Just A Little Bit - Shakin' Stevens; Flaming Sword - Care; Love Will Tear Us Apart - Michael John / Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division; Puss 'n' Boots - Adam Ant; The Entertainer - The Belle Stars; Till I Can't Take Love No More - Eddy Grant; 007 - Musical Youth; Upfront - Diana Ross; She's Got Sex / Jealous Love - JoBoxers; White Man's Hut - It's Immaterial; Synchronicity II - The Police; Metal Dance - SPK; Micro Kid - Level 42; Sun And The Rain - Madness
Album reviews (Ian Birch / Lisa Anthony / Mark Steels / Peter Martin / Josephine Hocking / Linda Duff / Dave Rimmer): North Of A Miracle - Nick Heyward; Love Is The Law - Toyah; Different Style! - Musical Youth; Rhythm Of Live - Paul Haig; Gonna Get You - Freeez; Out Of This World - Shakatak; David Grant - David Grant; Wild Style - Various Artists; Working With Fire And Steel - China Crisis
Nights Out: Depeche Mode; Wham!
Other: Five Years Of Smash Hits

Friday, October 13, 2023

October 13 - 26, 1983

Smash Hits, October 13, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Jimmy The Hoover
Centrespread: The Cure (The Lovecats)
Back cover: Paul Young
Interviews: Lotus Eaters; Jimmy The Hoover; Adam Ant; The Alarm; Paul Haig; Gary Numan; Cliff Richard
Lyrics: The Union Of The Snake – Duran Duran; Say Say Say – Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson; (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew – The Rock Steady Crew; You Don’t Need Someone New – Lotus Eaters; Please Don’t Make Me Cry – UB40; Superman – Black Lace; The Boxer – Simon And Garfunkel; Midnight At The Lost And Found – Meat Loaf; Sixty Eight Guns – The Alarm; Kiss The Bride – Elton John; Kill Me Kwik – Jimmy The Hoover; In Your Eyes – George Benson; The Lovecats – The Cure; All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie; Over And Over – Shalamar
Start: personal file – David Grant; Bucks Fizz, "London Town" video shoot; Culture Club, Jon Moss hurts his finger; The Assembly: Vince Clark, E.C. Radcliffe, Feargal Sharkey; Bowie World Convention '83: "It's utter rubbish" 
Bitz: Elton John: "Kiss The Bride", "Song For Guy", "Ego"'; Time Zone: "Wildstyle", Rusty Egan, Afrika Bambaata, Grand Mixer D.S.T., Paul "Groucho" Smykle, Francois Kevorkian; Madness, "Sun And The Rain"; Duran Duran, "Seven And The Ragged Tiger"; Julian Cope, "Stop The World I Want To Get Back On"; David Bowie asks Suggs for autograph; King Kurt at Brixton Fridge - audience males must wear skirts; Gary Numan, Joe Hubbard, "slapping bass", Nick Beggs; Jeremiah Fantayzee; Lotus Eaters, "First Picture Of You" - most played record on Radio 1 ever; Julian Lennon signs to Charisma; General Public: Dave Wakeling, Rankin Roger - and Mick Jones?; The Cure, "The Lovecats" - 'It's the final instalment of a trio of fantasy singles born out of one of my cat jazz parties on Brighton Pier"; Tracey Ullman, "Three Of A Kind", "Say Goodbye To Broad Street", "The Grass Widow", Snoo Wilson, Royal Court Theatre; Imagination, "New Dimension", "Scandalous"; Marilyn; Carmel, "Willow Weep For Me"; ABC, "That Was Then But This Is Now"; Hot Chocolate; Space Monkey, "Can't Stop Running", Paul Goodchild; Kirsty MacColl, "They Don't Know", "Terry"; The Specimen, "The Beauty Of Poison"; "Monster Halloween Ball", Lyceum Ballroom: Lords Of The New Church, Beast, Flesh For Lulu, Crown Of Thorns; Gary Numan, "Sister Surprise"; Street Sounds, "Electro", Newcleus, "Jam On Revenge", G-Force, "Feel The Force"; Dee Harris, Rick Wright; Sex Gang Children, "Mauritia Maye"; The Alarm; The Truth; all time top ten - Peter Hook
Single reviews (Ian Birch): The Lovecats – The Cure; Please Don’t Make Me Cry – UB40; Gypsy Girl – Cruella De Ville; Kiss The Bride – Elton John; Till You Come Back To Me – Leo Sayer; Can’t Shake Loose – Agnetha Faltskog; So Tired – Haircut One Hundred; Party Games – Hey! Elastica; Me Or You? – Killing Joke; Over And Over – Shalamar; Out Of This World – Shakatak; You Don’t Need Someone New – Lotus Eaters; Be-Pop – Antena; Joe Orton’s Wedding – David J; Say Say Say – Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson; Working With Fire And Steel – China Crisis; Voices – Passion Puppets; The Union Of The Snake – Duran Duran; I Need You Tonite / Don’t You Worry Bout A Thing – A Certain Ratio; Love The One You’re With – Steve Grant With Tight Fit
Album reviews (Peter Martin / Lisa Anthony / Ian Birch / Linda Duff / Claire Sheaff / Jo-Anne Smith): Colour By Numbers – Culture Club; Cookin’ On The Roof – Roman Holliday; Genesis – Genesis; Live In Tokyo – Public Image Limited; Forrest – Forrest; The Best Kept Secret – Sheena Easton; The Golden Section – John Foxx
Nights Out: Siouxsie & The Banshees; Paul Young; The Rock Steady Crew
Other: The Things People Said: Thirty Years Of Trendy Talk

The first issue of Just Seventeen, given away with this issue of Smash Hits:

Just Seventeen, October 13, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Friday, September 29, 2023

September 29 - October 12, 1983

Smash Hits, September 29, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Culture Club
Centrespread: Modern Romance
Interviews: Toyah; Howard Jones; Freeez; Culture Club; Dennis Greaves
Lyrics: There's Something Wrong In Paradise - Kid Creole & The Coconuts; Love In Itself 2 - Depeche Mode; This Is Not A Love Song - PiL; Rebel Run - Toyah; Love Will Find A Way - David Grant; New Song - Howard Jones; Pop Goes My Love - Freeez; This Is The Way - Bruce Foxton; They Don't Know - Tracey Ullman; Thriller - Michael Jackson; Tahiti - David Essex; Go Deh Yaka (Go To The Top) - Monyaka; London Town - Bucks Fizz; Hell Raiser - The Sweet; Tears On The Telephone - Hot Chocolate
Start: personal file - Rick Parfitt; Sting, "The Police", Lynn Goldsmith, Will Powers; David Bowie, Madame Tussaud's; John Travolta, Janice Long, "Stayin' Alive"; King Kurt, "Destination Zulu Land", Dave Edmunds; Tracie's Soul Squad: Kenn Regan, Kevin Miller, Steve Sidelnyk
Bitz: Steven Jansen, Ippu-Do, Masami Tsuchiya, Richard Barbieri, David Sylvian, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ronnie Drayton, Jon Hassell, Holger Czukay, "Expressions"; Bow Wow Wow split; Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, "Say Say Say", The Belle Stars, "The Entertainer", Jimmy The Hoover, "Kill Me Kwik", Shakin' Stevens, Shalamar, "Over And Over", Duran Duran, "Union Of The Snake"; "His Masters Voice", Wally Burke, Steve X. Hippy; Simple Minds; Kid Creole; PiL, John Lydon, "Live In Tokyo", "Order Of Death"; Malcolm McLaren, "Duck For The Oyster"; Marilyn signs to Phonogram, "Cry And Be Free"; Jamming fanzine: Elvis Costello, The Truth, The Bunnymen, Bruce Foxton, Carmel; Starzone, Bowie fanzine; Limahl, "Only For Love", Dee Harris; Kate Garner, "Love Me Like A Rocket"; Tom Brown, "Rockin' Radio", Maurice Starr, Michael Jonzun; Ultravox, "Monument; all time top ten - Martin Ware; Street Sounds, "Electro", Newcleus, G-Force, Weststreet Mob; Boy George; Helen Terry, Kashif, Nike Rodgers; Rik Mayall, Jools Holland; Gary Numan; Shalamar split?; Men At Work split?; Mick Jones not joining Spear Of Destiny; Steve Norman; Paul Humphries on a diet; Pete Wylie; Michael Jackson, Sting, Ralph Richardson; "Thriller" video, Vincent Price, Richard Franklin, Culture Club; Gladys Knight; Alice Cooper; Jimmy The Hoover, "Tantalise"; Dead Or Alive attack Nick Heyward with fire extinguishers; JoBoxers; Eddie & Sunshine, "There's Someone Following Me"; Rick Wakeman, "The Cost Of Living", "She" soundtrack, "Triumph Of Death"; Adam Ant, "Puss In Boots"; "The Tube", Leslie Ash; Ryan Paris, Fabio Roscioli, "Dolce Vita", "Once Upon A Time In America", Sergio Leone, Signore, Giombini; Passion Puppets, "Voices"; Amazulu; Great: Dave Mortimer, George Michael, "Golden Soul", Steve Brown; Vice Squad's new singer: Lia
Single reviews (Lenny Henry): Love In Itself 2 - Depeche Mode; This Is The Way - Bruce Foxton; Love On A Farmboy's Wages - XTC; Thriller - Michael Jackson; Rebel Run - Toyah; Keep It Confidential - Nona Hendryx; One Minute Every Hour - JB's Allstars; Stone Heart (Stone Woman) - I-Level; Autodrive - Herbie Hancock; Recognition - Europeans; Love Will Find A Way - David Grant; Nightline - Randy Crawford; They Don't Know - Tracey Ullman; Kill Me Kwick - Jimmy The Hoover; Wild Style Theme Rap - Grand Master Kaz & Chris Stein; London Town - Bucks Fizz; Pop Goes My Love - Freeez; Working With Fire And Steel - China Crisis; I Need You - F.R. David; This Affair / Sky Again - The Maisonettes; This Is Not A Love Song - PiL
Album reviews (Lisa Anthony / Peter Martin / Tim De Lisle / Fred Dellar / Peter Martin / Dave Rimmer): Like Gangbusters - JoBoxers; Bent Out Of Shape - Rainbow; Warriors - Gary Numan; Born To Love - Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack; Land - The Comsat Angels; Blow Your Own Horn - Herb Alpert; Born Again - Black Sabbath; Madonna - Madonna; Work For Love - Ministry
Nights Out: Futurama Festival, Leeds: Real Foo Foo, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, John Cooper Clarke, Comsat Angels, Richard Jobson, John McGeoch, Bay City Rollers, Les McKeown
Other: What's Going On In Your Record Shop?

Friday, September 15, 2023

September 15 - 28, 1983

Smash Hits, September 15, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Roman Holliday
Centrespread: David Bowie
Back cover: Culture Club
Interviews: Roman Holliday; The Special AKA; Def Leppard; Kajagoogoo; Hanoi Rocks
Lyrics: Soul Inside - Soft Cell; Let Them All Talk - Elvis Costello; If You Could See Me Now - Shakatak; Motor Mania - Roman Holliday; Ol' Rag Blues - Status Quo; Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles; Racist Friend - The Special AKA; Tonight I Celebrate My Love - Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack; Dear Prudence - Siouxsie & the Banshees; Modern Love - David Bowie; Blue Hat For A Blue Day - Nick Heyward; Big Apple - Kajagoogoo; Secret Messages - ELO; Dolce Vita - Ryan Paris; Change Of Heart - Altered Images
Start: personal file - Stuart Adamson; Boy George, Marilyn, "When Cameras Go Crazy", Kasper de Graaf, Malcolm Garrett; Jeffrey Daniel, Zingari, "Everybody's Waiting", Joyce, Tish, Sue Wan, Gary Hutchings, David Morris; Capital Radio's Junior Best Disco in Town: Kelly Temple, Mike Brown, Gary Crowley, Andy Polaris (Animal Nightlife), Phil Fearon, Graham Jones, Chico, Nick Beggs, Wham!, Pepsi, Modern Romance
Bitz: Madness; The Clash: Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon sack Mick Jones; World David Bowie Convention; Duran Duran world tour; Fun Boy Three split, Terry Hall; Rock Around The Clock; Japan: Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri form group; Marc Almond; Aztec Camera sign to Warners, Scritti Politti sign to Virgin; Rolling Stones sign with CBS; Limahl, Ed Bicknell, Dire Straits; John McEnroe, Vitus Gerulaitis; The Police: Falklands gig cancelled; Madness, "It Must Be Love"; Siouxsie evicted; Special AKA; George Michael, Jerry Wexler, Wham! sued by Wham; Bucks Fizz, "London Town"; Special AKA, Jerry Dammers, "Racist Friend" / "Bright Lights"; Cable Music: Mike Read, Nicky Horn, Tommy Vance, Pat Sharp, Curlyman; Echo & The Bunnymen play the Royal Shakespeare, "The Killing Moon", "Silver"; new TV music programmes: "Eight Days A Week", "Rock School", "Showbusiness", "Play At Home"; Haywoode, "A Time Like This"; The Jam, "Snap!"; "Ziggy Live"; Toyah, "Rebel Run", "Love Is The Law", "The Ebony Tower; Escape magazine; PiL, John Lydon; "This Is Not A Love Song"; all time top ten - Gerry Darby, Carmel McCourt, Jimmy Paris;
Single reviews (David Hepworth): The One Thing - INXS; Motor Mania - Roman Holliday; Promises Promises - Naked Eyes; Ol' Rag Blues - Status Quo; Superstar - Lydia Murdock; Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence - Ryuichi Sakamoto; Let Them All Talk - Elvis Costello & the Attractions; On A Journey - The Peech Boys; Telefone - Sheena Easton; Someone Belonging To Someone - The Bee Gees; Maybe This Day - Kissing The Pink; Soul Inside - Soft Cell; Boogie Down - Al Jarreau; Tell Me Why - Barb; This Is The Day - The The; Runaway - Freur; Dear Prudence - Siouxsie and the Banshees; (You Said) You'd Gimme Some More - K.C. And The Sunshine Band
Album reviews (Peter Martin / Dave Rimmer / Neil Tennant / Claire Sheaff / Johnny Black / Ian Birch / Lisa Anthony): Blue Sunshine - The Glove; Doppelganger - Kid Creole & The Coconuts; Mike's Murder - Joe Jackson; Hard - Gang Of 4; Mummer - XTC; Labour Of Love - UB40; The Fireman's Curse - Hunters & Collectors; Jammin' - The Gap Band V
Nights Out: Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Other: Where Is Everyone?

Friday, September 1, 2023

September 1 - 14, 1983

Smash Hits, September 1, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Heaven 17
Centrespread: Madness
Back cover: The Lotus Eaters
Interviews: Cliff Richard; Robert Plant; Big Country; The Police at Shea Stadium
Lyrics: Warriors - Gary Numan; Like An Animal - The Glove; Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry - Heaven 17; Never Say Die (Give A Little Bit More) - Cliff Richard; For Ever And A Day - Classix Nouveaux; Karma Chameleon - Culture Club; The Great Dominions - Teardrop Explodes; Dance It Up - Matt Fretton; Dr Heckell & Mr Jive - Men At Work; Confusion - New Order; Rock Of Ages - Def Leppard; Mama - Genesis; Chance - Big Country; Come Back And Stay - Paul Young; Riders On The Storm - Annabel Lamb; (She's) Sexy and 17 - Stray Cats
Start: personal file - Shirley (Wham!); Gary Numan, Tina Clamp; Frank Bruno, JoBoxers; break dancing, Wildstyle!, Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash
Bitz: Marc Almond - "I no longer wish to sing"; TDK Battle Of The Bands; A Flock Of Seagulls, "(It's Not Me) Talking", Bill Nelson, Robert Palmer; "Duran Duran Scrapbook"; Monyaku, "Go Deh Yaka"; The The, "This Is The Day"; A Craze, Mark Chester, Respond Package Tour, Tracie And Her Soul Squad, Vaughn Toulouse And The Main-T Posse, The Questions; Siouxsie And The Banshees, Royal Albert Hall; Level 42; "War Games", "Computer War"; Planet Patrol, "Cheap Thrills", New Order, "Confusion", Freeez, "IOU", Arthur Baker, John Robie, John "Jellybean" Benitez, Irene Cara, "Flashdance", Europeans, "Flashdance", Hot Streak, "Body Talk"; The Kinks, "Come Dancing", Ray Davies, Chrissie Hynde; Air Studios, George Martin; Freur, "Riders In The Night" Booker Newbury III, "Teddy Bear"; "Come With Club" - Kool & The Gang, Central Line, Tania Maria; The Beatles, Jimmy Page, The Velvet Underground, AC/DC, "The Jam: A Beat Concerto", Paolo Hewitt, "Kid Creole: Indiscreet", Vivien Goldman, "Rockspeak", Tom Hibbert, "Essential Guide To Rock Records", Barry Lazell, Fred Dellar; Belle Stars, "The Entertainer", Anne Dudley; Gary Numan, Tik & Tok; Duran Duran, "Union Of The Snake", Alex Sadkin, Ian Little; The Saturday Show, Isla St. Clair, Tommy Boyd; Captain Sensible buys "How To Play Synthesizer"; Paul Simon marries Carrie Fisher; David Jay, The Sinister Ducks; Steve Fairnie, The Technos, hypnotizing chickens; Twisted Sister; Wham!; The Style Council; The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards; Mark Ellen; all time top ten - Harry Casey
Single reviews (Tom Hibbert): Chance - Big Country; Straight From The Heart - Bonnie Tyler; Runnin' - Junior; Karma Chameleon - Culture Club; You're Lookin' Hot Tonight - Barry Manilow; If You Could See Me Now - Shakatak; Come Back And Stay - Paul Young; Rock Of Ages - Def Leppard / Street Of Dreams - Rainbow; Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry - Heaven 17; Warriors - Gary Numan; Your Dress - John Foxx; (It's Not Me) Talking - A Flock Of Seagulls; Rum And Coca-Cola - Julio Iglesias; Dr Heckyll & Mr Jive - Men At Work; Secret Messages - Electric Light Orchestra; Never Say Die (Give A Little Bit More) - Cliff Richard; Diamonds - The Shadows; Confusion - New Order
Album reviews (Peter Martin / Jo-Anne Smith / Johnny Black / Ian Birch / Mark Steels / Neil Tennant): Construction Time Again - Depeche Mode; Standing In The Light - Level 42; Rant And Rave With The Stray Cats - Stray Cats; Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence - Ryuichi Sakamoto; Alpha - Asia; Duet Emmo - Or So It Seems; Flick Of The Switch - AC/DC; From Gardens Where We Feel Secure - Virginia Astley; Candy Girl - New Edition
Other: A Day At The Racecourse: Perfect Crime, Steel Pulse, Big Country, Eurythmics, Simple Minds; pop star self portraits

Friday, August 18, 2023

August 18 - 31, 1983

Smash Hits, August 18, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Wham!
Centrespread: The Style Council
Back cover: Sting
Interviews: Spandau Ballet: Readers' Q & A; Carmel; Ian MacCulloch; Limahl, Kajagoogoo; Strawberry Switchblade; Wham!
Lyrics: A Step In The Right Direction - The Truth; What Am I Gonna Do (I'm So In Love With You) - Rod Stewart; Wings Of A Dove - Madness; Guilty Of Love - Whitesnake; Bad Day - Carmel; Come Dancing - The Kinks; The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) - Level 42; Red Red Wine - UB40; Put Our Heads Together - The O'Jays; Fantastic Voyage - David Bowie; Tour De France - Kraftwerk; Popcorn Love - New Edition; Johnny Friendly - JoBoxers; Prime Time - Haircut One Hundred; Wait Until Tonight - Galaxy; Watching You Watching Me - David Grant
Start: personal file - David Gahan; Mike Oldfield nude, Einsturzende Neubaten nude, Bruce Dickinson nude; David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence"; Phil Collins, "Illegal Alien"; Boy George, Helen Terry
Bitz: Herbie Hancock; Classix Nouveaux, "For Ever And A Day", Alex Sadkin; Weekend, "Live At Ronnie Scott's"; Freeeze, 12" acapella mix of "IOU"; The Glove, Banshees, "Dear Prudence"; Kid Creole tour; "The Beat's Greatest Hits" video LP; all-day pop festival at Corby Boating Lake; Double Dutch; Castle Donnington Monsters Of Rock, Whitesnake, Dio, Twisted Sister, ZZ Top, Diamond Head; Imagination tour; David Bowie, "Modern Love"; Silent Running, "When The 12th Of Never Comes"; Eurythmics; Style Council, Tracey Thorn, "Head Start To Happiness"; all time top ten - Mike Read; Bruce Foxton; Shakatak, Norma Lewis; "Rock Around The Clock": Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Roman Holliday, Mark Ellen, David Hepworth, Annie Nightingale, Steve Blacknell; Drums Over The Mersey, Joe Musker, Jon Moss, Gary Dwyer; Steve Strange impersonator; Matt Fretton, "Dance It Up"; George Michael's Ray-Bans, Andrew Ridgeley's Fila B tracksuit, Gary Numan "getting into leather", Orange Juice to split?, Bruce Foxton's dad, Koo Stark, Paula Yates, Tracie Young and Andy Kyriacou, Lee from Madness, Boy George and Marilyn in Cairo, Jon Moss in Corfu, Curt Smith; Bauhaus split, David Jay, "Joe Orton's Wedding", Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins, "Tones On Tail", Peter Murphy
Single reviews (Johnny Black): Wings Of A Dove - Madness; Oh! That Love Decision - Coati Mundi; Red Red Wine - UB40; Party Time - Kurtis Blow; Save A Little Love For Me - Dennis Brown; Women Of The World - Ivor Cutler And Linda Hirst; Riders On The Storm - Annabel Lamb; Rhythm Of The Jungle - Girls Can't Help It; Popcorn Love - New Edition; Like An Animal - The Glove; Fallen Angel - Trevor Herion; Cosmopolitan - Joe Jackson; Sunkissed - Friends Again; Ticket To The Tropics - The Coconuts; Fake Friends - Joan Jett And The Blackhearts; Too Much Mister - Natalie Cole; Will You Stay Tonight - Comsat Angels
Album reviews (Dave Rimmer / Peter Martin / Steve Bush): Bring It On - James Brown; The Crackdown - Cabaret Voltaire; Close To The Bone - Tom Tom Club; Torment And Toreros - Marc And The Mambas
Nights Out: The Camden Palace

Friday, August 4, 2023

August 4 - 17, 1983

Smash Hits, August 4, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Duran Duran
Centrespread: Spandau Ballet
Back cover: Bananarama
Interviews: Iron Maiden; TinTin; Kim Wilde; Motorhead; Duran Duran
Lyrics: Right Now - Creatures; Freak - Bruce Foxton; Club Tropicana - Wham!; Do It Again / Billie Jean - Club House; Love To Stay - Altered Images; War - Bob Marley & The Wailers; Love Blonde - Kim Wilde; Gold - Spandau Ballet; Shine - Motorhead; I'm Still Standing - Elton John; Long Hot Summer - Style Council; Big Log - Robert Plant; Disappearing Act - Shalamar; Just Outside Of Heaven - Shalamar; Give It Up - KC & The Sunshine Band
Start: personal file - Derek Dunbar; Clare and Cathy Grogan; Ligotage: Beki Bondage, Linc, Momo Sex, Steve Roberts; Robert Marlow 
Bitz: ABC, "Mantrap", Stephen Singleton; "The Young Person's Guide To Compact", Mari Wilson, Virna Lindt; Dave Stewart, Barbara Gaskin, "Busy Doing Nothing"; The Fixx; Tom Robinson; The Anti-Nowhere League, "So What", "Live In Yugoslavia"; Tight Fit, Julie Harris, Chopper Harris, "Escargot A La Bongo"; Denise, Michael and Paul Gyngell, He-She-Him, "Try A Little Tenderness"; Errol Kennedy, Grace Kennedy, "All I Want Is You"; The Style Council, "A Paris", Kraftwerk, "Tour De France"; Paul Young; Fun Boy Three split, The Beat split, General Public, Shalamar don't split, Chris Bell and Lascelles James leave Spear Of Destiny, Kirk Brandon, Stan Stammers; Gary Byrd, "The Crown", Stevie Wonder; Midge Ure, The Police, Bunnymen, Bananarama, John Taylor's gold-plated Aston Martin D85; Paul Weller, Jeffrey Daniel and Kate Haysi, Miranda Belle Star and Dig JoBoxer, S-J Belle Star and James Guthrie, Brian McGhee; New Order, "Taras Shevchenko"; Club House, Stephano Scalero, Mauro Interlandi, Sylvio Pozzoli; Duran Duran making a movie, Nick Rhodes; all time top ten - Jon Moss
Single reviews (Peter Martin): Trees And Flowers - Strawberry Switchblade; Disappearing Act - Shalamar; The Style Council A Paris - Style Council; For You - Farmer's Boys; The Man With The 4 Way Hips - Tom Tom Club; Gold - Spandau Ballet; Bad Day - Carmel; Burning Down The House - Talking Heads; Rock It - Herbie Hancock; Club Tropicana - Wham!; Green Light - Mtume; Wait Until Tonight - Galaxy featuring Phil Fearon; Love Hurts - Q-Tips featuring Paul Young; Indian Summer - Belle Stars; Guilty Of Love - Whitesnake / Shine - Motorhead / The Sun Goes Down - Thin Lizzy; Light Years From Love - Martha; Johnny Friendly - JoBoxers; (She's Sexy) + 17 - Stray Cats; Just Outside Of Heaven - H20; The Face Of Dorian Gray - Robert Marlow; The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) - Level 42 / Lovely Day - Central Line
Album reviews (Peter Martin / Tim De Lisle / Dave Rimmer / Mark Steels / Josephine Hocking / David Hepworth / Jo-Anne Smith / Fred Dellar): Burning From The Inside - Bauhaus / Going West - The Members; Future Shock - Herbie Hancock; Apollo - Brian Eno; Field Day - Marshall Crenshaw; Glad To Be Here - Bernard Edwards; Jerky Versions Of The Dream - Howard Devoto; Punch The Clock - Elvis Costello & The Attractions; Jazzateers - Jazzateers; Stop! Please Stop! - Rocky Sharpe And The Replays
Nights Out: Mike Oldfield; Echo & The Bunnymen; Altered Images / Roman Holliday / White Savage
Other: When I'm Sixty-Four

Friday, July 21, 2023

July 21 - August 3, 1983

Smash Hits, July 21, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Tracie
Centrespread: Depeche Mode
Back cover: Eurythmics
Interviews: Tracie; Shakin' Stevens; The Bloomsbury Set; The Cure; The Lotus Eaters
Lyrics: Don't Try To Stop It - Roman Holliday; It's A Mistake - Men At Work; Ackee 1-2-3 - The Beat; Give It Some Emotion - Tracie; Walking In The Rain - Modern Romance; It's Late - Shakin' Stevens; Tell Me Why - Musical Youth; Heaven - Talking Heads; Everyday I Write The Book - Elvis Costello; The Walk - The Cure; Wrapped Around Your Finger - The Police; Everything Counts - Depeche Mode; The First Picture Of You - The Lotus Eaters; All Night Long - Mary Jane Girls; Feel Like Making Love - George Benson
Start: personal file - Greg Ham; Spandau Ballet, Tears For Fears, Rob JoBoxer; Japan; Marilyn
Bitz: Mary Jane Girls (Jo Jo, Candi, Maxi, Cheri); La Famille, "All Night Long"; Animal Nightlife, "Native Boy", Dee, Karol Kenyon; Culture Club Tour; videosingles - Kajagoogoo, Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd; The Truth; Honor Blackman, "Everything I've Got"; Mick Karn opens art gallery; Paul Young's suit, Phil Collins produces Adam Ant single, Glenn Gregory, Andy Taylor opens restaurant, Lotus Eaters, "Never Stop" recorded six times, glasses thrown at Nick Heyward, Kirk Brandon leaves Spear Of Destiny, Alf, Vince Clark, Stewart Copeland, Shalamar to split?, Bauhaus to split?; all time top ten - Steve Lambert; James Brown; George Michael, Clare Grogan, Jon Moss, Steve Strange, Spandau Ballet, Phil Lynott, Bruce Foxton, Cliff Richard, Thompson Twins, Duran Duran, Stuart Adamson, Sarah and Keren, Tears For Fears, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Mike Oldfield, Haysi, Marc Almond, Blancmange, Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, David Ball, Ginny Hewes, Andy McClusky, Paul Weller, Mick Talbot; Haircut One Hundred, Mark Fox; Thompson Twins; Wham!
Single reviews (Deborah Steels): Love Blonde - Kim Wilde; Right Now - The Creatures; Big Log - Robert Plant; Freak - Bruce Foxton; It's Late - Shakin' Stevens; Smiley Stylee - Amazulu; Nightmare - Saxon; Radio (Turns Her On) - Tokyo Olympics; Everything Counts - Depeche Mode; The Star Sisters - Stars On 45; Stop The World - Captain Sensible; Watching Me Watching You - David Grant; Beer Barrel Banjos - Chas & Dave; AEIOU Sometimes Y - Ebn-Ozn; Love To Say - Altered Images; The Woman In You - Bee Gees; Money Lover (Bite The Dust) - Dolly Dots; Walking In The Rain - Modern Romance; Dressed To Kill - The Nolans; Prime Time - Haircut One Hundred; Wonderland - XTC; Give It Some Emotion - Tracie; Wrapped Around Your Finger - The Police; My Boyish Days - Care
Album reviews (Dave Rimmer / Fred Dellar / Peter Stockton / Tim De Lisle / Deborah Steels / Claire Sheaff / Jo-Anne Smith / Neil Tennant / Karen Mundell / Peter Martin / Josephine Hocking): The Look - Shalamar; Saturday Night - Oliver Cheatham; Fire Dances - Killing Joke; Get It Right - Aretha Franklin; The Crossing - Big Country; Rebel Songs - The Decorators; Private Collection - Jon And Vangelis; Ross - Diana Ross; You And Me Both - Yazoo; Bruiseology - The Waitresses; Secret Messages - Electric Light Orchestra; Pigbag - Pigbag; XL 1 - Pete Shelley; Rust Red September - Eyeless In Gaza; Chimera - Bill Nelson
Nights Out: Peter Gabriel / Thompson Twins / Undertones; Nick Heyward
Other: Gimmicks

Friday, July 7, 2023

July 7 - 20, 1983

Smash Hits, July 7

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Paul Young
Centrespread: Shalamar
Back cover: Duran Duran
Interviews: Marc Almond; Echo & the Bunnymen; Jimmy The Hoover; Paul Young; Marillion
Lyrics: Watching - Thompson Twins; I Love You - Yello; The Trooper - Iron Maiden; Black Heart - Marc and the Mambas; Never Stop - Echo & the Bunnymen; It's Over - Funk Masters; Slow Motion - Ultravox; After A Fashion - Midge Ure & Mick Karn; Tantalise (Wo Wo Ee Yeh Yeh) - Jimmy The Hoover; Who's That Girl? - Eurythmics; I.O.U. - Freeez; Double Dutch - Malcolm McLaren; Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home) - Paul Young; Rock 'N' Roll Is King - ELO; War Baby - Tom Robinson
Start: personal file - Ian Donaldson; Double Dutch (Alisa, Renee, Tisha, Monica, Dave Rimmer); Annie Lennox; Jackie China, Mike Smith
Bitz: Mike Oldfield; Japan fan club; Gary Numan tour; "She Blinded Me With Science" - Thomas Dolby, "Always Something There To Remind Me" - Naked Eyes, "That's When (We'll Be Free)" - State Of Grace; "Night And Day" - Everything But The Girl; "Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles" - Jo & Tim Rice, Paul Gambaccini, Mike Read; "Stiff: The Story Of A Record Label" - Bert Muirhead; Jamming fanzine: Aztec Camera, Dexys, Crass, The Alarm, Paul McCartney; Dame Edna Everage; Tom Robinson; Yello; "Punch The Clock" - Elvis Costello And The Attractions, Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, Bruce Thomas; Freeez: John Rocca, Peter Maas; The Death Cult, Ian Astbury; Hold Tight!, Alton Towers, Musical Youth, Thompson Twins, Depeche Mode, David Grant; Starzone: David Bowie fanzine; Blancmange; George Michael, Jackie Hadley, Irene Cara, "D.C. Cab", Musical Youth, Grandmaster Flash, Steve Strange, "The Picture Of Dorian Gray", David Sylvian grows a beard, Bow Wow Wow cancel American tour, Matthew Ashman, Lee Gorman, 57 Men, Glenn Gregory, Huang Chung, Wang Chung, Eurythmics, Leah, Animal Nightlife, "outernational", Simon LeBon, Jools Holland; "Street Sounds", "Wired For Sound Vol. 1", "Dance Mix….Dance Hits Vol. 1"; all time top ten - Dennis Greaves
Single reviews (Dave Rimmer): Never Stop - Echo & The Bunnymen; I Don't Remember - Peter Gabriel; Ackee 1-2-3 - The Beat; Between The Sheets - Isley Brothers; Intelligence - Virna Lindt; Sebastiane - Sex Gang Children / One Good Reason - Poison Girls; Pieces Of Ice - Diana Ross / You Make It Heaven - Terri Wells; Just Fascination - Cabaret Voltaire / The Man Whose Head Expanded - The Fall; Damage Is Done - One The Juggler; Lions In My Own Garden - Prefab Sprout; Uniform - Icehouse; Love Is - Troy Tate; Working Girl - Members; Every Day I Write The Book - Elvis Costello And The Attractions; Tell Me Why - Musical Youth; Black Heart - Marc and the Mambas; London Bridge Is Falling Down - Newtrament; Cruel Summer - Bananarama; Who's That Girl? - Eurythmics; Three Minutes Later - Sense
Album reviews (Fred Dellar / Jo-Anne Smith / Claire Sheaff / Peter Stockton / Peter Martin / Josephine Hocking / Mark Steels / Johnny Black / Tim De Lisle ): Flashdance - Various Artists [Laura Branigan, Donna Summer, Shandi, Irene Cara, Kim Carnes]; Inside Lookin' Out - Junior; Two By Two - Blue Zoo; Conversations - Brass Construction; The Kids From Fame Songs; Grind - Will Sergeant; Any Trouble - Any Trouble; I-Level - I-Level; Outside Inside - The Tubes; Crises - Mike Oldfield; Perfect Strangers - Eddie And Sunshine; Synchro System - King Sunny & His African Beats; Don't Take My Coconuts - The Coconuts
Nights Out: Rod Stewart; Bauhaus; Eddy Grant
Other: Smash Hits Who's Who - part 3; video map: where your favorite videos were shot

Friday, June 23, 2023

June 23 - July 6, 1983

Smash Hits, June 23, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Matt Fretton
Centrespread: The Police
Back cover: H2O
Interviews: Flashdance / Irene Cara; The Truth; Bananarama; Matt Fretton; Ultravox
Lyrics: When We Were Young – Bucks Fizz; Baby Jane – Rod Stewart; Come Live With Me – Heaven 17; Flashdance….What A Feeling – Irene Cara; Pills And Soap – The Imposter; I Won’t Hold You Back – Toto; Garden Party – Mariliion; Confusion (Hits Us Every Time) – The Truth; Edith And The Kingpin – Joni Mitchell; Cruel Summer – Bananarama; Forbidden Colours – Sylvian & Sakamoto; It’s So High – Matt Fretton; Love Lasts Forever – Kissing The Pink; Moonlight Shadow – Mike Oldfield
Start: personal file - Alannah Currie; The Lotus Eaters; Jimmy The Hoover; Mick Karn and Midge Ure in Egypt, "After A Fashion"; Steve Strange's birthday party: Martin Kemp, Shirley, Andrew Ridgeley, George Michael; Steve Strange; Leee John 
Bitz: Malcolm McLaren, "Double Dutch"; "Making Music", George Martin, Adam Ant, Sting, Paul McCartney; Paul Weller, "Paris Match", John Foxx first UK tour; Time UK" Rick Buckler, Nick South, Danny Kustow; Men Without Hats, "Living In China", Hu Na, Margaret Trudeau; computers: Pete Shelley / "XL1", Chris Sievey/"Camouflage", Mainframe; David Bowie; TinTin, Stephen Duffy, "Hold It"; David Ball, Ginny Hewes, "Suddenly Last Summer", "The Soul Inside", Virgin Prunes; Paul Young; Robert Wyatt, "Nothing Can Stop Us"; Kim Wilde; Duran Duran, Villa Park, Robert Palmer, Prince Charles And His City Beat Band, Peter Powell; Nick Heyward; Cliff Richard, "Silver Cliff"; all time top ten - Jeffrey Daniel; A Craze; The Undertones split up; Michael Jackson; Peter Gabriel; Andy Summers, Sting, Stewart Copeland burn their clothes; Kevin Rowland's grey Cortina; Sex Pistols to reform?; Annabella Lwin, Walt Disney, "Return To Oz"; Icehouse; British acts in US charts: Culture Club, Duran Duran, A Flock Of Seagulls, Kajagoogoo, Eddy Grant, Madness, David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Thomas Dolby, Naked Eyes
Single reviews (Wham!): Don’t Try To Stop It – Roman Holliday; We Become One – Fastway; Get Down Saturday Night – Oliver Cheatham; Disco Bond – Frank Barber Orchestra; Garden Party – Marillion; Razor’s Edge – Meat Loaf / Have You Ever Seen The Rain? – Bonnie Tyler; It’s A Mistake – Men At Work; Come Live With Me – Heaven 17; Forbidden Colours – David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto; All Night Long – Mary Jane Girls; B-Boys – Nona Hendryx; Love Lasts Forever – Kissing The Pink; Subtitled Remix – The Honeymoon Killers; Body-Language – The Kids From Fame; Transfer Affection – A Flock Of Seagulls; Don’t Let It End – Styx; Time Has Come Today – Ramones; Teacher – I-Level; When We Were Young – Bucks Fizz; IOU - Freeez
Album reviews (Fred Dellar / David Hepworth / Dave Rimmer / Mark Steels / Tim De Lisle / Peter Stockton): Synchronocity – The Police; Bite – Altered Images; Fantastic – Wham!; Speaking In Tongues – Talking Heads; Catching Up – Mezzoforte; Last Night A DJ Saved My Life – Indeep; Body Wishes – Rod Stewart; Too Low For Zero – Elton John; Southern Death Cult – Southern Death Cult
Nights Out: David Bowie; JoBoxers
Other: Smash Hits Who's Who - part 2

Friday, June 9, 2023

June 9 - 22, 1983

Smash Hits, June 9, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Leee John (Imagination)
Centrespread: Edwyn Collins / Orange Juice - Flesh Of My Flesh
Back cover: The Beat
Interviews: Eurythmics; H2O; Imagination
Lyrics: Take That Situation - Nick Heyward; Dead Giveaway - Shalamar; Walk Out To Winter - Aztec Camera; We Came To Dance - Ultravox; China Girl - David Bowie; Love Town - Booker Newbury III; If You Really Want To - Meat Loaf; Johnny And Mary - Robert Palmer; Dream To Sleep - H2O; Wonderful - Mari Wilson; Flesh Of My Flesh - Orange Juice; Lady Love Me (One More Time) - George Benson; Waiting For A Train - Flash & The Pan; The Kids Are Back - Twisted Sister; The Heat Is On -Agnetha Faltskog
Start: personal file - Dee Snider; David Sylvian; Honor Blackman, Patrick MacNee; The Residents; Sting, Samantha Archer, Bev Hillier
Bitz: Tony Hadley; Southern Death Cult; Pauline Black; Flash And The Pan, The Easy Beats: Harry Vanda, George Young, Steve Wright; The Tube all-nighter: David Bowie, Duran Duran, Marillion, Wham!, Shalamar, Robert Palmer; Nick Heyward; Rod Stewart, JoBoxers, Gary Glitter; Sting begins filming Dune; George Benson, Al Jarreau, Booker T. Newbury III, Brass Construction, Dynasty, Stephen Harvey; all time top ten – Mick Talbot; “The Hunger” – David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve; Sex Pistols; David Palmer quits ABC; Elvis Costello; Undertones split; Twisted Sister; David Ball marries Ginny Hewes(The Mambas); Steve Norman and Leonie Hadley; Visage (Steve Strange and Rusty Egan) recording with Mulligan; John Gordon Sinclair in Altered Images video; Fad Gadget angry with Under The Flag; Imagination; Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill in Katmandu; Duran Duran, Dire Straits, Bonnie Tyler;Eurythmics; Birthday Party split; Yazoo; Kajagoogoo; “What Is Beat?”, The Beat; Russell Grant, TheStarlettes, “No Matter What Sign You Are”
Single reviews (Mark Steels): Matters Of The Heart - freur; Tantalise - Jimmy The Hoover; She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer; Misty Circles - Dead Or Alive; Malibu Beach - Hanoi Rocks; Where You Gonna Run - Peter Tosh; Sister Friction - Haysi Fantayzee; Drifting - Sheila Walsh and Cliff Richard; I Won't Hold You Back - Toto; Send Me An Angel - Blackfoot / Gimme All Your Lovin' - ZZ Top / We Become One - Fastway; Heatstroke - Man Parrish; Baby Jane - Rd Stewart; Perfect Stranger - Eddie & Sunshine / Lost Without Your Love - Intro / Dr. Sex - Pleasure And The Beast; Confusion - The Truth; Kinky Boots - Patrick MacNee & Honor Blackman; Anxiety - Leisure Process; We Came To Dance - Ultravox; First Picture Of You - Lotus Eaters; I Get Along Very Well Without You - Durutti Column; Fickle Public Speaking - The Main T. Posse; Pills And Soap - The Imposter 
Album reviews (Deborah Steels / Fred Dellar / Peter Stockton / Mark Steels / Jo-Anne Smith / Tim De Lisle / Dave Rimmer): Naked - Kissing The Pink; Wrap Your Arms Around Me - Agnetha Faltskog; Advantage - Clock DVA; Jarreau - Al Jarreau; Mary Jane Girls - Mary Jane Girls; In Outer Space - Sparks; Oil On The Canvas - Japan; In Your Eyes - George Benson; You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess
Nights Out: China Crisis; Men At Work; Motorhead
Other: Smash Hits Who's Who - part 1; What Would You Do If You Were Prime Minister?

Friday, May 26, 2023

May 26 - June 8, 1983

Smash Hits, May 26, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Stuart Adamson (Big Country)
Centrespread: Paul Weller
Back cover: The Creatures
Interviews: New Edition; Blancmange; Kajagoogoo; Elvis Costello; Big Country;
Lyrics: Bring Me Closer - Altered Images; Music - D Train; Looking At Midnight - Imagination; Every Breath You Take - Police; Feel The Need In Me - Forrest; Hang On Now - Kajagoogoo; I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John; I Got Mine - Motorhead; Money-Go-Round (Part 1) - Style Council; Me And Mrs Jones - Billy Paul; What Kinda Boy You're Looking For (Girl) - Hot Chocolate; Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley & The Wailers; Shipbuilding - Robert Wyatt; In A Big Country - Big Country; Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson
Start: personal file - Bonnie Tyler; David Bowie; Dexys Midnight Runners; Pop Quiz: Mike Read, Dave Gilmour, Mari Wilson, Mick Ralphs, Martyn Ware, John Taylor, Andy Fairweather-Low
Bitz: Aztec Camera: Roddy Frame, Campbell Owens, Dave Ruffey, Craig Gannon; Tears For Fears; WOMAD at ICA: Rip Rig And Panic, 23 Skidoo, Orchestre Jazira; Hot Chocolate: Errol Brown, Tony Connor, Patrick Olive, Harvey Hinsley, Larry Ferguson; The Armoury Show: Richard Jobson, John McGeoch; Countdown [Australian TV programme]; Glastonbury CND Festival: Fun Boy Three, Jimmy Cliff, Sunny Ade; Olivia Newton-John, Weber State University Hall, Ogden, Utah; Vaughan Toulouse, Main-T-Man, "Fickle Public Speaking"; Nick Rhodes book of polaroids, "Interference"; Chris Sievey, "Camouflage", computer game, "Flying Trains"; Peter Gabriel awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music; The Batcave, "Young Limbs" compilation: The Specimen, Sexbeat, Meat Of Youth, Brilliant, The Venomettes; Castle Donnington: Meat Loaf, Whitesnake; Soft Cell touring Spain; Tony Hadley writes a book of poetry; "Beat It" and "Kiss The Girl" videos censored; Neil Arthur designed BBC Breakfast Time logos; Brooks: Limahl, Mike Nolan; David Steel uses Kajagoogoo's tour bus; David McClymont and Malcolm Ross record single at Eddy Grant's studio; Zeke Manyika; Heaven 17 "Vote Labour"; Abba, Agnetha: "Wrap Your Arms Around Me", Benny and Bjorn writing musical with Tim Rice; all time top ten - Michael J. Mullins; Imagination; "The Music Box" on cable TV; Yazoo split, "You And Me Both"; David Sylvian's face scratched in car accident; Anti-Nowhere League in Yugoslavia, Peter Mlaka translates lyrics into Serbo-Croat
Single reviews (Gary Kemp): Dead Giveaway - Shalamar; Money-Go-Round - Paul Weller; Take That Situation - Nick Heyward; Be A Winner - Sugarhill Gang / Rockin' It - Fearless Four / New York New York - Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five; In A Big Country - Big Country; Hang On Now - Kajagoogo; Looking At Midnight - Imagination; Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson; Walkin' The Line - Brass Construction; I Got Mine - Motorhead / The Kids Are Back - Twisted Sister; The Wheel - Spear Of Destiny; Lady Love Me (One More Time) - George Benson; Magician - Dee Sharp; Every Breath You Take - The Police; Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning - Phil Collins; Wherever I Lay My Hat - Paul Young; The Hayrick Song - Tenpole Tudor; China Girl - David Bowie; Bring Me Closer - Altered Images; Canton (Live) - Japan
Album reviews (Jo-Anne Smith / Deborah Steels / Tim de Lisle / Neil Tennant / Mark Ellen / David Hepworth / Mark Steels): Feast - Creatures; Duck Rock - Malcolm McLaren; Piece Of Mind - Iron Maiden; Lost In Space - Jonzun Crew; Whammy! - B-52's; Live - The Steve Miller Band; The Former 12 Year Old Genius - Coati Mundi; Another Perfect Day - Motorhead; Danseparc - Martha And The Muffins; Confrontation - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Nights Out: Jazz/Funk All-Day Spectacular: Prince Charles & The City Beat Band; Sex Gang Children, Brilliant; Iron Maiden

Friday, May 12, 2023

May 12 - 25, 1983

Smash Hits, May 12, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: JoBoxers
Centrespread: Heaven 17
Back cover: Tony Hadley
Interviews: Culture Club - readers' Q & A; JoBoxers; Heaven 17; The Alarm; Wham!
Lyrics: Blind Vision - Blancmange; Power And The Glory - Saxon; Tragedy And Mystery - China Crisis; Bad Boys - Wham!; Street Cafe - Icehouse; Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm - Modern Romance; Stop And Go - David Grant; Dancing Tight - Galaxy; Anarchy In the UK - Sex Pistols; Nobody's Diary - Yazoo; Just Got Lucky - JoBoxers; Can't Get Used To Losing You - The Beat; Faster Than The Speed Of Night - Bonnie Tyler; Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three
Start: personal file - Terry Hall; Miranda Joyce & Suggs in 1978; Camden Palace birthday party: Steve Strange, Jennie Matthias, Stella Barker; Eddie Tudor; David Grant
Bitz: Meat Loaf; Kool & The Gang, "Greatest Hits"; pirate cassette albums; Glastonbury CND Festival: JoBoxers, Marillion, UB40; Peter Shelley, "XL One", Sinclair ZX81 / Spectrum computer code; Boy George, Dee Snider, Apollinaires, NALGO, Midge Ure and Billy Curry quit Visage, Mulligan refuses to join Visage, Blancmange, "Dancing Around Our Handbags", Martin Fry, Human League, Martin Rushent, Tony Benn LP, Musical Youth record backing vocals for Donna Summer, "2-Tone Chartbusters", Kevin Rowland to marry Helen O'Hara; Sony Radio Awards: Jane Way, Lisa Wilkinson, Andrew Morris, Jane Davey; all time top ten - Todd Carty; Shockabilly, "Earth Vs. Shockabilly"; Spandau Ballet; David Bowie, Icehouse, Murrayfield; J. Walter Negro, Nicky Tesco, "The Cost Of Living"; Stevo signs Cabaret Voltaire; Prince Charles And The City Beat, "Stone Killers"; Kajagoogoo, "Hang On Tight"; Phil Fearon is Galaxy; Devo, Penetration, Magazine, Skids, Sparks; Bruce Foxton, Jake Burns
Single reviews (Neil Tennant): In The Bottle - C.O.D.; Bad Boys - Wham!; Walk Out To Winter - Aztec Camera; Just Got Lucky - JoBoxers; Don't Go - Sylvester; Weekend - Class Action; Nobody's Diary - Yazoo; Candy Man - Mary Jane Girls; Living In Sin - Rupert Hine; If She Doesn't Smile - Fantastic Something; Milk From The Coconut - Toto Coelo; Breaking My Heart - Roni Griffith / Passion - The Flirts; Did You Have To Love Me Like You Did? - The Coconuts / Como Esta Usted? - Coati Mundi; I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John; We're Celebrating - Language; Great Fire - XTC; Dreamer Devane - Hazan; What Kinda Boy You're Lookin' For (Girl) - Hot Chocolate; Forgive And Forget - Blue Zoo; Burning Boy - Cava Cava; Palm Of My Hand - Pale Fountains; When Boys Talk - Indeep
Album reviews (Neil Tennant / Fred Dellar / Dave Rimmer / Jo-Anne Smith / Deborah Steels / Mark Steels / David Hepworth): Power, Corruption And Lies - New Order; Cargo - Men At Work; The Luxury Gap - Heaven 17; Music - D Train; Reach The Beach - The Fixx; We Are One - Maze; You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll - Twisted Sister; Midnight At The Lost And Found - Meat Loaf
Nights Out: Respond Posse Tour: The Questions, Tracie; Belle Stars; Animal Nightlife; OMD
Other: Stage fright

Sunday, April 30, 2023

The Scarlet Hour - Oceans!

Oceans: a song I co-wrote!

I wrote the lyric to Oceans, a song on Warnings, the new album by The Scarlet Hour: I hope you like it!

Friday, April 28, 2023

April 28 - May 11, 1983

Smash Hits, April 28, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Human League
Centrespread: Bauhaus
Back cover: Tracey Ullman
Interviews: Human League; Roman Holliday; Kissing The Pink; The Birthday Party; The Creatures
Lyrics: Pale Shelter - Tears For Fears; Overkill - Men At Work; Sweet Memory - Belle Stars; (Keep Feeling) Fascination - Human League; Beat It - Michael Jackson; War Party - Eddy Grant; I Am (I'm Me) - Twisted Sister; Friday Night (Live) - Kids From Fame; Price You Pay - Questions; Family Man - Hall & Oates; Pull Up To The Bumper - Grace Jones; Candy Girl - New Edition; Twist (Round 'N' Round) - Chill Fac-torr; Flight Of Icarus - Iron Maiden; Miss The Girl - Creatures; Heartbreaker - Musical Youth
Start: personal file -  Annie Lennox; Joe Strummer runs London Marathon; Jonathan Melton, The Specimen, Batcave; Gary Numan flies a plane
Bitz: all time top ten - Dig Wayne; Indeep, "When Boys Talk", "Passion", The Flirts, Bobby "O"; David Bowie; Bauhaus; "Come On Eileen"; Meat Loaf, "Midnight At The Lost At Found"; Bob Marley, "Confrontation", Big Youth, U-Roy, "Crucial Cuts"; After The Fire, "Der Kommissar"; Youth CND concert: Madness, Style Council, Damned, Hazel O'Connor, Clint Eastwood and General Saint; May Day Show For Peace And Jobs; Glastonbury: The Beat, Curtis Mayfield, Aswad; F.R. David; Labelled With Love: Chris Difford, Glen Tilbrook, The Long Honeymoon, "The Amazoon"; Duran Duran, Nick Rhoses; Geoff Deane, Utopia, "Navy Lark", Geoff Deane And The Valley Girls; Perfect Beat: Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force, Planet Patrol, Jonzun Crew; Michael Jackson bathes in Perrier Water, Paul McCartney, Jacksons, Freddie Mercury; Ian Gillan joins Black Sabbath; JoBoxers, Suzanne Sulley, Human League, Clare Grogan, Russell Grant, Ian McCulloch marries Lorraine Fox, Sweet Dreams's stools insured for $250,000, Jerry Dammers moves into Dave Rimmer's old flat; Dee, Wham!, Style Council; The Police, "Every Breath You Take", "Synchronicity"
Single reviews (Deborah Steels): Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three; Faster Than The Speed Of Night - Bonnie Tyler; If You Really Want To - Meat Loaf; Family Man - Hall & Oates; Young Americans Talking - David Van Day; Resistance - Clock DVA; Stop And Go - David Grant; Love's Gonna Get You - UK Players; 24 Hours From Tulsa - Claire Hammill; Heaven Sent - Paul Haig; Como Esta - Coati Mundi; Street Beat - Toni Basil; Future Generation - B-52's; Communication Breakdown - Junior; Terry - Cindy And The Saffrons; Ragin' Eyes - Nick Lowe; Street Cafe - Icehouse; Easy Come, Easy Go - Piranhas; That'll Do Nicely - Bad Manners; War Party - Eddie Grant; Stubborn Kind Of Fellow - Fat Larry's Band; Let Yourself Go - Helen Shapiro; The Stand - The Alarm; Pale Shelter - Tears For Fears
Album reviews (Jo-Anne Smith / Dave Rimmer / Peter Martin / Peter Stockton / Johnny Black / Fred Dellar / Tim de Lisle): White Feathers - Kajagoogoo; Prelude's Greatest Hits Volumes One And Two - Various Artists; The Kitchen Tape - The Raincoats / Too Much Junkie Business - The New Johnny Thunders / Wild Things - Bush Tetras; Trick Of The Light - Modern Romance; Grapes Of Wrath - Spear Of Destiny; Mistress - Gabi Delgado; Brave Tales - Richard Bone; Fastway - Fastway; Listen - A Flock Of Seagulls
Nights Out: Spandau Ballet; Joan Armatrading; Twisted Sister; Tears For Fears
Other: Top Of The Pops

Friday, April 14, 2023

April 14 - 27, 1983

Smash Hits, April 14, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Thompson Twins
Centrespread: Big Country
Back cover: JoBoxers
Interviews: Thompson Twins; Robert Palmer; Twisted Sister; Jonathan King; The Belle Stars;
Lyrics: Telegraph - OMD; Rosanna - Toto; Muck It Out - Farmer's Boys; True - Spanda Ballet; You Are In My System - Robert Palmer; Snot Rap - Kenny Everett; I'm Never Giving Up - Sweet Dreams; Yesterday - The Beatles; Nightmares - A Flock Of Seagulls; Words - F.R. David; Let's Dance - David Bowie; Temptation - Heaven 17; We Are Detective - Thompson Twins; True Love Ways - Cliff Richard; I'm In Parties [sic] - Bauhaus
Start: personal file - Limahl; The Questions; Chubby Checker, Chill Fac-Torr, "The Twist"; Grace Jones, Dig Wayne, Simon Le Bon, Nash The Slash; Kevin Rowland shops at Harrods; Nick Heyward, Glen Tilbrook 
Bitz: David Van Day, "Young Americans Talking"; Duran Duran, Princess Diana; The Maisonettes: Carla Mendonca and Elisa Richards replace Elaine Williams and Denise Ward quit; Cherry Red Records, "Pillows & Prayers"; Statik Records, "The Best Of Your Secret's Safe With Us"; Kajagoogoo, "White Feathers", Colin Thurston, Nick Rhodes; Paul Weller, Riot Stories; The System, Mic Murphy, David Frank, "S.W.E.A.T."; all time top ten - Stuart Adamson; Sweet Dreams, Bobby McVey; Phil Collins produces Adam Ant, Verdine White and Larry Dunn produce Level 42; Roxy Music, "The High Road", "Like A Hurricane"; Ian Lindsey quits Southern Death Cult, forms The Death Cult with Billy Duffy; Psychic TV, "homophonic recording"; David Bellamy, "Brontosaurus Will You Wait For Me"
Single reviews (Dave Rimmer): Money's Too Tight - Valentine Brothers; Beat It - Michael Jackson; Overkill - Men At Work; She's In Parties - Bauhaus; Temptation - Heaven 17; The Land Of The Good Groove - Nile Rodgers; I'll Slap Your Face - Jonathan King; That'll Do Nicely - Bad Manners; Miss The Girl - Creatures; Candy Girl - New Edition / Space Cowboy - Jonzun Crew; There Ain't No Age For Rock 'N' Roll - Veterans; Out Of Sight Out Of Mind - Level 42; Cash (Cash Money) - Prince Charles and the City Beat Band; Telegraph - OMD; Sweet Memory - Belle Stars; Price You Pay - The Questions; Another Half Hour Till Sunrise - Tall Boys; Now Martin's Gone - Tom Robinson; I'm Freaky - O'Bryan; Nightmares / Talking - A Flock Of Seagulls; Tubeway Army 1978 - Gary Numan; Little Red Corvette - Prince
Album reviews (Steve Bush / Ian Birch / David Hepworth / Mark Steels / Peter Martin / Deborah Steels / Jo-Anne Smith / Neil Tennant): Let's Dance - David Bowie; Pride - Robert Palmer; The One And Only - Billy Fury; Faster Than The Speed Of Night - Bonnie Tyler; Attitude - Rip Rig & Panic; Rainbow Rhythm - Weapon Of Peace; High Land, Hard Rain - Aztec Camera; Words - F.R. David; Heartbeats - Yarborough & Peoples
Nights Out: Kevin Turvey & The Young Ones; Culture Club; Orange Juice, Marine Girls
Other: The Music Centre - the Bronx

Friday, March 31, 2023

March 31 - April 13, 1983

Smash Hits, March 31, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Clare Grogan
Centrespread: Mari Wilson
Back cover: David Bowie
Interviews: Altered Images; Nick Heyward; Tracey Ullman; David Joseph; New Order; The Kids From Fame
Lyrics: My Foolish Friend - Talk Talk; The House That Jack Built - Tracie; Church Of The Poison Mind - Culture Club; Joy - The Band AKA; Stand By - Roman Holliday; The Celtic Soul Brothers - Dexys Midnight Runners; Breakaway - Tracey Ullman; You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me) - David Joseph; Me, I Disconnect From You - Gary Numan; Blue Monday - New Order; When It's Time To Rock; Young, Free And Single - Sunfire; Ooh To Be Ah - Kajagoogoo; Fields Of Fire (400 Miles) - Big Country; You Disappear From View - The Teardrop Explodes
Start: personal file - Edwyn Collins; David Hepworth, Steve Bush; Beki Bondage, "Stop The Seal Cull"; New Edition, "Candy Girl; Thompson Twins, "We Are Detective"; Pete Burns, Dead Or Alive; "Misty Circles" 
Bitz: Teardrop Explodes; Belle Stars; David Joseph, Sunfire, The Band AKA; all time top ten - Pete Wylie; Dollar split, David Van Day, "Young Americans Talking", Thereza Bazar, Tommy J., "Same Time Same Channel"; Culture Club; David Bowie announces Serious Moonlight tour; President Carter's daughter Amy's favourite bands: The Clash, The Jam; "Duran Duran", Russell Mulcahey, Soft Cell, "Non-Stop Exotic Video Show", Cyndy Ecstasy, Mari Wilson; Razzmatazz: Lisa Stansfield replaces Susanne Dando; Shalamar: "Friends" LP sells 300,000 copies; David Sylvian, Riuchi Sakamoto, "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence"; Mezzoforte: Eythor Gunnarsson, Gunnlaugar Briem, Frissi Karlsson, Kristinn Svavarsson, Johann Asmundsson; John Wilson, The Heartbeats, "Magic Man", Adam Ant surgery, Peter Murphy pneumonia; "Nipped In The Bud": Young Marble Giants, The Gist, Weekend
Single reviews (Kimberley Leston): Church Of The Poison Mind - Culture Club; The Celtic Soul Brothers - Kevin Rowland and Dexys Midnight Runners; Johnny B. Goode - Peter Tosh; Ooh To Be Ah - Kajagoogoo; The House THat Jack Built - Tracie; Suck A Little Honey - Hey! Elastica; The Amazoon - The Long Honeymoon; Long Live The National - The Firm; Some Things Don't Matter - Ben Watt; Muck It Out - The Farmer's Boys; You Are In My System - Robert Palmer; Joy (Part 1) - Marvin Gaye; Je T'Aime - Vicious Pink Phenomena; I Am (I'm Me) - Twisted Sister; Navy Lark - Geoff Deane and the Valley Girls; Doot-Doot - ; Sing-Songs EP - The Church; Waiting - Leesha Paradise; Tied Up With Lou Cool - The Tudors; My Jamaican Guy - Grace Jones; It's Gonna Work Itself Out - Rose Tattoo; Oui-Oui - Pulsallama; Snot Rap - Kenny Everett; Rosanna - Toto
Album reviews (Joanne Smith / Ian Birch / Dave Rimmer / Neil Tennant / Jim Shelley / Peter Stockton / Josephine Hocking / Fred Dellar / Mark Steels / Deborah Steels / Ian Birch): Adventures In The Land Of The Good Groove - Nile Rodgers; 10c A Dime - The Flirts; Care - Shriekback; Lazy Ways - Marine Girls; Jungle Jezebel - Divine; Everything Went Black - Black Flag; November Group - November Group; The Sin Of Pride - The Undertones; Touch The Sky - Smokey Robinson; Surface Thrills - Temptations; Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart - Van Morrison; The Final Cut - Pink Floyd; Legendary Hearts - Lou Reed; Before Hollywood - The Go-Betweens; Hunters And Collectors - Hunters And Collectors; In The Mix - Various Artists
Nights Out: Fun Boy Three; Soft Cell; Pale Fountains

Friday, March 17, 2023

March 17 - 30, 1983

Smash Hits, March 17, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Tracie & Paul Weller
Centrespread: Siobhan Fahey; Martin Fry
Back cover: Orange Juice
Interviews: Duran Duran - readers' questions; Big Country; Bonnie Tyler; Hall & Oates; Paul Weller & Tracie; Animal Nightlife
Lyrics: Do You Wanna Hold Me - Bow Wow Wow; The Last Film - Kissing The Pink; High Life - Modern Romance; Whistle Down The Wind - Nick Heyward; Breaking Us In Two - Joe Jackson; Drop The Pilot - Joan Armatrading; Visions In Blue - Ultravox; Hope - Wah!; Speak Like A Child - Style Council; Bomber - Motorhead; Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away - Phil Collins; Orchard Road - Leo Sayer; Is There Something I Should Know - Duran Duran; Don't Talk To Me About Love - Altered Images
Start: personal file - Jeremiah Healey; win Fish's jacket; Les Paul, "How High The Moon", "My Favourite Year"; Roni Griffith, Bobby 'O', "The Best Part Of Breaking Up"; Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Michael Jackson, Michael Grant; Rock Goddess: Julie Turner, Jody Turner, Tracey Lamb
Bitz: Forrest; Joan Armatrading; The Tudors: Bob Kingston, Dick Crippen, Gary Long, "Tied Up With Lou Cool"; Robert Gorl, "Mit Dir", Gabi Delgado, "History Of A Kiss"; Elvis Costello, Madness, "Tomorrow's Just Another Day"; Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Mandy Aftel, "Death Of A Rolling Stone"; Kissing The Pink, John Hall; Talk Talk, "My Foolish Friend", "A Chameleon Hour", Simon Brenner, Phil Ramacon; Prince, "1999"; Trafford Tanzi, Toyah Willcox, Debbie Harry; Smash Hits on BBC breakfast television; Fastway: Jerry Shirley, Fast Eddie Clarke, David King, "Easy Livin'"; Icehouse, "Primitive Man", "Love In Motion"; all time top ten - Clare Grogan
Single reviews (David Hepworth): She Has A Way - Bobby 'O'; Speak Like A Child - Style Council; Clunk Click - Laurel & Hardy; Breaking Us In Two - Joe Jackson; Breakaway - Tracey Ullman; Tainted Love - Dave Phillips & The Hot Rod Gang; Whistle Down The Wind; Is There Something I Should Know? - Duran Duran; Easy Livin' - Fastway; Hope (I Wish You'd Believe Me) - Wah!; Tied Up - Olivia Newton-John; Siamese Cat Song - Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin; Visions In Blue - Ultravox; Raid - Lakeside; Run Me Down - Higsons; Weak Heart - Ruts DC; Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away - Phil Collins; Cry Me A River - Mari Wilson; Don't Talk To Me About Love - Altered Images; My Foolish Friend - Talk Talk; Got To Have You Back - Undertones; Rap Your Love - Set The Tone; Blue Monday - New Order
Album reviews (Fred Dellar / Kimberley Leston / Peter Silverton / Beverley Hillier / Dave Rimmer / Neil Tennant / Peter Martin / Peter Stockton / Peter Dodd / Mark Steels): The Hurting - Tears For Fears; Rock Goddess - Rock Goddess; Earth - Misty In Roots; Deep Sea Skiving - Bananarama; Love Train - Various Artists (Harold Melvin, Billy Paul, The Jones Girls, Teddy Pendergrass, O'Jays, Gamble and Huff, McFadden and Whitehead); Gang War - Prince Charles and the City Beat Band; Burning Bridges - Naked Eyes; The Key - Joan Armatrading; Love's On Our Side - Jerry Knight; Wreckin' Crew - The Meteors; Overman Underground - Kowalski; Destiny Street - Richard Hell and the Voidoids; Kaivaska - Orchestra Super Mazembe; Pyromania - Def Leppard; Thunder And Lightning - Thin Lizzy; Script For A Jester's Tear - Marillion
Nights Out: Spear Of Destiny; Madness

Friday, March 3, 2023

March 3 - 16, 1983

Smash Hits, March 3, 1983

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Eurythmics
Centrespread: Kajagoogoo
Back cover: Fun Boy Three
Interviews: Eurythmics; Depeche Mode; Icehouse; Joboxers; Musical Youth
Lyrics: Numbers - Soft Cell; Run For Your Life - Bucks Fizz; Rip It Up - Orange Juice; Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics; Waves - Blancmange; She Means Nothing To Me - Cliff Richard & Phil Everly; Baby Come To Me - Patti Austin & James Ingram; Cold Sweat - Thin Lizzy; Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler; Never Too Much - Luther Vandross; Get Loose - Evelyn King; Boxerbeat - Joboxers; No Fish Today - Kid Creole & The Coconuts; Rock The Boat - Forrest
Start: personal file -  Toyah; Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force; Nardo Bailey and Amazulu: Ann-Marie Ruddock, Margo Sadav, Claire Kenny, Sharon Bailey, Lesley Beach; Tony Hadley marries Leonie; Leee John in Doctor Who; Harris Milstead, Divine, "Jungle Jezebel", Bobby O
Bitz: Blancmange in New York; Tears For Fears tour; Mathilde Santing; Michael Jackson, Muscles the python; Beki Bondage quits Vice Squad; Troy Tate quits Fashion; Gary Numan; Juluka: Sipho Mchunu, Johnny Clegg; Def Leppard: Rick Allen, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Phil Collen, Steve Clarke; Level 42; The Time: Rick Buckler, Danny Kustow, Martin Gordon, Jimmy Edwards, Ray Simone; Kajagoogoo tour; all time top ten - Nick Beggs; the all time all time top ten; Gallup compilers to include "Ulster" shops; Malcolm McLaren stage musical?; duets: Sheena Easton and Kenny Rogers; Rip Rig & Panic: "She Gets So Hungry At Night She Eats Her Jewellery", "Leave Your Spittle In The Pot", "1619 A Dutch Vessel Docks In The U.S.A. With 20 Humans For Sale", "Beat The Beast (Sob Sob I'm Gonna Jail This Hell Hole Itch"; Yazoo; The Undertones, "The Sin Of Pride"; ABC, "Mantrap", Julien Temple, James Villiers
Single reviews (Johnny Black): It Takes A Muscle To Fall In Love - Spectral Display; The Last Film - Kissing The Pink; Stand By - Roman Holliday; You Must Be Mad - Marine Girls / Fool For A Valentine - The Gist; Beat The Beast - Rip Rig And Panic; Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Bananarama; Do You Wanna Hold Me? - Bow Wow Wow; Lined Up - Shriekback; London Girls - Chas And Dave; I Want Your Love Back - Celena Black / Underlove - Melba Moore / You Haven't Heard Te Last Of Me - Precious Wilson; Sikuriadas - Incantation; Why D'Ya Lie To Me? - Spider; Joy Of Radiation - Richard Bone; Fields Of Fire - Big Country; High Life - Modern Romance; Crossed Line - Little Foxes / Where I Stand - Maisonettes; Listen To Your Heart - Lisa Stansfield; Eyes Of Ice - Scarlet Party
Album reviews (Dave Rimmer / Neil Tennant / Johnny Black / Peter Martin / Kimberley Leston / Jim Shelley / Bev Hillier / Angie Somerside / Ian Birch): Gap Band IV - Gap Band; S-T-I-C-K-Y Situation - Tyrone Brunson; Dazzleships - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark; North Marine Drive - Ben Watt; When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Getting Going - Bow Wow Wow; The Culling Is Coming - 23 Skidoo; The Kids From Fame Live! - Kids From Fame; Call Me Goodie - Goodie; Embrace The Herd - The Gist; Quick Step & Side Kick - Thompson Twins; True - Spandau Ballet; Vogue - Stephen Emmer; Hand Cut - Bucks Fizz
Nights Out: Labelled With Love; One The Juggler; Luther Vandross
Other: Elvis Presley; The Big Match: dream dates of the stars