April 11 - 24, 1985

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Cover: Nik Kershaw
Centrespread: Morrissey
Back cover: Depeche Mode
Interviews: Nik Kershaw; Billy Bragg; Phil Collins; USA For Africa; Thompson Twins; Dream Academy; Cocteau Twins
Lyrics: Lover Come Back To Me - Dead Or Alive; Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - David Grant & Jaki Graham; Clouds Across The Moon - Rah Band; Eye To Eye - Chaka Khan; Castles In The Air - Colour Field; I Feel Love - Bronski Beat & Marc Almond; Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar; Look Mama - Howard Jones; Life In A Northern Town - Dream Academy; Move Closer - Phyllis Nelson
Personal File: Bruno Brookes
Bitz: Alphaville, "Jet Set"; Jimmy Nail, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", Roger Taylor; Dead Or Alive, "Youthquake"; Pseudo Echo, "Listening"; Phil Collins, "One More Night"; Michael Jackson, Alison Moyet, Paul Young, Wham!, Bruce Springsteen, Psychedelic Furs; Ashford & Simpson, "Babies", Amanda White; Stewart Copeland, "Kateja", Ray Lema, "The Rhythmatist"; Strawberry Switchblade, Kimberley Leston; James Brown; Fat Boys, Darren Robinson, Damon Wimbley, Mark Morales; Big Daddy; Bauhaus, Pete Murphy, Dali's Car, Love And Rockets, "Ball Of Confusion"; Annie Whitehead, "Alien Style"; Sheila E; "And Suddenly There Came A Bang", Art Of Noise, "Daft As A …", Anne Pigalle, "Why Does It Have To Be This Way?"; Toy Dolls, "She Goes To Finos"; Simple Minds, "Don't You (Forget About Me)"; pop star toys
Single reviews (Peter Martin): Duel - Propaganda; Roll Over - Thompson Twins; Nineteen - Paul Hardcastle; Don't Fall In Love I Said - Toyah; Don't Worry Baby - Los Lobos; I Feel Love - Bronski Beat / Marc Almond; Wait - Jacksons; We Are The World - USA For Africa; One More Night - Phil Collins; Look Mama - Howard Jones; Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simples Minds; The Air That I Breathe - Julio Iglesias; Eye To Eye - Chaka Khan; Let's Make Africa Green Again - B.R.A.F.A.; So Far Away - Dire Straits; Beyond The Sea (La Mer) - George Benson; When Love Breaks Down - Prefab Sprout
Album reviews (Simon Mills / Chris Heath / William Shaw / Tom Hibbert / Simon Braithwaite / Peter Martin / Ian Cranna): The Fat Boys - The Fat Boys; Dance Like Ammunition - 1000 Mexicans; Crossover - Winston Reedy; Rogues Gallery - Slade; Go West - Go West; Working Nights - Working Week; Love Not Money - Everything But The Girl; So Where Are You? - Loose Ends; Flaunt The Imperfection - China Crisis; Helen & The Horns - Helen & The Horns
Nights Out: The Pogues; Frankie Goes To Hollywood

March 28 - April 10, 1985

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Cover: Pete Burns
Centrespread: Simon Le Bon
Back cover: free poster offer
Interviews: Howard Jones; Eurythmics; Bryan Adams; Pete Burns; David Essex
Lyrics: Somebody - Bryan Adams; The Belle Of St Mark - Sheila E; Never Understand - Jesus And Mary Chain; Piece Of The Action - Meat Loaf; Supergran - Billy Connolly; Electric Boogaloo - Ollie & Jerry; Cover Me - Bruce Springsteen; Welcome To The Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes To Hollywood; The Heat Is On - Glenn Frey; Now That We've Found Love - Third World; Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) - Loose Ends
Personal File: Tracey Thorn
Bitz: Madonna; Sal Solo, St. Philip's Church Choir, Foreigner, New Jersey Mass Choir, London Community Gospel Choir, "Music And You"; Pogues, "A Pair Of Brown Eyes", Elvis Costello; Lash Lariat & The Longriders, "Bitter Tears", Shakin' Stevens, Freya Miller; Midge Ure; Tin Tin, Jimi Somerville, Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy, Doctor Calculus, Professor Calculus, Thompson Twins, Grab Grab The Haddock Julian Lennon, Siouxsie, Toy Dolls, REO Speedwagon, Shakin' Stevens; George Michael, Ivor Novello Awards; Tony Wall, Paul King; "Super Gran", Billy Connolly; Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Eagles; April Fool's Day: Hoard Jones, Pat Benatar, Leee John, Michael Jagger, Art Of Noise, Holly Johnson, Sade, Strawberry Switchblade Nik Kershaw; Paul King; Kirsty MacColl, baby James Patrick; JoBoxers, "Is This Really The First Time (You've Been In Love)", "Skin And Bone"; Prince, "Purple Rain"; "The Never Ending Story", Limahl; Redskins, New Order, "The Enemy Within Present The World Today"; Killing Joke, "Kings And Queens", "The Madding Crowd", "Night Time"; David Lee Roth, "California Girls"; The Church; Farmer's Boys, "With These Hands"; Loose Ends, Steve Nichol, Carl McIntosh, Jane Eugene
Single reviews (Strawberry Switchblade): You Supply The Roses - Memphis; Moments In Love - Art Of Noise; Baby U Left Me - Marilyn; A Pair Of Brown Eyes - Pogues; Aikea Guinea - Cocteau Twins; That Was Yesterday - Foreigner; Cockney Translation - Smiley Culture; Welcome To The Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes To Hollywood; Cry - Godley & Creme; Walk Like A Man - Divine; He Stranger - Anne Pigalle; Baby Come Back - Eddy Grant; Kings And Queens - Killing Joke; Be Near Me - ABC; Lover Come Back - Dead Or Alive; Castles In The Air - Colour Field; Famous People - Bill Sharpe; Only The Lonely - Flying Pickets
Album reviews (Lisa Anthony / Simon Braithwaite /Simon Mills / Claire Sheaff / Ian Cranna / Paul Mathur / Kimberley Leston / Chris Heath): The Ups An Downs - Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy; With These Hands - Farmer's Boys; The Secret Of Association - Paul Young; Stella - Yello; Famous People - Bill Sharpe; Burn It! - Modern Romance; The Power Station - The Power Station; Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade; Oattes & Van Shaik - The Limit; Hip Priest And Kamerads - The Fall
Nights Out: Run D.M.C.; Sting
Other: Photo session out-takes; Pop Star's Mums: Gary Numan, Howard Jones, Rick Parfitt, Dave Gahan

March 14 - 27, 1985

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Cover: Paul King
Centrespread: Steve Norman
Back cover: David Lee Roth
Interviews: Paul Young; Stephen Duffy; Marilyn; The Jesus And Mary Chain; Paul King; Go West; Frankie Goes To Hollywood; Jon Moss
Lyrics: Do What You Do - Jermaine Jackson; Shakespeare's Sister - Smiths; Kiss Me - Stephen TinTin Duffy; That Ole Devil Called Love - Alison Moyet; Easy Lover - Philip Bailey & Phil Collins; Between The Wars - Billy Bragg; Absolute Reality - The Alarm; Mr Telephone Man - New Edition; That Was Yesterday - Foreigner; Won't You Hold My Hand - King; The Last Kiss - David Cassidy; Gun Law - Kane Gang; We Close Our Eyes - Go West; Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears; Fallen Angels Riding - David Essex; Let Her Go - Strawberry Switchblade
Personal File: Jermaine Jackson 
Bitz: The Limit change name to Oattes & Van Shaik, "Love Attaxx"; Alison Moyet, Feathers; Julian Cope; "Don't Watch That, Watch This Vol 2"; The Cars, "Heartbeat City", "Why Can't I Have You", Elliot Easton, "Change, No Change"; Street Sounds, "The Artists", Earth Wind & Fire, Rose Royce, Jean Carn; Howard Jones; Pat Metheny, "The Falcon and the Snowman", John Schlesinger; Eddy Grant, The Equals, "Baby Come Back"; Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, "Bustin' Loose"; Starvation, "Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiope", Manu Dibango, Martin Meissonnier, King Sunny Ade; China Crisis, "Black Man Rising", "Flaunt The Imperfection"; Stray Cats, "Stray Tracks"; "The Sounds Of Motown", Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Temptations; Alone Again Or, "Dreams Come True"; Jonzun Crew, "Down To Earth"; Meat Loaf, "Piece Of The Action"; ZZ Top, "Legs"; Joe Fagin, "That's Living Alright", "Auf Wiedersehen Pet"; Rockwell, "He's A Cobra", "Captured"; Sisters Of Mercy, "No Time To Cry"; "Shaft", Eddy Conrad, Richard Roundtree, Isaac Hayes, Van Twist; Simon Le Bon
Single reviews (Marshall O'Leary): Wide Boy - Nik Kershaw; That Ole Devil Called Love - Alison Moyet; When All's Well - Everything But The Girl; Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young; Is This Really The First Time? - JoBoxers; Let Her Go - Strawberry Switchblade; Gun Law - Kane Gang; Shakespeare's Sister - Smiths; Cover Me - Bruce Springsteen; Some Like It Hot - Power Station; Won't You Hold My Hand - King; Between The Wars - Billy Bragg; Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar; Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears; Say You're Wrong - Julian Lennon; Black Man Ray - China Crisis; Music And You - Sal Solo; Somebody - Bryan Adams; I'm Not Fooled - UB40; It Hurts - Lotus Eaters; Mysterious Mr Jones - Slade; Imagination - Belouis Some; That Loving Feeling - Amii Stewart; One Foot Back In Your Door - Roman Holliday; You - Chakk
Album reviews (Chris Heath / Paul Mathur / Vici MacDonald / David Hepworth): First And Last And Everything - Sisters Of Mercy; Try Love - Amii Stewart; Stoneage - Hoodoo Gurus; Dream Into Action - Howard Jones; She's The Boss - Mick Jagger

February 14 - 27, 1985

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Cover: The Power Station
Centrespread: Wham!
Back cover: Bryan Adams
Interviews: Kirsty MacColl; The Power Station; Wham! in Japan; Big Sound Authority; Mick Jagger; The Colour Field, Terry Hall;
Lyrics: This House (Is Where Your Love Stands) - Big Sound Authority; This Is Not America - David Bowie / Pat Metheny Group; Love Like Blood - Killing Joke; Personality - Eugene Wilde; How Soon Is Now? - Smiths; Breaking Up My Heart - Shakin' Stevens; Close (To The Edit) - Art Of Noise; We Belong To The Night - Pat Benetar; Wide Boy - Nik Kershaw
Personal File: Phil Collins
Bitz: Elaine Paige; Meat Loaf, "Piece Of The Action"; XTC, "Wake Up", Skyscraper And The Snakes, Helium Kids; ZZ Top, "Legs"; Associates, "Breakfast"; Shakatak, "Live"; Jonzun Crew, "Lovin'", "Down To Earth"; Pale Fountains, "…From Across The Kitchen Table", "Jean's Not Happening"; Zak Starkey, Boz Burrell, Micky Moody; "Feed The World", Edinburgh, New Order, Orchestra Jazira, Mari Wilson, Waterboys, Sid Presley Experience, Rezillos, Shaky Table And The Loose Legs; "Lloyd Cole and the Commotions"; James Ingram, "Ya Mo Be There"; New Jersey Mass Choir, "I Want To Know What Love Is"; Roland Rat, "No. 1 Rat Fan"; Grandmaster Flash, "Sign Of The Times"; Big Country; Julian Cope, "Sunspots"; Tartan Army: Paul King, Andrew Ridgeley, Roddy Frame, Rolling Stones, Eurythmics, Boy George, Steve Strange, Spandau Ballet, Slade, Bay City Rollers, Rod Stewart, Ian Anderson; Streetsounds, "Love Ballads", Pat Benatar; Malley the cat; Orange Juice split, Edwyn Collins, "Ain't That Always The Way", Paul Quinn
Single reviews (Tom Hibbert): Sunspots - Julian Cope; The Last Kiss - David Cassidy; Some Foreign Shore - Nirvana Devils; In Jeopardy - Roger Hodgson / No 1 Rat Fan - Roland Rat Superstar; How Soon Is Now? - Smiths; Heart User - Cliff Richard; I Built The World - Farmer's Boys; Wake Up - XTC; Let Me Down Easy - Stranglers; This Is Not America - David Bowie / Pat Metheny Group; Just Another Night - Mick Jagger; In Shreds - Chameleons; Invitation To Dance - Kim Carnes
Album reviews (Tom Hibbert / Simon Mills / Chris Heath): Centerfield - John Fogerty; Starchild - Teena Marie; The Bad And Lowdown World Of The Kane Gang - Kane Gang
Nights Out: New Order; Chaka Khan
Other: Love Is...

January 17 - 30, 1985

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Cover: Tears For Fears
Centrespread: Nik Kershaw
Back cover: Shakin' Stevens
Interviews: Madonna; Frankie Goes To Hollywood; The Cult; Janice Long; Tears For Fears
Lyrics: San Damiano (Heart And Soul) - Sal Solo; Police Officer - Smiley Culture; Love And Pride - King; Say Yeah - The Limit; Neutron Dance - Pointer Sisters; Just A Shadow - Big Country; Friends - Amii Stewart; Carmen - Malcolm McLaren; Seven Year Bitch - Slade; Thank You My Love - Imagination; This Is My Night - Chaka Khan; Misled - Kool & The Gang
Personal File: Sal Solo
Bitz: Chaka Khan; Monochrome Set, "Jacob's Ladder"' Jimmy Ruffin, "There Will Never Be Another You", Council Collective, "Soul Deep"; Killing Joke, "Love Like Blood", "Night Time"; Tracey Ullman, "Terry", Kirsty MacColl; Friends Again split; Jim Diamond, "Double Crossed"; Band Aid, Bob Geldof; Village People, "Sex Over The Phone", Felipe Rose, Alex Briley, Glenn Hughes, Jeff Olson, Ray Stephens, Mark Lee; Wham!; Van Halen, "Hot For Teacher"; "Body Rock", Julian Lennon, Laura Branigan, Roberta Flack, "Beverly Hills Cop", Eddie Murphy, Shalamar, Junior, Pointer Sisters; Simon Le Bon and Claire, Marilyn and Boy George, Paul Rutherford and Steve Strange, Sting and Trudi, Sting and Grace Jones, Nick Rhodes and Julie Ann, Elton John and Sir John Gielgud, Paula Yates and Bob Geldof, Dave Stewart and Alannah Currie, Britt Ekland and Slim Jim Phantom, Boy George, Prince Andrew; Gary Glitter, "Boys Will Be Boys", Sylvester, "Take Me To Heaven", "M 1015"; Band Aid magazine; Hall and Oates, "Method Of Modern Love"; Associates, "Breakfast"; Smiley Culture, "Police Officer"; Ian Birch; Boy George
Single reviews (Vivi MacDonald): Breakfast - Associates; Don't Drive Drunk - Stevie Wonder; Love And Pride - King; Julia - Eurythmics; Carmen - Malcolm McLaren; World Destruction - Timezone; This Is My Night - Chaka Khan; Neutron Dance - Pointer Sisters; Just A Shadow - Big Country; James Brown - Cabaret Voltaire; Thinking Of You - Colour Field; Terry - Tracey Ullman; Seven Year Bitch - Slade; Brained By Falling Masonry - Nurse With Wound
Album reviews (Tom Hibbert / Lisa Anthony): Party Party - Black Lace; Fans - Malcolm McLaren
Nights Out: The Wonder Of Wembley: Spandau Ballet, Paul Young, Big Country, Kool & the Gang, Culture Club, Wham!, Thompson Twins

January 3 - 16, 1985

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Cover: Wham!
Centrespread: Madonna
Back cover: Morrissey
Interviews: Ian McCulloch; Alannah Currie; Wham!; Gary Glitter
Lyrics: Julia - Eurythmics; Shout - Tears For Fears; Step Off (Part 1) - Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five; And That's No Lie - Heaven 17; Resurrection Joe - The Cult; Sharp-Dressed Man - ZZ Top; I Hear Talk - Bucks Fizz; Valotte - Julian Lennon; I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner
Bitz: Europe A Go-Go: The Tube, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Hanoi Rocks, Golden Earring, UB40; Time Zone, "World Destruction", Afrika Bambaataa, John Lydon; Smash Hits - Australia: Ian Birch, David Bostock, Duran Duran, Electric Pandas, Jimmy Barnes, Australian Crawl, Flaming Hands, Venetians, Brian Mannix, Uncanny X-Men; Madonna; The Kinks: "Kovers", "Kollectable", "Greatest Hits"; The Armoury Show, "We Can Be Brave Again"; Paul Gambaccini, "The Other Side Of The Tracks"; "The Special AKA On Film"; Blazing Saddles, "Free George Jackson"; Terry Hall, The Colour Field, "Thinking Of You", Katrina Phillips; Ruby Turner, Culture Club; The Stranglers; "Dune", Sting, Kyle MacLahlan; Nurse With Wound, "Brained By Falling Masonry", Stu P. Didiot, Heza Sheza; Billy Ocean, "Lover Boy"; Laurie Anderson, "United States Live"; Kirsty MacColl, "A New England"; Stephen Duffy, Freeman, Dr Calculus, "Programme 7", "Kiss Me"; Alvin Stardust; Tina Turner; Heaven 17, "And That's No Lie"; Shalamar; King, "Love And Pride"; Chaka Khan; "The Biz", Spectrum 48k, Chris Sievey; Dionne Warwick, "Without Your Love", "It's Love", Barry Manilow; Sheryl Lee Ralph, "In The Evening"
Nights Out: Cocteau Twins; Howard Jones; UB40
Other: Pop stars' answering machine messages; Smash Hits most embarrassing singles reviews