December 18 - 31, 1985

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siliconchipsuperstar

siliconchipsuperstar, the debut album by Peter Fitzpatrick​'s Circuit 3, featuring a collaboration with me on the track Ghost Machine, is now available to buy!

Order the limited edition vinyl LP/2xCD set and / or digital download here.

You can watch a video for Ghost Machine here.

December 4 - 17, 1985

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November 20 - December 3, 1985

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November 6 - 19, 1985

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Dear Mr. Kershaw: A Pensioner Writes

Derek Philpott's book of hilarious letters to pop stars and their genuine replies is now available from Plane Groovy and Amazon!

Happy Halloween - Ghost Machine!

I wrote the lyric for Ghost Machine, a song on the upcoming album Siliconchipsuperstar by Circuit3; it has an early-eighties snythpop vibe, so I hope readers of Smash Hits will enjoy it.

You can listen to Ghost Machine and download it for free here.

And you can watch a video for the song here.

I should be *extremely* grateful if you can spare a few minutes to listen to this track - and share it with your friends.

Ghost Machine: a song I co-wrote

I wrote the lyric for Ghost Machine, a song on the upcoming album Siliconchipsuperstar by Circuit3; it has an early-eighties snythpop vibe, so I hope readers of Smash Hits will enjoy it.

You can listen to Ghost Machine and download it for free here.

And you can watch a video for the song here.

I should be *extremely* grateful if you can spare a few minutes to listen to this track - and share it with your friends.

October 23 - November 5, 1985

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October 9 - 22, 1985

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September 25 - October 8, 1985

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September 11 - 24, 1985

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August 28 - September 10, 1985

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August 14 - 27, 1985

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July 31 - August 13, 1985

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July 17 - 30, 1985

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No More Heroes contest - prize draw!

Click the photo to see me drawing the winners of the No More Heroes contest!

July 3 - 16, 1985

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Cover: Howard Jones
Centrespread: Dead Or Alive - In Too Deep
Back cover: Green
Interviews: Howard Jones; Duran Duran; Vince Clarke & Paul Quinn; Max Headroom; Jim Kerr; Simply Red
Lyrics: That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore - Smiths; Act Of War - Elton John & Millie Jackson; Come To Milton Keynes - Style Council; The Shadow Of Love - The Damned; The Broken Years - Hipsway; In Too Deep - Dead Or Alive; Bring It Down! (This Insane Thing) - Redskins; N-n-nineteen Not Out - The Commentators; There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) - Eurythmics; You And Your Heart So Blue - Bucks Fizz
Personal File: Feargal Sharkey
Bitz: Talking Heads; Virgin Records wax figures: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Dolly Parton, Meat Loaf, Michael Jackson; Cocteau Twins; Colour Box, "The Moon Is Blue", "Colourbox"; Philip Oakey, Giorgio Moroder, "Goodbye Bad Times", Human League; "A View To A Kill", Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Grace Jones, Tanya Roberts, Duran Duran; A Flock Of Seagulls; John Foxx, "Stars On Fire"; King, "Alone Without You"; Tears For Fears; Alvin Stardust, "Sleepless Nights", Puff the Owl; Burmoe Brothers, Guy Chambers, "Skin", Marc Almond; Humpe Humpe, Anete and Inge Humpe, "3 Of Us", Martin Gore; Those Tender Virtues, "Waltz"; Doctor & the Medics, "Happy But Twisted"; Paul Hardcastle, "Rainforest"; Kid Creole and the Coconuts, "In Praise Of Older Women And Other Crimes"; Feargal Sharkey, Dave Stewart; Billy Idol, "White Wedding"; Dire Straits, Prince's Trust, Bruce Springsteen, Wembley Stadium; David Cassidy; "London version of Dynasty": Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Martin Kemp, Simon Napier-Bell, John McLaren, Allan Soh, Andrew Ridgeley; Boy George's 24th birthday party: Marilyn, Madonna, Andy Warhol, Rupert Everett, Cornelia Guest, Arif Mardin, Philip Sallon, Billy Idol; "Mega Pop Trivia Quiz Game Book"; Hipsway, Skin, Graham Skinner, Pim, Harry Travers, Johnny McElhone, The Very Essence Of Kites, Dixon And The Crocodiles, The Moroccan Corselets; "Internationalists", Andrea Olceses, Style Council; "Axel F.", Eddie Murphy, "Beverly Hills Cop", Harold Faltermeyer; Marillion; Duran Duran; "Jobs For The Boys", Merseyside County Council, Style Council, Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy; Madonna, John "Jellybean" Benitez, Prince, David Lee Roth, Sean Penn, Don Johnson, John F Kennedy Jr.
Single reviews (Tom Hibbert): Bonzo Goes To Bitburg - Ramones; Faron Young - Prefab Sprout; Made In Heaven - Freddie Mercury; You And Your Heart So Blue - Bucks Fizz; All Night Holiday - Russ Abbot; That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore - Smiths; Would You Dance With A Stranger - Mari Wilson; Change - Sparks; You're Only Human (Second Wind) - Billy Joel; Some People - Belouis Some; Square Rooms - Al Corley; Can't Get There From Here - R.E.M. / Shoot You Down - True West / You Are My Friend - Rain Parade / Shop It Around - Jason & The Scorchers; There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) - Eurythmics; Excitable - Amazulu; Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) - Pet Shop Boys; Secret - OMD
Album reviews (Simon Mills / Ian Cranna / Neil Tennant / Maureen Rice / Sally Gethin): History - Mai Tai; In Praise Of Older Women…And Other Crimes - Kid Creole; Live - Gregory Isaacs; The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys; A Secret Wish - Propaganda; Fly On The Wall - AC/DC; A Dub Experience - Sly And Robbie; Wild Child - Untouchables
Nights Out: Knebworth Fayre - Meat Loaf, Scorpions, Deep Purple; Glastonbury: CND Festival - Working Week, Untouchables, Midnight Oil, Style Council; Milton Keynes: The Longest Day - Faith Brothers, Spear Of Destiny, Billy Bragg, Ramones, REM; Marc Almond
Other: Live Aid preview

No More Heroes - CDs to be won!

I have to confess that I didn’t have a particularly big record collection growing up. My parents couldn’t afford a lot of pocket money, so I didn’t have a lot of disposable income for singles – and certainly not for albums; it was easier to spare 25p or 30p for Smash Hits every fortnight than to buy records on a regular basis, which is why I have been able to spend the last six years sharing my collection on this archive.

Ever since I first dived into my Smash Hits collection and began reliving those times, the question I have asked repeatedly has been: "Did we realise how lucky we were?" We were spoiled. During my formative years, the charts were bursting with great music; there was so much variety and invention in the British top 40 of the late seventies and early eighties – an explosion of talent that has never been repeated to such a degree.

No More Heroes tackles the well-nigh impossible task of distilling the spirit of those heady days into three discs. Listening to its sixty tracks is a whirlwind spin through the golden age of punk, post-punk and new wave. Chart-toppers from The Jam, The Specials and Ian Dury rub shoulders with classics from Madness, Buzzcocks and Adam and the Ants; American acts like the Ramones, Modern Lovers and Talking Heads pogo with Generation X, XTC and X Ray Spex. Alongside the more familiar titles are things you might have forgotten: I am particularly excited by the inclusion of Back Of My Hand by the Jags – why wasn’t that a bigger hit?!!?

From calls to action by the likes of Sham 69 and Secret Affair to the endearing goofiness of the Toy Dolls and Tenpole Tudor, this is a reminder of that incredible outpouring of energy. Some of these acts cast long shadows; others crashed and burned spectacularly, but from the unmistakable opening of Teenage Kicks to Jona Lewie’s anthem for wallflowers, there’s hardly a dull moment here.

No More Heroes is an ideal way to fill some of the gaps in your collection – or a great introduction to the great sounds of a great moment in musical history. It doesn’t claim to be all-inclusive, but what it does include is good enough for me: Blondie, The Fall, Echo and the Bunnymen, Bow Wow Wow, Dr. Feelgood....Realising that some of these songs were recorded forty years ago should make me feel old, but listening to them puts a spring in my step. So go ahead, open up a copy of Smash Hits, crank up the stereo and enjoy!

No More Heroes is available from Amazon UK and iTunes....but keep reading to find out how you could win a copy for yourself in our very first competition!



The makers of No More Heroes have given us three copies of the boxset to give away to fans of this Smash Hits archive. To have a chance of winning, go to our Facebook page and leave a comment listing your three favourite tracks from the compilation and three songs which you think should have been included. Everybody who posts a comment listing six titles will be entered into a draw - three names will be selected and those winners will get the CDs.

Disc: 1
1. Teenage Kicks - The Undertones
2. Going Underground - The Jam
3. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker – Ramones
4. If The Kids Are United - Sham 69
5. No More Heroes – Stranglers
6. Public Image – PIL
7. Do Anything You Wanna Do - Eddie And The Hot Rods
8. Ever Fallen In Love - The Buzzcocks
9. Turning Japanese - The Vapors
10. Neat Neat Neat - The Damned
11. Germ Free Adolescents - X Ray Spex
12. Automatic Lover - The Vibrators
13. Swords of A 1,000 Men - Tenpole Tudor
14. Go Wild In The Country - Bow Wow Wow
15. Into The Valley - The Skids
16. Top Of The Pops – Rezillos
17. 2 4 6 8 Motorway - Tom Robinson
18. Blank Generation - Richard Hell and The Voidoids
19. Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand
20. Is Vic There? - Department S

Disc: 2
1. Hanging On The Telephone – Blondie
2. Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
3. Pretty In Pink - Psychedelic Furs
4. The Killing Moon - Echo and the Bunnymen
5. Time For Action - Secret Affair
6. Shake Some Action - Flamin' Groovies
7. I Got You - Split Enz
8. Brass In Pocket - The Pretenders
9. Back Of My Hand - The Jags
10. Making Plans For Nigel – XTC
11. Sound of The Suburbs - The Members
12. Kings Of The Wild Frontier - Adam And The Ants
13. I Think We're Alone Now - The Rubinoos
14. Lucky Number - Lene Lovich
15. Another Girl, Another Planet - The Only Ones
16. A New England - Kirsty MacColl
17. Ghost Town - The Specials
18. 7teen - The Regents
19. Drowning In Berlin - The Mobiles
20. One Step Beyond – Madness

Disc: 3
1. Road To Nowhere - Talking Heads
2. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury And The Blockheads
3. Roadrunner (Twice) - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers
4. Rich Kids - Rich Kids
5. Babylons Burning - The Ruts
6. Jimmy Jimmy - The Undertones
7. Hersham Boys - Sham 69
8. Miss The Girl – Creatures
9. New Rose - The Damned
10. The Day The World Turned Day Glo - X Ray Spex
11. Drummer Man – Tonight
12. King Rocker - Generation X
13. Butcher Baby - The Plasmatics
14. Homicide – 999
15. Cherry Bomb - The Runnaways
16. Nellie The Elephant - The Toy Dolls
17. Get Rhythm - Dr Feelgood
18. Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric
19. It's The New Thing - The Fall
20. You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties - Jona Lewie

June 19 - July 2, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Tears For Fears
Centrespread: Paul Young
Back cover: Jesus And Mary Chain
Interviews: Fine Young Cannibals; Tears For Fears; Sting; Style Council; Nick Heyward
Lyrics: Johnny Come Home - Fine Young Cannibals; Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury; Life In One Day - Howard Jones; Sex Machine - James Brown; El Vino Collapso - Black Lace; Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears; Suddenly - Billy Ocean; Laura - Nick Heyward; She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult; Tomb Of Memories - Paul Young; Remember I Love You - Jim Diamond
Personal File: Claudia Brucken  
Bitz: Gary Crowley, "Poparound"; John Rocca, Freeez, Pink Rhythm, "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love"; Sister Sledge; Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)"; Nils Lofgren, "Flip", Bruce Springsteen; Kraftwerk, "Autobahn"; Ramones, "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg"; Paul Hardcastle, "19", "Rainforest" / "Forest Fire"; Smiths, "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"; "Greenpeace", Tears For Fears, Nik Kershaw, Depeche Mode, Pretenders; Prince, "Paisley Park" / "She's Always In My Hair"; Godley & Creme, "History Mix Volume I", 10cc, Trevor Horn; John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Power Station, Robert Palmer, Bernard Edwards, "Miami Vice", Chaka Khan; Jesse Johnson, "Can You Help Me?"; Joolz, "Home Sweet Home"; "You'll Never Walk Alone", Gerry And The Pacemakers, Gerry Marsden, Frankie Goes To Hollywood; Bob Geldof, Live Aid; Mai Tai, Jettie Wells, Caroline De Windt, Mildred Douglas; ABC, "Vanity Kills"; Billy Ocean; Level 42, "A Physical Presence"; Scritti Politti; Huey Lewis, Tears For Fears, "like punk never happened"; OMD, "Jobs For A Change", GLC, Aswad, Working Week; Smash Hits Fruit Bat, Fluffy, Sarah Mattacks; Paul McCartney, Simon Le Bon, George Michael
Single reviews (Chris Heath): The Broken Years - Hipsway; The Goonies 'R' Good Enough - Cyndi Lauper; You Don't Need A Reason - Galaxy featuring Phil Fearon; Soul Passing Through Soul - Toyah; Rain Forest - Paul Hardcastle; Heart Of Stone - Roaring Boys; One Day - Vince Clarke / Paul Quinn; Come To Milton Keynes - Style Council; What I Wouldn't Give - Pink Industry; Sally Maclennane - Pogues; Angel - Madonna; Money For Nothing - Dire Straits; (Burn It Down) Bring It Down (This Insane Thing) - Redskins; Rolling Dany - The Fall; He's On The Beach - Kirsty MacColl; All My Love (Ask Nothing) - Spear Of Destiny; In Too Deep - Dead Or Alive; Shadow Of Love - Damned
Album reviews (Simon Le Mills / Paul Mathur / Vici MacDonald / Linda Duff / Maureen Rice / Chris Heath / Ian Cranna / Lisa Anthony / Neil Tennant): Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - A View To A Kill; Stronger Than Reason - Person To Person; Two Hearts - Men At Work; Empire Burlesque - Bob Dylan; Little Creatures - Talking Heads; Oil And Gold - Shriekback; The Dream Of The Blue Turtles - Sting; Boys And Girls - Bryan Ferry; Despite Straight Lines - Marilyn
Nights Out: The Cult
Other: Pop Stars' exam results

The Return of Zitty Ben!

Strange Tales From A Music Paper was the comic strip that ran in Smash Hits 1980 - 1981. The strip's creator, Mark Casto, believed that all his work was lost until he discovered this archive and was able to read his strips for the first time in thirty years.

Mark's new blog collects The Adventures Of Zitty Ben in one place - and he has taken up his pens and pencils to draw the first new Zitty Ben strips since the early eighties.

As if that weren't exciting enough, I am delighted to find that yours truly makes an appearance in this cartoon - as the angelic being who reawakens Zitty from his slumbers!

June 5 - 18, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: China Crisis
Centrespread: Duran Duran
Back cover: The Cult
Interviews: Scritti Politti; Depeche Mode; Marillion, Fish; China Crisis; Bryan Ferry
Lyrics: Loving The Alien - David Bowie; Out In The Fields - Gary Moore & Phil Lynott; History - Mai Tai; If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting; Free Yourself - Untouchables; Vanity Kills - ABC; The Live EP - Gary Numan; Paisley Park - Prince and the Revolution; The Perfect Kiss - New Order; Let It Swing - Bobbysocks; Heaven - Bryan Adams; Obsession - Animotion; I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen
Personal File: Jimmy Nail
Bitz: Queen, "Live In Rio"; Bruce Springsteen, "I'm On Fire"; Run-D.M.C.; Animotion: Astrid Plane, Paul Antonelli, Frenchy O'Brien, Charles Ottavio Bill Wadhams, Don Kirkpatrick; Strawberry Switchblade, 250,000 Love Hearts; Nick Laird-Clowes, Dream Academy, "The Tube"; Mark Stewart And The Maffia, "Hypnotised" / "The Veneer Of Democracy Starts To Fade"; King Kurt, "Billy" / "Back On The Dole"; Yngwie Malmsteen, "See The Light Tonight"; Steve Norman's leg operation; "The Book Of Beatle Lists", Bill Harry; Jean Michel Jarre, "Zoolookologie", Charlotte Rampling; "Legendary '60s bores The Doors"; Deep Purple; Nick Heyward, "Laura", Haircut 100; Paul Hardcastle, "19", Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Change, "Oh What A Feeling"; Simply Red, James Brown, "Money's Too Tight"; Paul Young, "Tomb Of Memories" / "Man In The Iron Mask"; Philip Lynott, Gary Moore, "Out In The Fields"; Thompson Twins, Tom Bailey, Nile Rodgers; Thomas Leer, "No. 1", "The Scale Of Ten"; "David Bowie: The Pitt Report", "Stevie Wonder: The Illustrated Discography", "Bob Marley: The Illustrated Discography"; Prince, "Paisley Park" / "She's Always In My Hair"; Izzy Royal,
"Coronation Street"; Nile Rodgers, "B-Movie Matinee", "Let's Go Out Tonight"; Howard Jones; Men At Work, "Two Hearts", "Everything I Need", Colin Hay; "The Breakfast Club"; Morgan McVey: Cameron McVey, Jamie Morgan; Al Corley, "Dynasty", "Square Rooms"; Billy Idol, "Vital Idol"; Steve Strange; Pink Industry, Jayne Casey, Ambrose Reynolds, "New Beginnings", Morrissey, "What I Wouldn't Give"; Tears For Fears, "Head Over Heels"; The Go-Gos split; Propaganda; "Massive", Smiley Culture, Barrington Levy, Aswad; 10,000 Maniacs, "Can't Ignore The Train"; Culture Club, Marilyn, Diana Ross, Boy George; Dead Or Alive, "In Too Deep", "Youthquake"; The Sensible Jerseys, "Right And Wrong"; Millie Jackson, Elton John, "Act Of War"
Single reviews (Maureen Rice): Money's Too Tight - Simply Red; Ways To Be Wicked - Lone Justice; If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting; Vanity Kills - ABC; Life In One Day - Howard Jones; Tomb Of Memories - Paul Young; Pray For That Sunshine - Marilyn; Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears; I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen; Goodbye Bad Times - Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder; Loving You - Feargal Sharkey; A Bad Town - Big Sound Authority; Hot For Teacher - Van Halen; Everything I Need - Men At Work; Where Our Love Begins - David Grant; Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick / Reasons To Be Cheerful / Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll / Wake up - Ian Dury And The Blockheads; Time After Time - Miles Davis; Johnny Come Home - Fine Young Cannibals; Can't Ignore The Train - 10,000 Maniacs
Album reviews (Simon Mills / Vici MacDonald / Paul Mathur / Linda Duff / William Shaw / Ian Cranna / Simon Braithwaite / Maureen Rice / Chris Heath / Tom Hibbert): When The Boys Meet The Girls - Sister Sledge; Cupid & Psyche 85 - Scritti Politti; The Rythmatist - Steward Copeland; No Rest For The Wicked - New Model Army; The Firstborn Is Dead - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds; Crush - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark; The Lost Weekend - Monochrome Set; Del Amitri - Del Amitri; Fables Of Reconstruction - REM; Never Never Lan… - Joolz; Misplaced Childhood - Marillion; Katrina And The Waves - Katrina And The Waves
Nights Out: ZTT, "The Value Of Entertainment": Andrew Poppy, Art Of Noise, Anne Pigalle, Propaganda; Nik Kershaw
Other: Pop Stars' Heights

May 22 - June 4, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Style Council
Centrespread: Go West
Back cover: The Untouchables
Interviews: Style Council; Stephen 'Tintin' Duffy; Katrina and the Waves; OMD; Loose Ends; Wham! in China
Lyrics: Crazy For You - Madonna; So In Love - OMD; A View To A Kill - Duran Duran; King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up) - China Crisis; The Word Girl - Scritti Politti; Walking On Sunshine - Katrina And The Waves; All Fall Down - Five Star; Magic Touch - Loose Ends; Kayleigh - Marillion; Frankie - Sister Sledge; Here We Go - Everton
Personal File: Toyah  
Bitz: London Zoo animal adoption: Siouxsie and Budgie (Gregory the Peccary), Limahl (Fairy Bluebird), Mike Oldfield (Cheetah), Leo Sayer (30 Nile Rats), Paul Young (Fruit Bat); Bumbites, Andy Burchell, "Bottoms Up"; Sting, "The Dream Of The Blue Turtle"; "The Best Of Smash Hits"; Jesse Rae, "Over The Sea"; Chaka Khan, "This Is My Night"; Hybrid label: Flesh for Lulu, Lime Spiders, Beasts Of Bourbon, Spikes, Vandals, Guadancanal Diary; Power Station tabasco sauce; Roaring Boys, "House Of Stone", Vicious Pink, "CCCan't You See"; Zany Tuum Tumb "Value Of Entertainment", Art Of Noise, Propaganda, Anne Pigalle, Instinct, Andrew Poppy; Bronski Beat, "The First Chapter"; Lone Justice, "Ways To Be Wicked", Los Lobos, Jason And The Scorchers, Long Ryders, Rank And FIle; Five Star: Stedman, Delroy, Doris, Lorraine, Denise; China Crisis, "Showbiz Absurd"; Bryan Ferry, "Boys And Girls"; Green, Scritti Politti; British Telecom, AORTA (Africa and Overseas Relief Trust); David Bowie, Starzone fanzine; Mark Ellen resigns; Steve Bush new editor; Thereza Bazar, "The Big Kiss", Arif Mardin, "Gotcha"
Single reviews (Simon O'Brien): Crazy For You - Madonna; Angel - Everything But The Girl; Wallflower - Monochrome Set; Paisley Park - Prince; Prison - Tom Robinson; Modern Romance - Francis Rossi & Bernard Frost; Who Knows What Love Is - Strawberry Switchblade; Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste Of Honey; All The Daughters (Of Her Father's House) - Icicle Works; Frankie - Sister Sledge; Laura - Nick Heyward; Girls Love The Way He Spins - Grandmaster Flash; Sexy Girl - Glenn Frey; Ball Of Confusion - Love And Rockets; Sanctified Lady - Marvin Gaye; Too Much Time - Boothill Foot Tappers; You Trip Me Up - Jesus And Mary Chain; King In A Catholic Style - China Crisis; So In Love - O.M.D.; The Big Kiss - Theresa Bazar; Dynamite - Jermaine Jackson; Widow's Tears - Rebecca Storm; Nemesis - Shriekback; Loving The Alien - David Bowie; Lady Don't Mind - Talking Heads
Album reviews (Tom Hibbert / Maureen Rice / Neil Tennant / Paul Mathur / Simon Mills / Lisa Anthony / Ian Cranna / Chris Heath / Mark Ellen / Linda Duff): Romance - David Cassidy; We Are The World - USA For Africa; Low-life - New Order; Radio M.U.S.I.C. Man - Womack & Womack; Rhythm Of The Night - DeBarge; Our Favourite Shop - Style Council; Reggae Greats - The DJs; Reggae Greats - Toots & The Maytals; Reggae Greats - Linton Kwesi Johnson; Mystery - Rah Band; Tao - Rick Springfield; Youthquake - Dead Or Alive; Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits
Nights Out: Hammersmith Palais All Dayer: Cool Notes, Smiley Culture, Bionic Rhona, Pato, Asher Senator, Five Star, Steve Walsh
Other: The Vietnam War

May 8 - 21, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Wham!
Centrespread: Boy George
Back cover: Tears For Fears
Interviews: Propaganda; Spandau Ballet; Bronski Beat; Wham! in China
Lyrics: Duel - Propaganda; 19 - Paul Hardcastle; Shake The Disease - Depeche Mode; Call Me - Go West; Get It On (Bang A Gong) - Power Station; I Want Your Lovin' (Just A Little Bit) - Curtis Hairston; Don't Fall In Love - Toyah; I Was Born To Love You - Freddie Mercury; Icing On The Cake - Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy; Rhythm Of The Night - DeBarge; Feel So Real - Steve Arrington; Stainsby Girls - Chris Rea; Slave To Love - Bryan Ferry; Walk Like A Man - Divine
Personal File: Divine 
Bitz: A Fish Called Derek, "Why The World Cried God On A Toadstool, Bernie And Margaret Fitzpatrick Where Are You?"; Wham! fanclub fiasco; New Model Army, "No Rest", Slade The Leveller, Stuart Morrow, Robb Heaton; Rah Band, "Clouds Across The Moon", Richard Hewson; "I Feel Love", Bronski Beat, Marc Almond; Boothill Foot Tappers, "Too Much Time"; Bryan Adams; James Brown, "Get On The Good Foot / Sex Machine / Say It Loud" megamix; Echo & The Bunnymen, "Porcupine"; Adam Ant, "Entertaining Mr Sloane", "Viva Le Rock"; Scritti Politti, "The Word Girl"; DeBarge, "Rhythm Of The Night", Janet Jackson, Berry Gordy, "The Last Dragon", Vanity; Led Zeppelin, "Hammer Of The Gods", Stephen Davis; Max Headroom; "The Hits", Dead Or Alive, Strawberry Switchblade, Stranglers, Wham!, Howard Jones, Paul Young, King, Associates, Nik Kershaw; Belouis Some, "Imagination", Bernard Edwards, Tony Thompson, Carlos Alomar; "Dwylo Dros Y Mor", Band Aid Cymru, Caryl Parry Jones, Geraint Jarman, Dionne Cronin; Adult Net, "Incense And Peppermints", Strawberry Alarm Clock; Roy Wood, "Under Fire", Bon Jovi, "7800 Fahrenheit"; "Bodydouble", Brian De Palma, Holly Johnson, Paul Rutherford
Single reviews (Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy): Get It On (Bang A Gong) - Power Station; Shake The Disease - Depeche Mode; Rage To Love - Kim Wilde; Kayleight - Marillion; How Much Longer - Reflex; Slave To Love - Bryan Ferry; Still Smiling - I Start Counting; A View To A Kill - Duran Duran; Love Mystery - Jah Wobble and Ollie Marland; Eu-Eu Freeze / You Talk To Much - Run D.M.C.; Sweet Nothing - Working Week; Call Me - Go West; Who Knows What Love Is - Strawberry Switchblade; Green Shirt - Elvis Costello; Pull Me Up - Seconds Of Pleasure
Album reviews (Vici MacDonald / Ian Cranna / Maureen Rice / Chris Heath / Tom Hibbert / Linda Duff): Mr Bad Guy - Freddie Mercury; Reggae Greats - Black Uhuru; Be Yourself Tonight - Eurythmics; Steve McQueen - Prefab Sprout; Around The World In A Day - Prince And The Revolution; Hopes And Dreams - David Grant
Nights Out: Bryan Adams
Other: What Happens When You're In RSVP? J'Aimee Skippon, Perry Bray, Kevin Bignell, Gary Gissord, Wendy & Claudette

Soul Boys Of The Western World

Last night we attended a screening of Soul Boys Of The Western World in Hollywood; it's a great documentary about Spandau Ballet in particular - and the eighties music scene in general. Fans of Smash Hits will enjoy the movie - and will recognise a lot of familiar faces.

At the post-screening Q&A, we learned that the Spandau Ballet boys are still *really* upset about their Pop Quiz loss to Duran Duran. Certain allegations of impropriety - which I shall not repeat here - were made....

When the screening was over, Gary Kemp invited us to the after party at the Chateau Marmont, where he took time to chat about Smash Hits; he’s a big fan of the archive – and he was surprised to learn that he's the first pop star that I've ever met!

All in all....not a bad night!

April 24 - May 7, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Nick Rhodes
Back cover: China Crisis
Interviews: The Damned; ABC; Kim Wilde; New Edition; Anne Pigalle; Nick Rhodes (readers' photography contest)
Lyrics: Black Man Ray - China Crisis; Cry - Godley & Creme; Would I Lie To You? - Eurythmics; Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds; Baby Come And Get It - Pointer Sisters; So Far Away - Dire Straits; Cherish - Kool & the Gang; Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon; Walking On The Chinese Wall - Philip Bailey; One More Night - Phil Collins; Be Near Me - ABC; Walls Come Tumbling Down - Style Council
Personal File: Nasher Nash
Bitz: Paul King; Style Council, Paul Weller, Mick Talbot, Steve White, Helen Turner, Dee C. Lee, Camille Hinds; Howard Jones, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Thomas Dolby; Kevin Godley, Lol Creme; Untouchables: Glenn Symonds, Clyde Grimes, Jerry Miller, Caine Carruthers, Chuck Askerneese, Josh Harris; Eurythmics, "Sweet Dreams", Johnny Walker, Steve Rapport; Brighton Busking Festival (May 25 - 27); Thompson Twins, Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway; Smiths, "Meat Is Murder", anti-meat songs, Howard Jones, Terry Hall, Thompson Twins, Paul Weller, Nik Kershaw, Michael Jackson, Limahl, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Captain Sensible, "Wot - No Meat?"; Madness, Zarjazz, Charm School, "Life's A Deceiver"; Neil Tennant quits Smash Hits, Pet Shop Boys; Pogues, "A Pair Of Brown Eyes"; Bob Geldof, "The Wall", Mel Smith, Phil Daniels, Ian Dury, "The Fantasist"; Agnetha, "I Won't Let You Go", Terry Wogan; Anne Hogan, "Kickabye", Budgie, Nick Cave, Raoul Reverse, Marc Almond; Tommy Boy Records, "Planet Rock", Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force, "Space Cowboy", Jonzun Crew; Dukes Of Stratosphear, Sir John Johns, Lord Cornelius Plum, E.I.E.I. Owens, The Red Curtain, XTC
Single reviews (Roland Orzabal): The Mole From The Ministry - Dukes Of Stratophear; The Glamorous Life - Sheila E.; Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody - David Lee Roth; Cherish - Kool & the Gang; I Was Born To Love You - Freddie Mercury; Froggy Mix - James Brown; Walking On Sunshine - Katina and the Waves; Magic Touch - Loose Ends; Love Comes - Gary Glitter; Walls Come Tumbling Down - Style Council; Over The Sea - Jesse Rae; Romance - David Cassidy; The Word Girl - Scritti Politti; Sunset Grill - Don Henley; Shirt - Two People; Watch Me Catch Fire - Big Heat; Move Me - Woodentops; Love Is . . . - Vikki; Animal Instinct - Commodores; Ticket To Ride - Beatles
Album reviews (Ian Cranna / Linda Duff / Simon Mills / Lola Borg / Mark Ellen): Virgins And Philistines - Colour Field; Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi; Turn On Your Radio - Change; Go Go Crankin' - Various Artists; Third World / Sense Of Purpose - Third World; Reggae Greats - Wailers
Nights Out: Tears For Fears; The Smiths

April 11 - 24, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

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

(click on the image to see the full issue)

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

"Morrissey does not sing, he groans. He should have been drowned at birth. Rubbish."

Every so often the internet rediscovers Morrissey's singles reviews from October 1984, but I have always thought that the most memorable page of reviews in the history of Smash Hits came a few months later, when twelve-year-old Marshall O'Leary reviewed the new releases on March 14, 1985:



I'm sure a lot of us have wondered about Marshall since this issue was published: thirty years later, he has been reunited with his moment in the spotlight - check out the comments on our Facebook page!

I think this is the most exciting thing to have happened as a result of this archive....we're going out in style!

March 14 - 27, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

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

The Ricki Lake Show - June 7, 2013

Click the photo to see Debbie 'n' me on the Ricki Lake show!

February 28 - March 13, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Centrespread: Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)
Back cover: sticker collection
Interviews: Julian Lennon; Frankie Goes To Hollywood; Killing Joke; The Monochrome Set; Starvation; Alison Moyet; Roaring Boys; Spelt Like This
Lyrics: Material Girl - Madonna; Method Of Modern Love - Hall & Oates; Heart User - Cliff Richard; Do You Really (Want My Love) - Junior; Just Another Night - Mick Jagger; Change Your Mind - Sharpe and Numan; The Theme From Shaft - Eddie & the Soulband; You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive; Some Like It Hot - Power Station; Starvation - Starvation; Who Comes To Boogie? - Little Benny & the Masters; Money Changes Everything - Cyndi Lauper; The Boys Of Summer - Don Henley; Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young
Personal File: Rose McDowall
Bitz: Billy Bragg, Neil Kinnock, Jobs For Youth Tour; Billy Connolly, "Super Gran"; New Edition, "Mr Telephone Man", Ray Parker Jr.; Paul Young, "Every Time You Go Away", Hall & Oates; Thompson Twins; Spandau Ballet sue Chrysalis; "Feed The World" festival a hoax; Zerra 1; Prince, "Let's Go Crazy", "Take Me With You", "Erotic City (Make Love Not War / Erotic City Comes Alive"); The Fall, "Hip Priests And Camerads"; Test Dept, South Wales Striking Miners Choir, "Shoulder To Shoulder"; Madonna; Julian Lennon, "Say You're Wrong"; Cocteau Twins, "Aikea-Guinea", "Kookaburra", "Quisquose", "Rococo"; UB40, "The Pillow" / "I'm Not Fooled"; The Monochrome Set; Simple Minds, "Don't You (Forget About Me)", "The Breakfast Club, Keith Forsey; Tina Turner, "I Can't Stand The Rain"; Shakatak, "Live"; Phil Collins, "No Jacket Required", Peter Gabriel, Helen Terry Sting; Amii Stewart, "Try Love"; Working Week; "Working Nights", "Inner City Blues"; Bryan Adams, "Run To You", "Reckless"; Barrington Levy, "Here I Come"; David Cassidy, Alan Tarney; Art Of Noise, "Moments In Love"; David Bowie, "Into The Night", John Landis, "Absolute Beginners", Julian Temple; Tears For Fears, "Songs From The Big Chair"; King; Propaganda, "P-Machinery", Paul Morley; Nik Kershaw, "Wide Boy"; Star Hits Readers Poll results; Smash Hits Australia Readers Poll results
Single reviews (Andy Kershaw): Never Understand - Jesus And Mary Chain; Legs - ZZ Top; Radioactive - The Firm; Let's Go Crazy - Prince; Sugar Walls - Sheena Easton; Say You're Wrong - Julian Lennon; Money Changes Everything - Cyndi Lauper; Jealousy EP - Boothill Foot-Tappers; Clothes Shop - Terry And Gerry; Contract Of The Heart - Spelt Like This; Every Second Of The Day - Roaring Boys; Starvation - Starvation
Album reviews (Vici MacDonald / Ian Cranna / Chris Heath / Josephine Hocking / Linda Duff / Simon Mills): Meat Is Murder - Smiths; Songs From The Big Chair - Tears For Fears; Zerra I - Zerra I; They Said It Couldn't Be Done - Grandmaster Flash; The Firm - The Firm; No Jacket Required - Phil Collins; Building The Perfect Beast - Don Henley; VU - Velvet Underground; Night Time - Killing Joke; Nightshift - Commodores
Nights Out: 
Other: Beginner's Guide To Go-Go; British Record Industry Awards

February 14 - 27, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

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...

RIP Steve Strange (1959 - 2015)

(click on the images to see the full issues)

January 31 - February 13, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

Cover: Morrissey
Centrespread: Paul Young
Back cover: Annie Lennox
Interviews: King; Fink Brothers; Gary Kemp; Bruce Springsteen; Foreigner; Morrissey
Lyrics: New England - Kirsty MacColl; Thinking Of You - Colourfield; 1999 - Prince; 20/20 - George Benson; Solid - Ashford & Simpson; Run To You - Bryan Adams; Dancing In The Dark - Bruce Springsteen; I Know Him So Well - Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson; Sussudio - Phil Collins; Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones; Lover Boy - Billy Ocean
Personal File: Leee John 
Bitz: Canute Edwards, "Amazing Mind"; Marc Almond; "Breakin' Two Is Electric Boogaloo"; "Van Halen: Jumpin' For The Dollar" - John Shearlaw, Iron Maiden: Running Free - Gary Bushell, Ross Halfin; The Church, "Remote Luxury"; Time U.K., Rick Buckler, "Playground Of Privilege"; Commodores, "Nightshift", "Thomas McLary"; Person To Person, "Reputation", David Palmer; Junior, "Do You Really Want My Love"; Floy Joy, "Operator Operator"; Torch Song, "Ode To Billy Joe", "Mothdoom Ecstasy"; The Limit, Bernard Oattes, Rob Van Schaik, "Say Yeah"; Merseyside City Council, "Jobs For The Boys", Cook Da Books, Afraid Of Mice, This Final Frame, The Faction, Ronnie Flood; Sheila E., "The Belle Of St Mark"; Kool & the Gang, "Misled"; Stephen "Tin Tin Duffy", "Too Fat To Breakdance"; Tina Turner; Amii Stewart, "Friends"; Gary Numan, Bill Sharpe, Shakatak, "Change Your Mind", David Bowie, Pat Metheny, "This Is Not America"; Boys Town Gang, "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday"; David Hunter, Crossroads, David Crickmore, Fiat Lux, "Solitary Lovers"; 93 Current 93, "Dogs Blood Rising", "Raio No Terrasu (Jesus Wept)"; Russ Abbott, "Atmosphere"; Band Aid, "Video Aid"; Zerra 1, "Mountains And Water", Todd Rundgren; Bruce Springsteen, Lynn Goldsmith; National Jazz Centre, Alison Moyet, Jools Holland, Yehudi Menhuin, Helen Shapiro, Humphrey Lyttleton, Nigel Kennedy; Jean-Michel Jarre, "Zoolook", Charlotte Rampling
Single reviews (Chris Heath): We Are Ninja (not geisha) - Frank Chickens; A Hold Of Me - Boomtown Rats; Papa's Got A Brand New PigBag - Paul Hardcastle; Ode To Billy Joe - Torch Song; Sussudio - Phil Collins; Misled - Kool & the Gang; California Girls - David Lee Roth; Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones; Personality - Eugene Wilde; Change Your Mind - Bill Sharpe and Gary Numan; Operator - Floy Joy; Saskatchewan - Red Box; All I Am - Bluebells; Mutants In Mega-City One - Fink Brothers; Love Like Blood - Killing Joke; Midnight Man - Flash And The Pan; Method Of Modern Love - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Album reviews (Simon Braithwaite / Chris Heath / Ian Cranna): 20/20 - George Benson; Perhaps - The Associates; Breakdance 2 Is Electric Boogaloo - Various Artists
Nights Out: Alison Moyet; London Concert For The Miners: Everything But The Girl, Roddy Frame; Edwyn Collins

January 17 - 30, 1985

(click on the image to see the full issue)

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

(click on the image to see the full issue)

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