October 30 - November 12, 1980

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Cover: Japan (David Sylvian)
Centrespread: Status Quo
Back cover: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Interviews: Japan; Hazel O’Connor; Adam & the Ants
Lyrics: The Tide Is High – Blondie; Towers Of London – XTC; Dancing With Myself – Generation X; Gentlemen Take Polaroids – Japan; One Man Woman – Sheena Easton; Give Me An Inch – Hazel O’Connor; La-Di-Da- Sad Café; In My Street – The Chords; Let Me Talk – Earth Wind & Fire; I Need Your Lovin’ – Teena Marie; All Out Of Love – Air Supply; Passing Strangers – Ultravox; Heroes – The Stranglers; Whose Problem – Motels; Fashion – David Bowie
Bitz: books: Elvis – The Final Years (Jerry Hopkins), Mixed Up, Shook Up (Riot Stories), The Jam: The Modern World By Numbers (Eel Pie), The Boomtown Rats: Having Their Picture Taken (Peter Stone), The Clash: Before And After (Pennie Smith); Charly Records compilation LPs, Motown Early Years LPs; Brum Beat Live At The Barrel Organ; nuptial news: Jane Mo-dette and Woody Madness, Graham Parker and Jolie, Therese and David Dollar; LKJ in Dub; Nash The Slash; Spandau Ballet; the Selecter; Air Supply; The Stranglers, Hugh Cornwell, Inside Information; all time top ten: Tom Robinson
Single reviews (Mark Ellen): Terry Keeps His Clips On – Vivian Stanshall; Ai No Corrida – Chas Jankel; Expertise – The Books; Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen – The Colonel; Party In Paris – U.K. Subs; Mr. Jones – Psychedelic Furs; Meltdown With The Ramones – The Ramones; Strange Thing – Buzzcocks; Mr X – Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls; Into The Lens – Yes / Some Are Born – John Anderson; She’s In Love With Mystery – Thompson Twins; Dark Park Creeping – Mo-dettes; I Don’t Want My Body – Piranhas; Teacher Teacher - Rockpile
Album reviews (David Hepworth / Steve Taylor / Bev Hillier / Mark Ellen): Remain In Light – Talking Heads; Love Zombies – Monochrome Set; Chinatown – Thin Lizzy; Faces – Earth Wind and Fire; Marie Marie – Shakin Stevens; Just Supposin’ – Status Quo; Making Movies – Dire Straits; Organisation – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark; A-Z – Colin Newman
Independent Singles (Mike Stand): I Confess – Dorothy (Industrial); In The Stars – Witchfynde (Rondelet); I Wanna Be A Detective – Brooklyn (Rondelet); Following You – The Fans (Fried Egg); Thinking Of You – Hot Snax (Zuppe Parese); Master Mind – Mikey Dread (Dread At The Controls); Precinct – The Cravats; Hungry Or Angry – Medium Medium
Independent Albums (Mike Stand): Killing Joke – Killing Joke (EG); Fireside Favourites – Fad Gadget (Mute); Even When I’m Not – Harry Kakoulli (Oval); Misty In Roots (People Unite); Wanna Buy A Bridge (Rough Trade); That’s What I Like About Me – Eric Random (New Hormones)
Other: Strange Tales From A Music Paper

October 16 - 29, 1980

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Cover: The Police
Centrespread: Madness & the Mo-dettes
Back cover: Kate Bush
Interviews: The Police; The Tourists; The Teardrop Explodes
Lyrics: 1-2-3 – The Professionals; Trouble – Gillan; What You’re Proposing – Status Quo; Gotta Pull Myself Together – The Nolans; A Woman In Love – Barbra Streisand; Casanova – Coffee; History Of The World Part 1 – The Damned; Dog Eat Dog – Adam & the Ants; When You Ask About Love – Matchbox; Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts? – Showaddywaddy; I Don’t Want To Go To Chelsea – Elvis Costello & the Attractions; You’re Lying – Linx; When I Dream – Teardrop Explodes; Goodbye Civilian – Skids; Miles Away – John Foxx
Bitz: Undertones; Rod Stewart; PiL; Malcolm Owen; Queen; Hazel O’Connor & Megahype; Joe Strummer, Lee Dorsey; Cheap Trick, Tom Petersen; Dance Craze; John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy; Linx, David Grant, Sketch; Moondogs, Andrew Loog Oldham; Stray Cats; Trojan Records; Coffee, Leonora Dee Bryant, Glenda Hester, Elaine Sims; Tiger Lily, Dennis Leigh, John Foxx; Pauline Murray; Splodgenessabounds; The Elephant Man, David Bowie; all time top ten: Julian Cope
Single reviews (Steve Taylor): The Puppet – Echo and the Bunnymen; Gentlemen Take Polaroids – Japan; The Swimmer – The Passions; Nice Age – Yellow Magic Orchestra; Talk In Toytown – Polystyrene; Army Dreamers – Kate Bush; I Like Chinese – Monty Python; Monkey Jive – Tiger Lily; Touch And Go – The Cars; Who’s Gonna Tell Mary? – Moondogs; Dancing With Myself – Gen X; Move On Up – Flying Lizards; Apocalypso – Monochrome Set; Towers Of London - XTC
Album reviews (Bev Hillier / Red Starr / David Hepworth): Triumph – The Jacksons; Midnite Dynamos – Matchbox; Seconds Of Pleasure – Rockpile; Behind Closed Doors – Secret Affair; Fancy Footwork – The Dance Band; Imagination Camouflage – Jimmy Pursey; Beat Crazy – Joe Jackson; Kilimanjaro – Teardrop Explodes; The River – Bruce Springsteen
Independent News: The Slits; Factory Records, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, Crispy Ambulance, Durutti Column, Kevin Hewick, Blurt, The Royal Family & The Poor; New Order; Another Pretty Face; Red Beat (Malicious Damage); The Four Be Twos, The Bollocks Brothers; Faulty Record, Alternative Hits, Chelsea, Snappy Turns, Mark Perry
Other: The Smash Hits Rock And Roll O Level; Strange Tales From A Music Paper

October 2 - 15, 1980

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Cover: Gary Numan
Centrespread: Paul Weller
Back cover: Robert Palmer
Interviews: Gary Numan, Rockpile, Bad Manners
Lyrics: Enola Gay – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark; I Got You – Split Enz; The Quarter Moon – The VIPs; I Told You So – The Tourists; My Old Piano – Diana Ross; If You’re Looking For A Way Out – Odyssey; D.I.S.C.O. – Ottawan; Three Little Birds – Bob Marley & The Wailers; Amigo – Black Slate; You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC; Another One Bites The Dust – Queen; White Riot – The Clash; Special Brew – Bad Manners; Temporary Secretary – Paul McCartney; Killer On The Loose – Thin Lizzy
Single reviews (David Hepworth): Rock Hard – Suzi Quatro; Monkey Suit – Plasmatics; Stoking Up The Fires Of Hell – Quartz; The History Of The World Part 1 – Damned; When You Ask About Love – Matchbox; The Wanderer – Donna Summer; All Along The Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix; Baby It’s You – Dolly Mixtures; Modern Romance – Modern Romance; Trouble – Gillan; Waiting For The Weekend – Vapors; Keep On Working – Pete Townshend
Album reviews (David Hepworth / Bev Hillier / Red Starr / Mark Ellen / Ian Cranna): Zenyatta Mondatta – Police; The Piranhas – The Piranhas; Trance And Dance – Martha & The Muffins; The Absolute Game – Skids; Waiting For A Miracle – Comsat Angels; Shot In The Dark – The Inmates; More Specials – The Specials; Empires And Dance – Simple Minds; Scary Monsters – David Bowie
Independent Singles: Can’t Look Straight / Flash Cards – Smega / five “songs” by Non (Mute); Fireside Favourites / Insecticide – Fad Gadget (Mute); Requiem / Change – Killing Joke (Malicious Damage)
Independent feature: Josef K, Malcolm Ross, Paul Haig, David Weddell, Ronnie Torrance
Other: Strange Tales From A Music Paper