Nicole - Ein bißchen Frieden - A Little Peace

'Ein bißchen Frieden' ('A Little Peace' in English) is a song in German, written by prolific German Eurovision-writing duo Ralph Siegel (music) and Bernd Meinunger (lyrics) for the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

It was performed by 17-year old high school student Nicole, resulting in Germany's first win at the Eurovision Song Contest by a record margin of sixty one points, setting a new record for the largest winning margin that lasted until the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, where 'Love Shine a Light' by Katrina and the Waves won by 70 points.

After winning the contest, Nicole performed the reprise in four different languages: German, English, French and Dutch, and released recordings in five additional languages across Europe : Danish, Italian, Russian, and a German-English-Dutch combination and a German-English-Italian combination. It topped the charts in many countries, selling more than three million copies and the English version was the last Eurovision winner to top the charts in the United Kingdom.

The English version also holds the honour of becoming the 500th British Number One.

Click the link below to downoad the following:
Eurovision Main Performance
Eurovision Winners Performance
TOTP Performance
A Little Peace UK Single Version
Ein Bisschen Frieden German Single Version
Een beetje vrede - Netherlands Single Version
La Paix sur Terre - French Single Version
En Smule Fred - Danish Single Version
Thank You Merci Danke - UK Single B-Side
Thank You Merci Danke - German Single B-Side
Thank You Merci Danke - Netherlands Single B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?ax9ki1acc8d96

Tom Tom Club - Wordy Rappinghood

Tom Tom Club is an American new wave band founded in 1981 by husband and wife team Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz, both also known for being bandmembers of Talking Heads.

'Wordy Rappinghood' was the first single released from Tom Tom Club's eponymous debut album.

'Wordy Rappinghood" reached number 7 on the U.K. single chart in 1981. The song also peaked at number 1 on the U.S. Dance Chart.

Click the link below to download the following:
TV Performance
Single Version
Special 12 inch Version
(You Don't Stop) Wordy Rappinghood - UK Single B-Side
Elephant - UK 12 inch B-Side
Spooks - US 12 inch B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?y096s67v9a71j

Bardo - One Step Further

Well it is Eurovision month this month so in cellebration of that I have decided to put up some of the single collections from the 80's.
(I don't have the complete collection of the 80's releases so if anyone does pease get in touch as I would love to complete the collection).

Well I have already put up our winner Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up earlier on this blog. So here is the entry fro the following year 1982.

'One Step Further", written by Simon Jefferies, was the United Kingdom's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1982, performed by Sally Ann Triplett and Stephen Fischer, comprising the duo Bardo.

Their song 'One step further' finished seventh in the Contest, which was below the expectations.

The single itself finished at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

Two subsequent singles, 'Talking out of line' and 'Hang on to your heart' failed to chart, which led to album plans being shelved and Bardo finally dissolving in 1983.

Click the link below to download the following:
Eurovision Entry
Eurovison Song Promo
TOTP Christmas Performance
Single Version
Lady Of The Night - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?8o8uck2e7d9ri

Tracey Ullman - Terry

After having had success with 'They Don't Know', composed and recorded by Kirsty MacColl.

Tracey Ullman recorded another Kirsty MacColl track, 'Terry' in 1984, shortly after the original version by MacColl had been a hit.

The single was not very different from the original which was why it did not become a hit.

This single only made it to number 89 in the UK Single Chart.


Click the link below to download the following:
Video
Single Version
I Don't Want Our Loving To Die - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?nqo7mc8ls87ab

Royal Wedding Prince William Kate Middleton

Would like to wish both Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton a happy wedding and life together.

Strawberry Switchblade - Trees And Flowers

Strawberry Switchblade was a female pop rock band formed in Scotland in 1981 by Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall.

Their first single, released in 1983, was entitled 'Trees And Flowers' and was released after they met Bill Drummond, a Scottish musician who went on to form The KLF.

The single was released in July 1983, and sold over 10,000 copies. It was featured at number 47 in John Peel's 1983 Festive 50.

'Trees and Flowers' was about agoraphobia, since band member Jill suffered from it.

Click the link below to download the following:
Single Version
Extended Version
Go Away - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?ou11y4jyw4md8

I Start Counting - Lose Him

I Start Counting were an electronic music duo from North London.

The band consisted of David Baker and Simon Leonard and were signed to Mute records in 1984.

The bands fifth single released was entitled 'Lose Him' and was released in 1988.

Like all their singles this one did not chart.

Click the link below to download the following:
Video
Single Version
12 inch Version
Pascal Gabriel Remix Version
See How It Cuts - B-Side
See How It Cuts - Limited Edition Extended ClubDub Dance Remix Version
Tie Me Tight - Extra Track

http://www.mediafire.com/?li5lber4cn6jz

The Associates - Those First Impressions

The 13th single releasaed by The Associates was entitled 'Those First Impressions'.

Released in 1984, from the album 'Perhaps' the single made it to number 43 on the UK Singles Chart

Click the link below to download the following:
Video
Single Version
Extended Version
Thirteen Feelings - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?hg69mfwc867ei

Randy Crawford - One Day I'll Fly Away

'One Day I'll Fly Away' is a song with music by Joe Sample and words by Will Jennings, performed by Randy Crawford and released in 1980.

The song peaked at number two on the UK Top 40 in September 1980, and was the 25th biggest selling single there in that year.

Click the link below to download the following:
Single Version
Blue Flame - B-Side


http://www.mediafire.com/?5ijzstj5ldwgj

Hot Chocolate - No Doubt About It

'No Doubt About It' was a May 1980 single, by the UK pop group, Hot Chocolate.

It became their highest-charting hit of the 1980s, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

'No Doubt About It' was released on RAK label and spent eleven weeks in the chart.

The tune was written by Mike L. Burns, Glen and Donny Most.

Unusually, the song deals with the experiences of a man who, apparently, witnesses a UFO landing.

Click the link below to download the following:
Video
Single Version
Gimmie Some Of Your Lovin' - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?hbwxnq50juucx

Soft Cell - What!

Soft Cell released their 10th single in 1982 entitled 'What!'.

Released on the Some Bizzare label the single was taken from the Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing Album.

The single managed to make it to number 3 in the UK singles chart.

Click the link below to download the following:
Video
Single Version
12 inch Version
So - B-Side
Memorabelia - Extra Track

http://www.mediafire.com/?szf7rsxm9maj8

Dead Or Alive - I'm Falling

Dead or Alive was founded in Liverpool by Pete Burns, who was encouraged by local music promoters to gather a band together based on his outrageous appearance alone.

In 1980, after several line-up changes since the start of the year, and just before they were to record a radio session for John Peel, Burns changed the name of the band from Nightmare In Wax to the more marketable Dead Or Alive.

'I'm Falling' was the first single released by the band in 1980 on the Inevitable Music label with the b-side 'Flowers'.

The single failed to make a dent on the charts.

This single is very different to the pop dance stuff that made the band famous.

Click the link below to download the following:
Single Version
Flowers - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?88q2nc14z40lz

Sade - Hang On Top Your Love

'Hang On To Your Love" is a song by the English group Sade from their debut album, Diamond Life.

Although 'Hang On To Your Love' was the fourth and last single from Sade's debut album 'Diamond life' in Europe, it was released almost at the same time in the USA as Sade's first single in 1984.

The single managed to make it to number 28 in the Dutch top 40 and number 5 on the Hot Dance Club chart in the US. Ths single was not released in the UK.

Click the link below to download the following:

Video

Single Version

Dance Version

Instruemental Version

US Remix Version

Should I Love You - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?idgg40a2m16n3

Happy Easter

I would like to wish everybody a great Easter Holiday.

Will be back after the holiday. Hope you all enjoy yourselves.

Michael x

Frankie Part 1 Complete

Well I have to say that I have enjoyed going through some of the early stuff of Frankie Goes To Hollywood. A bit of indulgence I know but I enjoyed it.

That is it for this section of Frankie. Will visit again for another week later in the year when I will be looking at some of the following singles that were released and some stuff by the band Big In Japan.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Welcome To The Pleasuredome - Album

Welcome to the Pleasuredome was the debut album by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, first released in the UK in October 1984 by ZTT/Island Records. Originally issued as a vinyl double album, it was assured of a UK chart entry at number one due to reported advance sales of over one million.

Whilst commercially successful, the album also drew criticism for containing new versions of the group's (already much-remixed) hit singles from the same year ('Relax' and 'Two Tribes', plus B-side 'War'), as well as a surfeit of cover versions in lieu of much new original material.

However, the album's evergreen ballad 'The Power of Love' would subsequently provide the group with their third consecutive UK number one single.

Trackisting:
01 - The World Is My Oyster - Snatch of Fury (Stay)
02 - Welcome to the Pleasuredome
03 - Relax (Come Fighting
04 - War (...and Hide)
05 - Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment) including The Last Voice
06 - Ferry (Go)
07 - Born to Run
08 - Happy Hi
09 - Wish (The Lads Were Here)
10 - Including The Ballad of 32
11 - Krisco Kisses
12 - Black Night White Light
13 - The Only Star in Heaven
14 - The Power of Love
15 - Bang

Click the link below to download the album:

http://www.mediafire.com/?1bwjqvr7rj91i

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Larks In the Parks

In 1982 Frankie Goes to Hollywood line-up was quite unstable. Holly Jonson and Peter Gill (a.k.a. Ped, drums) had just left the Sons of Egypt and teamed up with Mark O’Toole (bass) to form a new band, FGTH, using the name of Johnson’s former band (with Steve Lovell, guitar, and Ambrose Reynolds, bass).

At this point they started looking for a guitarist. Johnson recalls:

‘We tried out a few guitarists from the echelons of Mark [O’Toole]’s family. There were two brothers who could both play, Vinny and Ged, the latter becoming the guitarist for the first performances, though neither was a very important part of the sound which was dominated by the rhythm section. Ped and I had tried to get the guitarist from the Jazz [a.k.a. Jass] Babies to join, but without success.’

After having tried for a short period of time a female singer, Sonia M, Johnson finally replaced her with Paul Rutherford (former Spitfire Boys, English Opium Eaters). This line-up would eventually perform at the Larks in the Parks festival, in Sefton Park.

These are Holly Johnson’s memories about the event:

‘Soon the Larks in the Parks, an annual open-air event for the local bands, came up. We made sure we got a place on the bill, and planned our appearance down to the last detail. We should have a delayed start when we would play car crash sounds from the Mad Max soundtrack which Paul provided. I wore a pair of old leather chaps with G string, which meant that my arse was exposed at the back, and I got someone to paint one cheek pink and the other blue with oil pastel crayons. A black-and-white publicity photo by John Stoddard of this made it look as if my cheeks had been whipped with a riding crop.

Paul and I each dragged a Leather Pet on to the stage pulling at a chain attached to a dog-collar around their necks. The sisters from Kirkby (the Muscatelli sisters, Julie and Marie) posed as captive slaves for us. Slowly we chained them to the drum kit, then launched into ‘Two Tribes’. We had only about eight songs at the time, if that. We sometimes did an impromptu version of the Mickey Mouse Club song to lighten things up a bit.

‘I walked down the ramp on the lake during one of the first songs. When I turned to return to the stage there was an audible gasp from the audience, provoked by my exposed arse. Near the end of the set I asked the audience if we should release the Leather Pets. We did, and they came gyrating to the front of the stage. Dancing wasn’t their strong point we realised, so for subsequent shows we kept them tied up for as long as possible. People left the park bemused, but still talking about what they had seen.’

(Holly Johnson, A Bone in My Flute, 146-47)

Larks in the Park - Sefton Park, Liverpool - 29th July 1982

01 -Two tribes
02 - Welcome to the Pleasuredome
03 - Relax
04 - Disneyland
05 - The World is My Oyster

Click the link below to download the set list above:

http://www.mediafire.com/?y9ceayaboc8m7

Holly Johnson - Hobo Joe

Well before Frankie Goes To Hollywood had become a relaity, Holly Johnson had already recorded 2 singles of his own.

In 1980 Holly Johnson released his second solo single entitled 'Hobo Joe'.

Click the link below to download the following:
Hobo Joe - Single Verison
Stars of the Bars - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?hiuc93fd21c06

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Hope 'N' Ancor and Phonogram Demo's

Frankie Goes To Hollywood were beginning to attract attention and, in mid-1982 Arista Records paid for demos of 'Relax' and 'Two Tribes' to be recorded.

Even though Arista didn’t like the result and dropped the group, they managed to shoot a cheap video of both songs, filmed at London’s Hope & Anchor.

Click the link below to download the Hope 'N' Anchor Demo's

http://www.mediafire.com/?g0vagxh0n7u58

A few month later the group got money from Phonograms records for demos and they recorded 'Love Has Got A Gun' and 'Junk Funk'.

I have also included a further 2 demos entitled 'Drum Up some' and 'Living In Limbo' as part of this packedge.

Click the link below to download the Early Demo's

http://www.mediafire.com/?cie7izqsb0b80

Frankie Goes to hollywood - The John Peel Sessions

After the band had changed their name from Sons Of Egypt to Frankie Goes To Hollywood the band had been rehearsing when they got the oportunity to record a session for the John Peel Radio Show.

This first session was recorded and broadcast on 2nd December 1982.

The tracklist was as follows:
01 - The World Is My Oyster 4:04
02 - Krisco Kissess 2:33
03 - Two Tribes 3:39
04 - Disneyland 2:26

Click the link below to download this session:

http://www.mediafire.com/?6yncfqj5fyo4c

Following on from the Kid Jenson session earlier in 1983 Frankie Goes To Hollywood was asked to return to the John Peel Show to record a 2nd session. This one was broadcast on 19th December 1983. The single Relax had been released and was shortly to bring the band the success they had hoped for.

Here is the running order of the 2nd session:
01 - Get It On
02 - The Power Of Love
03 - Junk Funk
04 - The Other Side Of Midnight

Click the lnk below to download the 2nd session:

http://www.mediafire.com/?17jc9996tnkbo

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Kid Jenson Session Tapes

As I have now completed the first 4 single by the band Frankie Goes To Hollywood I thought that it would be great to share the early recordings and sessions that are available back then. The first of these is the Kid Jenson session.

It was Christmas 1982 and Frankie were the most talked about band on Merseyside.

In Liverpool at this time was a Tube researcher looking to interview Dead Or Alive for a Tube special on Liverpool. But finding Pete Burns inactive, Mick Sawyer sought out Frankie saying that The Tube would make a video for them.

“Frankie were just an averagely bright rock band,” muses Sawyer. “They had a lot of unfinished ideas and an image only The Tube would touch.”

The video was shot in the city’s State Ballroom — now a disco — and stands as one of the most eloquent documents of the original, unretouched Frankie, with Holly delivering a near-monosyllabic version of 'Relax'. It was a memorable day.

Radio interest was beginning to pick up again, with John Peel repeating his session and Kid Jensen commissioning 'Welcome To The Pleasure Dome', 'The Only Star In Heaven' and 'Relax 2' for his early evening show.

In February 1983 FGTH recorded the session for Kid Jensen ( DJ on Radio One). The track-listing for the session was as follows:

Jensen Session (February 1983)
01 - The Only Star in Heaven
02 - Welcome to the Pleasuredome
03 - Invade My Heart
04 - Relax 2 (Shoot in the Right Direction)

When it went out on the air, unknown to the band someone - someone with influence - was listening: record producer Trevor Horn. The rest is history.

Click the link below to download the session:

http://www.mediafire.com/?crt7gfyyzf4i9

Sons Of Egypt - Shake Shake

After the split of the first line-up of FGTH (including Ambrose Reynolds and Steve Lovell) Johnson was quite active and productive in the underground musical scene.

Among the relics of the period 1980-1982 are the demos recorded with the Sons of Egypt.

The band got a performance on Granada TV as the band Sons Of Egypt. One of those songs was called 'Shake Shake' which the band also recorded as a demo.

Click the link below to download the following:
Shake Shake - Demo
Shake shake - Granda TV Performance

http://www.mediafire.com/?s4uzoyz14v3iq

Spitfire Boys - British Refugee

Now to an early band that featured Paul Rutherford.

From the outskirts of Liverpool (St. Helens) the Spitfire Boys first got together under that name on 14th May 1977. They formed some 6 weeks earlier, after meeting The Heartbreakers and finding they needed a support band for an upcoming gig.

Originally called The Blackmailers their new name came courtesy of Wayne County.

The original singer, Mike Rigby, was sacked after 2 or 3 gigs, and after that the band featured Paul Rutherford aka Maggot on vocals, Dave Littler aka Jones on guitar, Peter Griffiths aka Zero and Budgie (Peter Clarke aka Blister) on drums.

Their first proper gig was supporting Johnny & The Heartbreakers at "Parr Hall", Palmyra Square, Warrington, WA1 1BL.

The Spitfire Boys were the first Liverpool punk band to release a single. This was 'British Refugee' backed with the controversial 'Mein Kampf' on the 'R.K.O' label, 7th October 1977.

The band were stars in their home town but never really broke into the London scene after playing a few gigs down there (at The Vortex, supporting their friends The Slits). Early December 'Pete Wylie' joined the band for two or three rehearsals, but due to the lack of strong management the band folded. From being one of the first Punk bands to form in Liverpool, they were also one of the first to disband. This happened on Thursday 22nd December 1977.

Click the link belowt o download the following:
British Refugee - Single Version
Mein Kampf - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?y60ym16zldx8z