Showing posts with label Feargal Sharkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Feargal Sharkey. Show all posts

Sunday 30 May 2010

Someone to somebody - Feargal Sharkey

'Someone to somebody' was released in 1986 as the third single from Feargal Sharkey's self-titled debut album. In the UK, the single was released in a limited edition poster sleeve, featuring a live photograph and six different versions of the cover.

The single was Sharkey's least successful single up to that point, as it only reached number 64 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4908
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Someone to somebody' / 'Cold water'

Sunday 24 January 2010

A good heart - Feargal Sharkey

'A good heart' was written by Maria McKee about her relationship with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboard player Benmont Tench. The track was recorded in 1985 by Feargal Sharkey and produced by David A. Stewart from the Eurythmics. It was released as Sharkey's debut solo single, after having been in the band the Undertones for seven years.

It was a very successful debut, topping the charts in the UK and the Netherlands in November 1985 and February 1986 respectively.

My collection: 7" single no. 4434
Found: Kringloop, Sassenheim, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,12 euro
Tracks: 'A good heart' / 'Anger is holy'

Sunday 20 December 2009

Out of my system - Feargal Sharkey

Feargal Sharkey's solo career took off with a bang in 1985, with his self-titled debut album and the associated hit singles 'A good heart' and 'You little thief'. When his second album 'Wish' was released in 1988, much of his fans had moved on and new audiences were not attracted. The album was considered a flop, just like the singles that were released from it.

'Out of my system' was one of these singles. It didn't reach the chart in any territory. I bought it after a long time of seeing it in the shop were I came regularly.

My collection: 7" single no. 2078
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 26, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Out of my system' / 'A touch of blue'

Monday 30 November 2009

To miss someone - Feargal Sharkey

'To miss someone' is another single from Feargal Sharkey's 1991 album 'Songs from the mardi gras'. Since I liked the album and especially the near-title track ('After the mardi gras'), I decided to buy all the singles from that album. 'To miss someone', however, is not one of the strongest tracks on the album. The real treat here is the acoustic performance of 'I'll take it back', originally also a track on the album.

The single did not chart in the UK, and the fact that this single is a promotional copy adds some credibility to the assumption that DJ's rather sold off the disc than play it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2339
Found: London, June 26, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'To miss someone' / 'I'll take it back (live)'

Sunday 15 November 2009

Never never - The Assembly

When Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode, he had a brief period of working with various other artists. His first project was Yazoo, together with Alison Moyet, and then in 1983 he got together with Feargal Sharkey to record a single as The Asssembly. 'Never never' featured a sampled guitar track, triggered note for note on a Fairlight CMI.

Vince Clarke and producer Daniel Radcliffe had planned to record more tracks as The Assembly, using a different singer on each track, but none were released after 'Never never'. This one single was a big success nevertheless, reaching number 4 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 996
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Never never' / 'Stop/Start'

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Women and I - Feargal Sharkey

Once I'd bought the cd 'After the mardi gras' by Feargal Sharkey I decided I wanted to have the 7" singles taken from that album as well. All this despite the fact that I didn't actually play that cd very often. I liked it enough, and so I went for it.

'Women & I' was one of these singles, released in the summer of 1991. The single did not chart, ringing in the end of Sharkey's musical career.

My collection: 7" single no. 2246
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Women & I' / 'I'll take it back (live)'

Wednesday 14 October 2009

Cry like a rainy day - Feargal Sharkey

I actually have no idea whether Feargal Sharkey's 'Cry like a rainy day' was released as a single commercially. My copy of the single is made for promotion, with a peculiar catalogue number 'HEY MR DJ 1'. The single features two tracks from his 1991 album 'After the mardi gras'.

The title track is featured on the B-side and the real reason for me buying this single. I heard the track on a cd-single I bought a few months before (for a measly 1 guilder) and didn't pass up on the opportunity to have it on vinyl as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 2535
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Cry like a rainy day' / 'After the mardi gras'

Thursday 8 October 2009

More love - Feargal Sharkey

Released three years after its predecessor, 'Wish' is the second solo album by Feargal Sharkey. It disappointed commercially, with the singles underperforming in the singles chart and the album not selling too well either.

The first single from the album was 'More love', a dynamic song with bittersweet lyrics. It reached number 44 in the UK singles chart - the only single from the album to even reach the chart, by the way.

My collection: 7" single no. 747
Found: V&D, Den Haag, February 17, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'More love' / 'A breath of scandal'

Wednesday 16 September 2009

You little thief - Feargal Sharkey

'You little thief' was the fourth single taken from Feargal Sharkey's successful debut album 'Feargal Sharkey' (1985). It followed up the UK and Netherlands number 1 hit 'A good heart'.

This single became almost equally successful, peaking at number 5 in the UK singles chart. It also reached number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 407
Found: V&D, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'You little thief' / 'The living actor'

Friday 13 March 2009

Loving you - Feargal Sharkey

Feargal Sharkey's solo career began in 1984 with the single 'Listen to your father', which he co-wrote with Cathal Smyth from Madness. That single peaked at number 23 in the UK. The second solo single was released in early 1985. Called 'Loving you', this single reached number 26 in the UK, but also number 23 in Switzerland. It would only be a matter of time before Sharkey had a big international breakthrough with 'A good heart', which gave him a top 10 all over Europe.

Both 'Listen to your father' and 'Loving you' were omitted from Feargal Sharkey's self-titled debut album, which was released in 1985. This makes both the singles great collector's items. Personally, I always thought 'Loving you' was the better of the two.

My collection: 7" single no. 1297
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 30p
Tracks: 'Loving you' / 'Is this an explanation?'

Tuesday 24 February 2009

I've got news for you - Feargal Sharkey

Feargal Sharkey was born on August 13, 1958 in Derry, Northern Ireland. In 1976 he was co-founder of the pop group the Undertones. Then in 1983 he went solo. Sharkey's debut single was a collaboration with Madness member Cathal Smyth titled 'Listen to your father', which reached number 23 in the UK in late 1984.

'I've got news for you' was taken from Sharkey's last solo album 'Songs from the Mardi Gras' (1991). I bought the cd-single in the early Nineties in a shop in the centre of Den Haag, which was selling discs for 1 guilder a piece. The cd-single contained an older single by Sharkey, 'Loving you', which I wanted to have on cd. So by chance I heard this song, which subsequently I bought on 7" vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2252
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 4, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I've got news for you' / 'I can't begin to stop'


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