Showing posts with label Kim Wilde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kim Wilde. Show all posts

Friday 16 April 2010

It's here - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde seemingly finished the Eighties in a winning mood: she'd toured with Michael Jackson, her album 'Close' had been a phenomenal success, and superstardom was looming. But meanwhile, she wasn't quite that happy. She'd witnessed the intense loneliness stardom could bring while she was watching Michael Jackson and it wasn't that easy to come up with an equally successful album after 'Close'.

The first single from Kim's 1990 album 'Love moves' was the optimistic 'It's here'. When this single stalled at number 42 in the UK singles chart and was unsuccessful in several other territories, it was a first sign that the Nineties could be a bit troublesome for the British singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 1200
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, March 30, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'It's here' / 'Virtual world'

Monday 12 April 2010

Love in the natural way - Kim Wilde

Such was the success of Kim Wilde's sixth album 'Close', that the record company decided to release a fifth single in early 1989. 'Love in the natural way' was released in Germany, Ireland and the UK only, but failed to chart in Germany. In the UK singles chart, the single reached number 32, whereas in Ireland it reached number 26.

This was Kim's final single release of the Eighties, the decade in which she had become the biggest selling British female solo singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 764
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, March 9, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Love in the natural way' / 'You'll be the one who'll lose'

Wednesday 17 February 2010

Four letter word - Kim Wilde

Released in November 1988, 'Four letter word' was the first ballad released by Kim Wilde as a single. All through her career, which at the time spanned eight years, she'd released up-tempo songs, but the fourth single from her very successful sixth album 'Close' was in a sense a novelty. It was also the last single by Kim Wilde to be written by her brother Ricky and her father Marty. Kim had become increasingly involved in songwriting and Marty was stepping down.

The single was another successful release, peaking at number 8 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 6 in the UK singles chart. The B-side of this single was a new version of a track from her previous album, 'Another step' (1986).

My collection: 7" single no. 690
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 24, 1988
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Four letter word' / 'She hasn't got time for you '88'

Monday 18 January 2010

Never trust a stranger - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde recorded 'Never trust a stranger' as a track on her sixth album 'Close'. It was released as the third single from the album in the autumn of 1988 in a remixed version, made by Ricky Wilde, Kim's brother.

The single became another big hit for Kim, reaching number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK, a limited edition gatefold sleeve of this single was available.

My collection: 7" single no. 662
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, October 7, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Never trust a stranger' / 'Wotcha gonna do'

Wednesday 6 January 2010

You came - Kim Wilde

Despite the absence of a sexual connotation, a lot of people could relate to the lyric of Kim Wilde's 1988 hit single 'You came'. Kim wrote the lyric of the song after the birth of her nephew Marty, son of her brother Ricky. It also helped that at the time of this single's release, Kim was touring Europe supporting Michael Jackson on his 'Bad' tour. More people heard her songs, and so more people bought them.

'You came' reached number 1 in Denmark and was a top 10 hit all over Europe - with the exception of the Netherlands, where it only reached number 13. In the UK singles chart, 'You came' reached number 3.

My collection: 7" single no. 639
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 9, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'You came' / 'Stone'

Sunday 20 December 2009

Hey mister heartache - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde made her return to the limelight with this 1988 single, 'Hey mister heartache', the first single from her sixth album 'Close'. The track was written by Kim with her guitarist Steve Byrd and featured Junior Giscombe on backing vocals.

The single was only a minor hit, reaching number 37 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 31 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" singel no. 605
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 23, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hey mister heartache' / 'Tell me where you are'

Sunday 13 December 2009

Say you really want me - Kim Wilde

Although 'Say you really want me' was released as a single in the USA in late 1986, in conjunction with the movie 'Running scared' in which the song was featured, the single was only released in the UK and Australia in July 1987. The single featured a newly remixed version, made by Kim's brother Ricky Wilde.

Two videos were made for this release - one to accompany the 7" version, and a second extended one to promote the song in clubs. This video remix was also released in the UK on a second 12" single. The video was considered 'too raunchy' for children's television, and so it was banned by presenter Timmy Mallett. The single, meanwhile, reached number 29 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 555
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 7 guilders
Tracks: 'Say you really want me' / 'Don't say nothing's changed'

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Another step (closer to you) - Kim Wilde and Junior

Since today is Kim Wilde's 49th birthday, I thought it would be appropriate to post a single by her today. This is 'Another step (closer to you)', a duet with Junior Giscombe. The track was always going to be a duet, but when a demo version lacked soul, the idea to use Junior on it was born.

The single was released as the third single from Kim's 1986 album 'Another step', and became a top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 6 in the UK singles chart. When 'You keep me hangin' on' became a number 1 hit in the USA, the single was also released as the follow-up over there, but with much less success.

My collection: 7" single no. 528
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Another step (closer to you)' / 'Hold back'

Monday 26 October 2009

You keep me hangin' on - Kim Wilde

Although I was always a Kim Wilde fan during my teens, this single caused a bit of a controversy back in 1986, when it was released. My brother swore it was the worst cover version of any song he'd ever heard, while I wrote in to the fanclub saying that any track from the album 'Another step' would have been a better choice than this track.

Of course, we were both wrong. The single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart - equalling the success of her debut single 'Kids in America' five years before - and reached the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1987. Kim commented about the song: 'I remembered the song from a long time back on the radio. It wasn't a song I had in my collection, it wasn't a song I would play a lot. So when I went into the studio to record it, it was really fresh in my mind. That's why I think it's such a fresh version of that song.'

My collection: 7" single no. 457
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, September 20, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'You keep me hangin' on' / 'Loving you'

Friday 18 September 2009

Schoolgirl - Kim Wilde

'Schoolgirl' was released in the summer of 1986 as the first single from Kim Wilde's fifth studio album 'Another step'. The song was written shortly after the Chernobyl disaster by Kim Wilde herself, marking the first time that a song co-written by her was released as a single. Produced by her brother Ricki Wilde and German producer Reinhold Heil (who'd previously worked with Nena, amongst others), the single was released in Europe and Australia only.

The single reached number 7 in the Danish chart and number 38 in Germany. In other territories, the single didn't chart, prompting the UK record company to skip this single altogether and choose another track as the first single from the album: 'You keep me hangin' on'.

My collection: 7" single no. 415
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, June 19, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Schoolgirl' / 'Songs about love'

Saturday 12 September 2009

Rage to love - Kim Wilde

'Rage to love' was the third and last single from Kim Wilde's fourth album 'Teases & dares'. The track was remixed for the single by rock 'n' roll legend Dave Edmunds. Kim commented: 'We got Dave Edmunds to remix that and it sounded very Stray Cats-ish. But I just thought it had the best energy of any record from that time, unlike myself. I didn't have an awful lot at that time. I kinda let things go, lost control a bit, became a bit jaded.'

Still, the single became Kim's biggest hit in the UK for three years, reaching the UK top 20, peaking at number 19. The B-side, 'Putty in your hands' is a non-album track and a cover version of the song originally performed by the Yardbirds.

My collection: 7" single no. 271
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Rage to love' / 'Putty in your hands'

Thursday 3 September 2009

The touch - Kim Wilde

The second single from Kim Wilde's 1984 album 'Teases & dares', entitled 'The touch', didn't do much to restore her image in her native UK. She hadn't had a top 20 hit since 1982's 'View from a bridge', and this one didn't even make the top 50. Peaking at number 56, it qualified as a real disappointment.

Outside of the UK, things were not quite that problematic. The single reached number 20 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 29 in Germany. The single was also released as a shaped picture disc and featured for the first time a composition by Kim Wilde herself: 'Shangri-la' was included as the B-side track. Plus quite a lovely sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 252
Found: LP Top 100, 1984
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The touch' / 'Shangri-la'

Tuesday 25 August 2009

Young heroes - Kim Wilde

I don't buy many Kim Wilde singles anymore, since my collection is fairly complete. But sometimes a rare item pops up, and I have to have it. I was lucky to find this one for a fairly reasonable price - and that's including the price I had to pay for flying it over from the country where it was made!

'Young heroes' is a track from Kim Wilde's 1981 debut album. That album was released in America in 1982, so I guess it's logical that this single, made in Peru, came out in 1983. 'Young heroes' was not a single in any other country, although a flexi disc from Russia also exists. But that one is without a B-side, and this one is.

My collection: 7" single no. 4010
Found: eBay.com, received August 25, 2009
Cost: 13 euro
Tracks: 'Young heroes' / 'Our town'

Thursday 13 August 2009

The second time - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde left RAK Records in 1984 and signed a new recording contract with MCA Records. They launched Kim Wilde with a new image, courtesy of XL Design, who were also responsible for the images of Wham! and Frankie goes to Hollywood back then. Kim's new single 'The second time' sounded fresh and exciting, the video was vibrant and full of energy and the lyric of 'The second time' was quite daring.

Still, the audiences did not fall for it immediately. The single reached number 24 in the Dutch Top 40 and at number 29 in the UK singles chart. It was quite hard for Kim to come back with a bang. I for one still think this is one of the best singles of her career.

My collection: 7" single no. 244
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'The second time' / 'Lovers on a beach'

Saturday 25 July 2009

House of Salome - Kim Wilde

I knew nothing about this single when I bought it. I had the album 'Catch as catch can', which it was taken from, but I didn't know it was released, and for some time I wondered why. As it turns out, 'House of Salome' was released as a single by RAK Records shortly before Kim's contract with them expired. Hence, she did not do any promotion for it, there was no music video, and the single sunk without a trace.

I found my copy in early 1985, a year after its release. It's one of the standout tracks from Kim's 1983 album, and the sleeve is a gem too; a stunning photograph that has never been used before or since.

My collection: 7" single no. 284
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'House of Salome' / 'Sing it out for love'

Sunday 14 June 2009

Turn back the clock - Johnny hates Jazz

When you know that I collect records by Kim Wilde, you would think that I would have bought Johnny hates Jazz's single 'Turn back the clock' at the drop of a hat, since she's singing backing vocals on this track. But the embarrassing truth is: I didn't know this until a few years later! When I did find out, I had to really hunt for this single.

'Turn back the clock' was the title track of Johnny hates Jazz's debut album, released in 1987. The single peaked at number 12 in the UK and number 5 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1779
Found: Record fair, October 25, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Turn back the clock' / 'Cracking up'


Monday 1 June 2009

Dancing in the dark - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde always got a lot of criticism for singing the songs that were written and composed by her father Marty and her brother Ricky. So for 'Dancing in the dark', help was brought in. Nicky Chinn and Paul Gurvitz wrote the song, and it was included on Kim's third album 'Catch as catch can'.

The single was the biggest flop of her career so far, reaching only number 69 in the UK singles chart. It was still a top 10 hit in Denmark and Switzerland, but it didn't help matters much. Despite a pretty cover and a nice rocking B-side, this single was the first signal that there was a crisis at hand. And rather than just sit and wait, the Wilde team decided to take matters into their own hands. RAK Records was about to be abandoned.

My collection: 7" single no. 217
Found: LP top 100, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Dancing in the dark' / 'Back street driver'


Friday 20 March 2009

Bette Davis Eyes EP - Various artists

The thing I like most about my record collection is that I've got some singles from strange countries. And this one is from a country that doesn't even exist anymore: the German Democratic Republic, otherwise known as East Germany. There have been some fascinating documentaries about life in that country recently, but there's not so much information about the state record company Amiga.

Which is why this EP is pretty hard to find background information on. It contains cover versions of four hits from the year 1981. 'Bette Davis Eyes', originally by Kim Carnes, Kim Wilde's 'Chequered love', 'Hands up' , originally by Ottawan and Abba's well-known song 'Lay all your love on me'. I bought this EP when I saw it because of the cover of 'Chequered love'. Interestingly, Petra Zieger is still in the music business these days as a singer of German Schlagers. That's a long way from this 'painting by numbers' cover of 'Chequered love'.

The quality of the vinyl leaves a bit to be desired, but the tracks are incredibly rare.

My collection: 7" single no. 2925
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 13, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Bette Davis Eyes' (Familie Silly), 'Chequered love' (Petra Zieger) / 'Hands up' (Cantus Chor), 'Lay all your love on me' (Cantus Chor)

Sunday 25 January 2009

Love blonde - Kim Wilde

In 1983, Kim Wilde reinvented herself as a 'Love blonde'. It was the title of her new single, the first to be taken from her third album 'Catch as catch can'. For the first time, I bought a Kim Wilde single while it was still in the charts. I was actually starting to collect her singles, although at that point I don't think I actually realised it.

Kim commented about the song: 'When my dad told me that he wanted to write a song called 'Love Blonde', I just looked at him and said, you know, give me a break, I don't think I could handle the sort of flack I'd get, making a record with a title like that. He just said, 'look, either you do it, or you don't', and that was it. I could see what he was getting at.'

My collection: 7" single no. 206
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Love blonde' / 'Can you hear it'
Download: here

Friday 26 December 2008

Rockin' around the Christmas tree - Mel and Kim

'Rockin' around the Christmas Tree' is a Christmas song, written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958. Although Decca released it in both 1958 and again in 1959, it did not sell well until Lee became a popular star in 1960; that Christmas season, it hit #16 on the Billboard pop chart and turned into a perennial holiday favorite.

Kim Wilde recorded this track together with Mel Smith in order to raise money for Comic Relief. Some extra comedy material was added to the track, written by Mel Smith and Griff Rhys-Jones. The duo named themselves 'Mel & Kim' after the then popular duo Mel & Kim.

My collection: 7" single no. 604
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Rockin' around the Christmas tree' / 'Deck the blooming halls'
Download: here
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