1. Vampire Weekend ft Danielle Haim – Son Of A Preacher Man
2. Miles Kane – Cry On My Guitar
3. Lewis Capaldi – Tough
4. Paul Weller – Movin On
5. Paul McCartney – Come On To Me
This week, saw International Yorkshire Day, so to celebrate, here’s a chart for you to belatedly celebrate.
FIVE SONGS BY ARTISTS FROM YORKSHIRE
1. Pulp – A Little Soul
2. Def Leppard – When Love And Hate Collide
3. Embrace – You’re Not Alone
4. Human League – Tell Me When
5. Kiki Dee – Star
The only way is up for Yazz, as she is this week’s Smash Hits cover star, having been victorious in the Reader’s Poll.
As you open the magazine, there is a feature on Wet Wet Wet, who won Best LP.
Joey Tempest of Europe gives his life advice, revealing that he is obsessed with women.
Beside that, there is a feature on Milli Vanilli. Wether they mimed when being interviewed is not known.
There is a double paged feature on acts who used to be popular but aren’t any more. The featured hasbeens include Bucks Fizz, Human League, Nik Kershaw, Five Star and Hue and Cry.
Another Poll Winner gets a double page profile, Salt N Pepa.
Tanita Tikaram is the subject of a Q and A, revealing that her specialist subject on Mastermind would be Virginia Woolf.
Yazz won Most Exciting New Pop Star, revealing that her real name is Yasmin Evans, but has never been to Wales despite having a Welsh surname.
There is a double page feature on a new trend called Acid House, profiling stars of the scene such as Jungle Brothers, Baby Ford and Carl Fysh.
Bros get a triple page feature (well yes, because there are three of them) after winning a lot of awards, some for their looks and some for their music.
Brother Beyond review the singles, and there is a split in the camp – Nathan and David vote for Habit as Best Single, while Carl and Steve go for Scritti Politti.
Deacon Blue get a lyrics poster accompanied with an interview, where they state they would like to be Dundee’s answer to Bruce Springsteen.
The magazine ends with a poster of U2.
1. The Killers – Run For Cover
2. Arcade Fire – Creature Comfort
3. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Fort Knox
4. Roy Orbison and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – I Drove All Night
5. Yazoo – Only You (2017 Version)
This Sunday is International Men’s Day. So, prepare yourself for some manly charts. Grrrr!!!
If you’re celebrating, enjoy yourself. That’s cool. If it’s just another day to you, enjoy yourself. That’s cool.
Just don’t be a self hating dick about it. Seriously, nobody wants to hear an attention seeker desperate for attention by sticking the boot into people to show how wonderful they are to people who hate them.
SONGS BY MALE SINGERS
1. Prince – Gold
2. John Parr – St Elmo’s Fire
3. Peter Gabriel – Big Time
4. Holly Johnson – Love Train
5. Seal – Kiss From A Rose
SONGS WITH MALE NAMES IN THE TITLE
1. Oasis – Little James
2. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
3. REM – What’s The Frequency Kenneth?
4. Joshua Kaddison – Jesse
5. Rednex – Cotton Eye Joe
SONGS WITH MAN IN THE TITLE
1. Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror
2. Hall and Oates – Family Man
3. Human League – One Man In My Heart
4. The Verve – Lucky Man
5. David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
1. Ellie Goulding – Army
2. Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl
3. Eliza and the Bear – It Gets Cold
4. Kygo ft Maty Noyes – Stay
5. Taylor Swift – Out Of The Woods
Tonight, sees Top Of The Pops : The Story Of 1981 on BBC Four (10pm) looking back at the music of 1981 in anticipation for the repeats of 1981 episodes of Top Of The Pops on BBC Four next Thursday.
As is now tradition, here’s a 1981 chart to get you in the mood.
FIVE SONGS FROM 1981
1. Kim Wilde – Kids In America
2. Human League – Don’t You Want Me Baby
3. Aneka – Japanese Boy
4. Tenpole Tudor – Swords Of A Thousand Men
5. Jo Dolce – Shaddap You Face
Honourable mention for Ossie’s Dream. Even though it’s a rival football team, it’s still a quality tune.
Also, a new series of The Life Of Rock begins on BBC Four next Thursday as well. I cannot recommend that show enough.
1. Chemical Brothers – Go
2. Sunset Sons – She Wants
3. Hidden Cities ft Tim Halperin – Hungry Like The Wolf
4. New Order – Restless
5. Andreya Trian – Gold
Tomorrow, is International Yorkshire Day. So, to celebrate, here’s a musical chart from Yorkshire’s musical output.
FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM YORKSHIRE
1. Pulp – A Little Soul
2. Kaiser Chiefs – Oh My God
3. Kiki Dee – Star
4. Def Leppard – When Love And Hate Collide
5. Human League – Tell Me When
We begin this week with the suavest man in the North-East of England …….. not Jimmy Nail, but Bryan Ferry.
Bryan Ferry wrote “Slave To Love” after Courtney Love won a charity auction for him to be her servant.
And now, a much loved popular Australian* actress and singer ……..
Bet you’re all expecting Kylie.
(* She was actually born in England though. Pity she wasn’t born in Greece, then you could say Olivia Newton John from Grease is from Greece)
And a Legs and Co tribute.
Remember Hilary Duff?
Suede. Anything but Trash. Back in the days when Mat Osman was the most famous member of his family.
Bros are 46 this week.
The answer to that question is, 1988, briefly.
Marc Bolan would have been 67 this week.
Meanwhile, it’s been a while since Sugababes have been on this blog.
Mariska Veres of Shocking Blue would also have been 67 this week, born the day after Marc Bolan.
(WARNING : Intro contains Jimmy Savile)
Don McLean appeared on TOTP a long long time ago, but I can still remember.
Meanwhile, if you ever need your car fixed, why not try Mike Rutherford from Genesis?
I don’t know what i’d do if I ever lost my faith in Sting.
Phil Oakey turned 59 today. He’s only human.
Remember Aqua?
Lynsey De Paul died today. Here she is getting ready for Eurovision in 1977.
And we finish this week, with a not very well drawn boy.
We begin this week with Maria Mulduar’s 71st birthday, and a Brand New Heavies cover of her, a song, not about Noel or Liam Gallagher.
James Bourne of Busted, remember them? He turns 30 this week.
Busted’s 7th album is rather good.
You’ve been waiting all year for this …… a bit of A-Ha.
You may be amused to hear there’s a town in Norway called Horten. It’s unknown if it has a market, or if Morten Harket has ever been to Horten Market.
Cast. They’re Alright. La.
And while we’re on a 90s theme …..
Sad anniversary time, it’s 37 years since Marc Bolan died.
Joanne Catherall celebrated a birthday this week. Contrary to popular belief, she never worked as a waitress in a coktail bar.
And finally, a Belfast girl turned 30 this week. She has spent a lot of those 30 years researching how many bicycles there are in Beijing.
1. Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire
2. The Vaccines – I Always Knew
3. Two Door Cinema Club – Sun
4. Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta
5. The Family Rain – Trust Me, I’m A Genius
Last week’s X-Factor theme was ‘Guilty Pleasures’, which was a difficult one for me, as all the music I like is brilliant.
Anyway, play to the crowd, here’s some songs that may be classed as ‘Guilty Pleasures’
FIVE ‘GUILTY PLEASURES’
1. Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky
2. Glenn and Chris – Diamond Lights
3. London Boys – Requiem
4. Cast Of Grange Hill – Just Say No
5. Louise – Naked
Sometimes (well, most of the time) life isn’t fair. James doing a tour with Echo and the Bunnymen, which isn’t coming to Belfast is one such example.
I saw both bands in 2010 and they are both fantastic. To celebrate (or in my case, commiserate) here’s a top Five from both acts
FIVE JAMES SONGS
1. Tomorrow
2. She’s A Star
3. Destiny Calling
4. Laid
5. I Know What I’m Here For
FIVE ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN SONGS
1. Nothing Lasts Forever
2. Bring On The Dancing Horses
3. It’s Alright
4. Bedbugs and Ballyhoo
5. The Cutter
Last Saturday, and this Saturday, BBC 2 are having a night of programming dedicated to the Rolling Stones. It’s as if they’re battling with BBC 4 for my affections.
So, to celebrate, here’s a Rolling Stones Top Five
I saw the Stones in 2007, for free. If you want to read about it, click here
FIVE ROLLING STONES SONGS
1. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
2. Get Off My Cloud
3. I’m Free
4. Ruby Tuesday
5. Love Is Strong
And finally, Monday was International Men’s Day. To celebrate my, and others, manliness, I give you chart. Five songs about men (And in the name of equality, I celebrated International Women’s Day with a chart)
FIVE SONGS ABOUT MEN
1. Mansun – Electric Man
2. Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror
3. REM – Man On The Moon
4. Human League – Mirror Man
5. David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
1. Wonder Villains – TV
2. Paloma Faith – Never Tear Us Apart
3. Madness – My Girl II
4. Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks
5. Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen
On Tuesday, is the 17th anniversary of the release of (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis. Having commemorated Oasis 1st and 3rd albums, it’s only fair to do a Top Five of this.
FIVE SONGS FROM (WHAT’S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY?
1. Cast No Shadow
2. Hey You
3. Champagne Supernova
4. Don’t Look Back In Anger
5. Some Might Say
This Tuesday is also Phil Oakey’s birthday (He’ll be 57, since you ask)
The only reason I remember this is because it is mentioned in the mini biography of Human League at the start of their entry in the 1999 edition of the Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles, a book I have read many times over.
For some reason, that little statistic has just lodged in my brain ever since.
So, in celebration of this, here’s a Phil Oakey Top Five
FIVE SONGS BY PHIL OAKEY
1. Giorgio Moroder ft Phil Oakey – Together In Electric Dreams
2. Human League – Don’t You Want Me
3. Human League – Tell Me When
4. Human League – Mirror Man
5. Human League – Human
The first Q of a new decade, looking back at the last decade, as the cover has a montage of 1980s icons Madonna, U2, Bob Geldof, Mark Knopfler, George Michael with the headline “THE 80s : HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?”
For me, not bad. I missed the first three years, but I spent the rest of the decade crapping my nappy then watching Ghostbusters cartoons. Good times.
Gary Glitter is the subject of Q’s “Who the hell does ……..” feature. The answer we now know, is a big fat fuck paedophile.
In news, Terence Trent D’Arby suffered a humiliating episode at the hands of an autograph hunter, who asked him which one of Mili Vanilla he was.
In Adwatch, you could get a free chart album with 50 Budweiser ringpulls or a chart album for £2 with 18.
Considering the charts were dominated by Sonia, Jive Bunny, Jason Donovan and Reynolds Girls, you’d need to drink about 50 tins of Budweiser to want to listen to any of them.
The 1980s gets reviewed with a Q and A with a headline act from each year such as Suggs (1980) Human League (1981) Culture Club (1982) and so forth.
An advert in the magazine promotes that Queen were selling their Budapest concert available on CD Video, an early version of the DVD.
The 50 Best Albums Of 1989 looks back at the best albums of the year, featuring Stone Roses debut album, still lauded by music writers 22 years on.
Analogue Boy In A Digital World 