MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 10.2.1988

In answer to their question, appearing on the cover of Smash Hits is probably a good sign that Bros are famous. They found being on the cover of Smash Hits to be weird, having read the magazine at school.

As you open the magazine, there is a poster of Morrissey.

In competitions, you could win an Eddie Cochran single and a Levi’s T-shirt, or you could try to win an AC/DC satchel. Larry Mullan Jnr is interviewed, where he reveals people ask him to hold their umbrella for them while they got Bono’s autograph.

The American and Australian versions of Smash Hits had their Readers Polls, with the results being published. Duran Duran were popular in America, while Australian acts were unsurprisingly popular in Australia.

There is a profile of American star Taylor Dayne, riding high in the charts with Tell It To My Heart.

Kylie Minogue gets a poster an and interview, where she reveals she doesn’t like her teeth.

Debbie Gibson gets a double page interview, where she offers readers a guide to America.

In tours, you could see Pink Floyd, Robert Plant or Erasure if you wished.

Beastie Boys get a double page interview, where they say they want to start a Heavy Metal TV channel.

The Bangles get interviewed where Susanna reveals that her favourite music is Terence Trent D’Arby, Peter Gabriel and Rolling Stones.

Patsy Kensit reviews new singles, giving her favourite to Sting, and admitting to liking early Echo and the Bunnymen, but not knowing who The Doors were.

In concerts, Tiffany gets reviewed as she tours UK shopping centres.

The magazine ends with a double page interview with cover stars Bros.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 27.1.1988

We go back to early 1988, when American teen star Tiffany is the cover star of Smash Hits, having just had a massive hit with I Think We’re Alone Now.

As you open the magazine, there is a poster of Eddie Kidd, famous as a Stuntman but is also launching a singing career.

In news, Pet Shop Boys have recorded a song with Patsy Kensit, and Roger Taylor has launched a career as a singer with a band called The Cross, and is interviewed.

Cher gets a full page dedicated to her, looking at her fashion over the previous twenty years.

A-Ha announced they were going on a UK tour, beginning at Shepton Mallet Showering Pavillion and George Michael is doing a tour which includes two nights in Belfast.

Hugh Cornwell from The Stranglers is interviewed, while Smash Hits reports than a Soap actress called Kylie Minogue has recorded a song called I Should Be So Lucky which was described as “Quite good”, to their surprise.

The Housemartins also announced their split this week.

Bros get interviewed, with Craig revealing his first concert was AC/DC.

Michael Hutchence gets a double page profile, billed as “The most fanciable creation in the history of the universe?”

Also being interviewed is Dollar, with David and Thereza being asked questions about each other.

Tiffany gets a three page interview where she reveals he prefers Sindy over Barbie, and that boys at school called her “Whiffany”

In singles reviews, The Bangles cover of Hazy Shade Of Winter was the best single of the fortnight.

As the magazine ends, there is a double page interview with Bananarama where they, like Dollar, were asked questions about each other.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 19.4.1989

Wendy James of Transvision Vamp is the cover star of Smash Hits, having broken into the charts during 1989.

As you open the magazine, there is a poster of Fleetwood Mac and Rolling Stones haters The Reynolds Girls.

Smash Hits asks various pop stars if they are O-Zone friendly. Simon Le Bon states that the situation is “Bloody frightening”.

A Spokesperson for Prince Charles says he has given up using O-Zone damaging products.

Jim Kerr of Simple Minds will be hosting a show on Radio 1 about ecological concerns. There is also a cut out letter to send to lobby the Minister for the Environment.

Nathan Moore of Brother Beyond is subject to a questionnaire asking if he is a thug or a weed, with the result putting him in the middle.

There was a token for readers to get free badges – Kylie Minogue, Yazz, Rick Astley and Michael Jackson.

Smash Hits previews Madonna’s new album with a poster and an interview. The interview isn’t with Madonna, but the Songwriters she worked with on the album.

As well as hosting a show on Radio 1, Jim Kerr and his band Simple Minds have a new single out, This Is You Land, which gets the Lyrics Poster treatment.

Cover star Wendy James gets a two page interview, with the headline asking if she is the new Kylie Minogue, revealing that she was suspended from school for knocking over chairs in assembley.

Holly Johnson is the Singles Reviewer, wanting to sit on the fence for songs he doesn’t like such as Texas, Kylie Minogue and Cher. He awarded Best Single to I’m Every Woman by Chaka Khan.

There is a feature on Duran Duran, as they try to regain their status as biggest band in the world.

The magazine ends with a poster of The Bangles.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : JAN 17 – JAN 23

We begin this week by celebrating the birth of a Rolling Stone called Mick, but not that one. Mick Taylor, a Stone from 1969 to 1974, here in one of their last TOTP studio appearances before they became too busy/big for the show, then too low charting.

17th January is a birthday for not 1, not 2, but 3 1980s stars. Paul Young (1956) being introduced here by Simon Le Bon.

Meanwhile, three years later (or, 1959) saw the birth of Susanna Hoffs. As a treat, here’s The Bangles performing Eternal Flame in 2001, shortly after Atomic Kitten took a cover of it to Number 1.

And finally, in 1964, Andy Rourke. You know, one of the two in The Smiths that wasn’t Johnny Marr or Morrissey.

Onto more recent times, Ricky Wilson from Kaiser Chiefs (and, um, The Voice) turns 36 this week.

While Calvin Harris turns 31 this week.

It’s a busy week for birthdays, with Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins turning 60. Here’s Mike Read introducing them by playing Harmonica.

Sir John Mills grandson is 41 this week. You may know him better as the singer from Kula Shaker.

Meanwhile, here’s Hard-Fi living for the weekend in 2005

Meanwhile, Robert Palmer would have been eligible for a bus pass this week if he was still alive. Here’s a random find of him performing with The Power Station, introduced by Harry Hill.

Nicky Wire from the Manics is 45 this week. Here they are performing Everything Must Go. Is it me, or does the drum loop slightly rip off Be My Baby?

The birthdays keep coming, Gary Barlow (1971) and Emma Bunton (1976)

Now to some would be birthdays, first Malcolm McLaren

And Michael Hutchence, who would have been 52 this week.

Sporting some dodgy gym gear in 1987

Performing ‘Taste It’

And finally, being introduced by his ex, Kylie Minogue in 1997, the year he later died.

Almost near the end of this week’s Birthday Bonanza, one last one, Andrew Roachford, or just plain Roachford.

Though, you can’t hear ‘Cuddly Toy’ without thinking about this.

And finally, we end on a sad note, as this week saw the 18th anniversary of the death of the London Boys. This song, is just fantastic.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : JAN 10 – JAN 16

We begin this week with John Peel playing Mandolin and Football at the same time. I imagine you’ve already guessed who turned 69 this week.

Like Top Of The Pops, Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies was born in 1964. It took him 30 years, but eventually he got to appear on Top Of The Pops.

Also celebrating a birthday on 10th January is Vicky Peterson of The Bangles. One of their biggest hits was written by a gentleman called Christopher Nevermind. Who? I hear you ask. It was Prince under an assumed name.

Fast forwarding to more recent times, Jamelia turns 33 this week. Here she is performing Superstar in 2004

And now, rewind to 1991, Roxette (It’s Per Gessle’s birthday) performing Joyride. Remember, we are all magic friends.

Incidentally, that was the year Pixie Lott was born, and in a tenuous link that any TOTP presenter would be proud of …….

This week is the 11th anniversary of the death of Maurice Gibb. Born on Isle Of Man and growing up Manchester made the Bee Gees Manx Mancs.

53 this week, Suggs might be known to some as the guy from Night Fever, but to many more, he’ll be known as the guy from Madness.

He was also one of the captains on A Question Of Pop, a music version of a Question Of Sport. 13 years on, we’re still waiting for a second series.

He also had a briefly successful solo career you know.

Meanwhile, someone has went to the effort of doing a montage of all of Madness TOTP appearances.

Madness split up before I started school, so imagine how excited I was when they made a comeback in 1999. The lead single of their comeback, Lovestruck is fantastic, classic Madness.

Remember Calvin and Frankie from S Club Juniors? Well, you’ll never guess what Frankie did next …..

Meanwhile, Aaliyah would have been 35 this week. Here she is performing Try Again a year before her death.

Another singer born this week in history is Preston, erm, from The Ordinary Boys. I used to like them before he went on Big Brother.

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 8.3.2013

1. Stereophonics – Dakota
2. Simple Minds – Broken Glass Park
3. Biffy Clyro – Black Chandelier
4. David Bowie – These Stars (Are Out Tonight)
5. Nina Nesbitt – Boy

It’s International Women’s Day, you quite fancy a chart for the women whose music we have enjoyed, and inspired.

FIVE SONGS BY FEMALE SINGERS

1. Stevie Nicks – Edge Of Seventeen
2. Dusty Springfield – Sone Of A Preacher Man
3. Madonna – Rain
4. Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
5. Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better

FIVE SONGS BY GIRL GROUPS

1. The Bangles – Manic Monday
2. The Ronettes – Be My Baby
3. Girls Aloud – The Promise
4. Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday
5. The Pipettes – Pull Shapes

FIVE SONGS WITH GIRLS NAMES

1. The Killers – Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
2. Dion – Runaround Sue
3. Glasvegas – Geraldine
4. The Who- Pictures Of Lily
5. Suggs -Cecilia

FIVE SONGS WITH GIRL/WOMAN IN THE TITLE

1. Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl
2. White Town – Your Woman
3. Billy Joel – Uptown Girl
4. Cliff Richard – Devil Woman
5. Garbage – Stupid Girl

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 9.3.2012

1. Emeli Sande – Next To Me
2. Jeff Wayne – Jubilation
3. Cast – Time Bomb
4. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run
5. Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know

Last week saw the BBC announce who will be the UK’s Eurovision entry. So, in honour of this, I shall present to you a Top Five Eurovision chart.

FIVE EUROVISION SONGS

1. Katrina and the Waves – Love Shine A Light
2. A Friend In London – New Tomorrow
3. Jedward – Lipstick
4. Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now
5. Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up

As yesterday was International Women’s Day, I thought it was only right that this blog should commemorate it. Enjoy

FIVE SONGS WITH WOMEN’S NAMES IN THE TITLE

1. Steve Winwood – Valerie
2. Dion – Runaround Sue
3. Jon Bon Jovi – Janey Don’t You Take Your Love To Town
4. Glasvegas – Geraldine
5. Blondie – Maria

FIVE GIRL GROUP SONGS

1. Ronettes – Be My Baby
2. Bananarama – Cruel Summer
3. Girls Aloud – The Promise
4. Sugababes Soul Sound
5. The Bangles – Manic Monday

FIVE SONGS WITH GIRL OR WOMAN IN THE TITLE

1. Rick Springfield – Jesse’s Girl
2. Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl
3. Kate Bush – Rubberband Girl
4. Frankmusic – Confusion Girl
5. Cliff Richard – Devil Woman

Not a five, but a four coming up now.

I am absolutely loving the 1977 Top Of The Pops repeats on BBC Four. There is an absolutely fantastic series of parodies of the opening credits on Youtube, courtesy of the user TVGCity

You need to watch the show to

“get” the joke. I was literally crying with laughter at acts such as Isle Of Man World Cup Squad, St Winifred’s School Caretaker, Balls and Co, and Tony Tempah.

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 25.11.2011

1. Florence and the Machine – What The Water Gave Me
2. Beyonce – Love On Top
3. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Everybody’s On The Run
4. Ken Dodd – Happiness
5. Caro Emerald – The Other Woman

As last week was Movie Week on X-Factor, I suppose I might as well have a movie chart.

As ever, with X-Factor themes, they appeared to make it up ast hey go along, often having to explain what movie it came from. Surely if it was a well known song, they wouldn’t need to explain it.

The best pisstake was when Marcus Collins sang ‘Higher And Higher’ by Jackie Wilson …….. from Ghostbusters.

The song was used only as a snippet in a scene where they are performing experiments on goo. Hardly the theme tune of the movie.

FIVE MOVIE SONGS

1. Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better
2. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
3. Harald Faltermeyer – Axel F
4. Tom Petty – Walls
5. Joe Esposito – You’re The Best Around

Meanwhile, BBC4 are showing a documentary on Prince on Friday night. And to think, some people are thinking of getting rid of BBC4.

I love the music documentaries that are on BBC4 every week, and the theme nights, and the icing on the cake, the Top Of The Pops repeats from 1976.

In short, BBC4 is bloody wonderful. So here, is a Top Five Prince Songs.

FIVE PRINCE SONGS

1. Prince – Gold
2. Prince – Batdance
3. Prince – Raspberry Beret
4. The Bangles – Manic Monday
5. Prince – 1999

This week saw the 14th anniversary of the death of Michael Hutchence. I’ve left out the majestic ‘Afterglow’, recorded with JD Fortune in 2006, but I suggest you check out that song, to focus on songs with Hutchence

FIVE INXS SONGS

1. Baby Don’t Cry
2. New Sensation
3. Beautiful Girl
4. Mystify
5. Disappear