MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 4.11.1987

As 1987 comes to an end, U2 are now the biggest band in the world. So big, they get to be on the cover of Smash Hits.

In news, Curiousity Killed The Cat are definitely not splitting up.

Back in the charts with Got My Mind Set On You, George Harrison’s career so far gets featured, just in case you didn’t know who he was.

There is also speculation this week about the futures of Level 42 and The Smiths.

In competitions, you could win a signed Erasure single.

From splits to reunions, there are rumours that Culture Club might be getting back together.

Smash Hits goes on tour with Colin Vearncombe, better known as Black, as he tours Europe.

Carol Decker of T’Pau gets a double page interview where she disagrees that she looks like the Duchess Of York and prefers Barbie over Sindy.

There were lyric posters for Jesus and Mary Chain, The Smiths, T’Pau and Marillion.

U2 get a four page feature which is accompanied by a review of a biography of them written by Eamon Dunphy, as well as a competition to win U2’s entire back catalogue.

Talking of U2, Jimmy Somerville reveals he has a poster of Larry Mullan in his kitchen despite not being a fan of U2.

Pet Shop Boys answer questions from readers where Neil Tennant confirms that he actually has to wear glasses and it’s not part of an image.

In ads, you could buy a pink cassette player from Rumbelows for £34.99.

Featured earlier in the magazine, The Communards are Single Of The Fortnight.

Wet Wet Wet get a concert review, with fans being interviewed outside the venue, with 15 year old Sharon saying that Marti Pellow has a nice bottom.

Talking of concerts, you could win a VHS of Spandau Ballet in concert

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 29.6.1988

Carol Decker of T’Pau shares the cover of Smash Hits this week with an animated bee. No, i’ve no idea either.

As you open the magazine, there is a feature on Johnny Hates Jazz.

Patsy Kensit tells Smash Hits about her love of food, especially Kosher Food, with the headline asking if she is the greediest pig in pop.

Beside that, there is a full page feature on the career of Fleetwood Mac, as they get set for a UK tour.

Cover star Decker is joined by Smash Hits on the set of T’Pau’s new video, and interviewed on set.

The Communards are this week’s Singles Reviewers, with Jimmy’s favourite being Bomb The Bass, while Richard goes for Prefab Sprout.

In Concert Reviews, Wet Wet Wet’s concert at Glasgow Scottish Exhibition Centre is reviewed, with most of the 10,000 crowd fainting, it was that good.

The magazine ends with a poster of Bros.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 2.11.1988

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.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : JUL 4 – JUL 10

The week after Independence Day, let’s start all American with a video that’s too good not to Cher, sorry, share, about the time Cher went for a walkabout.

Apologies for the poor sound quality (and not because it’s Cher)

And now, the sound of 1999, Roisin Murphy, who turned 41 this week.

Meanwhile, Ringo Starr, narrator of Thomas The Tank Engine, turned 74 his week. Not many people know he had a music career before that. His band was so good, Wet Wet Wet covered one of their songs.

Remember the theme to Ally McBeal? It was rather good.

Marc Almond turned 57 this week. It’s easy to forget he had a brilliant solo number 1. This is from the Christmas 1989 edition, broadcast the day Nicolae Ceaușescu was executed. It’s unknown if he had the chance to watch this before meeting his fate.

Jim Kerr from Simple Minds is still alive and kicking, turned 55 this week.

(Apologies for the sound quality on some of this video)

By 1995, TV Centre in Shepherd’s Bush wasn’t glamourous enough for Simple Minds any more.

Now, people think of Sky Sports when you think of Simple Minds being used in advertising. As a bonus, here’s from when Simple Minds had a brief period as computer salesmen.

And, as a further bonus, here’s Jim Kerr’s ex wife (Behave you lot, no jokes about the number of pop star husbands she’s had)

Meanwhile, Courtney Love hit the big 50 this week.

Jack White turned 39 this week.

And finally, Neil Tennent hits the big 60 this week. You may not know it, but he’s already appeared on this week’s round-up ……… having produced I’m Not Scared by Eighth Wonder.

However, it would be rude not to post videos of his day job.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : MAR 21 – MAR 27

Hello and welcome to this week’s look back at 50 years of Top Of The Pops (Or, to be pedantic, 42 years and 8 years worth of Christmas specials)

This week’s first birthday of note is Guy Chadwick, lead singer of House Of Love. Unfortunately, we don’t have a clip of them performing ‘Shine On’, but we do have East 17 performing ‘House Of Love’, a song not about the early 90s band of the same name.

East 17 of course, were named after their local postcode. If they came from East Belfast, they would have been called BT4, BT5 or BT6, depending on whereabouts in East Belfast they came from.

Also celebrating this week is Sarah Jane Morris of The Communards. This, is an epic tune. BAAYYYYYBAAYYYY!!!!!

and … Jonas Berggren from Ace Of Base. I once got lost en route to an Ace Of Base concert trying to find the venue ………. then, I, saw the sign.

And from Sweden, we head to Canada, for a bit of Sum 41.

And from Canada, to Liverpool, for Pete Wylie’s birthday.

And now, to chill the mood a bit, with a bit of Beverley Knight.

Our globetrotting adventures now take us to the suavest man in Glasgow. If you really need to be told, Marti Pellow of Wet Wet Wet, who spent the whole of 1994 at Number One. How exactly, was a Sweet Little Mystery. I know you’ll love these next few clips. Why? I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes.

Our birthday travels this week take us now to the Mockney King (from Colchester) …… Damon Albarn (And yes, I am aware he doesn’t sing on the first song)

And now ……. we go to Germany for one of the best songs of the 1980s. A woman who wouldn’t make a good Financial Advisor as she spent all her money on a bag of balloons. Since you ask, I counted, there were 78 balloons in the studio when this was filmed. BBC Cutbacks.

And from Germany, we go to German based West Indians …….. singing a song about The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Ironically, Bobby Farrell of Boney M had the most Belfasty name in pop.

39 this week was Mel Blatt from All Saints. Here she is as a solo artist.

Milestone time now, and Diana Ross was born 70 years ago this week. So, as a tribute, here’s Steps covering ‘Chain Reaction’

Wee treat for you for Tony Banks of Genesis birthday (the one who isn’t Phil Collins or the guy from Mike and the Mechanics) …. a studio appearance from 1992

With all these births, unfortunately, we have a death anniversary. Ian Dury died 14 years ago today.

And finally, Elton John *whispers* turned 67 this week.

This, is his best song, performed nearly 20 years after it came out on a TOTP Special.

I used to think the chorus went “Coco Heart” when I was younger.

And, if you don’t know already, he didn’t play on this song, just mimed on TOTP.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : Q – JUNE 1997

Paul McCartney, promoting his new album ‘Flaming Pie’ is the cover star of this edition of Q, from the summer of 1997.

Former Primer Minister Ted Heath also features, being the subject of the monthly “Who the hell does ……..” column.

In news, there is an interview with the country’s biggest band, Swing Out Sister. Not this country, but Japan about how unappreciated they are in their home country and their love of Japan.

Louise Wener, lead singer of Sleeper, gets a double page spread as she sits online, answering questions from fans via a chatroom on the Q website.

How primitive, seeing as celebrities do this everyday now via Twitter.

Tipped for greatness was Fountains Of Wayne ……… only the seven years before they had their only big hit “Stacey’s Mom”

A whopping twelve pages gets dedicated to an interview with Paul McCartney, including a buyers guide to his back catalogue, both as a Beatle and a solo artist.

In chart news, Chemical Brothers top the album chart, beating off competition from Spice Girls and Wet Wet Wet. Bee Gees have two albums in the top twenty.

In other news, Channel 5 is launched and Q dedicates two pages to this by looking back at the launches of the four other terrestrial channels.

Gary Barlow, then trying to make his name as a solo artist, is featured in a short interview at the end where he reveals that Adam and the Ants was his first concert, that he was the hardest boy in his year at school, and that he doesn’t like Reggae.

Gary Barlow also stated that “I like a girl who can dance and really knows how to move her body”

Something to bear in mind if you are entering X-Factor 2012.