My favourite three records from May 1981 (at the time) Kim Wilde - Chequered Love: Ah, thank goodness for that - Kids In America wasn't a one-off. Not the most inspired one-finger keyboard backing perhaps, but a long-termcareer was suddenly assured.
"Well I know your love is rough, and the road you take is tough, but I just can't get enough chequered love" Human League - The Sound of the Crowd: "Hmm," I wondered, "who are this lot then? Lead singer looks a bit weird with his half-dangly hair. Song's great though. They could be really big one day..."
"Shades from a pencil peer (pass around), a fold in an eyelid brushed with fear, the lines on a compact guide, a hat with alignment worn inside" Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator: It's not dated well, has it? Or maybe the backing bleeps were just rather too prescient of today's grating ringtones. Always ahead of their time, this bunch.
"I'm the operator of my pocket calculator. By pressing down a special key, plays a little melody"
20 other hits from 25 years ago: Stars on 45 (Starsound), You Drive Me Crazy (Shakin Stevens), Chi Mai (Ennio Morricone), I Want To Be Free (Toyah), Keep On Loving You (REO Speedwagon), Ossie's Dream (Tottenham Hotspur with Chas & Dave), Grey Day (Madness), Treason (Teardrop Explodes), It's Going To Happen (Undertones), Careless Memories (Duran Duran), Ain't No Stopping (Enigma), Don't Slow Down / Don't Let It Pass You By (UB40), Hi-De-Hi (Paul Shane & the Yellowcoats), Is That Love (Squeeze), Chariots of Fire (Vangelis), When He Shines (Sheena Easton), Just The Two Of Us (Grover Washington Jr), Let's Jump The Broomstick (Coast To Coast), Rockabilly Guy (Polecats) ...which hit's your favourite? ...which one would you pick?
Silver discs (May 1981)
Adam And The Ants - Stand And Deliver: There was once a time when the first radio play of a brand new single was an event. There was no accidental leakage on the internet in the 80s, nor heavy rotation play for weeks in advance of the release date. We had to rush home from school to hear Peter Powell debut the new Adam and the Ants single on his drivetime show, just to find out what crazed glamour the band planned to serve up next. With a whinney and the wail of a hunting horn, we discovered the enchanting answer. And then, extremely new for 1981, there was the first play of the video to look forward to. Oh my god, he really is dressed up as a dandy highwayman complete with dress coat and tricorn hat, and bloody wow he's jumping out of trees and crashing through castle windows. No surprise, then, that the single went straight in at number 1 (a rare feat back then) and stayed there for five weeks. For a brief spell Adam could do no wrong. Da diddly quoi quoi, anyone?
