Paul Hardcastle - 19 - Extended 12"(1985)

One of the first issues to continually issue remixes to remain high in the charts "19" was released in a number of forms by producer/remixer Paul Hardcastle.  These are two german pressings issued in 1985.  This was a worlwide hit which is not played much these days - but a forerunner in a number of ways. Extended Version - Chrysalis - 607 796 (B side features "Dolores" and "Fly By Night") Final Story - Chrysalis - 607 814 (B side features "Destruction Mix")

Blondie - Rapture (Special Disco Mix) 12" (1981)

From The Lost Record Covers Club Undeniably an icon of the eighties pop scene, Debbie Harry made the transition with some credibility from punk to pop star darling through the string of pop singles "Denis", "Hanging On The Telephone", "Rip Her To Shreds", "Call Me" and more.  The album "Parallel Lines" blew them across the world as the acceptable face of the new pop standard. The tricky later album, "Autoamerican" , saw them move into another emerging genre which has since taken over the world.  "Rapture" was a hip hop record for white folks when it was still seen as a fad from black Brooklyn.  Similar (in the extreme) to The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" (itself stealing the great rhythm guitar from Chic).  But they acknowledged the source acknowledging "fast fly freddie" et al as they went. Marvellous track - I'm not much of a Blondie fan but this is great. This is a 12" issue to promote the release of the single CHS 12 2485 Chrysalis UK (although made in France for some reason)

Charlie Dore - Listen! (1981)

From The Lost Record Covers Club Charlie Dore - was on the scene around the end of the 70s and early 80s releasing this in 1981 on Chrysalis.  More succesful in Europe than the Uk, "Listen" got a bit of airplay but ultimately the album failed to impress the record buying public.  Nice soft rock album. Features Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather from Toto amongst musicians Nice Cover Art! Chrysalis (German) - CHR 1325

Godley And Creme - ISMISM (1981)

From The Lost Record Covers Club The album released following the hit "Weddiing Bells" but also features "Under Your Thumb" - the first release (I think about 10,000) were put out with a punched sleeve making the coloured stripe on the inner bag visible through the artists name.  Later versions were black sleeves with coloured dots spelling out the words. an album for the fans but the two singles are brilliant. Polydor - POLD 5043 (UK)

Working Week - Working Nights (1985)

From The Lost Record Covers Club I've talked about many soulful artists from the 70s on these pages but here's one band from the 80's who carried the torch in their own way through the decade.  Their blend of jazz, soul, RnB (the old kind) blew me away.  A german colleague from Sonopress recommended this to me and I have been a fan ever since. WW featured the vocal talents of Julie Roberts - great voice. In my book not many people can cover a "What's Going On" track but their jazzy versioon of "Inner City Blues" is a great interpretation. Also features "Sweet Nothings" - a good single. Virgin - German issue 206 950 

Elvis - The Collection (1984)

The first Elvis music on CD was issued by RCA in Europe in November 1983 in the form of a 3CD box set called Elvis:The Legend.  This was a 60 track compilation of his classic hits.  The box was a limited edition of 5,000.  The same tracks were recompiled into 4 volumes of a series called The Collection and issued early in 1984.

Read the story of how the box set was produced and released and why from Europe and not the USA here

Volume 1 - PD 89248
Volume 2 - PD 89249
Volume 3 - PD 89472
Volume 4 - PD 89473

Wah! - The Story Of The Blues (1982)

From The Lost Record Covers Club First of all what a great cover.  This artwork here by Pete Wylie (who is/was Wah!) John McCarthy and Jock Huzzi. A great single which was released in late 1982 reaching number 3 in the UK singles chart in early 1983.  One of those blissfull peices of 7" plastic that will live on forever.  Superb. Not so the video but it was the 80s and you had to be there! Wah! - The Story Of The Blues Eternal/WEA - JF1 (UK 7") 45Cat.com - JF1

Bruce Willis - The Return Of Bruno (year)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

You know what? This ain't half bad!

My last days at RCA saw the release of this album and two hit singles from cover versions of "Respect Yourself" and "Under The Boardwalk". He has a fair voice although the hype that surrounded this pushed him above similar talents i'm sure - but he got to play with his heroes in Bonnie Pointer and the Temptations on the two tracks above so who can blame him - the results are pretty good for a second jobber.  I like the track "Comin' Right Up".  Released with the persona of Bruno - the everyman turned soul singer - this milked his fame from Moonlighting and Die Hard.

Produced by Robert Kraft

This is a USA orginal Cat No: 6222ML (this is the copy I used to orginate the CD Cover for the release which was shelved before issue and after my departure)

The CD is now available through Amazon.

45Cat link to Singles Released - http://www.45cat.com/artist/bruce-willis

dalek i love you - Heartbeat (1981)

From The Lost Record Covers Club This was a completely new track to me and doesn't feature on 45Cat yet.  This is a german pressing with a cover which is surely copied from a still of Redford in "All The President's Men" I was aware of d-i-l-y from my days at PolyGram when Phonogram were pushing them as the next cool electronic band (OMD/Soft Cell etc)  - it never really happened for them saleswise but they made interesting music and it has stood the test of time. This is a Vertigo release from Germany - Cat no: 6080 010.

Kissing The Pink - The Last Film (1983)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

Back in '83 KTP had a minor hit with this.  I'd known the band since Nod Cobb had introduced me to them whlist we were at Phonodisc (Nod went on into A+R - but back then he was a print buyer looking for a way in like me).  He gave me "Mr Blunt" which is worth a punt if you can find a copy.  This is in a similar style.  Nice.

The Last Film - 7" KTP3 (UK Magnet Label)

The Staple Singers - Slippery People (1985)

From The Lost Record Covers Club The Staples are well named - they have been with us forever - and should be a part of everyone's musical diet.  Gospel in the 50s and 60s, part of the rescue roster of Stax in the 70s with all those self belief and politically savvy tunes (Respect Yourself", "You Got To Earn It", "I'll Take you There" are just three), then after a short time with Curtis Mayfiled's Curtom label, they moved to Columbia and showed they remained current and true to their message - this is a Talking Heads track but as always with Staples' covers they make it all their own.  From the "Turning Point" album. This is the cover from a dutch promo Epic - EPC 4784

The Boomtown Rats - Mary Of The 4th Form (Alternate Version) 7" (1980)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

By 1980 The Rats star was fading but they were still putting out decent albums.  "Tonic For The Troops" was their big seller and the follow-up "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" had two singles "Diamond Smiles" which went top twenty and "Someone's Looking At You" taking them back to fine form chartwise with a more than respectable no 4.  In 1980, in preparation for the next album "Mondo Bongo" Ensign decided to repromote (not reissue as they hadn't been deleted) the band's sigles todate - all in the orginal picture bags.  When "Mary" was first issued there had been green, Red and blue versions of the bag but the resissue came only in red.

Ensign's idea (or Phonogram's) was to see if they could re-chart a number of tracks at once to riase the profile ready for the next album.  I worked in planning for the distribution centre and they certainly sold - I can't find any record of chrt re-entry though.

I saw them on the tour to promote this and 1980 being what it was there was still an element of attitude about the gigs from the opening welcome of "stand up you fuckers" to Bob pointing out the group of us in the crowd who hadn't paid but were guests of the record company - resulting in much abuse from the paying punters.

They had one further good run at the charts as "Banana Republic" the reggae flavoured single leading "Mondo" did well hitting no 3 but being a real radio favourite at that time.

Above all that they made great singles and any compilation (of which "Loudmouth" is best) is definitely worth an investment.

Ensign 7" - ENY 9

http://www.45cat.com/record/eny9

Bananarama - Cruel Summer 12" (1983)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

The girls of the moment in 1983.  This is a twelve inch single of "Cruel Summer" which I think is one of their better pop singles - they made a number of covers.  This is Swain and Jolley in the production seats - later they would move to Stock, Aitken and Waterman with great success both here and in the US.  I met the girls very early on, and very briefly, when they visisted the PolyGram distribution depot in Chadwell Heath, Romford and very nice they were too.

London was re-establishing itself as the pop label for Decca - after being acquired in 1980 by PolyGram.

London - NANX 5

7" entry - http://www.45cat.com/record/nana5

The Maisonettes - Heartache Avenue (1983)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

The great 60s pastiche of 1983 from the short lived maisonettes (led by the ex-City Boy man Lol Mason).  This is a brilliant pop single.  The picture sleeve shown here is the german version bought at the VIP Music Fair.


The 60s themed sleeve even has the "Emitex cleaning material" logo on the back which always featured on all EMI releases way into the 70's and get the sleeve notes:-

True to the genre/era! anyway terrific single



Ready Seady Go! single - RSG 1
(This is the German copy - only difference being it has the badge on the front denoting that it is in green vinyl - Intercord INT 113.115)

The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro (1980)

From The Lost Record Covers Club Me in 1980 - I knew nothing about the Liverpool music scene.  I was working at PolyGram and Phonogram had a new priority - Teardrop Explodes.  There was no single but the album (we were told) was going to be huge.  I had a listen when the tapes arrived but couldn't see it myself.  As I said I knew nothing.  The album got airplay by Peel and the likes but obviously was ignored by top 40 radio.  Until they decided to releases a new song called "Reward".  This gained airplay and soon was sitting at number 3 in the UK charts.  Treason was reissued as a consequence and got to 18.  The album was repackaged to include reward and soon we were re-pressing the album once more - albeit with this naff new cover.....  TE was fronted by Julian cope and produced and managed(?) by soon to be half of KLF Bill Drummond (read his book "45" - a revolution in 356 pages!). Original sleeve (top) and release - Mercury - 6359 035 the second issue (maddly for production) had the same number.

Gary Bird & The GB Experience - The Crown (1983)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

A gem.  This is a Stevie Wonder production in every sense with GB handling the rapped vocal. The lyrics about ancient history are fairly tame and follow the flow of the early "Rapper's Delight" style.  The female vocal chorus lifts the whole track with the Stevie sung bridge showing the class of Mr Morris.  The naff sleeve comes from the video where Gary is educating his class about self worth and pride etc.  Gary Byrd is a DJ and social activist.

Motown - TMGT 1312 (12" Single)

Malcolm McLaren and the McLarenettes - Soweto (1983)

The second single release from the "Duck Rock" album from Malcolm McLaren ably assisted by Trevor Horn.  I love this.

Charisma - MALC 212 (12" Single)
UK 7" Single Entry - 45Cat - http://www.45cat.com/record/malc2

Victorian Parents - Silence Follows (1981)

A Polydor signing during the emergence of the post punks that would move on to being album artists.  Polydor would be particularly strong in this area through it's roster and strong A+R department - The Cure, Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Jam, The Comsat Angels, the EG imprint bringing Eno, Fripp and Roxy who were still seen as a force even then (check out "Manifesto"), Fiction Records would evelop a number of acts via Chris Parry.



From The Lost Record Covers Club

I remember the The Victorian Parents were a big hope for the label at the time and the single "All American Hero" was priority release (View on 45 Cat).  Neither that or the album sold but did receive some critical acclaim not least by the team at Stratford Place.  Playing this now it stands up against it's contemporaries - shame we didn't get to see where the band could have taken it.

I note on 45Cat they are listing an earlier release of "Dead Red Grass Of Home" on the album as being released in '81 on Ellie Jay Records. Possibly the track that got them the deal?

That track is available on YouTube here. 

Polydor - POLS 1049

Toni Childs - Union (1988)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

CD Cover Art from Toni Child's debut album.  I love the art here by John Howard.  The album included the hit "Don't Walk Away" and the wonderful "Zimbabwe"
A and M Records CDA 5175 (CD)

Malcolm McLaren - Duck Rock (1983)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

The great album by Malcolm McLaren which merges south african town ship and traditional styles, hip hop, rock and pop (from the west, the Carribean and South America) to make a sometimes weird but always interesting mix.  The known tracks here if "Double Dutch" and "Buffalo Girls" but for my favourite is "Soweto".  Produced by Trevor Horn (who I suspect deserves equal billing with McLaren).

The rear sleeve art

Charisma - MMLP 1