The U.K. 80s Singles & Albums Chart General Discussion Thread.

So when can we expect the special edition Belouis Some boxset?

 

This is proof that everyone can have their day on this thread.

Owen Paul would be thrilled so many people are discussing him.

 

Well, if they can do Nick Kamen, there’s hope for everyone!

 

I would buy it! Only if it's a proper master-tape transfer of the 1st album. His second album is hard to find too.

EG.

 

What everyone will be doing tonight.

 

Wasting their time

EG.

 

I first have to get that Audio Technica player!

 

It’s sad that Owen’s As It Is flopped while Harry Styles As It Was has been such a huge hit!

 

There’s plenty of them about. You can’t move for Audio Technica decks these days.

 

That was then but this is now!

 

Can't complain, mustn't grumble.
Help yourself to another piece of apple crumble!

EG.

 

CBS were insane to try and launch his album in November...same week as Kim Wilde, Debbie Harry and others all flopped. And same month as Cutting Crew, Red Box also flopped. Even Duran's Notorious had that solitary week in the UK Top 50 that month.

EG.

 

Which I'll do now, cheers!

 

I seem to recall Owen’s LP was greeted poorly at either Smash Hits or Record Mirror.

 

3/10, I think. Yes.

EG.

 

Time for an Owen Paul revival?

If I remember the follow up single was pretty dreadful.

 

Pleased To Meet You.

We weren't.

EG.

 

Can't complain, mustn't pine
Gonna have a bottle of wine.

 

It sounds like a mixture of other 80s hits, but without the hooks of any of them.

 

He's not had this much promo in 36 years

EG.

 

Stranger Things next!

 

Oh, yes. The guitar on "Broken Years" is outstanding.

 

There's great details on the Discogs page of the different versions:

Culture Club - Kissing To Be Clever

This is all about the US releases:

"The original US LP release, on Epic Records, was also 9 tracks but in a different order, with "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" opening side one, and "White Boy" opening side two. The first edition cassette had the same 9 tracks. Both of these were on the market for a very limited time and were recalled when "Time (Clock Of The Heart)" was climbing the charts in the UK.

The replacement version was released in early 1983 in the USA, with the addition of "Time". This rush-reissued version had the song on the label, but did not appear on the sleeve's tracklisting, and a hype sticker announcing the addition was added to the outer wrap. "Time" opened side two.

Following the sell-through of that rushed reissue, corrected versions with "Time" on the sleeve and label (and lyric insert) were released. Cassette releases were expanded to include not only "Time", but also the dub version of "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" and the instrumental version of "Time".

The first US CD, issued in 1985 on Epic, also adds the song "Time", and retains the full-color cover artwork, although its booklet is thinner compared to the UK release. Various reissues on Virgin use the UK 9-track running order which omits "Time", features scant booklets, and uses the black & white artwork."

 

I love those types of discussions! I alluded to this upthread, where I noted how "Miss Me Blind" was a big hit in the US but wasn't even a single in the UK.

ABC's biggest US hit is "Be Near Me." When they (well, Martin Fry and band) played LA a few years ago, he noted that he rarely performs that song in Europe because it wasn't a hit. "When Smokey Sings" was their other big hit. "Poison Arrow" and "The Look Of Love" got notice for sure, but were bigger on MTV, which didn't factor into chart calculations.

The biggest Talking Heads US hit is "Burning Down The House," while in the UK, it was "Road To Nowhere."

My second favorite band (after Simple Minds) is The Fixx. A UK band with several US hits but none in their homeland. They have a new record out and I'm seeing them here in Houston in September.

The Outfield were another UK band that had many hits here but none in their homeland. Sounding like an American band was likely part of the reason.

I saw OMD here back in May - my first post-lockdown concert! Set closers here are "If You Leave" - that was their biggest hit, followed by "Dreaming." I imagine the set lists and closing numbers are quite different in the UK.

"Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol - everyone here knows it. Song was all over MTV. But it didn't even crack the Top 1o0!

 

And ditto Scritti Politti (oh no, not them again! ). Perfect Way was their biggest hit in the US at #11, while it only made #48 in the UK. And Wood Beez vice versa (#10 UK vs. #91 US).