I’ve been enjoying the fascinating Q 90s threads but I just don’t feel qualified to add much to them. The 90s seemed to just pass me by for reasons I’ve often mentioned here before. It’s been fun just lurking and reading though. Lots more listening I need to catch up on but I fear I will just run out of listening time even if I reach 100…
Anyway while you’ve all been reminiscing about the 90s I’ve been thoroughly enjoying a month long #12inch80s on Twitter. It’s been right up my Fairlight. So for a very easy Saturday guessing game which 31 80s 12 inches do you think I’ve chosen?
I was only allowed one per artist.
Band name and song title required for a point.
Guess the version for an extra point.
No YouTubes please as my android gives up after about 5 in one thread.
Checking Twitter is cheating and will make me cry and I will know…. So don’t! Please…
Let’s go…. Ohhhhh…
Ready Steady Go!
Frankie Goes To Hollywood Two Tribes (Annihilation Mix)
A shoo in, shirley?
Number 1 👍
Style Council – Long Hot Summer
Joy Division – Atmosphere
Was ( Not Was) – Return to the Valley of Out Come the Freaks
A 👍 for Long Hot Summer
A 👎for the other two
2 down…
But those are the best three!
Scritti Politti – Wood Beez
Correct band but not completely right
…
Damn. So many great options. The Word Girl?
You’ll know 100% when you get it…
Perfect Way 🙂
Ooooh close. Love you to get it…
If 100% isn’t perfect it must me Absolute
Boom 💥 3 down 👍
I’ll try a clue without completely giving it away..
Climate change could have caused this slow burner but don’t make a fuss…
Tide is High?
I like your thinking. Switch your thinking to “slow burner” for the song title and “fuss” for the band name
Slow burner…
‘Aga’ doo?
Forest Fire…
I’m just thinking of the 12″s I owned on vinyl.
UB40 – The Earth Dies Screaming
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
Heaven 17 – (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
If you’ve had the misfortune to read any of my reviews etc over the last 10 years most of the bands are very obvious.. No Bowie though. Earth Dies Screaming though, great shout.
Gary Byrd and the GB Experience – The Crown
The SOS Band – Just Be Good To Me
Soft Cell – Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go
Yahoo – Situation
Re-Flex – The Politics Of Dancing
Crown Heights Affair – You Gave Me Love
Grace Jones – Pull Up To The Bumper
Human League – (Keep Feeling) Fascination
New Order- Blue Monday
Earth, Wind & Fire – Let’s Groove
Sorry Tiggs only Human League is correct but wrong song. I went for their attempt at “serious” almost “protest”..
The Lebanon?
We have number 4. 👍
And where there used to be some shops is where the snipers sometimes hides
Interesting. I would have said The Sound Of The Crowd.
Ver League’s Fascination is great but an example of theirs where the 7″ is better than the 12″. See also: DYWM.
Yerrbut Love Action/Hard Times is incredible on 12 inches
Indeed. So good I bought a(nother) copy for a quid yesterday.
Probably leaves you rather sore afterwards, I’d imagine.
I keep trying to entice Moose back but that wasn’t bad, Sal.
Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round
New Order – Blue Monday
Howard Jones – New Song
(maybe not the last one)
The last one is closer than the other two but those bands aren’t in. I went with a very rare and valuable song from one our favourites
So… Haircut 100 or Nick Heyward solo I’m guessing.
Boy meets Girl
On A Sunday
Wasn’t thinking of these but Boy Meets Girl wap! 👍
Nick solo was an orchestral masterpiece.
Another favourite artist of ours…
The Associates – Party Fears Two
Aztec Camera – Oblivious
Blancmange – Living On The Ceiling
Right bands wrong songs…
One contains a Simple Minds song title in the lyric. The other is a stroll in the snow.
The last one just makes me cry…
Blue Monday also Perfect Kiss – New Order
Just be Good to Me – SOS band
Smiths – How Soon is Now
You are crediting me with far too much taste. Great as those songs and bands are they don’t make my list….
It was Walk out to Winter, wasn’t it? I also liked your Blancmange choice, Waves.
80s 12” remixes I’ll always enjoy are:
Uncertain Smile, The The – there’s more than one but the flute-led one is my fave.
Dr Mabuse, Propaganda – Full kitchen sink pre-Frankie ZTT epic 9-minuter.
Never Let Me Down Again (Aggro Mix), Depeche Mode – Loud beats, shouty and dramatic.
And many more
Lots of love fir Depeche Mode over the month. I think Everything Counts has appeared the most…
Obviously The Boss, must be one of these 3 😉
Born in the USA (the Freedom mix)
Cover Me (Undercover Mix)
Dancing in the Dark (dub)
* Never released since
Not seem much Bruce to be honest 😉
Brilliant Mind – Furniture
Sounds like the 7” has been cut down Fromm the very jazzy sounding 12”
Duel (bitter sweet) – Propaganda
True Faith – New Order
The 7” missed that bass solo bit, 12” was only a bit longer but miles better
Suburbia (the full horror) – Pet Shop Boys
Club Country – The Associates
This is the one with the Simple Minds song title in the lyric.
I got totally confused and was scouring Blancmange lyrics for Simple Minds titles!
Someone has been paying attention 👍
Let’s dance with the cat people on the other side, maybe on new year’s day?
@dave-amitri
I’ve enjoyed following this thread – but it exposed a big hole in my musical knowledge. Wouldn’t have known where to start with the OP question, without some clues from you and the other posters. With one or two bright and shining exceptions, the 1990s seems to have been a bit of a lost decade for me…
1980s too?
Less so, funnily enough – I was much more aware of new music in the 80s and purchased a lot – still listen to it as well. Seemed to take a dip in the 90s – I’m sure it reflected me and my attitude rather than the quality of the music!
I guess I expected more Associates, Haircut 100, Tears For Fears, Thompson Twins etc guesses. They’re all I ever seem to talk about…
This Charming Man (New York Mix) – The Smiths.
Possibly How Soon Is Now if not. Or both.
Tasha (John Robbie Mix) – Cabaret Voltaire.
Wonderland – Big Country
That should have been Yashar by the Cabs. Definitely should be on the list.
2×45 was the first Cab Volt record I bought, mainly for the sublime packaging.
Yashar, I remember for the sample, which I mondegreened as ‘there are seventy brilliant people – where are they hiding?’
It wasn’t just. 12 inch but a Factory Records Giant Single as I recall.
Still brilliant.
Wonderland was in until the last minute. A definite bubbler…
I think you should have a reconsider.
I really thought most of my bands at least would be obvious. Here’s the playlist for you to pick apart.
A nice playlist. (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, The Message and The Earth Dies Screaming are very serious omissions though. I will be lodging an official complaint at the appropriate time.
Tom Browne – Funkin’ For Jamaica (Remix)
The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
Heaven 17 – Play To Win
Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock (extended version)
Kid Creole & The Coconuts – Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy
Mighty Gabby – Jack
Explainer – Lorraine
Pigbag – Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag
Special AKA – War Crimes (The Crime Is Still The Same) 10″
All missing. A travesty.
I own 5 of those (and a 6th on 7 inch)
I’m Falling is one of my favourite songs ever – better than Young At Heart.
Coincidentally I spent a few hours in my den yesterday evening testing a new speaker configuration with 80s 12 inches mostly. If your selection doesn’t include The Race by Yello, it should. I’ve a 13 minute version. It’s breathtaking.
Also Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club.
Your list probably includes the Cutter by the Bunnymen and Annie I’m Not Your Daddy by Kid Creole and Let Me Go by Heaven 17.
No Del Amitri, then? They were at the tail end of the 80s but perhaps they didn’t do 12” versions.
Also – Slavery Whip Mix of Master & Servant is a very good choice.
Kiss This Thing and Nothing Ever Happens were 1989 but not really different songs on the 12″. Love, love, love that version of Master and Servant
I’m sure you missed one Dave – Kirsty’s A New England – the Steve Lillywhite 12″ mix which is just phenomenal
I missed loads. 31 didn’t even scratch the surface. That is a great shout 👏
Big Country – In a Big Country
Kate Bush – Running up the Hill
I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight – Cutting Crew
If not yours, mine!
Sort of a side street I never explored but I hope you have this
Long shot.
Obsession by Animotion. One of those that you know you shouldn’t like but you do.
See Taste of Your Tears by King. I know it’s wrong but my god it’s soooo right
@freddy-steady. You are very correct about Animotion. Really naff but really good at the same time. Rhythm of the Night – DeBarge is another one.
Oooh yes. Rhythm of the night!
That first King album ( I assume they did a second…). was very good indeed. I had a cassette that had very extended versions of all the hits.
Oddly, the 2nd one was much better.
There WAS a second one!
Given this a bit more thought and rifled my collection the best of which, not already mentioned (among much dross):
Good Technology – Red Guitars
Venceremos – Working Week
Small Town Creed – The Kane Gang
Dr Mabuse – Propaganda
A Gigantic Raft – Its Immaterial
Shine So Hard – Echo and the Bunneymen is an EP I think as is …
Moments in Love (AKA into Battle with …) – The Art of Noise
I didn’t know there was a 12″ of Good Technology. I used to have the 12″ of Steeltown, which was great. Great bass. The b-side was Within These Walls, which I also played a lot.
Just read through the thread and note:
1. The answers have already been provided in a Spotify list.
2. None of my picks made the cut. (And Dr Mabuse already mentioned)
Working Week are a recent rediscovery of mine, having recently seen the fantastic Juliet Roberts guesting on vocals with Jazz Jamaica (yes I know it was Tracy Thorne, Robert Wyatt and Claudia Figueroa on the single) and noted the recent death of co-founder Simon Booth/Emerson.
Fantastic band.
The right length for Perfect Kiss by New Order is the full 12″ single length. The original album version was a truncated edit, a travesty. Some songs are extended unnecessarily för 12″ versions but in this case it was the intention from the off and it is pretty great in all it’s glory.
I also had Walking On Sunshine by Rockers Revenge. The kind of thing 12″-ers are made for. Also pretty great.
2 Men, A Drum Machine and A Trumpet – Tired Of Being Pushed Around. An enjoyable side project by the other guys in FYC.
Donna Summer – State Of Independence. A successful change of direction for the IFL hitmaker.
I also got many of The Smith singles which, apart from This Charming Man, were not remixes (thankfully) but were worth getting for the extra tracks which were mostly top notch, eventually appearing on compilations. Back To The Old House was one such marvel but there are many.
I do love the New York mix of This Charming Man though. It accentuates the rhythm section perfectly.
The ABC Look Of Love DJ mix was mighty fine as well.