Yes i did and i enjoyed 1975.

I agree, it's not the same without Craig and Cazz I recognise Colin Heywood as he was also briefly a Children's BBC presenter on 'But First This', and it was because of that, when he turned up as part of Yell! a year or two later, it was patently clear he wasn't who he claimed to be...

That may be true enough, but it is very hard to envisage any act being able to sustain a lasting career, on simply relying on Trevor Horn's production sound, however seductive. I tend to believe that although Trevor did have a very huge bearing on the successes of the music ABC and Frankie Goes To Hollywood were making, there was also an element of their own creative input, than what was going on with Dollar. Trevor also incorporated some old fashioned strings into ABC's ''Lexicon Of Love'', giving their sound a little more substance. David and Theresa, always really had only a very limited shelf life, because their appeal was so based on them appearing young and pretty, as much as anything. Yes, Trevor definitely provided the tools to enable them to shine in the short term, which no one else may have been able to effectively give them at that moment, but it was never a sound that suggested longevity. If Dollar had stayed together, and with Trevor continuing to produce, they may have managed to squeeze a few more hits, but that wouldn't have stretched on for years.

I used to think the same about Madonna when she first burst on the scene in the mid 80s! - I thought her songs were so pure 'bubblegum pop' & her sound so tinny - that it must've been her image & look that appealed to everyone. Then the next year she completely changed her image & her records sold even more!! So - I guess I was wrong about that!!
I also prefer Dollar's early songs to Madonna's first few singles, any day!!

By the way - I forgot to say welcome to Dan-CBBC before. The forum is for everyone to chip in - not just a few, so no need to ask.

I remember that accident at the time. My sister was just about to start nursing at the same Newcastle hospital they were in.

No, go away

Hahahahahha

Hello Dan, just ignore the likes of me.

Yes, the same with me. As i have mentioned earlier, ''Shooting Star'' and ''Who Were You With In The Moonlight'' were my favourites. ''Love's Gotta Hold On Me'' was good, but possibly a bit soppy for me, although it was Dollar's biggest hit in the early period, reaching No 4. I don't think David Van Day was too happy about not having the lead vocal on that track, mind! ''Love's Gotta Hold On Me'' was also the group's first self penned single. I think Dollar's early hits possessed a great deal of charm, and although i have been critical of their later Trevor Horn produced material, those ones did too. I find them a little more ephemeral sounding though, than the early hits.

I believe Madonna's early hits possessed charm too, and i always found her more charismatic at the beginning of her career, when she didn't appear to be trying quite so hard. I, too, didn't like her early songs as much as Dollar's.

She was an absolute milf - goodness me 😅

Did you see the Kate Bush tribute after the TOTP early morning re runs?

Nothing strikingly new apart from learning that Del Palmer is an absolute narcissistic prawn - no wonder she ran off with the guitarist.

Well done to all those of you struggling through these 1982 episodes. It's all about opinions, and I suspect the age in which you were bought up in, but I believe these current episodes have much more strength in depth than the 1976-77 ones. The number ones will always be a little quirky so perhaps we shouldn't judge the overall quality of the top 40 from those.

I'd agree that while ABC and FGTH brought songwriting skills to the table that Dollar weren't really blessed with, Trevor Horn was a key part of their success. In the case of 'Relax', FGTH didn't play any instruments on the single at all and Horn obsessively spent ages building it in the studio. And ABC really struggled and rather lost their way several times after The Lexicon Of Love.

But the scenario you refer to of acts being able to sustain careers by relying purely on their producers is pretty much what we have for an awful lot of music released now. Horn was ahead of his time in many respects, but his successors have even greater clout than he did. As for what happens to the concept of the artist in all that - well, that's another story …

Interesting discussion about Trevor Horn.

About two years ago I got round to listening to Buggles' second and final album, Adventures In Modern Recording, released in November 1981. It's almost like a manifesto for everything that Trevor Horn was doing during the early to mid 1980s. It's true that Trevor's vocals can be a bit annoying sometimes, but if you focus on the ideas behind the music it's an interesting experience to listen to what he was trying to do in terms of production at this time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C0wNj3LvHs

BBC review:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/hqcg/

"The title says it all: Horn is more intrigued by the possibilities of the studio than the song. It sounds paltry and tinny in places, his experiments now dated. In other sections, his courage remains audible and impressive, as tracks skitter from pompous sampled dramatics to wonderfully impish mock-jazz sections. There’s a hyperactive mind at work, but this is where he worked out his kinks, honed his mad skills."

The more I think about it, the more I think that 1982 is very like 1967-69. That is remembered as being the period of the birth of modern rock music with the emergence of artists like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin and albums like Sgt Pepper. Yet this is also the era of number ones by The Archies. and novelty hits such as Cinderella Rockafella. What linked them was that they were great music to listen to, whether bubblegum pop or heavy rock. It's only musically snobbery that has resulted in the more 'credible' artists being the ones associated with the period. It's the same with 1982

Yes, i certainly agree with your points. The early eighties were a little different, mind, where things were still moving pretty fast. Artists today, though, can establish a career, based on a very particular sound, with little need to evolve, or change over a significant period.

Hahahaha, I'll make sure to remember that! Thank you great to be here

I always watch the midnight editons since they begin in 2011, and thank you great to be here

Well that was more like the mid 70s. David Essex, Leo Sayer, Cliff and Macca. Best track was Yazoo.

Don't remember the Leo and Cliff track. The David Essex performance and song we ripped to bits at school the next day, although worryingly I didn't find it as cringe worthy as I remember.

If I never hear come on Eileen again ever it would be too soon.

I'd forgotten how popular the kids from Fame TV show was. We must have hi fidelity and Starmaker soon?

Just laying it out there...I bloody LOVE the song Happy Talk. Both the South Pacific version and Captain Sensible's cover. It's a joyous little thing and I adore it.

Having seen it again in a less frazzled state of mind since Friday, I'm sticking with my initial thought that he was trying to emulate Adam Ant in his performance 'cos he thinks that's the in thing. I thought it might've just been my imagination but it was still there second time round.

Highlight of the show for me. Loved they way they all danced around each other without once getting in each others way.

The Lopez sisters both had distinctive voices and both sadly departed now I think.

I still listen to their stuff today. Wonderful vocals.

Was it the documentary from 2014?

Also - does anyone know why Kate & Del split? He was a big part of her music for years!

Not sure Ursula but I watched the documentary and I don't share MouMouLand's opinion that Del was a narcissistic prawn, he came across as polite, thoughtful and also pretty sad, it seemed like he had not really gotten over her, must have been an intense relationship, all that amazing music and all the hard work that must have gone into creating it.

Off topic comment:

I've been watching some of the 1979 episodes on the BBC archive site, while viewing the comments on the DigitalSpy 1979 thread. Really enjoyed reading the thread, and a lot of the people who were posting then are still posting now, so thanks for your contributions back then.

Good god yes, the sense of loss must be awful. It's clear from the songs on the Red Shoes that there was a lot of pain on both sides. We can only ever speculate as it's not something she would ever disclose, but I often think that she spent so long with Del and didn't have a child, only to have Bertie fairly quickly by comparison with Danny Mcintosh, that this might have a been a big factor. Biological issues or just choice, who knows.

I've read a description from another musician's viewpoint of their time in the studio and how she started to spend more time with Danny, learning guitar and therefore how this person telling the story said it was obvious to all what was happening and what was going to happen.

Obviously as a huge KB fan I'm biased in my appreciation of her, but I also recall a musician, from way back in the 70's/80's removing himself from the studio sessions because if he stayed near her any longer, he was going to fall in love and destroy his own relationship. I can understand that.

Yes.
I think Del can come across as quite cocky & overconfident certainly, more than narcissistic, but then considering he has worked with probably the best female singer songwriter in the land for years, his ego must be pretty big. I hope he has gotten over her by now. He is certainly very loyal to Kate, as are a lot of musicians who have worked with her. I can imagine her being greatly respected.


Yes you are probably right here. We will never really know exactly - as Kate comes across as a very private person.
I also read about that musician too & to be honest am surprised it hasn't happened to a lot more musicians in her circle. There is definitely much loyalty & professionalism between Kate and her band.