UK Number 40s: Saint Etienne - Avenue (1992)

 

Saint Etienne are one of those groups I would describe as too obscure to be a household name but too popular to be obscure. Their chart record more or less reflects this description. They've had 15 Top 40 hits across a 14 year period, but the only Top 10 they've managed was as featured artist on a Paul Van Dyk record.

For those who are familiar with Saint Etienne they would likely be familiar with their Top 40 debut "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and their debut album "Foxbase Alpha". However "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" only made number 39 and "Foxbase Alpha" had no further Top 40 hits on it.

They fared better with their non-album double a-side "Join Our Club/People Get Real" which made number 21. Then came this their 3rd Top 40 hit which was the lead single from their upcoming album "So Tough".

Given the low charting positions of Saint Etienne singles, this is by no means one of their obscure records. You are just as likely to know this as you would their next single "You're In A Bad Way" which made number 12 the following year. 

This single is notably more mellow than your average Saint Etienne hit. Maybe the record buying public weren't ready for it yet. It could also be the reason why their next mellow single "Hobart Paving" was released as a double a-side with the more upbeat "Who Do You Think You Are?".

The Top 40 career of Saint Etienne is seemingly over but the group carry on. It's members do lots of other things apart from Saint Etienne though, particularly Bob Stanley who's arguably better known as a music critic than a Saint Etienne member these days.

Top 30 in 1992 Reviewed: Week 19

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the top 30 from this week in 1992 with my verdict on each record:

30. En Vogue - My Lovin' (New)

This was the first Top 40 hit from the "Funky Divas" album which I own. It was their 2nd Top 40 hit overall with their debut "Hold On" coming 2 years prior. My memory of this record at the time is that it was out a similar time to "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Incognito. When I first properly got into R&B, En Vogue were one of the first groups I bought albums of

Verdict - Good

29. The Brand New Heavies - Ultimate Trunk Funk (EP)

The lead track from this EP is "Never Stop". Like with their debut Top 40 hit, this was an older record and had been remixed by David Morales for the EP. You may expect it to be a house version, but it's still an acid jazz record that doesn't sound too different from the original. It's not as good as their debut, but that's because of how good their debut was. 

Verdict - Good

28. Allison Jordan - The Boy From New York City (New)

This long forgotten record was an insight into the future of British pop. Allison Jordan won a competition on the TV show "That's Life" and with it came a recording contract with Simon Cowell. Predictably its a poor cover song which only got to 23 and Allison Jordan then got dropped. The nearest I could find to a video was a clip from "That's Life" showing her recording the video and performing in the studio for the final minute or so.

Verdict - Rubbish

27. K-Klass - So Right

This was the follow up to "Rhythm Is A Mystery". Although I do detect hints of it's predecessor in there, this certainly isn't a clone. In some ways it's better because it's long forgotten and therefore hasn't suffered from anthem bashing.

Verdict - Good

26. Kiss - Unholy (New)

The final Top 40 hit to date from Kiss. It just sounds like a very generic rock record to me. I'm half expecting something to happen to give it some sort of identity but it never really happens.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. Isotonik - Everywhere I Go (New)

The 2nd and final Top 40 hit to date for Isotonik which is a tune made for the rave that crossed over into the charts. Chris Paul aka Isotonik was busy promoting raves when he wasn't making the tunes.

Verdict - Good

24. Del Amitri - Always The Last To Know (New)

Del Amitri had 3 hits in the Billboard 100 and this was one of them. It was their 4th UK Top 40 hit and lead single from their "Change Everything" album. It's not a bad record but is a bit generic.

Verdict - OK

23. Michael Ball - One Step Out Of Time

This was the UKs Eurovision entry that year. The only previous Top 40 effort for Michael Ball had been "Love Changes Everything". What struck me about Eurovision when I first encountered it was how old fashioned the music all seemed. Picking someone known for musicals to represent the UK just strengthened that perception. The song itself sounds like something I could imagine Gary Barlow singing, which isn't a good thing.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. Mr Big - To Be With You

This reminds me of a time when I really cared about how the records I liked were doing in the charts. I loved this record at the time and it was probably my favourite song at that point in time. After it had spent 3 weeks at number 3 and hearing that Shakespear's Sister were no longer at number one I thought surely this was the record that had replaced it. I was therefore rather annoyed that it was Right Said Fred who topped the charts instead whilst this had fallen to number 4.

Verdict - Good

21. ZZ Top - Viva Las Vegas

I remember this video appearing on Top of the Pops and I was excited to hear a song from the band who appear last in the British Hit Singles book. The song sounded familiar though so I must have heard the Elvis version before this. 

Verdict - Good

20. Flowered Up - Weekender (New)

The last Top 40 hit to date and highest charting single for Flowered Up. You could describe them as being London's answer to Madchester.  Basically it's a dance and rock crossover record and is 13 minutes long.

Verdict - Good

19. Texas - Tired Of Being Alone

My memory of Texas was them doing "I Don't Want A Lover" in 1989 then disappearing until 1997 when they reappeared with "Say What You Want". Turns out they had a few minor hits in between, none of which I remember. I did however become aware of this Al Green cover when it appeared on a love songs compilation around 20 years ago. My thoughts were why would you put this on there instead of the Al Green version.

Verdict - Rubbish

18. EMF - Unexplained EP

The lead track from this EP is "Getting Through". I'd say there's more emphasis on the guitar on this record than their previous efforts. I want to like this record, it sounds like an EMF record and I can totally understand why they went in this direction. Doesn't quite have enough about it though.

Verdict - OK

17. Morrissey - We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful (New)

I've said before that Morrissey's songs can have funny lyrical content, but they're delivered in such a boring way that it makes the song a bit of a non-entity. I find these lyrics amusing plus he sings "ha ha ha" in the chorus. At the same time it's surprisingly catchy for a Morrissey record. It's not that good though.

Verdict - OK

16. Kim Wilde - Love Is Holy

Kim Wilde in the 90s? That's right, this was her first Top 40 hit of the 90s and it wasn't her last. It was written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley who had written several hits for Belinda Carlisle. As a result it sounds like it should be a Belinda Carlisle record but has Kim Wilde singing on it instead.

Verdict - Rubbish

15. Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine - The Only Living Boy In New Cross

This is the only Top 10 hit to date for Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. I wouldn't say it's their best known record though, it's likely because they were now established and this was the lead single from what was their yet to be released new album. It's a decent tune too.

Verdict - Good

14. Kylie Minogue - Finer Feelings

Although we were still in the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era of Kylie Minogue minus Aitken, this was a preview of what was to come in the future for Kylie Minogue with Brothers In Rhythm on remix duties. This one isn't even catchy though.

Verdict - Rubbish

13. Extreme - Song For Love

This was the final Top 40 hit from the "Pornograffitti" album and in my opinion the best one. It's a ballad, but given the acoustic nature of "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted" it probably hasn't received the same level of criticism as other rock ballads get from the purists. I'm not a purist though and sometimes I think the rock ballads are better then the heavier ones.

Verdict - Good

12. 2 Unlimited - Workaholic

As a rule I find it more difficult to identify a tune by the intro than by the chorus. With this record though it's the opposite. The intro with chimes from the clock is how I remember it, the rest of it is forgettable eurodance cheese.

Verdict - Rubbish

11. Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last

I always imagined this record to be sung by someone who was old, but it was recorded in 1990 when Vanessa Williams would have been 26 or 27. Maybe I just thought it was music for old people, and it's inclusion on the Bisto adverts more or less confirmed that for me.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Ten Sharp - You

I'm a big fan of Dutch music of the 90s in general. The trouble I have with this record though is that it doesn't sound very Dutch or very 90s for that matter. By my reckoning this is the only Top 40 hit of the 90s by a Dutch act that is neither dance music or a novelty record. That doesn't make it a bad record though

Verdict - Good

9. Michael Jackson And Mystery Girl - In The Closet

This song is probably better remembered for having Naomi Campbell in the video than for the actual song. It was written and produced by Teddy Riley and it was around this time he took The Neptune's under his wing. Part of me wonders whether it was really The Neptune's who produced this as it does very much sound like them. Then again maybe this provided inspiration for future Neptune's productions.

Verdict - Good

8. Curtis Stigers - You're All That Matters To Me

For some reason I associate Curtis Stigers with late 1992 instead of early 1992 which he had his two big hits, this being the second. It's not that it took me a while to discover him as I remember him appearing on Top of the Pops. The nostalgia factor means that I do quite like this record.

Verdict - Good

7. Curiosity - Hang On In There Baby

After 3 years away from the Top 40, Curiosity Killed the Cat were back with a shortened name and their final Top 40 hit to date. It seems a few 80s acts were having low charting and long forgotten 90s hits around this time, but this one made number 3. It's not for me though.

Verdict - Rubbish

6. Metallica - Nothing Else Matters

I used to get stick for saying my favourite Metallica song was "Nothing Else Matters". People were baffled I didn't prefer any of the heavier ones. One person even speculated it was the only Metallica song I knew. I stand by this opinion though, it is my favourite Metallica song.

Verdict - Good

5. The Sisters Of Mercy - Temple Of Love

This originally failed to chart when first released in 1983. It was re-released to promote a compilation album. The Sisters Of Mercy were a band I never really liked but tried to like because they were one of the cool bands to like amongst the rock crowd at school. Then they were considered to be 80s crap and no longer cool which to me was a relief. 

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Marc Almond - The Days Of Pearly Spencer

This is the final Top 10 hit to date for Marc Almond. Like with all his other Top 10 hits, this is a cover with the original being by David McWilliams. As Marc Almond is a songwriter, this fact is probably quite annoying for him. I would say though that generally speaking I prefer his covers to his original compositions.

Verdict - Good

3. Right Said Fred - Deeply Dippy

I remember getting really annoyed that this record made number one and Mr Big hadn't. I absolutely hated this record as a result of that. However I've not really cared how the records I like do in the charts for the bulk of the last 30 years and I still think this record is crap and would have still thought that if Mr Big got to number one instead.

Verdict - Rubbish

2. SL2 - On A Ragga Tip

I loved this record at the time and still do now. The odd thing is that this was before the scene split into happy hardcore and jungle and this sounds like it's gearing towards what would become jungle yet Slipmatt of SL2 would become one of the pioneers of happy hardcore. The only downside is that after "On A Ragga Tip 97" came out which was faster, it makes this record sound a bit slow.

Verdict - Good

1. KWS - Please Don't Go / Game Boy

This was the first version of "Please Don't Go" that I heard. The original is by KC & the Sunshine Band, but it's basically a clone of a cover done the same year by Italian act Double You. I do like it, but the other tune "Game Boy" is better. Whilst "Please Don't Go" is a commercial dance record, "Game Boy" is very much a rave record.

Verdict - Good / Good

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 17.5/30, or 58%. We're sliding again and look in danger of going below 50% for the first time in 1992.

Tribal Gathering @ Otmoor Park, Beckley 06/05/1995

 

The only place to be on this particular night was the Tribal Gathering. It was a dance music festival that was an annual event and I've never heard a bad word said about it.

There were 27,000 people there across 5 arenas. With those sort of numbers it was inevitable there would be some mainstream acts there, which there was. The mainstream acts in question though included The Prodigy, Orbital and The Chemical Brothers.

Putting personal taste to one side, I don't think anyone on the line up could be described as cheesy commercial crap who are there to attract the masses. The mainstream acts were all ones who still had some credibility amongst the purists.

No recordings exist from this event to my knowledge, but the ITV show BPM were there so watching this is the closest I can get to the music.

The question is if I was there, who would I have gone to see?

It's a difficult one because I have to consider my 1995 self as opposed to myself now. I wouldn't want to restrict myself to just hardcore and drum & bass with all the other music there and I think even at the time I would have wanted a bit of variety.

To kick things of it would have been drum & bass with Krust. As far as I can remember he's not featured at any of the raves featured so far this year.

Then it would have been off to the main arena for Apollo 440 doing a live show then back to the drum & bass/happy hardcore arena for the first happy hardcore set with DJ SY.

It's then back to the main arena for another live show with Sunscreem and then staying there for Dave Angel who followed. Then across to another arena for Trevor Rockcliffe.

It's then back to the drum & bass/happy hardcore arena to see Dougal & Vibes back to back which would have been top of my list in sets to see. As a consequence I would have missed The Prodigy in the main arena. I would then stay there to see Easygroove next.

Then it would be back to the main arena to see another live show which this time comes from Orbital.

After Orbital in the main arena would have been Carl Cox which would have been the first time I'd have seen him play since his last hardcore set at Doncaster Warehouse around 3 months prior.

There are quite a few clips from the Carl Cox set on the video and he has Ribbz MCing for him. It definitely appears to be a must see set.

After Carl Cox it would be back to the drum & bass/happy hardcore arena to see the latter part of Kenny Ken's set and then stay there for the final set of the night from LTJ Bukem.

As a result there would have been 2 arenas I wouldn't have gone to. Both had acts I would like to have seen, but others would have taken priority over them. This is the downside to events of this scale, there will inevitably be clashes.

Shakespear's Sister vs Alisha's Attic

When Alisha's Attic released their final album "The House We Built" I recall one review quoting "being the modern day Shakespear's Sister is nothing to be proud of".

It wasn't the first or last time comparisons between the two have been made. I even recall one of the many Alisha's Attic fan sites that used to exist having a section about other music acts Alisha's Attic fans like. One was Shakespear's Sister and they put in brackets next to it (well obviously).

As some of you will know, I went through a phase of being a big Alisha's Attic fan to the point that one of the fan sites that existed was mine. Yet I've never liked Shakespear's Sister and after hearing songs of theirs from reviewing the Top 30 from 30 years ago plus the Top of the Pops reruns, I still don't.

At the time I would have rejected any claim that Alisha's Attic had any resemblance to Shakespear's Sister, but if I'm honest there are similarities.

First of all both were female duos. Doesn't sound like much, Guns n Roses and Take That were both male groups for example. If you look at the history books though you'll find there weren't that many female duos who have been in the Top 40. In fact there are just two female duos who have had over 5 Top 40 hits ever at the time of writing. As you may have guess, those were Alisha's Attic with 8 and Shakespear's Sister with 6 (OK it was Siobhan on her own for their last one).

Alisha's Attic weren't always Alisha's Attic though. Their first crack at music came in 1988 with the track "Sugar Daddy" which was something you could imagine Bananarama (the group Siobhan left that same year) doing in their Stock Aitken & Waterman era. The name they went under for this was Keren and Chelle. The question is why Keren instead of her actual name Karen? Could it be to do with the fact Bananarama had a member called Keren?

Siobhan's husband at the time was Dave Stewart who was also involved with Shakespear's Sister as songwriter and producer on some of their songs.

Then in 1996 Siobhan and Dave Stewart divorced and the 3rd Shakespear's Sister album never got released due to lead single "I Can Drive" flopping. This basically marked the end of Shakespear's Sister.

That same year Alisha's Attic finally broke through and were given their break by none other than Dave Stewart who produced their debut album.

It would be naive to think that filling the void left by Shakespear's Sister wasn't part of the agenda. Both made pop music but had a gothic image. Some may have thought Shakespear's Sister were actually sisters given the name, Alisha's Attic really were sisters.

Why then did I like Alisha's Attic but not Shakespear's Sister? Well one thing I've not really covered is the actual music. The most notable difference is that Alisha's Attic could sing, Siobhan Fahey couldn't. Yes Marcella Detroit can sing, but aside from "Stay" she didn't do much singing as far as I could tell.

There were similarities musically too, but not that similar. If you like a certain genre it doesn't mean you like every single record that's ever been made in said genre. In the case of Alisha's Attic, just because I was a fan didn't mean I liked every song they ever made.

There are a few Alisha's Attic songs I've never liked even when I was a big fan. Thinking about it, they tended to be the ones which sounded similar to Shakespear's Sister.

The Top 40 Leaderboard: Apr 2022

A bit late this month with the month end being a busy bank holiday weekend straight after the charts announced.

Central Cee remains top of the leaderboard but hasn't added to his total this month. Ed Sheeran is now in 2nd place having clocked up his 54th Top 40 hit overall.

28 of the 67 Top 40 hits so far this year have been rap which is 42%.

UK Number 40s: Innocence - One Love In My Lifetime (1992)

 

After the success of Soul II Soul breaking through into the mainstream in 1989 we had a number of acts who were similar in style making the charts in 1990. Most were nowhere to be seen after 1 or 2 hits, but one that lasted a bit longer were Innocence.

In 1990 they had 4 Top 40 hits, the highest charting of these was their debut "Natural Thing" which is their only Top 20 hit to date making number 16. In 1992 they were back with a 2nd album of which this was the 2nd single. By this point the only other Soul II Soul type act still having Top 40 hits were Soul II Soul themselves. 

This record is a cover of a Diana Ross record which appeared on her self titled 1976 album. It was composed by Lawrence Brown, Leonard Perry and Terri McFaddin, the latter was also co-writer of "Forget Me Nots" by Patrice Rushen so has technically also been composer of a number one thanks to it's sample in "Fastlove" by George Michael.

Innocence are not a well remembered group. This was on the channel of singer Gee Morris and has had a little over 7k views in 10 years.

The other group members were Anna Jolley, Brian Harris and Mark Jolley who have also had releases under other aliases but Innocence was the most commercially successful. Mark Jolley would be back in the Top 40 with another number 40 but more on that when the time comes.

Top 30 in 1992 Reviewed: Week 18

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the top 30 from this week in 1992 with my verdict on each record:

30. L7 - Pretend We're Dead

Although L7 don't come from Seattle, I would definitely consider this to be a grunge record. It was the Top 40 debut for L7 and record they're most famous for. In the UK though they are best known for their infamous appearance on The Word as opposed to any music. The fact the music is a bit rubbish may have something to do with it.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. Texas - Tired Of Being Alone (New)

My memory of Texas was them doing "I Don't Want A Lover" in 1989 then disappearing until 1997 when they reappeared with "Say What You Want". Turns out they had a few minor hits in between, none of which I remember. I did however become aware of this Al Green cover when it appeared on a love songs compilation around 20 years ago. My thoughts were why would you put this on there instead of the Al Green version.

Verdict - Rubbish

28. Genesis - Hold On My Heart

When Phil Collins started his solo career it was quite easy to distinguish between what was a Genesis record and what was a Phil Collins record. By the 90s though it was a lot more difficult to tell with this record being a prime example. It could have just as easily been a Phil Collins solo record. But I do generally like Phil Collins solo material.

Verdict - Good

27. Soul II Soul - Joy

Although they still had several more Top 40 hits, this is the last Top 10 hit to date for Soul ii Soul. When they'd last been in the Top 40 in 1990 there seemed to be a lot of acts who adopted their sound. Things had since moved on and so had Soul ii Soul with this comeback record, though at the same time it still sounds like a Soul ii Soul record.

Verdict - Good

26. Kim Wilde - Love Is Holy (New)

Kim Wilde in the 90s? That's right, this was her first Top 40 hit of the 90s and it wasn't her last. It was written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley who had written several hits for Belinda Carlisle. As a result it sounds like it should be a Belinda Carlisle record but has Kim Wilde singing on it instead.

Verdict - Rubbish

25. The Brand New Heavies - Ultimate Trunk Funk (EP)

The lead track from this EP is "Never Stop". Like with their debut Top 40 hit, this was an older record and had been remixed by David Morales for the EP. You may expect it to be a house version, but it's still an acid jazz record that doesn't sound too different from the original. It's not as good as their debut, but that's because of how good their debut was. 

Verdict - Good

24. The Black Crowes - Remedy (New)

This was the 2nd Top 40 hit for The Black Crowes. Surprisingly their debut "Hard To Handle" only made number 39 the previous year. This is their highest charting single to date. I'm liking the rock and soul combination here. 

Verdict - Good

23. 2 Unlimited - Workaholic (New)

As a rule I find it more difficult to identify a tune by the intro than by the chorus. With this record though it's the opposite. The intro with chimes from the clock is how I remember it, the rest of it is forgettable eurodance cheese.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. Altern 8 - Evapor-8

The penultimate Top 40 hit to date from Altern 8 who were probably the biggest rave act around at this point in time. Still sounds a tune made for the dance floor rather than the charts which is a good thing.

Verdict - Good

21. Michael Ball - One Step Out Of Time

This was the UKs Eurovision entry that year. The only previous Top 40 effort for Michael Ball had been "Love Changes Everything". What struck me about Eurovision when I first encountered it was how old fashioned the music all seemed. Picking someone known for musicals to represent the UK just strengthened that perception. The song itself sounds like something I could imagine Gary Barlow singing, which isn't a good thing.

Verdict - Rubbish

20. K-Klass - So Right

This was the follow up to "Rhythm Is A Mystery". Although I do detect hints of it's predecessor in there, this certainly isn't a clone. In some ways it's better because it's long forgotten and therefore hasn't suffered from anthem bashing.

Verdict - Good

19. Shakespear's Sister - Stay

When Siobhan left Bananarama and formed Shakespear's Sister they had a Top 10 hit with "You're History" in 1989. By the end of 1991 it looked like they were history have failed to reach the Top 40 with any of their other singles. Then came this, which topped the charts and stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. I do think that the contrast between the vocals of Marcella and Siobhan is a good concept, but I've never been able to bring myself to like this record.

Verdict - Rubbish

18. EMF - Unexplained EP (New)

The lead track from this EP is "Getting Through". I'd say there's more emphasis on the guitar on this record than their previous efforts. I want to like this record, it sounds like an EMF record and I can totally understand why they went in this direction. Doesn't quite have enough about it though.

Verdict - OK

17. Extreme - Song For Love (New)

This was the final Top 40 hit from the "Pornograffitti" album and in my opinion the best one. It's a ballad, but given the acoustic nature of "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted" it probably hasn't received the same level of criticism as other rock ballads get from the purists. I'm not a purist though and sometimes I think the rock ballads are better then the heavier ones.

Verdict - Good

16. ZZ Top - Viva Las Vegas

I remember this video appearing on Top of the Pops and I was excited to hear a song from the band who appear last in the British Hit Singles book. The song sounded familiar though so I must have heard the Elvis version before this. 

Verdict - Good

15. Curiosity - Hang On In There Baby

After 3 years away from the Top 40, Curiosity Killed the Cat were back with a shortened name and their final Top 40 hit to date. It seems a few 80s acts were having low charting and long forgotten 90s hits around this time, but this one made number 3. It's not for me though.

Verdict - Rubbish

14. Mr Big - To Be With You

This reminds me of a time when I really cared about how the records I liked were doing in the charts. I loved this record at the time and it was probably my favourite song at that point in time. After it had spent 3 weeks at number 3 and hearing that Shakespear's Sister were no longer at number one I thought surely this was the record that had replaced it. I was therefore rather annoyed that it was Right Said Fred who topped the charts instead whilst this had fallen to number 4.

Verdict - Good

13. Iron Maiden - Be Quick Or Be Dead

One thing I've often said is that for an Iron Maiden song to be any good, it needs to be quick. Fortunately this record does live up to it's title and is a quick one. I wouldn't say this is one of the better known Iron Maiden singles, but it's their 2nd highest charting one.

Verdict - Good

12. Metallica - Nothing Else Matters (New)

I used to get stick for saying my favourite Metallica song was "Nothing Else Matters". People were baffled I didn't prefer any of the heavier ones. One person even speculated it was the only Metallica song I knew. I stand by this opinion though, it is my favourite Metallica song.

Verdict - Good

11. Kylie Minogue - Finer Feelings

Although we were still in the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era of Kylie Minogue minus Aitken, this was a preview of what was to come in the future for Kylie Minogue with Brothers In Rhythm on remix duties. This one isn't even catchy though.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Ten Sharp - You

I'm a big fan of Dutch music of the 90s in general. The trouble I have with this record though is that it doesn't sound very Dutch or very 90s for that matter. By my reckoning this is the only Top 40 hit of the 90s by a Dutch act that is neither dance music or a novelty record. That doesn't make it a bad record though

Verdict - Good

9. KWS - Please Don't Go / Game Boy

This was the first version of "Please Don't Go" that I heard. The original is by KC & the Sunshine Band, but it's basically a clone of a cover done the same year by Italian act Double You. I do like it, but the other tune "Game Boy" is better. Whilst "Please Don't Go" is a commercial dance record, "Game Boy" is very much a rave record.

Verdict - Good / Good

8. Michael Jackson And Mystery Girl - In The Closet (New)

This song is probably better remembered for having Naomi Campbell in the video than for the actual song. It was written and produced by Teddy Riley and it was around this time he took The Neptune's under his wing. Part of me wonders whether it was really The Neptune's who produced this as it does very much sound like them. Then again maybe this provided inspiration for future Neptune's productions.

Verdict - Good

7. Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine - The Only Living Boy In New Cross

This is the only Top 10 hit to date for Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. I wouldn't say it's their best known record though, it's likely because they were now established and this was the lead single from what was their yet to be released new album. It's a decent tune too.

Verdict - Good

6. Curtis Stigers - You're All That Matters To Me

For some reason I associate Curtis Stigers with late 1992 instead of early 1992 which he had his two big hits, this being the second. It's not that it took me a while to discover him as I remember him appearing on Top of the Pops. The nostalgia factor means that I do quite like this record.

Verdict - Good

5. Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last

I always imagined this record to be sung by someone who was old, but it was recorded in 1990 when Vanessa Williams would have been 26 or 27. Maybe I just thought it was music for old people, and it's inclusion on the Bisto adverts more or less confirmed that for me.

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Marc Almond - The Days Of Pearly Spencer

This is the final Top 10 hit to date for Marc Almond. Like with all his other Top 10 hits, this is a cover with the original being by David McWilliams. As Marc Almond is a songwriter, this fact is probably quite annoying for him. I would say though that generally speaking I prefer his covers to his original compositions.

Verdict - Good

3. The Sisters Of Mercy - Temple Of Love (New)

This originally failed to chart when first released in 1983. It was re-released to promote a compilation album. The Sisters Of Mercy were a band I never really liked but tried to like because they were one of the cool bands to like amongst the rock crowd at school. Then they were considered to be 80s crap and no longer cool which to me was a relief. 

Verdict - Rubbish

2. SL2 - On A Ragga Tip

I loved this record at the time and still do now. The odd thing is that this was before the scene split into happy hardcore and jungle and this sounds like it's gearing towards what would become jungle yet Slipmatt of SL2 would become one of the pioneers of happy hardcore. The only downside is that after "On A Ragga Tip 97" came out which was faster, it makes this record sound a bit slow.

Verdict - Good

1. Right Said Fred - Deeply Dippy

I remember getting really annoyed that this record made number one and Mr Big hadn't. I absolutely hated this record as a result of that. However I've not really cared how the records I like do in the charts for the bulk of the last 30 years and I still think this record is crap and would have still thought that if Mr Big got to number one instead.

Verdict - Rubbish

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 18.5/30, or 63%. Standards are slipping, but we've not had a bad score for 1992 yet.