WELCOME

It’s a much overused adjective, but I can’t

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Writing for Classic Pop since our first issue,

Soft Cell and PSB unite for synth-pop supergroup

Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys have joined

NKOTB TIP THEIR HATS TO THE 80S

© Austin Hargrave New Kids On The Block

Long-awaited deluxe boxset for Older unveiled

Newly remastered from the original tapes, George Michael’s

FERRY RETURNS WITH COVERS EP AND ROXY MUSIC REUNION TOUR

© Simon Emmett Roxy Music have confirmed details

Ali Campbell’s ‘poignant’ farewell album with much-missed Astro

Ali Campbell says his new studio album is

1-HIT WONDER

BRING IT DOWN (THIS INSANE THING) REDSKINS The

CLASSIC PRINCE LIVE SHOW MAKES IT OUT OF THE VAULT

© Nancy Bundt Prince’s estate has delved into

Electric Ladies tour is rescheduled for June

Following Hazel O’Connor’s recent serious health issues, the

Q + A HELD BY TREES

DAVID JOSEPH’S INSTRUMENTAL PROJECT SEES TALK TALK ALUMNI JOINING FORCES FOR A REMARKABLE ALBUM THAT IMMERSES ITSELF IN THE AURA OF THE BAND’S SPIRIT OF EDEN AND LAUGHING STOCK ERAS

MY POP LIFE

THE JOURNALIST AND BROADCASTER TALKS US THROUGH HER MUSIC OBSESSIONS

LOST & FOUND

CROWDED HOUSE CROWDED HOUSE Don’t Dream It’s Over,

JAM PHOTOBOOK GETS 40TH ANNIVERSARY UPDATE

Derek D’Souza’s Jam photobook In The Crowd –

IAN PEEL‘S A TO Z of POP

P IS FOR... PEEL SESSIONS

THIS MONTH IN POP

MAY 1981

POPARAZZi

READERS SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE PHOTOS AS THEY GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN PLANET POP

Dreampop

YOUR AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE SUB-GENRES

SUPER FAN

GEORGE MICHAEL

DIRE STRAITS RELEASE BROTHERS IN ARMS

13 MAY 1985

"WE WERE FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS,GOING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT"

POST-PUNK PIONEERS THE ASSOCIATES TRANSFORMED THEMSELVES INTO BONA FIDE POP STARS ON 1982’S SULK. ALAN RANKINE, MIKE HEDGES, MICHAEL DEMPSEY, SLEEVE PHOTOGRAPHER PETER ASHWORTH AND MARTYN WARE TAKE US INSIDE THEIR SKEWED MASTERWORK

OLDER GEORGE MICHAEL

INSPIRED BY THE GRIEF OF LOSING HIS PARTNER, GEORGE MICHAEL’S EXPANSIVE, HIT-FILLED MASTERPIECE WAS AMONGST THE MOST POWERFUL STATEMENTS OF HIS CAREER

HIT... OR MYTH?

The Legends Of Mark Hollis

JANET JACKSON

AFTER FIRST FINDING FAME AS PART OF THE JACKSON FAMILY DYNASTY, JANET ASSERTED HER INDEPENDENCE TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND INFLUENTIAL SOLO ARTISTS IN POP

"Music Should be a play ground"

ALONGSIDE FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD’S WELCOME TO THE PLEASUREDOME, PROPAGANDA’S A SECRET WISH DEFINED THE GRANDEUR OF ZTT. THEIR DEBUT ALBUM STOOD ALONE AS A BEACON OF EXTRAVAGANT SYNTH-POP… UNTIL NOW. MORE THAN THREE DECADES ON, CLAUDIA BRÜCKEN AND SUSANNE FREYTAG TELL THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THEIR STUNNING COMEBACK LP, THE HEART IS STRANGE

STAYING OUT FOR THE SUMMER

AS WE FINALLY GEAR OURSELVES UP FOR THE FIRST COMPLETE FESTIVAL SEASON IN THREE YEARS, CLASSIC POP GUIDES YOU THROUGH SOME CHOICE PICKS ON THE MUSICAL CALENDAR

TOP TEN

WEEK ENDING 10 MAY 1986

TEENAGE KICKS

ONE OF THE MUSIC WORLD’S GREAT ADVENTURERS, EVEN BY DAVE STEWART’S STANDARDS HIS NEW PROJECT EBONY MCQUEEN IS AMBITIOUS: A MOVIE WITH AN ACCOMPANYING TRIPLE-ALBUM BOXSET. IT ALSO ALLOWS HIM TO REFLECT ON HOW A FOOTBALL- OBSESSED SUNDERLAND TEENAGER BECAME ONE OF POP’S GREAT COLLABORATORS. IN A WIDE-RANGING INTERVIEW TAKING IN DRUNK PIRATES IN THE CARIBBEAN AND BOB DYLAN’S LOVE OF COCKTAILS, HE TELLS US: “I’VE GOT AN INQUISITIVE MIND.”

Danny Wilson-Bebop Moptop

THERE WAS MORE TO SCOTTISH SOPHISTI-POP BAND DANNY WILSON THAN CLASSIC SINGLE MARY’S PRAYER. MATT PHILLIPS EXPLORES THEIR UNDERRATED SECOND ALBUM, WHICH TOOK INSPIRATION FROM THE ENTIRE POP PANTHEON, FROM COLE PORTER TO PRINCE

Q + A EMF

FRONTMAN JAMES ATKIN TALKS RAVING IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES, HIS OTHER LIFE AS A SCHOOLTEACHER AND MEETING ALAN BENNETT DOWN THE SHOPS…

TOP 20 80S-SAMPLING HITS

MINING THE PAST TO MAKE THE MUSIC OF THE FUTURE, THESE SINGLES USED 80S SOURCES TO FINE EFFECT

“I FEEL CREATIVELY LIKE I’VE COME BACK TO LIFE AGAIN”

AS HE RELEASES HIS FIRST SOLO RETRO SPECTIVE, DARYL HALL TALKS TO CLASSIC POP ABOUT RECORD LABEL WOES, SUPERSTAR AND LIFE WITHOUT OATES

THE HOT LIST

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ON CLASSIC POP ZOOM CATCH-UPS

XPROPAGANDA

THE HEART IS STRANGE

LIAM GALLAGHER

C’MON YOU KNOW / DOWN BY THE RIVER THAMES

DUBSTAR TWO

NORTHERN WRITES

THE WATERBOYS

ALL SOULS HILL

BRUCE HORNSBY

‘FLICTED

UB40 FEATURING ALI CAMPBELL & ASTRO

UNPRECEDENTED

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING

RAW DATA FEEL

EMF

GO GO SAPIENS

WET LEG

WET LEG

JOHN ILLSLEY

VIII

ANN WILSON

FIERCE BLISS

INTERLOPERS

INTERLOPERS

DEF LEPPARD

DIAMOND STAR HALOS

BLOSSOMS

RIBBON AROUND A BOMB

COLIN HAY

NOW AND THE EVERMORE

RÖYKSOPP

PROFOUND MYSTERIES

KULA SHAKER

1ST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ETERNAL LOVE AND FREE HUGS

BELLE AND SEBASTIAN

A BIT OF PREVIOUS

WALLIS BIRD

HANDS

HELD BY TREES

SOLACE

BLOC PARTY

ALPHA GAMES

THE CHAMELEONS

EDGE SESSIONS (LIVE FROM THE EDGE)

ROGER ENO

THE TURNING YEAR

FADER

QUARTZ

CDUNCAN

ALLUVIUM

MICHAEL HEAD & THE RED ELASTIC BAND

DEAR SCOTT

THE ASSOCIATES / BILLY MACKENZIE

SULK / SATELLITE LIFE: RECORDINGS (1995-96)

RICK ASTLEY

WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY

SPARKS

21ST CENTURY SPARKS COLLECTION

THE POLICE

AROUND THE WORLD / GREATEST HITS

VARIOUS ARTISTS

NOW YEARBOOK ’81 / NOW YEARBOOK ’82 EXTRA / NOW EIGHTIES DANCEFLOOR

KRAFTWERK

REMIXES

DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES / DARYL HALL

MARIGOLD SKY / BEFOREAFTER

MADNESS

WONDERFUL

TOYAH

TOYAH! TOYAH! TOYAH!

MARC ALMOND

STRANGER THINGS

GIRLS AT OUR BEST!

PLEASURE

FOREIGNER

AGENT PROVOCATEUR

XTC

MUMMER

PENGUIN CAFE

A MATTER OF LIFE…

VARIOUS ARTISTS

SONG EDUCATION 3

EN VOGUE

FUNKY DIVAS

FASHION

FASHION MUSIC

VARIOUS ARTISTS

GENERATION BLITZ 2: CONCRETE AND CHROME

AL JARREAU

BREAKIN’ AWAY

SUZANNE VEGA

TOWN HALL, BIRMINGHAM

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

O2 ACADEMY, BIRMINGHAM

BAPTISM OF FIRE

IAN LITTLE

HERE THEY COME WITH THEIR MAKE UP ON: SUEDE, COMING UP… AND MORE ADVENTURES BEYOND THE WILD FRONTIERS

JANE SAVIDGE

MY LIFE IN PICTURES

TONY HADLEY

DAVID BOWIE: ALL THE SONGS – THE STORY BEHIND EVERY TRACK

BENOÎT CLERC