THIS MONTH IN POP DECEMBER 1985

WELCOME

Stewart Copeland is a music journalist’s dream – every

POP-UP

Spandau Ballet songwriter Gary Kemp is working on a

1-HIT WONDER

F.R. DAVID

LOST & FOUND

INXS

Q+A 2 UNLIMITED

THEIR SONGS WERE CLUB MAINSTAYS IN THE EARLY 90S. NOW 2 UNLIMITED ARE BACK IN THE UK, AS RAPPER RAY SLIJNGAARD EXPLAINS TO RUDY BOLLY

Q+A DEBBIE HARRY

THE BLONDIE SINGER TALKS HOLLYWOOD BIOPICS, EXTINCTION REBELLION, GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL AND TRAMP ART WITH RUDY BOLLY

IAN PEEL‘S A TO Z OF POP F IS FOR … THE FLIPSIDE FANTASY

MY FAVOURITE ARCHIVAL REISSUE OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN PETER GABRIEL’S FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. IT’S THE MOST PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT SHOULD BE AN ARTFORM BUT IS QUITE OFTEN JUST A CASH-IN: THE B-SIDES COMPILATION…

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

MAKING LIAM AND NOEL GALLAGHER LOOK LIKE THE CHUCKLE BROTHERS, THE POLICE WERE POP’S MOST FAMOUS BRAWLERS, SOMEHOW CREATING FIVE ICONIC ALBUMS DESPITE THE HATRED. THEY STILL LOATHED EACH OTHER WHILE EARNING MILLIONS ON THEIR 2000S REUNION TOUR. OR THAT’S THE MYTH. WHAT WAS LIFE REALLY LIKE AMONG THE WARFARE? STEWART COPELAND AND THE BAND’S PRODUCER HUGH PADGHAM RECALL CRISIS MEETINGS, UNLIKELY CLASSICS AND… JOGGING TRAMPOLINES? IT’S A STORY EVEN ODDER THAN THE LEGEND…

CLASSIC ALBUM PARALLEL LINES BLONDIE

FORSAKING THEIR PUNK SOUND BUT NOT THEIR ATTITUDE, BLONDIE TEAMED UP WITH HITMAKER MIKE CHAPMAN FOR THEIR THIRD ALBUM WHICH EARNED THEM GLOBAL SUCCESS THANKS TO A STRING OF HITS AND THE UNDENIABLE STAR POWER OF THEIR CHARISMATIC FRONTWOMAN

Patience is a virtue

George Michael’s working methods have always been a source of mystery. Just how much music did he make in addition to his five solo albums? How much of it will we get to hear after his passing? How did the star’s close-knit team earn his trust? And did he secretly get Daft Punk to produce one of his singles? George’s team rarely talk publicly, but James Jackman – the star’s co-writer and co-producer since 1997 – gives Classic Pop the first in-depth insight into the icon’s later career.

ROMANCE? WE V̓ E GOT IT COVERED

Eighties pop royalty Martin and Shirlie Kemp have joined forces for an unexpected album of jazz standards. The couple talk to John Earls about their feelgood record, dinners with George Michael and a possible lifeline for Spandau Ballet…

Ba-ha Humbug

’Tis the season to be jolly… or is it? For Magne Furuholmen, it’s more a case of in the bleak midwinter, as he brings A-ha’s trademark yearning melancholy to this year’s most surprising Christmas album. “I’m not bad Santa, I’m sad Santa,” he tells Paul Kirkley.

ALBUM BY ALBUM: A-HA

CLASSI C POP SA LUT ES THE RELUCTANT T EEN IDOL S AND K INGS OF NORDIC MELANCHOL I A WI TH AN IN-DEP TH LOOK AT THEI R S TUDIO WORK

BEING A POP STAR IS WEIRD. THERE’S NOT MUCH HANGING OFF A YACHT IN THE CARIBBEAN.

THE FOO FIGHTERS’ FAVOURITE GUEST STAR IS IN REFLECTIVE MOOD AS HE RELEASES HIS ‘BOOKEND’ COMPILATION THE BEST OF ME. IN A REVEALING INTERVIEW RICK ASTLEY TELLS US ABOUT HIS S.A.W. YEARS, FORGING HIS OWN WAY, THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY LIFE AND HIS HEAVY METAL ALTER EGO.

STOP ME IF YOU THINK YOU’VE HEARD THIS NUMBER ONE BEFORE

THE 80S DIDN'T STOP IN 1989, OH NO. IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC, THE LAST THREE DECADES HAVE LEANED HEAVILY ON THAT CLASSIC DECADE. JON O’BRIEN LOOKS AT THE BEST CHART-TOPPING SINGLES THAT OWED A DEBT TO THE 1980S…

BOW WOW WOW WAS LIKE ALWAYS JUMPING ON A TRAMPOLINE, NEVER KNOWING IF I’D LAND ON MY ARSE OR MY FACE

FORGET THE SEX PISTOLS, BOW WOW WOW MIGHT BE THE MOST DARING BAND MALCOLM MCLAREN EVER CREATED. IN AN INDUSTRY RIFE WITH EXPLOITATION, SCHOOLGIRL ANNABELLA LWIN’S ABILITY TO KEEP SINGING AND KEEP SANE WAS AN EVEN BIGGER ACCOMPLISHMENT. ANNABELLA RECALLS THE BULLYING, LACK OF RESPECT AND HER ULTIMATE TRIUMPH AS SHE EXPLAINS HOW SHE’S MANAGED TO THRIVE DESPITE A LACK OF SUPPORT.

NEW ALBUMS

EVERYDAY LIFE

REISSUES

MADONNA / LIKE A VIRGIN / TRUE BLUE / WHO’S THAT GIRL:

LIVE

TOWN HALL, BIRMINGHAM

CLASSIC POP MOMENT

3 DECEMBER 1982