285 posts
After starting life as one of many bands cynically marketed by record companies to cash in on the New Romantic scene, on third studio album The Colour Of Spring Talk…
Album By Album: Heaven 17
Taking politics to the dancefloor, they’ve given the human league a run for their money as Sheffield’s biggest synth-pop act. By Steve Harnell Penthouse And Pavement Released 1981 Label Virgin…
Album By Album: The Human League
The synth icons transformed themselves from science fiction-obsessed futurists into pure pop mavericks. By Steve Harnell Reproduction Released 1979 Label Virgin Chart Position UK No.34 and US – Borne…
Thomas Dolby: Faster Than Sound
Here’s some news for you: Thomas Dolby never really was that crazy boffin you thought he was back in the 80s, but since then he’s been that and a whole…
Sparks: Brothers Of Invention
To mark the forthcoming release of Edgar Wright’s documentary The Sparks Brothers, we delve into the Classic Pop archives for this 2020 interview with Russell and Ron Mael, as they…
Top 20 House Hits
Jon O’Brien remembers the best tracks from the second Summer Of Love… House music may have been initially dismissed as a cult concern by the nation’s one-time ultimate tastemaker Radio…
Lost & Found: Shalamar – Three For Love
Shalamar were still two years away from a life-defining period of huge hit singles and innovative dance moves, but their 1980 album Three For Love set them on their way.…
Madonna: The Second Coming
Channelling spirituality and state-of-the-art electronica, Madonna laid herself bare emotionally, eschewed the headline-grabbing antics of her past and pulled off the mother of all comebacks with her mystical masterpiece. Mark…
Album By Album: Sade
Shifting an astonishing 75 million albums worldwide, over the past four decades Sade have finessed their ‘quiet storm’ sound for the masses. By Steve Harnell Diamond Life Released 1984 Label…
The Pod Squad: Track By Track
We talk to presenters Dan Bull & Will Warren… What’s your podcast about? Each week we take a brilliant pop album and talk about it, yep, track by track. We…