Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 34 - Visage (Fade to Grey)

As a massive fan of 1980s music, I find that this song pretty much sums up the beginning of this great decade, during a time when pop culture movement New Romanticism was beginning to take over the nightclubs (ok, I was a bit too young for that) and the charts.  It was a time when it was perfectly acceptable for a guy to wear more makeup than your average woman!  It was also during this great period when synth music was set to become much more widespread in the music world leading to some of the best pop songs ever written in subsequent years by different groups.  This itself is one of the main reasons why I love this song.

It was released in 1980 and reached number 8 in the UK Charts. 

Such a great song, and great memories from a time long gone. 

Game Covers - The Great Escape (Commodore 64)

The year is 1942, the place Germany.  War has broken out and you have been captured and placed in a high-security P.O.W. camp.  Victory may be far away so it is your duty to escape, but this will not be easy.  It will take careful planning and much patience, culminating in a skillful and resourceful implementation in the cam you are closely guarded but while you follow the daily routine you will need to slip away unnoticed to reconnoitre the situation and collect tools and materials necessary for your chosen escape route.  There are many avenues of escape, some difficult, all certainly dangerous, and each one requiring different skills or equipment.

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Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 33 - Howard Jones (Like To Get To Know You Well)

Well, it's about time I had another classic from 80's legend Howard Jones in my list of favourite songs, simply because a) it's a bloody fantastic song, and b) it will always remind me of playing on my Commodore 64 in my bedroom, while my sister would be listening to Howard Jones (amongst many others) in the room next door.

Released back in 1984, I still wonder to this day why this song never reached any higher than number 4 in the UK charts (even Agadoo by Black Lace got higher around the same time!)  Oh well, no accounting for taste.

Enjoy this gem from good ol' HoJo.  Even the video is sooooooo 1980's.  Love it!

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 32 - Pet Shop Boys (Always On My Mind)

Yes, I will start by saying THIS is the best version of this song.  Forget Brenda Lee...  Forget Gwen McCrae...  Forget Elvis Presley.

Following on from my last blog post, I'm keeping with the Pet Shop Boys because Always on my Mind stands out as not only being one of the best cover songs ever made but possibly one of the greatest pop songs of the 1980s (perhaps all time?)  It's also a massive favourite of mine since I was a wee lad.

The song was released in November 1987 and spent an impressive 14 weeks in the UK singles charts.  Even more impressive is that it reached number 1 and stayed there for 4 weeks, making it Christmas number one of that year, and beating Fairytale of New York by The Pogues.  

Why can't modern groups produce belters like this anymore, instead of the usual Crap Factor wannabe turds?

Also, you've got to love the video, featuring clips from their rather bizarre movie "It Couldn't Happen Here", starring De Nomolos himself (from Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey) Joss Ackland, and even Biggles (Neil Dickson).

"Where are you going?"

 "I'm going there....  But I like it here wherever it is".

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 31 - Pet Shop Boys (Heart)

The Pet Shop Boys were a band I was never particularly into back in their heyday, which is surprising when you consider the similarities between them and my favourite synth group Erasure.  Sure, I loved West End Girls, It's a Sin, Always On My Mind and pretty much every track on their "Please" and "Actually" albums, but I never paid much attention to what they produced after that until only a few years ago.  Boy, was I missing out!

Having said that, I always had a fondness for Heart.  Released in 1988, it entered the charts in March at number 30 before rightfully reaching the number one spot the following month where it stayed for a few weeks.  

Pop Quiz - When not being Gandalf, what famous actor played Nosferatu in the Heart music video? 

The answer....  Well, I didn't realise until only recently that it was none other than Sir Ian McKellen. 

Ahhhhhh...  I was just 11 years old at the time.  Life was so much easier (and less stressful) back then.

Game Covers - Magicland Dizzy (Commodore 64)

DIZZY's cartoon adventure in MAGICLAND!  Explore WIERDHENGE, PRINCE CHARMING's castle, Vampira's ICE PALACE, Wicked WITCH's island and jump thru' THE MAGIC MIRROR!  Find EXCALIBUR, wake SLEEPING BEAUTY and more!  Starring all the YOLKFOLD in he latest INCREDIBLE TALE!

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