#Stock Aitken Waterman Music

[myhughniverse]

Mike Stock Music - via social media - "Always a thrill to see these two together. Both put on incredible shows yesterday, well done Kylie Minogue and Rick Astley."

[dailyrickastley]

PWL studio in the late 1980s

[80sheaven]

Rick Astley on the front cover of Smash Hits (Oct 1987)

[weaversweek]

"Never gonna give you up" - Rick Astley

Written by Stock, Aitken, Waterman

Part of the UncoolTwo50 project, marking the best singles from 1977-99.

An obscure Northern Soul song, performed by an aspiring singer-songwriter from Newton-le-Willows near Manchester.

Very little is remembered about this singer, it is suggested that he was "a bit of a muso", and that he went into the studio to "improve my songwriting and my singing".

The tune is pleasantly insistent, though instantly dated to the late eighties. An insistent tinny drum beat kicks in, followed by a cheap keyboard line. Lyrically, it's interesting, the chorus triumphantly declaims a number of things Rick won't do for his paramour, perhaps this inspired a later work by Steinmann and Loaf.

The vocals are the best part of the song, Rick delivers a top-notch soul vocal - quite remarkable for someone of just 21 years. Seriously, give this song a listen, the lad has got remarkable pipes.

Sadly, Rick's time in the pop world was desperately short, and these days almost nobody remembers his one minor hit. It's certainly never used by lazy columnists trying to make their career advice somehow relevant.

Something less obscure tomorrow.

[musicmusicalme]

Mel & KIm Appleby

[cheeseknives]

I wish I could explain how surreal this crossover feels to me but in hindsight makes total sense

[emelies80s]

Kylie Minouge

[kylieforeverandever]

I Should Be So Lucky ▪︎ The Loco-motion ▪︎ Je Ne Sais Pas Pouquoi ▪︎ It's No Secret ▪︎ Got To Be Certain ▪︎ Turn It Into Love ▪︎ I Miss You ▪︎ I'll Still Be Loving You ▪︎ Look My Way ▪︎ Love At First Sight

[helloparkerrose]

Step Back In Time (1990)

Kylie Minogue

Rhythm Of Love

PWL Records

[myhughniverse]

Mike_Stock_HQ - via social media - "35 years ago today this happened! Happy Anniversary Scott and Charlene x Mike Stock Music, Stock Aitken Waterman Music (SAW), Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, So Lucky Musical"

On November 8th, 1988, 20m viewers watched Scott and Charlene's wedding on Neighbours in the UK (♾️ KylieOTS via X)

[dailyrickastley]

[80sheaven]

"Respectable" 7-inch vinyl sleeve front, Mel & Kim (1987).

[weaversweek]

Advertising in the music trade press, this week in 1989.

Context follows...

"Be free with your love" was Spandau Ballet's big comeback single, a big and breezy and brassy pop song. Lyric was a bit naff, Tony Hadley's voice rocked, and the instrumental break was awesome. Didn't quite make the top 40, and that's the last we heard of Spandau Ballet.

Jason Donovan introduced himself to Canadian programmers in the pages of RPM. "Too many broken hearts" remains the ultimate 1989 record, squealing guitars and the S-A-W drum pattern.

"The best reason to play Jason Donovan is because he's exceptional." Looking back on his career: yeah, the lad's done good.

Choices was the singles collection from the Blow Monkeys. Doctor Robert and his backing band came through the sophistipop scene, and never quite hit the top tier of fame like Tears For Fears and The Eurythmics did.

The band combined sharp social commentary with funky pop grooves, veering towards dance music at this late stage in their career. Dr Robert was always a left-wing critic, but edged his barbs with more wit and humour than certain Paul Wellers we could mention.

Lead single from this greatest hits album was "Choice?", a cracking dance groove with vocals from Sylvia Tella, and a three-minute deconstruction of R D Laing's "Public Choice" bullshit theory. (Or of the Section 28 attempt to legalise homophobia, as contemporaneous reports had it. Or both.)

"That's the way", an attempt at a comeback for Katrina and the Waves. They'd had a big hit with "Walking on sunshine" four summers ago, and been ever-present on radio with songs like "Sun street" and "Do you want crying".

But a second signature hit had evaded the group. Would this be the breakhrough they craved? And if it was, should they have released it a month earlier when it was still sunny outside?

Katrina and the Waves continued to plug away, to diminishing returns. They next crossed the public radar in early 1997, when they turned up amongst the has-beens and never-weres competing for the Eurovision Song Contest prize... but that's another story.

[musicmusicalme]

Bananarama Venus from 1986

[emelies80s]

Rick Astley