2-21-13 Smash Hits (Vol. 2, No. 4) February 21 – March 5, 1980
Happy birthday, Ron Nagle (Durocs), born 1939. On 2/24/68 the Lemon Pipers 45 “Green Tambourine” charts at No. 7 in England. On 2/22/69 the Glen Campbell 45 “Wichita Lineman” charts at No. 6 in England. On 2/21/70 the John Lennon 45 “Instant Karma” charts at No. 5 in England. On 2/24/73 the Focus 45 “Hocus Pocus” charts at No. 20 in England, on it’s first visit to the charts. On 2/23/74 the David Bowie 45 “Rebel Rebel” charts at No. 5 in England. On 2/21/81 the Duran Duran “Planet Earth” 45 charts at No. 12 in England. Also on 2/21/81 the Kim Wilde 45 “Kids In America” charts at No. 2 in England.
Ah, The Buggles are on the cover! Blondie “Atomic” 45 is advertised. The Revillos are “Large As Life and Twice As Extreme”. Madness are the colour centerfold. There’s a cheeky photo of Sting when he was a member of “Last Exit”. Lyrics reproduced for OMD “Red Frame / White Light” and Flying Lizards “T.V.”! Devo “Mongoloid” – in colour, no less!
45’s:
David Bowie – “Alabama Song” (RCA Records)
Millie Small – “My Boy Lollipop” (Island Records re-issue)
Peter Gabriel – “Games Without Frontiers (Charisma Records)
Magazine – “A Song From Under The Floorboards’ (Virgin Records)
Cristina – “Is That All There Is?” (Island / Ze Records)
Marianne Faithfull – “Broken English” (Island Records)
Martha & The Muffins – “Echo Beach” (Dindisc Records)
LP’s:
The Selecter – “Too Much Pressure” (Two Tone Records)
Cabaret Voltaire – “Live At The YMCA 27.10.79” (Rough Trade Records)
Gigs:
Friday February 22, 1980 – Tourists – Edinburgh Odeon
Saturday February 23, 1980 – Simple Minds – London, Tottenham Court Road Y.M.C.A.
Wednesday February 27, 1980 – Squeeze – Bradford University
I guess the Bowie 45 was recorded for “The Lodger”, but not present and accounted for. Millie Small wasn’t the only artiste being re-issued: The Monkees “I’m A Believer”, too! Peter Gabriel gets a hit, but I am listening to something else. Waiting on pins and needles for the Magazine 45, I was the tiniest bit disappointed at the lack of sleeve design, thereof. I must’ve found my 12” of the Cristina single in the summer of 1980 – while hanging out in Soho. Loved (and love) the Marianne Faithfull single! Not my favorite Martha & The Muffins single, but still a good ‘un!
I was on The Selecter LP straight away; especially loved the cover version of “James Bond”. Thoroughly on the fence as far as Cabaret Voltaire were concerned; the “3 Mantras” 12” hadn’t meant much and a poorly recorded live album didn’t even rate taking home.
Ronkanefiles's Blog 
Begorrah…! That’s a hell of a roundup there, except for Squeeze. Never cottoned to those guys too much. I only liked the early John Cale material like “Take Me I’m Yours.” In 1980 “Voice Of America” really caught me ear.
I wasn’t interested in Cabaret Voltaire in 1980. It didn’t sound like much; I liked the slicker stuff, such as John Foxx or The Buggles – records with some production values. I didn’t care for Squeeze at the time either, but I like them better now than I did in 1980. I’m probably good with the first half of their “GH”.