5-29-13 Smash Hits (Vol. 2, No. 11) May 29 – June 11, 1980
My profound apologies from my 21 year old self for having ‘missed’ Vol. 2, No. 10 of “Smash Hits”! I must’ve been awfully busy, with young man’s business!
Terry Hall on the cover! New Musik in the colour centerfold. Lyrics for Gary Numan “We Are Glass”. OMD: “The acceptable face of synthesizers”. John Foxx objects to Island Records releasing “Three Into One” (Collection) LP. Bill Nelson starts Cocteau Records. Jona Lewie “You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties” gets a nice write-up. South Africa bans Pink Floyd 45 “Another Brick In The Wall”. The Specials: “Today Coventry, Tomorrow…Coventry”. Ian Curtis of Joy Division croaks.
45’s:
Gary Numan – “We Are Glass” (Beggar’s Banquet Records)
Ouida & The Numbers – “Runaway” (United Artists records) produced by Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers
Little Nell – “Beauty Queen” (Pre Records)
E.L.O. – “I’m Alive” (Jet Records)
LP’s:
Devo – “Freedom Of Choice” (Virgin Records)
Jah Wobble – “The Legend Lives On…Jah Wobble in “Betrayal”) (Virgin Records)
The Beat – “I Just Can’t Stop It” (Go Feet Records)
Paul McCartney – McCartney II (Parlophone Records)
Alas, I have somewhat tired of sifting through the “Gigs” section to come up with some other old tat.
I was willing to forgive Gary Numan his trespasses, if his 45’s were all going to be as good as this one. Of course I found the Ouida & The Numbers 45, for it’s Stranglers-Connection. Charming Little Nell; her debut 45…or end of the line? Hey, it ain’t on A&M!?! The review for the E.L.O. 45? “A blatant lie. Product.” Says Smash Hits.
I was never exactly 100% comfortable with Devo product, in those days. Something disingenuous about it all, I reckon. I don’t mind it now. Same story for Jah Wobble. I had no time for him, until he started appearing on Holger Czukay records.
I do not believe I ever had the pleasure of seeing The Beat (AKA The English Beat) perform on a stage. This was a very good LP – the equal of The Specials or Madness.
Sir Paul’s “McCartney II” did raise the odd eyebrow – remember “Temporary Secretary”? Hey, everybody! Sir Paul got a sequencer!
Ronkanefiles's Blog 
Jah Wobble is a real winner for me. I like everything of his I’ve bought over the years. The “Betrayal” album was a fave from that era via college radio, but I only bought a copy 15 years ago, much to my delight. A low key talent who rewards continued interest without trying too hard. Memo to self: buy more Wobble discs! “We Are Glass” is my favorite Numan single. I never tire of it, though I’ve tired of him, by now.
I like Wobble better now than I did at the time. Numan didn’t have much more shelf life in him, but this single wasn’t an indication of that. Who knew?
Numan didn’t have much shelf life left in him because let’s face it, his stuff is derivative and he went into music to meet girls! he ended up marrying a member of his fan club. Sad!