Gloria by Laura Branigan was a hit this week in 1983

Great song. Great singer. 1983 was a really fun year for me. This brings back so many memories!

Bucks Fizz Workout From 1983

This week in 1983 I went to a gym in Covent Garden to do a photo feature on Jay Aston from Buck's Fizz. I only mention that because it gives me an excuse to show you one of the photos I took!

Rewind Festival - Three 80s Music Concerts this summer

Rewind The 80s Music Festival, promises three UK festivals for summer 2020. Tickets for all festivals go on sale at 10am on Thursday 30th January 2020 via the official festival website www.rewindfestival.com.

Rewind Scotland will celebrate its 10-year-anniversary at Scone Palace in Perth from Friday 17th – Sunday 19th July 2020. On Friday 31st July 2020, Rewind North returns to Capesthorne Hall in Macclesfield and concludes on Sunday 2nd August 2020. Rewind South will round up the 80s summer celebrating everything 80s at Temples Island Meadows in Henley-on-Thames from Friday 14th – 16th August 2020.

All three festivals will close on Saturday with Jimmy Somerville’s Big Band-Tastic Boogie – a show especially created for the festivals – and Wet Wet Wet on the Sunday.  The festival will also see performances by Billy Ocean, Bananarama, Trevor Horn Band, Nick Heyward, Roland Gift of Fine Young Cannibals, Hue And Cry, Grandmaster Flash, The Christians, Pete Wylie – The Mighty Wah! and John Parr.

I wonder if Roland Gift will be singing this?

Read a FREE 1980s Murder Mystery

FREE BOOK! Grab a copy of my 1980s murder mystery, Killers In Mascara, free today on Kindle (usually $2.99). Please feel free to repost to let your friends know. And if you like it, I would be hugely grateful if you'd leave a review on Amazon. Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Killers-Mascara-Romantic-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B004QTOFWU/ and Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Killers-Mascara-Romantic-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B004QTOFWU

Bucks Fizz's Jay Goes Into Politics!

Nope, this ain't a political blog and I don't intend to comment on the politics of this news here. Anyway, Jay really has gone into politics as reported by the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49486164

This video seems appropriate....

 

Stranger Things, Limahl and Never Ending Story

I'm pleased to see that Limahl is making a whole bunch of news fans due to his 1984 hit, "Never Ending Story" being featured in the hit TV series, Stranger Things. Story here.

I've interviewed Limahl a few times, both in the '80s and more recently. I'll post more soon.

Toyah’s Working Week, Rabbit, Rabbit

Long, long ago, in the early ‘80s, I interviewed Toyah, for the ‘My Working Week’ feature in Flexipop! Here is a short extract. Was it a coincidence that Toyah happened to have a rabbit obsession and the photographer, Neil Matthews happened to bring a Bunny outfit with him? I’ll leave you decide…

Tuesday

Got up late—about ten—quite knackered. Got to the studio at three o'clock, but by four o'clock nobody else had arrived so I went shopping. I really hate shopping because people keep recognising me and I feel stupid. Today, while I was in one shop, this girl came up to me and stood virtually nose to nose with me and went—“'Ere, look at this, Ann, I fink it's 'er!” I just stood there looking at the wall. I get so scared sometimes because I look different in real life—I probably look more haggard and knackered than I do in photographs and people go—“Ooo, don't you look a state! Ooo aren't you small!” It's really embarrassing. 

Sometimes I cover my hair up to try to stop people recognising me, but that doesn't seem to work any more. 

When I got to the studio, I 'phoned home to ask how Mum and Dad were and if my rabbit was still alive. He was fine. My Mum has to look after my rabbit for me when I'm not there. My Mum calls him Fatso, but I call him F**k-face. He's a great rabbit and I love him very much.

Wednesday

Spent all day at my publicity office doing interviews and 'photo-sessions, which was very tiring. Then I went home and did my business again. After that, I fed my next-door neighbour's rabbit. I often feed it although my neighbour doesn't know I do. I climb over the fence and give it water and cabbage and things because his owner lets him get really thin. I think I'm a sort of rabbit Saviour, really.

This is an extract from my book of 80s interviews, Neon 80s, available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.