Pulp – another of the 90‘s bands that erupted along with Oasis and Blur as some sort of new British revival of Pop.  And pretty damned good they were too, though it all seemed down to frontman Jarvis Cocker.  I have just the one CD – Different Class – which was probably their biggest record.  Quite enjoyable, and definitely takes you back – best songs are ‘Common People’, ‘Disco 2000’ and ‘Sorted for E’s and Whizz’. 

Quantum Jump – This was my old friend Rupert Hine recording as a band with session players.  I am struggling to buy their two albums on CD so have had to resort to youtube…oh well.  Great music, as you would expect. 

Queen – well, almost as big as The Beatles were in the previous decade.  I had most of their albums but just their three greatest hits on CD these days. Greatest Hits 1 was really the best of course.  From ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ through to ‘We Are The Champions’ it doesn’t falter at all.  Personal favourites are ‘Killer Queen’, ‘You’re My Best Friend’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’.  They managed to be both pioneering in musical styles and incredibly commercial at the same time.  And especially with their late career comeback at Live Aid who could not love them.   Greatest Hits 2 – is their later stuff, still great mostly; especially ‘Hammer To Fall’ and ‘Radio GaGa’ and of course the duet with Bowie ‘Under Pressure’.  Another great collection.  Greatest Hits 3 – though, is a disappointment. Sounds of scraping the barrel ensue – a few minor tracks and solo efforts by Freddie and Brian May, and a couple of live renditions with different vocalists – still, as a coda it sort-of works.  And despite loving them early on and even in their pomp and maturity I have no desire to get the albums….mind you, if a decent box set comes out…

Gerry Rafferty – he of Stealers Wheel (see S) – he had one great album really and then sort of drifted off stage left.   City To City was a superb record; of course it contained the sublime jazzy track ‘Baker Street’, which is one of those songs which just has legs and still receives loads of radio play (just like Stuck in the middle with you, another Rafferty song by Stealers Wheel).  But almost every song is really good, especially ‘Stealin |Time’ and ‘Whatever’s Written In Your Heart’.  A lovely record, and though he continued to record he never had another big hit album. 

Chris Rea – another Northeast boy, who slowly grew in popularity; a superb guitarist and a soulful voice and best of all an excellent songwriter.   I caught up with him a bit late and worked backwards a bit – though not all the way.  First up is Water Sign (1983); no big hits but his unique laid-back soulful style was there and the songs just roll along. A few favourites –‘I Can Hear Your Heart Beat’, ‘Texas’ and ‘Midnight Blue’.  In fact not a bad song anywhere.   This was followed by possibly his real breakthrough album Shamrock Diaries (1985) – A classic album featuring the big hit ‘Stainsby Girls’ and also ‘Steel River’ (about his home town of Newcastle) and ‘Josephine’.  His popularity soared after this, he had a unique sound and a distinctive gentle voice and seemed to catch the mid-eighties wave for soulful smooth almost jazzy music.  I didn’t buy everything of his but his next album was On The Beach (1986).  This seemed a slower, more reflective record – the title track is very laidback, and I love ‘Giverney’ (home of Monet).  ‘Little Blonde Plaits’ is sweet too.  In fact, the whole album just drifts by in a haze of gentle guitar and voice, which can mean of course that you don’t really hear the words at all.  Much better was his biggest album The Road To Hell (1989).  The title track was a huge hit and established Chris as a real star.  The whole album is much stronger, the production more varied and a full band sound; the songs too seem to be better; the words seem to stick in the brain a bit better.  Best songs are the title song, ‘Daytona’, ‘You Must Be Evil’ and ‘Texas’.  thoroughly enjoyable album.    Next was Auberge (1991) – and another sumptuous album.  I especially like the title track and Gone Fishing and Every Second Counts.  The Road To Hell Volume 2 – 1991 was a bit of a disappointment, as it always is when a famous album is attempted to be used to sell a new one.  It was probably okay but I cannot really recall a great song.  Espresso Logic (1993) is my last of his; this was a bit better, especially the songs Julia and ‘Summer Love’.  Last is one of the earlier Greatest Hits – which is superb, especially ‘Ace of Hearts’.