The timing was just right, the new singles were on display.
And there it was that morning: I took the single off the shelf.
I looked at the back cover and this is what it said:
Written by Barry Stone. Produced by Belvedere Kane & Julian Gingell.
Instantly, my interest was piqued. Both Stone and Gingell had worked at PWL in varying musical capacities, and Gingell was by this time working with Stock & Aitken (at Stock’s post-PWL Love This venture), so this was enough to persuade me to take a punt on a track I had not heard.
The single was Never Felt As Good and the artist was Belvedere Kane (aka Barry Stone). One of the best “blind” record buying decisions I ever made.
The track had me at first listen. From its slightly spooky opening to its life-affirming chorus, this 90s’ Romo-styled tale of love & karma is an absolute belter. Stone & Gingell’s arrangement and production is off the charts - they threw everything but the kitchen sink in and it works beautifully - with the added bonus of a dramatic string arrangement courtesy of amazing producer and Fairlight wizard Ian Curnow.
I can best describe Belvedere Kane by asking you to imagine that Pet Shop Boys & Erasure had a child, who went to a school where Pete Burns was the headteacher and Benny & Bjorn from ABBA were the music teachers.
Never Felt As Good unbelievably missed out on a Top 75 chart placing, but the potential was there.
Until Belvedere Kane was dropped by their record label, that is. After which Stone went into a very successful songwriting, production and remixing career with Gingell (as Jewels & Stone, and latterly The Alias), leaving those of us who did discover the single to wonder what could have been…
2026.
… until now.
Barry Stone has revisited his old recordings and demos, and has remade & remodelled them to finally give us the long awaited debut album from Belvedere Kane, Such Trying Times.
My expectations were high based on Never Felt As Good but I can genuinely say this amazing album has been worth the wait.
It’s full-on synthpop from end to end. Retaining the original 90s sound of Belvedere Kane whilst subtly updating it for the 2020s, with the odd tip of the hat to the 80s.
Legends (Forever Young) opens the album with bombast, cleverly incorporating an unused vocal recording of Pete Burns into a completely new song. We get a new (but authentically recreated) version of Never Felt As Good, which adds a missing verse and is probably even better than the original version. Getting Away With Murder will be stuck in your head for days. Magazines is the best Visage tribute I've ever heard. I Want You I Want You sees Stone channel Phil Oakey in this Pet Shop Boys-esque track. The slinky Sleeping Dogs takes us into ballad territory, with the added bonus of Cathy Dennis on backing vocals. Such Trying Times is Barry Stone’s take on the Marlene Dietrich standard, with an Army of Lovers influence. Could This Be Love? is another cover, this time of an early 90s cult dance track, which shows another side to Belvedere Kane. Isabella Rossellini is a very fun, tongue in cheek pop romp with a fab chorus. Never Said Goodbye is a more thoughtful track, with a lovely melody and a heartfelt vocal. The final track of the main album tracklist is We’re Not Lovers, which is also probably my fave of the new tracks. It’s like The Beloved covering Tomorrow Never Knows.
(I realise I’ve made a lot of comparisons to other artists above, but this is not intended to diminish Barry’s own talents, or those of his collaborators. He takes these influences and fuses them with his own original ideas to create something which is unique to Belvedere Kane).
It goes without saying that if you like 80s / 90s synthpop, then you’ll love this. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Check it out on Spotify, or even better, treat yourself to the CD or vinyl.
PS Barry, you can’t leave it there! Can we have a follow up please? :-)
1986 was an interesting year for Stock Aitken Waterman. The writing and production team had only been together for two years, but had already achieved significant success with their early work for acts such as Divine, Hazell Dean, Dead Or Alive and Princess. 1986 would see the team experiment with a number of different styles and genres, before finding a niche in the dance-pop style that would take them into the stratosphere, and some of their most interesting records were made during this period.
Perhaps the most surprising releases during this phase was a delightful trio of singles which saw the triumvirate tackle a bit of Brazilian bossa nova & latin jazz.
First up was Mondo Kane -- which appears to have been Stock Aitken Waterman undercover as a studio band, albeit fronted by the team's regular backing singers Dee Lewis and Coral Gordon -- and their debut single, New York Afternoon.
New York Afternoon was written by US jazz saxophonist Richie Cole, who originally recorded it in 1977 with Eddie Jefferson on vocals. This original version has a very traditional jazz feel, with an arrangement led by piano, bass, and of course, saxophone. As the title suggests, the song relates the lazy Sunday afternoon enjoyed by two lovers as they wander through New York in June, making memories that "We'll remember / When skies are grey and snow's fallin' in December / That was a New York afternoon". It's a very accessible, well-performed track, benefiting from Jefferson's rich voice -- and scatting!
Whilst the Mondo Kane take on New York Afternoon would retain the jazz influence of the original, Stock Aitken Waterman introduced a bossa nova element -- resulting in a sound tipping its hat to artists such as Herb Alpert and Sergio Mendes. Indeed, Mike Stock has commented that the Sergio Mendes & Brasil '88 version of Waters of March (from the 1978 album Brasil '88) was an influence on the Mondo Kane sound. It's an inspired decision, as the Mondo Kane version of New York Afternoon is simply joyous.
Opening with a chirping bird flute riff (which would recur throughout the track), the track is carried along with some fine nylon guitar, sharp bass and high-hat, bass drum and cross-stick percussion. The Jefferson role on the Mondo Kane version was taken by guest vocalist Georgie Fame, the legendary jazz / R&B singer, and his mellifluous vocals brings an extra dimension to proceedings, although Lewis and Gordon are less prominent as a result. The track also includes a terrific saxophone solo (alas uncredited); the addition of real brass always lifted a Stock Aitken Waterman track, as it does here.
Mondo Kane - New York Afternoon: Extended Version
In addition to the main 7" mix, there was an Extended Version (which really highlights the fine playing by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and then-regular keyboard player Andy Stennett), the Nip On mix (which omits Fame's lead vocal, allowing Lewis and Gordon their moment in the sun), and the Little Samba Mix (which appears to be a re-edit of the 7" mix). The B-side was an original Stock Aitken Waterman instrumental composition, Manhattan Morning, which is the vein of the A-side, but with a more modernistic arrangement -- a pleasant listen all the same. Phil Harding was on mixing duties for all the above.
The single was released on Lisson Records, a label run by music industry legend and PWL A&R Tilly Rutherford, but despite some fair promotion, the record peaked at #70 in the charts. A word for the sleeve, which takes the look of a 1940s film poster. Announcing "A Fiesta of Music", it lists the song title and performers in a billboard style, with prominent credit for the producers -- indeed, in line with the film poster theme, the front cover carries a "Produced and Directed by Stock Aitken Waterman" statement. The rear of the sleeve, unusually, carries a detailed description of the recording techniques and facilities of PWL Studios!
The sleeve also carries a credit for soul DJ (and Georgie Fame fan) Chris Hill as A&R Co-Ordinator, which would suggest that he was responsible for Fame's involvement and would indeed play a significant role in the second of the three tracks we're looking at.
Our second track is Samba (Toda Menina Baiana) by Georgie Fame. A cover of the 1979 Gilberto Gil track Toda Menina Baiana (retitled Samba for this release, although the original title was used as a subtitle) with English lyrics by Fame, the song title translates as "Every Bahian Girl", referring to the Bahia state of Brazil. The song itself discusses the good and bad qualities of the "Bahian girl", indicating that this duality is God's will.
Samba saw Mike, Matt and Pete develop the bossa nova sound further; if anything, it leaned even further towards the Brazilian elements found in the Gil original. Ambling along with classic bossa nova percussion, nifty bass and flute, the low-key arrangement allows Fame's voice to take centre stage. Fame is at ease with both his English lyrics and the original Brazilian Portuguese lyrics, and his light scatting during the chorus is nicely done. Lifted by the bright backing vocals, handclaps and lovely trumpet, it's a delightfully uplifting track with a real summer feel -- and it's almost a shame that this was released late Autumn/early Winter.
Georgie Fame - Samba: Toda Menina Baiana Mix
Alongside the main 7" mix, there was the Toda Menina Baiana Mix (which is a straight extended version) and a further 12" remix, Ipanema Beach Party Mix (which interpolates elements of Fame's Yeh Yeh, and Astrud Gilberto's Girl From Ipanema amongst others). The 7" and 12" mixes were by Pete Hammond, with the Ipanema Beach Party Mix by Phil Harding.
The single was released on Ensign Records (a subsidiary of Chrysalis Records); Chris Hill was A&R at Ensign, and was credited as Executive Producer. One account has it that Samba was apparently especially recorded by Fame & Stock Aitken Waterman for a soul weekender in South Wales, but either way, the concept is credited to Hill on the sleeve. Unfortunately, the single stalled at #81, but it's another interesting diversion from what is regarded as the typical Stock Aitken Waterman sound -- and well worth checking out.
The final record of the three bossa nova tracks is the second (and sadly last) Mondo Kane single, which was released in late 1986. An Everlasting Love (In An Ever-Changing World) (The Doop De Do Song) was an original Stock Aitken Waterman composition, again performed by Lewis and Gordon but sans Fame this time.
An Everlasting Love (In An Ever-Changing World) (The Doop De Do Song) carried the sonic hallmarks of its predecessor -- nylon guitar, latin percussion -- but introduced some different elements such as synth pads, drum fills and electric piano. This broadened the sound but without losing the bossa nova basis. Lewis and Gordon's vocals are lovely, switching between the breathless delivery of the verses and the buoyant singalong of the catchy "do-do do do do do do do-do do do do do do" chorus refrain. There's definitely more of a pop vibe to this track but that's no bad thing; it still benefits from a shimmering latin jazz sound and is a charming listen.
Mondo Kane - An Everlasting Love (In An Ever-Changing World) (The Doop De Do Song): A Foggy Day In London Town Mix
This release only had three mixes: the Radio Edit, A Foggy Day In London Town Mix (both mixed by Pete Hammond) and an Instrumental version (mixed by Phil Harding).
As before, the single was released by Lisson Records, with pretty much the same front sleeve (albeit with different colours and text). The rear sleeve again carried the technical blurb about PWL Studios -- which incidentally ends with "As PW (Pete Waterman) always says, "always remember you can't hum a bass drum"!! Unfortunately, this single fared less well than even New York Afternoon and Samba, and appears not to have made the Top 100.
Stock Aitken Waterman's intriguing experiment into bossa nova and latin jazz largely came to an end with the final Mondo Kane single release. One factor must surely be the failure of these three singles to reach the Top 40 but it should also be considered that by the end of 1986, Stock Aitken Waterman had had hit singles with Bananarama's Venus and Mel & Kim's Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend) -- these successes would suggest that Stock Aitken Waterman had found the new sound they had been looking for, and this would indeed be the case. As a result, there was perhaps less of a need to explore the sound adopted by the Mondo Kane and Georgie Fame singles. Whilst Stock Aitken Waterman would not return to this genre wholesale, they would include latin jazz elements in subsequent tracks, such as The Cool & Breezy Jazz Mix of Mandy Smith's I Just Can't Wait, and the Jazz Mix of Erik's The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea.
Whilst the influence of Sergio Mendes has been cited, it should also be noted that acts like Matt Bianco and Working Week had enjoyed some success with a latin jazz / bossa nova sound in that mid-1980s period. However, the interest in these acts chartwise was waning at the point these three Stock Aitken Waterman productions were issued (though it is fair to say that Matt Bianco went on to sustain a good level of global success and continue still to this day). Indeed, the Mondo Kane records are unfairly classed by some commentators as Matt Bianco rip-offs, which is simply a lazy comparison. If anything, the three tracks covered here all benefit from Stock Aitken Waterman merging their pop sensibilities with this jazz-funk genre, resulting in contemporary records which make a respectful nod to traditional styles.
All three tracks remain interesting examples of the versatility of Stock Aitken Waterman as producers, and demonstrate that they were capable of much more than their trademark style suggests. Best listened to if you fancy groovin' on a New York Afternoon, or indeed, on a Manhattan Morning...
Everyone knows Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) as hit-making writers and producers, but as many fans know, there are a number of singles in their back catalogue which were not big hits. Some of these lower-charting tracks are among the most interesting and admired tracks Mike, Matt and Pete were involved in, and as such, deserved better recognition and success than they achieved.
One example of this is Beyond Your Wildest Dreams by Lonnie Gordon, one of the best songs SAW ever wrote, and one of the best records they ever made.
It was the follow-up to the smash-hit Happenin' All Over Again; it had a real laidback, jazz-soul sound that suited the summer of 1990; and simply oozed class.
Yet this astonishing ballad peaked at #48 on the UK Singles Chart.
It is arguable that, out of all the lesser-known SAW singles, this is the one that really deserved to do better. Sure, it's downtempo, but this ain't no drippy, over-produced ballad; this is grown-up, honest stuff.
A story of a woman trying to get her partner to put the hurt of past loves behind them and let her into their life, the song is at turns brooding and plaintive, both compassionate and passionate. Lyrically, this is emotionally mature material which really resonates. The end of the first verse -- "The past / hurt your pride / and you're always looking back" -- provides a neat coupling with the first bridge "But the future / ain't what you believe", whilst the middle eight lyrics -- "I've been hurt / and on my bended knee / You've experienced / the same as me" -- possess a real poignancy, showing empathy with the other party. Some detractors of SAW state that all their songs sound the same -- a nonsense disproven by this track especially -- but this is not a song which many other Hit Factory artists could have pulled off the way Gordon does here.
Notably, the record does not sound anything like the perceived idea of a typical SAW production. Carried along by a delicate percussion track, laidback jazz piano and female backing vocals, the track is given space to breathe, allowing Gordon's vocals their moment to shine. She is an amazing vocalist who doesn't always get the credit she deserves, and this is surely one of her best performances. Mike Stock and Matt Aitken's musicianship is well demonstrated here; the piano work is delightful, and Matt Aitken's guitar work deserves special mention. His guitar playing, perhaps lost a little in the 7" mix, is the highlight of the main extended version, and is reminiscent of his rightly-lauded work on The Cool & Breezy Jazz Mix of Mandy Smith's I Just Can't Wait.
The song -- and Gordon's breathtaking performance -- builds slowly and steadily, until we get a release of emotion with the middle eight -- after which we get to the nub of the matter and Gordon lays her heart bare. The middle eight is a thing of beauty, lyrically (as mentioned above) and melodically, but the emotion Gordon brings to her delivery makes it all the more touching.
Often, it is the bridge which is the most striking and unique element of many SAW songs, but is often overlooked due to the killer choruses the team crafted. If anything, the bridge in Beyond Your Wildest Dreams is arguably the real hook of the song, the signature of SAW in a song which doesn't immediately sound like one of theirs. The song carries three variations of the bridge, with the first two building up to the third and final iteration, which Gordon almost spits out "If only you won't / hold back / stop fighting / me please...".
It's a remarkable song and a brilliantly crafted record, which poses the question... why wasn't it a bigger hit?
There are a number of possible explanations. The first is that switching Gordon from dance to ballad maybe came too quickly. Happenin' All Over Again was a proper belter and seemingly set Gordon up as a dance diva; perhaps the follow-up track should have also been an upbeat dance track, so that Gordon was more established before going for a ballad. And yet, that appears to have been the original intention. The follow-up to Happenin' All Over Again was originally How Could He Do This To Me?, another upbeat (and lyrically strong) track, but the story goes that Supreme Records decided to release Beyond Your Wildest Dreams instead.
It is worth considering that 1990 saw Stock Aitken Waterman looking for a "harder" sound to take them into the new decade, and it is believed that three records in particular formed part of this experiment. Sonia's Counting Every Minute was one, as was Big Fun's Handful of Promises -- and Happenin' All Over Again. It could be that there was a view that Beyond Your Wildest Dreams was again a new take on the SAW sound, and that may have led to the enthusiasm for that to be the follow-up. Conjecture on my part perhaps, but one can perhaps understand how the record company would have been seduced by the sophisticated sound of this track.
The second possible reason could have been the six month gap between the release of Happenin' All Over Again and Beyond Your Wildest Dreams; in hindsight, perhaps this gap should have been smaller in order to capitalise on the success of Happenin' All Over Again and establish Gordon in the eyes (and ears!) of the record buying public. (It has been suggested that Gordon's record label, Supreme Records, was struggling at this time; indeed, it would later fold. This may be a contributing factor).
Another reason could be the beginning of a change in SAW's fortunes. They were still riding high at the start of 1990, but by the time Beyond Your Wildest Dreams was released in July 1990, some commentators were suggesting the SAW bubble had burst. This was mainly instigated by the failure of Jason Donovan's Another Night to reach the top ten in June 1990, stalling at #18 (although the follow-up Rhythm of the Rain would reach #9 in August 1990). The music scene was undergoing big changes at this time and it is fair to say that as 1990 progressed, SAW were not enjoying the same level of success as in previous years, but I would argue that it wasn't so much that the public was tired of the SAW sound -- it was more that the media had moved away to the new styles of music, therefore SAW material was not getting the same level as coverage as in previous years. Certainly Beyond Your Wildest Dreams does not appear to have enjoyed the same level of promotion achieved by Happenin' All Over Again.
The final possible reason is one which could apply to many records which do not become big hits: perhaps people just didn't like the record enough to go out and buy it in droves. In fairness, I find it difficult to understand why many of the SAW "flops" didn't break through, but I do feel that Beyond Your Wildest Dreams deserved to be a bigger hit. That said, Stock & Waterman re-recorded the track with Sybil for a 1993 release and that stalled frustratingly at #41, despite a strong production and an amazing performance by Sybil. I recall that version getting airplay -- on local radio at least -- but again the song didn't seem to take off.
Some fans jokingly refer to "The Curse of Beyond Your Wildest Dreams", as not only did the Lonnie Gordon and Sybil versions miss out on a Top 40 chart placing, but a third version was recorded by Nancy Davis in 1992. Davis was a waitress who won a karaoke contest run by women's magazine more!, which included Stock & Waterman as judges; this led to her releasing two singles through PWL Records -- a Stock & Waterman original If You Belonged To Me and a cover of the Jackie Wilson classic Higher and Higher. Unfortunately, neither track was a big hit and there were no further releases from Davis -- although it appears she recorded other tracks with Stock & Waterman, including the cover of Beyond Your Wildest Dreams. Davis had a soulful and very engaging singing voice -- if perhaps not as powerful as Lonnie and Sybil -- but judging by the clip of her version which appeared on the PWL Empire website, she performed the song with real emotion.
For me though, Beyond Your Wildest Dreams is one of the very best Stock Aitken Waterman songs; it's mature, heartfelt and very accomplished. It's almost criminal that this song has not yet had a second life. Here's hoping that it is a song whose time is yet to come; after all, sometimes the wildest of dreams can come true...
Lonnie Gordon - Beyond Your Wildest Dreams Written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman Supreme Records SUPE 167 / #48, 1990
Today's 80s UK Christmas Singles post is "Jason And His Amazing Stock Aitken Waterman Christmas Single!" Jason Donovan - When You Come Back To Me
Former star of Australian TV soap opera Neighbours, Jason Donovan had made quite an impact on the music scene in 1989, which is in no small part due to the continued success of the writing and production team of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. With When You Come Back To Me, the three producers clearly contrived to make a Christmas song without it actually referring to the season. Whilst it features the usual Stock Aitken Waterman hallmarks of synth brass and electronic percussion, it has a very seasonal feel to it; it's underpinned with timpani, swirling strings and prominent backing vocals, with chimes and tubular bells sprinkled on top. There's a nod to the time of year in the lyrics, with references to people having "armful(s) of presents", and there being a "chill in the air". It's a tale of separated lovers, which of course resonates deeply in the Christmas season. It’s a typically melodic song from the hit-making trio—it’s full of hooks and has a killer chorus—and is perhaps one of the best tracks they came up with for Donovan. In addition to the main single release, a second 7" was released featuring The Yuletide Sleigh List Mix—this very much turned the track into a Christmas song; opening up with a spoken intro by Donovan, the track removes most of the frenetic percussion and synths which adorn the main version, replacing them with choral backing vocals, tinkly bells and plucked strings. Given both Donovan and Stock Aitken Waterman's huge success in 1989, this would have likely been a Christmas number one—had it not been for the rush-release of Band Aid II.
Written by: Mike Stock, Matt Aitken & Pete Waterman Produced by: Mike Stock, Matt Aitken & Pete Waterman PWL Records PWL 46 / #2
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