Hazel O Connor - Eighth Day

This single was the debut hit from the movie Breaking Glass, which Hazel was staring in. She starred as Kate, a singer songwriter who tries to crack the charts and the film shows the rise and fall of her and her band Breaking Glass, the pitfalls of the recording industry and the people involved. At the end of the film it shows her after being pumped with drugs, perform this amazing early 80's track, just before she runs off and suffers a nervous breakdown.

Released in the Summer of 1980 on A&M records, the single and the video to the single (from the movie) was so modern, so fresh and so amazing and very much reflected the futurism of 1980. The single got to number 5 in the charts and helped the soundtrack album and the movie do really well in the UK. Hazel had another couple of hit singles before becoming more known for being an actress in the mid 80's. When I listen to this track it still sounds so amazingly exciting and reminds me of when I first saw the clip of the song on TV and saving my pocket money up to buy a copy, money well spent!

The Venus Hunters - Starburst

Here is the Venus Hunter's only single, from 1982, well that's what the makers of the TV show Hunting Venus wanted us to think! The one off show for Yorkshire Television was shown in April 1999 and Starred Martin Clunes & Neil Morrisey. The plot was getting the band from the 80's back together from their lives in 1999 for one more show at the BBC. It is an amazing show and I'm really surprised it has never been released on DVD as it is a period piece from the 1980's complete with an 80's soundtrack!

Starburst is about looking forward into the future about moving and exploring and giving hope to the human race, well it is supposed to be but really the song is full of double entendres about having a wank (I sent my children skywards) and puns and one liners. The track really was written by Joolz Holland for the show, but it is so 80's sounding and if it had have been a single in the early 80's I'm sure it would have charted. A great song from a great TV show! Here is the sleeve to the soundtrack album with a picture of the Venus Hunters!