SINGLES BAR

Rip It Up, Issue 77, 1 December 1983, Page 26

SINGLES BAR

Mark Phillips

The The Perfect (Some Bizarre) 12" Matt Johnson, who recently suffered an eye infection (better than a split lip) wrote this song some lime ago. Its anti-nuclear stance becomes relevant considering what's happening in Europe and its pleasant melody rides the desolation the lyrics predict. Ex NY Doll David Johansen guests on. the harmonica, a instrument, rarely associated with synth epics. Did nothing in England but looks set to be a hit in NZ just shows they don't have all the good taste. Simple Minds Waterfront (Virgin) 12" ' I could say this has been a long time coming but that would be an understated cliche. I think this will probably be the single that breaks Simple Minds in America. Yes, it is that bad. Worse than a punch from a bouncer. Public Image Ltd This is Not a Love Song (Virgin) 12" Not another great white whale (wail)! I've been waiting for this single for months why, I don't know. Unadventurous, grinding guitar, inane chanting and precious little else mean J. Lydon better think again. Not only that, they've put 'The Public Image' on this four-track EP. Makes you wonder what happened in the five

years inbetween. NV, It's Alright (Sire) Hot on New York radio at the moment, NV get an. automatic local release. Sharp dance mobility for fast feet and open-minded heads. Slick production from a couple of unknowns, don't allow it to linger. A life saver. The Models I Hear Motion (Mushroom) . These blokes played the Windsor the other week. It seemed to me they had only one song. Lucky for them, this is it. Nice chorus that niggles under your skin and a slick sound that wavers between your ears. Ultimately, more Simple Minds than Simple Minds, but when the Scots don't produce the goods they leave themselves wide open. I mean, take that geezer the Arsenal just bought. If he can't score the goals then what do you ... The Rocksteady Crew Hey You (Charisma) 12" : Strange thing, dance. It seems the people who do it best also know how to make the best records for doing it to. Dance crew the Rock Steadys had a huge hit with this and nobody is surprised. Voluptuous feet movement memento that will stay with us forever. A hit in 92 different, languages. The Special AKA War Crimes (Chrysalis) This one is now well over a year old. If it wasn't an essential addition to the collection I'd have said don't bother to release it. No radio station will play this weird and wonderfully deep mini-classic, but if you ever even half respected Jerry Dammers you have to have it. The Johnnys I Think You're Cute (Regular) The Johnnys are a bunch of

nurds in cowboy hats. Not only that, they're Australians. This is an absolutely stupid ditty, impossible to take seriously, which is just as well, because 1 don't think it was meant to be. Mental as Anything go to Texas. Before 1 go I'd just like to ask why there aren't any Christmas records. 'Jingle Smells' by the Exploited anything!