March 29

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Kathy Barnes (March 29, 1951 - October 6. 2019)

Off - KATHY BARNES (LP Body Talkin', 1978)

Her cover version of "Off", was one of the biggest discoveries turned into hits by Yorgos Alexiou in Thessaloniki's pirate station "Radio 1"

Nowadays it is considered one of the 100 most popular foreign pop ballads in the History of the Hellenic Radio.

Original version: Off - HODGES, JAMES & SMITH (LP What's On Your Mind, 1977)

First cover version: I Wanted To Call It Off - CILLA BLACK (single, 1977)

March 15

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Rockwell, born March 15, 1964

Knife - ROCKWELL (LP Somebody's Watching Me, 1984)

Apart from his international smash hit "Somebody's Watching Me" (feat. Michael Jackson), the album included this sentimental ballad, that was a Top 10 hit (in May & June 1984) in 2 of Thessalonikis most popular pirate radio stations: Radio 1 (Yorgos Alexiou) & Proto Programma (Vassilis Galanos)

March 9

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Robin Trower, born March 9, 1945

Caroline - ROBIN TROWER (LP Passion, 1987)

 "Caroline" by former Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower, was a hit during the late 80s in Thessaloniki's radio and is considered a classic in my hometown.

March 7

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Matthew Fisher, born on March 7, 1946

A radio legend in Thessaloniki. Member of the legendary Procol Harum (A Whiter Shade Of Pale, 1967). Writer & interpreter of the most popular song in Thessaloniki's radio ever (Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You, 1980)

His first hit in Thessaloniki's pirate radio (late 1984, early 1985):

Can't You Feel My Love - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

His second & biggest hit in Thessaloniki's pirate radio & a major hit all over Hellas nowadays:

Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

Matthew performing the song live on Vavilonia (Mylos Club), while visiting Thessaloniki with his wife Carol, to join us on the Mousikos Diavlos Reunion party (September 2, 2005)

His last major hit in Thessaloniki:

Can't Stop Loving You Now - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Strange Days, 1981)

The songs of Matthew Fisher in Thessaloniki's radio charts:

1) The song reached the # 1 spot on the common Top 20 of Radio 1 & Proto Programma, 2 of Thessaloniki's most popular pirate radio Stations of the 80's

Ράδιο 1 & 1ο Πρόγραμμα (κοινό Top 20)

Saturday, February 23, 1985

01. If You Go Away - OSCAR BENTON (LP If You Go Away, 1984)

02. Can't You Feel My Love - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

03. Smile - CHRIS REA (b-side on single "Love's Strange Ways", 1983)

04. I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips - ERIC CARMEN (LP Eric Carmen, 1984)

05. Lovers In The Wind - ROGER HODGSON (LP In The Eye Of The Storm, 1984)

06. Can't Fight This Feeling - REO SPEEDWAGON (LP Wheels Are Turnin', 1984)

07. Classic - ADRIAN GURVITZ (LP Classic, 1982)

08. Heaven - BRYAN ADAMS (LP Reckless, 1984)

09. I Should Have Known Better - JIM DIAMOND (single, 1984 / LP Double Crossed, 1985)

10. Last Christmas - WHAM! (single, 1984)

11. San Jose - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (LP Welcome To The Pleasuredome, 1984)

12. The Power Of Love - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (LP Welcome To The Pleasuredome, 1984)

13. For You - TRIUMVIRAT (LP A La Carte, 1978)

14. Only Because Of You - ROGER HODGSON (LP In The Eye Of The Storm, 1984)

15. Flesh For Fantasy - BILLY IDOL (LP Rebel Yell, 1983)

16. Easy Lover - PHILIP BAILEY & PHIL COLLINS (LP Chinese Wall, 1984)

17. Somebody - BRYAN ADAMS (LP Heaven, 1984)

18. This Is Not America - PAT METHENY feat. DAVID BOWIE (OST The Falcon & The Snowman, 1984)

19. Love Is Love - CULTURE CLUB (OST Electric Dreams, 1984)

20. Don't Leave Me This Way - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1975)

----------

2) Radio 1, Thessaloniki (Oldies Top 20, October '86)

01. Be My Friend - NO BROS (LP Ready For The Action, 1982)

02. She Makes Me Feel - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

03. Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

04. New York Hold Her Tight - DOWNES & PRICE (LP Downes & Price, 1986)

05. Let's Make Love - GUYS 'N' DOLLS (LP Together, 1977)

06. Can't Get By Without You - THE REAL THING (LP Real Thing, 1976)

07. I'll Give You Everything - TOPPER HEADON feat. JIMMY HELMS (LP Waking Up, 1986)

08. For You - TRIUMVIRAT (LP A La Carte, 1978)

09. Never Looking Back - BERTIE HIGGINS (LP Pirates & Poets, 1983)

10. You're Going Out Of My Mind - T.G. SHEPPARD (LP TG, 1985)

11. Smile - CHRIS REA (b-side on "Love's Strange Ways", 1983)

12. Can't You Feel My Love - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

13. Classic - ADRIAN GURVITZ (LP Classic, 1982)

14. How Do You Mend A Broken Heart - GUYS 'N DOLLS (single, 1979)

15. If You're Not Here (By My Side) - MENUDO (LP Reaching Out, 1984)

16. You To Me Are Everything - THE REAL THING (LP Real Thing, 1976)

17. I Can't Say Goodbye To You -HELEN REDDY (LP Play Me Out, 1981)

18. Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through - JIM STEINMAN feat. RORY DODD (LP Bad For Good, 1981)

19. Phantom Of The Opera - ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER feat. SARAH BRIGHTMAN & STEVE HARLEY (OC The Phantom Of The Opera, 1986)

20. Tokyo Joe - BERTIE HIGGINS (LP Pirates & Poets, 1983)

----------

3) Sunday February 2, 1986

Radio 1, Thessaloniki (Γιώργος Αλεξίου, Top 40)

01. Say You, Say Me - LIONE RICHIE (OST White Nights, 1985)

02. Oh! Mon Amour - CHRISTOPHE (single, 1972)

03. Tokyo Joe - BERTIE HIGGINS (LP Pirates & Poets, 1983)

04. Can't Stop Loving You Now - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Strange Days, 1981)

05. Lover Why - CENTURY (single, 1985 / LP ... And Soul It Goes, 1986)

06. Clouds Across The Moon - RAH BAND (LP Mystery, 1985)

07. It Was Love - FRANK DUVAL & KALINA MALOYER

(OST Derrick. Staffel 9, Folge 6: Toter Goldfisch, 1985)

08. The Power Of Love - JENNIFER RUSH (LP Jennifer Rush, 1984)

09. Love - JIMMY JIMMY (single, 1985 / LP Here In The Light, 1986)

10. You're Going Out Of My Mind - T.G. SHEPPARD (LP TG, 1985)

11. If I Turn You Away - VIKKI MOSS (OST St. Elmo's Fire, 1985)

12. All At Once - WHITNEY HOUSTON (LP Whitney Houston, 1985)

13. Just As I Am - AIR SUPPLY (LP Air Supply, 1985)

14. Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

15. Don't Go Breaking My Heart - ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE (single, 1976)

16. Blue - FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS (LP Fine Young Cannibals, 1985)

17. Classic - ADRIAN GURVITZ (LP Classic, 1982)

18. Miracle - ROBERT FORMAN (LP Cut Juggling, 1985)

19. Strangers In The Night - FRANK SINATRA (1966)

20. One-Sided Love Affair - RAY PARKER Jr. (LP Sex & The Single Man, 1985)

21. Road To Nowhere - TALKING HEADS (LP Little Creatures, 1985)

22. Money For Nothing - DIRE STRAITS (LP Brothers In Arms, 1985)

23. Dress You Up - MADONNA (single, 1985 / LP Like A Virgin, 1984)

24. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You - GEORGE BENSON (LP 20/20, 1985)

25. If You're Not Here (By My Side) - MENUDO (LP Reaching Out, 1984)

26. Nikita - ELTON JOHN (LP Ice On Fire, 1985)

27. Broken Wings - MR MISTER (LP Welcome To The Real World, 1985)

28. You're A Friend Of Mine - CLARENCE CLEMONS feat. JACKSON BROWNE (LP Hero, 1985)

29. Smile - CHRIS REA (b-side on "Love's Strange Ways", 1983)

30. ??? I'm Fool For You??? - ???SHARKEY 2???

31. When Your Heart Is Weak - COCK ROBIN (LP Cock Robin, 1985)

32. Name Of The Game - DAN HARTMAN (LP I Can Dream About You, 1984)

33. Yeh Yeh - MATT BIANCO (single, 1985 / LP Matt Bianco, 1986)

34. Love's Strange Ways - CHRIS REA (LP Water Sign, 1983)

35. You Belong To The City - GLENN FREY (OST Miami Vice, 1985)

36. Face To Face - REAL LIFE (LP Flame, 1985)

37. If I Was - MIDGE URE (LP The Gift, 1985)

38. Words - FR DAVID (LP Words, 1982)

39. Loving You Is A Dirty Job - BONNIE TYLER & TODD RUNDGREN

(LP Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire, 1985)

40. Remember - SHIMI TAVORI (single, 1985)

----------

4) 16 Ώρες Θεσσαλονίκη (16 Hours Thessaloniki)

Top 50 (9 to 15 May 1987)

01. Mary's Prayer - DANNY WILSON (LP Meet Danny Wilson, 1987)

02. City Lights - WILLIAM PITT (single, 1986 / re-released in 1987)

03. You Keep Me Hanging on - COLOURBOX (LP Colourbox, 1985)

04. With Or Without You - U2 (LP The Joshua Tree, 1987)

05. Love In Anger - THE ARMOURY SHOW (single, 1987)

06. Any Colour - CUTTING CREW (LP Broadcast, 1986)

07. Down To Earth - CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT (LP Keep Your Distance, 1987)

08. Sign o' the Times - PRINCE (LP Sign o' the Times, 1987)

09. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - ARETHA FRANKLIN & GEORGE MICHAEL (LP Aretha, 1987)

10. The Right Thing - SIMPLY RED (LP Men & Women, 1987)

11. It's In The Way That You Use It - ERIC CLAPTON (LP August, 1986 / OST The Color Of Money, 1986)

12. Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

13. Painted Moon - THE SILENCERS (LP A Letter From St. Paul, 1987)

14. Happy Hour - THE HOUSEMARTINS (LP London 0 Hull 4, 1986)

15. Another Lost Weekend - SWING OUT SISTER (LP Various - Beat Runs Wild, 1986 / b-side on "Twilight World", 1986)

16. Bigmouth Strikes Again - THE SMITHS (LP The Queen Is Dead, 1986)

17. Lean On Me - CLUB NOUVEAU (LP Life, Love & Pain, 1986)

18. Theme from "Moonlighting" - AL JARREAU (OST Moonlighting, 1987)

19. It Didn't Matter - THE STYLE COUNCIL (LP The Cost Of Loving, 1987)

20. Angel - THE STYLE COUNCIL (LP The Cost Of Loving, 1987)

21. Ordinary Day - CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT (alternative version, LP Various - Beat Runs Wild, 1986)

22. A Question Of Time - DEPECHE MODE (LP Black Celebration, 1986)

23. Running In The Family - LEVEL 42 (LP Running In The Family, 1987)

24. Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune) - IT'S IMMATERIAL (LP Life's Hard & Then You Die, 1986)

25. Hold On - ERIC CLAPTON feat. TINA TURNER (LP August, 1986)

26. I'm Ready For Love - FOUR TOPS (LP Magic, 1985)

27. Livin' On A Prayer - BON JOVI (LP Slippery When Wet, 1986)

28. Sitting On A Fence - THE HOUSEMARTINS (LP London 0 Hull 4, 1986)

29. Sweet Love - ANITA BAKER (LP Rapture, 1986)

30. Honey I'm Lost - THE DOOLEYS (single, 1979)

31. All I Really Need Is You - BLUE MAGIC (LP Welcome Back, 1981)

32. I Remember You - THE PRETENDERS (LP Get Close, 1986)

33. Take Me I'm Yours - SQUEEZE (LP Squeeze, 1978)

34. Cry For Love - IGGY POP (LP Blah-Blah-Blah, 1986)

35. I've Never Been To Me - CHARLENE (LP Charlene, 1976 / single 1977 & re-released 1982)

36. Baby Come Back - PLAYER (LP Player, 1977)

37. Ventura Highway - AMERICA (LP Homecoming, 1972)

38. Bonny - PREFAB SPROUT (LP Steve McQueen, 1985)

39. So Cold The Night - COMMUNARDS (LP Communards, 1986)

40. Why Can't I be You - THE CURE (LP Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, 1987)

41. You Are My Love - LIVERPOOL EXPRESS (LP Tracks, 1976)

42. Stop Me From Starting This Feeling - LOU RAWLS (LP Love All Your Blues Away, 1986)

43. Rescue Me - THE ESCAPE CLUB (single, 1985 / LP White Fields, 1986)

44. The Way It Is - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (LP The Way It Is, 1986)

45. You - PEGGY LEE (LP Close Enough For Love, 1979)

46. Soul Man - SAM MOORE & LOU REED (OST Soul Man, 1986)

47. I Can't Resist You - PEGGY LEE (LP Close Enough For Love, 1979)

48. Always The Sun - THE STRANGLERS (LP Dreamtime, 1986)

49. You Be Illin' - RUN DMC (LP Raising Hell, 1986)

50. We Can Make It Tonight - TOTO (LP Fahrenheit, 1986)

Other major radio hits in Thessaloniki, with Matthew Fisher participating in the recordings:

Echoes in The Night - GARY BROOKER  (LP Echoes In The Night, 1985)

co-writer & co-producer

Hey Matthew - KAREL FIALKA (single, 1987 / LP Human Animal, 1988)

Matthew was the sound engineer & programmer (Steinberg)

Wot - CAPTAIN SENSIBLE (single, 1982 / LP Women & Captains First, 1982)

Matthew was the sound engineer

March 4

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Chris Rea, born on March 4, 1951

Smile - CHRIS REA (b-side on single "Love's Strange Ways", 1983)

"Smile" was a major radio hit during the mid 80's, in Thessaloniki's pirate radio.

The song reached the # 3 spot on the common Top 20 of Radio 1 & Proto Programma, 2 of Thessaloniki's most popular pirate radio Stations of the 80's

Ράδιο 1 & 1ο Πρόγραμμα (κοινό Top 20)

Saturday, February 23, 1985

01. If You Go Away - OSCAR BENTON (LP If You Go Away, 1984)

02. Can't You Feel My Love - MATTHEW FISHER (LP Matthew Fisher, 1980)

03. Smile - CHRIS REA (b-side on single "Love's Strange Ways", 1983)

04. I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips - ERIC CARMEN (LP Eric Carmen, 1984)

05. Lovers In The Wind - ROGER HODGSON (LP In The Eye Of The Storm, 1984)

06. Can't Fight This Feeling - REO SPEEDWAGON (LP Wheels Are Turnin', 1984)

07. Classic - ADRIAN GURVITZ (LP Classic, 1982)

08. Heaven - BRYAN ADAMS (LP Reckless, 1984)

09. I Should Have Known Better - JIM DIAMOND (single, 1984 / LP Double Crossed, 1985)

10. Last Christmas - WHAM! (single, 1984)

11. San Jose - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (LP Welcome To The Pleasuredome, 1984)

12. The Power Of Love - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (LP Welcome To The Pleasuredome, 1984)

13. For You - TRIUMVIRAT (LP A La Carte, 1978)

14. Only Because Of You - ROGER HODGSON (LP In The Eye Of The Storm, 1984)

15. Flesh For Fantasy - BILLY IDOL (LP Rebel Yell, 1983)

16. Easy Lover - PHILIP BAILEY & PHIL COLLINS (LP Chinese Wall, 1984)

17. Somebody - BRYAN ADAMS (LP Heaven, 1984)

18. This Is Not America - PAT METHENY feat. DAVID BOWIE (OST The Falcon & The Snowman, 1984)

19. Love Is Love - CULTURE CLUB (OST Electric Dreams, 1984)

20. Don't Leave Me This Way - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1975)

February 27

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Johnny Van Zant, born on February 27, 1960 (wiki) or 1959 (according to discogs) 

She's Out With A Gun - VAN-ZANT (LP Van-Zant, 1985)

This song was a major hit & probably the song with the biggest air-play during the Summer of 1986, in Thessaloniki's pirate radio "Kalokairi 86"...

...which was the first effort in Thessaloniki to form a collective pirate radio, with the collaboration of several radio pirates known to Thessaloniki's radio audience.

Apart from this major radio hit, the present lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd (Johnny Van Zant) had also a respectable hit in Thessaloniki's radio with this next song from the same album during the late 80s.

You've Got To Believe In Love - VAN-ZANT (LP Van-Zant, 1985)

February 22

Artists & Songs related to the broadcasts of Thessaloniki's radio legend, Yorgos Alexiou (mostly birthdays of musicians but also releases & charts)

Chris Rainbow (November 18, 1946 – February 22, 2015)

I Believe In You - PANARAMA (LP Can This Be Paradise, 1982)

lead vocals: Chris Rainbow

Chris Rainbow also provided the lead vocals on the following Alan Parsons Project songs:

The Turn Of A Friendly Card Pt. 1 (LP The Turn Of A Friendly Card, 1980)

Days Are Numbers (The Traveller) (LP Vulture Culture, 1985)