January 19

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

Dewey Bunnell, born on January 19, 1952, is a member (vocalist & guitarist) of the band America.

America are famous in Hellas (& all over the world), mainly for major 70s hits such as "A Horse With No Name" (1971), "I Need You" (1972) & "Ventura Highway" (1972)...

...and minor 70s hits such as "Don't Cross The River" (1972), "Muskrat Love" (1973), "Tin Man" (1974), "Lonely People" (1974) & "Sister Golden Hair" (1975).

In the 80s, America released an album that became one of the 10 most popular Albums of the 80s in Thessaloniki's Radio (the whole list in the first comment).

"View From The Ground" (1982)

Apart from the Russ Ballard penned hit "You Can Do Magic" (US # 8, NZ # 12, AU # 30, CA # 37, UK # 59), the LP produced several other popular songs & hits in Thessaloniki's Radio. The biggest of them, the magnificent power ballad "Inspector Mills"

"Right Before Your Eyes" (cover version of the 1977 Ian Thomas song)

"Sometimes Lovers"

In 1983, America released the LP Your Move, that produced 3 more (minor) hits in Thessaloniki's Radio.

"The Border"

"She's A Runaway"

"Your Move"

January 8

 

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

Shirley Bassey was born on January 8, 1937

She is a world star. No doubt about that.

But her Radio hits in Hellas & worldwide aren't so many as someone would imagine.

Apart from her 2 out of 3 very successful James Bond Themes 

1) Goldfinger (1964)

2) Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

(Moonraker Theme did not enjoy any particular success)...

...she had (apart from her numerous 50' & 60s UK hits) only a few of major or minor hits worldwide:

I (Who Have Nothing) (1963, cover of Joe Sentieri's "Uno Dei Tanti" from 1961)

UK # 6

Big Spender (1967, cover of the Peggy Lee's 1965 song)

UK # 21

Something (1970, cover of the 1969 Beatles song)

UK # 4, NL # 10, BE # 11, AU # 19, DE # 40

(Where Do I Begin) Love Story (1971, cover of Andy Williams' song)

UK # 34,  BE # 38

This Is My Life (La Vita) (1979, cover of the Elio Gandolfi 1968 song)

NL # 5, BE # 5

Thought I'd Ring You (1983, duet with Alain Delon)

NL # 13, BE # 13

The Rhythm Divine (1987, Yello feat. Shirley Bassey)

UK # 54, BE # 17, NL # 24, AU # 19, CH # 21, DE # 47

'Disco' La Passione (1996, Chris Rea feat. Shirley Bassey)

NL # 21, BE # 36

Get The Party Started (2007, cover of P!nk's 2001 hit)

UK # 47

In Hellas though, she had a couple more hits, especially in Thessaloniki's Radio Stations:

1) Yesterday When I Was Young (LP Something, 1970)

cover of Hier Encore by Charles Aznavour (1964)

2a) If You Don't Understand (single A side, 1984)

The A side is cover of "Rabbia Libertà Fantasia" (Ornella Vanoni, 1983)

2b) To All The Men I've Loved Before (single B side, 1984)

The B side is cover of "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" (Albert Hammond, 1974) allthough it is based on the cover of Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson (1984)

3) Remember - SHIRLEY BASSEY feat. AL CORLEY (1984)

cover of Parole, Parole by Mina & Alberto Lupo (1972) but based on the cover of the Dalida & Alain Delon version of 1973.

4) The Girl From Tiger Bay - DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY (LP The Performance, 2009)

January 7

 

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

Freddy Gigele was born on January 7, 1961

Back in 1982, he was the lead singer of the Austrian Hard Rock band, No Bros.

They had a major hit in their homeland (# 11), with their single "Be My Friend" (LP Ready For The Action, 1982)

The song became a radio hit in Thessaloniki's pirate station "Radio 1", in the mid 80s.

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)

January 6

 

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

Lou Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006)

He had a massive worldwide hit, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" (LP All Things In Time, 1976)

Two of his other hits, are well known in Hellas & receive regular airplay through the years:

"See You When I Git There" (LP Unmistakably Lou, 1977) hit in the Benelux &

"Lady Love" (LP When You Hear Lou You've Heard It All, 1978) US # 24

In Thessaloniki there are two more songs, that received huge airplay during the 80s and are also considered classics in my hometown:

All Time Lover (LP Close Company, 1984)

Stop Me From Starting This Feeling (LP Love All Your Blues Away, 1986)

January 5

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

Phil Thornalley (born January 5, 1960)

Bass player, singer, songwriter, sound engineer & producer

Sound engineer / remixer on:

LP All Mod Cons (The Jam, 1978)

LP Mystery (Hot Chocolate, 1982)

LP Set (Thompson Twins, 1982)

LP Pornography (The Cure, 1982) + producer

LP The Real Macaw (Graham Parker, 1983)

LP Seven & The Ragged Tiger (Duran Duran, 1983)

LP Quick Step & Side Kick (Thompson Twins, 1983)

LP Into The Gap (Thompson Twins, 1984)

also XTC, The Danse Society 

and Never Never Comes (Classix Nouveaux, 1983)

Bass Player & producer on "The LoveCats" by The Cure (1983)

Producer on "When Love Breaks Down" by Prefab Sprout (LP Steve McQueen, 1985)

but also for Seona Dancing ("Bitter Heart", 1983), Orange Juice ("What Presence?!" 1984), Robbie Nevil ("C'est La Vie", 1986), Wax ("Right Between The Eyes", 1986), Bryan Adams ("On A Day Like Today", 1998) and also Strawberry Switchblade

Singer & bass player on Johnny Hates Jazz second LP (Tall Stories, 1991), with two major radio hits in Thessaloniki: "Let Me Change Your Mind Tonight" & "The Last To Know" (released January 6, 1992).

Songwriter of "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia (1997)

The song was originally recorded by: 

Lis Sørensen (Brændt, 1993)

Covers:

Ednaswap (Torn, 1995)

Trine Rein (Torn, 1996)

Άσπα (Νιώσε Το Φιλί, 2003)

January 3

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

Stranger - STEPHEN STILLS (LP Right By You, 1984)

A song with success on Thessaloniki's mid 80's pirate radio.

Stephen participated in the recording of some very important & popular songs of the 60's & 70's:

For What It's Worth - BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD (single, December 1966)

written by Stephen Stills

Marrakesh Express - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH (LP Crosby, Stills & Nash, 1969)

Ohio - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG (LP 4 Way Street, 1971)

Chicago - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG (LP 4 Way Street, 1971)

allthough a Graham Nash song, it was included on this live album

Love The One You're With - STEPHEN STILLS (LP Stephen Stills, 1970)

Love The One You're With - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG (LP 4 Way Street, 1971)

January 2

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

You & I - MADLEEN KANE (LP Cheri, 1979)

The drummer on this Madleen Kane hit song in Thessaloniki's radio is Keith Forsey, born on January 2, 1948.

Keith was a Giorgio Moroder & Harold Faltermeyer co-worker and a major figure in the Movie Industry of the 70s & 80s, especially the Soundtracks of Movies.

He wrote and produced "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds (OST The Breakfast Club, 1985)

He co-wrote and co-produced "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey (OST Beverly Hills Cop, 1985) & "Shakedown" by Bob Seger (OST Beverly Hill Cop 2, 1987)

He co-wrote "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer (1979), "Flashdance... What a Feeling" by Irene Cara (OST Flashdance, 1983), "Lady, Lady, Lady" by Joe Esposito (OST Flashdance, 1983), "The Neverending Story" by Limahl (OST The Neverending Story, 1984), "Thief Of Hearts" by Melissa Manchester (OST Thief Of Hearts, 1984)

He produced all major Billy Idol hits ["Hot In The City" (1982 & 1987), "Eyes Without A Face" (1983), "Flesh For Fantasy" (1983), "Sweet Sixteen" (1986), "Mony Mony" (1987), "Cradle Of Love" (1990) and others]. 

He produced several 80s hits such as "Hey Little Girl" by Icehouse (1982), "New York / N.Y." by Nina Hagen (1983) and one of my personal favorites "The Ghost In You" by The Psychedelic Furs (1984)

He played drums on massiv hits such as "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer (1977) "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer (1979) and "Call Me" by Blondie (1980, instead of Clem Bourke)

Irene Cara & Keith Forsey (as lyricists), accepting the Oscar for "Flashdance... What A Feeling" (1983) at the 56th Annual Academy Awards in 1984.