Snapshot: Kim Wilde

For a long time it was quiet around the “Love blonde” from London. After initial succes with “Kids in America” it was hard for Kim to stay at the top of the charts. Her later singles could end up in the charts, but they didn’t reach the top anymore. With her new LP “Another step” and the single “You keep me hanging on”, a cover version of the Supremes, she seems to have caught it again, the high placings all over Europe prove it. Before her European tour Kim made herself available for ‘Snapshot’ and tried 10 songs with Musik Szene reader Elke Weber (21) from Darmstadt.

Debbie Harry: “French Kissin'”
Elke: No idea. Shoobiedooba-music, which says nothing. “French Kissin’ in the USA” – such crap.
Kim: That is Debbie. Her new single. I’m hearing it for the first time. It surprises me, I thought she made more Rock ‘n’ Roll kind of stuff. It’s hard to judge it, after hearing the song just one time, but it’s not keeping me awake.

Medicine Head: “One and one is one”
Kim: That’s a cover version of an old song, or something? I don’t like it. I don’t know who it is. Medicine Head? No, I don’t like it.
Elke: I also think it’s boring. Just the same shoobeedooba-music as the previous one, but now with a Hawaii-sound. Throw it away.

Kraftwerk – “Musique Non Stop”
Elke: Probably a Japanese person with no body. Absolute depresso-sound. Could be used for torture.
Kim: Totally blunt! That’s the new single by Kraftwerk? I’ve seen the video of this one. It’s also stupid. I really liked their song “The model” at the time, but now they are probably negative about that. I really don’t know what this should be. Fast forward!

Jana Pope: “Don’t you hear me screaming”
Kim: What is that? Jana Pope? Swedish? German? Martin Rushent has produced it; that’s a plus anyway. It’s hard to say, when you’ve heard it only once, but it doesn’t seem very interesting. Maybe I like it better when I’ve heard it a couple of times.
Elke: I don’t know it. The singer has a beautiful witch voice. It’s a beautiful piece, despite the terrible refrain.

Rolling Stones: “Under my thumb”
Kim: That sounds like the original. That is the original, isn’t it? Yeah, I like it. I like the Stones, I like this version. Has it been released again? I thought it was just about new songs here.
Elke: This is the Stones. There’s nothing else to say. It’s good!

Nik Kershaw: “Nobody knows”
That’s Nik Kershaw. I like his voice a lot. He is very talented. When it’s not out as a single yet, it will be a big hit in England for sure. I like a lot of his sonngs. He is a big talent.
Elke: It’s Nik Kershaw. I like it.

Nina Hagen & Lene Lovich: “Don’t kill the animals”
Kim: Is this the official “Animal Liberation song”? This song protests against animal probing, and I agree with that. What I think about the song? I don’t know, it sounds ridiculous. Who is that? Nina and Lene Lovich? Oh, I love them both, but this here is absolutely ridiculous.
Elke: Nina Hagen and Lene Lovich. A bit crazy, but despite that I like it.

Moody Blues: “Nights in white satin”
Kim: That’s Justin. Lovely! A Justin Hayward-song. “Nights in white satin”, that’s brilliant. A classic. I love it.
Elke: I know that. I don’t remember what they are called. That’s an old piece. Beautiful when you have love problems. It’s to cry along to.

Billy Idol: “Worlds Forgotten Boy”
Kim: Is that Billy Idol? No, I don’t like it that much. You know, I like “White wedding” and “Rebel Yell”, the old songs. What I like about Billy Idol, is that he is like his image. He isn’t playing a role. Whether one likes him or not, he is true to his thing and doesn’t like theatre. He has no fear to throw himself on stage and to act as if there’s a woman laying there. I don’t know him presonally, but I believe he’s like that privately. I admire that.
Elke: Yes, Billy Idol. Finally something with power. A nice erotic voice, but a chaotic sound. Billy Idol I like.

Sandra: “Midnight man”
Kim: Sounds like Madonna. Is it Madonna? Is that Sandra? I know her. What’s the name of that song she made earlier? “In the heat of the night”, exactly. This song sounds like a Madonna B-side.
Elke: That’s Sandra. I just say Shoobeedooba!