Wilde about the Eighties

Eighties blonde pin-up Kim Wilde didn’t need much persuasion to join the line -up of the latest New Romantic revival tour. “When they told me who was playing I realised they were all my favourite bands from the time. I used to buy all their records, ” said Kim, who shot to fame in 1981with her hit Kids in America written and produced by her brother Ricky.

The Here And Now Tour, which comes to Cardiff International Arena later this year, certainly lives up to its boast of the greatest eighties tour ever. It includes Heaven 17, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Nick Heyward, T’Pau, Go West and Paul Young.

Kim, who notched up 30 hits between 1981 and 1996, was given a reminder of the excitement of performing live when she staged a village fund-raiser for her hometown of Welwyn Garden City. “I was on volunteering on our local village committee and I met a guy who fronted an Abba tribute band and he persuaded me to do a concert of Abba and Kim Wilde songs, ” explained Kim “I hadn’t been on stage for years I had been too busy getting married and having babies.

“I thought that was really good fun,” said Kim. “And the timing was right. There’s more of an appreciation of the Eighties now people are not so embarrassed to say they loved the music. Its a one off way of celebrating the small part I played in the pop world.”

You can catch Kim and Co at the CIA on Saturday, November 17, for the last night of the seven-date Here and Now UK tour. Tickets are pounds 25 (subject to booking fee). But we’ve got a pair to give away. To be in with a chance of winning just answer the following question Which comedian did Kim team up with on the Christmas hit Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree?

Send your answers on a postcard together with your name, address and daytime telephone number to Kim Wilde Competition, South Wales Echo Features, Thomson House, Havelock Street, Cardiff, CF10 1XR. The closing date is next Thursday.