The Questions 'Price You Pay' 7", originally uploaded by unpop.

It occurs to me now that when I wrote “the day I threw out EVERYTHING” on the 31st of May 1984, one of the things that would have referred to would have been my extensive collection of personal top thirty Pop charts. Yes, just like a typical boy, I liked to keep charts and lists and would be fascinated by data. How times change.

Naturally those charts would to some extent mirror the ‘real’ Pop charts, but with my personal predilections coming through in the re-ordering of the tunes. Naturally too it goes without saying that there would have been no room for much of the novelty tat or rock rubbish. But then you may say that a China Crisis or a Duran Duran would have been novelty tat, but frankly you’d be wrong.

So yes, my 1983 charts would for sure have featured such as The Thompson Twins and Wham! (‘Young Guns’ still sounds rather fine to these ears) but let’s remember too the likes of Carmel (whose ‘Bad Day’ was a favourite back in the middle of August), Care (‘Flaming Sword’) and the musical source of this post, ‘Price You Pay’ by The Questions. Then there was also stuff kicking around like the Tom Tom Club, Rock Steady Crew and the West Street Mob. Great Pop records left right and centre. The ‘mainstream’ was never so thrilling.