Back in the day this lot suddenly appeared with their pianos, golden voice(s) and about 82 record sales (mostly in Japan). Unlike the other incompetents, the Hit Parade had both the genuine love of a nice tune but with a briefcase attached. A real record label !, being aloof from the grubby inky weeklies, irony (well it was very earnest in the 80s...Have you ever read "Are you scared to get Happy ?") and bloomin heck: staying power. Ok they flirted with the indiepoposphere by signing to Sarah and releasing a christmas single with Amelia (from Tallulah Gosh) but I'm sure it was only because that chimed perfectly with the Parade's demographic. (Lovelorn anorak wearers, the youth of the far East, er me.). And didn't they know it. So almost 20 years on and (presumably) financed by his evil career as a marketing executive Julian Henry (for it is he) / The Hit Parade have returned to the fray. Starting with probably the last ever UK advertising campaign for a 7" single (quarter pagers in Mojo and Word and everything) their 3rd (4th..I'm not sure) album is upon us in a few months time. I've not heard it yet but of course it'll be annoyingly perfect and I'll be whistling it for weeks. The kids won't know where to turn. 3 Field Mice Reissues, A *new* Go Betweens album, Simon Reynolds book, 4 more years of Tony Blair and this. Its all too much. Well better than those bloomin columns in the Guardian thats for sure. Henry's House. Ho Ho..
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