New Wave Outpost Forum

by **zill** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:40 pm

I lost a lot of terrific vinyl in my last move...one that survived was Nik Kershaw's The Riddle LP.

I listened to this the other day and...WTF! I paid good money for this? Am I missing something? I hope I don't offend and Kershaw fans but what a load of crap! It sounds REALLY dated.

Was there a single off this LP other than The Riddle? Did Nik Kershaw ever release another album?

by **2Nu** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:14 pm

His first album 'Human Racing' (1984) featured 'Wouldn't It Be Good' a cover of which was featured on the 'Pretty In Pink' soundtrack

I recall Don Quixote getting a fair amount of airplay 0n WLIR.

His followup LP 'Radio Musicola' (1986) also go pretty good airplay with the title track, 'Knowbody knows, and especially the 12" of 'When A Heartbeats'

His subsequent album releases never appeared on our local radio playlists though.

<IMG SRC="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/richp62/Icons%20Avatars/inot.gif">

by **DevoManiac101** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:04 pm

The song Wide Boy is a classic, it's also included on the same album. You should check out the 12" extended version of The Riddle as well, it really is good.

Thanks, Justin/DevoManiac101

by **SomebodySomewhere** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:01 am

[quote][i]Originally posted by zill[/i]
<br>Was there a single off this LP other than The Riddle?[/quote]

Not in the U.S. Not that I know of. In the U.K., "Wide Boy," followed by "Don Quixote." Promo copies of "Wide Boy" may have been sent out here -- MTV added the video to rotation back in '85.

Incidentally, I think "The Riddle" and "Wide Boy" are his two best songs. Ditto the accompanying clips.

[quote]Did Nik Kershaw ever release another album?[/quote]

Uh... like, four. If you think "The Riddle" is bad, well... let's just say it's no riddle why the hits dried up. The two that came after it are excrutiating. Although I guess suffering through "Radio Musicola" helped me score a couple points on the WLIR Name That Tune.

by **Berserker** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:06 am

This thread is filled with blasphemy!

by **KYYX4ever** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:29 am

The B-side to "Wide Boy", called "Dark Glasses" is even better. A bit dark in tone, with unusual lyrics. But yeah, I'd say his radio stuff was fluffy. I'm thinking his music was a tad undistinguishable from other Top 40 fare. He fizzled out after that.

by **zill** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:29 am

berserker - not meant to offend, I loved Human racing, which is probably why I bought the Riddle.

But c'mon, man, that Don Quixote track oozes cheese![:o)]

by **bpdp3** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:37 am

I'm not home, near my library of vast new wave vinyl knowledge, but I believe both the "Human Racing" and "Riddle" lps contained the same version of 'wouldn't it be good'. I think I always favored the 'Human Racing' lp better overall.

The version of "Wouldn't it be good" on the Pretty in Pink soundtrack is the real blasphemy.

by **BHols** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:09 am

I had both Human Racing & The Riddle back in the day. I enjoyed them then, but I can see how they've probably not aged well. Wide Boy & I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me were my 2 faves by him.

Anybody else here see Nik open for Paul Young @ Jones Beach in the summer of 85?

by **Berserker** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:11 am

[quote][i]Originally posted by bpdp3[/i]
<br>I'm not home, near my library of vast new wave vinyl knowledge, but I believe both the "Human Racing" and "Riddle" lps contained the same version of 'wouldn't it be good'. [/quote]WIBG was tacked onto the US version of The Riddle. The UK version has the song "City of Angels" in its place.

And did you know that the song "Dancing Girls" is about drugs? [:0]

by **chwbka** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:42 am

Is The Riddle Available on CD? I love it.

by **Glen** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:39 pm

I love "The Riddle" and "Human Racing" and pretty much all of Nik Kershaw's stuff. He's still kicking out good music, check out www.nikkershaw.net. "To Be Frank" is an excellent album.

by **BHols** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:41 pm

[quote][i]Originally posted by chwbka[/i]
<br>Is The Riddle Available on CD? I love it.
[/quote]

Ebay. It looks like it usually fetches $30 & upwards.

by **Oslo** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:00 pm

My personal favourite Nik Kershaw tune, would be Dancing Girls.
Released as a single and 12" in 1984.
Anybody got the 12"?
(Dancing Girls - Remixed Version 3:36 or Drum Talk - Special Extended Version)

by **Berserker** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 3:33 am

[quote][i]Originally posted by Oslo[/i]
<br>Anybody got the 12"?
(Dancing Girls - Remixed Version 3:36 or Drum Talk - Special Extended Version)[/quote]I've got every Nik Kershaw mix ever released, AFAIK.

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