Classic Pop

Classic Pop magazine is the ultimate celebration of great pop and chart music - featuring both the stars of yesteryear and the classic pop-inspired acts breaking today, Classic Pop brings you closer to the genre and music you love. Each issue – with 80s pop at its core – brings you the very best exclusive artist interviews, in-depth features, music news and reviews celebrating the finest acts from the late-70s post-punk scene through to the pop, synth-pop, New Romantic, ska, indie, electronic and guitar greats of the 80s and chart stars of the 90s – plus the best new acts that embrace our classic pop heritage.

WELCOME

Classic Pop

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

MADONNA UNVEILS CONFESSIONS SEQUEL

DURAN SPREAD THE LOVE

FINAL CHAPTER FOR SOFT CELL

RISE AND SHIIINE AT WEEKENDER

Pet Shop Boys’ Naked ambition

MIDGE URE • THE FIRED-UP SINGER-SONGWRITER RETURNS WITH HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM OF ALL-NEW MATERIAL IN 12 YEARS – AND IT’S A DOUBLE. HE EXPLAINS TO CLASSIC POP WHY THE PERSONAL IS THE POLITICAL ON THE AMBITIOUS A MAN OF TWO WORLDS.

1 HIT WONDER

DREAM REISSUE FOR TINA FANS

Electric line-up of synth icons

MUSICAL YOUTH • AFTER TOPPING CHARTS WORLDWIDE WITH ONLY THEIR SECOND SINGLE, A NEW COMPILATION SHOWS A VERY DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE MUSICAL YOUTH THAT WE KNOW. THE BAND’S CO-FOUNDER TONEY OWENS AND GUITARIST KELVIN GRANT REMEMBER THEIR BEGINNINGS AND THAT FAMOUS TITLE CHANGE…

LOST & FOUND

TOP OF THE PODS

Billie sparks Black Box Recorder comeback

Ian Peel’s A to Z of POP • SIMPLE MINDS ARE THINKING OUT LOUD ABOUT THEIR SWANSONG. THEY ARE NOT THE FIRST TO DO SO, BUT HAS IT EVER BEEN DONE BIGGER AND BOLDER THAN IN THE SUMMER OF 1986?

This month in POP JUNE 1983 • TALKING HEADS ARE BURNING HOT, HEAVEN 17 ENTER BALLAD MODE AND ALTERED IMAGES HOPE TO TAKE A BITE OUT OF THE CHARTS

TOP 5 UK ALBUMS CHART • 12 JUNE 1983

“Growing up isn’t straightforward for anyone and doing it in public involves different layers of complications” • WITH PLANS FOR THREE NEW ALBUMS, KIM WILDE ISN’T SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN. SHE REVEALS ALL ABOUT LIFE ON POP’S ROLLERCOASTER, FROM BEING OVERWHELMED AS A SONGWRITER AND WANTING TO BE A SESSION SINGER TO HOW TO COMBINE THE CLASH AND ABBA IN HER UNIQUE MUSICAL COCKTAIL. “I GET A STRONG FEELING ABOUT CERTAIN SONGS, KNOWING THEY SHOULD BE SINGLES,” WILDE TELLS CP…

OH RICKY, YOU’RE SO FINE

HANGIN’ OFF HIS EVERY WORD

IN THE WILDE MIDWINTER

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN OCEAN RAIN • THE BAND’S FOURTH ALBUM IS ARGUABLY THEIR FINEST HOUR. A MAJESTIC, WEIRD AND GOTHIC MASTERPIECE THAT BEFUDDLED CRITICS ON RELEASE, YET IT STANDS UP TODAY AS A CLASSIC.

THE SONGS

THE PLAYERS

THE VIDEOS

"THERE’S NO POINT COVERING A SONG UNLESS YOU VANDALISE IT" • As they unveil their hotly-anticipated new synth supergroup, the reality of Vince Clarke and Blancmange teaming up is the result of nearly 50 years of friendship. Classic Pop meets Clarke, Neil Arthur and Benge to learn about their early days in London pubs, massive quiffs… and an unreleased Yazoo collaboration that sounded like Alison Moyet duetting with Eric Morecambe.

WORKS IN PROGRESS

CLARKE'S NEW WORLDS

LISA STANSFIELD • FROM ROCHDALE TO RIO, LISA STANSFIELD’S AUTHENTIC TAKE ON SOUL MUSIC HAS TAKEN HER ALL AROUND THE WORLD AND SHIFTED OVER 20 MILLION ALBUMS. MOST IMPRESSIVELY, SHE HAS DONE IT ALL ENTIRELY ON HER OWN TERMS.

SUPERFAN

B HERE NOW • As The B-52s play a pair of co-headline UK arena shows with Devo this summer, Fred Schneider reflects with CP on 50 years of roaming around the world. “It wasn’t always peaches, cream and honey. It was a rollercoaster. But we stuck together,” he tells us.

FINAL...