all80s Blog

As featured on the Classic 80s Album- Silk & Steel

Silk & Steel- Five Star (1986)

Silk & Steel is the second album by the British pop group Five Star. The album was the group's biggest seller, reaching No.1 in the UK. It was also successful in France, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy. In the United States, it was less successful than their first album, Luxury of Life, peaking at number 80 on the Billboard 200.

As with Luxury of Life, the album used a number of producers and was recorded in both the US and UK, the only common producer being Billy Livsey who again produced a track he had co-written (this time with Pete Sinfield), "Rain or Shine", which became the biggest UK hit from the album. Four tracks including first single, "Can't Wait Another Minute", were recorded in Los Angeles with the British producer Richard James Burgess. The band's manager and father, Buster Pearson, co-produced two tracks with Michael Jay (both of which Jay had co-written), also in Los Angeles, and one with lead singer Deniece on the track she composed, "Stay Out of My Life". There were also two tracks produced by Pete Wingfield, "Please Don't Say Goodnight" with lead vocals from Delroy and "Don't You Know I Love It" written by Doris, who also sings lead on that track. The latter track was originally a B-side but proved popular so was included on the album.

The album produced six UK top 15 hit singles and three US R&B hits. As "Are You Man Enough" was a US-only single, that means seven of the ten tracks were hit singles (and as "Don't You Know I Love It" had also been released as a B-side, only two of the album tracks were not available as singles). The album itself was the tenth best selling album in 1986 in the UK, and had achieved 4 x Platinum status (1.2 million copies sold) by 1987. It spent a total of 58 weeks in the UK albums chart.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but it I loved this album, still one of my favourites of the decade. 8.5/10

Track listing

"Can't Wait Another Minute" (Sue Sheridan, Paul Chiten) - 4:42
"Find the Time" (Paul Gurvitz, Nick Trevisick) - 4:30
"Rain or Shine" (Billy Livsey, Peter Sinfield) - 3:59
"If I Say Yes" (Michael Jay, Marvin Morrow) - 4:04
"Please Don't Say Goodnight" (Michael George Jackson-Clark, Clemens Winterhalter) - 4:43
"Stay Out of My Life" (Deniece Pearson) - 4:00
"Show Me What You've Got for Me" (Pamela Phillips Oland, Rick Neigher) - 3:57
"Are You Man Enough" (Paul Gurvitz, Nick Trevisick) - 4:38
"The Slightest Touch" (Michael Jay, Marvin Morrow) - 4:30
"Don't You Know I Love It" (Doris Pearson) - 3:58

A list of the No1 singles from this week in The 80s

1980

ABBA- Super Trouper

1981

Julio Iglesias- Begine The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)

1982

Jam- Beat Surrender

1983

Billy Joel- Uptown Girl

1984

Jim Diamond- I Should Have Known Better

1985

Wham!- 'm Your Man

1986

Europe- The Final Countdown

1987

T'Pau- China In Your Hand

1988

Robin Beck- First Time

1989

New Kids On The Block- You got It (The Right Stuff)

Moonlighting (1985-1989)

Moonlighting is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes (67 in syndication as the pilot is split into two episodes). Starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis as private detectives, the show was a mixture of drama, comedy, mystery, and romance, and was considered to be one of the first successful and influential examples of comedy-drama, or "dramedy", emerging as a distinct television genre.

The show's theme song was co-written and performed by jazz singer Al Jarreau and became a hit. The show is also credited with making Willis a star, while re-launching the career of Shepherd after a string of lackluster projects. In 1997, the episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" was ranked #34 on (the 1997) TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. In 2007, the series was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time". The relationship between David and Maddie was included in TV Guide's list of the best TV couples of all time.

Absolutely loved this show, funny and dramatic, Bruce Willis was amazing in this show. 8/10

Main cast

Cybill Shepherd
Bruce Willis
Allyce Beasley
Curtis Armstrong
Jack Blessing

As featured on Now 8

Now That's What I Call Music 8

Released 6th December 1986

TRACKS

    Side 1                                                                    Side 2

As featured on Now 7

As featured on Now 7

Now That's What I Call Music 7

Released 23rd August 1986

TRACKS

    Side 1                                                                    Side 2

A list of the No1 singles of this week in The 80s

1980

ABBA- Super Trooper

1981

Julio Iglesias- Begine The Beguine (Volver A Empezar) 

1982

Eddy Grant- I Don't Wanna Dance 

1983

Billy Joel- Uptown Girl 

1984

Chaka Khan- I Feel For You 

1985

Wham!- I'm Your Man 

1986

Berlin- Take My Breath Away 

1987

T'Pau- China In Your Hand 

1988

Robin Beck- First Time 

1989

New Kids On The Block- You got It (The Right Stuff) 

A list of the No1 singles of this week in The 80s

1980

Blondie- The Tide is High

1981

Police- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic 

1982

Eddy Grant- I Don't Wanna Dance 

1983

Billy Joel- Uptown Girl 

1984

Chaka Khan- I Feel For You 

1985

Feargal Sharkey- A Good Heart 

1986

Berlin- Take My Breath Away 

1987

T'Pau- China In Your Hand 

1988

Robin Beck- First Time 

1989

Lisa Stansfield- All Around The World