Hola a todos!
Voy a comenzar esta andadura con el archivo que mandé en 2001 a David Roberts, responsable del libro BRITISH HIT SINGLES notificándole de una serie de errores, informaciones incompletas, etc. que aparecieron en su edición de 2000.
David me contestó mostrando su agradecimiento, y en la siguiente edición fueron corregidos, además de aparecer mi nombre entre los agradecimientos de la misma. De hecho, fui invitado a un focus-group acerca de cambios en futuras ediciones del libro, al que no pude asistir al ser en Londres.
Dear friends,
First of all I would like to congratulate you for the great job you do with every edition of BRITISH HIT SINGLES. With the year 2000 just finished and a new edition of BRITISH HIT SINGLES soon to be published, I would like to offer you my little piece of help consisting in this list with the mistakes or simply the missing information or incorrect facts which I have noticed in the recent 13th Edition of your book with the porposal of making BRITISH HIT SINGLES more accurate each time.
I really hope this to be of your help and I would be very glad to collaborate with you for any point you want to comment.
1. CROSS-REFERENCES
In some cases, solo projects of bands' members are indicated, but this does not happen with many others. For example there is a reference under THE BEATLES´ hits for solo hits by Paul Mc CARTNEY, John LENNON, George HARRISON and Ringo STARR, but this reference does not exist in other chart acts whose members have also solo hits as ROLLING STONES or TAKE THAT to name just two.
This is a list of acts that have charted solo and as member of bands but there is not cross-reference in the book indicating the fact.
· BASIA: She was the lead singer in MATT BIANCO first hits.
· BASS-O-MATIC: Act is WILLIAM ORBIT under a band name.
· BLACK GRAPE: Members of this band including lead singer were members of HAPPY MONDAYS.
· BOOTH & BAD ANGEL: Tim BOOTH (half of this duo) is the lead singer in JAMES.
· Claudia BRUCKEN: She was half of the duo ACT and also the lead singer in PROPAGANDA.
· Belinda CARLISLE: She was the lead singer in GO-GO´S
· Paul CARRACK: He has been member of ACE, SQUEEZE and MIKE & THE MECHANICS.
· CROSS: Act includes Roger Taylor from QUEEN.
· Marcela DETROIT: She was half of the duo SHAKESPEARE SISTER.
· Bruce DICKINSON: He was the lead singer in IRON MAIDEN.
· Tanya DONELLY: She was the lead singer in BELLY.
· ELECTRONIC: Act includes Bernard Sumner from NEW ORDER and Johny Marr from SMITHS.
· FOLK IMPLOSION: Act includes Lou Barlow from SEBADOH.
· Toni HALLIDAY: She is also the lead singer in CURVE.
· Pauline HENRY: She was the lead singer in CHIMES.
· Wendy JAMES: She was the lead singer in TRANSVISION VAMP.
· Mark KNOPFLER: He is the lead singer in DIRE STRAITS.
· Kele LE ROC: She was a member of ETERNAL.
· Maria Mc KEE: She was the lead singer in LONE JUSTICE.
· MAKAVELI: There is no reference for 2PAC hits as he was the same act.
· Billie Ray MARTIN: She was the lead singer in ELECTRIBE 101.
· MONACO: Act includes Peter Hook from NEW ORDER.
· Sarah NELSON: She was the lead singer in MASSIVE ATTACK first hits.
· OTHER TWO: The two members of this duo are also members of NEW ORDER.
· Mark OWEN: He was a member of TAKE THAT.
· Chynna PHILLIPS: She was a member of WILSON PHILLIPS.
· POWER STATION: Act includes Robert PALMER as lead vocalist and some members of DURAN DURAN as musicians.
· Eddi READER: She was the lead singer in FAIRGROUND ATTRACTION.
· Ricky ROSS: He was the lead singer in DEACON BLUE.
· Richie SAMBORA: He is a member of BON JOVI.
· Mike SCOTT: He is the lead singer in WATERBOYS.
· SEIKO and Donnie WAHLBERG: Donnie WAHLBERG was a member of NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.
· Mark SHAW: He was the lead singer in THEN JERICO.
· SOX: Act included Samantha FOX.
· SPEECH: He was a member of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.
· Dave STEWART: He was half of EURYTHMICS.
· STING: He was lead singer in POLICE.
· Izzy STRADLIN: He was a member of GUNS N´ROSES.
· Joe STRUMMER: He was the lead singer in CLASH.
· SUGGS: He was the lead singer in MADNESS.
· David SYLVIAN: He was a member of JAPAN.
· Roger TAYLOR: He was a member of QUEEN.
· Roger WATERS: He was a member of PINK FLOYD.
· Jane WIEDLIN: She was a member of GO-GO´S.
· Robbie WILLIAMS: He was a member of TAKE THAT.
· Steve WINWOOD: He was the lead singer in TRAFFIC.
· Rob ZOMBIE: He was the lead singer in WHITE ZOMBIE.
2. ACT DESCRIPTIONS
· I have noticed that when a band is a trio this fact is sometimes indicated (Stereophonics,
Destiny´s Child, Honeyz,...) but in other cases trios are described simply as groups. Assuming that your intention is indicate which bands are trios, here it is a relation of trios not described so:
. BIG FUN: Act were a trio.
. BIS: Act is a trio.
. DUBSTAR: Act is a trio.
. FRANK & WALTERS: Act is a trio.
. HERREYS: Act were a trio.
. MIKE & THE MECHANICS: Act is a trio.
. NIRVANA: Act were a trio.
. PLACEBO: Act is a trio.
. SOX: Act were a trio.
. SUPERGRASS: Act is a trio.
. SWV: Act is a trio.
· BABYBIRD: Act is Steve Jones, male vocalist/instrumentalist under a band name.
· PJ HARVEY: Act is described as a group but explanation at the foot says that it was a group for the first three hits only so act description must be modified to female vocalist.
· LIVE REPORT: Act were male/female.
· Ricky MARTIN: Act home country is Puerto Rico, not Puerto Rican.
· MERCURY REV: Act is male only.
· NAKATOMI: I ignore if there is any reason in indicating Scotland as act´s home country instead of UK or it is simply a mistake.
· Raul ORELLANA: Some years ago I wrote indicating his correct country as Spain and mistake was corrected in a previous edition of your book but now you give him again the wrong one as Italy.
· PALE SAINTS: Act is from UK, not Australia.
· Johny PANIC and the THE BIBLE OF DREAMS: Act is Roland Orzabal, male vocalist/instrumentalist under a band name.
· SPIRITUALIZED: Act is male/female.
· THEAUDIENCE: Act is male/female.
3. UNCREDITED HITS
You credit collaborative hits to both artists but in the following cases hits are only credited to one of them:
· Andrea BOCELLI: Act hits must also include Time To Say Goodbye by Sarah BRIGHTMAN and Andrea Bocelli.
· CATATONIA: If hit by SPACE with Cerys is included in Catatonia´s hits, so must hit by Tom JONES and Cerys Matthews.
· Alice DEEJAY: Act hits must also include Better Off Alone by DJ JURGEN presents Alice Deejay.
· Lindy LAYTON: Act hits must include Dub Be Good To Me by BEATS INTERNATIONAL featuring Lindy Layton.
· GRANDMASTER FLASH: Act hits must include White Lines (Don´t Do It) by DURAN DURAN featuring Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash with the Furious Five.
· Rachel McFARLANE: Act hits must also include the 6 hits of LOVELAND featuring the voice of Rachel McFarlane.
· SHY FX: Act hits must also include Original Nuttah by UK APACHI with SHY FX.
· Richie STEPHENS: Act hits must also include Legacy by MAD COBRA featuring Richie STEPHENS.
4. OTHERS
· ALL SAINTS: The symbol indicating that Never Ever was a million-seller is missing in the chronological list of Number Ones (page 60).
· Donna ALLEN: Her last hit Saturday must be credited to EAST 57th STREET featuring Donna Allen.
· ASH: Act biography should not appear as they are not among the Top 500 acts.
· B*WITCHED: For the same reason, act biography should appear in this case.
· D:REAM: Things Can Only Get Better in 1994 was a re-mix of 1992 hit of the same title.
· Bruce DICKINSON: (I Want To Be Elected) must be credited to Mr BEAN and SMEAR CAMPAIGN featuring Bruce DICKINSON.
· Gloria ESTEFAN: Correct spelling for August 1993 hit is Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan.
· FUGEES: All the information about the re-entry of The Sweetest Thing is incorrect: date of entry, peak position and number of weeks.
· PRETENDERS/ Chrissie HYNDE: I find strange that Chrissie Hynde solo hits or collaborations are included in Pretenders´hits but this does not happen with Blondie/Deborah Harry and many other singers from bands that have carried on a solo career simultaneously.
· QUEEN: Date of chart entry for I´m Going Slightly Mad is incorrect.
· RIDE: Similar to act´s first 3 hits their 4th hit Today Forever was also an EP being its tracks: Unfamiliar, Sennen, Beneathand Today. There is no song called Today Forever. It is the global title of the EP.
· S CLUB 7: Two In a Million/You´re My Number One was still in the chart by Jan 2000.
· STEPS: Say You´ll Be Mine/Better The Devil You Know was still in the charts by Jan 2000.
· STONE ROSES: Fool´s Gold Re-mix in 1995 was called Fool´s Gold 95. Fool´s Gold Re-mix in 1999 is different from the 1992 and 1995 ones.
5. A-Z BY SONG TITLE
You Showed Me by SALT-N-PEPA in 1991 and LIGHTNING SEEDS in 1997 is the same song.
