by David Thame: THE studio that produced a string of pop hits of the 1980s is to become home to a public relations company.
Amaze, a new media and evolving technologies consultancy which is part of the Hasgrove Group, will move into the 12,000 sq ft refurbished former home of pop gurus Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who used the building's basement to record hits in the 1980s.
It was here that bouffanted crooner Rick Astley recorded his smash hit Never Gonna Give You Up.
Bluetree acquired the property from Pete Waterman in 2006. A former church, the building sits on one of the major gateways into the city centre at the south end of Deansgate in Castlefield.
Podcast about S.A.W.
"A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman" discussed on Today: Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Bananarama
This podcast is available on the following platforms: ChartBeats Spotify - ourney Through Stock Aitken Watermanurn Apple Podcast - A Journey...
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lead man back in the Here and Now
by CAROLINE KAY
IT'S hard to believe it's been more than 20 years since the soulful and powerful voice of a 21-year-old Rick Astley topped the charts with Never Gonna Give You Up.The 80s heart-throb is now 42, married to film producer Lene Bausager and has a 16-year-old daughter.
In May, for the second year running, Astley will front the Here and Now tour, joining a host of artists who also hit it big in the 80s including Kim Wilde, Howard Jones, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Altered Images, Brother Beyond and Hazel O'Connor.
Astley was asked to join the tour again after the original frontman, Boy George, was jailed for 15 months after an indiscretion that hit the headlines full on.
"The acts for the Hear and Now tour are changed each year so I didn't think anything of it when I wasn't ask to take part again," said Astley. [continue]
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Mike Stock answered to me in his Forum!
And his reply:
QUOTE (Paolo Oct 19 2008, 12:50 AM)Hi Mike, I'm Paolo (Paul) from Italy. Thank you for creating this new site and this forum and forgive me for my english mistakes, I'm from Italy, I don't speak english very well. I started listening to your songs in 1986, at the time were famous in Italy Bananarama, Rick Astley, Mel & Kim and Mandy Smith, Donna Summer, Dead Or Alive and then Sabrina. Kylie wasn't famous at all for all S.A.W. era, she got a huge success here starting from "Can't get you out of my head", but I prefer all her S.A.W. previous songs! I loved "What Kind Of Fool", the sound is perfect for my ears! I remember when I bought the KYLIE compilation, I listened it for the first time on night with my mum! Now I'm 34.
I remember I used to go to my record shop and when they saw me, they become crazy trying to go to Milan (I lived in a small town in north of Italy) to find some records I listened to the radio, S.A.W. productions! Here, in Italy, the Press didn't write a lot about S.A.W. I had only a few articles about you, so I tryed to discover your new songs and production on the radio with some tips, the drums "A Linn" was the main one! The "A linn" plate was a sign of your productions!
I loved all your songs and production, Mike. I loved so much Scooch and their "More than I Needed to Know". But all your songs are wonderful I can't write about all of them. All your songs made me happy, made me relax a little. Today I was listening "Nathan Jones" in my car, I never liked this song too much when I was younger, but today I think it was a really, really great song!
Thank you Mike for all, thank you for writing music. I also loved SHEILAS and their song "I'm so Happy, Happy" ! It wasn't successful, but for me it's really great! A wonderful sound (the video is a little poor). Thank you for all Mike, can't wait to listen the "Same Difference" album.
Best Regards from Italy!
T H A N K Y O U, MIKE!
Ps: Don't stop writing music and please let us buy some inedits tracks, production, samples from your shop on this site.
--
Paolo from Italy
http://stock-aitken-waterman.blogspot.com/
Dear Paolo,
Thank you for all you say. Over the years I have found that its not always the best songs which get success. Lots of other things have to be right to do with the 'business' side. Thank you for saying you liked even some of the records which were not as successful. This encourages me. For example 'What kind of Fool' was done as one of the last records with Kylie when she was at PWL and for that reason the'business' was going wrong and the record was not a big hit.
I will be making some previously unheard tracks and unfinished material available in the store soon. I will also be adding more songs of the unreleased type to the player.
Your English is very good and I am always happy to hear from you!
Kind regards,
Mike.
Steps with Prince Charles
I didn't see this picture. They're Steps with Prince Charles back in 1999. All of them are doing the shampoo head dance routine!You can read a post on BBC site related to their split with thousands of comments.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Same Difference - Video Diary
Same Difference Video Diary - Rodeo Drive
Same Difference Video Diary - Tea and Toast
Same Difference Video Diary - Hollywood
Same Difference Video Diary - Butlins
Same Difference Video Diary - In LA!!
Same Difference Video Diary - Zac Efron
Same Difference Video Diary - Santa Monica
Same Difference Video Diary - Party In The Park
Whatever happened to...Steps?
The femalefirst web site reports:The popstrels danced their way into our lives way back in 1997 with their line dancing, techno classic, 5,6,7,8 . During their 4 year reign on the pop world they racked up 5 albums, sold over 15 million records and got a nation dancing in sync but where oh where are they now.
Read in the article what Steps are doing at the moment.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid II
Do you remember this wonderful Stock, Aitken & Waterman production? How can we forget it? It was #1 as single on Uk Charts in december 1989. And here's the video, it starts with the voice of Kylie Minogue, as we all know!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Velvet : Chemistry : Pete Hammond Radio Edit
Velvet "Chemistry" the forthcoming April 2009 single - this is the Pete Hammond Radio Edit.
Gorgeous blond and native Swede Velvet heads up Feverpitch's 2009 release schedule, and unleashes her massive European hit Chemistry in the UK in April. Already one of her homelands biggest stars, Velvet, aka Jenny Petersson will launch the future pop smash in the UK on Feverpitch in spring 2009. Chemistry, already receiving rave reviews from radio, will be Velvets first major assault on the UK charts, following her recent club only hits Fix Me, Déjà vu and Take My Body Close.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
The king of Rick ‘n’ roll
WHEN Rick Astley was heralded as Best Act Ever at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool, 30 million music fans waited for him to collect the coveted award. But the man himself was nowhere to be seen.
In fact, while the official line was that he had a previous gig commitment, he was actually watching it on TV.
“Was I at home? I kind of was, yeah,” he laughs. “My daughter watches it every year so we saw it together.” ... [continue]
Rick Astley: are we ever gonna give him up?
...Of all the stars of the Eighties hit factory of Stock, Aitken and Waterman (Kylie, Jason, Sonia, et al) Astley was seen as the most unlikely... [continue]
Love Pains - Hazell Dean
A wonderful Stock, Aitken & Waterman production! I like very much this song and video, it's cool!
You can visit her Official Site.
You can visit her Official Site.
Stand Up - Hazell Dean
I didn't know about this Stock, Aitken & Waterman production, she's Hazell Dean and the title of the song is "Stand Up" (1986)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
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