The Passions formed in early 1978 as the Youngsters, with a line-up of Barbara Gogan (guitar, vocals), Claire Bidwell (bass guitar), Richard Williams (drums), Dack Dyde (guitar) and Mitch Barker (vocals), with Williams and Gogan coming from the punk rock outfit the Derelicts. After a name change to Rivers Of Passion, soon shortened to The Passions, Dyde was replaced by Clive Timperley on guitar. The band's first single was the double A-side 'Needles And Pins' / 'Body And Soul', which was issued in March 1979 on the Soho label, and the positive reaction to it helped them in gaining a recording contract with Fiction Records. They soon became a favourite group of Radio One DJ John Peel, and recorded their first of three Peel sessions in November 1979, by which time Barker had departed and Gogan took over as lead vocalist. 'Michael & Miranda', the band's debut album, was produced by Fiction head Chris Parry, and released on 18 April 1980, following which the band embarked on a UK and European tour supporting label-mates The Cure, and promoting their second single, 'Hunted'. Bidwell left after the tour to join The Wall, and was replaced in July 1980 by David Agar, but the band were later dropped by Fiction and so had to hunt around for another label, and a meeting with Peter Wilson, the in-house producer for Polydor Records, led to the band signing to that label. The first release on the new label was their third single, 'The Swimmer', which appeared on 1 October 1980, and this was followed in January 1981 by what is probably their most famous song, 'I'm In Love With A German Film Star', with lyrics written by Gogan about Steve Connelly, a one-time roadie for The Clash and Sex Pistols who had minor roles in several German films. The music weeklies declared the song "Single of the Week", and it was named "Peoples Choice" on Capital Radio, leading to a Top Of The Pops appearance on 5 February 1981, which was repeated on 26 February 1981.
The next single, 'Skin Deep', was produced by Nigel Gray, and was issued on 2 July 1981, as a taster for the band's second album, 'Thirty Thousand Feet Over China', which was released on 18 September 1981. Timperley left the band in Verona, Italy, in December 1981, during the Italian leg of their prophetically named "Tour Till We Crack" tour, and the next single, 'Africa Mine', was recorded by the remaining members prior to a line-up change, and released on 8 January 1982, with the guitar part being played by their producer, Peter Wilson. Kevin Armstrong, previously with Local Heroes SW9 and a contributor to Thomas Dolby's debut album, joined The Passions in 1982, and they also added a keyboard player, Jeff Smith, best known for his past work with Lene Lovich. Armstrong and Smith took part in the recording of the band's third album, 'Sanctuary', which produced by Mick Glossop, and the first single from the record was 'Jump For Joy', which was released on 5 May 1982, followed by the album and the 'Sanctuary' single on 18 September 1982. Stephen Wright then replaced Armstrong, and this line-up toured Europe and the US, as well as appearing on The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC 2 and on Whatever You Want on Channel 4. Despite this new-found exposure, the group had reached the end of their life, and they dissolved for good in the middle of 1983, after playing their last show at London's Marquee Club that August. Despite their fairly short career, The Passions produced some great music, and at least one song that will be their lasting legacy, but they also hid away some fine tracks on the b-sides of their singles , and this collection rounds them all up into one extremely enjoyable album.
Track listing
01 Needles And Pills (single 1979)
02 Body And Soul (b-side of 'Needles And Pills')
03 Hunted (single 1979)
04 War Song (b-side of 'The Swimmer' 1980)
05 (Don't Talk To Me) I'm Shy (b-side of 'I'm In Love With A German Film Star' 1981)
06 I Radiate (b-side of 'Skin Deep' 1981)
07 Some Fun (b-side of 'The Swimmer' re-issue 1981)
08 Africa Mine (single 1982)
09 I Feel Cheap (b-side of 'Africa Mine')
10 The Square (from the double 7" pack of 'Africa Mine')
11 Why Me (from the double 7" pack of 'Africa Mine')
12 Snow (from the double 7" pack of 'Africa Mine')
13 I'm In Love With A German Film Star (from the double 7" pack of 'Africa Mine')
14 The Story (b-side of 'Jump For Joy' 1982)
15 Tempting Fate (b-side of 'Sanctuary' 1982)
16 Stop That Man (b-side of 'Sanctuary' 1982)
