I heard Nik Kershaw's big hit titled "Wouldn't It Be Good" on the radio yesterday and thought to myself that "he is of my era" and "why don't I have any of his albums?" So educate me! Best albums? Worst albums? Good place to start? How is he live? Any stories to tell? Thanks in advance.
Library Jon
First thing you need to know is he has an enormous head. The only album I had was The Riddle, which I liked, but there's one photo where you can see his head is huge.
Don't mind the song 'The Riddle' but that's about it.
A bit of trivia- he has appeared on solo releases by Tony Banks and Steve Hackett.
The only thing I have by him is a comp called Anthology. That's enough for me, never felt the need to dive in deeper.
https://www.discogs.com/Nik-Kershaw-...release/827174
Big fan here. Check out The Works with Vinnie Colaiuta.
Check this site out for an insight into his craft....https://www.sodajerker.com/episode-23-nik-kershaw/
He also played at Live Aid. His drummer at the time was a guy named Gary Wallis, who later played percussion with the reformed Pink Floyd.Originally Posted by JJ88
I don't have any of Nik's albums, but in the Live Aid book (yes, there was book to commemorate the event) has a big photo of him playing this custom built Strat copy (even has the right headstock) with humbuckers, a Kahler whammy bar system, and Gibson style trapezoid fingerboard inlays. I always thought that guitar look cool.
Also nice is his pre-solo career band Fusion, which released one album Till I Hear From You, released a few years ago by Angel Air.
From his solo-recordings I like The Riddle, Radio Musicola and The Works (also on one track with Jeff Porcaro).
Here's the track Violet To Blue from Radio Musicola, featuring Simon Phillips:
The Riddle and Human Racing are his strongest works (IMO of course). Both are what I'd call quirky synth pop, with a few unique touches in terms of songwriting and guitar sounds of the era. They were produced by Peter Collins who then applied similar ideas to the albums of Gary Moore and Rush. Beyond the hits - "Riddle", "Wouldn't It Be Good", "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" - there are some amusingly off-beat tracks like "Cloak and Dagger" and "Faces".
Beyond those, Works has a few great tracks, though it is a more conventional late-80s pop-rock production. Of his latter works, To Be Frank has the strongest overall material. Top-tier pop with strong hooks, just more middle of the road and unsurprising compared to the stuff from the 80s.
As has been mentioned, Kershaw sang three tracks of Tony Banks's album Still and co-wrote two of them. My favourite is the one he didn't write, "The Final Curtain" (more typical Banks stuff about "the world doesn't miss you"), though Red Day on Blue Street (typical Kershaw cynicism about baby-kissing politicians) is pretty good too. But make no mistake about it, all are absolutely synth-heavy early-90s pop.
Thanks, guys. I just ordered on Amazon copies of the deluxe 2 disc versions of "Riddle" and "Human Racing." I will post my thoughts once I receive them and listen to them. Yet another 80s new wave type performer to explore!
Library Jon
My Nik Kershaw CDs came in the mail on Friday. I have listened to them once each so far. I do like them. They kind of sound like Level 42 to me.
Library Jon
I think Mark King plays bass on The Riddle.
I love The Riddle album. It and Human Racing have some song-writing decisions that seemed very unintuitive for pop at the time. "You Might" is really an extraordinary track with wild chord changes. What's with those epic UK-like brass chords over the slow syncopated bass line in "Know How"? I find the Kershaw/Peter Collins keyboard arrangements ravishing. He's a pretty good guitarist too. Somehow, my brain has constructed a direct line from early Kershaw to Matt Mahaffey/Self with no points in between. I'd love to fill in that gap with more pop of this sort.
And "Red Day on Blue Street" is probably my favorite track from a Tony Banks solo album. I would have loved to hear them write a whole album together.
Apparently the ladies were quite infatuated with his big cabeza for a bit there. I guess he's doing pretty well with real estate now.
Wow thanks. I'd never heard of that!
According to my record only on one song.
Quote Originally Posted by interbellum View Post
Also nice is his pre-solo career band Fusion, which released one album Till I Hear From You, released a few years ago by Angel Air.
I read about this band Fusion in two editions of the Dutch OOR's Pop-encyclopedia and was always curious about it especially because I really love Nik's guitar-work but thought the solo's were just too short.
So I was very much surprised to find out this was finally released. It's really nice, although less fusion/jazz-rocking as I hoped for. Still cool to have.
kershaw's well known to be a dedicated prog fan … indeed, many of today’s prog artists are prepared to shout out for him, too. he was featured on debut by LONELY ROBOT (john mitchell) and also worked woth fellow brit proggers DEEEXPUS:
i remember liking his many solo hits during my – i suppose i can say – youth. it's a heartwarming thought that he is still out and about recording and performing.
I just got through the bonus discs that came with the CDs that I bought. They are nice collection of B sides, extended remixes, and live outtakes. Hopefully, they will release deluxe versions of his other albums.
Library Jon
Here's a nice review (including comments) of The Riddle expanded edition: http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/re...eluxe-edition/
A bit odd to see the live-tracks, mixes and B-sides mixed up.
I have the Japanese version of that album and the deluxe editon of the debut.
If you like those two, you'll probably like the two albums that followed, "Radio Musicola" and "The Works" (which is my favorite).
He continued making albums after that and while he still sings great and writes nice melodies, I like those first four the best. His later stuff isn't as harmonically or rhythmically interesting, at least to me.
One of my fav tracks from "The Riddle" 'though it seems to get no respect when reading the album's revies ("no chorus" etc.). I love the instrumental middle part, very prog/fusion.
Of the first two I like "The Riddle" a bit more although it doesn't have as strong song as "Wouldn't It Be Good". Some of his 'vocal percussion' sounds are annoying and "Drum Talk" is unlistenable because of those. "Radio Musicola" and "The Works" have been in my shelf for years (you could really get his old vinyls cheaply as flea markets were full of them) but I haven't listened to them as much. The title track of "Radio Musicola" is superb.
It Bites and Nik have something in common. Both essentially making pop records with serious chops and prog/fusion tendencies. Of course Nik was more in the pop field and tad more cynical in his lyrics vs. It Bites' rock and quirky nursery rhymes. Kevin Gilbert is another artist, especially during his Giraffe years.
some excellent comparisons there, pekka … never thought of that!
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