Smash Hits

[yelever]

Remember this well as all the girls in our school used to buy this. Many lessons where spent with them sitting at the back of the classroom singing as they put lyrics in the magazine. Seem to remember them singing alot of Rick Astley. They would give away free gifts as well and I think they gave away records made out of thin plastic that would be inside the magazine as remember they gave away The Jets - Crush On You one week.

[ClaudineJones]

I can't remember what the name was of the one I used to buy in the 70's but I stopped buying it because the lyrics were so hopelessly inaccurate. For example the chorus to Angel Face - The Glitter Band was allegedly "Paint your face, paint your face, you've got the cutest paint your face". You'd think the title might have been a bit of a help :rolleyes::D.

[scotchmist]

Remember this well as all the girls in our school used to buy this. Many lessons where spent with them sitting at the back of the classroom singing as they put lyrics in the magazine. Seem to remember them singing alot of Rick Astley. They would give away free gifts as well and I think they gave away records made out of thin plastic that would be inside the magazine as remember they gave away The Jets - Crush On You one week.

Actually the magazine that gave away the free 7 inch flexi-disc was called "Flexipop" and was a rival to Smash Hits, although I think it only had a three year run.

[branny]

Smash hits did some flexi's although not on the same scale as flexipop. I had a christmas disc full of messages from 80s pop stars.

[kazboot]

I can't remember what the name was of the one I used to buy in the 70's but I stopped buying it because the lyrics were so hopelessly inaccurate. For example the chorus to Angel Face - The Glitter Band was allegedly "Paint your face, paint your face, you've got the cutest paint your face". You'd think the title might have been a bit of a help :rolleyes::D.

This could be the lyrics mag I used to buy every week in the 70s called Disco 45. Does that ring a bell?

[ClaudineJones]

This could be the lyrics mag I used to buy every week in the 70s called Disco 45. Does that ring a bell?

I really can't remember. I just remember being so disgusted that they'd got the lyrics to Angel Face, and several other songs, so wrong that I vowed never to buy it again. It was an outrage! (you know how indignant teenagers get over the importance of mis-quoted lyrics :D). In fact at the time it was almost as outrageous as Zest soap turning out to be ordinary soap after all, despite the misleading advert that implied you'd leap out of the shower after using it feeling all sparkly and alive and like you'd just snorted something illegal - remember Trading Standards pouncing on that? :D

[kay]

Oh my god, i can remember smash hits, went to the poll winners party and everything. I remember rushing to the shops to look at the back for the song words. I knew if the song was on top of the pops it was sure to be in the magazine. Is there anything like this for kids now?? Thanks for the reminsing!!

kay

Connecting and empowering children across the world

[scotchmist]

Can anyone remember SH's competition...."No 1" ?? I can't imagine it gave Neil Tennant any sleepless nights!

[bun]

Remember this well as all the girls in our school used to buy this. Many lessons where spent with them sitting at the back of the classroom singing as they put lyrics in the magazine. Seem to remember them singing alot of Rick Astley. They would give away free gifts as well and I think they gave away records made out of thin plastic that would be inside the magazine as remember they gave away The Jets - Crush On You one week.

yes I had the Jets Crush on you, but it didnt come off the cover of smash hits, I got mine of the cover of Look In lol
My first copy of smash hits was when i was 10 it had a picture of Human league on it. I loved the lyrics that they had and giant posters that could cover a door. some i even used to cover school books lol
I remember collecting every issue and saving them until you couldnt move in the bedroom. The best issues where when you got freebies like badges, stickers etc. I used to look forwards to the next issue coming out.
its a shame that the magazine went down hill in the late 90s and the great journos of the time left. I think thats why they finally folded, what with the invention of the internet.

[tulip]

I loved Smash Hits and No 1.Got really bad toward the end though Smash hits,when that dumb lassie took over,you know her you see on all the nostalgia programmes,can't remember her name.

tulip

[stuckinthe80's]

Is this the mag you are thinking of?

[scotchmist]

I remember a mate of mine had a copy of that very flexi-disc, it was some rapper waffling on with Blondie's Rapture playing in the background, I don't know if it was just the **** quality of the disc but the whole thing sounded naff!

[Richard1978]

One odd magazine of sorrts from the early 1980s was SFX, which was an hour long tape of interviews & music biz news.

I've only seen 1 or 2 at record collector's fairs, but 1 book on record collecting has a complete list to help any completests.

[Etch-a-sketch]

I used to get my local Newsie to order it for me from the UK. Australia made Smash Hits too, but I prefered the UK version. I still have examples from the early 80s that I have kept. One had a free Duran Duran badge on the front and another a U2 one, which I still have somewhere too. They brought out a year book once I think. I still have that as well but I stopped buying SH around 1985. It seriously went to **** after that. I think I have kept these ones as examples:

http://j.bdbphotos.com/pictures/F/6L/F6S4D2P_large.jpg
http://991.com/newGallery/Duran-Duran-Smash-Hits-433304.jpg
http://www.rockofages.uk.com/stock/11657.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0ZRnirp_1fQ/STj03XKy-RI/AAAAAAAACcA/Gj23K_epTVQ/s320/Style-Council-Smash-Hits---May-343269.jpg

I used to also by No1. magazine, which was Smash Hits rival. For serious music info I'd get the music paper, 'NME'.

[Richard1978]

I remember the BBC bought up Number 1 to act as a slightly older Fast Forward, but it didn't last long.

[Etch-a-sketch]

This was the No.1 mag I meant. Was music and nothing else.

http://i.ebayimg.com/17/!BWkswyQBGk~$(KGrHgoOKioEjlLmeN7IBKYFwe7J6g~~_1.JP G

[ridski]

I loved the lyric section of Smash Hits. I remember vividly discovering what Kid Creole & The Coconuts' Annie I'm Not Your Daddy was actually about from reading the lyric sheet, and being quite upset about it. Especially this line:

See if I was in your blood
Then you wouldn't be so ugly

Then I got old, Smash Hits got **** and I moved on to the Melody Maker.

[Richard1978]

There were a few others, I remember my brother having Record Mirror, Melody Maker & possibly Sounds.

[yelever]

yes I had the Jets Crush on you, but it didnt come off the cover of smash hits, I got mine of the cover of Look In lol

It may have been look in but the old memory banks can`t seem to kick in gear lol