The Ariola and EMI Years

Following the success of our previous Kiki Dee book sets The Fontana and Motown Years (which rounded up Kiki’s ’60s releases) and The Rocket Years (which covered Kiki’s ’70s releases), Edsel is proud to present the third book set in the series. This 4CD set, The Ariola and EMI Years, showcases Kiki’s ’80s releases, and includes a previously unreleased album, fourteen bonus tracks and three previously unreleased demos. By the time she signed to Ariola label in 1980, Kiki Dee had established herself as one of the world’s premier music stars. In 1981, she recorded “Star” (which was used as the theme tune of the TV talent show “Opportunity Knocks”!) and followed this with “Perfect Timing” and the album of the same name. The album also features a duet with Elton John (a cover of the Four Tops’ “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever”), and the bonus tracks include a duet with Roger Voudouris, appearing on CD for the first time. CD2 features the entirety of the previously unreleased album Two Sides To Every Story, recorded and produced for Ariola in 1982 by Pip Williams (producer of “Perfect Timing”), and mastered from the original production master tapes. CD3 features Angel Eyes, Kiki’s 1987 album for EMI’s Columbia label, which includes the single “Another Day Comes (Another Day Goes)”, written and produced by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, and three tracks produced by Chris Kimsey (Rolling Stones, Psychedelic Furs, Marillion, Killing Joke, Yes, ELP and many more). CD4 features the non-album singles A- and B-sides and remixes, including another duet with Elton, plus three previously unreleased demos, mixed for this compilation. The annotation is by Alan Robinson, based on new interviews with Kiki, Pip Williams and Chris Kimsey.