Blue Mercedes were a pop music duo from London, England, comprising David Titlow (born 28 November 1965) and Duncan Millar (born 26 May 1963 - Died May 2022).[1] Their debut album, Rich and Famous, was produced by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow for PWL, with songs written by Titlow and Millar.[2] "It was dance pop, out and out; it needed to work on the dance floor," recalled Harding of actioning the brief given to him by the band.[2]
Their song "I Want to Be Your Property" was a Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at #66 in 1988, and they achieved additional success on the US Dance Charts where they spent four weeks at #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
"Love is the Gun" peaked at #46 in the UK national chart and #5 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. "Love Is The Gun" was Smash Hits "Single of the Fortnight" in June 1988.[3]
"See Want Must Have" reached #18 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart, and in the UK "I Want To Be Your Property" reached #23 in the national chart.[1]
After releasing the single "That Beauty Is You", they evolved into the indie dance band Nixon and released the song "Sweet Temptation".[4] Later, they released a number of dance tracks under the name Monica De Luxe, which entered UK Dance Charts.[5]
Titlow then went on to form the indie rock band Heave, who released one album entitled Scaramanga on Radar Records in the early 1990s[6] and is now a fashion and music photographer.[7]
Millar went on to produce further dance tracks including, as Exoterix, the first track released by EMI dance label Positiva Records in 1993.[8] Later, he released an acid jazz instrumental album under the name A One, on Indochina Records (subsidiary label of China Records),[9] and two smooth jazz albums on Instinct Records, N.Y.C.,[10][11] achieving a UK MOBO nomination as Best UK Jazz Act for the first of these in 1999.[12]
Discography
editSingles
edit| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1988 | "I Want To Be Your Property" | US Dance Chart | 1 |
| October 1987 | "I Want to Be Your Property" | UK Singles Chart | 23 |
| April 1988 | "See Want Must Have" | US Dance Chart | 18 |
| February 1988 | "See Want Must Have" | UK Singles Chart | 57 |
| August 1988 | "Love is The Gun" | US Dance Chart | 5 |
| July 1988 | "Love is The Gun" | UK Singles Chart | 46 |
| November 88 | "Treehouse" | UK Singles Chart | - |
| October 89 | "That Beauty is You" | UK Singles Chart | - |
| October 90 | "Sweet Temptation"* | UK Singles Chart | - |
- as Nixon [MCA Records - NXN 1]
Albums
edit| Year | Album | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Rich and Famous | New Zealand Albums Chart | 25 |
| 1988 | Rich and Famous | US Albums Chart | 165 |
| 1988 | Rich and Famous | UK Albums Chart | - |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 66. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 20: A Detour With Harding & Curnow Part 1 on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Alex Kadis. "Singles." Smash Hits, 15–28 June 1988, p55.
- ^ "Nixon". discogs.com. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ Anon., ed. (13 July 1991). "The Top 60 Dance Singles". Music Week. Spotlight Publications.
- ^ "discogs.com, Heave". Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ "camerapress.com, David Titlow". Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ Jones, Alan, ed. (12 April 1993). "The Club Chart". Record Mirror.
- ^ Lands, David (January 1996). "A-One, Free Association". Jazz Journal. 49 (1): 16.
- ^ Grey, Hilarie (December 1998). "Currents". Jazz Times: 125. ISSN 0272-572X.
- ^ Allder, Kevin (October 2001). "Smooth". Echoes: 65.
- ^ Anon. (October 1999). "Best Jazz Act Nominations". MOBO Magazine, The Official Magazine of the Malibu 1999 MOBO Awards. Peter Gould for BiG Publishing. p. 27.