Kim Smith was born on November 18, 1960 in Chiswick, West London, England. Wilde is the eldest child of rock 'n' roller Marty Wilde (real name Reginald Smith) and Joyce Baker, formerly of the British singing and dancing group The Vernons Girls. Marty Wilde, in his prime time was one of Britain's most successful and endearing rock 'n' rollers and managed a string of hits (later surpassed by her own daughter's string of hits) until The Fab Four took the rock 'n' roll world by storm. Kim's younger brother, Ricky Wilde, briefly in his childhood was a singing child idol until he once grew tired of that because he got picked on by his classmates and turned to composing music. Back to Kim, as a child she attended Oakfield Preparatory School in Dulwich, southeast London. She later moved with her family to Hertfordshire at the age of 9, where she was educated at Tewin School and later Presdales School, Ware before completing a foundation course at St. Albans College of Art & Design in 1980. This decision of enrolling in an art college was made due to the fact that her parents didn't want Kim to go down the music route, as it could be a dangerous and unsafe world for her. Kim decided to take on art, as it was her other passion and talent. However, in that same year, Kim got signed to Mickie Most's RAK Records. Legend has it that Ricky Wilde was recording a song one night and Kim accompanied her brother and as a matter of fun and of testing the sound in a pretty voice, Ricky asked her sister to sing the song. RAK Records honcho, Mickie Most, was passing by when Kim was singing and noticing that Kim was beautiful, had a lovely voice and a nice image, he immediately signed her. It was something unplanned. And the song in question is no more and no less than Kim's very first single released and first hit (and what a smash hit!!), Kids in America, released in January 1981. Kids in America charted at #2 in the U.K. and made it to the Top 5 in several other countries such as in Germany, France, and Australia, although it only made it to #25 in the U.S. in 1982. It is often regarded as Kim Wilde's signature song. Also, Kim's image of her dyed blonde hairstyle a la Linda McCartney (Kim planned to dye her hair black!!) , with her jacket and striped t-shirt, second-hand store clothes was soon imitated by thousands of British girls. In this stage of her career, the press drew comparisons between Kim and Blondie and was also referred to as the Brigitte Bardot of Music. the During her first 3 years of career, she cut and dyed her hair all by herself. Also, for some reason most of her publicity shots during this time never portrayed her smiling. Her debut album Kim Wilde repeated the success of the single, spawning two further hits in "Chequered Love" (Top 5 in the UK, France, Australia and Germany) and the UK-only single "Water on Glass". Her follow-up album was 1982's Select, led by the hit singles "Cambodia" and "View From a Bridge". Both were Number 1 hits in France and reached Top 10 positions in Germany and Australia. In France, "Cambodia" sold more than 1 million copies. At the time there was some controversy about Wilde's hesitation to do live concerts. Her first concerts in September 1982 took place in Denmark, before embarking on a UK-wide tour in October. Wilde's third album, Catch as Catch Can (1983) was a relative failure. The first single from the album, "Love Blonde", was another success in France and Scandinavia, but failed to have major success in other countries. The failure of the album led her to her leaving RAK and signing with MCA Records in the summer of 1984. Also, in 1984 she moved out of her house, as a desire to be independent, sparking rumors that she had fought with her parents, which she later denied. She bought an apartment in the heart of London. Her first MCA album Teases & Dares was again overlooked in her home country, but fared better in Germany, France and Scandinavia as well as scoring another German Top 10 single with "The Second Time" (which was Top 30 in the UK). The video for this song appeared in an episode of the 1980s TV hit Knight Rider in 1985. The second single, "The Touch", was not a commercial success, but the third single, the rockabilly "Rage to Love", made the UK top 20 in 1985. All of Wilde's songs up to this point, including all her major hits, had been written by her father Marty and brother, Ricki Wilde. She was managed by her mother. All this got Kim in heavy criticism as a puppet for the Wilde household. Nevertheless, Wilde proved the critics wrong when on "Teases & Dares", she began contributing herself to the writing, penning two songs on her own. Meanwhile, Wilde had embarked on three European concert tours (1983, 85 & 86). During this time, she was achieving more success on the European continent than in her native UK. In 1985, French songwriter and singer Laurent Voulzy, released a single called "Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde" (The Nights Without Kim Wilde), which Voulzy wrote when he saw Kim on TV and found himself fascinated by Kim's image. However, he didn't record the song until Kim had accepted singing a few lines on it, including a spoken part in French (a language Kim speaks fluently) and that also she had accepted appearing in the video. On her fifth album, 1986's Another Step, Wilde wrote or co-wrote most of the songs. The album's lead single "Schoolgirl" flopped in Europe and Australia — but Wilde's fortunes improved in spectacular fashion with the album's second single, a remake of The Supremes classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On". After topping the charts in Australia and Canada and peaking at number two in the UK, it became a U.S. number one single in 1987. With that hit, she became the fifth U.K. female solo artist ever to top the U.S. Hot 100, following Petula Clark, Lulu, Sheena Easton, and Bonnie Tyler. Wilde later admitted to "not knowing the song terribly well" beforehand: "Basically we just went into the studio with a lot of energy and not a lot of reverence. We changed quite a lot of the song and I think that's why it was so successful. It was a very spontaneous idea." Her popularity, especially in her native UK, was revitalised and she scored further Top 10 hits in 1987 with "Another Step (Closer to You)" (recorded with Junior) and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (a Comic Relief charity single, recorded with comedian Mel Smith). Unfortunately the success of all the singles didn't help the album Another Step to climb up the charts. During this time, she also released "Say You Really Want Me", which was accompanied by a video that was considered raunchy and too sexy at the time and especially for an artist that had built so strongly an image of the girl next door. The video was even banned and/or edited in several TV stations. In 1988, Wilde released her biggest selling album to date, Close, which returned her to the UK top 10 and spent almost eight months on the UK album chart. It produced four major European hits: "Hey Mr.Heartache", "You Came", "Never Trust a Stranger" and "Four Letter Word", (the last 3 were Top 10 hits in the UK). The release of the album coincided with a tour of Europe, where she was the opening act for Michael Jackson's Bad World Tour. Rumor has it that Jackson chose Wilde as his opening act because he found Wilde to be pretty.Wilde released her next album, Love Moves, in 1990. The album barely made the UK Top 40, and, although it was a Top 10 success in Scandinavian countries, it failed to sell as well as its predecessor and only spawned two minor hits, "It's Here" a Top 20 success in Middle and Northern Europe as well as "Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)", her last Top 20 hit in France. She toured Europe again, this time opening for fellow Briton David Bowie. During this time, Kim started to have problems with a severe case of depression and she also gained weight, reportedly 13 kilos and recurred to drinking, though she never reached to the point of alcoholism. Kim later revealed that this was a very sad time for her because she felt like she couldn't handle with the pressure of fame and that also her break up with her former band drummer and then member of British pop band Johnny Hates Jazz, Calvin Hayes, deeply affected her. Speaking about Johnny Hates Jazz, Kim contributed backing vocals for their hit "Turn Back the Clock" in 1987 and for two songs from their follow up album, Tall Stories in 1991. However, in 1992, she made a return, stronger than ever, svelte as ever and more beautiful and glamorous than ever and a collaboration with Rick Nowels, who had produced hits for Stevie Nicks and Belinda Carlisle, resulted in the guitar-driven pop of the single "Love Is Holy" and the album Love Is (1992). The album's success was again limited to a small number of countries, though the single became another Top 20 hit in the UK, and the second single ("Heart Over Mind") also made the top 40. In 1993, she released her first official compilation album The Singles Collection 1981–1993, which was a success throughout Europe and Australia and the dancefloor-influenced single "If I Can't Have You" (a cover of the Yvonne Elliman song from the film Saturday Night Fever that was penned by The Bee Gees), became her last UK Top 20 Hit as well as a number 3 hit in Australia. Wilde embarked on a huge "Greatest Hits" concert tour through Europe in 1994 and also toured Australia and Japan for the first time in six years. Her next album, Now & Forever (1995), was a commercial failure worldwide. Her single "Breakin' Away", however, was a minor hit, and the follow up, "This I Swear", was also a minor hit in Europe. She released a single (previously performed by Evelyn 'Champagne' King) "Shame" in 1996. From February 1996 to February 1997, Wilde appeared in London's West End production of the musical, Tommy. After this, Wilde started recording a new album. However, there were problems with her record company (MCA Records had by that time become part of the giant Universal Music corporation), and legal problems concerning the songs. Subsequently, Wilde abandoned the album which remains unreleased.
In 13 January 2001 Wilde performed live for the first time in years, as a guest star in a charity show by the ABBA tribute band, Fabba. This sparked an interest in performing live again. Since November 2001, she has toured the UK three times (and once in Australia during 2003) as part of the Here and Now Tour, an Eighties revival concert series, together with artists such as Paul Young, The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, Howard Jones and Five Star. New recordings also followed; in 2001, she recorded a new track, "Loved", for a compilation album which became a surprise hit in Belgium. She recorded the single "Born to be Wild" in 2002, and in summer of 2003 she had a major hit with "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", a duet with German pop star Nena. The single was a Top 10 hit in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland. In 2006, Wilde signed a new record deal with EMI Germany and released the first single from her tenth studio album in many countries across Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. "You Came 2006" charted Top 20 in most of these countries and became her biggest solo hit in Germany since 1988. The album Never Say Never included eight new tracks plus five re-worked previous hits and has charted in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. There are no current plans to release the album in the UK. The second single from the album, which was voted for by fans on her official website was "Perfect Girl", released in November 2006 and spent nine weeks on the German Top 100 singles chart. A third single, "Together We Belong", was released in March 2007 and a fourth single, "Baby Obey Me", was released in Germany as a remix featuring German rapper Ill Inspecta. In 2001, Wilde appeared on the first Here and Now Tour around the UK and repeated this, as the only artist, four years in a row. Also on different summer festivals and summer Here and Now events, she became a regular guest, including the Australian leg of the Tour. Since summer 2003, Wilde has appeared on numerous festival bills and concerts all over Europe with her own show. In the spring of 2007, she toured (The Perfect Girl tour) around Europe singing new material with big success, and started a second leg of the tour the following autumn. This was her first solo tour since the Greatest Hits tour in 1994. Also in the spring and summer of 2009, she successfully toured around Europe to almost sold-out venues, playing a number of festivals and concerts. In early September 2009, a brand new single, "Run to You", recorded by Kim and Swedish rock band Fibes, Oh Fibes!, was released in Sweden under the name "Fibes, Oh Fibes! feat. Kim Wilde". The song reached the Swedish Top 30. In more recent news, her official website published the following news about Kim Wilde's music projects: "Kimwilde.com is delighted to announce that Kim has signed a worldwide recording agreement with Starwatch Music; she is currently working on a new album for a summer release.
We will update you with further info as soon as possible."
Gardening career
During her first pregnancy, an old interest in gardening resurfaced and she attended the famous Capel Manor college to learn about horticulture, so as to create a garden for her children. As a celebrity she was asked by Channel 4 to act as a designer for their programme Better Gardens.A year later she started a two year commitment with the BBC, recording two series of Garden Invaders. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show. She has designed and created numerous gardens during her involvement in the Better Gardens and Garden Invaders TV programmes and commissioned by individuals and organizations. She has also created gardens for Flower Shows across the UK, a few of them are described here.
All About Alice (2001)
Kim Wilde and David Fountain designed and created 'All About Alice' for the 2001 Tatton Flower Show, 18 to 22 July 2001. The garden represented the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The garden was built on two levels, with a large gnarled oak tree as its centrepiece displaying a carving of Cheshire Cat. The lower level of the garden contained a grotto, with tapered walls to give the impression of the room becoming smaller, like the rabbit hole down which Alice tumbled to her adventures. A maze of tall, clipped hornbeam enclosed contorted mirrors to add to the sense of distortion. Throughout the garden, scale was increased or decreased and the planting was wild and unkempt, in keeping with Alice's confusion during her strange experiences. The upper level of the garden represented four stories taken from Alice's adventures. The Mad Hatter's tea party amongst wild woodland planting was littered with crockery and a top hat carved from tree trunks. The Queen's croquet lawn was set in a wild flower meadow. The figures of the Queen, King and a pawn stood on a chessboard of grass and water, which was surrounded by playing cards from the four suits, created from clipped box trees. This garden was awarded the 'Best Show Garden' award.
The Cumbrian Fellside Garden (2005)
Kim Wilde and Richard Lucas designed and created 'The Cumbrian Fellside Garden' for the 2005 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London. This romantic Cumbrian Garden was inspired by the gently sloping landscapes of the Lake District. A constant trickle of water is guided gently through the garden by a rill, providing a simple and relaxing feature. The rear of the garden is still mostly wild, with nature being held back in its attempt to reclaim its former territory. Wild flowers grow in the long grass and in crevices within the dry stone walls. The front of the garden is romantically planted with Aquilegia, Geranium, Linaria and Astrantia. Natural Cumbrian slates are put to use, both as flagstones and to retain the wildflower bank while a narrow pathway leads out of the garden over a stile and on to the fell side. The garden won a Gold medal and 'Best in show' in the Courtyard Gardens category, as well as the BBC RHS People's Award for small gardens.
Accolades
Her second career as a gardener has proved to be successful, having received many accolades within only five years as a serious gardener, including a Gold at the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show. She also held an entry in the book of Guinness World Records for successfully moving and replanting the world's largest tree with fellow horticulturist Dave Fountain. Unfortunately the tree was blown away by a storm in January 2007.
Author
Wilde's first book, Gardening with Children, was written in 2004 and released on 4 April 2005 by Collins publishers. The book contains many projects for getting children interested in the outdoors. Along with guidelines for safety in the garden, there are ideas for maintaining a child's attention span throughout the gardening process. Illustrated step-by-step projects range from creative ways to plant—such as rainbow and sensory gardens—to making scarecrows, wormeries and tile mosaics. Translations of the book were released at the same time in Spain, France, Denmark and the Netherlands, and later in Germany.
Her second book, The First-Time Gardener, was written in 2005 and released on 3 April 2006 by Collins publishers, and is a beginner's guide to gardening. Assuming no prior knowledge of gardening, the book takes the reader through the basics of planning a garden, choosing plants and creating your garden, including how to make the most of climbers, containers, and hanging baskets, as Wilde explains how to make the most of any garden.
Television
Wilde broadened her eco-friendly image by taking on advertising jobs for various 'green' companies. For two years, she featured on adverts for the highstreet health food shop Holland & Barrett. She wrote infomercials for Bold and Timotei, and in 2008 she started advertising 'green kitchens' for Magnet.
Personal life
On 1 September 1996, Wilde married her co-star in Tommy, Hal Fowler, and expressed a desire to have children as soon as possible. On 3 January 1998 she gave birth to Harry Tristan. Two years later, on 13 January 2000, Rose Elisabeth was born. As of 2008, her brother Marty Wilde Jr. is a landscape gardener and her sister, Roxanne, is a backing singer for Kylie Minogue. Her niece, Scarlett Wilde took Roxanne's place as Kim's backing vocalist on her summer festival tour around Europe, and was expected to join her again in early 2009 for a German club tour.
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Kim Wilde (1981)
Kim Wilde is the first studio album by Kim Wilde, released in June, 1981. Kim Wilde's debut album was released when she was 20 years old and turned her into Europe's most popular female pop star. Most of the music on this album was played by the symphonic rock band The Enid and the songs were all written by Marty Wilde and Ricky Wilde. Production duties were fulfilled by Ricky Wilde. The album was certified Gold in the UK. Musically, the album was mainly new wave and rock-oriented, which wasn't surprising given the appearance of The Enid, but it also featured a reggae track ("Everything We Know") and a brass section appeared on "2 6 5 8 0". Lyrically, Marty Wilde provided a few surprises: besides the obligatory love songs there was also a song ("Water on Glass") about tinnitus (a medical condition that causes ringing in the ears), a song about the deterioration of inner cities ("Our Town") and a song about a theory that sound is alive ("Tuning In Tuning On"). The singles "Kids in America" and "Chequered Love" were big hits all over Europe, becoming classic pop songs. The album entered the UK album charts at #10, making it to #3 the next week. During promotion, Kim's band consisted of Ricky Wilde, James Stevenson and later boyfriend Calvin Hayes, who also appeared on the sleeve of the album. Kim later commented that, at that time in the industry, it was passe for a female to attempt to launch a serious career in pop music on her own, and that the backing band had been shown on the sleeve to give credibility to the album. Still, she was attacked for trying to copy the allure of U.S. band Blondie. The singles spawned from this album were: Kids in America (#2 U.K., #25 U.K.), Chequered Love (#4 U.K.), and Water on Glass (#11 U.K.).
Tracklist:
1-) Water on Glass.
2-) Our Town.
3-) Everything We Know.
4-) Young Heroes.
5-) Kids in America.
6-) Chequered Love.
7-) 2-6-5-8-0.
8-) You'll Never Be So Wrong.
9-) Falling Out.
10-) Tuning In, Tuning On.
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Select (1982)
Select is the second studio album by Kim Wilde, released in May, 1982. The first single from this album, "Cambodia", was released in December 1981 and signalled a different sound from the Wilde camp. The Enid was out, synths and electronic music was in. Again, the songs were written by Marty and Ricky Wilde, production by Ricky Wilde. This was a cause for concern for the "serious" music press at the time: was Kim just a puppet being manipulated by her family? In reality, Kim simply profited from the craftsmanship of her father and brother. The lyrics of the songs were as imaginative as they were on the first album: the second single "View From a Bridge" and the album track "Wendy Sadd" seemed to be about suicide, "Chaos At The Airport" described a nightmare about flying and "Ego" was quite the opposite of a lovesong."Can You Come Over" was recorded at the Wilde's home. The striking cover image was a photograph from Gered Mankowitz. This eagerly-awaited sequel to the debut album stormed the charts in a host of European countries and hit #8 in Australia — although it did not quite surpass the worldwide success of its predecessor. The album was certified Silver in the UK. The only singles spawned from this album were Cambodia (#12 U.K.) and View from a Bridge (#16 U.K.).
Tracklist:
1-) Ego.
2-) Words Fell Down.
3-) Action City.
4-) View from a Bridge.
5-) Just a Feeling.
6-) Chaos at the Airport.
7-) Take Me Tonight.
8-) Can You Come Over.
9-) Wendy Sadd.
10-) Cambodia (Reprise).
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Catch as Catch Can (1983)
Catch as Catch Can is the third studio album by Kim Wilde, released in October, 1983. Having toured the UK and Europe in November and December 1982, there was a silence of six months. Kim Wilde returned with the single "Love Blonde", a jazz/swing inspired track that lyrically mocked the blonde bombshell image that some media had dealt Kim in the previous years. But the sound was unique to the single; the rest of the album continued the electronic theme that was introduced on Select. Most of the songs were again written by Marty and Ricky Wilde, except the second single Dancing In The Dark, which was written by Nicky Chinn and Paul Gurvitz. Ricky Wilde produced the album. Some of the songs seemed to be telling a story ("House of Salome" [released as a single in selected countries], "Sing It Out For Love") whereas "Dream Sequence" was one of Marty's more imaginative lyrics, describing what seems to be a random sequence of images. The cool blue cover image was provided by photographer Sheila Rock. The album suffered from mixed reviews in the press and the lack of successful singles. Even a second European tour couldn't help the decline in sales, although with hindsight it is easy to recognize how well the album has aged. Quirky electronic noises and beautifully layered soundscapes make this one of the more appealing albums in Kim's repertoire. At the time of release, the new Compact disc format was introduced. In Japan, the album was released on this new format. In later years, this release became a much sought after item among Kim Wilde fans, who often paid more than $100 to get their hands on a copy. Elsewhere in the world, the album has been released on CD only once, as part of a 3 cd box set named The Originals (1995). Available for a limited period only, this also has become a collectable item. It was finally re-released on May 18 2009 as a remastered special edition following "Kim Wilde" and "Select" in April. The singles spawned from this album were Love Blonde (#23 U.K.), Dancing in the Dark (#67 U.K.) and House of Salome, which did not chart.
Tracklist:
1-) House of Salome.
2-) Back Street Joe.
3-) Stay Awhile.
4-) Love Blonde.
5-) Dream Sequence.
6-) Dancing in the Dark.
7-) Shoot to Disable.
8-) Can You Hear It.
9-) Sparks.
10-) Sing It out for Love.
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Teases & Dares (1984)
Teases & Dares is Kim's fourth studio album, released in November, 1984. In 1983, Kim Wilde left RAK Records, who had released her first three albums, and signed to MCA Records. Ricki and Marty Wilde produced this album together, and wrote most of the songs. However, it also featured for the first time two songs written and composed by Kim: "Fit In" and "Shangri-la", both made remarkable for their personal lyrics. "Fit In" was inspired by Kim's neighbours banging on the ceiling when she was playing a 12" single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, while "Shangri-la" seemed to describe a longing for a place without a care. At first, the singles taken from this album seemed to continue the trend of receding sales figures in her native UK, were both "The Second Time" and "The Touch" were relatively unsuccessful. Still, "The Second Time" reached the Top 10 in Germany and was welcomed as her big comeback single in many european countries. By the end of 1984, Kim was voted for the third time since 1981 "Most popular female popstar" by Germany's biggest teen magazine Bravo. In addition, "The Second Time" was Kim's second single to reach the U.S. charts — retitled "Go For It", it peaked at #65 on the Billboard Hot 100. The third single, "Rage to Love" (remixed by Dave Edmunds), was Kim's first in three years to break the UK singles Top 20. By then, she had started her third live tour to mostly sold out halls all over Europe. The singles spawned from this album were: The Second Time (#29 U.K., #65 U.S.), The Touch (#56 U.K.), and Rage to Love (#19 U.K.)
Image change
Wilde underwent a change of image during the making of the album, as she found herself being recast "in an entirely new light". She changed from a girl wearing secondhand clothes and self-dyed hair, to a Barbarella-inspired sci-fi goddess (by XL Design) for "The Second Time". This was thought to have confused some fans who still regarded her as the girl-next-door. Wilde and her record company at the time bumped heads over creative control of the album cover as she was uncomfortable with the sudden change. Threatened with a potential album delay or cancellation, Wilde gave in. The album sleeve was cited as one of the reasons for weak sales, and Kim quickly switched back to an image she felt more comfortable in for the next two single releases. For "Rage to Love" promotion, she wore one of her father's Teddy Boy jackets; in keeping with the rockabilly retro theme of the song. Wilde taking control of her own image seemed to be a wise choice, as the success of her next album would prove.
Critical reception
Favouring the album's few dramatic ballads over the "repetitive dance tracks", Stewart Mason writing for Allmusic described Teases & Dares as "a limp, shaky record, [and] probably the weakest of Wilde's career".Tracklist:
1-) The Touch.
2-) Is It Over.
3-) Suburbs of Moscow.
4-) Fit In.
5-) Rage to Love.
6-) The Second Time.
7-) Bladerunner.
8-) Janine.
9-) Shangri-La.
10-) Thought It Was Goodbye.
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Another Step (1986)
Another Step is the fifth studio album by Kim Wilde, released on November 3, 1986. Boasting 12 tracks (13 on the CD and cassette) and a varied team of songwriters, Another Step was an artistic but not necessarily a commercial triumph for Kim. She had co-written more than half of the tracks herself. The first half ('Side A' in the days of vinyl) was uptempo, whereas 'Side B' consisted of ballads. Most of the tracks were produced by Ricky Wilde, but there were also production duties fulfilled by Rod Temperton and Bruce Swedien known for working with Michael Jackson and there were also Reinhold Heil, Richard James Burgess and Dick Rudolph. The album's first single was "Schoolgirl", which was released only in Australia and several European countries (although not the UK). This single was the first Kim had co-written herself. The first single released globally was a cover of the Supremes hit "You Keep Me Hangin' On". In the United States it became Wilde's first number one on Billboard Hot 100 chart, in the summer of 1987. It also reached No. 1 in Canada and Australia, and was almost equally successful in the UK, where it peaked at no. 2. The next single was "Another Step (Closer to You)", a duet with British soul singer Junior Giscombe, which went to top 10 in the UK. The third globally and final single off the album was "Say You Really Want Me", which caused a minor controversy when the video was banned from children's programming because it showed Kim writhing on a bed having fun with a pearl necklace. Despite the raunchy image and publicity which accompanied the specially-remixed song, it didn't set the charts alight and the album saw no further single releases. The album reached US #40, her only album to do better in America than in the UK, where it only hit #88 on the first release. All of the tracks on Another Step were a departure from the synth sound of the previous albums. There were more guitars than before: "The Thrill Of It" and "I've Got So Much Love" had a distinctive 'rock' feel. The ballads were touching and well produced, the most noteworthy being Kim's self-penned and produced "Don't Say Nothing's Changed" which closed the album. The sound of Kim Wilde had obviously matured. A re-package of this album was released a few months after the initial launch, with a new sleeve design and the addition of bonus tracks, and this time the album made it to #73 on the UK album chart. Although this failed to reignite interest, it has since become a collectors item for fans. Kim cemented her reputation as a singles artist with this album, as again overall sales were disappointing despite the huge success of the songs released from it. Kim Wilde has since voiced her regret that she did not put more effort into cracking the U.S. market after she had scored her first number one hit. The singles spawned from this album were: Schoolgirl (#38 Germany), You Keep Me Hanging on (#2 U.K., #1 U.S.), Another Step (Closer to You) (#6 U.K.), and Say You Really Want Me (#29 U.K.)
Tracklist:
1-) You Keep Me Hanging on.
2-) Hit Him.
3-) Another Step (Closer to You) (duet with Junior).
4-) The Thrill of It.
5-) I've Got So Much Love.
6-) Victim (CD version only).
7-) Schoolgirl.
8-) Say You Really Want Me.
9-) She Hasn't Got Time for You.
10-) Brothers.
11-) Missing.
12-) How Do You Want My Love.
13-) Don't Say Nothing's Changed.
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Close (1988)
Close is the sixth studio album by Kim Wilde, released in May, 1988. Produced by Ricky Wilde and Tony Swain, Close was the final album on which Marty Wilde had co-writer credits. The album is widely perceived by fans and critics (and Kim herself) as Wilde's most well-balanced, with many kinds of pop represented: dance, ballad, rock and midtempo. The album's lead single was "Hey Mister Heartache", featuring backing vocals from Junior Giscombe — but its success was dwarfed by the follow-up single, You Came, which hit the Top 10 in many countries and just missed the U.S. Top 40. "Never Trust a Stranger" and "Four Letter Word" also reached the UK Top 10, although a fifth single "Love in the Natural Way" was less successful. Attention for the album was bolstered by Kim's support slot on Michael Jackson's European tour. Close reached the Top 10 in the UK, almost all Scandinavian countries, Austria and Germany and went on to become Wilde's biggest selling album, being certified platinum in the UK and shifting more than 2 million units worldwide. The singles spawned from this album were: Hey Mister Heartache (#31 U.K.), You Came (#3 U.K.), Never Trust a Stranger (#7 U.K.), Four Letter Word (#6 U.K.), and Love in the Natural Way (#32 U.K.).
Tracklist:
1-) Hey Mister Heartache. (guest vocals: Junior).
2-) You Came.
3-) Four Letter Word.
4-) Love in the Natural Way.
5-) Love's a No.
6-) Never Trust a Stranger.
7-) You'll Be the One Who'll Lose.
8-) European Soul.
9-) Stone.
10-) Lucky Guy.
11-) Hey Mister Heartache (12'' Mix).
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Love Moves (1990)
Love Moves is the seventh studio album by Kim Wilde, released in May, 1990. The album contained six tracks written by Ricki and Kim Wilde and four tracks written by Kim Wilde and Tony Swain. It was produced by Ricki Wilde. Promotion began in the spring of 1990 with the release of the single "It's Here", a track with Spanish guitars. The album attempted to capitalize on the success of Close, but although a Top 10 in Scandinavian countries, it failed to sell as strongly as its predecessor. Some critics noted the MOR feel of the album and the use of similar production sounds throughout. It includes guests Jaki Graham, who contributed backing vocals, and Deon Estus, playing bass guitar. Wilde herself believed "it was a very strong album, and it was very disappointing that it didn't do well. But it didn't really come as too much of a big surprise, because my career before then had always been very up and down. So it wasn't a complete shock... but it was very disappointing." This was the first Wilde project to yield no Top 40 releases in the UK ("Time", the second release, is the lowest charting single in her discography). Five singles in total were released across Europe, with "It's Here" becoming a Top 20 hit in Scandinavian countries and "Can't Get Enough" making a Top 20 entry and long run on the French singles chart. Singles spawned from this album were: It's Here (#42 U.K.), Time (#71 U.K.), Can't Get Enough (of Your Love) (#21 France), World in Perfect Harmony (didn't chart), and I Can't Say Goodbye (#51 U.K.).
Tracklist:
1-) It's Here.
2-) Love (Send Him Back to Me).
3-) Storm in Our Hearts.
4-) World in Perfect Harmony.
5-) Someday.
6-) Time.
7-) Who's to Blame.
8-) Can't Get Enough (of Your Love).
9-) In Hollywood.
10-) I Can't Say Goodbye.
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Love Is (1992)
Love Is is the eighth studio album by Kim Wilde, released in May, 1992. Kim Wilde found herself working with Rick Nowels on this album, the same songwriter who had written for Belinda Carlisle and later for Madonna amongst others. Three of the eleven tracks were produced by him while the remaining eight were produced by Ricky Wilde. The majority of the tracks on this album were co-written by Kim. She'd taken a long hard look at herself, resulting in the song "Who Do You Think You Are?", in which she reflects on how she had behaved through the years in her career. There were more love songs on this album; titles such as "Touched By Your Magic" and "Heart Over Mind" are an indication of the themes of the lyrics. Nowels provided "Love Is Holy", a song that immediately struck a chord with Kim when she heard it in his studio in America. It became the first single release, giving Kim her first UK Top 20 hit in nearly four years. Although the following two singles fell short of equalling its success, the project as a whole was well-received by critics, who noted the Carlisle connection in some tracks. The rest of the album, however, was more consistent with the Wilde sound: guitar riffs over synths. Overall, the sound is more introspective and organic than the commercial pop of Love Moves, and especially haunting was the closing track, "Too Late", in which the loss of love is described in mournful tones. Singles spawned from this album were: Love Is Holy (#16 U.K.), Who Do You Think You Are (#49 U.K.), Heart over Mind (#34 U.K.), and Million Miles Away (didn't chart).
Tracklist:
1-) Love Is Holy.
2-) Who Do You Think You Are.
3-) I Believe in You.
4-) Touched by Your Magic.
5-) I Won't Change the Way that I Feel.
6-) Million Miles Away.
7-) The Light of the Moon (Belongs to Me).
8-) Heart over Mind.
9-) A Miracle's Coming.
10-) Try Again.
11-) Too Late.
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Now & Forever (1995)
Now & Forever is Kim's ninth studio album, released in November, 1995. After three albums featuring a consistent pop sound, Wilde decided it was time for another change and chose to make an album with a decided soul/R&B feel to it. Ricky Wilde still produced, but joined forces with CJ Mackintosh for four of the album's tracks and co-produced with the Serious Rope team for seven others. Opening with "Breakin' Away", an obvious dance track, and including R&B tracks like "C'mon Love Me", "You're All I Wanna Do" and "Where Do You Go From Here", the album was a departure from the familiar Wilde sound and didn't please fans and audience. It was her first album not to chart in the UK, and Radio One refused to add "Breakin' Away" to its airplay lists. The album was a daring move for Wilde, who wanted to make something to please herself first and foremost. Her interest in music by artists such as Chaka Khan and Pebbles heavily influenced the album. Lyrically, the songs were either very happy ("Sweet Inspiration", "Heaven", "High on You") or bordering on depression ("Now & Forever", "Hold On"). Two singles were released in the UK, the second being "This I Swear", a dubious choice given the array of more radio-friendly songs on the album. The flip-side, "Heaven", was remixed twice (once mix by Matt Darey) and helped sales, but "This I Swear" stalled at No. 46 in early 1996. Now & Forever was Wilde's last album before she started working in the musical Tommy and wound down her pop career. During the twelve month run of the play, she remixed and released a version of the disco track "Shame", which had been recorded in the Now & Forever sessions but not included on the album. Singles spawned from this album were: Breakin' Away (#43 U.K.) and This I Swear (#46 U.K.).
Tracklist:
1-) Breakin' Away.
2-) High on You.
3-) This I Swear.
4-) C'mon Love Me.
5-) True to You.
6-) Hypnotise.
7-) Heaven.
8-) Sweet Inspiration.
9-) Where Do You Go from Here.
10-) Hold On.
11-) You're All I Wanna Do.
12-) Life & Soul.
13-) Now & Forever.
14-) Back to Heaven.
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Never Say Never (2006)
Never Say Never is the tenth studio album by Kim Wilde, released on September 11, 2006. The album features several of Wilde's classic hits that have been updated with modern dance beats, most notable of these is 2006's "You Came." Partly produced by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, a former member of one of Germanys most popular rock-bands ever, Nena. After a comparatively long period of negotiations, Kim Wilde finally signed a new record deal with the German division of EMI in late 2005. In July 2006, it was confirmed that a new album, entitled Never Say Never, would be released in Germany on 8 September 2006. The album has since been released in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, South Africa, Turkey and Japan. A single, a re-working of Wilde's 1988 hit "You Came", preceded the album and became her biggest European hit in years. Kim had announced that the sound of the album would be strongly reminiscent of her earlier work. It is a 14 track album, with eight new songs and six new versions of some earlier hits, including "You Keep Me Hangin' On" as a duet with Nena and "Kids in America", as a duet with Charlotte Hatherley. "Cambodia" appears as a bonus track in a remix by Paul Oakenfold. The second single was "Perfect Girl", released in November 2006 and voted by fans through a poll on Kim's official website. "Perfect Girl" spent 9 weeks in the German singles Top 100, reaching #52. It was also released in Belgium, Switzerland and (download only) in the Netherlands. A third single, "Together We Belong", was released in March 2007 with very little promotion and no video. A fourth single, "Baby Obey Me", was released in August 2007 in two versions: the original album version and a remix featuring German rap artist Ill Inspecta. To date, the album has been a moderate success, reaching the Top 20 in several European countries. The singles spawned from this album were: You Came (#20 Germany), Perfect Girl (#52 Germany), Together We Belong (#107 Germany), and Baby Obey Me. Kim Wilde revealed in an interview that her favorite track from this album is I Fly.
Tracklist:
1-) Perfect Girl.
2-) You Came.
3-) Together We Belong.
4-) Forgive Me.
5-) Four Letter Word.
6-) You Keep Me Hanging On. (duet with Nena).
7-) Baby Obey Me.
8-) Kids in America. (duet with Charlotte Hatherley).
9-) I Fly.
10-) Game Over.
11-) Lost Without You.
12-) View from a Bridge.
13-) Maybe I'm Crazy.
14-) Cambodia (Paul Oakenfold Remix).
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Come Out and Play (2010)
Come Out and Play is Kim Wilde's eleventh studio album. It was released on August 27, 2010 by EMI Records Germany. The first single of this album was Lights Down Low, to mostly positive reactions from her fans. The album was once again produced by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen who also produced her previous album, Never Say Never.
Tracklist:
1-) King of the World.
2-) Lights Down Low.
3-) Real Life.
4-) Greatest Journey. (Duet with Glenn Gregory).
5-) I Want What I Want.
6-) Love Conquers All (ft. Nik Kershaw).
7-) Hey! You!
8-) Suicide.
9-) This Paranoia.
10-) Loving You More.
11-) Get Out.
12-) My Wish Is Your Command.
13-) Jessica.
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The B-Sides
It's a self-made compilation that reunites all of Kim Wilde's b-sides that don't appear in any of her studio releases, such as Birthday Song (Scarlett), Hold Back, Just Another Guy, Lovers on a Beach, among others.
Tracklist:
1-) All About Me.
2-) Back Street Driver.
3-) Birthday Song (Scarlett).
4-) Hold Back.
5-) I've Found a Reason.
6-) Just Another Guy.
7-) Lovers on a Beach.
8-) Loving You.
9-) Never Felt So Alive.
10-) Putty in Your Hands.
11-) Shane.
12-) Songs about Love.
13-) Staying with My Baby.
14-) Tell Me Where You Are.
15-) Virtual World.
16-) Watching for Shapes.
17-) Wot'cha Gonna Do.
18-) Snakes and Ladders. (***NEW***)
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Other Songs
This is another self-made compilation which contains all of Kim's non-album and non b-sides tracks. Here you will find the single versions of Cambodia, Another Step (Closer to You), hit single If I Can't Have You (#12 U.K.), plus her Christmas duet with Mel Smith, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (#3 U.K.), Child Come Away (#43 U.K.), Bitter is Better, In My Life (#54 U.K.), her featuring vocals with German singing star Nena, Anyplace Anywhere Anytime (#3 Germany), among others.
Tracklist:
1-) Another Step (Closer to You) (Single Version).
2-) Anyplace Anywhere Anytime (with Nena).
3-) Because the Night.
4-) Bitter is Better.
5-) Born to Be Wild.
6-) Boys.
7-) Cambodia (Single Version).
8-) Child Come Away.
9-) If I Can't Have You.
10-) If There Was Love (duet with Nathan Moore).
11-) In My Life.
12-) Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde (by Laurent Voulzy ft. backing vocals by Kim).
13-) Loved.
14-) Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (duet with Mel Smith).
15-) Shame.
16-) Turn It On.
17-) Carry Me Home. (***NEW***)
18-) Addicted to You. (***NEW***)
19-) Party on the Brink. (***NEW***)
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