I can't be sure about the dates, but I think it was around 1989 when I went swimming at a friends pool, and heard on the radio "I Want Your Love". I thought it was great! With the name Transvision Vamp I kind of was expecting an eclectic group of Addams family misfits, and thought the lead singer would've looked like Elvira! How I was wrong when soon after, I Want Your Love went top 20 in Australia and I saw that Wendy was a Scandinavian goddess!. Hell, even my conservative parents liked the song!I saw the film clip and was in love. "Revolution Baby" was released soon after and I do recall that both songs were in the top 30 at the same time - Which was quite and achievement.

I was in grade 9 at the time, and the album Pop Art became the soundtrack to our summer. All my friends had memorised the lyrics and the album got thrashed (ie played a lot!). Hearing songs like "Halo Jones" and "Wild Star" brings back loads of fond memories of teenage kisses and looking at the stars and wondering what my future would be. Another favourite song that I need to mention is "Walk on By" which was a b-side which I always found to be a testament to Wendy's inner strength in the face of a barrage of constant criticism - for being outspoken and not the bunny that the press wanted her to be.

But regardless of what the critics said about Wendy James, Pop Art stayed in the Australian top 20 for about a year, and was still in the top 20 when Velveteen was released, which went straight to No 2.

Baby I don't care was one of the years biggest hits, but my favourite song off the album was "the only one" which really rocked. I was now in my late teens, and I'd like to personally like to thank Wendy for being around when I discovered sex. Ciao Portobello!

A few years passed and "B with U" was released. I loved it! But the critics bagged the album "Bubble of Babble", which only reached 25 on the Australian Charts. I tentatively bought it, hoping it wasn't all bad, but I was genuinely surprised with TV's shift to an alternative funkier sound. "Back on my knees again" brought tears to my eyes, to this day when things aren't going right and I have to make hard choices, I find myself whispering "what else can you do, when you live in a zoo...'. But my favourite song on the album is "Pressure Times". The song builds to an explosion of a chorus, and is a great song to play when you are going out!

I went and saw TV live for the tour for "Bubble of Babble", and was amazed at how great Wendy sang live. It was the first concert I had been to and I was transfixed by Wendy who was like a tiger across the stage. Towards the end of the show a guy jumped on stage and was going to give Wendy a flower, Security Guards grabbed him, but Wendy said "No" and she took the flower and kissed him on the cheek. The crowd went wild!!! Then the security guards threw him out the backdoor and Wendy went on to sing "Baby I don't care" !!! It was too funny.

Anyway, I was shopping at the markets the other day and purchased a copy of "Velveteen" which I had lost some years earlier, and I am amazed at how well all 3 albums have stood the test of time. I surfed the net today and was happy to see that you guys are still flying the flag for Wendy, and keeping her music alive.

Lets hope for a new album from Wendy soon. At least she kept the charts interesting!!!

John de Bruyn
(We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from Brisbane, Australia)

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