Hi all! Due to life events, I will not be posting or reupping albums in the future. Some of the albums might be available on the Facebook group mentioned below. Thanks for understanding!

For Facebook users, please check out and join my new sharing group Trashy Treasures, featuring 70s, 80s and 90s music pleasures!! A lot like the Isle, but with everyone able to contribute and discuss the tasty old music we love!!!

For all you pop lovers on Facebook, you should join the Pop Rush Community Facebook page immediately. Lots of amazing shares of great pop music from the 1990's and 2000's!!

And don't forget to follow the Isle on Facebook and Twitter!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Crush - Teenage Kicks (1996) & Crush (1997) DOUBLE POST!!

Thanks to the kind generosity of my dear buddy Maxwell K, I can now share with you the only North American album by British pop duo Crush. Crush began as Byker Groove, which consisted of three stars of the teen soap Byker Grove. Two of these ladies, Donna Air and Jayni Hoy, then renamed themselves Crush and released the single "Jellyhead", to some success. They recorded an album for Telstar, Teenage Kicks, which was promptly shelved (though it was released in Japan). But thanks to the buzz that the Motiv 8 remix of "Jellyhead" created, US label Robbins wanted to sign the girls. Jayni had left by then, so Luciana Caporaso was recruited (thankfully, as the girls' vocals were lackluster without her, to say the least!). Luciana had already released a few minorly successful solo singles for Chrysalis. A few new songs were recorded with her for the new album, while the songs from Teenage Kicks remained, some in remixed form. Robbins wanted to present the girls with an entirely new image and sound. They went from being punky, poppy teenage trouble, a lot like Shampoo, to dance divas. The new songs had the euro-house sound, then in vogue, and the pop-punk vibe of the original album was diluted. "Jellyhead" became a North American hit, big in Canada and even making an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. But the follow-ups, "Luv'd Up" and "Love's Hold", made little impression and they split. Donna has since focused on modeling and television work, while Luciana has remained heavily involved in music, being part of groups Shooter and Portobella (awesome!), having huge dance hits singing with Bodyrox, Richard Vission & Static Revenger, Super Mal and David Vendetta, among others, and writing for artists like Kylie and Erika Jayne.

Video for Jellyhead

Video for Luv'd Up

Video for Jellyhead (Motiv 8 Mix)

Download Teenage Kicks

1
Jellyhead

2
We Got The Beat (Original Mix)

3
Penthouse Girl, Basement Boy

4
Mexican Moon

5
Teenage Kicks

6
Luv'd Up

7
Picture This

8
Bloody Nose

9
He's Stupid

10
Feels So Fine

11
Jellyhead (Motiv 8 Mix)

12
We Got The Beat (Switch-Back Mix)

Download Crush

1
Love's Hold
2
We'll Find The Sunshine
3
Feel So Fine
4
Jellyhead (Motiv 8 Mix)
5
We Can Make It Happen
6
Mexican Moon
7
Penthouse Girl, Basement Boy
8
Tease Me
9
Luv'd Up
10
Bloody Nose
11
He's Stupid
12
We Got The Beat

10 comments:

  1. Luciana just released a collection in the UK called "Featuring Luciana" of all her recent collaborations!!! I already told you about my fascination w/ Shooter, whom I've always been meaning to feature on Milk Carton Pop Stars. Who knew? Thanks for uploading!!!

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  2. Thanks so much! Always loved them. I'd already gotten the original version, but now i'm pleased to have the american version as well ^__^
    I [heart] your site so much!!

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  3. Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne co-wrote "Penthouse Girl, Basement Boy," is on the UK version of Lipslide and the US EP Kelly's Locker. I love "Jellyhead." I'm not fond of the cover of the Go-Go's "We Got the Beat," though.

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  4. Can someone please upload the original "Teenage Kicks" album? I have the self-titled one but not the original, and the link below, http://cantstopthepop.blogspot.com/2008/05/crush-teenage-kicks-rare-japanese-album.html , doesn't seem to work.

    Thanks,
    Emily

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  5. I second that.. This album doesn't work for me either

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, I seem to have lost the files for Teenage Kicks. I did reup the self-titled album if anyone wants that...

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  6. The original pop-punk version of "Jellyhead" is awesome! It's so weird that I only found out about this song right now, 18 years late! Thanks to you, Nasty G! :)

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  7. Donna Air and the other girl did not sing on the crush songs. It was all fake. I remixed the track Luv Dup at the time and it was no secret that it was not them singing. Telstar the label were known for doing such things.

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  8. I years ago found a photo of Crush performing live, so that answers my question if they done more than studio/music video. I quite liked the single mix of "Love's Hold" from the maxi single but never heard beyond "Luv'd Up" on the radio from the Louisville station circa summer 1997.

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