This feels like a true season finale in the best sense—reflective, expansive, and utterly sure of its footing. The way you frame early-80s New York as a moment before genres calcified is spot on, and the Kid Creole story becomes a lens rather than a pedestal.
I especially appreciated how clearly you articulate why this wasn’t novelty, but theatre with intent—and why that distinction mattered so much more in the UK than in the US. The ZE Records context is essential and beautifully handled.
And ending with the mixtape logic—genre lines crossed purely because the floor demanded it—brings everything full circle. A fitting close to a remarkable first season. Looking forward to what Season Two unlocks.
Thanks, Howard, I really appreciate your reaction! I genuinely enjoy researching and writing this content, so the journey is far from over. I’m only getting started 😁
See you in January. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
First off, massive congratulations on the first season! 👏🏻 Your writing, your research, your knowledge, your wisdom, your sense of humour and all the other great things you have and bring are one of the main highlights of my week. Enjoy your well-deserved holiday! And pleaaaase come back! 😅
I didn't know Wonderful Thing (what an infectious beat, geez! 🔥) but I knew Cherchez la Femme (mainly because Tommy Mottola is mentioned in the first line, and Mariah mentions it in her memoir).
I’ll be back, Andy, I’m enjoying this far too much not to 😁
And about Tommy Mottola: he was their first manager, and there’s a second part to that story… but that’s one for another Kid Creole episode in a future season 😁.
I’m sure we’ll be seeing and talking to each other before Christmas, so for now I’ll just wish you and your husband a wonderful weekend!
My sweet spot. NY 80s was my DJ time and before I started spinning I was KC&theCs biggest fan. I saw every Ritz show drooling over the middle coconut 🥥 dreaming she'd pick me to be hers and then I'd be inside their world bypassing the gap between newbie in the city and the in crowd. But I'd dance my ass off and go back to my apt still pining for the next show which would be often. I think that's their lasting legacy they were cool but anyone could get in on it for the price of admission 🎟 no Velvet Studio 54 rope nonsense.
I was baptized by August Darnell!
Hung out with Steve Rubell!
Hoffman can go to hell.
Stool Pigeon still knocks me out!
Of course you know their MGMT guy Randy tried to shake me down but I didn't budge but then again I never made it so maybe his you'll never work again meant I'd never be just another industry insider lining their pockets with artist money. Spotify anyone?
That’s impossible, Steve, I was their biggest fan 😂😂
Who was the middle Coconut, by the way? Not Señor Darnell’s wife, I assume? He doesn’t really strike me as the sharing type. Stool Pigeon is indeed great. I hesitated between that one and It’s a Wonderful Thing, but chose the latter because it made it easier to shape the mix exactly the way I wanted.
Thanks so much for reading and reacting, Steve. As always, your responses are pure fun to read. Happy holidays to you too, see you on the other side!
I'm A Wonderful Thing and Annie were both UK Top 5 in 82, the year responsible for two of my favourite Top of the Pops performances (Kid Creole Annie and Wham! Young Guns) as well as chart success for The Associates, Talk Talk, Bow Wow Wow, ABC, Shalamar, Culture Club, Bucks Fizz, Dollar, Toni Basil, Imagination, Haircut 100 to name just a few! Wow! It was a year that Classic Pop mag described as a "remarkable year for pop...a year as expansive and experimental as it was overcrowded with melody" and Kid Creole were at the heart of it. Congrats on Season One and roll on Season Two!
Thanks, Paul. You’ve been there every week, reading and reacting. When I started writing these weekly episodes, the goal wasn’t so much to create a newsletter as it was to build a community of people who share a love for the music and the era. That’s why I always enjoy reading your reactions and having the discussions that follow.
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We’ll pick things up right where we left off on the 9th of January with the start of Season 2.
😁 Their first three albums are great, Dan. My personal favourite is the second one, Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places, definitely check that one out!
It was great to see you all again, and I hope you’ll make some videos during your time in Palm Springs 😁. I saw the photo Kevin shared of the “alternative freezer” in the garden, funny, but also a perfect illustration of why you’d temporarily move to warmer places when you can.
I still have a cassette tape of the show that Kid Creole did from the old Glasgow Apollo. It was broadcast live on radio Clyde. To this day I have never heard an entry onstage like it; Coati Mundi screams " All the way from New York City, Guys & Dolls, would you meet and greet- KID CREOLE!!!" and he bounds onstage, straight into a high energy version of Going Places. There is nothing in this world like the sound of a Glasgow audience out to have a good time.
This feels like a true season finale in the best sense—reflective, expansive, and utterly sure of its footing. The way you frame early-80s New York as a moment before genres calcified is spot on, and the Kid Creole story becomes a lens rather than a pedestal.
I especially appreciated how clearly you articulate why this wasn’t novelty, but theatre with intent—and why that distinction mattered so much more in the UK than in the US. The ZE Records context is essential and beautifully handled.
And ending with the mixtape logic—genre lines crossed purely because the floor demanded it—brings everything full circle. A fitting close to a remarkable first season. Looking forward to what Season Two unlocks.
Thanks, Howard, I really appreciate your reaction! I genuinely enjoy researching and writing this content, so the journey is far from over. I’m only getting started 😁
See you in January. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
First off, massive congratulations on the first season! 👏🏻 Your writing, your research, your knowledge, your wisdom, your sense of humour and all the other great things you have and bring are one of the main highlights of my week. Enjoy your well-deserved holiday! And pleaaaase come back! 😅
I didn't know Wonderful Thing (what an infectious beat, geez! 🔥) but I knew Cherchez la Femme (mainly because Tommy Mottola is mentioned in the first line, and Mariah mentions it in her memoir).
Thank you for uncovering these gems!
I’ll be back, Andy, I’m enjoying this far too much not to 😁
And about Tommy Mottola: he was their first manager, and there’s a second part to that story… but that’s one for another Kid Creole episode in a future season 😁.
I’m sure we’ll be seeing and talking to each other before Christmas, so for now I’ll just wish you and your husband a wonderful weekend!
Looking forward to it! Thank you, and likewise!!
I ❤️ NY
Thanks for reading & reacting Donald. Have a great weekend!
My sweet spot. NY 80s was my DJ time and before I started spinning I was KC&theCs biggest fan. I saw every Ritz show drooling over the middle coconut 🥥 dreaming she'd pick me to be hers and then I'd be inside their world bypassing the gap between newbie in the city and the in crowd. But I'd dance my ass off and go back to my apt still pining for the next show which would be often. I think that's their lasting legacy they were cool but anyone could get in on it for the price of admission 🎟 no Velvet Studio 54 rope nonsense.
I was baptized by August Darnell!
Hung out with Steve Rubell!
Hoffman can go to hell.
Stool Pigeon still knocks me out!
Of course you know their MGMT guy Randy tried to shake me down but I didn't budge but then again I never made it so maybe his you'll never work again meant I'd never be just another industry insider lining their pockets with artist money. Spotify anyone?
So be it I'm still cool! An OTG 4 Life!
Congrats on a great year of articles 👏
Happy Holidays from Steve's Stack!
That’s impossible, Steve, I was their biggest fan 😂😂
Who was the middle Coconut, by the way? Not Señor Darnell’s wife, I assume? He doesn’t really strike me as the sharing type. Stool Pigeon is indeed great. I hesitated between that one and It’s a Wonderful Thing, but chose the latter because it made it easier to shape the mix exactly the way I wanted.
Thanks so much for reading and reacting, Steve. As always, your responses are pure fun to read. Happy holidays to you too, see you on the other side!
I'm A Wonderful Thing and Annie were both UK Top 5 in 82, the year responsible for two of my favourite Top of the Pops performances (Kid Creole Annie and Wham! Young Guns) as well as chart success for The Associates, Talk Talk, Bow Wow Wow, ABC, Shalamar, Culture Club, Bucks Fizz, Dollar, Toni Basil, Imagination, Haircut 100 to name just a few! Wow! It was a year that Classic Pop mag described as a "remarkable year for pop...a year as expansive and experimental as it was overcrowded with melody" and Kid Creole were at the heart of it. Congrats on Season One and roll on Season Two!
Thanks, Paul. You’ve been there every week, reading and reacting. When I started writing these weekly episodes, the goal wasn’t so much to create a newsletter as it was to build a community of people who share a love for the music and the era. That’s why I always enjoy reading your reactions and having the discussions that follow.
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We’ll pick things up right where we left off on the 9th of January with the start of Season 2.
"I'm a Wonderful Thing" is another song that feels very contemporary to me. I need to check out more of their music!
Good to see you today! Enjoy your weekend!
😁 Their first three albums are great, Dan. My personal favourite is the second one, Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places, definitely check that one out!
It was great to see you all again, and I hope you’ll make some videos during your time in Palm Springs 😁. I saw the photo Kevin shared of the “alternative freezer” in the garden, funny, but also a perfect illustration of why you’d temporarily move to warmer places when you can.
Enjoy your weekend, Dan!
https://www.youtube.com/live/riiA4bH0mR8?si=t6my-ArWxtUw7prQ then through the magic of the internet, I found this! Looks like I wasn't the only one who recorded this that night...
I still have a cassette tape of the show that Kid Creole did from the old Glasgow Apollo. It was broadcast live on radio Clyde. To this day I have never heard an entry onstage like it; Coati Mundi screams " All the way from New York City, Guys & Dolls, would you meet and greet- KID CREOLE!!!" and he bounds onstage, straight into a high energy version of Going Places. There is nothing in this world like the sound of a Glasgow audience out to have a good time.