Postcards From Heaven

This 16-track set from Be Bop Deluxe's short but productive four-year, six-album career captures a handful of highlights from each release, and adds both sides of a rare 1973 single, which see their first CD appearance. Oddly those two songs close the disc, which otherwise is in strict chronological order as it traces the band's evolution from its vaguely glam roots to a more progressive-minded entity that could also churn out snappy near-hits. The specter of David Bowie is never far from the spotlight, especially given that singer/songwriter/frontman Bill Nelson (who also pens witty and reflective liner notes) sounds a lot like Ziggy Stardust. The music also approximates various aspects in Bowie's career, although the synths and general production seem not to have fared quite as well…

A Northern soul duo who recorded the single "Lifted" in 1995 but had to wait two years for it to become a hit, the Lighthouse Family was formed in Newcastle by vocalist Tunde Baiyewu and programmer/keyboard player Paul Tucker. Both had been born in London, though Baiyewu lived in Nigeria for ten years before returning to attend college in the north, where he met Tucker. The duo began recording, and though Baiyewu had trepidations about his vocal abilities, they recorded the singles "Ocean Drive" and "Lifted" during 1994-95 for Wild Card Records. Their debut album, also named Ocean Drive, was released in late 1995. It was almost two years later, however, that "Lifted" hit the top of the British charts, as well as those of several other European countries. The duo's second album, Postcards from Heaven, appeared later that year.

Drummer Skip Prokop formed Lighthouse in 1968 and began adding members soon after: guitarist Ralph Cole (whom Prokop had played with in the Paupers), Grant Fullerton, Pinky Dauvin, saxophonist Howard Shore, cellist Dick Armin, violinist Don DiNovo, keyboard player Paul Hoffert, saxophonist Keith Jollimore, vocalist Bob McBride, trumpeter Peter Pantaluk, trombonist Larry Smith, and bassist Louis Yackniw…

'' 1000 Original Hits '' is the title of a compilation series published by EMI Plus (Europe). This release contains portions of this series, released in 2001, containing works performed from 1990 to 1999.