Blue Mercedes

Blue Mercedes were a pop music duo from London, England, composed of David Titlow (born 28 November 1965) and Duncan Millar (26 May 1963 – May 2022).

History

Their only album, Rich and Famous, was produced by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow for PWL, with songs written by Titlow and Millar. "It was dance pop, out and out; it needed to work on the dance floor," recalled Harding of actioning the brief given to him by the band.

"I Want to Be Your Property," released in the UK in October 1987, reached #23 in the UK national chart. In the US, it was a minor Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at #66 in 1988, but their real success Stateside occurred on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it spent four weeks at #1.

"Love Is the Gun," released in the UK in June 1988, peaked at #46 in the UK national chart and #5 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart. It was Smash Hits' "Single of the Fortnight" in June 1988.

"See Want Must Have" was released in the UK in February 1988, and reached #18 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US.

The following tracks were also released as singles: "Treehouse" (November 1988); "Heaven on Earth" (March 1989); "Run for Your Love" (May 1989); and "Crunchy Love Affaire" (July 1989). (Chart information has not been found for these yet.)

After releasing the single "That Beauty Is You," they evolved into the indie dance band Nixon, and released the song "Sweet Temptation." Later, they released a number of dance tracks under the name Monica De Luxe, which entered UK Dance Charts.

Titlow then went on to form the indie rock band Heave, who released one album titled "Scaramanga," released on Radar Records in the early 1990s.

Titlow is now a fashion and music photographer.

Millar went on to produce further dance tracks including, as Exoterix, the first track released by EMI dance label Positiva Records in 1993. Later, he released an acid jazz instrumental album under the name A One, on Indochina Records (subsidiary label of China Records), and two smooth jazz albums on Instinct Records, achieving a UK MOBO nomination as Best UK Jazz Act for the first of these in 1999. He died in May 2022.

Discography

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
January 1988 "I Want To Be Your Property" US Dance Chart 1
October 1987 "I Want to Be Your Property" UK Singles Chart 23
April 1988 "See Want Must Have" US Dance Chart 18
February 1988 "See Want Must Have" UK Singles Chart 57
August 1988 "Love is The Gun" US Dance Chart 5
July 1988 "Love is The Gun" UK Singles Chart 46
November 1988 "Treehouse" UK Singles Chart -
March 1989 "Heaven On Earth" UK Singles Chart -
May 1989 "Run For Your Love" UK Singles Chart -
July 1989 "Crunchy Love Affaire" UK Singles Chart -
October 1989 "That Beauty is You" UK Singles Chart -
October 1990 "Sweet Temptation"* UK Singles Chart -
  • as Nixon [MCA Records - NXN 1]

Albums

Year Album Chart Position
1988 Rich and Famous New Zealand Albums Chart 25
1988 Rich and Famous US Albums Chart 165
1988 Rich and Famous UK Albums Chart -

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 66. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. 1 2 "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 20: A Detour With Harding & Curnow Part 1 on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  3. ↑ Alex Kadis. "Singles." Smash Hits, 15–28 June 1988, p55.
  4. ↑ "Nixon". discogs.com. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  5. ↑ Anon., ed. (13 July 1991). "The Top 60 Dance Singles". Music Week. Spotlight Publications.
  6. ↑ "discogs.com, Heave". Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "camerapress.com, David Titlow". Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  8. ↑ Jones, Alan, ed. (12 April 1993). "The Club Chart". Record Mirror.
  9. ↑ Lands, David (January 1996). "A-One, Free Association". Jazz Journal. 49 (1): 16.
  10. ↑ Grey, Hilarie (December 1998). "Currents". Jazz Times: 125. ISSN 0272-572X.
  11. ↑ Allder, Kevin (October 2001). "Smooth". Echoes: 65.
  12. ↑ Anon. (October 1999). "Best Jazz Act Nominations". MOBO Magazine, The Official Magazine of the Malibu 1999 MOBO Awards. Peter Gould for BiG Publishing. p. 27.