Angus Kidman – anguskidman.show

Gusworld Records is my fantasy record label, where I imagine comprehensive CD reissues for performers I love whose CD catalogue has been neglected by major labels (so what else is new?).

When I think of Collette, I think of the sound of a cat being strangled over a basic SAW-style beat while wearing fluorescent bike pants. This is not a criticism, obviously.

Collette Robert’s cover of Anita Ward’s ‘Ring My Bell’ is part of the soundtrack of my final year at high school, and reached a respectable #5 in the Australian charts. Signed to CBS, she was a rare example of a dance-oriented artist in the 1980s actually getting mainstream label support in Australia.

Collette isn’t a strict one-hit wonder: her second single ‘All I Wanna Do Is Dance’ reached #12.

Check out the go-go boys in the performance of this track on Countdown Revolution.

This was also the song that the D-Generation mocked as ‘All I Can Do Is Dance’ on the sleeve of their 1989 parody single ‘5 In A Row’.

Single #3 ‘That’s What I Like About You’ did a little less well, only reaching #31. (For some reason, this isn’t on the official Collette YouTube channel – clearly someone at Sony isn’t checking the archives too carefully.)

While her debut album Raze The Roof only reached #48, Collette went on to release a second album, Attitude, in 1991. However, the singles from that failed to have the same impact. The first selection, ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, only reached #56.

For the second single, Collette went back down the covers route, covering Diana Ross’ ‘Upside Down’. However, it was, frankly, a much less appealing take on the song, and it stalled at #91.

The third single, ‘This Will Be (Everlasting Love)’, did even worse, peaking at #122. (It’s not a cover of the Natalie Cole classic, incidentally.)

And after that, for all practical purposes, Collette’s recording career was over. She had a brief stint as an actress, before becoming a make-up artist.

Both Collette’s albums were released on CD at the time, but they’ve been out of print for decades, and there were lots of remixes and a handful of B-sides. We can fit these fairly neatly across three CDs.

Disc 1: Raze The Roof

1. That’s What I Like About You (3:15)
2. Ring My Bell (3:30)
3. You Ain’t Gonna Hold Me Back (3:50)
4. Victim Of The Groove (4:33)
5. Push (3:33)
6. All I Wanna Do Is Dance (3:25)
7. Ordinary Man (3:29)
8. Party Time (3:38)
9. Only You Can Do It (3:33)
10. Hothouse (4:12)
11. Save Yourself (4:05)
12. Ring My Bell (Ding-Dong Mix) (5:25)
13. All I Wanna Do Is Dance (Stomp Mix) (5:32)
14. That’s What I Like About You (Licensed To Dance Mix) (6:11)
15. Hothouse (Warehouse Mix) (6:38)
16. Save Yourself (Survival Mix) (5:56)

Disc 2: Attitude

1. Attitude (3:24)
2. Upside Down (3:28)
3. This Will Be (Everlasting Love) (3:38)
4. Every Beat Of My Heart (3:46)
5. Get With It (4:03)
6. Rhythm Of Life (4:03)
7. Who Do You Think You Are (3:50)
8. Don’t Lead Me On (4:20)
9. Give It Up (3:36)
10. Who Would Ever Believe (3:15)
11. No Turning Back (2:45)
12. Who Do You Think You Are (Club Mix) (6:24)
13. Upside Down (Extended Mix)* (6:00)
14. This Will Be (Everlasting Love) (The Hot Love Mix) (7:09)
15. You Can Run (with The Nation) (3:36)

Disc 3: Ding-A-Ling The Remixes

1. Ring My Bell (Ding-A-Ling Mix) (5:58)
2. Save Yourself (Pow Wow Mix) (6:39)
3. All I Wanna Do Is Dance (Land Of The Giants Mix) (5:47)
4. Push (Stretch Mix) (5:30)
5. That’s What I Like About You (Burn It Down Mix) (6:15)
6. Hothouse (Truffle Hunting Mix) (6:14)
7. Victim Of The Groove (Aja Remix) (3:58)
8. Who Do You Think You Are (Beat) (2:42)
9. Upside Down (U.S. Club Mix) (5:36)
10. Push (Revenge Mix) (5:12)
11. Who Do You Think You Are (Dub) (5:15)
12. Upside Beats* (3:30)
13. Who Do You Think You Are (Percappella) (4:06)
14. Upside Acapella* (3:30)

This is everything Collette ever released, including some remixes that never made it to CD at the time (indicated here with an asterisk *). It’s possible that there are other tracks in the vault, but not hugely likely.

Collette did record some demos before signing with CBS, but those become the subject of a protracted legal battle so it’s unlikely those would ever get licensed. But I am assuming that for this Collette’s last recorded singing appearance, as a guest vocalist on ‘You Can Run’ by The Nation in 1995, would be available.

For more Gusworld Records action, check out the compilations for Kim Hart and Christie Allen.