1986 Nik Kershaw – Radio Musicola

Radio Musicola is the third solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nik Kershaw. The album was released in late 1986, on the label MCA Records, two and a half years after Kershaw’s successful album, The Riddle. It was Kershaw’s first studio album to feature him as producer. It also features guest backing vocalists, including Icehouse’s lead vocalist Iva Davies, and Night’s lead vocalist Stevie Lange.

The album was released to critical acclaim, but wasn’t as successful as Kershaw’s previous albums, peaking at #47 on the UK Albums Chart, and achieved silver status from the BPI in 1986. Four singles were issued from Radio Musicola, but none of them reached the Top 20, a first for Nik Kershaw. However, Kershaw did find some minor success with its lead single “When a Heart Beats” (which was not featured on the LP release, only on the cassette and CD versions of the album). The album (to date) remains Kershaw’s last album to make the Top 60.

Tracks

1  Radio Musicola (Nik Kershaw) 05:52
2  Nobody Knows (Nik Kershaw) 04:18
3  L.A.B.A.T.Y.D. (Nik Kershaw) 04:12
4  What The Papers Say (Nik Kershaw) 03:31
5  Life Goes On (Nik Kershaw) 05:01
6  Running Scared (Nik Kershaw) 05:03
7  James Cagney (Nik Kershaw) 05:19
8  Don’t Let Me Out Of My Cage (Nik Kershaw) 04:33
9  When A Heart Beats (Nik Kershaw) 04:28
10  Violet To Blue (Nik Kershaw) 06:17

Musicians

1 Radio Musicola

GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsAndy Richards
KeyboardsPaul Wickens
FluteSimon Clarke
SaxTim Sanders
SaxSimon Clarke
TrombonePeter Thoms
TrumpetRoddy Lorimer
TrumpetSteve Sidwell
Background VocalsSheri Kershaw
Background VocalsMiriam Stockley
Background VocalsStevie Lange
Background VocalsIva Davies
Background VocalsGary Dyson
Background VocalsLarry Dunn
Background VocalsDenis McNamara
Background VocalsBob MaRonne
Background VocalsMalibu Sue


2 Nobody Knows

DrumsMark Brzezicki
DrumsMark Price
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsAndy Richards
KeyboardsPaul Wickens
SaxTim Sanders
SaxSimon Clarke
TrombonePeter Thoms
TrumpetRoddy Lorimer
TrumpetSteve Sidwell
Background VocalsMiriam Stockley
Background VocalsStevie Lange
Background VocalsIva Davies
Background VocalsGary Dyson


3 L.A.B.A.T.Y.D.

BassSteve Brzezicki
DrumsMark Brzezicki
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsAndy Richards
SaxTim Sanders
SaxSimon Clarke
TrumpetRoddy Lorimer
Background VocalsSheri Kershaw


4 What The Papers Say

DrumsMark Brzezicki
BassKuma Harada
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsAndy Richards
KeyboardsPaul Wickens


5 Life Goes On

BassDennis Smith
DrumsMark Price
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsAndy Richards
Background VocalsSheri Kershaw


6 Running Scared

GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsRupert Greenall
FluteSimon Clarke
SaxTim Sanders
SaxSimon Clarke
TrombonePeter Thoms
TrumpetRoddy Lorimer
PercussionGary Wallace
Background VocalsGary Dyson


7 James Cagney

DrumsMark Brzezicki
BassFelix Krish
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsAndy Richards
KeyboardsTim Moore
Background VocalsSheri Kershaw
Background VocalsCarol Kenyon


8 Don’t Let Me Out Of My Cage

DrumsSimon Phillips
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsPaul Wickens
Background VocalsSheri Kershaw
Background VocalsCarol Kenyon


9 When A Heart Beats

DrumsCharlie Morgan
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsPaul Wickens
KeyboardsTim Moore
Background VocalsSheri Kershaw
Background VocalsMartin Taylor


10 Violet To Blue

BassDennis Smith
BassKuma Harada
DrumsSimon Phillips
GuitarNik Kershaw
KeyboardsNik Kershaw
KeyboardsRupert Greenall
KeyboardsTim Moore
KeyboardsRobin Cruikshank
FluteSimon Clarke
SaxTim Sanders
SaxSimon Clarke
TrumpetRoddy Lorimer

Liner Notes

Producer – Nik Kershaw
Arranged By – Nik Kershaw
Arranged By (Horns) – Nik Kershaw, The Kick Horns
Engineer (Assistant) – Robin Cruikshank
Mastered By – Ian Cooper
Mixed By – Stuart Bruce
Mixed By – Bob Kraushaar (Track 7)
Recorded By – Stuart Bruce
Recorded By – Bob Kraushaar (Track 7)

Art Direction – Richard Evans
Artwork – Phil Warren
Design – ICON
Photography – Andrew Ellis

Recorded At Swanyard Studios
Mastered At The Townhouse
Mixed At Swanyard Studios
Mixed At Sarm studios
Phonographic Copyright MCA Records Ltd
Copyright MCA Records Ltd