27August

Friends of the Earth warned that traffic could clog Britain's cities by 2010. Plans to evacuate Montserrat were put in place following a volcanic eruption; there were demonstrations outside the Governor's residence, and by the end of the week, the number of evacuees was 12. The Laura Ashley company closed two factories in Wales. The high court ruled that it was unlawful to send children to adult jails. Clare Short called the Millennium Doom "a silly building". Prosecutions against two people who refused to pay tolls for the Skye Bridge were unexpectedly dropped. Cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris said that smoking can kill. England had an unexpected victory in the final Ashes test, but lost the series 3:2. Oasis released their new album, Be Rubbish Now.

Twenty-nine new into the 75, fifteen into the 40. Stuff we don't remember: H2O, Satisfied, 66; Transa, Prophase, 65; Gisele Jackson, Love commandments, 54; Human Nature, Whisper your name, 53. Veruca Salt never did anything of note here; they're best known for Seether, 61 in 1994; their biggest was Volcano girl, 56 in Feb 97; the last was Benjamin, in at 75. David Bowie sang about Seven years in Tibet, but could only make number 61.

Wolverhampton talent at number 60, with Cornershop's Brimful of Asha making its debut. Evolving from General Havoc, active in Preston circa 1991, the group was praised to the nines by the NME, particularly after burning a picture of Morrissey, whom the rag believed to be racist. Three years of low-key singles and albums kept them on the scene, but the band never looked like rising above a Division III group. Even their first top-75 hit single, the number 60 placing of Brimful of Asha, impressed very few people. This was a tedious single, which just sat there, defying someone to have a go. Norman Cook took up the challenge, sped up the song by about 40%, and within six months, the band had a number one single. Result! Or not: Tajinder Singh and his revolving crew were not cut out for fame, and three albums in the years since have met with moderate success. Our featured song is from Handcream for a Generation, the group's 2002 album. It's called Lessons learned from rocky one to rocky three.

Bob Carlisle's Butterfly kisses had been huge in North America, but Brits didn't like such huge schmaltz, and left it at number 56. Tanya Donelly had passed through the Throwing Muses and Belly without ever garnering substantial hits; solo single Pretty deep made number 55. Chaka Demus and Pliers had made a career of happy reggae covers, including three top-five hits in 1993; their version of Every little thing she does is magic made 51, and brought their career to a close. Jam and Spoon had their moment in the sun in 1995; the trance duo put Kaleidoscope skies in at an unfortunately low 48. Another north American hit, Crush by Zhane, made 44. Teenage Fanclub's top 40 career was over, as I don't want control of you stalled at number 43. Way Out West, another trance act that was a couple of years past its peak, put Blue in at 41.

Final top 40 hit in Soul II Soul's career - they'd been almost perpetual fixtures in the top five during 1989 and 90, but fell away as fashion moved on. Represent made 39, one place behind Le Click's Call me. Dance act Slacker entered at 33 with Your face, and Radish put Little pink stars in at 32. Radish were, if we believed the music press at the time, the new Nirvana, but they fell apart within minutes. The Beloved had had a minor hit with The sun rising in autumn 1989; though it never rose above number 26, it's remained the group's best known hit, perhaps along with 1993's top tenner Sweet harmony. To promote their greatest hits collection, The sun rising was re-released, but could only make number 31.

Symposium had their third hit of the year at 25 with Fairweather friend, tying March's Farewell to twilight as their biggest hit. Aaliyah moved in at 24 with 4 page letter; this was about par for the course, though it felt that she was destined for greater things, her death in a plane crash in 2001 cut her career short. Following the second-time-around top ten place for Six underground, the Sneaker Pimps put Post-modern sleaze in at 22.

The Foo Fighters continued to churn out their interchangeable racket, Everlong entered at 18, the second single from whichever album they were up to. Missy Elliott put The rain in at 16; her big hits would have to wait until 2001. UB40 had their first hit in 1980, and mixed big hits (Red red wine a number 1 in 1983; Don't break my heart, number 3 in 1985) with huge flops (I won't close my eyes, 32 in 1982; Watchdogs, 39 in 1987). The group was best known for its soft-reggae covers of other people's songs, spawning three albums in the Labour of Love series. Fashion had swung back the group's way in 1993 following their cover of Can't help falling in love. Guns in the Ghetto was the first album of new material since, and the lead single was Tell me is it true, new at 14. The group woud have another top ten hit in 1998, Come back darling, and was most recently in the chart with Kiss and say goodbye, a top 20 hit in 2005.

Conner Reeves was the bright-eyed new hope of British soul, but the number 12 debut of My father's son was as high as he'd ever appear on the UK singles chart. Four more singles came out from his album Earthbound, all made the top 30, but he was swallowed by Ver Dumper ahead of the second album. In the years since, Reeves has written for Jocelyn Stone, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Brian Harvey's flop at this year's A Song For Europe.

Falling out of the top ten were Meredith Brooks, 8-11; Coolio, 10-15; and Suede, plunging 9-35. Replacing them were Jon Bon Jovi, Queen of New Orleans was his usual schlock, entering at 10. Notorious BIG dropped two to 9, Backstreet Boys down two to 8. Tina Moore entered at 7 with Never gonna let you go, a bizarre squark-house track featuring heavily sampled vocals. Never understood the attraction. Dannii Minogue dropped two to 6, and Gala held at 5 with Freed from desire, now seven weeks in the top five. It's not as good as Closer than close, but it's the one people remember from summer '97.

Puff Daddy dropped one to 4, and Shola Ama had the highest new entry at 3. You're the one I love was an original composition, and followed up the tremendous success of You might need somebody by giving her the biggest hit of her career. No move at 2 for Chumbawumba, and third week at the top for Will Smith.

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