It’s your desire: Bananarama gives ‘Venus’ & parent album a new sound for 40th anniversary

Andrea Dresdale2 hours ago

46 1 minute read

Bananarama, ‘True Confessions’ 40th Anniversary (London Records)

Is it your desire to have multiple versions of Bananarama’s album True Confessions? Consider your wish granted.

The British trio is rolling out special versions of the album in honor of its 40th anniversary. The album features their biggest U.S. hit, “Venus.” Among the offerings are three CD versions, each featuring artwork based around a single band member, plus audio from that member talking about what it was like making the album in 1986.

The album is also being released on picture disc, a double-LP vinyl version featuring bonus remixes, several vinyl variants and another CD version with even more remixes. All feature remastered audio and will be released Aug. 28. Reproductions of the group’s original 1986 merchandise are also available.

One of the remixes is a new take on “Venus” by Richard X, which is available now. The song was originally recorded in 1969 by a Dutch rock band called Shocking Blue. The group hired U.K. pop producers Stock Aitken Waterman to turn it into a dance song after they heard the producers’ work on “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” by Dead or Alive.

“They said it couldn’t be done because you couldn’t have guitars on a pop record!” recalls group member Keren Woodward. “Thankfully, we were very persuasive.”

“Venus” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the producers would go on to produce additional hits for Bananarama, as well as for Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Donna Summer and more.