Perry Bamonte’s death on Christmas Eve came somewhat out of the blue.

He started as one of the band’s road crew and took over guitar and keyboard duties in 1990.

This is a single from their first album with him as full member, Wish, and was a no 8 in 1992.

The Cure: High

Perry Archangelo Bamonte: 3/9/1960 – 24/12/2025. So it goes.

They’re coming thick and fast.

Raul Malo of US band The Mavericks died earlier this month, but his obituary was only in the Guardian last week.

I featured their biggest UK hit, the joyous Dance the Night Away (a no 4 in 1998,) here.

This one (ther second biggest) reached no 27 later that year.

The Mavericks: I’ve Got This Feeling

Raul Francisco Martínez-Malo: 7/8/1965 – December 8/12/2025. So it goes.

Blur’s first top ten hit. It reminded me of early Pink Floyd.

Blur: There’s No Other Way

One of the quirkier songs of the 90s.  A no 1 in 1997. It would have been a one hit wonder but for the fact its follow-up Undressed made it to the dizzy heights of no 57 later the same year.

White Town: Your Woman

I heard this again on the radio last week so was reminded of it. From their breakthrough LP Moseley Shoals, it was the band’s first top 20 UK hit.

Ocean Colour Scene: The Riverboat Song

The first single from the band’s breakthrough album The Man Who.

Fran Healy looks impossibly young in this official video.

Travis: Writing to Reach You

Moloko’s first hit (from 1999.) This song only made no. 45 on first release but after a remix it reached the dizzy heights of no. 4. Not as high as the follow up The Time Is Now; but that was in 2000.

Moloko: Sing it Back

Between 1995 and 1999 Liverpool band Cast had ten top twenty hits in the Uk. This is the one I remember most.

Cast: Walkaway

I don’t know what it is about this song that speaks to me. I just like it.

Bryan Adams: When You’re Gone (featuring Melanie C)

Surprisingly (to me anyway) this song was a bigger hit than their first single All You Good Good People. No 6 in 1997.

Embrace: Come Back to What You Know