You have to cast your minds back to 1993 to remember when we last saw, let alone heard of WENDY JAMES. The much publicized Solo Album written for WENDY JAMES by Elvis Costello "NOW AIN'T THE TIME FOR YOUR TEARS", unfortunately came and went. There were three singles taken from "NOW AIN'T THE TIME", The first being THE NAMELESS ONE. This was an excellent Debut Solo single, paying homage to such celebrities as Lesley-Anne Down, Alma Cogan, even Luke and Matt Goss, (those lovely BROS boys got a name check.) Sadly this Great song only reached a low chart position which wasn't helped by the lack of airplay. It seemed that Steve Wright of Radio One was the only D.J. playing the song. Cheers then Wrightey..................The video was set in a nightclub with WENDY being dwarved, let alone surrounded, by glamorous men in skirts and other slinky outfit. WENDY openly admitted that they were in face the "stars" of the Video. For once upstage and for the first time overdressed. Even so WENDY looked stunning all in black, bright blue eyes and most important of all she still had "that" blonde hair.....

LONDON'S BRILLIANT followed, it wasn't too long before the Music Press were pointing out to the world how similar the song was to "Clash City Rockers" by the Clash, obviously. Considering both Joe Strummer and Mick Jones feature in the lyrics to LONDON'S BRILLIANT why the suprise in the similarity? Besides the Clash were one of WENDY'S favourite bands of all time. Joe Strummer often being quoted as a mentor of hers in many an interview.

The song itself was all about the everyday Ups and Downs of living in London, many which WENDY had experienced herself.

The Video was directed by Jan Klein and produced by Juliet Naylor. The Video was filmed in black and white. It features WENDY walking in and around Ladbrooke Grove, as a montage with Past and Present similes of London Life. Needless to say T.V. coverage was practically non-existent, even on Satelite T.V.

The third and last single was DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? Had I not been mooching aimlessly around Virgin Megastore in June 1993, I'd have never know it had been released.

Again Radio airplay and T.V. coverage was minimal to say the least. The song itself was a change in style for WENDY, from her usual single releases. It appears to be a ballard close to her heart including such lines as "THE PAST PRIMA DONNA IN BUTTONS AND BELLS WAS SPEAKING WHAT'S LEFT ON HER MIND AS THE AUDIENCE REBELLED".

The Video featured WENDY on stage in an empty nightclub. The only time I got to see this Video was on Cable T.V. on a channel where you can request your favourite Video. I got it played consecutively four times. Pure Bliss, eh!?

Imagine being locked in a house somewhere in Darkest Cyberspace, not exactly Shepherds Bush, but then again not Stoke on Trent (said like Mystic Meg) ....

Anyway.....You're locked in this house with only a HI'FI as your companion.

Our first visitor to the "WENDY" House is A.C. CLINTON from Dublin.

Hey, A.C. what are your favourite "WENDY" tracks?

1* Sweet Thing............(B-side, and greatly underestimated)
2* W11 Blues...............(B-side which should have been on Album)
3* Revolution Baby......(1st single version)
4* Hanging out with Halo Jones..............(Album track)
5* Sister Moon.............(works best when viewed with Video)
6* Bad Valentine.........(released as fan club single..could have charted)
7* Landslide of Love...(works better without Video)
8* Born To Be Sold.....(perfect combination of Video & Song)
9* Baby I Don't Care...(the song which just walks out of shops)
10* Kiss Their Sons....(very cheeky Lou Reed rip off!!!!)
11* (I Just Wanna) B With U................(should have gone Top 10)
12* Every Little Thing..(Album track, should have been a single)
13* Pressure Times....(Album track, should have been 3rd single)
14* Only A Fool...........(B-side, better as an A-side)
15* Never A Stranger.(B-side, also better as an A-side)

THE NAMELESS ONE

Released in two CD's, cassette & 7"

CD ONE

The Nameless One (Costello)
* I Just Don't Want It Anymore (James)
* May I Have Your Autograph? (James/Taylor)

CD TWO The Nameless One (Costello)
*Only A Fool (James)
* I Need You Now (James/Taylor)

LONDON'S BRILLIANT

Released in two C.D.'s, cassette & 12"

CD ONE

London's Brilliant (Costello/O'Riordan)
* To All Beginnings (James/Taylor)
* Never A Stranger (James/Taylor)

CD TWO

London's Brilliant (Costello/O'Riordan)
* My Ballard To 16th Street (James/Taylor)
* I Will Never Be Your Lover (James/Taylor)

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

Released in two C.D.'s & Cassette.

CD ONE

Do You Know What I'm Saying? (Costello)
* I Started A Lie (James/Taylor)
* The Reigning Beauty Queen (James/Taylor)

CD TWO

Do You Know What I'm Saying? (Costello)
* The Whole Damn Thing (James/Taylor)
* Sugar Takes Her Coffee Black (James/Taylor)

*PRODUCED BY WENDY JAMES

Sunday August 7th 1994. That's a day I won't forget in a hurry. Why not? Why not indeed. Well for a start only three days previously my father had died, he had been ill for some time, his sad and unfortunate death had been unexpected. I even dyed my blonde hair dark brown to justify my mood swing.

Steve and the girls decided I needed cheering up, so I was persuaded into a trip to London. We often go to London, Ladbroke Grove, Portabello Road in particular. We like to get away from the tourists in Windsor!

So off to London we went........................Mooching around the stalls had done the trick, I was feeling quite happy but not as happy as I was about to be.

We were just about to head off to get some lunch when Steve noticed a shock of ultrawhite/blonde hair. No, it couldn't be or could it? The person turned around, yes it was! There in all her splendor was WENDY JAMES. Our first sighting of the Great One since 1993. What should I do? Here I am in mourning and I'm face to face with the woman who adorns the walls of every room in our house, the person we've traveled the country to see seventeen times, one of the greatest people to walk on this planet.

As WENDY often said, "no pain, no gain," so I approached WENDY. I can't remember word for word but it went something like this.............. "Hi! WENDY. Is it okay to stop and say hello and have a little chat?"

WENDY looked quite pleased to see us. You could not help but notice her dazzling blue eyes. Steve commented on how well she looked. She then told us she'd had a heavy night. We asked her about her joining, "Wish You Were Here." The rumors were first in the tabloids, well one in particular anyway.

This was news to WENDY and quite a relief to us. Why would WENDY want to waste her talent on a show being Judith Chalmers sidekick?

Nick Christian Sayer, Dave Parsons and Tex are still very good friends with WENDY Dan they see each other quite regularly.

Although admitting the last year or so had been strange. WENDY had nothing but positive emotions for the future. Naming Velvet Underground, and the Rolling Stones as influences. WENDY spoke of her plans to record and tour, and was also very excited as she was going into the studio to record, the very next day.

We chatted for thirty minutes or so, we then said our goodbyes thanked WENDY, and headed on a high Camden Market.

WENDY JAMES is nothing like what the music press and media would like people to believe.....

"DON'T BELIEVE THE TYPE!!"

Since WENDY'S been away the music scene has not only lost a major charismatic personality, it has also plunged into a quagmire of girly-boy Troupes and jingly-jangly guitar 'cred' combos with imitation cockney accents, and female faceless 'punk' bands, guilty of blatant plagiarism which is a far cry from TRANSVISION VAMP'S hey days, where they were forever being slaughtered by the Music Press for 'stealing' riffs.

In our view, the sooner WENDY returns the World will be a better place.

As you may have read in the Music Press WENDY is now with One Little Indian Records, with the likes of Bjork adn the Shamen as label mates.

A single release is imminent, but as yet untitled. In our view the sooner it's release the better.

WENDY'S new Album was recorded at Pavillion Studios and re-mixed at Green Street, New York. Reports are that all tracks were written and produced by WENDY. Although an article in the Press stated that the Album was to be titled "Lies In Chinatown", it is not for definite as a few titles have been suggested. Again, we hope this will be released the long wait to see WENDY play live will hopefully be over.

We hope to have more information for you in issue 2.

Until then, Goodbye

We hope you enjoyed the Fanzine and this will be a vital part of your WENDY collection. We hope to publish 4 issues a year and value your comment and any contributions you'd like to send, which will gladly be accepted and possibly printed in future issues.

Send your contributions, wants, queries, etc...............to..........

WORLD OF WENDY
55, ALBERT STREET
WINDSOR
BERKS.,
SL4 5BT.
ENGLAND.

(page 18)

A BIG THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING................................

NETTY WALKER

DEREK BIRKETT AND ALL AT ONE LITTLE INDIAN

A. CLINTON

**DONNA HUGHES**

MY MUM AND SISTER, VICKY, FOR CHILD MINDING, WHILST DONNA AND MYSELF WERE OUT VAMPING!!!!

AND OF COURSE THE MUCH MISSED, BADLY NEEDED, TOTALLY BRILLIANT

WENDY!!!!!