Peak UK Chart Position: #23 in May 1998.

On the birthday list for February 8th are:

• Vince Neil – born Vincent Neil Wharton, in Hollywood, California, United States – singer/songwriter/musician, turns 56 today (as lead singer of Mötley Crüe: “You’re All I Need” UK #23 in 1988, “Girls Girls Girls” UK #26/US #12 in 1987; solo: “You’re Invited (But Your Friend Can’t Come)” UK #63 in 1992)
• Joshua Kadison – born in Los Angeles, California, United States – singer/songwriter, is 54 today (“Jessie” UK #15 in 1995, “Beautiful In My Eyes” UK #37 in 1995)
• Guy-Manuel – born Guillaume Emmanuel de Homem-Christo, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, France – singer/songwriter/musician/record producer/DJ/film director, turns 43 today (as one half of Daft Punk: “Get Lucky” with Pharrell Williams UK #1 in 2013, “One More Time” UK #2 in 2000; with The Weeknd: “Starboy” UK #2 in 2016)

Last, but by no means least, is Tjinder Singh – born Tjinder Singh Nurpuri, in Wolverhampton, England – who celebrates his 49th birthday today. He and Ben Ayres are the two members of the group Cornershop to have been with the group constantly since inception in 1991. The band name originated from a stereotype referring to British Asians often owning corner shops, and their debut release, the “In The Days of Ford Cortina EP”, was pressed on “curry-coloured vinyl”. The track “Brimful of Asha” topped the legendary Festive 50 rundown of DJ John Peel’s tracks of the year in 1997, but it was a remix by Norman Cook, under his Fatboy Slim alias, that would top the chart early in 1998.

“Sleep On The Left Side” was the follow-up, only managing one week in the top forty, but with an instrumental version heard most weekdays up until 2004 on Radio 1 courtesy of Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley, who used it as backing music for links on their show. Here’s a live version as performed on series 1 episode 4 of Channel 4’s ‘The Jo Whiley Show’ from 1998.