Kim Wilde
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kim Wilde | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kim Smith |
| Born | November 18, 1960 |
| Origin | Chiswick, West London, England |
| Genre(s) | Pop, New wave, Rock, Dance |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, Songwriter |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Label(s) | RAK Records, MCA Records, EMI |
| Website | www.kimwilde.com |
Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith, November 18, 1960 in Chiswick, West London) is an English pop singer, professional gardener and pop cultural figure.
She burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the new wave classic "Kids in America", which hit number two in the UK Singles Chart. Major U.S. success eluded her until 1987, when she topped the charts with her version of The Supremes "You Keep Me Hangin' On".
Since 1998 she's had an alternative career as a gardener, while still being active in music.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Wilde was the first child of 1950s rock 'n' roller Marty Wilde (real name Reginald Smith) and Joyce Baker, formerly of the British singing and dancing group The Vernons Girls.
As a child, she attended Oakfield Preparatory School, Dulwich. She moved with her family to Hertfordshire at the age of nine, where she was educated at Tewin School and later Presdales School, Ware, before completing a foundation course at St Albans College of Art & Design in 1980. [1]
In 1980, at age twenty, Wilde was signed to Mickie Most's RAK Records.
[edit] The RAK years
Wilde exploded onto the music scene with her debut single "Kids in America" in January 1981. It was an instant success, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart and scaling the Top 5 in other important markets such as Germany, France and Australia[2]. Although it achieved only moderate success in the U.S., peaking at number 25 when belatedly released in 1982, it is regarded today as Wilde's signature song and a classic of its era.
Her debut album Kim Wilde repeated the success of the single, spawning two further hits in "Chequered Love" (Top 10 in the UK, Australia and Germany) and the UK-only single "Water on Glass". It was followed in 1982 by another million selling album, Select, led by the synthesizer-driven mid tempo hymn "Cambodia" and the melodramatic second single "View From a Bridge". Both were Top 10 hits in Germany and Australia. In France, "Cambodia" topped the charts for 8 weeks[1].
At the time there was some controversy about Kim's hesitation to do live concerts [3]. Her first concerts in September 1982 took place in Denmark [4], before embarking on a UK-wide tour in October [5].
The relative failure of Wilde's 1983 single "Love Blonde" and third album, Catch As Catch Can, led her to leave RAK and sign with MCA Records in the summer of 1984 — effectively ending the first period of her career.
[edit] The MCA years
Her first MCA album Teases & Dares produced two moderate hits, "The Second Time" and the rockabilly "Rage to Love", which was a UK Top 20 hit in 1985.
All Wilde's songs up to this point, including all her major hits, had been written by her father Marty and brother, Ricki Wilde. On "Teases & Dares", she began contributing herself to the writing, penning two songs on her own. On her fifth album, 1986's Another Step, Wilde wrote or co-wrote most of the songs.
The album's lead single "Schoolgirl" flopped in Europe and Australia — but Wilde's fortunes improved in spectacular fashion with the album's second single, a remake of the Supremes classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On". After topping the charts in Australia and Canada and peaking at number two in the UK, it became her first U.S. number one single in 1987. With that hit, she became the fifth U.K. solo female artist to ever top the U.S. Hot 100, following Petula Clark, Lulu, Sheena Easton, and Bonnie Tyler.[6] No British woman would top the US chart for over 21 years, until Leona Lewis did in March 2008 with Bleeding Love.[6][7] Wilde later admitted "not knowing the song terribly well" beforehand: "Basically we just went into the studio with a lot of energy and not a lot of reverence. We changed quite a lot of the song and I think that's why it was so successful. It was a very spontaneous idea."[2]
Further hits followed with "Another Step (Closer to You)" (recorded with Junior), "Say You Really Want Me" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (a charity single, recorded with comedian Mel Smith).
In 1988, Wilde released her biggest selling album to date, Close, which spent almost eight months on the UK album chart. It produced three Top 10 hits: "You Came", "Never Trust a Stranger" and "Four Letter Word". The release of the album coincided with a tour of Europe, where she was the opening act for Michael Jackson during his Bad tour. Although she only met Jackson once to pose for a promotion photo [8], the opportunity to tour with the biggest pop star of that time made a positive impact on her career.
Wilde released the album Love Moves in 1990. The album attempted to capitalize on the success of Close, but although it was a Top 10 hit in loyal Scandinavian countries, it failed to sell as strongly as its predecessor and only spawned one minor hit, "It's Here". She toured Europe again, this time opening for fellow Briton David Bowie.
A collaboration with Rick Nowels, songwriter for Belinda Carlisle, resulted in the guitar-driven pop of the single "Love Is Holy" and the album Love Is (1992). In 1993, she released her first official compilation album and the dancefloor-influenced "If I Can't Have You" (a cover of the Yvonne Elliman (Bee Gees written) song from the film Saturday Night Fever).
From February 1996 to February 1997, Wilde appeared in London's West End production of the musical, Tommy, .
[edit] Personal Life and other interests
During the 1980s, Wilde was romantically linked with saxophonist Gary Barnacle and keyboardist Calvin Hayes of Johnny Hates Jazz. In 1993 Wilde was also seeing TV presenter Chris Evans [9]. On September 1, 1996, Wilde married her co-star in Tommy, Hal Fowler, and expressed a desire to have children as soon as possible.[10] On January 3, 1998 she gave birth to Harry Tristan [11]. Two years later, on January 13, 2000, Rose Elisabeth was born [12] [13].
During her first pregnancy an old interest in gardening resurfaced, and she attended the famous Capel Manor college to learn about horticulture, so as to create a garden for her children. She was spotted by talent scouts of the UK television station, Channel 4, who asked her to act as a designer for their programme Better Gardens. [14] A year later she started a two year commitment with the BBC, recording two seasons of Garden Invaders. [15] In 2005 she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at the Royal Horticultural Society's, Chelsea Flower Show [16].
Her first book about gardening was published in 2005, entitled Gardening with Children. The second book followed in April 2006, entitled The First-time Gardener. Translations of the first book were released at the same time in Spain, France, Denmark and The Netherlands, and later in Germany.
As of 2008, her brother Marty Wilde jr. is a landscape gardener and her sister, Roxanne, is a backing singer for Kylie Minogue.[17]
[edit] Return to pop
On January 13, 2001 she performed live for the first time in years, as a guest star in a show by ABBA tribute band, Fabba, for a local charity. This sparked her interest in performing live again. Since November 2001, she has toured the UK three times (and once in Australia during 2003) as part of the "Here & Now Tour", an Eighties revival concert series, together with artists such as Paul Young, The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, Howard Jones and Five Star.
New music also followed: in 2001 she recorded a new track, "Loved", for a compilation album which became a surprise hit in Belgium, and in 2003 she had pan-European success with Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime, a duet with another 1980s pop star, German singer Nena.
In 2006 Wilde signed a new record deal with EMI Germany and released the first single from her tenth studio album in many countries across Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. "You Came 2006" charted well in most of these countries and becoming her biggest solo hit in Germany since 1988. The album Never Say Never includes eight new tracks plus five completely re-worked previous hits of hers and has charted well in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany (where her profile has remained high since the duet with Nena). There are no plans at the moment to release the album in her home country. The second single from the album, which was voted for by fans on her official website was "Perfect Girl", released in November 2006, it did spend nine weeks in the German singles top 100. A third single "Together We Belong" was released in March 2007. A fourth single from Never Say Never was released in Germany in August 2007. The song "Baby Obey Me" was released in a remixed version with added raps by the German rapper Ill Inspecta.
[edit] Impact
Kim Wilde holds the record for being the most-charted British solo female act of the 1980s.
In France, she was known as the "Brigitte Bardot of Rock" and her song "Cambodia" sold over a million copies. In 1985, French singer Laurent Voulzy paid tribute to Wilde in his song "Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde" (Nights Without Kim Wilde); Wilde made a cameo appearance in the song's music video.
Germany and Switzerland were also big fans, and she sold very well in Australia right up until If I Can't Have You (#3 in 1994, going platinum), with the compilation album The Singles Collection 1981-1993 reaching the Top 10.
The Americans took an interest in 1987, making You Keep me Hangin' On a number one hit. Indeed, most of her achievements were made in the 1980s and some of her songs from this period became international standards.
Her second career as a gardener has been equally successful, having received many accolades within only five years as a serious gardener, including a Gold at the 2005 Chelsea Flower Show. She also held an entry in the book of Guinness World Records for successfully moving and replanting the world's largest tree with fellow horticulturist Dave Fountain. [18] Unfortunately the tree was blown away by a storm in January 2007. [19]
[edit] Awards
- 1983 BRIT Awards - Best British female solo artist
- 1993 Bambi Award for "The Singles Collection"
- 1996 RSH-GOLD Female Classic of 1995
- Bravo Otto
Golden Otto Best Singer 1981
Silver Otto Second Best Singer 1982
Golden Otto Best Singer 1983
Golden Otto Best Singer 1984
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- Wilde's least known commercially released song is a track called "Turn it On", which was recorded in 1984 and can only be found on the soundtrack for the film Weird Science. It was not released as a single and has not been transferred onto CD yet.
- Wilde's video for "The Second Time" appeared in an episode of the 1980s TV hit Knight rider in 1985. [20].
- She appeared on The Day Today condemning the clamping of homeless people asleep on the streets [21].
- Wilde completed a whole album in 1998 which never saw the light of day. Very little is known about the project other than it was rumoured to be a return to her rock-pop musical beginnings and was shelved after difficulties over ownership rights between the Wilde camp and one of the album's collaborators. Rumour has it that recordings from this album cannot be released without the permission of this person and therefore may never be heard by the public. Wilde mentioned the un-named project was 'close to completion' in a light-hearted interview with columnist Nina Myskow earlier in '98 and that it would be released at a later date, preferably after she had lost some weight (after having had her first child that January) [22]. In 2001 she was asked on a live online chat with fans if the album would be released soon, but the response was vague [23]. No mention of it was heard again until Wilde recalled it during an interview for Record Collector in 2005 [24].
- "Kids in America" is featured in the 2002 PlayStation 2 videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as part of the ingame New Wave radio station Wave 103.
- Kim Wilde has been featured for a number of years on adverts for the highstreet health food shop Holland & Barrett.
- She is also mentioned as a contact on Brian's phone on the UK TV Series Teachers.
[edit] Collaborations
- She duetted with the French living legend Johnny Halliday and with famous composer and singer Michel Berger, both on French TV.
- Wilde provided backing vocals for Johnny Hates Jazz on their 1987 hit "Turn Back the Clock" and on two songs of their second album Tall Stories (1991).
- In 1987 she recorded "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", a bit of seasonal trumpery, together with comedian Mel Smith for Comic Relief.
- She appeared in various songs that were recorded for charity: "Something Better" for the Anti-Heroin Project (1986), "Let It Be" by Ferry Aid (1987) and "Spirit of the Forest" for the project of the same name (1989).
- In 2002 she contributed vocals to the song "You and me" by German band Readymade.
- Her duet with Nena, "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" was a major hit in various European countries, hitting the No.1 spot in the Netherlands and Austria, and No.3 in Germany respectively in 2003.
- In 2005 a white label remix of the classic song You Came was made by Groovenut, to be released as "Love You More" by Groovenut vs. Kim Wilde. However, this track never made it to a commercial release. In 2006 Groovenut were approached to remix the new release of "You Came", the resulting track was included on the single as "You Came (Groovenut Remix)".
- Kim sang the track "I Got You Babe" together with Ali Campbell from UB40 live on stage in Brussels during the Stars Of Europe concert on March 24, 2007. She did the same a year later, on April 3, 2008, during Ali's one night only concert at Royal Albert Hall in London.
[edit] Kim Wilde as an inspiration for other artists
- In 1985, French singer Laurent Voulzy released successfully the song "Les nuits sans Kim Wilde" ("Nights without Kim Wilde") in France. He apparently wrote the song after seeing Wilde on television and finding himself totally fascinated by her image. Wilde heard the recording, and finally agreed to sing a few lines on the song herself.
- In 1991,English punk rock band Toy Dolls recorded parody of "The Kids in America" called "The Kids in Tyne and Wear" on their seventh studio album, "Fat Bob's Feet"
- Ash ex-guitarist, Charlotte Hatherley, wrote a song about her, entitled "Kim Wilde", in 2004 and included it on her debut album Grey Will Fade.
- Sandra Caldarone, a Belgian singer named herself Sandra Kim, after Kim Wilde. Sandra Kim won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986 with "J'aime la Vie".
- East German punk rock band Feeling B made a song called "Kim Wilde", which can be found on their debut album.
- In her world-renowned graphic novel Persepolis, Iranian cartoonist Marjane Satrapi has a comic strip titled Kim Wilde. In it the main character Marji, a young Iranian girl, sings "Kids in America" in the streets of the Iranian capital. Also, when her parents go in holiday in Turkey, they buy a poster of Kim Wilde and smuggle it in Tehran for Marji. Marji pins the poster on her bedroom's wall and practices walkings and postures à la Kim Wilde.
[edit] Kim Wilde covering other artists
Wilde has recorded nine cover versions, four of them being released as singles (see discography)
- "Putty in Your Hands" (1984) - previously sung by The Shirelles and later The Yardbirds.
- "You Keep me Hangin' On" (1986) - previously sung by The Supremes.
- "Lucky Guy" (1988) - previously sung by Todd Rundgren.
- "If I Can't Have You" (1993) - previously sung by Yvonne Elliman.
- "Shame" (1996) - previously sung by Evelyn 'Champagne' King.
- "Because the Night" (1998) - Written by Bruce Springsteen, performed by Patti Smith Group and later covered by 10,000 Maniacs.
- "Born to be Wild" (2002) - previously sung by Steppenwolf.
- "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" (Marty Wilde and Kim Wilde), (2007) - previously sung by Elton John
- "Enjoy the Silence" (2007) (Live recording issued on cd-single only.) - previously sung by Depeche Mode.
[edit] Kim Wilde covered by other artists
Many artists around the world have done cover versions of Kim Wilde songs, ranging from pop and rock to dance and death metal versions. In 2000, Canadian band Len covered Wilde's song "Kids In America" for the Digimon Soundtrack. Tiffany American Pop Singer recorded a version of "Kids In America" in 2007 for her album "I Think We're Alone Now: '80s Hits and More". Other famous artists to cover Kim Wilde songs are Apoptygma Berzerk, Atomic Kitten, Bloodhound Gang, James Last and Lasgo - to name but a few.
[edit] Discography
Notes: U.S. top data: for singles from Billboard Hot 100, for albums from Billboard 200; UK top data for singles and albums from UK Singles Chart.
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label | UK | U.S. | GER | AUS | Worldwide sales [citation needed] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Kim Wilde | RAK Records | 3 | 86 | 1 | 25 | 1.3 million |
| 1982 | Select | RAK Records | 19 | - | 4 | 8 | 1.1 million |
| 1983 | Catch As Catch Can | RAK Records | 90 | - | 23 | 97 | |
| 1984 | Teases & Dares | MCA Records | 66 | 84 | 22 | - | |
| 1986 | Another Step | MCA Records | 73 | 40 | 42 | 31 | 1.2 million |
| 1988 | Close | MCA Records | 8 | 114 | 10 | 82 | 2.0 million |
| 1990 | Love Moves | MCA Records | 37 | - | 24 | - | |
| 1992 | Love Is | MCA Records | 21 | - | 42 | 95 | |
| 1995 | Now & Forever / Breaking Away | MCA Records | 114 | - | 68 | - | |
| 2006 | Never Say Never | EMI | - | - | 17 | - |
[edit] Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Label | UK | U.S. | GER | AUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Very Best of Kim Wilde | RAK | 78 | - | 61 | 13 |
| 1993 | The Singles Collection 1981-1993 | MCA Records | 11 | - | 21 | 6 |
| 1993 | The Remix Collection | Alex Records | - | - | - | 64 |
| 1993 | Love Blonde - The Best of Kim Wilde | EMI France | - | - | - | - |
| 1995 | The Originals | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | The Best Of | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | The Gold Collection - Greatest Hits | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 | More of the Best | Disky Communications | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 | Original Gold: Kim Wilde | Disky | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 | Original Gold | Original Gold | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 | Greatest Hits | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 | Love Blonde | Pinnacle | - | - | - | - |
| 2000 | Kim Wilde Collection | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 2001 | The Very Best of Kim Wilde | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 2001 | The Collection | EMI | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 | Rough & Tough: Best of Kim Wilde | EMI/EMI Plus | - | - | - | - |
| 2002 | Now & Forever: Single Collection | Universal | - | - | - | - |
| 2004 | Best of Kim Wilde | Disky | - | - | - | - |
| 2004 | The Divine | Disky | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 | The Ultra Selection | Disky Communications | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 | Best 1200 | Universal | - | - | - | - |
| 2006 | The Hits Collection | EMI | - | - | - | - |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | UK | US | GER | SUI | DK | SE | BE | AUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "Kids in America" | 2 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 1981 | "Chequered Love" | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 1981 | "Water on Glass" | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1981 | "Cambodia" | 12 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 1982 | "View From a Bridge" | 16 | - | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 1982 | "Child Come Away" | 43 | - | 36 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 76 |
| 1983 | "Love Blonde" | 23 | - | 26 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 32 |
| 1983 | "Dancing in the Dark" | 67 | - | 26 | 9 | 3 | - | 11 | - |
| 1984 | "House of Salome" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | "The Second Time" (U.S. title: "Go for It") | 29 | 65 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 16 | - |
| 1984 | "The Touch" | 56 | - | 29 | - | 15 | - | 20 | - |
| 1985 | "Rage to Love" | 19 | - | 45 | - | - | - | - | 94 |
| 1986 | "Schoolgirl" | - | - | 38 | - | 11 | - | - | - |
| 1986 | "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 3 | - | 13 | 1 |
| 1987 | "Another Step (Closer to You)" | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 88 |
| 1987 | "Say You Really Want Me" | 29 | 44 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1987 | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (with Mel Smith) | 3 | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - |
| 1988 | "Hey Mister Heartache" | 31 | - | 13 | 12 | 12 | - | - | 96 |
| 1988 | "You Came" | 3 | 41 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 34 |
| 1988 | "Never Trust a Stranger" | 7 | - | 11 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 4 | - |
| 1988 | "Four Letter Word" | 6 | - | 27 | 18 | - | - | 11 | - |
| 1989 | "Love in the Natural Way" | 32 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1990 | "It's Here" | 42 | - | 21 | 14 | - | 13 | 23 | - |
| 1990 | "Time" | 71 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1990 | "Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)" | - | - | 58 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1990 | "World in Perfect Harmony" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1990 | "I Can't Say Goodbye" | 51 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1992 | "Love Is Holy" | 16 | - | 42 | 13 | 12 | 39 | 20 | 29 |
| 1992 | "Heart Over Mind" | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1992 | "Who Do You Think You Are" | 49 | - | 58 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1992 | "Million Miles Away" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1993 | "If I Can't Have You" | 12 | - | 51 | 18 | 3 | 24 | 7 | 3 |
| 1993 | "In My Life" | 54 | - | 78 | - | - | - | - | 78 |
| 1994 | "Kids in America 1994" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1995 | "Breakin' Away" | 43 | - | 79 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | "This I Swear" | 46 | - | 91 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | "Shame" | 86 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2001 | "Loved" | - | - | - | 68 | - | 45 | 7 | - |
| 2002 | "Born to Be Wild" | - | - | 84 | 71 | - | - | - | - |
| 2003 | "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" (with Nena) | - | - | 3 | 9 | 19 | - | 2 | - |
| 2006 | "You Came 2006" | - | - | 20 | 19 | - | 25 | 33 | - |
| 2006 | "Perfect Girl" | - | - | 52 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007 | "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (with Marty Wilde) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007 | "Together We Belong" | - | - | 107 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007 | "Baby Obey Me" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
[edit] Books
[edit] Gardening with children
Kim Wilde's first book was written in 2004 and released on April 4, 2005 by Collins publishers. The book contains many projects for getting - and keeping - kids interested in the outdoors. Along with guidelines for safety in the garden there are ideas for maintaining a child's attention span throughout the gardening process, which can be slow. Illustrated step-by-step projects range from creative ways to plant, such as rainbow and sensory gardens, to making scarecrows, wormeries and tile mosaics.
[edit] The First-time Gardener
Written in 2005 and released on April 3, 2006 by Collins publishers, The First-Time Gardener is Kim Wilde's beginner's guide to gardening. The book tells all about the basics of gardening. The book assumes no prior knowledge and takes the reader through the basics of planning a garden, choosing plants and turning your ideas into reality - including how to make the most of climbers, containers, and hanging baskets. Not all gardens should be created from scratch, as per the TV makeovers. In fact, if you can wait a while to see what happens in your new garden, then you may find you've inherited some weird and wonderful plants. Kim explains how to make the most of your garden - any garden, even if your basic knowledge is limited or non-existent.
[edit] Gardens
Kim Wilde has designed and created numerous gardens during her involvement in the Better Gardens and Garden Invaders TV programmes and commissioned by individuals and organizations. She has also created gardens for Flower Shows across the UK, a few of them are described here.
[edit] All about Alice (2001)
Kim Wilde and David Fountain designed and created 'All about Alice' for the 2001 Tatton Flower Show, 18 to 22 July 2001. The garden represented the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The garden was built on two levels, with a large gnarled oak tree as its centrepiece displaying a carving of Cheshire Cat. The lower level of the garden contained a grotto, with tapered walls to give the impression of the room becoming smaller, like the rabbit hole down which Alice tumbled to her adventures. A maze of tall, clipped hornbeam enclosed contorted mirrors to add to the sense of distortion. Throughout the garden, scale was increased or decreased and the planting was wild and unkempt, in keeping with Alice's confusion during her strange experiences. The upper level of the garden represented four stories taken from Alice's adventures. The Mad Hatter's tea party amongst wild woodland planting was littered with crockery and a top hat carved from tree trunks. The Queen's croquet lawn was set in a wild flower meadow. The figures of the Queen, King and a pawn stood on a chessboard of grass and water, which was surrounded by playing cards from the four suits, created from clipped box trees. This garden was awarded the 'Best Show Garden' award. [25]
[edit] The Cumbrian Fellside Garden (2005)
Kim Wilde and Richard Lucas designed and created 'The Cumbrian Fellside Garden' for the 2005 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London. This romantic Cumbrian Garden was inspired by the gently sloping landscapes of the Lake District. A constant trickle of water is guided gently through the garden by a rill, providing a simple and relaxing feature. The rear of the garden is still mostly wild, with nature being held back in its attempt to reclaim its former territory. Wild flowers grow in the long grass and in crevices within the dry stone walls. The front of the garden is romantically planted with Aquilegia, Geranium, Linaria and Astrantia. Natural Cumbrian slates are put to use, both as flagstones and to retain the wildflower bank while a narrow pathway leads out of the garden over a stile and on to the fell side. [26] The garden won a Gold medal and 'Best in show' in the Courtyard Gardens category, as well as the BBC RHS People's Award for small gardens. [16]
[edit] See also
- Best selling music artists - World's top-selling music artists chart.
- List of artists who reached number one in Ireland
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (United States)
- List of British Females who reached number one on the Hot 100 (United States)
[edit] References
- ^ The Official Fan Club for Kim Wilde Introductory Booklet, 1981, page 4
- ^ David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W.
- ^ Kim Wilde taking different route to top : Word-of-mouth, Personal Promotions, Not Live Shows build sales, Billboard (USA), September 19, 1981
- ^ 1200 Wild Wilde-friends, Sjællands Tidende (Denmark), September 11, 1982
- ^ Finally: Kim on tour, Veronica (Netherlands), October 2, 1982
- ^ a b BBC America, March 29, 2008
- ^ Kim Wilde thrilled for Leona Welwyn & Hatfield Times 28 March, 2008
- ^ Wilde and Wacko!, No. 1 (UK), July 30, 1988
- ^ Kiss Evans: Clinch that launched TV's hottest romance, The Sun (UK), November 22, 1993
- ^ Here Kims the bride - Daily Mirror (UK), September 2, 1996
- ^ Kim Wilde gets a son, Haagsche Courant (Netherlands), January 5, 1998
- ^ Kim's latest Wilde child, Daily Mirror (UK), January 15, 2000
- ^ Kim Wilde, the former pop star and her actor husband Hal introduce new baby Rose at their home in Hertfordshire, OK! (UK), February 18, 2000
- ^ Former pop star and 'Better Gardens' presenter Kim Wilde is photographed in the grounds of Capel Manor, OK! (UK), May 26, 2000
- ^ Kim invades your garden starting April 30th!, Wilde Life website, May 5, 2001
- ^ a b Singer Kim Wilde wins garden gold, BBC website, May 24, 2005
- ^ "Diarmuid Gavin, Kim Wilde". Ready, Steady, Cook. 2008-05-19.
- ^ Tree record deal for ex-pop star - Manchester Evening News (UK), January 19, 2001
- ^ Blown away - This is Cheshire website (UK), January 25, 2007
- ^ Wilde Life Encyclopedia
- ^ Wilde Life website: TV
- ^ I didn't know that alcohol was fattening until I was 28. I liked wine too much - News of the World, 1998
- ^ Freeserve Online Chat, March 11, 2001
- ^ Wilde Thing - Record Collector, February 1, 2005
- ^ All about Alice, kimwildegardens.com website
- ^ The Cumbrian Fellside Garden, kimwildegardens.com website
[edit] External links
- KimWilde.com - Official website
- Wilde Life - Official fansite
- Wilde Life on YouTube - Video documentaries about Kim Wilde
- Kim Wilde at MySpace
- Kim Wilde Gardening - Kim Wilde's horticultural career
- Kim Wilde 80s Videos @ My80s.biz
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Smith, Kim |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Wilde, Kim |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | English pop singer, professional gardener and pop cultural figure |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1960-11-18 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Chiswick, West London, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
