Kim Wilde

In the late 70s, veteran rocker Marty Wilde had the idea of co-writing songs with his failed pop star son, Ricky, for his not-unattractive daughter Kim. Their jumping off point was a collision of synth pop and New Wave entitled Kids In America (1981). 

It launched a run of hits; Chequered Love, Water On Glass, View From A Bridge and the deliriously weird Cambodia in which Kim sang about the micro-sociological effects of US foreign policy. Her second technofied phase (see 1986's You Keep Me Hanging On) wasn't nearly as interesting.

Julie Burchill once said Kim Wilde had a mouth "like a bruised vulva" . . . and who are we to argue? Pasty-faced Brits love songs about the USA - especially when sung by a sultry blonde in one of Debbie Harry's old T-Shirts.