C'était un

C'est un 14 juillet 1992 qu'Olivia Newton-John annonçait à la presse qu'elle avait un cancer au sein.

On July 14, 1992, Olivia announced to the world that she had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.

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- Kay au rapport

In 1988 Olivia had her last Solo-Hit on the german Charts with "The Rumour". Luckily she came over to promote the Song and Album in Germany, France, Great Britain and Scandinavia.

She even appeared on the famous german Game Show "Wetten Dass", which helped catapulting the Song onto the german Hot 100 (Chart Position # 36). Thanks to Elton John's popularity over here the Song and Video were well promoted on TV and Radio Stations. My Parents even tried to get myself in touch with Olivia through their Connections to Phonogram. Unfortunately Olivia's schedule was to packed they've refused to get an Appointment in for me. (Sigh!)
August 1988 I already saw myself working at my Father's Record Store and I was kneen on getting Olivia's new Album sold. Phonogram/Mercury, Olivia's then Record Company in Europe (their Master Office was placed in Hamburg) did some funny and great promotional Gimmicks to underline "The Rumour" for Music Retailers.
When the Single came out they've sent a little red one-way Camera with the lettering as it appears on the Single and the Album. After the Single charted I was really curious if Phonogram were going to release another Single.

I phoned them up to get any Info, but unfortunately the Guy on the other End of the Phone told me that there was no other Release planned for the german Market. But: shortly before Christmas 1988 Phonogram presented their Retailers a pink Scarf with the lettering of the aussie 7" of "Can't we talk it over in bed", including a Letter saying: "Thank you very much for helping become >The Rumour< an instant Success. Merry Christmas"!

My Dad had fine Connections to Record Companies back then and he managed to get the VHS Press-Kit for the Album, which later appeared on an Only Olivia tapetree DVD.

Those same Interview segments were used for the very rare "Olivia talks about The Rumour" promotional Interview CD, which appears pretty rarely nowadays.

The sound quality isn't the very best, but it's still a nice Gemm that Fans chase after. It was certainly a different Time and definitely we had no Internet or Access to digital Media. My late friend "O" and I visited Marion S., who was co-Leader of the german Olivia Fan-Club "Desperate Times", in Frankfurt. We had a great Time flicking through her Collection and chatting about Olivia's Music and the upcoming TV Special "Olivia Down Under", of which Marion managed to get a Preview for us.

Although I sometimes regret having sold many of my Collector's items I have kept the Photos we took in Frankfurt in 1988 with that legendary "The Rumour" one-way Camera !

KAY.