In September 1985, "The Canberra Times" Paul Gardiner, "Rolling Stone"s Jane Gardiner and Toby Creswell predicted in "The Next Big Thing" that Kids in the Kitchen would be more prominent in the next five years. They were described as one of the "bands which attract support as either middling bands on the way up or potential big bands". Carne joined as guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins late in 1985, for a cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", a charity project for research on fairy penguins, which peaked at No. 10 in December.