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John Foxx compilations across the years Part 8

There was only the one compilation released in 2015, though it was announced by the Metamatic mailing list as being the first part of two. Specifically, ‘20th Century: The Noise’ was the first compilation to be released on the Metamatic label itself and noted as being “the first part of a double release to celebrate 35 years as a solo artist”. (The second part would be 2016’s ‘21st Century: A Man, A Woman And A City’, amongst other such releases that year, which we will of course come to in the next post in this series.)

John Foxx - 2015 - 20th Century - The Noise CD front cover design
^ John Foxx – 2015 – 20th Century – The Noise CD front cover design

‘20th Century: The Noise’ UK CD (Metamatic Records, META57CD, 2015)

An email from the Metamatic mailing list from 25 July 2015 noted that this compilation was released on Friday 24 July 2015 and that it featured 17 tracks, including the 2014 Metamatic re-masters (where relevant) and a new master of ‘No-One Driving’ (Single Version), as well as a previously unreleased track, ‘Musique Electron’, and rare variant (from a various artists compilation album) of a ‘Cathedral Oceans’ track, ‘Splendour’. With artwork by Barnbrook and images by John Foxx, it made for an attractive package, with the keen price point offer tempting for those exclusives.
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Year by Year: Cocteau Twins – 1989/1990

1989 was the first year in the band’s history that would see no significant new releases from them, with various album CD re-presses seemingly the only new product to emerge. No live work either – in fact, there had been no live appearances during 1987 or 1988 either – a three year gap, that would not be broken until late 1990. But the band were far from idle during the year. 1989 saw the band acquire and fit out their September Sound studio [1], the former Eel Pie studios owned by Pete Townshend, where in time they would record at their leisure and what was to be the venue where all the band’s subsequent albums would be recorded. 1989 was a significant year on a personal level for the band members too, with the birth of Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie’s daughter, Lucy  Belle, in September 1989. The month was also significant for Simon Raymonde, though of a sadder nature with the passing of his father, Ivor Raymonde, as detailed in his excellent and moving autobiography published earlier this year, ‘In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor and Me’. [2]

Cocteau Twins - various 1990 releases
^ Cocteau Twins – various 1990 releases

1990 by contrast was an extremely significant year, with the eventual release of ‘Heaven Or Las Vegas’, which would prove to be the band’s final new album recorded and released for the 4AD label and the work that many fans consider to be their finest album – and, by the latter quarter of 1990, a return to live touring once more, though with a significantly different band line up.

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Various Artists – ‘The Flashback Four – Hits and Rarities’ US Promo CD (Sire / Warner Bros Records / Reprise / Mute, PRO-CD-5930, 1992)

This curious little promo CD came to mind recently with the news that Talking Heads – a particular favourite of mine, for a certain period of their work at least – will be releasing a series of deluxe reissue sets that gather together the original albums plus various related recordings, starting with ‘Talking Heads: 77’, obviously enough. I must confess straight off the bat however, I find past re-issues of Talking Heads material a mixture of frustrating and essential. Frustrating because while previous re-issues did come with some bonus material, so many particular versions – those released on singles particularly – have either never been re-released digitally, or if they have been, are limited to downloads/streaming and only in restricted territories. For the essential examples, well… look no further than the Record Store Day release from earlier this year, the ‘Live at WCOZ 77’ live double album that captures the band in fine form (and some of which had been included on their fantastic 1982’ live double album ‘The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads’. Already, based on some of the music forum discussion so far, these releases likely have their work cut out to please all. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Various Artists - ‘The Flashback Four - Hits and Rarities’ US Promo CD front cover design
^ Various Artists – ‘The Flashback Four – Hits and Rarities’ US Promo CD front cover design

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Athletico Spizz 80 – ‘Central Park’ UK 7″ (A&M Records, AMS 7566, 1980)

‘Central Park’ was initially a non-album 7″ single release by Athletico Spizz 80 in late 1980. if you are not familiar with Atheltico Spizz 80 then you almost certainly be familiar with Spizzenergi and their single ‘Where’s Captain Kirk?’, as it was just about everywhere at one point – famously the very first chart topper of the indie charts, when launched in early 1980 (though that single’s release hailed from 1979).

Athletico Spizz 80 - 'Central Park' UK 7" front cover design
^ Athletico Spizz 80 – ‘Central Park’ UK 7″ front cover design

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