John Foxx compilations across the years Part 3

The third part of this series looking in depth at John Foxx compilations across the years moves on to 2001’s ‘Modern Art’ compilation CD that brought together a mixture of the familiar as well as some previously hard to find mixes and single edits to CD for the first time.

‘Modern Art – The Best of John Foxx’ UK compilation CD (Music Club, MCCD 454, 2001)

At the time of release, this was an invaluable compilation for Foxx completists since those who selected the tracks for the CD had looked out single edits / versions and promo-only mixes which had not had a release on CD format before. Coupled with some decent sleeve notes informed by a new interview with Foxx himself, this all added up to a decent, keenly priced overview of Foxx’s most popular works.

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Tracklist:

In some cases the tracklist as printed on the packaging indicates ‘single edit’, though I don’t think that this is strictly correct – such as ‘Burning Car’ which only ever was a single 7” version (until later 21st century era remixes came along). ‘Enter The Angel’ similarly seems to be the same length as the album.

1. Underpass (Single Edit) (3:18)
2. No-One Driving (Single Version) (3:42)
3. Burning Car (3:09)
4. 20th Century (3:02)
5. Miles Away (3:14)
6. Europe After The Rain (Single Edit) (3:35)
7. Dancing Like A Gun (Single Edit) (3:43)
8. Endlessly (Original 1982 Single Version) (3:46)
9. Your Dress (Single Edit) (3:59)
10. Like A Miracle (Promo DJ Edit)  (4:50)
11. Stars On Fire (Single Edit) (4:52)
12. Enter The Angel (3:58)
13. Sunset Rising (2:37)
14. The Noise (4:14)
15. Nightlife (5:47)
16. Shifting City (Live from Subterranean Omnidelic Exotour) (8:39)
17. My Face (3:21)
18. He’s A Liquid (Video / Promo 12” Mix) (3:06)

A lot of single edits and mixes to be found, so if that is your thing, this is the compilation for you.

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What is / was unique to this compilation?

At the time of release, most of the tracks were new to CD format due to the use of single edits and mixes, or were otherwise obscure. For example;

• This was the first time out on CD for ‘My Face’, it having been ignored as a contender as a bonus track on earlier CD re-issues.
• ‘Nightlife’ would become well known as a track on ‘The Pleasures of Electricity’, but that album was not yet available at the time of release of release of ‘Modern Art’ (which was 4th June 2001). Interestingly, the release date provided for ‘The Pleasures of Electricity’ is given as 15 September 2001, which was a Saturday and doesn’t fit in with the pattern of UK release days (which traditionally would be a Friday or Monday). I think this is because the CD went on sale at the merchandise stall of the John Foxx & Louis Gordon gig on Saturday 15th September at the Astoria 2 aka Mean Fiddler aka LA2. I was at the gig and can remember that the CDs had not been delivered to the venue when it opened and then the later excitement as they appeared, boxes opened and they went on sale!
• Interesting mixes previously only to be found on promo-only edition singles (or promo video) are ‘He’s A Liquid’ and ‘Like A Miracle’.

So, it’s actually easier to list only the tracks/versions that were already  available on CD, these being ‘Burning Car’, ‘20th Century’, ‘Miles Away’, ‘Enter The Angel’, ‘Sunset Rising’, ‘The Noise’, and the ‘live in the studio’ recording of ‘Shifting City’.

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Where can the exclusives be sourced now?

A number of the versions remain exclusive to this CD and do not appear to have been issued on any later CD re-issues, these being;

• Europe After The Rain (Single Edit) (3:35)
• Dancing Like A Gun (Single Edit) (3:43)
• Your Dress (Single Edit) (3:59)
• Like A Miracle (Promo DJ Edit)  (4:50)
• Stars On Fire (Single Edit) (4:52)

Quite surprising that some of these have not re-appeared on subsequent re-issues, though the single edits may not be deemed of much interest. I’m intrigued by the Promo DJ Edit of ‘Like A Miracle’ and what it’s source is, as it clocks in at 4’50” – looking at discogs.com, there are two 7” promos (VDJ645 and VDJ45) that contain a 3’39” edit instead.

Of the others;

• ‘Underpass’ (Single Edit) does not appear to have been included on any further Foxx re-issues, though it has been issued on a couple of compilations, namely ‘Methods Of Dance (Electronica & Leftfield ‘73-‘87)’ and ‘Now Yearbook Extra 1980’.
• ‘No-One Driving’ (Single Version) can be found on the 2008 compilation ‘Glimmer’, the 2015 compilation ‘20th Century: The Noise’, the 2018 deluxe 3xCD re-issue of ‘Metamatic’. Of note, in this case it is not simply an edit but quite a different version of the track altogether.
• ‘Endlessly’ (Original 1982 Single Version) can be found on the 2008 re-issue of ‘The Golden Section’, the 2008 compilation ‘Glimmer’, the 2013 compilation ‘Metadelic’ and the 2015 compilation ‘20th Century: The Noise’ and the 5xCD box set ‘The Virgin Years 1980-1985’.
• ‘He’s A Liquid’ (Video / Promo 12” Mix) can be found on the 2008 re-issue of ‘Metamatic… Plus’, the 2008 compilation ‘Glimmer’, the 2015 compilation ‘20th Century: The Noise’, the 2018 deluxe re-issue of ‘Metamatic’, and the 5xCD box set ‘The Virgin Years 1980-1985’.

In summary, this remains an essential compilation for the John Foxx completist interested in tracking down various edits and mixes.