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Side by side: The Human League – ‘Being Boiled’ on Fast Product 1978/1980

An unarguable release of merit, The Human League’s debut single ‘Being Boiled/’Circus of Death’, issued to the world via Bob Last’s ‘Fast Product‘ label in 1978 and which had the likes of David Bowie proclaiming them as the future (hehehe). If you were there in the day you’d have the original issue, but being that bit behind the curve, I came across this original recording of the song (as opposed to the ‘Travelogue’ era reprogramming by the Boys of Buddah…) when it was first re-issued in 1980.

The Human League 'Being Boiled' Fast Product release sleeve design
^ The Human League ‘Being Boiled’ Fast Product release sleeve design.

1982, surely, I hear you say… as in when it was a post-‘Don’t You Want Me’ hit which prompted their then current label Virgin to cry foul and re-release their own later re-recording of the song on 45 format? Continue reading “Side by side: The Human League – ‘Being Boiled’ on Fast Product 1978/1980”

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Can I explain the delay?

An appropriate title, lifted from one of the tracks from Colin Newman’s fine ‘Commercial Suicide’ album of 1986 vintage. Having fallen off the road for some months without any updates to this Version Crazy blog, ’tis time to climb back on the horse and get going again with renewed vigour, so look out for plenty of posts over the coming months. In a slight change to the mission plan, I may sneak in the occasional contemporary act who have breathed life into the new wave/post-punk ghost. But to begin with its time to set the time machine back to 1978…

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Brian Eno: ‘A Year’ CD/’Une Année aux Appendices Gonflés’ book (Le Serpent a Plumes, no cat. number), 1998

The original 1996 UK edition of Brian Eno’s published diaries, essays, short stories and correspondence, ‘A Year With Swollen Appendices’, was in book only format, with no musical accompaniment – the French edition, ‘Une Année aux Appendices Gonflés’, appeared a couple of years on in 1998 and came replete with an exclusive CD accompaniment in the shape of ‘A Year’. I was fortunate enough to be in Paris in December of 1998 and chanced upon this while browsing through a branch of the wonderful FNAC chain and swiftly handed my Francs to the cashier and exited with this lovely item.

Brian Eno 'A Year...' French edition book and CD (fronts)
^ Brian Eno ‘A Year…’ French edition book and CD (fronts)

The CD runs for just under 30 minutes and its six tracks are unavailable on any other releases, as far as I’m aware.

  1. 26 Juillet 1995: Ikebukuro/Swarowski Soup 8:00
  2. 25 Avril: Orchestral Marstall 3:29
  3. 29 Septembre: Cold Jazz 2 3:16
  4. 25 Avril: Mad Jazz Piano 3:37
  5. 4 Août: With Howie B 4:53
  6. 27 Septembre: Heat Beat 6:40

The dates refer to entries in the diary (from 1995) which has some more detail about the background for the pieces. For example: Continue reading “Brian Eno: ‘A Year’ CD/’Une Année aux Appendices Gonflés’ book (Le Serpent a Plumes, no cat. number), 1998”

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The Cure: ‘Faith’/’Carnage Visors’ UK cassette (Fiction FIXC6, 1981)

Long before the CD age, cassette tapes were the lucky medium which would find itself carrying bonus material, such as the occasional cassette-only bonus track, remixes and so on. (For another such example, have a look at New Musik’s ‘Anywhere’ cassette from a previous entry.)

The Cure 'Faith'/'Carnage Visors' UK cassette (front)
^ The Cure ‘Faith’/‘Carnage Visors’ UK cassette (front)

In the case of The Cure’s 1981 album ‘Faith’, the cassette came with a whole extra side-long piece, ‘Carnage’ Visors’, which was the soundtrack to the stop-motion movie that The Cure showed on their 1981 ‘Picture Tour’ live dates. A slower, wordless, meandering piece with wave-like builds and peaks, the piece managed to attract The Cure comparisons to Pink Floyd in contemporary reviews. Built from guitar, keyboard, bass and drum machine, its sonically in the same space as much of ‘Faith’ and ‘Pornography’, those Pink Floyd comparisons no doubt just down to the ambitious side-long sprawl of its length.

The Cure 'Faith'/'Carnage Visors' UK cassette (back and cassette)
^ The Cure ‘Faith’/‘Carnage Visors’ UK cassette (back and cassette)

Continue reading “The Cure: ‘Faith’/’Carnage Visors’ UK cassette (Fiction FIXC6, 1981)”

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Xmal Deutschland: ‘Matador’ UK Limited Edition ‘Illustration Booklet’ 12″ single (Xile/Phonogram, XMAL112, 1986)

1986 saw Xmal Deutschland make the move to major label promotion, the first fruits of which were the Hugh Cornwell produced single, ‘Matador’, on 7″ and 12″. To give it a sales push, a limited edition of the 12″ came complete with an ‘Ilustration Booklet’, featuring artwork by the band’s singer, Anja Huwe, to accompany a selection of words to this single and the three tracks from the previous year’s ‘Sequenz’ EP. The images below, give some detail of the booklet’s various pages.

Front cover design of the single sleeve and illustration booklet
^ Front cover design of the single sleeve and illustration booklet

Continue reading “Xmal Deutschland: ‘Matador’ UK Limited Edition ‘Illustration Booklet’ 12″ single (Xile/Phonogram, XMAL112, 1986)”