Category: Design crazy

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Danielle Dax – ‘Fizzing Human Bomb’ / ‘Yummer Yummer Man’ / ‘Bad Miss ‘M” (Awesome AOR3 / AOR3T, 1985)

Dating from late 1985, this single originally came in two variants which swapped around the running order depending on whether you went for 7″ or the more luxurious 12″ versions. Perhaps it was down to budget, but the 12″ version seemed to get the better deal – as well as the extra track, for the packaging it came with full colour print on the cover and gold ink on the record labels, whereas the 7″ came with black and white print on the edited cover (though metallic ink for the type) and yellow ink for the type on the labels. It even found space to include the lyrics for all three tracks, whereas the 7″ could only make do with the musician credits.

Danielle Dax 'Fizzing Human Bomb'/'Yummer Yummer Man'/'Bad Miss M' double A side 12 inch single - front cover
^ Danielle Dax ‘Fizzing Human Bomb’/ ‘Yummer Yummer Man’/’Bad Miss ‘M” double A side 12 inch single – front cover
Danielle Dax 'Fizzing Human Bomb'/'Yummer Yummer Man'/'Bad Miss M' double A side 12 inch single - rear cover
^ Danielle Dax ‘Fizzing Human Bomb’/ ‘Yummer Yummer Man’/’Bad Miss ‘M” double A side 12 inch single – rear cover

The 12″ extra track, ‘Fizzing Human Bomb’, occupied side A exclusively. Meanwhile, side AA featured the two tracks that formed the 7″ single, ‘Yummer Yummer Man’ and ‘Bad Miss ‘M”. Does that make this a triple-A side single then?! Continue reading “Danielle Dax – ‘Fizzing Human Bomb’ / ‘Yummer Yummer Man’ / ‘Bad Miss ‘M” (Awesome AOR3 / AOR3T, 1985)”

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Various: Tobacco Perfecto (LTM LTMCD 2578 Promo CD, 2013)

This curious little compilation (packaged in a slimline CD case rather then the bulkier standard size) was a compilation album of obscure and previously unreleased tracks/versions from acts released via the LTM label. It could be yours gratis if you bought three or more LTM products in one order. Aside from the beautiful packaging design, my main attraction to this compilation was the Durutti Column track, the version of which is exclusive to this compilation.

Tobacco Perfecto compilation CD front cover design
^ Tobacco Perfecto compilation CD front cover design

I was most familiar with ‘Homage to Martin? originally from the ‘Lips That Would Kiss’ compilation CD (FBN2CD) from 1991. The version to be found here is described thus on the packaging: ‘Recorded at Graveyard Studio in 1981 during sessions for the album L.C. The ‘flange’ version of this outtake appears on FBN 2 CD and FBN 10 CD but this slightly different mix is unavailable elsewhere.’ Interestingly, the credits on the FBN2CD describe the track as having been recorded at Little Big One, Brussels, 1982. The version itself is not radically different, sonically a few changes here and there. Continue reading “Various: Tobacco Perfecto (LTM LTMCD 2578 Promo CD, 2013)”

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Button Badge Goodness: Gary Numan (Part 1)

Fair warning, there could be several posts in this series, as being a fan of all things Gary Numan since 1979, I have a LOT of these little things. So, here are just a few to get started with, but a nice little selection of vintage cold wave, icy synthesizer cool lapel adornment they are too, I’m sure you’ll agree…

Gary Numan metal lapel badge with 1979 'Touring Principle' era live shot
^ Gary Numan metal lap badge with 1979 ‘Touring Principle’ era live shot

Continue reading “Button Badge Goodness: Gary Numan (Part 1)”

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Ultravox ‘The Voice’ Spanish 7″ single (Chrysalis, CHS-2559, 1981)

Nothing especially exotic when it comes to the musical content of this 45, fine as it is nevertheless – very much Ultravox mark II at the high water mark of their splendidly noir pomp. The A and B sides match the UK release, the former being an edited version of the LP cut, the latter one of Ultravox’s mark II’s best ever B sides, IMHO, with Warren Cann on lead vocals. No, the chief attraction of this 45 is the cover, which broke with the tradition of most territories equivalent releases by ditching the (admittedly very good) Peter Saville (or Estudio Saville, as his nom de plume would have it on this outing) design – instead, the cover features one of photographer Brian Griffin‘s sumptuous shots from the ‘Rage In Era’ period, Ultravox in a timeless retro style in front of a vanishing point horizon. It did at least keep a similar in vein ‘brush script’ style typeface for the titles, the A side of which is also translated as ‘La Voz’ for this release. There does also seem to be another Spanish 7″ edition that features the regular picture sleeve design, it may be a promo only affair though? This is the one for me though.

Ultravox, 'The Voice' ('La Voz') Spanish 7 inch single front cover design
^ Ultravox, ‘The Voice’ (‘La Voz’) Spanish 7 inch single front cover design
Continue reading “Ultravox ‘The Voice’ Spanish 7″ single (Chrysalis, CHS-2559, 1981)”

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Siouxsie and the Banshees ‘The Peel Sessions 1977-1978’ 7″ coloured vinyl EP (Strange Fruit, 677002, 1991)

An odd little curio, two tracks apiece from the bands first two Peel sessions jumbled up on this 7″ EP that sells itself on the packaging to the max, with a mish-mash of Banshees eras; early, pre-Polydor recordings with a Kaleidoscope/JuJu era? Siouxsie pic and typeface logo from the ‘Kiss In The Dreamhouse’ era – topped off with light blue marbled vinyl for the disc itself. Both sessions from which the tracks were culled had already been out before on 12″, cassette and CD some years earlier, with the plainer, more interchangeable, generic style sleeve designs and subsequently various outings for Banshees BBC material. A rougher and rawer Banshees sound before Steve Lillywhite’s production touch and ‘space’…

Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Peel Sessions 1977-78 7 inch EP front cover
^ Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Peel Sessions 1977-78 7 inch EP front cover

Continue reading “Siouxsie and the Banshees ‘The Peel Sessions 1977-1978’ 7″ coloured vinyl EP (Strange Fruit, 677002, 1991)”