Category: Obscurios

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The Human Condition – Live At The Collegiate Theatre 13 September 1981, UK cassette (The Human Condition, THC 1, 1981)

The Human Condition was a short-lived band featuring reunited PiL band-mates Jah Wobble on bass and Jim Walker on drums, the line-up rounded out with Animal (aka Dave Maltby) on guitar and also occasionally augmented by Annie Whitehead on saxophone. This ‘rush release’ is one of two live recordings released on limited run cassettes that were issued back in the day and document their fine instrumental workouts. The packaging was stripped down and minimal on both, having the air of bootleg issues, perhaps, despite being official output. As far as I am aware they have never been re-issued in any form. One of the tracks on here would appear in studio form on 1983’s ‘Snakecharmer’ release by Wobble, Czukay and The Edge. I’ve selected my favourite track from the cassette to sample via a YouTube upload, ‘Neon‘ – see what you reckon for yourself… if you like it, plenty more from the same account to check out.

The Human Condition - Live At The Collegiate Theatre 13 September 1981 UK cassette front cover
^ The Human Condition – Live At The Collegiate Theatre 13 September 1981 UK cassette front cover

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Bill Nelson – ‘7″ Bill Nelson Singles’ Box Set (Cocteau Records, JEAN 6)

Just when you thought there could be no more Bill Nelson box sets, here is this little curio, ‘7″ Bill Nelson Singles’ (aka ‘Assorted Nelsons’, as it was described on the ‘Acquitted By Mirrors’ fan club merchandise sheet of the time). Released in the latter period of the ‘Acquitted by Mirrors’ fan club period, this box set gathers together a few stray singles and packages them up in a unique box. I would bet that this may well have been a way to bundle together bought-back overstock of earlier Cocteau, Mercury and Portrait records era singles.

Bill Nelson - '7" Bill Nelson Singles' Box Set (Cocteau Records, JEAN 6) box front
^ Bill Nelson – ‘7″ Bill Nelson Singles’ Box Set (Cocteau Records, JEAN 6) box front

Whatever the reason, it was nice to get a couple of them again in minty mint condition, or which were otherwise different in some way. For example, I had the double-pack version of ‘Youth of Nation on Fire’. The box set cost the small sum of £4.75 plus 75p post and packing back in the day.

The singles included in the set are; Continue reading “Bill Nelson – ‘7″ Bill Nelson Singles’ Box Set (Cocteau Records, JEAN 6)”

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Kraftwerk – ‘Home Computer’ Promo 7″ (EMI Odeon SDP-867, 1981)

This curious 7″ single hails from Brazil and the background to its release I presume to be its use in a television series from late 1981 into 1982, ‘Brilhante‘. What is of particular interest is that both sides feature unique edits of the track. When I say edits, I really mean they are faded out at specific points – in the case of the A side at the 2 minute 17 mark and in the case of the B side 4 minute 47 mark. The A side edit is abrupt, while the B side edit had a somewhat more generous use of the fader control. Not terribly exciting in comparison to some of the editing scissor work on single edits from around the world, such as ‘Autobahn’. Mind you, that was a case of whittling down 22 minutes down to a mere 3 to 4 minutes. Still, it is an interesting curio to have ‘Home Computer’ as a single on its own. The labels don’t mention it, but the the record pls at 33 1/3 RPM for some reason, rather than the more common 45 RPM.

Kraftwerk – Home Computer Promo 7" (EMI Odeon SDP-867, 1981) front
^ Kraftwerk – Home Computer Promo 7″ (EMI Odeon SDP-867, 1981) front

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Tiger Lily ‘Monkey Jive’ UK 7″ single (Dead Good Records, DEAD11, 1980)

As I pen this piece, Ultravox! have enjoyed a moment in the sun once more, with the issue of the ‘Island Years’ CD box set gathering their three Island-era LPs (and rarities) and coloured vinyl reissues of their first three long players. So, it is as good a time as any to look back on the proto-Ultravox! single recorded by Tigerlily, namely ‘Monkey Jive’ / ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, the particular version featured here dating from October 1980. (A small piece about it in Smash Hits of the era can be viewed here.

Tiger Lily 'Monkey Jive' UK 7 inch single front cover
^ Tiger Lily ‘Monkey Jive’ UK 7 inch single front cover

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