Category: Obscurios

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Strawberry Switchblade ‘Since Yesterday’ Japanese 3″ CD single (WEA, WQSP-1005, 2004)

How fitting that a band for whom the word ‘cute’ would so often be applied to, to the point of overdose, should see a 3″ CD miniature of their 1984 single ‘Since Yesterday’ appear and which can only be described as… errrrr… cute, when shrunk down to such a size.

Insert (front), CD label and bag
^ Insert (front), CD label and bag

The packaging is a pretty accurate take on the Japanese 7″ release, though the label design differs and it doesn’t include the extra black and white gatefold insert that came with the 7″. It appears to hail from 2004, released as part of a series of ’70s/’80s classic hits to accompany sweets, apparently. Sadly, despite the cover art retained from the original 7 inch single design which lists the original B side too, the CD is a one track only affair, so ‘By The Sea’ is not present – a real shame as it is one of the songs which never made it on to the Japanese 1997 re-issue of the ‘Strawberry Switchblade’ album and remains unissued on CD to date. The version of ‘Since Yesterday’ is the regular 7″ single/album version. Continue reading “Strawberry Switchblade ‘Since Yesterday’ Japanese 3″ CD single (WEA, WQSP-1005, 2004)”

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John Foxx ‘Burning Car’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12″ single (Virgin, VIP-5903, 1981))

A companion release from the same series as the Flying Lizards ‘Move On ‘Up’ 12″ documented in a previous post. Taking the usual cavalier attitude to track selection and sleeve design that many Japanese releases of this period had, this little beauty gathers together a selection of tracks from three of John Foxx’s 1980 singles (‘Miles Away’, ‘Burning Car’ and the extra single from the ‘No-One’s Driving’ double-pack 7 inch) in a sleeve/label design unlike any other Foxx release.

John Foxx 'Burning Car' Japanese 12 inch mini-LP
^ John Foxx ‘Burning Car’ Japanese 12 inch mini-LP

Along the way, it has also managed to include a different mix of ‘Miles Away’, the same one as used in the promo video for the single, I believe. (This mix finally made it on to CD with the late-2008 2-disc re-issue of ‘The Garden’.) Continue reading “John Foxx ‘Burning Car’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12″ single (Virgin, VIP-5903, 1981))”

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Rema-Rema, ‘Wheel In The Roses’ CD EP (4AD, BAD 5CD) / Various artists: ‘Natures Mortes’ (4AD CAD 117CD)

The original release of the ‘Wheel In The Roses’ EP was one of the earliest 4AD releases, coming after the initial batch of four singles that had gone under the label’s original name of ‘Axis’. It was the only release from Rema-Rema, a short-lived band but from whom the seeds of a good few other acts would evolve or intersect, including Wolfgang Press, Renegade Soundwave, Psychic TV and of course most famously Marco Pirroni’s saddle-up with Adam Ant.

'Wheel In The Roses' CD EP - front cover, inner sleeve (front), insert (front) and CD label
^ ‘ Wheel In The Roses’ CD EP – front cover, inner sleeve (front), insert (front) and CD label

What I love about this small object of desire is that despite it being so wilfully obscure and the band’s only proper release (two other songs did appear as live recordings on a tape-only compilation, ‘The Men With the Deadly Dreams’) (the songs from which can be heard on the Rema Rema MySpace site), 4AD saw fit to lovingly reproduce it in CD form. Perhaps it could be down to the fact that despite it’s obscurity, two of the songs had been covered subsequently – ‘Fond Affections’ appearing on the first This Mortal Coil album, ‘It’ll End In Tears’, with Big Black taking on ‘Rema-Rema’ itself. Continue reading “Rema-Rema, ‘Wheel In The Roses’ CD EP (4AD, BAD 5CD) / Various artists: ‘Natures Mortes’ (4AD CAD 117CD)”

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Flying Lizards ‘Move On Up’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12″ single (Virgin, VIP-5902)

Japanese releases have always been fabulously exotic and collectable to me, with their disregard for replicating the exact same releases elsewhere and willingness to mix and match tracks into new combinations, such as 12″ mini-albums and so on. Plus of course the extra attention to detail with the quality of sleeve designs, inserts and packaging in general. Virgin released a series of ‘pic label’ releases by a few of my favourites such as John Foxx, The Human League, Japan, and, in the subject of this post, The Flying Lizards.

Flying Lizards 'Move On Up' Japanese 'Pic Label' series 12" single front sleeve with Obi
^ Flying Lizards ‘Move On Up’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12 inch single front sleeve with Obi

Hailing from late 1980, this 12″ compiles various tracks from all of the Flying Lizards singles up to that point and comes in a die-cut sleeve with an over-sized 6″ picture label on show (front only) – ‘Move On Up’ (Single edit) and Portugal from the A and B side respectively of the ‘Move On Up’ 7″ single, ‘All Guitars’ from the B side of the ‘Summertime Blues’ single, ‘Money’ (the longer, album version though) from the ‘Money’ single (which was available on 12″ in some territories) and ‘Tube’ from the B side of the ‘TV’ single. Continue reading “Flying Lizards ‘Move On Up’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12″ single (Virgin, VIP-5902)”

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Ultravox! ’12” Mini-Album’ Australian Mini-LP (Island/Festival, L 20003 / IEL-8)

On first sight you’d be forgiven for thinking that you are just looking at the regular UK 7″ of Ultravox!’s ‘Retro’ live EP from 1978…

Front cover of the Australian 12" mini-LP from 1981
^ Front cover of the Australian 12″ mini-LP from 1981

But look closer though and you’ll then notice that only the ‘Ultravox!’ text is included (no Live / Retro text) and there is also a ‘Mini LP’ logo. Continue reading “Ultravox! ’12” Mini-Album’ Australian Mini-LP (Island/Festival, L 20003 / IEL-8)”