Category: Region crazy

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Year by Year: Cocteau Twins – 1988

1988 saw the band return from what, to the outside world, probably looked like some kind of extended break, but had witnessed the band finesse their studio in Acton and record the album ‘Blue Bell Knoll’. Along the way, it also saw the band make changes in their relationship with 4AD records, including signing a new deal for five further albums for the label and their American releases made via Capitol records, as well as further worldwide territories.

Blue Bell Knoll LP / CD / Cassette / DAT

LP version (4AD CAD 807)

The original release of the vinyl album came packaged in a tri-fold sleeve and, unlike previous releases, it was not the work of 4AD’s in-house designers 23 Envelope, but by designer Paul West and Jeremy Tilston, with photography by Juergen Teller.

Cocteau Twins 'Blue Bell Knoll' 1988 UK LP fold-out front cover design
^ Cocteau Twins ‘Blue Bell Knoll’ 1988 UK LP fold-out front cover design

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Kraftwerk ‘Radioactivity’ US 12″ single (Elektra, 0-66486, 1991)

The sleekly re-engineered and re-envisioned ‘Radioactivity’ was a particular standout track from Kraftwerk’s 1991 album ‘The Mix’ and so it was an obvious choice for a single release. In the band’s homeland of Germany and European territories 7”, 12” and CD single editions were issued with mixes by François Kevorkian on the A side and William Orbit on the reverse. (The UK and France also got cassette single formats too.) In both cases, 7” and longer 12” remixes were produced. In the case of the 7” mixes, German language and English language mixes were issued. The 12” mixes were only in English language variations however.

Kraftwerk 'Radioactivity' 1991 US 12" single, front cover design
^ Kraftwerk ‘Radioactivity’ 1991 US 12″ single, front cover design

There was one more mix that managed to see light of day though and that is the ‘William Orbit Hardcore’ Mix’ that was only ever issued at the time on this US 12” single, making it an attractive item to track down on import on my side of the ocean.
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Peter Murphy ‘Cuts You Up’ US Cassingle (Beggars Banquet / RCA / 9140-4-HS, 1990)

In  a previous post  we looked at the four track, promo-only Canadian ‘4 Cuts Deep’ cassette EP that was issued to help push Peter Murphy’s wonderful ‘Deep’ album from late 1989. This time out, while looking a little similar in passing, is the commercially release USA cassingle format for the ‘Cuts You Up’ single itself.

Peter Murphy 'Cuts You Up' US Cassingle front pack design
^ Peter Murphy ‘Cuts You Up’ US Cassingle front pack design

It would prove to be a Peter Murphy classic, well deserved at that. Also issued in the US on 12″ single and a promo-only CD single as well. Continue reading “Peter Murphy ‘Cuts You Up’ US Cassingle (Beggars Banquet / RCA / 9140-4-HS, 1990)”

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New Musik – ‘The Planet Doesn’t Mind’ version craziness

After discovering Gary Numan in 1979 and John Foxx and Ultravox in 1980, New Musik were also one of the earliest electronic bands I really liked, but while they had some initial hits, I always felt they got a raw deal and their arc of acclaim was cut all too short. Because sonically – and lyrically, as the world we inhabit pans out in ever more alarming ways – New Musik were well ahead of the curve and you can hear echoes of the sound that they were mining, particularly on the ‘Warp’ album, in the likes of the dusky, shimmering sonic heaven of the wonderful Ulrich Schnauss in more contemporary times, for example.

New Musik - ‘The Planet Doesn’t Mind’ UK 7” single (promo version)
^ New Musik – ‘The Planet Doesn’t Mind’ UK 7” single (promo version)

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Japan ‘Japan’ US compilation album (Virgin/Epic ARE 37914, 1982)

The third in a series looking at US albums compiled by cherry-picking a couple of already released UK albums to create something else – we started with O.M.D. by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, then on to Heaven 17 – this time it’s yet another Virgin records act and again a self-titled compilation, with Japan.

Japan 1982 US compilation LP front cover
^ Japan 1982 US compilation LP front cover

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