Category: Region crazy

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Public Image Ltd. – ‘Seattle’ Japanese CD single (Columbia, 15CY-5013, 1987)

The first single to be lifted from PiL’s 1987 album, ‘Happy’, ‘Seattle’ was a a lively, punchy track that sadly failed to provide much of a hit to match the momentum that the previous year’s ‘Album’ and ‘Rise’ releases had. Bolstered with a resurgent John McGeogh on guitar, its a highly polished production, courtesy of Gary Langan, and his high-tech, meticulous touches are one thing, though how well it fitted with earlier PiL sounds is a point of debate.

Public Image Ltd. - 'Seattle' Japanese CD single front cover design and OBI.
^ Public Image Ltd. – ‘Seattle’ Japanese CD single front cover design and OBI.

Continue reading “Public Image Ltd. – ‘Seattle’ Japanese CD single (Columbia, 15CY-5013, 1987)”

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Kraftwerk – ‘The Robots’ Brazilian 7″ EP (Capitol Records, 31C 016 85870, 1979)

From 1979, and an era where releases could be weird and wonderful depending on the region of the globe they hail from and how that region liked to do things, a unique picture sleeve four track 7” EP from Kraftwerk. This is the kind of release that, from roughly 1986 onwards, became something of a rare occasion for Kraftwerk, the more that they standardised releases across the world with the ‘Musique Non Stop’ single and ‘Electric Cafe’ album.

Kraftwerk - 'The Robots' Brazilian 7" EP front cover design
^ Kraftwerk – ‘The Robots’ Brazilian 7″ EP front cover design

Continue reading “Kraftwerk – ‘The Robots’ Brazilian 7″ EP (Capitol Records, 31C 016 85870, 1979)”

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The Human League – ‘Holiday ‘80’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12″ single (Virgin, VIP-5906, 1981)

Another post documenting one more of the ‘Pic Label’ series of Japanese 12” compilation mini-albums that were such a collector’s delight – so far we have covered The Flying Lizards, John Foxx, and Japan – this time around the release is less unique, as it is based on the existing ‘Holiday ‘80’ EP from 1980, though no less appealing.

Human League - 'Holiday '80' Japanese Mini-LP - front cover design
^ Human League – ‘Holiday ’80’ Japanese Mini-LP – front cover design

Continue reading “The Human League – ‘Holiday ‘80’ Japanese ‘Pic Label’ series 12″ single (Virgin, VIP-5906, 1981)”

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Peter Murphy – ‘A Strange Kind Of Love’ Remixes US Promo CD (Beggars Banquet/RCA, 2625-2-HDJ, 1990)

Three albums in to Peter Murphy’s solo career, 1989’s ‘Deep’ brought the ex-Bauhaus frontman a high degree of well-earned success in the US, having put in the stateside touring miles the year before and with the new LP. Success to such an extent that a series of single releases in addition to the pre-album single ‘Cuts You Up’ saw light of day in the US. These were of high appeal to a fan and collector such as I, on the other side of the Atlantic, where ‘Deep’ wouldn’t even receive a UK release until 1990 and would merit only the one accompanying single release, such were the disparity in fortunes between homeland and the US.

Peter Murphy - A Strange Kind Of Love US promo insert front cover design
^ Peter Murphy – A Strange Kind Of Love US promo insert front cover design

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Scritti Politti ‘Cupid & Psyche 85’ Japanese re-issue CD [Rough Trade / Beat Records, RTRAD695CDJP, 2022]

It’s a particular favourite of mine, this album, what with its high-tech, high-sheen finish of meticulously crafted pop – it got a vinyl re-release last year on Rough Trade and for some reason the CD issue was delayed… and now there is a Japanese issue too with one extra track…

Scritti Politti 'Cupid & Psyche 85' 2022 Japanese re-issue CD - front cover design and some of the additional inserts/disc
^ Scritti Politti ‘Cupid & Psyche 85’ 2022 Japanese re-issue CD – front cover design and some of the additional inserts/disc

It was going to be just a straight re-release of the existing CD incarnation, which featured the original album tracks plus four additional bonus tracks of some of the ‘Versions’ from the contemporary single B sides. As it turns out, it is not just a straight re-issue and there are differences… and to add to that, there is this, the Japanese CD re-release which comes with an extra bonus track for Japan only. Continue reading “Scritti Politti ‘Cupid & Psyche 85’ Japanese re-issue CD [Rough Trade / Beat Records, RTRAD695CDJP, 2022]”