Side by side: Wire – ‘Silk Skin Paws’ UK 7″, 12″ and CD singles (Mute, MUTE 84, 12 MUTE 84, CD MUTE 84, 1988)

Lifted as the second single to promote the band’s 1988 ‘A Bell Is A Cup (Until It Is Struck)’ album, the opening track ‘Silk Skin Paws’ was remixed for 12″ and 7″, with a ‘Filofax’ format 3″ CD single along for the ride for added ’80s gimmickry.*

Wire - Silk Skin Paws - UK CD, 7" and 12" singles front covers
Wire – Silk Skin Paws – UK CD, 7″ and 12″ singles front covers

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Button badge goodness: Public Image Ltd [Part 1]

Who could tire of the humble button badge? A staple adornment of the era, these badges in Part 1 all hail from 1980/81, when I first took to the charms of Public Image Ltd. ‘Flowers of Romance’ the focus of the first few, pretty sure these are likely to be ‘Better Badges’ designs, though couldn’t say for sure – anyone?

Public Image Ltd - Flowers of Romance button badge from 1981 - design 1
^ Public Image Ltd – Flowers of Romance button badge from 1981 – design 1

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Button badge goodness: More Siouxsie and the Banshees

Once again, 8 years on from the last such helping, further new wave button badge goodness to tide over the festive season – this time around, in true ghosts of Christmas past fashion, some more vintage goodies from Siouxsie and the Banshees’ imperial period of 1981-82. And as before, these are from back in the day, not later reprints.

Siouxsie and the Banshees 'A Kiss In The Dreamhouse' era badge
^ Siouxsie and the Banshees ‘A Kiss In The Dreamhouse’ era badge

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Joy Division – ‘Unknown Pleasures’ UK CD (Factory FACD10, 1986)

Sometimes it is enough just to celebrate something for what it is without needing to explore any obscure variations. With this post, I focus on the first time Joy Division’s wonderful ‘Unknown Pleasures’ made an appearance on CD and where Factory attempted to overcome the tyranny of the ’80s CD jewel case and somehow tap into the spirit of the original sleeve design.

For starters, the ‘car carry case’ – a miniaturised revision of the original sleeve design. Shorn of any need to include the tracklisting on the reverse, it kept things minimal. The tracklisting was provided only on one of the jewel case inserts. Yes, in addition to the carry case, the CD jewel case comes with not one but two inserts. Both of which come printed on similar ‘textured’ card stock to that used on the original album sleeve and the car carry case this time round. I hope that the photos help to capture the textured card stock so you can see for yourself.

One odd thing about it though – at some point in the design process, it looks like the photograph from one side of the inner sleeve has gone awol from this redesign – the originally uncredited photo, ‘Hand Through a Doorway‘ by Ralph Gibson.

Joy Division 'Unknown Pleasures' original UK CD car carry case - front.
^ Joy Division ‘Unknown Pleasures’ original UK CD car carry case – front.

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