Category: Versions, versions

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Various Artists – ‘The Flashback Four – Hits and Rarities’ US Promo CD (Sire / Warner Bros Records / Reprise / Mute, PRO-CD-5930, 1992)

This curious little promo CD came to mind recently with the news that Talking Heads – a particular favourite of mine, for a certain period of their work at least – will be releasing a series of deluxe reissue sets that gather together the original albums plus various related recordings, starting with ‘Talking Heads: 77’, obviously enough. I must confess straight off the bat however, I find past re-issues of Talking Heads material a mixture of frustrating and essential. Frustrating because while previous re-issues did come with some bonus material, so many particular versions – those released on singles particularly – have either never been re-released digitally, or if they have been, are limited to downloads/streaming and only in restricted territories. For the essential examples, well… look no further than the Record Store Day release from earlier this year, the ‘Live at WCOZ 77’ live double album that captures the band in fine form (and some of which had been included on their fantastic 1982’ live double album ‘The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads’. Already, based on some of the music forum discussion so far, these releases likely have their work cut out to please all. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Various Artists - ‘The Flashback Four - Hits and Rarities’ US Promo CD front cover design
^ Various Artists – ‘The Flashback Four – Hits and Rarities’ US Promo CD front cover design

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Athletico Spizz 80 – ‘Central Park’ UK 7″ (A&M Records, AMS 7566, 1980)

‘Central Park’ was initially a non-album 7″ single release by Athletico Spizz 80 in late 1980. if you are not familiar with Atheltico Spizz 80 then you almost certainly be familiar with Spizzenergi and their single ‘Where’s Captain Kirk?’, as it was just about everywhere at one point – famously the very first chart topper of the indie charts, when launched in early 1980 (though that single’s release hailed from 1979).

Athletico Spizz 80 - 'Central Park' UK 7" front cover design
^ Athletico Spizz 80 – ‘Central Park’ UK 7″ front cover design

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Bill Nelson ‘Youth Of Nation On Fire’ UK 7” doublepack single (Mercury, WILL22, 1981)

A return to a VersionCrazy favourite, the ever wonderful Bill Nelson. It’s good to see news recently about a deluxe box set edition of Bill’s 1981 album ‘Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam’ due for release in late November. The path for the album to gain a release was far from straightforward – Bill Nelson had been signed to EMI imprint Harvest, but with the EMI/Thorn merger that took place, a cull of acts deemed surplus to requirements/the balance sheet saw an exit from EMI and plans for the album shelved. I look forward to what new insights the accompanying text in the super deluxe box set may bring to this backstory, along with the chance to hear a whole new mix of the album, courtesy of Stephen W Tayler.

Bill Nelson ‘Youth Of Nation On Fire’ UK 7” doublepack single front cover design
^ Bill Nelson ‘Youth Of Nation On Fire’ UK 7” doublepack single front cover design

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Colin Newman – ‘Feigned Hearing’ Belgian 7″ (Crammed Discs, CRAM 13457, 1986)

This obscure little gem was a single peeled from Colin Newman’s 1986 solo album, ‘Commercial Suicide’ (which I feel likely will be covered here at a later date) and acted as wonderful summary of the pastoral synthesized pop that I’d likely describe the album as. Well, to be fair, Colin Newman himself used the word pastoral to describe the music on the album, in the accompanying ‘Interview’ 12″ that also appeared in the promotional orbit of this album. But there can be no denying that the sweetly toned synths, absence of familiar drums and percussion does lend this single – and most if not all of the parent album – a particular sound that is quite unlike anything else that Newman had done up to that time (though would revisit to some degree on the following ‘It Seems’ album, arguably).

Colin Newman - 'Feigned Hearing' Belgian 7" front cover design
^ Colin Newman – ‘Feigned Hearing’ Belgian 7″ front cover design

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