Category: Versions, versions

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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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John Foxx compilations across the years Part 7

2014 saw the release of the ‘Virgin Years 1980-1985’ CD boxed set which gathered up most of John Foxx’s work recorded for Virgin Records. As well as individual discs for the four principal albums recorded during the period it contained a fifth disc that compiled a selection of waifs and strays of B-sides and outtake. This compilation was titled ‘Fusion/Fission’ (which had originally been the tithe intended for 1980’s ’Metamatic’, as it happens). This compilation has never been issued separately and is only obtainable as part of the box set, which originally had a release date of 21st July 2014 to be precise, but was actually available from Monday 23rd June 2014 due to earlier than anticipated manufacturing and delivery.

John Foxx - 'The Virgin Years' CD box set (front box design)
^ John Foxx – ‘The Virgin Years 1980-1985’ CD box set (front box design)

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Talking Heads – ‘Take Me To The River’ / ‘Psycho Killer’ UK cassingle (Sire, SPC 9, 1981)

This curious little release was issued as part of a series of cassette format singles of WEA label artists, such as Gary Numan and Tubeway Army as featured in a pervious post. Packaged in cute little flip-top box packs, the series shared a common theme of design layouts and would pair two the best tracks by each of the artists chosen per cassette. As well as this Talking Heads release, the series featured The Pretenders (two releases, no less), Angelic Upstarts, Rezillos, Tubeway Army, The Ramones, Gary Numan, Saxon and finally Jane Birkin.

Talking Heads - 'Take Me To The River' / 'Psycho Killer' 1981 UK Cassingle - flip-top pack front
^ Talking Heads – ‘Take Me To The River’ / ‘Psycho Killer’ 1981 UK Cassingle – flip-top pack front

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Kraftwerk – ‘Tour de France’ UK cassette single (EMI, TC-EMI 5413, 1983)

What a complicated tale there is to Kraftwerk’s ‘Tour de France’ single. So many versions! This post takes a brief dip into the story to focus on only one release, the rather novel cassette single edition that came out in the UK for the single’s original release in 1983. The mixes of the song featured on this cassingle mirror those to be found on the original 1983 UK 12” single, these being;

Side One:

  1. Tour De France (Long Version) (6’30”)

Side Two:

  1. Tour De France (3’00”) (NB: This was the same mix as on the A side of the 1983 UK 7” single too.)
  2. Tour De France 2è Étape (2’40”)

Now then, it’s important to point out from the off that the first two tracks on this release are the French language versions. The third track – ‘Tour de France 2è Étape’ – is listed as ‘Tour de France’ (Version) on the 12” record label and cassette shell instead, for some odd reason. This 2è Étape mix is NOT the same as the mix that was on the B side of the 1983 7” UK single, despite having a similar duration of 2’40”. The 7” B side is a genuine, shorter instrumental mix whereas ‘Tour de France 2è Étape’ doesn’t really feature the music and is more of an electronic percussion and effects workout.

Kraftwerk – ‘Tour de France’ 1983 UK cassette single front cover design
^ Kraftwerk – ‘Tour de France’ 1983 UK cassette single front cover design

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