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Landscape A Go-Go: The Story of Landscape 1977-1983

5CD box set

A new 5CD box set featuring the music of synth-pop pioneers Landscape will be reissued at the end of this month.

Landscape A Go-Go: The Story of Landscape includes expanded and remastered versions of the group’s first three albums plus two additional CDs featuring EPs, remixes, B-sides, instrumentals and live tracks.

The band formed in London in the mid-1970s but didn’t release their first self-titled album (on RCA) until 1979. Before that they had a very DIY ethos and they promoted their own gigs, set up their own label (Event Horizon) on which they released early EPs.

The three albums were Landscape (1979), From the Tea-Rooms of Mars … to the Hell-Holes of Uranus (1981) and Manhattan Boogie-Woogie from 1982. The second album features the hits Einstein A Go-Go and Norman Bates.

You can watch a special SDEtv video preview of the box set above. Landscape A Go-Go: The Story of Landscape will be released on 21 July 2023 via Cooking Vinyl.

Tracklisting

Landscape A Go-Go Landscape / 5CD box set

    • CD 1

      ‘Landscape’ (1979)

      1. ‘Japan’
      2. ‘Lost In the Small Ads’
      3. ‘The Mechanical Bride’
      4. ‘Neddy Sindrum’
      5. ‘Kaptin Whorlix’
      6. ‘Sonja Henie’
      7. ‘Many’s the Time’
      8. ‘Highly Suspicious’
      9. ‘Gotham City’
      10. ‘Wandsworth Plain’
      ‘Live In Norwich’ (1979)                              
      1. ‘Caterpillar Tracks’ **
      2. ‘The High Window’ **
      3. ‘Kaptin Whorlix’ **
      4. ‘The Mechanical Bride’ **
      5. ‘Highly Suspicious’ **
      ‘Live In London’ (1977)
      1. ‘Stranger’ **

      ** First release on any format

    • CD 2
      ‘From the Tea-Rooms of Mars … to the Hell-Holes of Uranus’ (1981)
      1. ‘European Man’
      2. ‘Shake the West Awake’
      3. ‘Computer Person’
      4. ‘Alpine Tragedy’ ¶
      5. ‘Sisters’ ¶
      6. ‘Face of the 80s’
      7. ‘New Religion’
      8. ‘Einstein a Go-Go’
      9. ‘Norman Bates’
      10. ‘The Doll’s House’
      11. ‘From the Tea-Rooms of Mars … a) Beguine’ ¶
      12. ‘From the Tea-Rooms of Mars … b) Mambo’ ¶
      13. ‘From the Tea-Rooms of Mars … c) Tango’ ¶
      Bonus Tracks
      1. ‘When the Chips Are Down’ **
      2. ‘European Man’ [7-inch] ±
      3. ‘Norman Bates’ [7-inch with narration] ±
      4. ‘Electro New Religion’ **
      5. ‘European Man’ [12-inch] ±
      6. ‘Einstein a Go-Go’ [12-inch] ±
      7. ‘Norman Bates’ [12-inch without narration] ±
      ** First release on any format
      ± First CD release
      ¶ Medley. First CD release as separate tracks
    • CD 3
      ‘Manhattan Boogie-Woogie’ (1982)
      1. ‘One Rule For the Rich’
      2. ‘Manhattan Boogie-Woogie’
      3. ‘Colour Code’
      4. ‘The Long Way Home’
      5. ‘It’s Not My Real Name’
      6. ‘Bad Times’
      7. ‘When You Leave Your Lover’
      Bonus Tracks
      1. ‘It’s Not My Real Name’ [12-inch] ±
      2. ‘Back On Your Heads’ [7-inch B-side] ±
      3. ‘(A Case of) Mistaken Identity’ [7-inch B-side] ±
      4. ‘Manhattan Boogie-Woogie’ [instrumental mix] **
      5. ‘The Long Way Home’ [instrumental mix] **
      6. ‘Bad Times [‘Good Times’ instrumental mix] **
      7. ‘One Rule For the Rich’ [instrumental mix] **
      ** First release on any format
      ± First CD release
    • CD 4
      ‘Before and After’
      U2XME1X2MUCH EP (1977)
      1. ‘U2XME1X2MUCH’ ±
      2. ‘Don’t Gimme No Rebop’ ¶ ±
      3. ‘Sixteen’ ¶ ±
      ‘Workers Playtime’ EP (1978)
      1. ‘Workers’ Playtime’ ±
      2. ‘Nearly Normal’ ±
      3. ‘Too Many Questions (Don’t Ask Me Why)’ ±
      ‘Live In London Unreleased’ (1977-78)
      1. ‘The Camera Never Lies’ **
      2. ‘Bagel Street Blues’ **
      3. ‘Sleazy Feet’ **
      4. ‘Eugenie’ **
      5. ‘Watt is Knott’ **
      6. ‘Goldilox and the Jelly Bean Shuffle’ **
      7. ‘Tribute’ **
      ‘Landscape III’ (1983)
      1. So Good, So Pure, So Kind’ [7-inch] ±
      2. ‘The Fabulous Neutrinos’ [7-inch] ±
      3. ‘You Know How To Hurt Me’ [7-inch] ±
      4. ‘Feel So Right’ [7-inch] ±
      5. ‘(I’d Love to) Fly Away’ [7-inch] **
      ** First release on any format
      ± First CD release
      ¶ Medley

    • CD 5
      Excursions 2 Other Versions’
      1. ‘Einstein a Go-Go’ [‘Einstein on the floor’, 2023 remix] **
      2. ‘One Rule For the Rich’ [UK cassette] ±
      3. ‘Japan’ [12-inch] ±
      4. ‘It’s Not My Real Name’ [UK 7-inch] ±
      5. ‘Colour Code’ [UK cassette] ±
      6. ‘When You Leave Your Lover’ [UK cassette]         ±
      7. ‘(A Case of) Mistaken Identity’ [12-inch B-side] ±
      8. ‘Back On Your Heads’ [12-inch B-side] ±
      ‘Landscape III’
      1. ‘(I’d Love to) Fly Away’ [12-inch] **
      2. ‘So Good, So Pure, So Kind’ [12-inch]
      3. ‘You Know How To Hurt Me’ [12-inch]
      4. ‘The Fabulous Neutrinos’ [12-inch] ±
      5. ‘Feel So Right’ [12-inch] ±

      ‘Bits and Pieces’

      1. ‘Norman Bates’ [short version without narration, released as 12-inch] ±
      2. ‘It’s Not My Real Name’ [UK cassette] ±
      3. ‘Einstein a Go-Go’ 7-inch [UK ‘no phones’ radio mix] ±
      ** First release on any format
      ± First CD release

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42 Comments

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Al Crawford
SDE Reader

Well, I picked up the digital download – a little disappointed that it’s literally just the music files and a cover image. Even if there was no way to include the sleeves, that booklet could surely have been included as a PDF? Offset against that is the very nice remastering and masses of obscure or unreleased material.

It’s a shame that the band got stuck with the “novelty” label. They were distinctive, quirky, weird, but musically interesting – nobody sounded like them. OK, the “Einstein A Go Go” video didn’t help – it’s got that early 80s video oddness that inspired “Nice Video, Shame About The Song”, but then again, so did “Vienna” with the spider.

it’s now the fourth time I’ve bought _From The Tea-Rooms_. I had a very odd local record shop that was to record stores what “Black Books” is to bookshops, run by a guy who looked like a grumpy John Peel and with non-deterministic opening hours (Taste Records in Penicuik, long gone). I picked up _From The Tea-Rooms_ (and New Musik’s _From A to B_, and a couple of After The Fire albums), all still brand new in the shrink-wrap in *1989*. Yes, he had slow stock turnover – he bought stuff he liked, and to hell with whether it would sell. I suspect a vinyl fanatic would have refused to ever leave if given access to the storeroom.

Then the 2-in-1 CD with _Landscape_, then the Cherry Red version, now this huge set. I find the fuss over the omission of “Eastern Girls” odd – it’s the band’s decision, but how anybody can throw stuff like “cancel culture” at it is laughable. Have these people actually listened to the lyrics of “Einstein A Go Go”? If I’d written them down on, say, a school jotter in 1982 I’d have been sent for psychiatric counseling. “I’ve got the facts, I know the truth / You’re all corrupt, you’re all depraved / A few devices around the place / I’ll blow you all away” – it’s a nuclear Unabomber manifesto, hidden behind a goofy video with Pete Thoms’ head on a plate. No, it wasn’t serious, but combine it with “Norman Bates” and the sheer oddness of some of the other _From The Tea-Rooms_ tracks and the album has an odd, surreal, slightly disturbing quality. For me, that’s a big part of the appeal.

I occasionally stuck those lyrics in my signature in the music groups on USENET in the 90s, without context. Yes, I got people questioning my mental health in addition to the “Hey, that’s Landscape!” comments.

Al Crawford
SDE Reader

Not seen it mentioned but the set is also available through Bandcamp for £40 – either as a physical box set, or as a digital download. I may go for the latter – I’m turning into some sort of antithesis of the typical SDE reader, ripping my entire collection to 100GB M-DISC BD-XL format (looks like my entire collection will fit on 9 discs vs the current gigantic 6 drawer cabinet) for archival purposes, and listening to FLAC files on a dedicated server I’m building. So the digital download is ideal for me, although I do wish the pricing reflected the fact that it won’t include any media, booklets, etc.

The presence/absence of *that* song doesn’t influence my purchase plans at all. It was kinda tacky even at the time it was released, and I’d fully understand the band wanting to sweep it under the carpet, not because of some evil plot against artistic freedom, but because it makes them cringe that they ever recorded something like that. I’m far more interested in the heaps of unreleased stuff. If anything does change my mind it’ll be that it leans a bit more heavily than I’d like towards the early, jazzy stuff and live recordings.

SDE Resident

I bought the Einstein a Go Go single when it came out. A catchy tune! I think I’ve still got it. Never realised that Landscape had made so many albums. One assumed they were one hit wonders. Out of curiosity, I’ve listened to Eastern Girls and to be honest, it sounds like something the Not the Nine O’clock News team would have produced! ” I like girls with yellow skin”. Come on. Schoolboy lyrics over a synth pop back track. Not great, but I suppose it’s part of the bands history. (Let’s not mention Kate Bush’s reworking shall we)

PeaPower
SDE Resident

So this set includes “Manhattan Boogie Woogie as it should have been” does it? I don’t really buy that. Regardless of whether Eastern Girls was intended for the album the band recorded the bloody thing and put it out and it’s part of their oeuvre whether they like it or not. When you put together something that is essentially a historical document I think it is important that you don’t leave anything out, even if it is a bit cheesy or lyrically embarrassing. Of course the song is available elsewhere if you want it but the boxed set is rendered incomplete by this omission, which is no good for obsessives like me and those who know the album and expect to hear the track. So yes Paul, I think that artists should be denied the right to take a track off because they fancy it or it makes them a bit red-faced ; )
Eastern Girls is a pretty daft and slightly dodgy ditty but it exists, and should not go the way of Underdogs and Saxophones as Opiates – airbrushed from musical history.

Ken99
SDE Resident

I am heartily sick of totalitarian woke ideology cancelling and censoring the arts.In my view no creative art from the past should ever be cancelled. Omitting the utterly lightweight and harmless Eastern Girls from this Landscape release kind of reveals we have now entered the end-game farce-land of the lunatic Marxist woke nutjob world.It literally cannot get any dumber than this!What kind if nutjobs now work in the music biz that they actually go as far as thinking EG is an inappropriate song?

If I was Elvis Costello I would open every show I did with an uncensored version of Oliver’s Army on the grounds it was my biggest hit,and literally say a F*** you to anybody who objects.Enough is enough!

And if I was a DJ playing 70’s records I’d play Gary Glitter’s Rock’n’Roll,because its a decent tune I happen to like that was a big hit.I would not just erase it from chart history just because the woke clowns are offended by Glitter’s criminal convictions.Same with Rick James and R Kelly!These artists had chart careers before they were convicted of criminal offences,so there music should not be entirely erased by the woke censors.

SDE Legend

I agree with you when it comes to Landscape not including the track ‘Eastern Girls’ being their choice, but their reason for it not being for the 21st century is so lame, considering artists and bands add tracks to deluxe editions, NOT remove them. For example, David Bowie never really like his song ‘The Laughing Gnome’, but it was later added to a deluxe edition of his album to make it more complete. Like the band Landscape, he could have easily chosen not to have it added, that being HIS choice, but he didn’t, and good for him. He knew how to treat his fans and give them what they want.

SDE Fanatic

Your Bowie argument doesn’t really hold up – “Too Dizzy” was removed from ‘Never Let Me Down’ and has yet to make it onto a reissue.

SDE Legend

The track ‘Too Dizzy’ could appear on a future reissue, considering music companies are forever re-releasing new editions of albums. David Bowie being such a legend and rock god, there is even more of chance of this track rearing its head at some point, even if not in our lifetime.

SDE Fanatic

I consider myself “woke,” but that doesn’t mean that I agree that tracks need to be removed due to overwrought sensitivities. I have a huge collection of historically racist minstrel songs, and I see those songs as exactly that – historically racist. Not all “woke” people are trying to erase history. But if an artist decides that a certain song should not be on a certain re-release, that’s the artist’s prerogative. People in general need to stop thinking of the word “woke” as a pejorative. That opinion is, frankly, reactionary and ignorant. In other words, I totally agree with your perception, Paul, if I am interpreting your perception correctly.

Last edited 2 years ago by AndyB
SDE Reader

I agree to a certain extent, I still listen to Rick James as love Street Sounds. But when it comes to the Gaddage he was never totally cancelled as they did use one of his songs in Joker years after his many convictions. But those are extreme comparisons, no way should Landcape be compared to the morally repugnant like Gadd. Not that I’m giving Rick James a free pass but Boy George did much the same and didn’t even get a spell in the big house.

I despise cancel culture but in a few cases perhaps it’s a good thing. The problem as I see it is everything is taken out of context, take a song like Flashback by Ministry; the lyrics could be perceived as promoting violence to women, the same with RIP by Gary Numan but they are playing characters not actually condoning violence as artists. Bowie with Outside too. There should be some kind of middle ground reached where sensible people can say OK that’s fiction/telling a story and realise that. But then on the other side of the argument not everything is acceptable or should be promoted.

Liquidizer
SDE Reader

The key thing here is that the band want to withdraw it. We shouldn’t all have to stand by everything we said or wrote forty years ago, and a listener’s desire to hear a jolly tune doesn’t trump the artist’s right to withdraw it.

SDE Fanatic

Is it a good thing? As i remember the big fuss of the Prince estate leaving extraloveable off 1999, even though its a bloody good track. I should nake my mind up if i want to listen to or buy something. If Love Island is on I switch it off. I am an adult and can make my own mind up on what does or does not offend me.

SDE Legend

I agree, cancel culture needs to be cancelled. Arts stand on their own. What about Phil Spector, wanna delete all the music he produced?

Christian
SDE Resident

This is not cancel culture and i’m not even sure that’s a thing.
This is choosing to learn as we improve and not repeat mistakes.
It’s not up to us to decide what an artist considers an error of judgement.
If the band think they made an error of judgement by releasing EG then, they have the absolute right to not release it now.
We are learning to be more inclusive as a society and move away from divisive majority-led ideas like The Black And White Minstrel Show.
I’ll defend free speech until I die, and when I do you can play Cop Killer at my funeral.
John Lennon was making Nazi salutes for a joke from Australian balconies in the 60s.
He wouldn’t now.
That’s not being woke, it’s growing up.
And yes I can still enjoy his music and understand its complex and confused emotional genesis.

Last edited 2 years ago by Christian
SDE Reader

All this outrage is funny, hardly a signal of impending apocalypse of taste. This is a minor band mostly seen as a novelty act from tbe 80s, the only people buying it will be fans, the mass media will not be descending on this demanding unexpurgated release of original material. No one from up on high has decided its a non track, the band are perhaps embarrassed in hindsight, let’s get some perspective here.

SDE Fanatic

Lets pick this debate up then when the Lennon camp remove that track from Somewhere in New York or the Prince camp removes some of the riskier tracks from future releases or the entire Black Album to be binned again. It might be minor group or it might be something done when younger (im sure George Michael hated Wham Rap but im sure the fans will kick up a stink if it was left off CD and Vinyl) but its billed as complete archival release. And it should be that.

SDE Resident

Proof, once again, that the most easily offended people are those who complain about how easily offended other people are.

gwynogue
SDE Legend

I pre-ordered this a while ago, although I only know “Einstein-A-Go-Go”. It’s probably not a good idea to buy an expensive (on my budget at least) boxset based on one song. Especially after reading that it’s quite different to some of their other material. Plus I haven’t heard “EAGG” in quite a while, so I might not love it as much as I remember.

So I decided to check them out on a *cough* streaming service *cough* this morning. I really liked what I heard so I won’t be cancelling my order.

I pre-ordered it along with the Wham! boxset, so I’ll have a “Wake Me Up Before Einstein A Go-Go!” (sorry, couldn’t help myself!)

While we’re on the subject of pre-orders, my Suede blu-ray/cd bundle from your SDE store arrived last week Paul, many thanks. x

SDE Legend

Hi all. With regard the track ‘Eastern Girls’ being missing from the collection, both the 7inch and 12inch versions, which is a favourite of mine, it seems the band have gone all ‘woke’ on us fans and purposely did not include it to keep the minority of ‘snowflakes’ happy, this being their reply: “Landscape was always about making a new soundtrack for the future, right from the start. Out of all our tracks, ‘Eastern Girls’ felt out of place in a twenty-first century collection. We did not intend to put the song on the album in the first place but, at the time, the record label heard it and felt it could be a hit single. This new release makes ‘Manhattan Boogie-Woogie’ closer to our original vision.” Well, as far as I am concerned this is just a feeble excuse by the band to feel the need to bow down to the cry-babies of society that are offended by almost everything little thing in life and ruling over the majority of us with their selfish ‘cancel culture’ attitude with regard anything that does not suit THEM, such as music, books, comedy, the arts….etc. I will be purchasing the boxset, because it is a very good collection, but I am so glad I bought the original 12inch single of ‘Eastern Girls’ back in the 1980s when life was not ruled by a minority of killjoy dictators. :o(

SDE Resident

You sound offended…

BobbyAA
SDE Reader

Everyday is a school day

crushtrash
SDE Resident

The lyrics in the break in “Eastern Girls” are the real cringe, even at the time when I heard it on the radio (and would’ve definitely limited airplay). However members of the band have created new instrumental mixes on the cd from the masters of a number of the tracks from the album, so it seems very odd they didn’t at least do that and give fans the option to insert that ‘new’ version into the album’s running order if they chose. The closing Eastern Girls harmonised vocals are nice too, so they could’ve even included those, and the original 12″ had some extra breaks that could’ve been included. Omitting it altogether seems a little drastic, as it has quite a cute keyboard motiff running through the chorus, even if the lyrics were not deemed OK for this re-release. It may have been a joint artist/reissue label decision of course. Pre-ordered and liked the mastering on the RSD “Tea Rooms”, so am still looking forward to wading through the landscape. Thanks, Paul, for the unboxing video on what is clearly an eclectic item.

Gary Tilford
SDE Reader

Eastern Girls is a bonus track on the 2002 Cherry Red reissue CD of Tea Rooms. And yes, EG was originally released in both 7″ and 12″ versions.

Ken99
SDE Resident

Why issue a completist collection containing literally everything the label can locate,then deliberately omit Eastern Girls,which was a decent-enough 7in single?I own the original 7in of Eastern Girls so it was clearly a main commercial release from the band.Why is no explanation given to why it is omitted?Just odd to see a warts and all release of so much obscure material that then intentionally omits a commercial 7in single(also released on 12in I think), which I am sure was even put on the 3rd lp.Anybody wanting to buy this release will WANT everything included, even Eastern Girls! So why deny the fans the complete collection?Instead you get all of Landscape minus EG!Kind of illogical considering how much they are including.

European Man,Norman Bates and So Good So Pure So Kind are three decent songs/ singles that underperformed in the charts.I remember when they came out and recall being surprised that all 3 singles flopped.I bought all these 7inches plus Eastern Girls from Woolies as they used to discount all the 7in chart singles they aint sold.Used to buy most of my singles that way,rather than pay full price on release date!

Liquidizer
SDE Reader

Yes, I spotted that too, but I can understand they might have withdrawn it because of its lyrics. It was an album track on Manhattan Boogie-Woogie as well as a single, so it’s probably been deliberately removed rather than just overlooked.

SDE Reader

It really isn’t offensive though, it’s on Spotify for one who remove anything with any vaguely incorrect lyrics. I mean it’s Landscape for crying out loud not Skrewdriver.

Seikotsi
SDE Resident

Wow even though I was into synthpop in the early eighties (and still now) I never heard of this band. The einstein a gogo song seems ok but the singing is a bit silly – like it’s a novelty act? Not sure…

SDE Resident

Missing the single a-side Eastern Girls, from the Manhattan Boogie Woogie album. Presumably the band were embarrassed by the lyrics?

jaybag
SDE Reader

Shame that they deleted the track Eastern Girls from Manhattan Boogie-Woogie, likely thanks to lyrics that haven’t aged well (honestly they’re not THAT bad). Doing so just draws more attention to the song, really.

Liquidizer
SDE Reader

There’s one line in particular that’s likely to cause offence today. I wasn’t surprised to see the song omitted. The song’s still out there for anyone who wants it, but it’s understandable if the band don’t want to actively promote it today.

SDE Reader

Is there really a market for this collection? I only initially knew them for “Einstein a Go-Go,” so I decided to listen to their albums in their entirety and I now ask again, is there is really a market for this? I mean, I would love an extensive/expanded box set for Talk Talk, Visage, even Malcom McLaren to name a few…but Landscape? Well I just don’t get it. But, hey, that’s just my two cents.

Last edited 2 years ago by Knuckles Johnson
Derek L
SDE Fanatic

I think there are many 80s albums that deserve reissue in deluxe sets and preferably with multichannel mixes. Cherry Red do mostly budget reissues of second tier bands. I am sure the bigger artists and more successful albums are too expensive for the label to acquire rights and are tightly controlled. But they need to hurry up because that generation (of which I am a member) are getting on in years, suffering from hearing loss issues, and will start dropping like flies in 10 years an on.

Liquidizer
SDE Reader

Their previous reissues are out of print, and so presumably sold out of their pressing.

andrew R
SDE Resident

Not everything recorded in the 80’s is worthy of re releasing
I think its fair to say .This would fall into that category I feel .

SDE Resident

So that’s an “Einstein a No-No” then?

SDE Reader

I’m still hoping for a SDE of When In Rome’s debut ideally with all the remixes of “The Promise” that were released much later in their career. Well if you can call one album a career…

AndreasL
SDE Fanatic

I bet Midge Ute was wondering when did he record that song (?) after first hearing The Promse on the radio

Gary Tilford
SDE Reader

I pre ordered this ages ago. I have since bought the RSD clear vinyl edition of Tea Rooms and was quite under whelmed after listening to it. I then canceled my pre order for this CD set. Back in the day I liked them quite a lot, now, not so much.

Liquidizer
SDE Reader

I got the reissues of the albums about 10 years ago, and I really enjoy them. I’m excited about this box set, but it’s not for everyone. Outside the Tea Rooms album there are some jazzy instrumental tracks, so while there are other synth pop tracks like Einstein-a-go-go, their work is more diverse than that.

Derek L
SDE Fanatic

I recall getting a single CD compilation years ago (the 1992 package of the first two albums on one CD). Apart from Einstein A Go Go nothing hit me as being worth my time with much of it not to my liking and nothing like the single. I think I let go of the CD soon after. And while some albums get better with age and my tastes change or mature, I don’t think this will be one I skip. Shame as it looks well packaged.