Author: Paul Sinclair

ABBA Voyage concert review

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Warning: In case it’s not obvious, this review contains spoilers about the ABBA Voyage live show!

It has been interesting to watch ABBA build their brand over the years and decades. After the group went their separate ways in 1982, the marketplace slowly became flooded with cheap-looking compilations with names like ‘Golden Hits’, ‘The Story of ABBA’, ‘Hits Hits Hits’, ‘Absolute ABBA’ and similar. The last thing the individual band members were worrying about at that time was ABBA’s legacy (busy as they were with their various projects, like Benny and Bjorn’s musical Chess, created with Tim Rice) and so there was little in the way checks and balances when it came to any kind of ‘strategy’ with the group’s recorded output. If you were willing to write a cheque, it seemed as if anyone could license ABBA’s hits for a compilation. Too much product, poorly presented, put ABBA in rather a bad light. That shoddy compilation on the shelf in Woolies screamed ‘bargain basement’ which was not a good look..

Change came about in the early 1990s, after Polygram acquired Polar Music. Polar was a tiny Swedish label founded by Stig Anderson and Bengt Bernhag in 1963. They had hit the big time with ABBA and the band’s global popularity, but being a tiny label with no international experience, their (sensible) model was to license the release of ABBA’s albums out to other labels around the world. Polar were guilty of licensing out the studio recordings for those post-split compilations, but the licenses were eventually allowed to expire in the early 1990s to clear the decks for the one compilation to rule them all: ABBA Gold.

The executives at Polygram recognised that a single CD collection, containing all the hits, simply – and professionally – packaged, had strength and appeal. It didn’t hurt that the tide was also turning in terms of people’s perception of ABBA. Erasure had a number one single in the UK in the summer of 1992 with their ‘Abba-esque’ EP (issued three months before ABBA Gold) and in 1994 two films (P.J. Hogan’s comedy-drama Muriel’s Wedding and Stephan Elliott’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) enjoyed international success while making significant use of ABBA’s music. As the US embraced Grunge and the UK was gearing up for Britpop, it would be an exaggeration to say that ABBA were cool again, but it was no longer socially unacceptable to say that, hey, you quite liked ABBA and to point out that Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus knew how to write a pop song.

It was the 1999 musical Mamma Mia that took everything to the next level. Nearly a quarter of a century later, the so-called jukebox musical is still running in the West End of London and has played in more than 50 countries around the world. It spawned two films, the first of which is thirteenth highest-grossing movie of all time at the UK box office! Mamma Mia has generated literally billions of dollars of revenue. ABBA were not only popular they were now a money-making industry.

The four members must have been delighted with this success, but they were well aware that there was one significant problem. As we moved into the new millennium, the now ABBA-hungry general public were getting very used to seeing their heroes, the artists they loved in the 1970s, play live. The likes of Paul McCartney, The Who, Elton John and The Rolling Stones were more than happy to charge top dollar to play stadiums and arenas around he world and transport fans back in time for a big nostalgia trip (plus a few tracks from ‘the new album’ of course…). Even Queen – who like ABBA have undertaken some significant brand-building in the last 20 years – have managed to put on sellout live shows, and that’s without their frontman, Freddie Mercury!

However, ABBA were adamant. They had, and still have, no interest in playing live again. What many people may not realise is that even in their heyday ABBA toured relatively infrequently. Remarkably, given the level of their success in Britain (they topped the UK singles chart nine times), between winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and calling it a day in 1982 they only played live to a paying audience 15 times in the UK! This was largely because they considered themselves a studio band, and the promotional video became their preferred way to get in front of the record-buying public. There were practical matters too; Agnetha, in particular, did not enjoy the challenge of touring while bringing up small children. 45 years from their heyday, all four members are in their Seventies and have concluded that no one wants, or needs, to see ‘old ABBA’ on stage, least of all them!  

Of course, that didn’t stop the demand; the pleas from the fans, and offers from promoters, to reform and tour. So around six years ago, the idea was touted that some kind of live show might be possible without needing the the band members to be there in person. Instead, ABBA ‘avatars’ – some kind of digital version of the group – could perform their songs on stage in front of a live audience. ABBA weren’t entirely convinced – they thought the idea was “extremely vague and imprecisely described” – but admitted that it came with a “strong urge to pursue [the idea] and to see where it would lead”. 

While artists had been represented as holograms in the past (American rapper Tupac Shakur appeared in this form a decade ago at the 2012 Coachella festival, 16 years after his death) what became known as the ‘ABBAtars’ would not be holograms; they would go way beyond that. ABBAtars would be highly detailed, digital recreations of Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Frida, rendered in three dimensions and brought to life by precise control over the lighting and the environment. The challenges were enormous; the biggest one being that the technology didn’t exist and it soon became clear that this was not a show that could be presented in existing venues. ABBA Voyage would require a purpose-built arena – people would have to travel to this one venue to experience the magic.

There was much research and development and producers Ludvig Andersson (Benny’s son) and Svana Gisla (not Benny’s son) brought in Industrial Light and Magic, the motion picture visual effects company founded by George Lucas in the 1970s, to work on the project. This eventually resulted in 100 “magicians” and “brilliant scientists” from the company spending five weeks in Stockholm working directly with the four members of ABBA to bring the ABBAtars to life via motion capture suits and other associated technologies. £140m has reportedly been spent on this project. Could they do it or would the ABBA gravy train come to a grinding halt and pull into the sidings at a station called White Elephant (and Castle). The risks were enormous. 

Waiting for the show to begin

I attended the first public performance of ABBA Voyage at the end of last week and can report that it is a truly spectacular evening that absolutely delivers as a stunning live spectacle. The ABBAtars are staggeringly good, confirmed by the reaction in the crowd which included incredulous, involuntary gasping, thunderous applause, a lot of screaming, tears, people looking at their partners or companions and laughing with ‘can-you-believe-what-we-are-seeing?’ excitement (the only other time I experienced this level of love-in-the-room was when the pixel-free Kate Bush walked on stage at Hammersmith Odeon in August 2014). 

ABBA Voyage is like some kind of wonderland. For 90 minutes you believe the unbelievable. I was concerned that I might have to work hard to enjoy the evening, but actually the suspension of disbelief is easy. Why? Because ABBA in their prime are standing right in front of you. Your brain might be trying to tell you it’s not real, but your heart, your databank of emotions – love, joy, regret, sadness – are tripping on overload. The soundtrack to your life is there flashing before your eyes. The evening will move you both emotionally (take a hanky) and physically (take your dancing shoes).

The ABBAtars just look so real. Bjorn on the left with his guitar, Benny on the right with his piano and Agnetha and Frida in the middle. They move around each other, put their arms across the other’s shoulders. Hair flies in the air, skirts blow and flutter. It seems inconceivable – and ultimately becomes irrelevant – that we were witnessing images on a 65million pixel flat screen. I’m still not sure I believe it. When the show starts the lighting in the 3000-seat arena drops very low – but not so low that you can’t see the other people you are sitting amongst. This sense of a communal experience – laughing, singing and crying and dancing to ABBA with other people – was very important to producer Svana Gisla, and I can understand why. Total darkness is too isolating. It’s these kinds of details that make all the difference. 

If you are thinking it all sounds a bit sterile, it isn’t. All the music is played totally live by the in-house band. Sometimes, they are highly visible towards the lefthand side of the stage, slightly below where the ABBAtars are situated, but then at other times the focus is completely on ABBA and the band are all but hidden away, like an orchestra in the pit at a West End musical. As for the vocals, these are sung by ABBA and so are not live, but they do sound like they have been newly-recorded – they haven’t just pulled out the multi-tracks to access the vocal stems. Maybe there’s some blending of new and old, it’s pretty hard to tell to be honest, but the main point here is that while they sound great and are accurate renditions of the songs you know and love, it’s not like someone’s popped a CD of ABBA Gold on, in the background.

The show is sequenced and structured very carefully. The build up and the start of the show is naturally very exciting and it delivers as the pulsing synths of the title track from 1981’s The Visitors (yay!) starts playing as beams of light silhouette the four members of the group. There’s also a massive screen that wraps around nearly half the walls of the arena which sometimes echoes the role of the screens that you might see at a traditional concert, showing you ‘close-ups’ of the ABBAtars on stage.

For a few songs, the ABBAtars aren’t present at all on stage, but rather we see video-style projections of them around the massive seamless screens. This first happens for the performance of ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ and later for ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ which sees the group in their ‘TRON’-style outfits (as seen on the packaging of some of the limited editions of the ABBA Voyage album last year). At first, I was slightly disappointed and thought this was a bit of a cop out – we’ve paid to see the ABBAtars after all – but I reflected later that this was actually a canny move. The producers, and director Baillie Walsh, effectively drip-feed the ‘magic’ of seeing those ABBBtars ‘in the flesh’. Controlling the pacing and turning the tap on and off, to make sure we don’t get bored looking at them. It’s an interesting thing to consider. Neil Tennant (or was it Chris Lowe?) of the Pet Shop Boys once said that the most exciting thing about a concert was when the act first walks on stage and after that, it’s all down hill. He has a point, to a degree. There’s a reason Pink Floyd used all those lasers in the 1990s and U2 and Roger Waters make use of spectacular visual effects these days – just looking at four people on stage, even if they are amazing ABBAtars, might get dull for the duration. Hearing the songs performed live is important, but so is visual stimulation and ABBA have always been a visual band, with their memorable and iconic promo videos. 

So every now and again, a song is accompanied by animation (‘Eagle’ and ‘Voulez-Vous’ for example) or having the ABBAtars on the big screen rather than actual size “on stage” (reminder: it’s all a screen!). There is a breathtaking moment between ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ and ‘Summer Night City’ which sees a transition between big screen video and band-on-stage that rather messes with your mind. 

The producers also respect the ‘reality’ of the performers on stage (I’m talking about the ABBAtars). So for instance, after a brilliant ‘Dancing Queen’ leads straight into the show-closing ‘The Winner Takes It All’, the band are all still wearing the same outfits, because that’s exactly how it would be in real life, if there was no opportunity to change. The animations/projections, as described above, also help to that end, allowing the performers time to change costumes ‘off stage’ (there is a knowing joke about this during the show) making sense of their new garb when we see them again. Clever stuff, since while the technology could support costumes changing at a click of a button in front of your eyes, that would shatter the suspension of disbelief.

The show is brilliant in terms of lighting and effects. We are rarely sitting there in the arena simply looking through empty space at four figures on stage. There’s all sorts of textures and layers in the room which lift the experience and no doubt have a part to play in enhancing the appearance of the ABBAtars. There’s dry ice-style glowing columns, warm sparkly light beads and the like, and after a while you struggle to establish what’s real and what isn’t.

Negatives? There’s a few things where you just shrug and go with it. ‘Young’ ABBA singing ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’ and ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ doesn’t make any sense, but because those songs happen to sound like lost ABBA classics in the first place, they get away with it. The massive screens, which ‘film’ and project the ABBAtars as they perform, occasionally make ABBA look less ‘real’ than the figures we can see directly ‘on stage’, although this does vary. I thought when the band were wearing very sparkly, sequinned outfits for ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ they looked much better on the ‘big screens’ than for some of the earlier songs at the beginning. The good news is that the arena felt relatively intimate, rendering the screens inessential when the ABBAtars were performing and anyway, it’s hard to take your eyes off those figures standing right in front of you. I would love to return and see how the ABBAtars stand up to the scrutiny of being much closer, perhaps standing towards the front or even from a different angle (I was fairly much facing head on).

During the show, each member of ABBA has a little solo spot where they talk and engage with the audience. It’s very well done, but perhaps the producers might have predicted more whooping and cheering than they had allowed for, since there was plenty of times were a real live performer would have paused to let the noise die down, but of course the ABBAtars don’t do that, which means they carry on talking and you miss bits of what they say due to the crowd eruptions. There’s a fun section where Bjorn reminds the audience that the UK gave Waterloo ‘null points’ during the 1974 Eurovision Song Content, followed by a film of the performance at the time. I was sure this might segue into the ABBAtars dressed up as they were in 1974 to ‘carry on’ playing the song, but that didn’t happen. It felt like a missed opportunity, to recreate a little bit of history. Maybe the producers thought that would be too gimmicky.

It will be interesting to see whether the setlist (see below) remains rigid or whether they will tweak and experiment with the songs included. There were plenty of big hits AWOL including ‘Money Money Money’, ‘Super Trouper’, ‘The Name of the Game, ‘I Have A Dream’ and ‘Take A Chance On Me’. One suspects, given the investment, that they must have created ABBAtar performances for at least some of these numbers.

The purpose-built venue is spacious inside with easy access to refreshments and facilities

Beyond the specifics of the show, the whole wider experience is smooth and effortless. The ABBA Voyage arena is purpose built near Stratford in East London and is literally right next to Pudding Mill Lane station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train network. This is now a clean and modern area of regeneration (thanks to the ‘London 2012’ Olympic Games). I arrived at 7.15pm, half and hour before the show was due to begin and while there were plenty of people around, it was not rammed inside, the facilities were excellent and numerous enough that there was no queue for either bar or the toilets. So none of that hell of some famous concert venues where you are 15 deep waiting to buy a drink while the act plays your favourite song. These things matter more as you get older! The show also finishes early enough (9.30pm) that no one is going to be panicking about missing the last train home. 

To summarise, ABBA Voyage is a journey you need to experience. The technology delivers wonderment and the show is a crowd-pleasing triumph. I was too young to see ABBA live in the 1970s, but weirdly I think this new show must be better than that because it delivers the same concert experience with an extra layer of pure magic.

“I think that might be the best thing I’ve ever seen” said a woman to me on the train as we chatted about the show afterwards. For once, the marketing hype – “a concert like no other” – is spot on.

ABBA Voyage is currently booking until next year. Tickets are available here.

ABBA Voyage setlist

  • The Visitors
  • Hole In Your Soul
  • SOS
  • Knowing Me, Knowing You
  • Chiquitita
  • Fernando
  • Mamma Mia
  • Does Your Mother Know?
  • Eagle
  • Lay All Your Love On Me
  • Summer Night City
  • Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
  • Voulez-Vous
  • When All Is Said And Done
  • Don’t Shut Me Down
  • I Still Have Faith In You
  • Waterloo
  • Thank You For The Music
  • Dancing Queen
  • The Winner Takes It All

Out This Week / on 3 June 2022

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Prince and the Revolution / Live Vinyl

Prince and The Revolution’s 30 March 1985 live concert from the Carrier Dome, Syracuse – which was part of his 1985 Purple Rain tour – is issued on 2CD+blu-ray and as 3LP vinyl set.

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The Lickerish Quartet / Threesome Vol. 3 (CD edition)

Two years after Threesome Vol. 1 The Lickerish Quartet (ex Jellyfish) bring us the third EP in the ongoing series. The music is great, but this release schedule is hard work. Vinyl not out until 24 June.

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The Lickerish Quartet

Threesome Vol 3 - twelve inch vinyl EP

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Saturday Deluxe / 28 May 2022

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

ABBA Voyage concerts begin

After all the hype and planning, ABBA Voyage, the ‘concert like no other’ opened to the public yesterday. I was there and there is a lot to talk about! Full SDE review coming very soon…

Paul Weller / 22 Dreams 2LP vinyl reissue

Paul Weller’s Will of the People

This week, the reissue of Paul Weller’s 2008 album 22 Dreams was officially confirmed. News of this 2LP vinyl reissue has been allowed to leak into the public domain via a listing on Amazon UK back in April and SDE duly reported it to fans.

The link was eventually removed, because it seems as if the plan was to announce this on Weller’s birthday which was on Thursday, 25 May. That’s what happened, in the end, although the cat was already out of the bag.

However bizarrely, in another twist, when the Amazon product listing returned, in the ‘product description’ section was details of a yet-to-be-announced Paul Weller collection called Will of the People. Now removed, this text described the collection as a follow up to the 2003 Fly on the Wall compilation which gathered B-sides and rarities and was issued as a 3CD clamshell box package and as a 3LP vinyl set.

Will of the People will take the listener through “a similar mix of rarities, this time spanning the period 2002 to 2021”. The collection has been “compiled by Paul Weller himself and Paul has provided artwork ideas and sketches for the design”.

Presumably it will be issued on both CD and vinyl and the release will include sleeve notes from writer and broadcaster John Wilson. More news on this when we have it.

Read more about the Paul Weller 22 Dreams vinyl reissue

xPropaganda chart success

Congratulations to Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag of xPropaganda. Their album The Heart Is Strange entered the UK charts at #11 yesterday which is very impressive! Different times, and different band of course, but it’s worth reflecting that this does surpass the chart peak of Propaganda’s A Secret Wish which reached #16 in 1985.

As is sometimes the case, once we’ve finished shipping pre-orders of an SDE-exclusive product like the blu-ray audio edition of The Heart Is Strange, the SDE shop has a small amount of leftover stock, which is down to cancellations and contingency. Therefore, if you missed out, you have a small window of opportunity to snag a copy of the limited edition blu-ray with Atmos and 5.1 mixes and the 2CD set with instrumentals (which is now deleted). Head over to the SDE shop or use the buttons below. Strictly limited to one per customer for each edition, and read the notes below with regards to blu-ray and EU shipping.

TECHNICAL NOTES: This blu-ray audio requires a blu-ray player. Decoding the Dolby Atmos mix requires a Dolby Atmos-certified soundbar or a Dolby Atmos-compatible AV Receiver/Amp. The Dolby Atmos mix will ‘fold down’ to 5.1 or stereo if a Dolby Atmos decoder is not detected.
EU SHIPPING NOTES: If you are ordering from the EU please be aware that that goods may be subject to import VAT when they arrive from the UK. The prices the SDE shop charge do not include VAT.

Review: The Police Around The World

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Restored documentary delivers pristine pictures and a fun global jaunt

Around The World is a film that follows The Police on their 1980 (and later, 1981) world tour at a time where, in the words of guitarist Andy Summers the group had “just about enough popularity to get booked around the globe”.

Issued in 1982 on VHS (and later on Laserdisc in Japan), the documentary has now been ‘restored and expanded’ and issued on blu-ray and DVD (both for the first time), within specific combo sets (LP+DVD, CD+blu-ray and CD+DVD).

In his excellent notes in the booklet, Summers writes of various challenges, including an almost drug bust, confrontations with the local law enforcement, illness and more, and so depicts a more troubled tour than we actually see in the film. Around The World, for the most part, is a travelogue set to music, embracing some well-worn documentary tropes and indulging in shots of Bullet Trains in Japan, Rickshaws in Hong Kong and a rather unfortunate and ragged-looking snake-in-a-basket in India! 

It’s no less fascinating for all that and watching the band play live at arguably their peak (there was some later overdubbing of these performances), in sometimes sweaty and cramped venues, is the core appeal of this film. Today’s World Disco in Hong Kong, is crazy, with fans almost eyeball to eyeball with the three musicians on stage. Not all the audio is live, since the filmmakers couldn’t resist the opportunity to shoot some on-the-hoof promo videos (with the band lip-syncing to the studio tracks) in various locations such as the subway in Hong Kong (‘So Lonely’) and on a cable car in South America (‘When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around’).

‘Message in a Bottle’ as performed live in Hong Kong on Around The World

Around The World is at its weakest when it indulges in some forced set pieces such as Andy Summers trying his hand at Sumo wrestling (resulting in a bad case of the flu); a topless Sting pulling a Rickshaw up a hill; what can only be described as a comedy ‘skit’ on Camels in Cairo; and a very unfunny Jools Holland (interviewing the band towards the end of proceedings). The moments that stand out are the real ones, such as the Indian ladies and dignitaries in Bombay who seemed thrilled to welcome The Police to the Time and Talents Club for a charity concert (where they played a version of ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’ that Stewart Copeland told SDE was “maybe the best one on record”) and the blonde kid in Australia who, when asked by a local news reporter what he likes most about The Police, earnestly says “their music”. There’s also an amusing encounter in Hong Kong where a tailor doesn’t like the idea of adding zips to the lapels of Andy Summers’ jacket (we see the zip-laden garment later on!).

In Cairo, we get a sniff of Spinal Tap (that mockumentary was three or four years away at the time of filming) as Stewart’s brother Miles, who managed the band, grapples with red tape and the challenge of getting their gear out of customs and ready in time for the concert (“obviously we need the lights!” we hear him say, exasperated) but again, that’s a rare peak into the mechanics and frustrations that go with a world tour. Around The World prefers music, performance, off-stage japes and the texture and colour of capital cities and their residents.

The picture quality is now stunning, although Andy Summers last year told SDE “It’s taken forever got get it sorted, because of issues like restoring 16mm film and getting the extras up to 4K level”. The credits on the blu-ray actually confirm that the negatives were scanned at 2K, which is HD blu-ray quality but not 4K. 

The Police live on stage (click image to enlarge)

In terms of this being ‘expanded’ there are welcome “complete” live performances of ‘Walking On The Moon’, ‘Next To You’ (both from Kyoto) and ‘Message in a Bottle’ and ‘Born in the 50’s’ (both Hong Kong) in the bonus section of the blu-ray/DVD. Also, let’s not forget that depending on which package you buy you get a CD or vinyl LP of live performances (the CD has a few more songs). What’s interesting, is there are numerous tweaks and edits, mostly small and largely inconsequential, although that doesn’t include the omission of a performance of ‘De Do Do Do De Da Da Da’ in France, almost certainly because Sting gets annoyed by what someone in the crowd does (spitting?) and shouts “You fucking bastard! I’m going to get you” during the performance of the song! Trying to ‘get’ one of your fans is not a good look these days, one presumes. Kudos to Thepolicewiki.org for some forensic work on this issue and a full breakdown of the changes!

The Police Around The World is ultimately glossy, but a lot of fun. You don’t learn much about the personalities of the members of the group and all the tension and stress of a global tour is hidden under the surface. 40 years on, the film is now a historical document and that fact that it exists in the first place, and has been restored to modern standards in both video and audio, is excellent. Most of all, it reminds us just how ferociously good Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland were, together as a band in 1980. You can’t help but agree with Copeland when he told SDE that “We were always a very guerrilla band, so we were psychically equipped to play weird places”. Highly recommended.

The Police Around The World is out now.

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The Police

DVD + silver vinyl - in USA - and blue vinyl elsewhere

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Tracklisting

Around The World The Police / Blu-ray or DVD

    • Features performances of:
      1. Next To You
      2. Walking On The Moon
      3. Born In The 50’s
      4. So Lonely
      5. Man In A Suitcase
      6. Can’t Stand Losing You
      7. Bring On The Night
      8. Canary In A Coalmine
      9. Voices Inside My Head
      10. When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around
      11. Shadows In The Rain
      12. Don’t Stand So Close To Me
      13. Truth Hits Everybody
      14. Roxanne
      Bonus Features:Complete live performances of:
      1. Walking On The Moon (Live from Kyoto)
      2. Next To You (Live from Kyoto)
      3. Message In A Bottle (Live from Hong Kong)
      4. Born In The 50’s (Live from Hong Kong)

Tracklisting

Around The World The Police / CD

      1. Walking On The Moon – Live from Kyoto
      2. Next To You – Live from Kyoto
      3. Deathwish – Live from Kyoto
      4. So Lonely – Live from Kyoto
      5. Can’t Stand Losing You – Live from Kyoto
      6. Truth Hits Everybody – Live from Kyoto
      7. Visions Of The Night – Live from Hammersmith
      8. Roxanne – Live from Hammersmith
      9. Intro
      10. Born In The 50’s – Live from Hong Kong
      11. Message In A Bottle – Live from Hong Kong
      12. Bring On The Night – Live from Hong Kong

Tracklisting

The Police / Around The World DVD+vinyl LP deluxe edition

Around The World The Police / Vinyl LP

    • Side A
      1. Walking On The Moon – Live from Kyoto
      2. Deathwish – Live from Kyoto
      3. So Lonely – Live from Kyoto
      4. Can’t Stand Losing You – Live from Kyoto
    • Side B
      1. Truth Hits Everybody – Live from Kyoto
      2. Roxanne – Live from Hammersmith
      3. Born In The 50’s – Live from Hong Kong
      4. Message In A Bottle – Live from Hong Kong
      5. Bring On The Night – Live from Hong Kong

Talk Talk / The Party’s Over vinyl reissue

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Talk Talk’s 1982 debut album, The Party’s Over, is to be reissued on coloured vinyl for its 40th anniversary. The album features the singles ‘Mirror Man’, ‘Talk Talk’ and the band’s first top 20 hit, ‘Today’.

The Party’s Over was produced by Colin Thurston, who’d produced Duran Duran’s first two albums before working with Talk Talk on this album.

This 40th anniversary vinyl does not offer any bonus content, but is pressed on white vinyl. It’s released on 15 July 2022 via Parlophone Label Group.

The Party’s Over 40th anniversary edition pressed on white vinyl (click image to enlarge)

Tracklisting

Talk Talk / The Party's Over 40th anniversary coloured vinyl

The Party’s Over Talk Talk / 40th anniversary coloured vinyl

    • Side A
      1. Talk Talk
      2. It’s So Serious
      3. Today
      4. The Party’s Over
      Side B
      1. Hate
      2. Have You Heard The News
      3. Mirror Man
      4. Another Word
      5. Candy

Fans mourn the death of Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher from Depeche Mode

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Depeche Mode fans are in shock with the announcement late yesterday that band member Andy Fletcher had died, aged only 60. No cause of death has been released.

In a statement, the band said:

“We are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member, and bandmate Andy “Fletch” Fletcher.

Fletch had a true heart of gold and was always there when you needed support, a lively conversation, a good laugh or a cold pint.

Our hearts are with his family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy in this difficult time”.

A founding member of Depeche Mode, and keyboard (and bass) player, Fletch along with Martin Gore and Dave Gahan was one of the three original members still in the group. Their last album was 2017’s Spirit.

With the early departure of Vince Clark (in 1981) and Alan Wilder quitting in 1995, that now only leaves Gore and Gahan to fly the flag for Depeche Mode. With this devastating news, questions will be asked over the band’s future, although it’s true that Gore and Gahan come up with most of the material, these days.

In a dark Thursday, Yes drummer Alan White also passed away at the age of 72. In a six-decade career he had played with some greats, including two Beatles (John Lennon and George Harrison). White joined Yes in July 1972 and so was the longest continuously serving band member.

Rest in Peace Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher and Alan White (and Ray Liotta who also died yesterday aged 67).

This Week’s Box Set and Reissue Deals

Posted on by Paul Sinclair
Nirvana / Nevermind 30 vinyl LP + 7" single

Nirvana / Nevermind 30 vinyl LP + 7″ single Remastered vinyl + 7″

£19 was £33

Deal Over!

Excellent price in the UK for a quality vinyl reissue. Nirvana’s Nevermind has been newly remastered from the original analog tapes and packaged in a premium ‘tip-on’ gatefold jacket for the first time. This comes with a bonus 7″ single featuring ‘Endless, Nameless’, ‘Even in His Youth’ and Aneurysm.

Kirsty MacColl / Tropical Brainstorm blue vinyl LP

Kirsty MacColl / Tropical Brainstorm blue vinyl LP Blue vinyl LP

£11

Deal Over!

The Killers / Pressure Machine vinyl LP Vinyl LP

£14

Deal Over!
Elton John / Madman Across The Water 50th anniversary 3CD+blu-ray super deluxe edition

Elton John / Madman Across The Water 3CD+blu-ray super deluxe 3CD+blu-ray super deluxe

$55 was $90

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Great deal in America for the forthcoming super deluxe which is out at the end of next week. This expanded set includes rarities such as piano demos of the album and the audio of the BBC Sounds For Saturday concert, broadcast on BBC in 1972 and a 5.1 mix of the album by Greg Penny.

Crowded House / Dreamers are Waiting blue vinyl LP blue vinyl LP

£13 was £16

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Absurd price for the coloured vinyl edition of a great album

Elton John / Jewel Box: Deep Cuts 4LP vinyl 4LP vinyl

£25 was £45

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Hard to argue with £25 for a 4LP vinyl box set. You need to click on the voucher on the product page to get this UK deal.

John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band 2CD deluxe

John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band 2CD deluxe 2CD deluxe

£9 was £16

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Superb 2CD deluxe with a bonus disc of an alternative version of the album and the non-album singles. Nice packaging with slipcase, oversized booklet and War Is Over If You Want It poster!

Nirvana / Nevermind 30 – 2CD deluxe 2CD deluxe

£6 was £12

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Click voucher on product page for a great half-price deal. The bonus CD on this remastered Nevermind 30 has selections from 4 concerts on the Nevermind tour from Amsterdam, Netherlands; Del Mar, California; Melbourne, Australia and Tokyo, Japan.

ABBA / Voyage eco box CD box

£7 was £10

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Includes exclusive poster, art cards & sticker sheets.

David Bowie / Toy:Box 10″ box set 6 x 10″ vinyl box

£58 was £100

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Suede to release new studio album called ‘Autofiction’

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

“Back to basics”, with Ed Buller twiddling the knobs

Suede will release their ninth studio album, Autofiction, in September.

The album sees the band apparently ditching the grandeur and concepts of the last two records and going ‘back to basics’, with frontman Brett Anderson describing Autofiction as “our punk record. No whistles and bells. Just the five of us in a room with all the glitches and fuck-ups revealed; the band themselves exposed in all their primal mess.”

You can preview the first single ‘She Still Leads Me On’, above. The song is written from Brett to his late mother and lyrically Autofiction is described as “one of Anderson’s most personal records yet”. The album was recorded in Konk studios in North London. Ed Buller returns as producer after Suede worked with Alan Moulder for the The Blue Hour.

Standard formats for the album are CD, black gatefold vinyl and indies grey gatefold vinyl. The official artist shop (US fans have their own shop) offers a clear vinyl variant, signed bundles and a deluxe box set that gathers CD, clear vinyl along with “stencil, postcards, poster and signed setlist”. Not quite as impressive as 2018’s The Blue Hour box, it has to be said, which offered exclusive instrumentals on CD, a unique song on seven-inch and a DVD with band commentary.

Cover art to store exclusive ‘She Still Leads Me On’ EP

An exclusive 12-inch EP of ‘She Still Leads Me On’, is available on all bundles in the Suede shop (although not in the US). This includes non-album bonus tracks ‘The Prey’, ‘Days Like Dead Months’, and ‘The Sadness In You, The Sadness In Me’. SDE has been advised that if you ordered the bundle yesterday after the 12-inch sold out you will still get the 12-inch EP for the sake of fairness, etc. So that’s very good news!

US fans should note that there’s a separate ‘London Suede’ shop for you, although the box isn’t available from there.

Suede will play a couple of dates at London’s Electric Ballroom on 5 & 6 October and ordering from their shop does get you access to pre-sale tickets.

Autofiction will be released on 16 September via BMG.

Suede shop highlights

US fans should click here for official US ‘London Suede’ shop

Autofiction gatefold vinyl LP (click image to enlarge)

Tracklisting

Autofiction Suede /

      1. She Still Leads Me On
      2. Personality Disorder
      3. 15 Again
      4. The Only Way I Can Love You
      5. That Boy on the Stage
      6. Drive Myself Home
      7. Black Ice
      8. Shadow Self
      9. It’s Always the Quiet Ones
      10. What am I Without You
      11. Turn off Your Brain and Yell

Tracklisting

She Still Leads Me On Suede / 12″ EP

    • SIDE A
      1. She Still Leads Me On
      2. The Sadness In You, The Sadness In Me
      SIDE B
      1. Days Like Dead Moths
      2. The Prey

Now Yearbook ’81 unboxing video

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Released last week, the fourth in the Now That’s What I Call Music Yearbook series focuses on 1981. Watch as SDEtv explores the three physical editions of Now Yearbook ’81.

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Various Artists

Now Yearbook 81 - deluxe 4CD set in hardcover book

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Amazon usa   64.82 Order
Amazon fr   2000.00 Order
Amazon it   55.43 Order
Amazon ca   61.84 Order
JPC de   22.99 Order
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Various Artists

Now Yearbook 81 - limited edition 3LP red vinyl

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Various Artists

Now Yearbook 81 - standard 4CD set

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Tracklisting

Now Yearbook '81 / 4CD hardcover book deluxe edition

Now Yearbook ’81 Various Artists / 4CD set

    • CD 1
      1. Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
      2. The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
      3. The Specials – Ghost Town
      4. Ultravox – Vienna
      5. Visage – Fade To Grey
      6. The Human League – Don’t You Want Me
      7. Duran Duran – Planet Earth
      8. Soft Cell – Tainted Love
      9. Japan – Quiet Life
      10. Kim Wilde – Kids In America
      11. Toyah – It’s A Mystery
      12. Adam & The Ants – Prince Charming
      13. Blondie – Rapture
      14. ABBA – Lay All Your Love On Me
      15. Olivia Newton-John – Physical
      16. Stars On 45 – Stars On 45
      17. Shakin’ Stevens – Green Door
      18. Madness – It Must Be Love
      19. Smokey Robinson – Being With You
      20. Michael Jackson – One Day In Your Life
    • CD 2
      1. John Lennon – Imagine
      2. Roxy Music – Jealous Guy
      3. Pretenders – I Go To Sleep
      4. Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes
      5. REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
      6. Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight
      7. The Who – You Better You Bet
      8. Rainbow – I Surrender
      9. Status Quo – Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like
      10. Motorhead, Girlschool – Please Don’t Touch
      11. Hazel O’Connor – Will You?
      12. Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood
      13. Yarbrough & Peoples – Don’t Stop The Music
      14. Imagination – Body Talk
      15. Hi-Gloss – You’ll Never Know
      16. Freeez – Southern Freeez
      17. Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots
      18. Earth, Wind & Fire – Let’s Groove
      19. The Whispers – It’s A Love Thing
      20. Four Tops – When She Was My Girl
      21. Champaign – How ‘Bout Us
    • CD 3
      1. John Lennon – Woman
      2. ABBA – One Of Us
      3. Lionel Richie & Diana Ross – Endless Love (From “The Endless Love” Soundtrack)
      4. Randy Crawford – Rainy Night In Georgia
      5. Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only
      6. Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
      7. Godley & Creme – Under Your Thumb
      8. Kiki Dee – Star
      9. Cliff Richard – Wired For Sound
      10. Dollar – Hand Held In Black And White
      11. Aneka – Japanese Boy
      12. Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up
      13. Shakin’ Stevens – This Ole House
      14. Coast To Coast – (Do) The Hucklebuck
      15. Stray Cats – Rock This Town
      16. Bad Manners – Can Can
      17. Modern Romance – Everybody Salsa
      18. The Look – I Am The Beat
      19. The Nolans – Attention To Me
      20. Julio Iglesias – Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)
      21. Kate Robbins & Beyond – More Than In Love
      22. Elaine Paige – Memory (From ‘Cats’)
    • CD 4
      1. Adam & The Ants – Antmusic
      2. Altered Images – Happy Birthday
      3. Duran Duran – Girls On Film
      4. The Human League – Love Action (I Believe In Love)
      5. Spandau Ballet – Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)
      6. Haircut 100 – Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)
      7. ABC – Tears Are Not Enough
      8. Landscape – Einstein A Go-Go
      9. Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl
      10. Gary Numan – She’s Got Claws
      11. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Souvenir
      12. The Passions – I’m In Love With A German Film Star
      13. The Jam – That’s Entertainment
      14. U2 – Fire
      15. Siouxsie And The Banshees – Spellbound
      16. The Teardrop Explodes – Reward
      17. Tenpole Tudor – Swords Of A Thousand Men
      18. Department S – Is Vic There?
      19. UB40 – One In Ten
      20. Fun Boy Three – The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)
      21. Squeeze – Labelled With Love
      22. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Good Year For The Roses

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Various Artists

Now Yearbook 81 - deluxe 4CD set in hardcover book

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Amazon usa   64.82 Order
Amazon fr   2000.00 Order
Amazon it   55.43 Order
Amazon ca   61.84 Order
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Various Artists

Now Yearbook 81 - limited edition 3LP red vinyl

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Various Artists

Now Yearbook 81 - standard 4CD set

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Tracklisting

Now Yearbook '81 / 4CD hardcover book deluxe edition

Now Yearbook ’81 Various Artists / 4CD set

    • CD 1
      1. Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
      2. The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
      3. The Specials – Ghost Town
      4. Ultravox – Vienna
      5. Visage – Fade To Grey
      6. The Human League – Don’t You Want Me
      7. Duran Duran – Planet Earth
      8. Soft Cell – Tainted Love
      9. Japan – Quiet Life
      10. Kim Wilde – Kids In America
      11. Toyah – It’s A Mystery
      12. Adam & The Ants – Prince Charming
      13. Blondie – Rapture
      14. ABBA – Lay All Your Love On Me
      15. Olivia Newton-John – Physical
      16. Stars On 45 – Stars On 45
      17. Shakin’ Stevens – Green Door
      18. Madness – It Must Be Love
      19. Smokey Robinson – Being With You
      20. Michael Jackson – One Day In Your Life
    • CD 2
      1. John Lennon – Imagine
      2. Roxy Music – Jealous Guy
      3. Pretenders – I Go To Sleep
      4. Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes
      5. REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
      6. Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight
      7. The Who – You Better You Bet
      8. Rainbow – I Surrender
      9. Status Quo – Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like
      10. Motorhead, Girlschool – Please Don’t Touch
      11. Hazel O’Connor – Will You?
      12. Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood
      13. Yarbrough & Peoples – Don’t Stop The Music
      14. Imagination – Body Talk
      15. Hi-Gloss – You’ll Never Know
      16. Freeez – Southern Freeez
      17. Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots
      18. Earth, Wind & Fire – Let’s Groove
      19. The Whispers – It’s A Love Thing
      20. Four Tops – When She Was My Girl
      21. Champaign – How ‘Bout Us
    • CD 3
      1. John Lennon – Woman
      2. ABBA – One Of Us
      3. Lionel Richie & Diana Ross – Endless Love (From “The Endless Love” Soundtrack)
      4. Randy Crawford – Rainy Night In Georgia
      5. Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only
      6. Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
      7. Godley & Creme – Under Your Thumb
      8. Kiki Dee – Star
      9. Cliff Richard – Wired For Sound
      10. Dollar – Hand Held In Black And White
      11. Aneka – Japanese Boy
      12. Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up
      13. Shakin’ Stevens – This Ole House
      14. Coast To Coast – (Do) The Hucklebuck
      15. Stray Cats – Rock This Town
      16. Bad Manners – Can Can
      17. Modern Romance – Everybody Salsa
      18. The Look – I Am The Beat
      19. The Nolans – Attention To Me
      20. Julio Iglesias – Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)
      21. Kate Robbins & Beyond – More Than In Love
      22. Elaine Paige – Memory (From ‘Cats’)
    • CD 4
      1. Adam & The Ants – Antmusic
      2. Altered Images – Happy Birthday
      3. Duran Duran – Girls On Film
      4. The Human League – Love Action (I Believe In Love)
      5. Spandau Ballet – Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)
      6. Haircut 100 – Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)
      7. ABC – Tears Are Not Enough
      8. Landscape – Einstein A Go-Go
      9. Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl
      10. Gary Numan – She’s Got Claws
      11. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Souvenir
      12. The Passions – I’m In Love With A German Film Star
      13. The Jam – That’s Entertainment
      14. U2 – Fire
      15. Siouxsie And The Banshees – Spellbound
      16. The Teardrop Explodes – Reward
      17. Tenpole Tudor – Swords Of A Thousand Men
      18. Department S – Is Vic There?
      19. UB40 – One In Ten
      20. Fun Boy Three – The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)
      21. Squeeze – Labelled With Love
      22. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Good Year For The Roses

Tracklisting

Now Yearbook '81 / 4CD hardcover book deluxe edition

Now Yearbook ’81 Various Artists / Limited edition 3LP red vinyl

    • LP 1
      SIDE A
      1. Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
      2. The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
      3. Blondie – Rapture
      4.  Olivia Newton-John – Physical (Remastered)
      5. Lionel Richie & Diana Ross – Endless Love (From “The Endless Love” Soundtrack)
      6. Pretenders – I Go To Sleep
      7.  ABBA – One Of Us
      SIDE B
      1. Ultravox – Vienna
      2.  Visage – Fade To Grey
      3. Soft Cell – Tainted Love
      4.  Japan – Quiet Life
      5. Duran Duran – Planet Earth
      6. The Human League – Don’t You Want Me
      7. Kim Wilde – Kids In America
      8. Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
    • LP 2
      SIDE A
      1. John Lennon – Woman
      2. Roxy Music – Jealous Guy
      3. Hazel O’Connor – Will You?
      4.  Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes
      5. REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
      6. The Who – You Better You Bet
      7.  Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight
      SIDE B
      1. The Specials – Ghost Town
      2. The Jam – That’s Entertainment
      3. UB40 – One In Ten
      4.  Madness – It Must Be Love
      5. Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only
      6.  Odyssey – Going Back To My Roots
      7. Earth, Wind & Fire – Let’s Groove
      8. Imagination – Body Talk
    • LP 3
      SIDE A
      1. Duran Duran – Girls On Film
      2. Spandau Ballet – Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)
      3. Haircut 100 – Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)
      4. ABC – Tears Are Not Enough
      5. Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl
      6. Landscape – Einstein A Go-Go
      7.  Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Souvenir
      8.  The Passions – I’m In Love With A German Film Star
      SIDE B
      1. Adam & The Ants – Prince Charming
      2. Altered Images – Happy Birthday
      3. Toyah – It’s A Mystery
      4. Tom Tom Club – Wordy Rappinghood
      5. Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up
      6. Shakin’ Stevens – This Ole House
      7. Smokey Robinson – Being With You
      8. Michael Jackson – One Day In Your Life

Moonage Daydream – official teaser trailer

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Moonage Daydream is a new film by Brett Morgen that will be in Cinemas worldwide, in September. It’s a “a genre defying immersion into the art and sounds of David Bowie“.

The David Bowie Archive granted Morgen unprecedented access to their collection. They presented Morgen with over five million assets, including rare and never-before seen drawings, recordings, films, and journals. 

The audio should be good. Tony Visconti and sound mixer Paul Massey remixed and translated Bowie’s original stems for a theatrical environment that will be presented in 12.0, 5.0, Atmos, and 7.1/5.1. 

Elton John vinyl reissues

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

July sees a clutch of Elton John remastered vinyl reissues including a 2LP edition of his 2005 album Peachtree Road, a stereo release of 1968’s Regimental Sgt. Zippo and his first album of the 1990s, The One.

Regimental Sgt. Zippo is the ‘album that never was’ for Elton John. It was recorded in London in 1968 and was supposed to be his debut album. For reasons unknown, it was never released. During the research for the Jewel Box collection, the original running order was located and this album was issued last year, in mono, for Record Store Day. It has now been newly mixed into stereo and will be issued on black vinyl. There’s also a CD edition that contains both the original mono mixes and the new stereo mix.

The new 2LP vinyl remaster of Peachtree Road (click image to enlarge)

Peachtree Road was issued in 2004 and was self-produced. The vinyl wasn’t issued until 2005 at which point the rather dull original cover art was superseded by the image you see at the top of this post. It also became a special expanded edition, with three bonus tracks from the musical Billy Elliot, including ‘Electricity’, which reached #4 in the UK charts. The new 2LP vinyl replicates this original version.

Finally, The One was issued in June 1992 and followed his The Very Best Of compilation. It features guest appearances from Kiki Dee, Eric Clapton and David Gilmour, and reached #2 in the UK album charts. The title track preceded the album and was a top ten hit in June of that year. For this new remaster, the original running order, which was squeezed onto two sides of a single album originally, has been expanded to 2LPs in a new gatefold sleeve.

All three vinyl reissues (and the CD of Sgt Zippo) are released on 8 July 2022.

Tracklisting

Peachtree Road Elton John / 2LP vinyl

    • LP 1
      Side A
      1. Weight Of The World
      2. Porch Swing In Tupelo
      3. Answer In The Sky
      4. Turn The Lights Out When You Leave
      Side B
      1. My Elusive Drug
      2. They Call Her The Cat
      3. Freaks In Love
      4. All That I’m Allowed (I’m Thankful)
    • LP 2
      Side A
      1. I Stop And I Breathe
      2. Too Many Tears
      3. It’s Getting Dark In Here
      4. I Can’t Keep This From You
      Side B
      1. The Letter
      2. Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher
      3. Electricity

Tracklisting

The One Elton John / 2LP vinyl

    • LP 1
      Side A
      1. Simple Life
      2. The One
      3. Sweat It out
      Side B
      1. Runaway Train
      2. Whitewash County
    • LP 2
      Side A
      1. The North
      2. When A Woman Doesn’t Want You
      3. Emily
      Side B
      1. On Dark Street
      2. Understanding Women
      3. The Last Song

Tracklisting

Regimental Sgt. Zippo Elton John / vinyl LP

    • LP 1
      Side A
      1. When I Was Tealby Abbey
      2. And The Clock Goes Round
      3. Sitting Doing Nothing
      4. Turn To Me
      5. Angel Tree
      6. Regimental Sgt. Zippo
      Side B
      1. A Dandelion Dies In The Wind
      2. You’ll Be Sorry To See Me Go
      3. You’re My Woman (aka Nina)
      4. Tartan Coloured Lady
      5. Hourglass
      6. Watching The Planes Go By

Out This Week / on 27 May 2022

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

ABBA / Album CD or Vinyl Box Set CD, Vinyl

With perfect timing, as the ABBA Voyage concert experience is about to open in London, a new ‘complete’ ABBA albums box set is issued with both CD and vinyl formats available. This 10-disc package has been updated to include their chart-topping Voyage album and also features a bonus disc of non-album singles and B-sides.

Read More

Marc Almond / Stranger Things (reissue)

Marc Almond’s 2001 album Stranger Things is reissued as a 3CD set and 2LP ‘crystal clear’ vinyl. Both offer bonus tracks.

Swing Out Sister / Blue Mood, Breakout and Beyond

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

A Swing Out Sister 8CD box set will be released in July called Blue Mood, Breakout and Beyond.

The box set will feature the group’s first three studio albums, It’s Better To Travel (1987), Kaleidoscope World (1989) and Get In Touch With Yourself (1992) and the Japan-only live album Live at the Jazz Café (1993).

Additionally, there will be four discs of bonus content: three CDs of remixes and a final disc collecting B-sides.

I spoke to band members Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell along with producer Paul O’Duffy about this era, and my interviews with them feature in the included booklet as they talk through the various albums (and the B-sides!).

The box set will be presented in the style of the recent Level 42 packages, although it should be noted that the artwork displayed above is only a temporary front cover and will change.

Blue Mood, Breakout and Beyond will be released on 19 August 2022 (was 29 July), via Cherry Red.

Tracklisting

Swing Out Sister / Blue Mood, Breakout & Beyond

Blue Mood, Breakout and Beyond Swing Out Sister / 8CD box set

    • 1. It’s Better To Travel
      1. Breakout
      2. Twilight World (Superb, Superb, Mix)
      3. After Hours
      4. Blue Mood
      5. Surrender
      6. Fooled By A Smile
      7. Communion
      8. It’s Not Enough
      9. Theme (From – “It’s Better To Travel”)
    • 2. Kaleidoscope World
      1. You On My Mind
      2. Where In The World?
      3. Forever Blue
      4. Heart For Hire
      5. Tainted
      6. Waiting Game
      7. Precious Words
      8. Masquerade
      9. Between Strangers
      10. The Kaleidoscope Affair
      11. Precious Words
      12. Forever Blue
      13. Masquerade
    • 3. Get In Touch With Yourself
      1. Get In Touch With Yourself
      2. Am I The Same Girl
      3. Incomplete Without You
      4. Everyday Crime
      5. Circulate
      6. Who Let The Love Out
      7. Understand
      8. Notgonnachange
      9. Don’t Say The Word
      10. Love Child
      11. Everyday Crime (Inst.)
    • 4. Live at the Jazz Café
      1. Get In Touch With Yourself
      2. You On My Mind
      3. Surrender
      4. Everyday Crime
      5. Twilight World
      6. Circulate
      7. Am I The Same Girl
      8. Breakout
      9. Notgonnachange
      10. Who Let The Love Out / Expansions / Coney Island Man / Wives & Lovers
    • 5. Remixes
      1. Blue Mood Dubbed-Up Version
      2. Blue Mood Growler Mix
      3. Breakout A New Rockin’ Version
      4. Breakout N.A.D. Mix
      5. Breakout Horny Version
      6. Breakout Carnival MIx
      7. Fooled By A Smile Ralph Mix
      8. Fooled By A Smile TV Mix
      9. Breakout American Instrumental Mix
      10. Communion Instrumental
      11. Fooled By A Smile Phi Phi Mix
      12. Twilight World Remix
    • 6. Remixes
      1. Twilight World – The World Travel Mix
      2. Twilight World – Vocal Dub
      3. Twilight World – Classical Dub
      4. Twilight World – Instrumental Dub
      5. Twilight World – Beat Your Sister Dub
      6. Surrender – Stuff Gun Mix
      7. Surrender Pop – Stand Remix
      8. Surrender – Roadrunner Mix
      9. Precious Words – Orchestral Mix
      10. Waiting Game – Extended Version
      11. Waiting Game – Remix Edit
      12. Waiting Game – Ulti Mix
      13. Waiting Game – Dub
    • 7. Remixes
      1. Where In The World – Bongo Fury Mix
      2. Where In The World – Radical Mix
      3. You On My Mind – Extended Version
      4. Precious Words – Earth Bound Mix
      5. Am I The Same Girl – Bubba’s Version
      6. Notgonnachange – Classic Club Version (Mix)
      7. Notgonnachange – Classic Song Mix
      8. Notgonnachange – Mix Of Drama
      9. Notgonnachange – Dashi I Mix
      10. Notgonnachange – O’Duffy’s 7″ Mix
      11. Notgonnachange – New Jack Swing Out Mix
      12. Am I The Same Girl – Instrumental
    • 8. B-sides
      1. Wake Me When It’s Over (B-Side – Blue Mood)
      2. Dirty Money (B-Side – Breakout)
      3. Who’s To Blame (B-Side – Surrender)
      4. Another Lost Weekend – Long Version (B-Side Twilight World)
      5. Fever (B-Side Fooled By A Smile)
      6. Coney Island Man (B-Side – You On My Mind)
      7. Taxi Town (B-Side – Where In The World)
      8. Windmills Of Your Mind (Where In The World Bonus Track)
      9. Spirit Moves (B-Side – Am I The Same Girl)
      10. I Can Hear You But I Can’t See You Am (I The Same Girl – Bonus Track)
      11. Alone (Notgonnachange Bonus Track)
      12. Surrender 7″ Version
      13. Twilight World (Single Edit)
      14. Notgonnachange (Edit)
      15. Circulate Live Version (Japanese single version)

xPropaganda / The Heart Is Strange: ‘all formats’ unboxing

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

xPropaganda’s new album The Heart Is Strange is out today. Issued on ZTT, the long-player has been made available on six physical formats (some of which have sold out). Watch the video, as SDEtv ‘unboxes’ them all!

The Beatles Get Back blu-ray is back on track

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

After the late February release of Peter Jackson’s acclaimed documentary, The Beatles Get Back, was postponed, some doubt was cast over whether the blu-ray version of the ‘3-part event’ would ever see the light of day. Perhaps Disney had changed their minds and wanted to stick with just having the documentary on its streaming service?

Thankfully, that hasn’t come to pass and the entertainment giant has confirmed this week that the 468-minute film will be issued on blu-ray (and DVD) in July.

How the blu-ray 3-disc set will look (click image to enlarge)

Other than that, nothing has changed from the January announcement. Both editions will be three-disc sets with each disc containing one of the three episodes:

  • Part One – The band gathers at Twickenham Film Studios to rehearse for a planned concert.
  • Part Two – Recording sessions start at Apple Studios, rehearsals continue and the mood lifts.
  • Part Three – The Beatles perform on the rooftop of their Apple offices.

The HD blu-ray edition features the Dolby Atmos mix, 7.1 PCM and 2.0 PCM stereo sound, while the DVD offers 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital. These also have English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles.

The Beatles Get Back will be released on 11 July 2022. Existing pre-orders on Amazon should be fine, although there are no DVD pre-order links that I can find…

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Walt Disney

The Beatles Get Back 3-disc blu-ray collectors set

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The Who / Tommy and The Who Sell Out half-speed mastered vinyl

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Two classic albums from The Who will be issued as new half-speed mastered vinyl pressings in July.

1967’s The Who Sell Out is one of the albums in question, which is mildly surprising, given that this album was reissued just over a year ago, when a 2LP vinyl edition with bonus tracks was offered. This time it’s strictly a single LP, ‘album-only’ affair, but of course this has been cut at half-speed by Miles Showell of Abbey Road for optimum/superior sound. If you’d like an in-depth explanation of the half-speed mastering process, check out this SDE post.

The 2LP half-speed mastered vinyl pressing of Tommy (click image to enlarge)

The Who’s ‘rock opera’ Tommy, from 1969, is the second of the two albums to be issued as a half-speed mastered vinyl pressing. Like The Who Sell Out, Tommy was given the full reissue treatment but this was way back in late 2013. The album mastering is courtesy of longtime Who engineer Jon Astley (as is The Who Sell Out), but again, this has been cut at half-speed by Miles Showell.

Both releases are packaged in original sleeve and come with OBI-strip and certificate of authenticity. The Who Sell Out and Tommy are issued as half-speed mastered vinyl pressings on 8 July 2022.

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The Who

The Who Sell Out - half-speed mastered vinyl

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Tracklisting

Tommy The Who / Half-speed mastered vinyl

    • LP 1
      SIDE 1
      1. Overture
      2. It’s A Boy
      3. 1921
      4. Amazing Journey
      5. Sparks
      6. Eyesight For the Blind (The Hawker)
      SIDE 2
      1. Christmas
      2. Cousin Kevin
      3. The Acid Queen
      4. Underture
    • LP 2
      SIDE 3
      1. Do You Think It’s Alright?
      2. Fiddle About
      3. Pinball Wizard
      4. There’s A Doctor
      5. Go To the Mirror!
      6. Tommy, Can You Hear Me?
      7. Smash The Mirror
      8. Sensation
      SIDE 4
      1. Miracle Cure
      2. Sally Simpson
      3. I’m Free
      4. Welcome
      5. Tommy’s Holiday Camp
      6. We’re Not Gonna Take It

Tracklisting

The Who Sell Out The Who / Half-speed mastered vinyl

    • LP 1
      SIDE 1
      1. Armenia City in The Sky
      2. Heinz Baked Beans
      3. Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand
      4. Odorono
      5. Tattoo
      6. Our Love Was
      7. I Can See for Miles
      SIDE 2
      1. Can’t Reach You
      2. Medac
      3. Relax
      4. Silas Stingy
      5. Sunrise
      6. Rael (1 And 2)

Classic Rock & Pop acts feature in ‘white label’ vinyl charity auction

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Next month, The White Label Auction will see rare vinyl test pressings sold off to the highest bidder in aid of recorded music charity The BRIT Trust.

‘White labels’ are so-called because they are vinyl test pressings of an album with no sleeve/label artwork; they literally have a white/blank label. Normally only a small number (perhaps 5 to 10 units) are produced for artists/management to listen to and approve for large scale vinyl pressing.

A number of the UK’s major and independent record labels led by Universal Music UK/UMC (including A&M, Chess, Island Records, Motown, Polydor and Virgin), Sony Music Entertainment UK (Columbia), Warner Records (Atlantic), BMG, Cherry Red, Cooking Vinyl, Domino Records and others, have joined forces to pull together an extensive selection of white-label items for auction.

The Cure white labels are signed/annotated by Robert Smith (click image to enlarge)

Among the discs that fans will be able to bid for are various recordings released/reissued in recent years, including some that are artist-signed and annotated by Robert Smith (The Cure – Acoustic Hits, Disintegration, Pornography, Seventeen Seconds, and Head On The Door), Dio (Holy Diver), Howard Devoto (Magazine – Correct Use of Soap), and Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys (OMD – Souvenir and OMD).

Other featured lots include catalogue repertoire from artists including ABC, The Buggles, Eurythmics, The Cranberries, Genesis, Mike Oldfield, The Moody Blues, The Police, Rory Gallagher, Roxy Music, Simple Minds, Sparks, The Who, T-Rex and Paul Weller. 

The auction is hosted live onside and online by Omega Auctions, the music memorabilia and vinyl records specialists, and funds raised go to music industry charity The BRIT Trust, which since 1989 has donated around £28 million to charities and causes that promote education and wellbeing through the power of music and the creative arts, such as the BRIT School and Nordoff-Robbins music therapy. 

The White Label Auction takes place on 7 June 2022. Head over to Omega Auctions and peruse all the lots.

 

Michael Jackson / Thriller 40

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

Michael Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller (you may have heard of it) is to be reissued for its 40th anniversary later this year.

The world’s biggest selling album of all time™ has revised cover art, with updated typography and will be issued on vinyl (album only) and as a two-CD set with “bonus material including previously unreleased demos”. After a torturous ‘reveal’ process those 10 bonus tracks are now announced and can be seen in the track listing below,

Thriller reissue hiSTORY

A special edition of Thriller was issued in 2001 with a bonus CD of extra content that included the home demo of ‘Billie Jean’; the songs ‘Someone In The Dark’ (originally recorded for the storybook album E.T. The Extra Terrestrial) and ‘Carousel’; and various interviews and voiceovers. In 2006, US fans got a stereo-only SACD of the album and two years after that, ‘Thriller 25’ added some ill-advised Will.I.Am, Kanye West and Akon remixes of the classic singles and included yet another song from the Thriller sessions: ‘For All Time’. The CD version of this anniversary release included a DVD with promo videos and the ‘legendary’ Billie Jean peformance from Motown 25. Four years ago Sony issued a picture disc version of Thriller along Jackson’s other albums.

Thriller 40 is a 2CD set with bonus tracks to include “previously unreleased demos” (click image to enlarge)
Why no big box?

Whatever your view of the bonus disc of Thriller 40, Sony and/or Jackson’s estate clearly do not feel inclined to issue a full bells and whistles super deluxe edition box set. They perhaps do not wish to commit to such an investment when they may have good reason to feel uncertain about how Thriller 40 will be received in the marketplace.

Jackson’s reissue campaigns over the years have been the very definition of ‘missed opportunity’, regularly embracing whomever the hot names are at that particular time (how’s it going, Afrojack?) and not getting the basics right (none of those sought after 12-inch mixes from the Bad-era appeared on Bad 25, which was a slam-dunk dereliction of duty on the part of the compilers.

Audiophile Thriller

One very interesting element to this campaign is that Sony have authorised two audiophile editions of the album, licensing to Mobile Fidelity. There will be a new SACD edition, ”mastered from the original analog master tapes and housed in mini-gatefold sleeve packaging” and also a MoFi UltraDisc One-Step vinyl box set (“strictly limited to 40,000 numbered copies”). If you are not familiar with the latter, instead of utilising the industry-standard three-step lacquer process, UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) uses only one step, “bypassing two processes of generational loss and thereby revealing extra musical detail and dynamics otherwise lost due to the standard copying process”. Mobile Fidelity claim that “every UD1S pressing serves as an immaculate replica of the lacquer sourced directly from the original master tape”.

These ‘One Step’ vinyl sets are normally close to impossible to get hold of in the UK but you can pre-order the Thriller edition here. Believe it or not, £90 is actually a very good price for one of these releases! More info for and pre-order links for international fans, here. In the UK you can pre-order the SACD via this link.

Update Nov 2022: Mobile Fidelity’s reputation was damaged by the revelations that despite claiming to always use the original analogue mastertapes for these ‘One-Step’ pressings, they’ve actually been using digital transfers of said master tapes. That doesn’t mean Thriller won’t sound good, but it is, of course, an important distinction.

This 40th anniversary reissue of Thriller will be released on 18 November 2022.

UK audiophile links:

USA audiophile links:

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Jackson, Michael

Thriller 40 - vinyl LP

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Tracklisting

Thriller 40 Michael Jackson /

    • CD 1
      1. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
      2. Baby Be Mine
      3. The Girl Is Mine – Michael Jackson with Paul McCartney
      4. Thriller
      5. Beat It
      6. Billie Jean
      7. Human Nature
      8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
      9. The Lady in My Life
    • CD 2
      1. Starlight
      2. Got the Hots
      3. Who Do You Know
      4. Carousel
      5. Behind The Mask
      6. Can’t Get Outta The Rain
      7. The Toy
      8. Sunset Driver
      9. What A Lovely Way To Go
      10. She’s Trouble

Out This Week / on 20 May 2022

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

The Police / Around The World CD, Vinyl, Blu-ray, DVD

All Around The World, previously only available on VHS and Laserdisc, follows The Police on their first world tour in 1979 and 1980 offers a jovial glimpse of the band as they travel around the world and spotlights their visits to local sights between performances. The reissue comes with restored picture and remastered audio and formats include Blu-ray+CD edition and vinyl LP+DVD.

Read More

Peter Gabriel / Passion (half-speed mastered vinyl LP)

Passion – Music for The Last Temptation of Christ was released a year after Martin Scorsese’s controversial film and features additional music not included in the film. This half-speed mastered vinyl is cut at 33RPM and comes with a hi-res download card.

Van Morrison / What’s It Gonna Take (new album)

Van Morrison’s 43rd studio album follows after last year’s prosaically titled Latest Record Project double album and is actually his ninth album in seven years.

Kim Wilde (limited splatter vinyl)

Kim Wilde’s first three studio albums are reissued as special limited ‘splatter’ vinyl editions, with audio remastered from fresh transfers.

More Roxy Music half-speed vinyl

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

As revealed back in February, UMC/Virgin is issuing all eight Roxy Music albums as half-speed mastered pressings. Stranded and Country Life are out today and release dates for the final four albums are now available.

Siren (1975, featuring ‘Love is the Drug’) and Manifesto (1979, featuring ‘Dance Away’ & ‘Angel Eyes’) are both released on 10 June 2022, while Flesh + Blood (1980, featuring ‘Over You’) and the final studio album Avalon (1982, featuring ‘More Than This’ and the title track) follow three weeks later on 1 July 2022.

Avalon is the final half-speed mastered studio album (click image to enlarge)

These new 2022 pressings are brand new half-speed versions cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and the artwork for these has been ‘revised’ with lyrics and a “deluxe gloss laminated finish”. Notably, they do not feature the now common Abbey Road branded half-speed master OBI-strips, presumably because Bryan Ferry doesn’t want such froth spoiling the cover art!

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Roxy Music

Siren - half-speed mastered vinyl

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Tracklisting

Siren Roxy Music / Half-speed mastered vinyl LP

    • Side A
      1. Love Is the Drug
      2. End of the Line
      3. Sentimental Fool
      4. Whirlwind

      Side B

      1. She Sells
      2. Could It Happen to Me?
      3. Both Ends Burning
      4. Nightingale
      5. Just Another High

Tracklisting

Manifesto Roxy Music / Half-speed mastered vinyl LP

    • Side A
      1. Manifesto
      2. Trash
      3. Angel Eyes
      4. Still Falls the Rain
      5. Stronger Through the Years

      Side B

      1. Ain’t That
      2. My Little Girl
      3. Dance Away
      4. Cry, Cry, Cry
      5. Spin Me Round

Tracklisting

Flesh + Blood Roxy Music / Half-speed mastered vinyl LP

    • Side A
      1. In the Midnight Hour
      2. Oh Yeah
      3. Same Old Scene
      4. Flesh and Blood
      5. My Only Love

      Side B

      1. Over You
      2. Eight Miles High
      3. Rain Rain Rain
      4. No Strange Delight
      5. Running Wild

Tracklisting

Avalon Roxy Music / Half-speed mastered vinyl LP

    • Side A
      1. More Than This
      2. The Space Between
      3. Avalon
      4. India
      5. While My Heart Is Still Beating

      Side B

      1. The Main Thing
      2. Take A Chance With Me
      3. To Turn You On
      4. True to Live
      5. Tara