Author: Sean Hannam

The Dream Academy’s Nick Laird-Clowes talks to SDE

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Pastoral art-pop band The Dream Academy – singer / guitarist and songwriter, Nick Laird-Clowes, multi-instrumentalist Kate St. John, and keyboardist / songwriter, Gilbert Gabriel – had a hit on both sides of the Atlantic with their haunting and ethereal 1985 debut single, ‘Life In A Northern Town.’

This month, the complete recordings by the trio, who were signed to Warner Bros and had a close musical association with David Gilmour – he co-produced two of their three albums – are being released by Cherry Red Records in a 7CD box set called Religion, Revolution & Railways.

The collection, which includes the three studio albums, The Dream Academy, Remembrance Days and A Different Kind of Weather, as well as B-sides, rarities, demos and remixes, has been carefully compiled by Laird-Clowes, who was involved with the remastering, artwork, photographic material and the in-depth liner notes.

SDE spoke to him about the project and his early influences, and he shared his memories of working with Gilmour, Marc Bolan, Hans Zimmer, Johnny Marr, Peter Buck, Lindsey Buckingham and Brian Wilson…

SDE: Let’s talk about the box set – Religion, Revolution & Railways. The Dream Academy made three studio albums, but the new collection is a 7CD set – it’s very extensive…

Nick Laird-Clowes: There’s a lot – the whole thing took a long time – about a year. After 40 years, it’s amazing to have people like your work and that’s it’s still being played and still around, so I wanted to take it really seriously. We took so much trouble over our three albums – we were meticulous about everything, like the mastering. So, for the box set, I said to Cherry Red, ‘if you want to do it, I’ve got to be involved,’ and they said they would love me to be.

We [originally] wanted to be signed to Cherry Red – we sent them all our demos, but they turned them down, so now it’s perfect.

How does it feel to finally have everything in one place?

I feel thrilled – I’ve got it the way I wanted. I’d always wanted a box set. In 2014, Rhino said they would do a double ‘best of’ but they wouldn’t do a box set.

It was a lot of work – a major undertaking. It’s lovely because now all the credits are right, so with any future thing that comes out I can go back to that – you want to credit everybody that was involved at the time.

You had to go into the Warner Bros archives to find some of the rare material you’ve included, didn’t you?

Yes – I’m a completist of our work. I’ve got all the cassettes from the beginning – from the earliest days of our demos. I knew where quite a lot of the stuff was – I found a lot of different things – but I didn’t know what Warner Bros had in the archives. Somewhere along the line, the archives were digitised from tape, but some of the digitising wasn’t good enough, so I had to find other sources.

I suddenly remembered that we’d made backing tracks of our second album… The first album was done almost like demos and then I took them to David Gilmour who fixed them – we probably spent three months doing that and mixing them.

The next album we did with Hugh Padgham, who was at the top of his game. He said he thought we should use some other musicians and not as many machines as we did on the first album. So, we said, ‘okay’. He’d worked with Peter Gabriel – we were such big fans of Gabriel at that point – and he said we could use Larry Fast to program a synthesizer to make incredible sounds, and the brilliant drummer, Jerry Marotta – he was a legend. You just don’t hear backing tracks like that anymore – now you make everything in your bedroom or on a computer.

Hans Zimmer programmed the Fairlight on some of the songs on the second album, Remembrance Days, including the track ‘Indian Summer.’

Yes – before he ever went to Hollywood! He had a studio in Fulham, with a huge Moog synthesizer wall. We asked him if he could make the waves on ‘Indian Summer’, and he said, ‘of course I can!’


You said you’re a Dream Academy completist, but was there any stuff in the archives that you’d forgotten about, or any rare material you discovered?

The songs ‘The Last Day of the War’ and ‘These Walls’ – I think ‘These Walls’ was one of the first things Gilbert and I ever wrote, along with ‘The Edge of Forever’ and ‘Test Tape No.3.’ There’s also a demo of ‘Doubleminded,’ which was a song we saved and didn’t use on the first album – we used it on the second. It was beautifully produced by Padgham, but we did a demo in David Gilmour’s studio, with his brother, Mark, engineering it. We set up and recorded it very quickly – some of those songs we used as B-sides and some never came out – they’re on the box set. We had to master them three times to get them to sound as brilliant as they could.

I don’t want our music to sound like it’s from the 21st century – it’s made in its time, exactly the way we wanted to make it, and I want it to sound exactly like that.

Nick Laird-Clowes

There’s now a feeling that you have to master something to sound great on Spotify, but I don’t want it to sound like it’s from the 21st century – it’s music made in its time, exactly the way we wanted to make it, and I want it to sound exactly like that. That was a lot of work. If you hear a Nick Drake record, you don’t want all the bass pumped up – you want to hear it as it was.

You used Tony Dixon at Masterpiece Masters to do the mastering…

Yes – he was great and very sympathetic.

Discs 4 and 5 have alternative versions, B-sides and rare songs on them. ‘Girl In A Million (For Edie Sedgwick)’ is a great track and really stands out. It has a melancholic and autumnal feel…

That’s music to my ears – that song is a real favourite of ours. I wrote the words for Edie Sedgwick – it’s the quintessential Dream Academy sound. It was an early song and we played it to David Gilmour, but he said ‘no…’. We said, ‘What? Come on – it’s fantastic!’ He said we already had lots of beautiful things on the first album…

It’s been a long time… and, as a musician, you just keep on going forward through life and onto the next piece of music you’re working on, but when I went back and listened to all this stuff, I thought the three of us were so lucky to meet and we had a sound – I’d always wanted a sound.

With my first two bands [Alfalpha and The Act], I had record deals, but it didn’t happen – I realised I was just copying [other acts]. You’ve got to copy to learn, but then you must discard the copying and find your own sound.

Gilbert was such a perfectionist with chord shapes, but when Kate joined the band and she added her touch to that, and she started singing… Oddly enough, it was pretty indie and punk in its own way, even though the music was beautiful, because we were doing something we really believed in and we were on our own. It wasn’t that we were trying to be the best in the world – we were doing our version of music that we loved, rather than going with what was the thing at the time, which was basically white-boy soul.

You had a distinctive sound – acoustic guitar, oboe, cor anglaise and strings played on a synth…

Exactly – in a way that was harking back to an earlier period of music. It was sort of pastoral but other things too – Gilbert was really interested in things like Steve Reich and people I hadn’t heard of. He made me listen to Ravel and Erik Satie when I was about 22. I was so thrilled with The Beatles and post-Beatles work, but Gilbert really opened me up, which helped me find a new voice.

Talking of The Beatles, there’s a version of ‘Things We Said Today’ that’s included on the box set. It was a B-side and it’s your own take on the song – you’ve slowed it down and stripped it back. It has a slightly eerie sound and a synth on it…

I almost thought, ‘should put we put it on?’ but it was a B-side… I hadn’t heard it since it came out – things were moving so fast at that time. We just stuck it on as a B-side – it so live-sounding. We just stood in the room and played – it’s a live vocal and guitar, with Gilbert playing keyboards. We’re playing to a drum thing. I thought it held up well because it wasn’t a copy.

I bought the guitar that was on the front of Bryter Layter for a hundred quid

Nick Laird-Clowes

You mentioned Nick Drake earlier. He was a big influence on you, wasn’t he?

That’s true, and Joe Boyd had produced the album I did with The Act – he’s still a great friend. Those Nick Drake albums didn’t sell anything [at the time]. If I played people Bryter Layter, they’d never heard of it. I even bought the guitar that was on the front of Bryter Layter when he was still alive. I bought it for a hundred quid – I was 16 and I worked in the RCA record factory for the summer to get the money to buy it.

Have you still got it?

Yeah – it’s right here.

When you were 13, in 1970, you ran away from home to go to the Isle of Wight Pop Festival, didn’t you?

Yes – it changed my life. I’d seen The Beatles when I was seven – Kate had too. I started to go and sit outside Apple, and I was invited in. I didn’t meet The Beatles – just the secretary – but I’d written to John and Yoko, and they’d written back.

I was so useless at school, and I was rowing with my father all the time. Like so many people, music was guiding me and the people who were making it could turn you on to amazing philosophical ideas and other music. I’d been thrown out of school.

My sister and I bought tickets for the Isle of Wight, but my parents said I couldn’t go because I was 13. I had an elaborate ploy to make them think I was staying with a friend, and I ran off – I had no money. I got on the train and met people – when we get there, the first band I saw was The Doors. We didn’t have a tent – the people I met on the train said we could stick with them, as they wouldn’t be sleeping much – ho ho ho. It was only a year after Woodstock – The Who and other people were playing their same sets. It was mind-blowing and it changed everything. I knew I had to do it, but my father never really spoke to me until The Dream Academy were successful – he was suspicious, and he thought I’d end up in jail.

Through running away from home, I met Jeff Dexter, who was a great DJ – he asked me to become his assistant. We did four nights with Led Zeppelin when they’d done ‘Stairway To Heaven’, and we did the Hyde Park concert with Roger McGuinn and Toots and The Maytals. It stemmed from me following the only thing I liked, which was music – that led to everything.

The Doors were one of the bands Nick Laird-Clowes saw, aged 13, at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970


Did you grow up in London?

Yes – in Notting Hill Gate. It wasn’t the Notting Hill of the Richard Curtis movie – it was an edgy place where other children didn’t want to come because it was rough. It was great – the older hipsters were on the street and all around.

In the ‘70s, when you were in the band Alfalpha, with brothers Andy and Sam Harley, you sang backing vocals on the T.Rex album, Dandy in the Underworld…

Yeah – on the songs ‘Dandy in the Underworld’ and ‘Crimson Moon’ I think. When I was 16, I started playing every single day and writing songs. Jeff Dexter started critiquing them. When I was 17, he said that I needed to put a band together, and he’d met two brothers… We started working together – by the time I was 19, Jeff started managing us, and he also worked with Tony Howard, who was Marc Bolan’s manager. I was a huge fan of Marc and he asked us come into the studio – it was amazing. He was very punk in his ideas. If I said something wasn’t in tune, he’d say, ‘It’s not whether it’s in tune, it’s about attitude’. He said that the energy you put into it was the energy you’d get back in the recording – it was brilliant.

After Alfalpha, you had a band called The Act – you advertised in Melody Maker  for a keyboard player and Gilbert Gabriel answered, which is how you ended up working with him and forming The Dream Academy. What kind of music was The Act?

It was power pop. Alfalpha was our attempt at being Crosby, Stills and Nash or America, with three-part harmonies – it was acoustic. We split up – we made one album on EMI. I went to New York for the first time ever – a girlfriend lent me the money and we went together. Punk and New Wave had exploded. I said, ‘My God – this is where it’s at’.

I came back and formed a band with an electric guitar – then Mark Gilmour joined as the other guitarist, and we had Derek Adams on drums and Sam Harley on bass. We were making a combination of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Elvis Costello.

It was all great until I met Costello – we’d been in the Melody Maker that week, with R.E.M., who were a fledgling band. Costello said: ‘What do you do?’ I said, ‘I’ve got a band.’ He said: ‘What’s it called?’ I said: ‘The Act,’ and he went: ‘Oh, are you the ones that do me, or are you the ones that do The Byrds?’. The band that did The Byrds was R.E.M. I said we were the ones that did him and it was so embarrassing. I had to find my own voice.

“Are you the ones that do me?” Elvis Costello asked Nick of his band The Act

Gilbert joined on keyboard – we went on a little tour of Spain, but the gigs were cancelled, we shared a room and played each other music that we loved. We started writing together – I’d always written alone – and it was completely different. He was very motivated and still is – he would come up with ideas all the time and push to get us further. In the end, we outgrew the band and started working on our own, playing gigs with backing tracks.

That was as the duo, Politics of Paradise, wasn’t it?

That’s right. Once we met Kate, she said she knew some really good classical players who loved pop and rock – she was at college with them and she introduced us to them, people like Adam Peters and Ben Hoffnung, who joined. Suddenly we had a big band – there were about eight or nine of us and we played in a club in a disused casino under MI5. It was insane! Tom Dixon, who ended up running Conran, ran the club – he had a welding torch on stage and he’d bang metal when we were singing ‘Life In A Northern Town.’ It was the first moment we knew that song had legs.

Let’s talk about ‘Life In A Northern Town.’ A lot of people think it was written about Nick Drake, but it wasn’t, was it? However, you did dedicate it to him…

It was our first single and we each dedicated it to someone we loved who influenced us.

You wanted to write a song with an African-style chant, didn’t you?

Yes. We were writing songs all the time – three times a week, I’d go to Gilbert’s in Southgate, which was miles from where I lived. I went to see him one day – we were sat in the kitchen and we had this idea. We went next door – Gilbert played a guitar with two or three strings, and he helped me work out an arpeggio on my guitar, then he moved his finger up on his guitar and that was the African chorus thing.

When I got home that night, my parents were in bed – I sat in front of the television with the sound off and I had my cassette player, a guitar and a hash pipe. smoked the hash pipe, listened to the cassette of the things we’d done in the day, and I started free forming lyrics. But I couldn’t remember the African chorus, so I added something that we’d done when I was in The Act.

The next morning, I listened to what I’d done and I thought ‘that’s good – I’m going to do another verse’, and I wrote the third verse. I took it to Gilbert and Kate – I’d only met her two days before. One of the first things she ever did was to play it with us – it suddenly opened up and had this sound and atmosphere. It was a whole other world, but it didn’t have a chorus – just the chant.

I’d met Paul Simon years before in New York, when I was in The Act. Me and my girlfriend went for dinner with him and his manager. He asked me what I did and I said I was a singer-songwriter. He went: ‘Really? Are you? Why don’t you come to my house tomorrow and play me some stuff?’ So, I went and I played him the album by The Act – he said it was good, but that it would never be a hit. I said: ‘I think you’re wrong!’ but he said: ‘I’m not!’

Paul Simon played Nick ‘Hearts and Bones’ on an acoustic guitar

Anyway, the next time he was in London, he called me up and I went to see him. He played me his new album, Hearts and Bones, on an acoustic guitar, which didn’t even have the right strings on it, and I played him ‘Life In A Northern Town’, which had the ‘Ah-hey-ma-ma-ma-ma’ part in it. He dropped me home in his car and he asked me what I was going to call the song? He said it if was called ‘Ah-hey-ma-ma-ma-ma’ no one would know what to ask for in a record shop! I told him it was called ‘The Morning Lasted All Day’, but he said, ‘oh no, no…’ I had these blue notebooks that I wrote everything in, so I said what about ‘Life In A Northern Town?’ And he said, ‘that’s a great title for a song’.

So, I went in the studio and over the the mix we’d done with David Gilmour, I started singing ‘life in a Northern town,’ and I did some ad-libs. It took a lot of stages to complete it.

A lot of record companies turned the song down…

Geoff Travis [at Rough Trade] turned it down, along with everyone else, but he took it to America and played it to some record companies. When he came back, he said both Sony and Warner Bros really loved it, and then it all kicked off. When we got to New York, we were the new thing – it was extraordinary. We were an American signing – Warner Bros was like the biggest indie company in the world. They signed us for three albums and said, ‘Don’t try and make a hit record with your first album’.

‘Life In A Northern Town’ changed our lives – Warner Bros heard it and they got it, which was amazing, because it was coming from an art place. We weren’t trying to make a hit single, that’s for sure.

It got to number 15 in the UK singles chart and number seven in the US…

That’s right – according to Billboard, it was the highest played record of that week, and it should’ve gone to number one, but something stopped it. That’s how it goes in America.

Everywhere we went we’d hear it – in the airports… It was mind-blowing and our time had coincided with the birth of MTV, which was fantastic.

You had some great musicians play on your albums, including Johnny Marr, Peter Buck, Pino Palladino, Lindsey Buckingham and Guy Pratt…

I met Peter Buck through Joe Boyd, who was working with R.E.M. He was at a party around the corner from my house – I was so impressed, and I told him we were making an album with David Gilmour. He said he would come and play on it, so we set him up with David’s old Rickenbacker and it was brilliant.

Guy Pratt was in a band who used to play with Gilbert and I at the Language Lab in Dean Street – he used to come to my parents’ house and play bass.

For our second album, he’d been playing with Johnny Marr, who said he loved our version of ‘Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want’ and would love to play on one of the songs on the album, but he said we couldn’t tell anyone because Morrissey would go crazy!

So, he was on anonymously at first. He arrived in a BMW, driven by Keith Richards’ roadie, with a stack of pizzas and, I kid you not, he was playing an electric 12-string, unplugged, in the back of the car. He was so cool, and he played until about six in the morning – he was absolutely incredible.

How did you come to work with Lindsey Buckingham on your second album?

Warner Bros was like a big indie family… I was mixing with Hugh Padgham, but we were disagreeing on all the mixes. I was always difficult to work with because I knew what I wanted but I didn’t know how to get it – it was very annoying for people, and, after having the hit, I was worse.

I played the mixes to Lenny Waronker [president of Warner Bros] and he said it didn’t sound like we were having a good time. I said we weren’t and he told me to stay there and mix it with the people who were working with Brian Wilson.

Lindsey Buckingham had seen us on Saturday Night Live, loved the band and wanted to do something

Nick Laird-Clowes

He also said Lindsey Buckingham had seen us on Saturday Night Live, loved the band and wanted to do something. We worked with him for a couple of weeks at his house, which was on the top of a hill – it was a total joy. He’s a mind-blowing guitarist and he’s a mind-blowing bass player. They were very dope-fuelled sessions… He was a very interesting individual and he split from Fleetwood Mac while he was working with us, so it was pretty intense.

At the same time, Lenny asked us to go and see Brian Wilson, who was in the middle of making his first solo album – we were asked to go in and help. He was sat at the piano, playing ‘Roll Out The Barrel’ for about 20 minutes – he was in quite bad shape and Dr Landy was there. The next day, Brian told me to go in on my own and I wrote a song with him, which was mind-blowing.

You’ve been a successful film soundtrack composer for more than 20 years, but do you still write songs?

I can’t help it. I’ve been doing it for so long – I started at 16 and I can’t stop. I came up with a lyric yesterday. I can’t believe I’m still doing what I love.

Thanks to Nick Laird-Clowes who was talking to Sean Hannam for SDE. Religion, Revolution & Railways  is released on 23 February 2024 via Cherry Red Records.

Tracklisting

Religion, Revolution & Railways: The Complete Recordings The Dream Academy /

    • CD 1: The Dream Academy
      1. Life In a Northern Town
      2. The Edge of Forever
      3. (Johnny) New Light
      4. In Places on The Run
      5. This World
      6. Bound To Be
      7. Moving On
      8. The Love Parade
      9. The Party
      10. One Dream
    • CD 2: Remembrance Days  
      1. Indian Summer
      2. The Lesson of Love
      3. Humdrum
      4. Power To Believe
      5. Hampstead Girl
      6. Here
      7. In The Hands of Love
      8. Ballad In 4/4
      9. Doubleminded
      10. Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime
      11. In Exile (For Rodrigo Rojas)
    • CD 3: A Different Kind of Weather  
      1. Love
      2. Mercy Killing
      3. Lucy September
      4. Gaby Says
      5. Waterloo
      6. Twelve-Eight Angel
      7. St. Valentine’s Day
      8. It’ll Never Happen Again
      9. Forest Fire
      10. Lowlands
      11. Not For Second Prize
    • CD 4
      1. The Love Parade (Remix) – US Single
      2. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – Single
      3. Girl In a Million (For Edie Sedgwick) – B-Side
      4. In Places on The Run – Edit
      5. In The Heart – Japanese Single
      6. The Chosen Few
      7. Indian Summer – Single Version
      8. Hampstead Girl – B/V Mix
      9. Sunrising
      10. The Demonstration – B-Side
      11. The Last Day of The War (Pt 1) – Unreleased
      12. The Last Day of The War
    • CD 5
      1. The Day It Rained Forever – Unreleased
      2. Poised On the Edge of Forever
        – B-Side
      3. Test Tape No.3 – B-Side
      4. Bound To Be – Demo
      5. Things We Said Today – B-Side
      6. Doubleminded – Demo – Unreleased
      7. These Walls – Unreleased
      8. The Party – Acoustic Version 9 Living In a War
      9. Immaculate Heartache – B- Side
      10. House Of Heartbreak – Unreleased
    • CD 6
      1. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – Instrumental
      2. The Love Parade – Instrumental
      3. Humdrum – Instrumental – Unreleased
      4. Power To Believe – Instrumental
      5. Hampstead Girl – Instrumental – Unreleased
      6. Here – Instrumental – Unreleased
      7. In The Hands of Love – B/V Mix – Unreleased
      8. Ballad in 4/4 – Instrumental – Unreleased
      9. Doubleminded – Instrumental – Unreleased
      10. Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime – Instrumental – Unreleased
      11. In Exile (for Rodrigo Rojas) – Instrumental – Unreleased
      12. The Demonstration – Instrumental – Unreleased
      13. In Suspendium – B-Side
    • CD 7
      1. Life In a Northern Town – Extended
      2. The Love Parade – 12 Mix
      3. Indian Summer – Extended Version
      4. Angel Of Mercy – 12/8 Mix
      5. Mordechai Vanunu – B-Side
      6. Love (Is Seven) – B-Side
      7. Love – Dreamstrumental
      8. Love – Dream House
      9. Love – Love Is 12
      10. Love – Whales in Love
      11. Love – Hare Krishna Mix
      12. Heaven – Pts 1 /2 – Unreleased

Is It Loud Enough? Michael Schenker: 1980 – 1983

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Is It Loud Enough? Michael Schenker: 1980 – 1983 is a new 6CD box set due for release next month.

German hard rock guitarist Schenker was a member of Scorpions and UFO – before starting a solo career in 1979, when he formed the Michael Schenker Group, alongside British musicians. The band played an important part in the growing heavy metal scene, with Schenker having built a reputation as an exciting guitarist who’d had a turbulent time in UFO, sometimes walking off stage mid-song.

The box set includes four studio albums, Michael Schenker Group, MSG, Assault Attack and Built to Destroy (both UK and US versions), as well as a disc of demos and alternative versions, and one featuring unreleased material, with early studio takes and rough monitor mixes. All the music has been remastered at AIR Mastering, using original tape transfers. Despite the years mentioned in the title of the compilation, there are also some demo recordings from 1979 included.

The set is housed in a two-piece slipcase box, with all the original album art reproduced as mini-LP sleeves, including inners. There is also a 52-page booklet with sleeve notes featuring newly conducted interviews with Schenker and fellow band members Gary Barden and Graham Bonnet, by Jerry Ewing.

Is It Loud Enough? Michael Schenker: 1980 – 1983 is released on 29 March 2024 via Chrysalis Records.

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Tracklisting

Is It Loud Enough / Michael Schenker 1980-1983

Is It Loud Enough? Michael Schenker: 1980 – 1983 Michael Schenker /

    • CD 1 : Michael Schenker Group
      1. Armed and Ready
      2. Cry for the Nations
      3. Victim of Illusion
      4. Bijou Pleasurette
      5. Feels Like a Good Thing
      6. Into the Arena
      7. Looking out from Nowhere
      8. Tales of Mystery
      9. Lost Horizons
    • CD 2: MSG
      1. Ready to Rock
      2. Attack of the Mad Axeman
      3. On and On
      4. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
      5. But I Want More
      6. Never Trust a Stranger
      7. Looking for Love
      8. Secondary Motion
    • CD 3: Assault Attack
      1. Assault Attack
      2. Rock You to the Ground
      3. Dancer
      4. Samurai
      5. Desert Song
      6. Broken Promises
      7. Searching for a Reason
      8. Ulcer
    • CD4: Built To Destroy
      1. Rock My Nights Away (Original Mix)
      2. I’m Gonna Make You Mine (Original Mix)
      3. The Dogs of War (Original Mix)
      4. Systems Failing (Original Mix)
      5. Captain Nemo (Original Mix)
      6. Still Love That Little Devil (Original Mix)
      7. Red Sky (Original Mix)
      8. Time Waits (For No One) (Original Mix)
      9. Walk the Stage (Original Mix)
      10. I’m Gonna Make You Mine (U.S Mix)
      11. Time Waits (For No One) (U.S Mix)
      12. Systems Failing (U.S Mix)
      13. Rock Will Never Die (U.S Mix)
      14. Red Sky (U.S Mix)
      15. Rock My Nights Away (U.S Mix)
      16. Captain Nemo (U.S Mix)
      17. The Dogs of War (U.S Mix)
      18. Still Love That Little Devil (U.S Mix)
    • CD5: Demos & Alternate Versions
      1. Just A Lover (1979 Demo)
      2. Looking Out From Nowhere (1979 Demo)
      3. Get Up And Get Down (1979 Demo)
      4. After Midnight (1979 Demo)
      5. Breakout (1979 Demo)
      6. Cry For The Nations (Radio Edit).
      7. Armed and Ready (Guitar Hero: Metallica)
      8. Dogs Of War (Edit)
      9. Never Trust A Stranger (Monitor Mix)
      10. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Sounds Flexi Edit)
      11. Girl From Uptown (Single Version)
      12. Dancer (DJ 7inch Edit)
      13. Don’t Take It Out On Me (Non-Album Track)
    • CD6: Unreleased
      1. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Rough Monitor Mix)
      2. Attack Of The Mad Axeman (Alt. Version – Monitor Mix)
      3. Never Say Die (Live Rehearsal Take)
      4. On And On (Rough Monitor Mix
      5. Looking For Love (Monitor Mix)
      6. But I Want More (Rough Monitor Mix)
      7. Girl From Uptown (Alternate Version)
      8. Rock You To The Ground (Rough Alt. Mix)
      9. Ulcer (Early Studio Take)
      10. Captain Nemo (Early Studio Take)

Pixies / At the BBC

Posted on by Sean Hannam

A new Pixies collection gathers all the tracks from the BBC radio sessions recorded by the band between 1988 and 1991. Originally released on CD in 1998, with 15 songs included, the latest version of At the BBC presents all 24 session tracks in chronological order and is available on CD and vinyl in March this year.

Between 1988 and 1991, when the alternative American rock band were signed to 4AD, Pixies recorded six sessions for the BBC – five for John Peel and one for Mark Goodier.

Packaging for the 3LP version of At The BBC

The new collection includes version of songs from the mini-album, Come On Pilgrim, as well as the albums Doolittle, Bossanova and Trompe le Monde. There are two versions of both ‘Allison’ and ‘Wave of Mutilation’, as well as three cover versions: The Beatles’ ‘Wild Honey Pie’, ‘(In Heaven) Lady in the Radiator Song’, from the David Lynch film Eraserhead, and The Beach Boys’ ‘Hang On To Your Ego’, which Pixies frontman, Black Francis – aka Frank Black – recorded a version of for his self-titled debut solo album from 1993.

At the BBC is available as a 2CD set or a (well-priced) 3LP black vinyl version. The new black and gold sleeve artwork has been designed by Chris Bigg and pays tribute to the band’s graphic designer, Vaughan Oliver, who died in 2019. It uses unseen Pixies archive imagery by photographer and long-time collaborator, Simon Larbalestier.

At the BBC will be available from 8 March 2024 on 4AD.

Tracklisting

Pixies / At The BBC 2CD and 3LP reissue

At the BBC Pixies /

    • CD 1
      1. Levitate Me – John Peel Session – 3 May 1988
      2. Hey – John Peel Session – 3 May 1988
      3. In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song) – John Peel Session – 3 May 1988
      4. Wild Honey Pie – John Peel Session – 3 May 1988
      5. Caribou – John Peel Session – 3 May 1988
      6. Dead – John Peel Session – 9 October 1988
      7. Tame – John Peel Session – 9 October 1988
      8. There Goes My Gun – John Peel Session – 9 October 1988
      9. Manta Ray – John Peel Session – 9 October 1988
      10. Down To The Well – John Peel Session 16 April 1989
      11. Into The White – John Peel Session 16 April 1989
      12. Wave of Mutilation – John Peel Session 16 April 1989
    • CD 2
      1. Allison – John Peel Session – 11 June 1990
      2. Velouria – John Peel Session – 11 June 1990
      3. Hang On To Your Ego – John Peel Session – 11 June 1990
      4. Is She Weird – John Peel Session – 11 June 1990
      5. Monkey Gone To Heaven – Mark Goodier Session – 18 August 1990
      6. Ana – Mark Goodier Session – 18 August 1990
      7. Allison – Mark Goodier Session –  18 August 1990
      8. Wave Of Mutilation – Mark Goodier Session – 18 August 1990
      9. Palace Of The Brine – John Peel Session – 23 June 1991
      10. Letter To Memphis – John Peel Session – 23 June 1991
      11. Motorway To Roswell – John Peel Session – 23 June 1991
      12. Subbacultcha – John Peel Session – 23 June 1991

Alice Cooper / Billion Dollar Babies: Trillion Dollar Deluxe Edition

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Snakes alive! Alice Cooper’s 1973 album, Billion Dollar Babies, is being reissued this March on CD and vinyl.

The macabre hard rock and glam long-player – the band’s sixth – hit number one in the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic, when it was released in March 1973. The new edition is part of the extended 50th anniversary celebrations for the album, which was a platinum seller.

In the sleeve notes for the reissued version, Cooper recalls writing the songs ‘I Love The Dead and ‘Sick Things,’ which feature on the album. He says: “We were writing those songs looking at each other, and every time we’d write a line I’d say, ‘Oh, this is gonna kill them. Oh, they’re gonna hate us on this one.’ But at the same time, it was almost like an Edgar Allan Poe short story when you listen to ‘I Love The Dead.’ I tried to write that the way Vincent Price would sing it.”

Billion Dollar Babies includes the hit singles, ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’, ‘Elected’ and ‘Hello Hooray.’ This year’s reissue, which is called the Trillion Dollar Deluxe Edition, will be available as a 3LP gatefold or 2CD deluxe edition.

The 2CD reissue of Billion Dollar Babies (click image to enlarge)

Both versions feature a newly remastered version of the original album, as well as bonus material, including studio outtakes – ‘Coal Black Model T’, ‘Son of Billion Dollar Babies’ (‘Generation Landslide’) – single mixes (‘Hello Hooray’, ‘Billion Dollar Babies’, ‘Elected’ and ‘Mary Ann’), ‘Slick Black Limousine’, which originally came out on flexi disc with an issue of the NME, and a live show recorded in Texas in April 1973. The concert includes versions of some of the band’s hits, such as ‘I’m Eighteen’ and ‘School’s Out.’

The 3LP vinyl and 2CD sets share the same tracklisting and the majority of the bonus tracks were previously available on the 2001 double CD deluxe edition of Billion Dollar Babies.

For this year’s vinyl edition, the gatefold cover replicates the original record’s textured snakeskin wallet design and comes with a $1billion dollar bill tucked inside – don’t spend it all at once… Both the LP and versions include oral history sleeve notes of the group and the bonus tracks, with contributions from surviving band members Alice Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, Michael Bruce and Neal Smith, as well as the album’s producer, Bob Ezrin. Guitarist Glen Buxton died in 1997.

Billion Dollar Babies – the Trillion Dollar Deluxe Edition is available on 8 March via Rhino.

The 3LP edition of Billion Dollar Babies (click image to enlarge)

Tracklisting

Billion Dollar Babies – Trillion Dollar Deluxe Edition Alice Cooper /

    • CD 1
      1. Hello Hooray
      2. Raped And Freezin’
      3. Elected
      4. Billion Dollar Babies
      5. Unfinished Sweet
      6. No More Mr. Nice Guy
      7. Generation Landslide
      8. Sick Things
      9. Mary Ann
      10. I Love The Dead
    • CD 2
      1. Hello Hooray – Live, 1973
      2. Billion Dollar Babies – Live, 1973
      3. Elected  – Live, 1973
      4. I’m Eighteen – Live, 1973
      5. Raped And Freezin’ –  Live 1973
      6. No More Mr. Nice Guy – Live, 1973
      7. My Stars – Live, 1973
      8. Unfinished Sweet – Live, 1973
      9. Sick Things – Live, 1973
      10. Dead Babies – Live, 1973
      11. I Love The Dead – Live, 1973
      12. School’s Out – Live, 1973
      13. Under My Wheels – Live, 1973
      14. Coal Black Model T – Outtake
      15. Son Of Billion Dollar Babies (Generation Landslide) – Outtake
      16. Hello Hooray – Single Version
      17. Billion Dollar Babies -Single Version
      18. Elected – Single Version
      19. Mary Ann – Single Version
      20. Slick Black Limousine

Orbital ‘Green Album’ debut reissued

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Electronic music duo Orbital are to reissue their self-titled 1991 debut album, known to fans as ‘The Green Album’, in April this year, newly remastered and overseen by band members, Phil and Paul Hartnoll.

Originally released in September 1991, the highly influential record contains tracks including breakthrough 1990 single ‘Chime’, and ‘Belfast.’

For their debut, unlike some of their contemporaries in the rave scene, Orbital wanted to explore wider musical textures and different rhythms. “Our heroes were always Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire, the Severed Heads – people who made proper, satisfying, full albums,” said Paul Hartnoll, adding, “and we were like, yeah, that’s what we want to do.”

4CD edition of ‘The Green Album’ available signed from the Orbital shop (click image to enlarge).

The reissue package also includes early Orbital songs like ‘Satan’ plus previously unavailable tracks. Formats include a 4LP box set, 4CD set (both include a 60-page hardcover book), black and coloured 2LP editions, and a 2CD and cassette. The official Orbital shop carries all of that stock and offers an exclusive signed print with all box set orders, while stocks last.

Orbital will also be releasing a series of ‘Orbital LEDs’ (which stands for ‘Limited Edition Drops’). These will be fully remastered versions of the duo’s original 12-inch EP series, with brand new artwork. Fans will be told about these extremely limited releases on the day of release.

The group will hit the road again in March for shows that see them perform their first two albums in their entirety. The ‘Green + Brown Album Tour’ starts in New York in March and the UK leg kicks off at The Great Hall in Exeter on 24 April.

Orbital – aka ‘The Green Album’ – will be released on 19 April 2024 via London Records.

Orbital Shop highlights

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The 4LP black vinyl edition is also available signed from the Orbital shop (click image to enlarge)

Tracklisting

Orbital / The Green Album reissue

Orbital Orbital /

    • CD1
      1. The Moebius
      2. Speed Freak
      3. Oolaa
      4. Desert Storm
      5. Fahrenheit 303
      6. Steel Cube Idolatry
      7. High Rise
      8. Chime (Live)
      9. Midnight (Live)
      10. Belfast
      11. I Think It’s Disgusting
    • CD2
      1. Torpedo Town (PKA ‘untitled’)
      2. Macro Head
      3. Satan
      4. L.C.1
      5. Belfast / Wasted (Wasted Vocal Mix)
      6. Crime
      7. Fahrenheit 3D3
      8. Open Mind Jam *
      9. The Other One*
      10. Satan (Rhyme and Reason Vocal Mix)
      11. Midnight (Sasha Remix)

      *Previously unreleased

    • CD3 (Deluxe Box Set Only)
      1. Chime 12-inch
      2. Deeper 12-inch
      3. Omen – The Fool
      4. Omen – The Tower
      5. 2 Deep
      6. Open Mind
      7. Midnight
      8. Choice
      9. Analogue Test Feb ’90
      10. Choice (Eye and I Mix)
    • CD4 (Deluxe Box Set Only)
      Synergy (Live)
      1. Satan
      2. L.C.1
      3. Chime
      4. Son of Chime
      Mystery Gig 1991 (Live)
      1. Choice
      2. Fahrenheit 303
      3. Chime / Crime
      4. BI
      5. Oolaa
      6. Speed Freak

Various Artists / Tim’s Listening Party

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Tim Burgess’ Listening Parties will be celebrated with a new compilation album in March this year.

The first official collection, which is called Tim’s Listening Party, was inspired by the Charlatans frontman’s online Listening Parties, which he launched on Twitter in March 2020, as a response to the first COVID lockdown in the UK.

The concept quickly became a social media phenomenon and has since spawned two books, a podcast and a radio show. It saw members of the public listening to albums in real time, along with the artists or people involved with the releases, who used Twitter to comment on the records and specific tracks, giving fans insights into the making of the albums and sharing some of the stories behind the songs.

Like the parties, the accompanying compilation album features an eclectic mix of artists, including Iron Maiden, Liam Gallagher, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, New Order, Billy Bragg, Sparks, KT Tunstall, The Chemical Brothers, The Libertines, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Specials and Belle & Sebastian.

Tim’s Listening Party will be available as a 62-track, 4CD deluxe set, which brings together highlights from the 1,278 Listening Parties (!) that took place, and also a 24-track, 2LP version, on green translucent vinyl.

There are a limited number of signed editions of the 4CD available from Amazon, and the 2LP version, which is on sale via UK independent record shops.

4CD set offers 62 eclectic tracks (click image to enlarge)

Speaking about the compilation album, Burgess said: “I’d done some Charlatans and solo album listening parties, and as the Twitter followers grew I’d repeat it and do it again and again. It was maybe about a week before being told that we were going to go into a lockdown before we actually did something. I saw all the TV stuff, all the kind of crazy things that were happening and thought if we’re going to have to stay at home there must be a way that we can share times together.”

Both formats include an interview with Tim Burgess, by broadcaster Danielle Perry, which highlights the cultural importance of the Listening Parties during lockdown. 

Tim’s Listening Party will be released via Demon Music on 15 March 2024.

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Various Artists

Tims listening parties - 4CD signed edition

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Tracklisting

Tim's Listening Parties / 4CD deluxe - signed

Tim’s Listening Party Various Artists /

    • CD 1
      1. John Lennon – Hold On (Ultimate Mix)
      2. The Charlatans  – One To Another
      3. The Orielles – Space Samba (Disco Volador Theme)
      4. New Order – Age Of Consent
      5. Suede – The Wild Ones
      6. Supergrass – Caught By The Fuzz
      7. Joan As Police Woman – Real Life
      8. Billy Bragg – Sexuality
      9. The Chemical Brothers – Setting Sun
      10. Hercules & Love Affair – Blind
      11. The Breeders – Cannonball
      12. Belle And Sebastian – Ease Your Feet In The Sea
      13. The Style Council – My Ever Changing Moods
      14. John Shuttleworth – Y Reg
      15. This Is The Kit –  Moonshine Freeze
      16. Tim Burgess – Oh My Corazon
      17. Sleaford Mods feat. Billy Nomates – Mork N Mindy
    • CD 2
      1. The Libertines – Music When The Lights Go Out
      2. The Lovely Eggs – Wiggy Giggy
      3. Art Brut –  Emily Kane
      4. MGMT – Flash Delirium
      5. The Specials – Too Much Too Young
      6. Sparks –  Self-Effacing
      7. John Grant – Black Belt
      8. KT Tunstall –  Other Side Of The World
      9. The Shins –  Girl Inform Me
      10. Duran Duran – Save A Prayer
      11. The Streets – Let’s Push Things Forward
      12. Dexys Midnight Runners – Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Love When You Smile)
      13. Liam Gallagher –  Some Might Say – (MTV Unplugged – Live At Hull City Hall)
      14. The Magic Numbers – Love Me Like You
      15. The Soft Boys – Insanely Jealous Of You
      16. Talking Heads – Heaven
      17. Joy Division – Isolation
    • CD 3
      1. Level 42 – Running In The Family (Extended Version)
      2. Ibibio Sound Machine – Tell Me (Doko Mien)
      3. Hot Chip – Hungry Child
      4. Liam Frost & The Slowdown Family – The Mourners Of St Paul’s
      5. Boy Azooga – Breakfast Epiphany
      6. Biffy Clyro – Tiny Indoor Fireworks
      7. Pixies  – Debaser
      8. Georgia – About Work The Dancefloor
      9. Michael Kiwanuka –  Piano Joint (This Kind Of Love)
      10. Run The Jewels – Out Of Sight (feat. 2 Chainz)
      11. Róisín Murphy – Murphy’s Law
      12. Tears For Fears  – Head Over Heels / Broken
      13. Paul McCartney – The Kiss Of Venus
      14. Steven Wilson – Personal Shopper
    • CD 4
      1. Iron Maiden –  Powerslave – (2015 Remaster)
      2. Gang Of Four – Natural’s Not In It
      3. Jesus Jones – The Devil You Know
      4. Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg
      5. Laurie Anderson – Born, Never Asked
      6. Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
      7. Metronomy – Corinne
      8. Flyte –  Cathy Come Home
      9. The Pipettes – Pull Shapes
      10. Joel Culpepper –  Black Boy
      11. Saint Etienne –  Pond House
      12. Big Joanie – Fall Asleep
      13. Norah Jones –  Come Away With Me
      14. Kae Tempest – Salt Coast

Electribe 101 / Electribal Memories 4CD deluxe set

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Signed 4CD set available

Soulful and moody house band Electribe 101 see their 1990 debut album, Electribal Memories, reissued as a 4CD deluxe edition, and on vinyl, in March this year.

Electribe 101 formed when Hamburg-born/London-based sometime S’ Express member, Billie Ray Martin, hooked up with four musician/producers from Birmingham (Joe Stevens, Les Fleming, Rob Cimarosti and Brian Nordhoff) who answered her advert in the Melody Maker: “Soul rebel seeks musicians – genius only”. Their sound was influenced by the deep house music coming out of Chicago but with a European twist.

The band released five singles in the UK, all of which featured on Electribal Memories, the only album they released (at the time). Those singles were Tell Me When The Fever Ended, Talking With Myself, You’re Walking, Lipstick On My Lover and a cover of Odyssey’s Inside Out.

New deluxe edition of Electribal Memories offers four CDs (click image to enlarge)

The new 4CD deluxe edition of Electribal Memories includes remixes, extended versions, radio edits and original band demos. It’s also being reissued as a half-speed mastered vinyl LP. A limited edition signed version of the CD set is also available via Amazon in the UK.

The collection was compiled by writer and DJ Bill Brewster and comes with new sleeve notes by singer Billie Ray Martin. It also features an essay by Pete Paphides.

The reissue of Electribal Memories follows on from the 2022 release of the group’s ‘lost’ second album, Electribal Soul (SDE interviewed Billie Ray Martin at the time)

Electribal Memories is reissued on 15 March 2024, via Demon Music. The signed 4CD edition is limited to 1000 units and includes a print signed by Billie Ray Martin.

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Electribal Memories - 4CD signed edition

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Half-speed mastered vinyl LP

Tracklisting

Electribe 101 / Electribal Memories 4CD deluxe set

Electribal Memories Electribe 101 /

    • CD1
      1. Talking With Myself (Original Band 12″ Version)
      2. Lipstick On My Lover
      3. You’re Walking (Peeping Tom Mix)
      4. Inside Out
      5. Diamond Dove
      6. Heading For The Night
      7. Tell Me When The Fever Ended (Full Length Version)
      8. Talking With Myself (Lambada Version)
      9. Electribal Memories
      10. Tell Me When The Fever Ended (7″)
      11. Talking With Myself (Frankie Knuckles 7” Mix)
      12. You’re Walking (Peeping Tom 7″ Mix)
      13.  Inside Out (Pop Mix)
    • CD2
      1. Talking With Myself (8-track Demo)
      2. The Spell (8-track demo)
      3. Talking With Myself (Deep Dream Mix)
      4. Lipstick On My Lover (1989 12” Mix)
      5. Diamond Dove (1989 12” 12″ Mix)
      6. Tell Me When the Fever Ended (12”)
      7. Talking With Myself (Frankie Knuckles 12-inch Mix)
      8. You’re Walking (Corporate Def Mix)
      9. Inside Out (Anti-Pop Mix)
      10. Heading For The Night (Night Over Europe)

    • CD3
      1. Talking with Myself (Opium Mix)
      2. Tell Me When The Fever Ended (Larry Heard After Dark Mix)
      3. You’re Walking (Azmafez Mix)
      4. Heading For The Night (Classic Club Mix)
      5. Talking With Myself (Jazzy Piano Mix)
      6. You’re Walking (Ambient Groove Mix)
      7. Talking With Myself (Brixton Club Mix Master)
      8. Mummy I’m Sick, I’m Underwater (4:19)
      9. Talking With Myself (Larry Heard After Dark Dub)
      10. You’re Walking (Warped Truth Mix)
      11. Talking With Myself (Next Big Thing Mix)
    • CD4
      1.  Talking With Myself (Frankie Knuckles Edit)
      2. Diamond Dove (7”)
      3. Lipstick On My Lover (7”)
      4. Talking With Myself (Larry Heard After Dark Mix)
      5. Heading For The Night (Pianoppella)
      6. Inside Out (MCM Mix)
      7. Talking With Myself (Frankie’s Lovely Dub)
      8. Tell Me When the Fever Ended (Yankee Mix)
      9. Talking With Myself (American Promo Anabolic Steroid Mix)
      10. Tell Me When the Fever Ended (Raggamix)
      11. Inside Out (Mantronix Mix 2)
      12. You’re Walking (Hip Hop Mix)
      13. Non-Doctor (Demo)
      14. That’s How Strong My Love Is (Demo)

Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah! / Teach Yself Wah!

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Liverpool singer-songwriter Pete Wylie will release a new compilation album called Teach Yself Wah! – A Best Of on 2LP and single CD in March this year.

Wylie, who started his career in the late ‘70s, has chosen the tracks on the collection, which features a portrait of him painted by Pete Townshend on the sleeve.

In the early days, Wylie was in bands with Julian Cope, Ian McCulloch, Pete Burns, Ian Broudie, Paul Rutherford and Budgie. He adopted the name Wah! in 1979, recording under several different monikers, including Wah!, The Mighty Wah!, Wah! Heat and Shambeko! Say Wah!

Wah!’s biggest hit was ‘The Story of the Blues’, which reached number three in the UK singles chart in 1982. Wylie, who also had a UK hit under his own name in 1986, when the single ‘Sinful’ got to number 13, has performed with The Farm and Apollo 440, and appeared with The KLF on the first version of their track, ‘It’s Grim Up North,’ which was released in 1990.

Of the two formats, the gatefold 2LP set includes 20 tracks, while the digipak CD has 17 songs – the CD omits ‘Sleep ‘(A Lullaby For Josie)’, ‘Is That What Love Is All About?’ and ‘The Seven Thousand Names of WAH!’

The compilation features sleeve notes by Wylie, who has chosen some early singles and hits, as well as a few rare or lesser-known songs, including the original version of ‘Imperfect List’, a collaboration with Big Hard Excellent Fish – until now, it has only been available on the original 12-inch release from 1990.

Wylie has also re-recorded two of his early songs for this new compilation – 1980’s ‘Seven Minutes To Midnight’, which was the second and final single released by Wah! Heat, and ‘Better Scream’, the band’s debut single from 1979.

Teach Yself Wah! – A Best Of will be released on 1 March 2024 via Chrysalis Records. He’s off on tour in the UK from February onwards in support of this new release.

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Pete Wylie & The Mighty WAH!

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Tracklisting

Teach Yself Wah! – A Best Of Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah! /

    • CD
      1.  Remember
      2.  The Story Of the Blues (Part One)
      3. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory
      4. Hope (I Wish You’d Believe Me)
      5. Talking Blues (The Story Of The Blues: Part Two)
      6. Come Back
      7. Diamond Girl
      8. Fourelevenfortyfour
      9. Sinful (Song of The Sinful Angel)
      10. The Day That Margaret Thatcher Dies – A Party Song
      11. Loverboy
      12. Free; Falling (In Love With You)
      13. Heart As Big As Liverpool
      14. Better Scream 2024
      15. Seven Minutes To Midnight 2024
      16. Somesay
      17. Big Hard Excellent Fish – Imperfect List (Original Version)

No-Man / Housekeeping: The OLI Years 1990-1994

Posted on by Sean Hannam

British art-rock band No-Man will have their early years on the OLI (One Little Independent) label celebrated in a new deluxe 5CD box set called Housekeeping: The OLI Years, 1990-1994.

The group, which was formed by singer, Tim Bowness, and multi-instrumentalist, Steven Wilson, and also featured violinist, Ben Coleman, released two studio albums, a mini compilation album, and several singles on OLI.

Housekeeping: The OLI Years, 1990-1994 will include the band’s first two studio albums, Loveblows & Lovecries – A Confession, from 1993, and Flowermouth, which came out in 1994, along with the 1992 singles compilation Lovesighs – An Entertainment.

In the deluxe 5CD book set are also outtakes and alternative versions, and on CD5, a collection of BBC radio sessions, which is said to showcase a different, more visceral side to the band.

The 5CD collection comes with a hardback book that’s designed by Carl Glover and includes essays by Matt Hammers, author of the No-Man blog, All The Blue Changes, Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, alongside rare photos.

Artists who played on No-Man albums include Mick Karn and Steve Jansen, Robert Fripp, Ian Carr, Lisa Gerard and Porcupine Tree members Richard Barbieri, Chris Maitland and Colin Edwin.

Housekeeping: The OLI Years, 1990-1994 will be released on 26 January via One Little Independent Records.

Tracklisting

Housekeeping: The OLI Years, 1990-1994 No-Man / 5CD

    • CD 1: Lovesighs – An Entertainment
      1. Heartcheat Pop
      2. Days in the Trees – US remix
      3. Drink Judas
      4. Heartcheat Motel
      5. Kiss Me Stupid
      6. Colours
      7. Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up
      8. Days in the Trees – Reich
      9. Days in the Trees – Ives
      10. Days in the Trees – Bartok
      11. Walker
      12. Road
    • CD2: Loveblows and Lovecries – A Confession
      1. Loveblow
      2. Only Baby
      3. Housekeeping
      4. Sweetheart Raw
      5. Lovecry
      6. Tulip
      7. Break Heaven
      8. Beautiful and Cruel
      9. Painting Paradise
      10. Heaven’s Break
      11. Taking It Like a Man
      12. Babyship Blue
      13. Tulip – unedited master
    • CD3: Singles
      1. Ocean Song
      2. Back to the Burning Shed
      3. Swirl
      4. Sweetheart Raw – full length version
      5. Bleed
      6. Only Baby – Breathe for Me
      7. Only Baby – Be for Me
      8. Long Day Fall
      9. Painting Paradise – single re-recording
      10. Heaven Taste
    • CD4: Flowermouth
      1. Angel Gets Caught in the Beauty Trap
      2. You Grow More Beautiful
      3. Animal Ghost
      4. Soft Shoulders
      5. Shell of a Fighter
      6. Teardrop Fall
      7. Watching Over Me
      8. Simple
      9. Things Change
    • CD5: Radio Sessions 1992-94
      1. Break Heaven – Nicky Campbell session
      2. Heartcheat Pop – Nicky Campbell session
      3. Housekeeping – Nicky Campbell session
      4. Ocean Song – Hit the North session
      5. Days in the Trees – Hit the North session
      6. Taking It Like a Man – Hit the North session
      7. Lovecry – GLR session
      8. Days in the Trees – GLR session
      9. Sweetheart Raw – The Way Out session
      10. Teardrop Fall – acoustic session
      11. Watching Over Me – acoustic session
      12. Shell of a Fighter – acoustic session
      13. You Grow More Beautiful – acoustic session

Steve Hackett / The Circus and the Nightwhale

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Steve Hackett will release his new studio album, The Circus and the Nightwhale, in February this year. The record, which is the former Genesis guitarist’s 30th solo release, is described as a “rite of passage concept album” about a young character called Travla.

It features 13 tracks, which are all said to have an autobiographical angle and to have been influenced by music from around the world. Talking about the album, which was largely recorded between tours in 2022 and 2023 at Siren, a studio in the UK, Hackett says: “I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.” He adds: “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”. You can preview, People of the Smoke, below.

Alongside Hackett, who plays electric and acoustic guitars, 12-string, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, bass and vocals, The Circus and the Nightwhale features Roger King (keyboards, programming and
orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Craig Blundell (drums) and Amanda Lehmann on vocals. Nick D’Virgilio and Hugo Degenhardt play drums, engineer Benedict Fenner appears on keyboards, Malik Mansurov is on the tar – a lute-like instrument – and Hackett’s brother, John, provides flute.

The album, which includes ballads, blues, “blistering prog rock” and, er, “healthy measures of theatre and fantasia” will be available as a limited edition CD+Blu-ray media book, including 5.1 Surround Sound (no Atmos) and a hi-res stereo mix. A gatefold 180g vinyl LP with an eight-page booklet and standard jewel case editions are also available

The Circus and the Nightwhale is released on 16 February via InsideOut Music.

CD+blu-ray media book edition

Tracklisting

The Circus and the Nightwhale Steve Hackett /

    • CD
      1. People of the Smoke
      2. These Passing Clouds
      3. Taking You Down
      4. Found and Lost
      5. Enter The Ring
      6. Get Me Out
      7. Ghost Moon and Living Love
      8. Circo Inferno
      9. Breakout
      10. All At Sea
      11. Into The Nightwhale
      12. Wherever You Are
      13. White Dove
    • Blu-ray
      The whole album in 5.1 surround sound and hi-res stereo
      1. People of the Smoke
      2. These Passing Clouds
      3. Taking You Down
      4. Found and Lost
      5. Enter The Ring
      6. Get Me Out
      7. Ghost Moon and Living Love
      8. Circo Inferno
      9. Breakout
      10. All At Sea
      11. Into The Nightwhale
      12. Wherever You Are
      13. White Dove

The Rolling Stones / Live at the Wiltern

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Hot on the heels of last year’s studio album, Hackney Diamonds, comes another Rolling Stones release – a live album recorded in November 2002.

Live At The Wiltern captures the band in an intimate setting – the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles – playing a set of mostly rarely-aired songs, including ‘Stray Cat Blues,’ ‘No Expectations’, ‘Live With Me’, and a cover of the classic 1964 soul song ‘Everybody Needs Somebody To Love’, featuring a guest spot by Solomon Burke, who opened the show that night.

There’s also a smattering of hits, such as ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash,’ Honky Tonk Women,’ ‘Start Me Up,’ and ‘Brown Sugar.’ The gig was part of the worldwide 117-date Licks Tour to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary.

This release is available as a 2CD, 2CD+Blu-ray and 2CD+DVD sets (the blu-ray and DVD have the same tracklisting as the 2CD and blu-ray). There’s a 3LP vinyl edition of Live At The Wiltern as well, including a bronze and black ‘swirl’ version available from independent retailers.

Live At The Wiltern is released on 8 March 2024 via Mercury Studios.

Tracklisting

Live at the Wiltern The Rolling Stones /

    • CD 1
      1. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
      2. Live With Me
      3. Neighbours
      4. Hand of Fate
      5. No Expectations
      6. Beast of Burden
      7. Stray Cat Blues
      8. Dance, Part 1
      9. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (with Solomon Burke)
      10. That’s How Strong My Love Is
      11. Going To A Go-Go
      12. Band Introductions
    • CD2
      1. Thru And Thru
      2. You Don’t Have To Mean It
      3. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
      4. Rock Me Baby
      5. Bitch
      6. Honky Tonk Women
      7. Start Me Up
      8. Brown Sugar
      9. Tumbling Dice
    • Blu-ray or DVD
      1. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
      2. Live With Me
      3. Neighbours
      4. Hand of Fate
      5. No Expectations
      6. Beast of Burden
      7. Stray Cat Blues
      8. Dance, Part 1
      9. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (with Solomon Burke)
      10. That’s How Strong My Love Is
      11. Going To A Go-Go
      12. Band Introductions
      13. Thru And Thru
      14. You Don’t Have To Mean It
      15. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
      16. Rock Me Baby
      17. Bitch
      18. Honky Tonk Women
      19. Start Me Up
      20. Brown Sugar
      21. Tumbling Dice

UFO / Lights Out – deluxe edition

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Hard rock band UFO’s 1977 album, Lights Out, is being reissued in February.

The album is seen as UFO’s breakthrough record and was the group’s highest-charting album in the US, reaching number 23 on the Billboard 200. It was released in May 1977.

Lights out featured orchestral arrangements and a new line-up – Paul Raymond (keyboards and guitar) replaced keyboard player, Danny Peyronel – and was the first UFO album to be produced by Ron Nevison, who worked with Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin.

The title track of the album was inspired by the Notting Hill riots of 1976 and the record closes with ‘Love to Love’, which Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris has said is his favourite song of all time.

UFO Lights Out 3LP vinyl reissue

The 2024 remastered reissue will be available as a 2CD deluxe and a 3LP vinyl set, with a tri-fold gatefold sleeve. The 2CD edition comes with three bonus tracks, on CD 1, including a previously unreleased rough acoustic take of the song by Love, ‘Alone Again Or’, as well as an edit of ‘Too Hot To Handle’ and the seven-inch version of ‘Try Me.’

Both the LP and the CD versions feature a newly-mixed recording of the first show on the Lights Out tour at The Roundhouse, London, on 2 April 1977. The new mix of the concert is by Richard Whittaker and the album has been remastered from the original tape transfers by engineer Andy Pearce.

The 2024 edition of the album has liner notes from UK music journalist Michael Hann, which includes newly-conducted interviews with the original band members.

Lights Out will be reissued on 2 February 2024 via Chrysalis Records.

The 2CD deluxe edition

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Tracklisting

Lights Out UFO /

    • CD 1: Lights Out (2024 Remaster)
      1. Too Hot To Handle
      2. Just Another Suicide
      3. Try
        Me
      4. Lights Out
      5. Gettin’ Ready
      6. Alone Again
        Or
      7. Electric Phase
      8. Love To Love
      Bonus tracks
      1. Too Hot To
        Handle (Edit)
      2. Alone Again Or (Acoustic Rough
        Studio Version)
      3. Try Me (7” Version)
    • CD 2: Live at the Roundhouse, London, 2nd April 1977
      1. Lights Out
      2. Gettin’ Ready
      3. Love To Love
      4. On With The Action
      5. Doctor Doctor
      6. Try Me
      7. Too Hot To Handle
      8. Out In The Street
      9. This Kid’s
      10. Shoot Shoot
      11. Rock Bottom
      12. Let It Roll
      13. C’mon Everybody

Bruce Dickinson / The Mandrake Project

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Bruce Dickinson will release a new solo album – his first for almost almost two decades – in March this year. The record, called The Mandrake Project, sees the Iron Maiden frontman reunited with collaborator and producer Roy Z.

The Mandrake Project will be Dickinson’s seventh solo album and his first since Tyranny Of Souls back in 2005. It is said to be a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against a backdrop of scientific and occult genius. Sounds like business as usual then…

The deluxe CD in hardcover book with ‘preview comic’

The album is available as a tri-panel ‘digisleeve’ CD edition or a deluxe CD version packaged in a seven-inch casebound book. The latter comes with a ‘preview comic’ that has cover artwork by American artist Bill Sienkiewicz and a 20-page lyric booklet.

Vinyl versions include a gatefold 2LP black vinyl edition with an embossed sleeve and bundles with signed photocards are available, while stocks last, from the official artist shop.

The Mandrake Project will be released on 1 March 2024 via BMG.

Tracklisting

The Mandrake Project Bruce Dickinson /

    • CD
      1. Afterglow of Ragnarok
      2. Many Doors To Hell
      3. Rain On The Graves
      4. Resurrection Men
      5. Fingers In The Wounds
      6. Eternity Has Failed
      7. Mistress of Mercy
      8. Face In The Mirror
      9. Shadow Of The Gods
      10. Sonata (Immortal Beloved)

Erasure / The Neon Live

Posted on by Sean Hannam

Erasure’s The Neon Live was issued less than two years ago, but the synth-pop duo are already releasing a new version of it.

The 24-track live album was recorded over two nights at Manchester’s O2 Apollo in October 2021, during the tour of the group’s eighteenth studio album, The Neon, and was originally issued by specialist live music label, Live Here Now, in April 2022.

It was a limited release and was available as a 2CD deluxe edition, 3LP deluxe edition and a super deluxe 4CD edition with a hardback book. This year’s version of the album, which is on Mute Records, comes as either a 3LP edition, with a 12-page booklet, and a 2CD set, which includes a 16-page booklet.

The 2022 LP edition came in ‘violet sparkle’ vinyl, but the new version is a black vinyl pressing. The previous releases also had metallic foil lettering on the covers but, as far as we can tell, this year’s editions do not.

The Neon Live 3LP black vinyl (click image to enlarge)

The Neon, which was the follow up to 2017’s World Be Gone , and entered the UK album chart at number 4, saw the band going back to their roots and using old synths to recapture their early sound. It includes the singles ‘Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling), ‘Nerves of Steel’ and ‘Fallen Angel.’

The Neon Live features Andy Bell and Vince Clarke’s favourite performance of each song from across the two shows in Manchester. As well as songs from The Neon, the live album has tracks from Erasure’s entire career, including versions of ‘A Little Respect’, ‘Sometimes’, ‘Oh L’Amour’, ‘Always’, ‘Chains Of Love’ and ‘Blue Savannah.’

The Neon Live will be released on 26 January 2024 via Mute Records.

Tracklisting

The Neon Live Erasure /

    • LP 1
      Side 1
      1. Intro (Joe 90)
      2. Chorus
      3. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)
      4. Fill Us With Fire
      Side 2
      1. Sacred
      2. The Circus
      3. Who Needs Love Like That
      4. Nerves of Steel
    • LP 2
      Side 3
      1. Blue Savannah
      2. Chains of Love
      3. Turns The Love To Anger
      4. Careful What I Try To Do
      Side 4
      1. Sometimes
      2. Save Me Darling
      3. Shot A Satellite
      4. Love To Hate You
    • LP 3
      Side 5
      1. Love Is A Stranger
      2. Drama!
      3. Always
      4. Stop!
      Side 6
      1. Push Me Shove Me
      2. Victim of Love
      3. Oh L’Amour
      4. A Little Respect