Blank & Jones discuss the 12-inch remixes on the forthcoming so80s 11

Pre-order the two-CD set early from the SDE shop

Blank & Jones issue the eleventh volume in their popular so80s series – which offers rare and forgotten 12-inch remixes from the 1980s – very soon. SuperDeluxeEdition asked Piet Blank and Jaspa Jones if they could give fans and SDE readers some further insight into both their selections on this new compilation and why they’ve changed the format slightly. This is what they had to say:

Blank & Jones:

Some readers will ask why we switched after 10 releases from a three-CD digi-pack to a two-CD jewel case. Well in truth, the CD series actually started with two discs full of 12-inch 1980’s remixes and a third with a non-stop DJ mix of a section of titles included on the other two. Due to a change in licensing rules, mainly at Universal Music, it was no longer possible to do the non-stop mix. So we decided to skip the mix disc and from volume eight to volume ten (three releases) we had also on the third CD of unmixed 12-inch extended versions.

One reason for the change is that it is very difficult to clear/research these 12-inch mixes from the 1980s – it has taken us more than six months just to clear these 22 tracks. Another reason is the packaging –  many fans don’t like digi-paks since they are afraid that the case might get damaged. Many prefer jewel cases as they can be replaced if they are broken or worn out without effecting the design/inlay. Also, these are expensive to repress in relatively low numbers – it’s much easier with jewel cases. This means we can start with a moderate first pressing number and see who is still interested in CDs and repress as necessary.

When we released the Alphaville so8os we learned that you can still release a double cd with a 36 page booklet in a jewel case and it was very well received, so we decided to go with that option. This also meant that we could lower the sales price without having to cut the full colour booklet which features a page for each original 12-inch artwork and extensive liner notes in English and German….

Before we go into detail, we have one thing we would like you to ask: We know that many of you help to feed Discogs with info. That is great. But please respect the liner notes as part of the box you buy. Do not scan them and share them for free…just like the music these are creative copyrights that you paid for. Thank you!

Forever Dancing (12“ Version) / The Beloved 8:35
This song is one of our ‘magic moment’ tracks of the late ’80s. just like New Order, the perfect mix of electronic and indie, combined with the hypnotising voice of Jon Marsh, it still sound so unbelievable cool today! We wanted to have that track on so8os for so long…now we finally got the license from Jon himself and are very proud that we were able to repair that one little glitch that was even included on the very first vinyl pressing. If you have it, listen close at around 6:44 (vinyl: just before the piano solo). this will not be there on the so8os master….

We Need Protection (Screamix) / Picnic At The Whitehouse 6:04
Such a great track and mix. We waited for this master so long…we thought Sony might not be able to track it down, but in the end they found it and sent us this great tape transfer!

Heartbreak Beat (Extended Mix) – The Psychedelic Furs 8:07
This mix is also known in Europe as ‘New York Mix’ as it was done by Steve Thompson and his studio partner Michael Barbiero in New York.

Hey DJ (Extended Version) – The World’s Famous Supreme Team 6:07
This track was some kind of a spin off to the massive success of Malcolm Mclaren’s Buffalo Gals – when he was discovering the early New York rap/hip hop scene around 1982 he also listened to The World’s Famous Supreme Team on the radio…while Duck Rock was produced by Trevor Horn, this one – like the Rock Steady Crew – was produced by and co-written Stephen Hague. The track was also sampled/replayed by various artists later, most successful by Mariah Carey with Honey. Compare them below.

We Run (Extended Single Mix) – Strange Advance 6:07
We tried to license the song via Universal records, but were informed that they only own the rights for USA and Canada. So, we searched for the original band members and found Drew Arnott who was gracious enough to allow us to use the track on so8os. We really like to license from the artist direct, so we can make sure that the person who really deserves to get paid is getting paid.

Working In A Goldmine (DJ) – Aztec Camera 4:01
We simply love this song! We have been big fans of Roddy Frame and even did a demo together around 2003. Of course the album version of Working in a Goldmine is great, but when the deluxe albums were released we were hoping that besides the sax version, this DJ Mix would be included as well. Everyone who bought the 2012 Love reissue will know about the problems with the wrong sax version etc. Anyway, we got this master from Warner Music Japan and are proud to present it here.

Call It Love (Trego Snare Version 2) – Yello 6:46
Yes, another treasure from our Yello friends. We have a long relationship with Boris and Dieter. Way back in 1998 we remixed Vicious Games under our ‘Da Bomb’ alias and then in 2000 Dieter Meier returned the favour and spoke on the intro to our second Blank & Jones album DJ Culture.

Upon our visit to Boris Blank’s studio in 2002 he gave us some samples from Oh Yeah which we used on our song Desire. During our so8os activities Yello always supported us with rare mixes from their archives. Like this time. This version of Call It Love was only released in the UK on a limited vinyl edition of the album One Second – an HMV exclusive. It includes an extra verse from the super talented Billy Mckenzie (The Associates) and is pure bliss.

So Much For Love (Rock Mix) – The Venetians 5:39
Here is a funny story from the time when we were working on the Billy Idol so8os artist edition. We ordered a tape transfer from the Abbey Road archive for the Rock’n’Roll Mix of To Be A Lover and were pretty disappointed when the data file arrived as it wasn’t the mix we were looking for. In fact, it wasn’t even the song or Billy Idol! When we checked back with the studio they realised that a wrong tape was housed in the Billy Idol tape box. It turned out to be the Rock Mix of So Much For Love by The Venetians. Of course we kept that master and are proud to present it to you now, albeit a bit by chance. We were reminded that we had it when we saw that Aussie 12-inch ’80s collection earlier this year [12-inch Dance: Australian ’80s Pop], although we were surprised when we read the comments about the bad master of The Venetians on that compilation (“which appears to drop out in the left speaker a few seconds in and never recovers“) so we checked our master and it was much better (even the whole quality of the recording is beyond standard, but that is also the case on the original vinyl).

Fascinated (12″ Version) – Company B 7:32
If you want to know where the Pet Shop Boys got the inspiration from for Domino Dancing check this one out (also used later as a blueprint by Phil Harding for Bananarama‘s miami mix of I Heard A Rumour).

Magic’s Wand (Special Extended Mix) – Whodini 11:19
Not many people know that this a masterpiece by Thomas Dolby. In this extended version he shows so many of his skills.

Vanity Kills (The Mendelsohn Mix) – ABC 6:15
The Julian Mendelsohn Remix of Vanity Kills was transferred from the master tape already two years ago with various other ABC rarities as we were very far with a so8os artists edition together with Universal, but sadly it hasn’t happened yet. Nevertheless, we wanted to share this rare mix with you now.

Vor all den Jahren (Full Length Version) – Stahlnetz 4:05
This German language song by Stahlnetz, Vor all den Jahren, was produced in 1982 by legendary Conny Plank, who at that time had the likes of Ultravox, Eurythmics or DAF and Daniel Miller as regulars in his studio. Thanks to Conny’s son Stephan Plank, who found the master tapes in his father’s archive, while preparing a wonderful film about him, we can present this song also as a world premiere on CD.

Thanks to Blank & Jones for this great insight. You can order so80s 11 from the SDE shop (worldwide shipping). These will ship before the official release date, on Monday 18 December 2017.

so80s [SoEighties] 11

CD1 65:49

01. Rise To The Occasion (Extended Mix) – Climie Fisher 6:10
02. That Was Yesterday (Extended Remix) – Foreigner 6:14
03. We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) (Extended Version) – Tina Turner 6:08
04. Young Turks (Full Length Version) – Rod Stewart 5:02
05. State Of Shock (Dance Mix) – The Jacksons & Mick Jagger 5:41
06. Your Touch (Club Version) – Bonnie Pointer 6:35
07. Hey DJ (Extended Version) – The World’s Famous Supreme Team 6:07
08. The Right Stuff (Remix) – Bryan Ferry 6:34
09. We Run (Extended Single Mix) – Strange Advance 6:07
10. Working In A Goldmine (DJ) – Aztec Camera 4:01
11. Call It Love (Trego Snare Version 2) – Yello 6:46

CD2 76:03

01. Forever Dancing (12“ Version) – The Beloved 8:35
02. We Need Protection (Screamix) – Picnic At The Whitehouse 6:04
03. Heartbreak Beat (Extended Mix) – The Psychedelic Furs 8:07
04. So Much For Love (Rock Mix) – The Venetians 5:39
05. Fascinated (12“ Version) – Company B 7:32
06. Magic’s Wand (Special Extended Mix) – Whodini 11:19
07. Vanity Kills (The Mendelsohn Mix) – ABC 6:15
08. Be Free With Your Love (Extended Dance Mix) – Spandau Ballet 6:40
09. Sleeping Bag (Extended Mix) – ZZ Top 6:11
10. Strong Me Strong (12“ Version) – Yellowman 5:15
11. Vor all den Jahren (Full Length Version) – Stahlnetz 4:05