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21 March, 202221 March, 2022

Side by side: XTC ‘King For A Day’ CD singles UK/US

When looking out these CDs to photograph for this post, and looking back on previous VersionCrazy posts for XTC… I was surprised to find nothing other than a passing mention in the ‘Machines’ 1980 compilation album on Virgin! How could I have managed not to feature this wonderful band in any detail in the 14 years of the blog so far? Anyway, what was exercising me was the various versions of a later period single, from when the band’s star was much higher stateside than in their native UK – ‘King For A Day’.

XTC 'King For A Day' UK and US CD singles front cover designs — ^ XTC ‘King For A Day’ UK and US CD singles front cover designs

Lifted from 1989’s glossy album production, ‘Oranges and Lemons’, it seemed a fairly surefire selection from the album’s tracks as a radio-pleasing drive-time number in much the same style as Tears For Fears has scored a few years earlier with ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ – it has quite a resemblance to that track. What’s interesting here is that there were major differences between the UK and US releases – the American release also saw fit to procure some radically changed remixes of the song for its outing. Continue reading “Side by side: XTC ‘King For A Day’ CD singles UK/US”

14 March, 202221 March, 2022

Simple Minds – ‘X5’ UK/EU CD Box Set (Virgin, SMBOX2 / 50999 956473 2 6, 2012)

Bang for buck, in a world that has seen a proliferation of Simple Minds box sets and re-issues in numerous varieties (from budget no frills to kitchen sink ‘n’ all), this modest set from 2012, ‘X5’, was an instant go-to when announced.

Simple Minds 'X5' CD Box Set edition - box front — ^ Simple Minds ‘X5’ CD Box Set edition – box front

Gathering together the first five Simple Minds albums (should be six if you count the pair from 1981 separately) with a small selection of bonus tracks on each and simplified facsimiles of the original cover art, it was a budget proposition when released but one which soon disappeared from the shelves and for which you might well be asked reasonable sums for now if you were to need a copy. The replica sleeves are just the outer sleeves and there is no accompanying booklet – but as a way to scoop up those early, seminal albums and good deal of bonus B side and extended mixes, you can’t go wrong with this set – it’s a pity it has not remained on catalogue longer.
Continue reading “Simple Minds – ‘X5’ UK/EU CD Box Set (Virgin, SMBOX2 / 50999 956473 2 6, 2012)”

7 March, 202214 March, 2022

Button badge goodness: Landscape

A few 1981 vintage badges from Landscape… they had a short time in the glare of popularity – ushered in by association with the New Romantic / Futurist / Blitz / Scene With No Name (call it what you will) movement, with a run of singles (‘European Man’, ‘Einstein A Go-Go’ and ‘Norman Bates’ plus the parent album, ‘From The Tea Rooms Of Mars… To The Hell Holes Of Uranus’ and Richard James Burgess who seemed to be man about town and would seemingly appear here, there and everywhere at one point (such as production duties for other New Romantic scenesters Spandau Ballet and Hot Gossip, amongst others. The follow-up album, ‘Manhattan Boogie Woogie’ and subsequent singles as the slimmed down line-up of Landscape III failed to continue the success… but are worth checking out, nevertheless. A modest set of lapel-enhancing love for Landscape… enjoy nonetheless!

Continue reading “Button badge goodness: Landscape”

21 February, 202228 March, 2022

Joy Division ‘Live In Amsterdam 1980’ Japanese CD [Alive The Live / King Street, INGCD4174, 2020]

I tend not to feature live Joy Division recordings on VersionCrazy because… well… where will it end?! There are simply so many of them released over the years – official, semi-official, unofficial… and as for the sound quality. I shouldn’t be too harsh as it is from an era where documentation of every movement was not the norm it seemingly is now… and with the ease of finding recordings online, who even needs physical versions? But once in a while a release comes along that is worth celebrating, if you still crave a physical copy. If you come across this one, you will be in for a treat as sonically, this is as good as you can expect from the era… and the packaging, while no Peter Saville production by any means, does a decent job.

Joy Division 'Live In Amsterdam 1980' 2020 Japanese CD front cover design with OBI. — ^ Joy Division ‘Live In Amsterdam 1980’ 2020 Japanese CD front cover design with OBI.

The gig in question is from 11th January 1980 at The Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You can read more about the gig and its unique background on why there were two Joy Division sets on the treasure trove of info that is the wonderful Joy Division Central website. Its one of the most bootlegged gigs and has also ‘officially’ been re-issued, though somewhat cack-handedly, on the ‘official’ versions here and here. There is a forum discussion about live recordings of the gig on the interactive message board area of the site dedicated to the gig and you’ll find plenty of discussion as well as links to online YouTube recordings of the 2010 high quality recording from which its likely this is sourced from too. Continue reading “Joy Division ‘Live In Amsterdam 1980’ Japanese CD [Alive The Live / King Street, INGCD4174, 2020]”