Small objects of desire

28 December, 201129 December, 2019

Button badge goodness: Siouxsie and the Banshees

A few more helpings of new wave button badge goodness to tide over the festive season… this time around some vintage goodies from Siouxsie and the Banshees. All of these are from the period, not later reprints (which I always find a massive disappointment when I come across them on eBay – or is that just me?) The rectangular oblong one has seen better days and the plastic encasing the image has started to discolour now – it has seen a lot of service on my jacket lapels in the past though! A couple of the others are printed on foil instead of plain paper and naturally catch the light and the eye that bit better.

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29 November, 201129 December, 2019

Button badge goodness: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD)

There have been some great posts over at the PostPunkMonk and The Never Ending Search for the Perfect Beat blogs recently focusing on new wave era badges. Coming somewhat late to the party but keen to get in on the act, I present here a selection of OMitD badges from my collection – thought I’d do them justice and add something of a Peter Saville / Ben Kelly vibe to the backdrops!

Probably my favourite one because it is so unusual – clearly modelled after the original limited edition first album sleeve, this is grey plastic with the the ‘lozenge’ holes. Came across it on The World’s Biggest Online Junk Cupboard – ie, eBay! Continue reading “Button badge goodness: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD)”

15 October, 20118 February, 2021

Love and Rockets – ‘Express’ Japanese Mini LP edition CD (Imperial Records / Beggars Banquet, TECI-21238, 2004)

Never one to pass by a Japanese CD that does its best to lovingly recreate the original vinyl edition, this Love and Rockets example had been calling my name from afar for some time…

Love and Rockets 'Express' Japanese LP replica CD - front sleeve design — *^ Love and Rockets \’Express\’ Japanese LP replica CD – front sleeve design*

If you are familiar with the original UK issue that appeared in late 1986 then you’ll see from the image below that the fold-out poster that accompanied the release has been lovingly shrunk down to CD proportioned size for inclusion in this release, as well as the original sleeve design. It comes with an extra black and white booklet, plus the obligatory ‘obi’ strip, sealed in a plastic cover to keep that mid-’80s post-punk-neo-psychedelia flavour fresh… Continue reading “Love and Rockets – ‘Express’ Japanese Mini LP edition CD (Imperial Records / Beggars Banquet, TECI-21238, 2004)”

31 January, 20111 May, 2023

Brian Eno ‘Another Green World’ 3″ CD single (Editions EG/Virgin, CDT41/EDSCD4, 1989)

Definitely one for the the dedicated Eno fan in search of a small object of desire, this 3″ CD single was issued in 1989 on the then popular smaller CD format. The front cover features a still from the opening credits of the UK programme ‘Arena’ from the BBC, which had used the title track from Eno’s ‘Another Green World’. Quite why it was seen fit to bash this out on a CD single I can’t recall, one imagines that the record buying public weren’t champing at the bit for such a release – nevertheless, it has its charms.

Brian Eno 'Another Green World' 3" CD single front cover — ^ Brian Eno ‘Another Green World’ 3” CD single front cover

As well as ‘Another Green World’ itself, it comes with three other tracks in what is a fairly eclectic selection of instrumental works; Continue reading “Brian Eno ‘Another Green World’ 3″ CD single (Editions EG/Virgin, CDT41/EDSCD4, 1989)”

29 June, 20108 February, 2021

‘Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’ US die-cut sleeve re-issue CD (MicroWerks, MW060, 2010)

A new release this, as of June 2010 – an American re-issue of the first album by Orchestral ManÅ“uvres in the Dark, this time round packaged in something approaching the style of the original vinyl issue.

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves so you can see what the packaging is like. Musically, the CD is like the 2003 CD re-master except that it loses two tracks, the ‘Electricity’ and ‘Almost’ Martin Hannett/Cargo Studios versions. If you’ve already got the CD and aren’t overly fussed about the packaging, walk on by people, nothing to see here and you are losing two tracks. If however you have a thing for a miniature reproduction of such a fantastic sleeve design, this may well be softly cooing your name already…

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