Category: Versions, versions

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John Foxx compilations across the years Part 9

The John Foxx compilations went into overdrive for 2016, with no less than three compilations across CD and vinyl formats that were released throughout the year.

‘Burning Car’ UK LP (Metamatic Records, META59LP, 2016)

Release date: 28th January 2016

While the album doesn’t contain any otherwise previously unreleased material you can’t source elsewhere, if you are in the market for a vinyl companion piece to ‘Metamatic’ that gathers up the wonderful single versions and B sides of the period and salts it further with various alternative versions and curios of the period, and then package it up beautifully in a harmoniously worked sleeve design…then this release is for you!

John Foxx 'Burning Car' 2016 compilation LP front sleeve design
^ John Foxx ‘Burning Car’ 2016 compilation LP front sleeve design

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Gary Numan – ‘I Can’t Stop’ Version Craziness

‘I Can’t Stop’ was a welcome return to some modicum of chart success for Gary Numan in the summer of 1986 after a period in the wilderness for his solo releases. A stomping rocker of a number, it’s ostentatious female vocals repeating the title over and over perhaps don’t charm many a Numan fan more accustomed to his moodier work, but this mid-’80s period saw Gary embrace far more mainstream tastes in order to stay afloat in a musical world that was increasingly forgetting his place in it. Well documented in Numan’s autobiographies, this period was one of survival. And as you can see from the selection of releases pictured here, the multi-format ’80s madness was catered for with this release.

Gary Numan 'I Can't Stop' releases assemblage
^ Gary Numan ‘I Can’t Stop’ releases assemblage

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David Byrne – ‘The Complete Score from the Broadway Production of “The Catherine Wheel”‘ USA cassette (Sire, M5S 3645, 1981)

This is one of those albums that was quite out of proportion in its importance in my early listening habits to what it seemingly was in its place in the grander scheme of things. Likely down to two factors for me; i) the critical hot stock that Talking Heads and David Byrne in particular enjoyed in the UK music press in 1981/82, and ii) the curiosity factor of an extended duration cassette version that featured way more music than the standard vinyl album version.

David Byrne 'The Complete Score from the Broadway Production of "The Catherine Wheel" USA cassette (front)
^ David Byrne ‘The Complete Score from the Broadway Production of “The Catherine Wheel” USA cassette (front)

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New Order – ‘Temptation’ / ‘Hurt’ UK 12” and 7″ (Factory, FAC63, 1982)

‘Temptation’ was the third (or fourth, depending on whether you count the Factory Benelux 12” variant of ‘Everything’s Gone Green’ as a unique variant) single release by New Order, released May 1982, it was a big deal at the time. The first unique release after the debut ‘Movement’ album, it highlighted that the band had finally parted ways from the influence of Martin Hannett as the producer, and both sides of the single saw the band’s sound build further on the minimal electronic sequencer-driven sound that ‘Everything’s Gone Green’ had first ushered in. Yet, it retained a somewhat delicately ramshackle vibe too, ahead of the polished dance-beat driven sound that would subsequently re-write the band’s DNA for their more electronic-based tracks.

New Order 'Temptation' 1982 UK 12" front cover debossed title detail
^ New Order ‘Temptation’ 1982 UK 12″ front cover debossed title detail

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‘Street Level (20 New Wave Hits)’ UK compilation LP (Ronco, RTL2048, 1980)

Back in the day (1980, in fact in this case) it would have been de riguer to sneer at such a release as this. Ronco? Didn’t they make the ‘Buttoneer’?! The ‘Veg-O-Matic’?! What were they doing making a punk/new wave LP?! And take a look at the track listing – goodness, just look at that selection – where else might you find Gary Numan lumped in the same selection as The Plasmatics? The Sex Pistols with the Nick Straker Band?!

'Street Level' compilation - label design
^ ‘Street Level’ compilation – label design

Welcome to the world of the budget label TV advertised compilation – Ronco, K-Tel etc. Continue reading “‘Street Level (20 New Wave Hits)’ UK compilation LP (Ronco, RTL2048, 1980)”