
Return to the Last Chance Saloon by The Bluetones reissued on Cherry Red
The Bluetones are one of the most important and successful bands from the Britpop era and are re-issuing their catalogue and aptly kick things off the glorious "Return To The Last Chance Saloon.” In 1998, Melody Maker described the album as a "17 year old, good looking and popular” teenager. Now 17 years since its release, has that teenager retained its exciting, fresh and joyous (superior) qualities? Hell yeah!
"Return To The Last Chance Saloon” is a hit packed, gold selling, Top 10 album that was originally released in March 1998. Featuring the hit singles ‘Solomon Bites The Worm’, ‘If…’, and ‘Sleazy Bed Track’ plus mail-order only single ‘4-Day Weekend’, this re-issue is augmented by the addition of standalone Top 10 single ‘Marblehead Johnson.’
The bonus material included across this 2CD set includes each band member’s favourite B-side, plus a stunning gig recorded at BBC’s Sound City in Newcastle in 1998. A set packed with all their hits; it’s the sound of a band at the top of their game playing to a jubilant and adoring audience.
The 2CD, 36 track package is completed by the addition of previously unreleased BBC session tracks from the era and all contained in a tri-fold sleeve with a new booklet containing brand new sleevenotes from Mark Morriss.
"Return To.." is as fresh as your first outdoor breath on a crisp spring day, as adrenalising as a five mile freefall into neat vodka and as heartbreaking as finding an ex's hair on a long forgotten shirt.” Melody Maker, 1998
"At times better than anything they've ever done” NME, 1998
Track Listing:
DISC ONE:
ORIGINAL ALBUM
1. TONE BLOOZE
2. UNPAINTED ARIZONA
3. SOLOMON BITES THE WORM
4. U.T.A.
5. 4-DAY WEEKEND
6. SLEAZY BED TRACK
7. IF...
8. THE JUB-JUB BIRD
9. SKY WILL FALL
10. AMES
11.DOWN AT THE RESERVOIR 12.HEARD YOU WERE DEAD 13.BROKEN STARR
14.WOMAN DONE GONE LEFT ME
NON ALBUM TRACKS
15.MARBLEHEAD JOHNSON
THE BLUETONES FAVOURITE B-SIDES
16.I WAS A TEENAGER (Mark’ choice) 17.I WALKED ALL NIGHT (Eds’ choice) 18.PRETTY BALLERINA (Adam’s choice) 19.BLUE SHADOWS (Scott’ choice)
DISC TWO:
RADIO 1 SESSION 4 AUGUST 1996
1. THE SIMPLE THINGS * 2. ELECTRIC VAMPIRE *
RADIO 1 EVENING SESSION 9 MARCH 1998
3. 4 DAY WEEKEND * 4. UTA *
NEWCASTLE SOUND CITY 27 OCTOBER 1998
5. UNPAINTED ARIZONA *
6. BLUETONIC *
7. SOLOMON BITES THE WORM *
8. ARE YOU BLUE OR ARE YOU BLIND * 9. PRETTY BALLERINA *
10.4 DAY WEEKEND *
11.SLEAZY BED TRACK *
12.CUT SOME RUG *
13.UTA *
14.SLIGHT RETURN *
15.IF... *
16.CARN’T BE TRUSTED *
17.BROKEN STARR *
* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
This 2 CD - 25 track Deluxe Edition features Nick Kamen's debut album plus 15 related remixes and rarities as bonus tracks dating from its original release back in 1987.
This is the definitive collection available of Nick Kamen's eponymous debut album.
Nick Kamen first came to the public’s attention as a model, and is probably best remembered for his role in the
infamous Levi’s advert, where he walks into a launderette and takes off his jeans. However, it was music that was
Nick’s first love and, after using modelling to kick start his career, Nick began a hugely successful recording career,
charting in the UK, US and across Europe.
CD 1 features the original 10 track album plus four related bonus tracks
CD 2 includes many 12" versions, remixes and B sides
All the bonus material appears on CD for the first time in the UK.
This collection includes various versions of the four singles taken from the 'Nick Kamen' album.
‘Each Time You Break My Heart’ - peaked at #5 in the UK Singles charts in 1986 and was Top 10 across the European
music charts. The single was written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray - the writer / producer team
behind Madonna's "Like A Prayer” album. Madonna also unmistakably provides backing vocals on the track. This
compilation features six versions of this essential Nick Kamen track - album / dance mix / extended - remixed by
Shep Pettibone / dub / extended instrumental version and the US radio mix.
Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever - the 2nd single from the album was a cover of the old Four Tops classic, co-written
by Stevie Wonder & Ivy Jo Hunter. It reached #16 in the UK charts. Three versions are included across this 2 CD
edition - album / extended dance mix and instrumental version.
‘Nobody Else’ - didn't replicate the success of the first two singles. There are five versions featured including
remixes by Arthur Baker and Jellybean - album / Arthur Baker dance mix / special Arthur Baker dance mix /
Jellybean US 12" version and Jellybean US dub.
Come Softly To Me - the final single taken from the album and featured twice on this collection - album and 12"
versions.
The album in large part was produced by Stewart Levine, the man responsible for many hit records over the years
including Simply Red, Curiosity Killed The Cat and Lionel Ritchie amongst many others.
There are contributions from remix giants - Arthur Baker, Jellybean and Shep Pettibone
All the tracks have been sourced from the original production master-tapes.
The CD booklet features the original album front cover plus extensive sleeve notes and a UK discography.
Track Listing:
DISC ONE
1. WIN YOUR LOVE
2. OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART
3. NOBODY ELSE
4. INTO THE NIGHT
5. COME SOFTLY TO ME
6. LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER
7. EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART
8. THE MAN IN ME
9. ANY DAY NOW
10. HELP ME BABY
11. BABY AFTER TONIGHT (BONUS TRACK) *
12. MISS YOU (BONUS TRACK) *
13. EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART -
DANCE MIX (BONUS TRACK) *
14. NOBODY ELSE - ARTHUR BAKER DANCE
MIX (BONUS TRACK) *
DISC TWO
1. EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART -
EXTENDED VERSION *
2. LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER -
EXTENDED DANCE MIX *
3. NOBODY ELSE - SPECIAL ARTHUR BAKER
DANCE MIX *
4. WIN YOUR LOVE - THE LOVE MIX *
5. COME SOFTLY TO ME - 12" VERSION *
6. EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART - DUB *
7. NOBODY ELSE - JELLYBEAN US 12" VERSION *
8. EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART -
EXTENDED INSTRUMENTAL *
9. LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER -
INSTRUMENTAL *
10. EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART - US
RADIO MIX *
11. NOBODY ELSE - JELLYBEAN US DUB *
*DENOTES RELEASED ON CD IN THE UK FOR THE FIRST TIME
Andy Bell’s critically acclaimed electro-acoustic cabaret show and album ‘Torsten The Bareback Saint’ was a brave and unexpected career move in 2014 from his comfort zone of being lead singer with Erasure, one of the world’s most successful synth-pop bands. Classic Pop magazine awarded it 5 stars.
• After performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and before starting to write the second Torsten episode ‘Torsten The Beautiful Libertine’, songwriters Barney Ashton-Bullock and Christopher Frost, producer Michael J. Allison (Olivia Newton-John, Cliff Richard, Freddie Mercury) and Andy Bell himself collaborated in re-fashioning some of the album tracks purely for fun. These remixes include re-sung vocals, alternate and new lyrics and new instrumentation.
• There are three remixes specifically made for the radio; two danceable remixes of ‘Weston-Super-Mare’ connecting the Torsten project back to Andy's more familiar Erasure electro-pop heritage (thanks to synth-pop stalwarts Dancing With Ruby and mOOger!) and there’s a complete electro-pop re-work of fan favourite track ‘Bingo Hall Baby’ which has more than a touch of the Alan Bennett about it. The experimentation was perhaps at its most abstract on the Industrial Soundscape Mix of ‘Weston-Super-Mare’ which perhaps recalls early noise terrorists Cabaret Voltaire and Einstürzende Neubauten.
• This surprisingly innovative 9-track collection is available as a CD packaged in a miniature replica LP gatefold sleeve, featuring a unique black vinyl CD.
TRACK LISTING:
1. WESTON-SUPER-MARE (RADIO SUPER MIX)
2. WESTON-SUPER-MARE (EXTENDED VERSION)
3. WESTON-SUPER-MARE (DANCING WITH RUBY REMIX)
4. WESTON-SUPER-MARE (MOOGER! REMIX)
5. WESTON-SUPER-MARE (INDUSTRIAL SOUNDSCAPE MIX)
6. BINGO HALL BABY (ELECTROPOP REMAKE)
7. I DON’T LIKE (RADIO REMIX)
8. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (RADIO REMIX)
9. TORSTEN THE BAREBACK SAINT (PROMOTIONAL MEDLEY)
British Nuclear Bunkers is the new album by Luke Haines. It was recorded using entirely analogue synthesisers. Apart from an occasional vocal the only organic sound used is a recording of Camden Borough Control Bunker being attacked late at night by Luke Haines. Maximum Electronic Rock and Roll.
British Rock heroes The Zombies return with their follow-up to 2011’s Breathe Out, Breathe In, STILL GOT THAT HUNGER contains many brand new songs written by Rod Argent, plus ‘Never Get Over You’ by Colin Blunstone, and a new version of their 1965 single ‘I Want You Back Again’.