Genesis - "Three Sides Live" - Reconstructed Original Project.

 

In December 1981, Genesis wrapped their four-month tour of Europe and North America to support the release of their eleventh studio album: "Abacab".

During the first months of 1982 the group selected recorded material during this tour for a new work.The result ,the third live album released as a double lp on 4 June 1982, on Charisma Records in the United Kingdom and by Atlantic Records in the United States; with a movie, wich was released on Betamax and VHS sistems.

This is a reconstruction of how this project was initially conceived to make it coincide with the content of the film.

"Abacab" was released on 18 September 1981 by Charisma Records, after their 1980 "Duke" World Tour. The album recorded at The Farm, a studio bought by the group in Chiddingfold, Surrey. The recording sessions were brief but very profitable; it began in May and ended shortly after in June. It was a commercial success for the band, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 7 on the US Billboard 200.

The Abacab Tour was a European and North American concert tour, that began in September 25 1981 in Barcelona “Plaza de Toros – La Monumental” and ended with four shows in Birmingham,England at Resorts World Arena, the last one in December 23 1981. A short world tour but very, very intensive with 65 shows, practically one daily. The pace of work of the group was very intense, partly to forget the disastrous private life that the members of the band were going through, with divorces, separations and economic problems and health problems. 

The tour also marked the first appearance of the Vari-Lite automated lighting system. It was filmed by Stuart Orme and a movie was made with songs from two shows:  28 and 29 November 1981 at the Savoy Theatreand Nassau Coliseum, New York, respectively, but Some of the featured songs are incomplete due to editing. At the same time an live album was made following of the film sequence, Bit.ly/Gen3sl81 but adding a concert more recorded at National Exhibition Center. Birmingham, England on 23 December 1981 being as follows:

Side A: (19:11)

1.Behind The Lines. (5:28)

2.Duchess. (6:24)

3.Dodo / Lurker. (7:17)

Side B: (18:44)

4.Abacab. (8:42)

5.Me & Sarah Jane. (6:00)

6.Misunderstanding. (4:01)

Side C: (20:28)

7.No Reply At All. (4:50)

8.Man On The Corner. (3:45)

9.In The Cage Medley. (11:51)

"In the Cage" "The Cinema Show" "The Colony Of Slippermen"

Side D: (19:17)

10.Afterglow. (4:45)

11.Turn It Again. (5:12)

12.I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe). (9:20)

1,2 & 11 - at Nassau Coliseum. Uniondale, New York on 29 November 1981.

3,4,5,9,10 & 12 - at National Exhibition Centre. Birmingham, England on 23 December 1981.

6,7 & 8 -  at Savoy Theatre. New York City, New York on 28 November 1981. 

The project was later altered to make it more commercial, changing the original positions of the songs..There´s two versions: with “Evidence of autumn” and “Open Door” outtakes from “Duke”; and “Paperlate", "You Might Recall", and "Me & Virgil", outtakes from “Abacab”, with “ were included on the North American edition and other with: “One For The Wine”, “Fountain of Salmacis” and “"it."/"Watcher of the Skies”, recorded on tour between 1976 and 1980.

Some of the songs from the original project that were rejected as: “Man On The Corner” or “No Reply At All” were included years later in Genesis Archive 2: 1976-92”. .Others are yet to be published: “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)”. And it's a shame that this last song was left out, because the interaction that takes place with the audience makes it perhaps one of the best songs on the tour.

Even so, "Three Sides Live" reception was a commercial success, peaking at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 10 on the US Billboard 200, where it sold 500,000 copies.

Ok!.., That´s all, see you soon, If you want, with more and better, I hope.

Patti Smith Group - Retrospective - Unpublished 1983 album

 

On May 17, 1979, "Wave" was released, an album with which Patti Smith Group said goodbye as a band. They gave their last official concert on September 10, 1979 at the Comunale Stadium, Florence ,Italy. 

After that, Patti Smith, got married with her boyfriend, the former guitarist of the Detroit rock band: MC5, Fred "Sonic" Smith, to whom she had dedicated two songs on the album "Frederick" and "Dancing Barefoot". Patti already alone, without her old band, gave three more performances, between June 1980 and October 1981, before saying goodbye to her fans, with no return date, to be a mother and to dedicate herself to the family.

The years went by without new material, but in 1983 the spoken single : "7 Ways of Going / Fire of Unknown Origin" was released with the participation from old friend: Lenny Kaye, who had been produced the Patti single ("Hey Joe / Piss Factory") in 1974; and had been part of "Patti Smith Group" between 1975 and 1979; at which time there was speculation about a hypothetical return of the band. That rumor brought plans for possible retrospective album and more when Arista Records published a promotional single with these line-up: :“Because The Night”, “Redondo Beach”, “Dancing Barefoot” and “Free Money”; something that was denied shortly after by Patti Smith, who was living in Detroit with her family and .Lennyhe was not interested either, because involved in other projects, such as musical producer, with future music stars as Suzanne Vega and her 1987 hit "Luka".

About the possible 1983 retrospective album ,out of the promotional EP, it never said more. Patti had one more child in 1987 and it seemed that her musical career it was a simple memory , but what nobody supposed is that Patti had been written new songs for her next album: "Dream of life" and "People have the power" hit,  was ready. But that is another story. Today, I bring you a new and interesting reconstruction Bit.ly/83PSGg of what could have been and was not, following the original concept, to include all the greatest hits with material only available in singles or Ep's, something like this:

Part 1:

1.-Hey Joe.(5:08)

Single (1974) Mer Records, # 601

2.-Piss Factory.(4:42)

B -side “Hey Joe” Single (1974) Mer Records, # 601

3.-Gloria.(5:54)

From “Horses” album. Released Dec.13.1975.

Arista Records. -ARTY 122 (U.K) / AL 4066 (U.S)

4.- My Generation (live).(3:26)

B-side “Gloria“ single.

Arista Records AS 0171 (US) / ARISTA 135 (UK)

 (Rrecorded live at Agora, Cleveland. OH.U.S on Jan.26.1976)

Early issues of the British single were released with "My Generation" censored.

5.- Pissing In A River.(4:52)

From “Radio Ethiopia” album. Released October.1976.

Arista Records. - AB4097

6.-Ask The Angels.(3:09)

From “Radio Ethiopia” album. Released October.1976.

Arista Records. - AB4097

7.-Time is On My Side (live).(3:28)

B-side “Ask the angles”Arista/Pathe Marconi/EMI 2C 006-98.529 (France)

This is available only as a French import for being considered a bad quality recording. Here it has been notably improved.

(Recorded live at Le Bus Palladium, Paris, France. Oct 21,1976)

8.-Pumping (My Heart).(3:21)

From “Radio Ethiopia” album. Released October.1976.

Arista Records. - AB4097

9.-Radio Ethiopia / Rock N´Roll Nigger (live).(13:57)

B-side “Hey Joe / Radio Ethiopia” EP (1977)

Arista/Pathe Marconi/EMI 2C 052-60.133 z (France)

This is available only as a French import

(Live at GBGs, New York, NY, U.S on June 5.1977)

10.-Babel Field (poem).(5:49)

B-side “Set Free” EP (1978)

Arista Records ARIST 12197 (UK)

(Live in London on Brian Jones' birthday, Feb. 28,1978). 

Part 2:

1.- Because The Night.(3:25)

From “Easter” album. Released March 3.1978.

Arista Records.(SPART 1043)

2.- Godspeed.(6:10)

B-side “Because The Night” single (1978).

Arista Records (AS 0318)

3.- Privilege (Set Me Free).(3:29)

From “Easter” album. Released Marc 3.1978.

Arista Records. (SPART 1043)

4.- 25th Floor (live).(5:43)

B-side “Privilege (Set Me Free)” EP (1978).

Arista Records ARIST 12197

(Live at Pavillon, Paris, France. March 26.1978)

5.-So You Want to Be (A Rock N' Roll Star).(4:00)

Alternate version “So You Want To Be (A Rock N´Roll Star)” EP (1979).

Arista Records AS 0453 Promo

6.-Kimberly (live).(6:09)

Unreleased B-side “So You Want To Be (A Rock N´Roll Star)” EP (1979).

Arista Records AS 0453 Promo

(Live at GBGs, New York, NY, U.S on August 11.1979)

7.-Frederick.(3:06)

From “Wave” album. Released May 17.1979.

Arista Records. (AB 4221)

8.-Fire Of Unknown Origin.(2:09)

B-side “Frederick” single (1979).

Arista Records ARIST 264

9.-Dancing Barefoot.(4:16)

From “Wave” album. Released May 17.1979.

Arista Records. (AB 4221)

10.-54321- Wave (Live).(2:43)

B-side “Dancing Barefoot” single (1979).

Arista Records ARIST 281

(Live at The Palladium, New York, NY, U.S on May 23.1979) 

- bonus tracks -

11.-Frederick (live).(5:55)

B-side “Frederick” promo single (1979).

Arista Records SP-62

(live at the Capital Theatre, in Passiac, NJ. U.S on November 5th, 1979).

12.-Chicklets.(6:37)

(Outtake from “Radio Ethiopia” sessions. June/August 1976). 

For a perfect homogenization of the sound, some recordings have been digitally restored.For artwork, I used discarded photos taken for her last album. 

That´s all., see you next week.

Suede: "Animal Lover" (Unreleased)

 

Suede were formed in 1989 by singer Brett Anderson, bassist Mat Osman and guitarist Justine Frischmann. Bernard Butler later joined after the group responded to an ad in the Melody Maker. released their debut single: “The Drowners” on May 1992.peaked at only number 49 on the UK singles chart.

Once the band had signed with Nude/Sony in November 1992, they began official recording of the album. at Master Rock Studios in Kilburn, north west London with Ed Buller as producer-.

"Animal lover", original album title, should have been the Suede debut album in 1993, but this one was modified as the recording sessions evolved.

When they first entered the recording studio, the band had an album already in mind, a result of the two years they had already played it live with this line-up:

Side A: (23:43)

1.Animal Lover. (4:17)

2.Moving. (2:50)

3.My Insatiable One. (2:59)

4.Metal Mickey. (Unreleased 1st version). (2:31)

5.Pantomime Horse. (5:50)

6.He´s Dead. (5:13)

Side B: (24:46)

1.The Drowners. (4:10)

2.Painted People. (2:50)

3.So Young. (3:38)

4.Brass in Pocket. (3:41)

5.Sleeping Pills (Unreleased 1st version).(4:59)

6.To The Birds. (5:25)

As the recording sessions evolved, The album was restructured. Suede added more new songs; remixed others as: "Metal Mickey". This version is the orginal when the song ending abruptly after the chorus, before that Buller suggested an extended fade-out. “Sleeping Pills” was reduced by taking away his pretty introduction. And removed: “Animal Lover”, bit.ly/2ZpP6 “Moving” and "Brass in pocket".  The new version, now called “Half Dog” soon after “I think you Stink”, it had this other alternate line-up:

Side A: 1.So Young. 2.Animal Nitrate. 3.She´s Not Dead. 4.My Insatiable One. 5.Pantomime Horse.

Side B: 1.The Drowners. 2.Metal Mickey. 3.Sleeping Pills (2nd version). 4.Breakdown. 5.To The Birds. 6.The Next Life.

But during the album mixes the group made a decision similar to what happened in the sixties, the songs that appeared in singles later would not be included in the albums, but in this case they left it alone on the B-sides. From The first single, they removed ”To the birds” “and “My Insatiable One”.From the 2nd: “He´s dead”.Something that Brett Anderson always regretted. But they recovered other discarded ones from the original version.

The album´s photos were choosen by Bret Anderson from the 1991 book Stolen Glances: Lesbians Take Photographs. Photos. by :Tee A. Corinne. From all that Anderson chooseed, She only authorized one photo for the cover, a woman kissing to other in a wheelchair. and insisted they, it could only be shown: the heads and shoulders close-up of the women to protect their identity

.Suede was released first in the UK 29 March 1993,vinyl, MC and CD and worldwide 6 April. In the UK becoming the fastest-selling debut album since Frankie Goes to Hollywood's “Welcome to the Pleasuredome” almost ten years earlier.

Their third single, "Animal Nitrate",went to number seven following their performance of it at the 1993 BRIT Awards. Ten weeks after its release the album had reported sales of over 160,000 only in the UK. But Suede's commercial success in the United States was limited, and due to a lawsuit with an American singer with the same name, the group had to change its name for the American market to The London Suede.

To me the original album “Animal Lover” was much better and no wonder that Brett Anderson regretted it  Finally two bonus tracks: "Animal Nittrate"  - (live at Brit Awards 93) and  "He´s Dead" - (live at Glastonbury´93)

Ok.., here's the reconstruction of that lost great album. Enjoy it.

Blur – “British Image 1” (Demonstration Tape).

After the release at the end of August 1991 of the debut album "Leisure", which received very good reviews, partly because it had been polished during the concerts that the group gave between the end of '89 and a good part of the 1990; in May of that year, Blur finally decided to start a series of studio sessions that lasted intermittently for 10 months until the month of March 1991, when the album was ready for the final mixes.

Shortly before it was published, on August 26, the group started new sessions to register material in order to form a second Lp, before getting fully involved in the "Leisure" promotion with a mini European tour that would begin on March 4. October and that would take them to their first American tour to close the year.Between mid-November and January of the following year 1992, Blur continued to record tracks for an album that was originally going to be called "British Image 1" with producer Stephen Street, who had previously worked on his 1991 single "There's No Other Way "; and that they had planned to release in the spring, just before embarking on a new American tour much longer than the previous one, before more numerous audiences with TV appearances included.

While this happened, "Leisure" continued to climb positions, placing in the top 10 of Uk Records and putting Blur at the head of a musical phenomenon that would soon be known as the rebirth of "Britpop" with bands as important as Stone Roses, Happy Monday, Oasis or Suede.

So in mid-March, the group already had a demo tape to present to their label with the following line-up: 

"Oily Water", "Mace", "Badgeman Brown", "Popscene", "Resigned", "I'm fine", "Garden Central", "Hanging Over", "Into Another", "Peach", "Bone Bag", "Never Clever", "Coping", "My Ark" and "Pressure On Julian"..; 

.. of which they were quite satisfied.But David Balfe owner of Food Records, after listening to this compilation did not see with good eyes this material, because in comparison with all the previous thing it did not have sufficient quality and they did not contain songs that could be removed like singles of success, qualifying it as "artistic suicide".Despite this, Food Records, selected what they considered best and on March 30, a cdsgl with three songs: "Popscene"; "Mace" & "Bageman Brown.", Plus two others in 12 "format:" I'm fine "and" Garden Central ". In place of the album "British Image 1".

On April 1 a mini tour of the United Kingdom began, prior to the great American tour with 37 performances contracted until June 3 in Pittsburg, although this tour of America was so exhausting and so little recognized by the public that preferred before the phenomenon Nirvana, that Blur anticipated its end by canceling the last four dates.In addition, the little success achieved by "Popscene" and the rivalry with Suede shook the foundations of the group, to such an extent that their continuity within Food Records was questioned, as the debts of the members of the group began to increase as the problems with the alcohol and fights.

It was during this time, the Olympic summer of 1992 when Damon Albarn decided to change the name of the album and its theme to "Britain vs. America", due to the resentment that had remained within the band due to the lack of interest of the American public before their music and the severe criticism they received from their performances. They felt contempt for everything American.

 Despite this the creative process continued, as well as the changes both physically and in the way of composing the new songs, for this they took as reference groups like The Kinks or Small Faces to compose the new songs of what would soon become "Modern life is rubbish ", title taken from street graffiti. This second album did not reach the popularity of the first, but at least it was worth to get out of bankruptcy.

"Britisn Image 1", now "Britain vs America", had a second chance in December, but SBK again despised the work and recommended a new producer, Butch Vig linked to Nirvana, which they rejected.Willing to break with SBK and not to act again in America during a good season. The group dedicated the months of January to April of 1993 to perfect the album over any criticism that they were not themselves and to take it forward, of 1992, with new songs written by Damon Albarn, like "For Tomorrow" or "Chemical World" , definitively published on May 10, 93.

"Modern life is rubbish", although it is not the best work of the group, a moderate success, if it is a clear sign of overcoming, of survival, of a group of kids, in front of the system. Bit.ly/9b2l8r What you have here, it´s a reconstruction of the demonstration tape that Blur presented to the owner of Food Records, but does not correspond to the alternate or definitive "line-up" of the album. This collection carries the 1st provisional title: "British Image 1" , and the original artwork.

Enjoy it!.

 

Eric Clapton: "Eric Clapton & His Band Live!" - (Unreleased 1987 live album) - Final Mix.

Here´s another special recording. An unreleased live album from Eric Clapton and his band, scheduled to be release in late November 1987.

The singular thing of this recording with respect others, is that it is the final mix and not the "work in progress tape". It has been difficult to find this master tape but here you have it as clean as possible. That's why I took a few more days. But the important thing is that here you have it, with artwork included. 

On July 3rd1986, after finish the recording sessions from his new album: “August”, Eric Clapton started in Norway a new world tour with his Band: Greg Phillinganes (keyboards); Nathan East (bass) and Phil Collins on drums and vocals, with the support: Roger Craig Band. Nevertheless, the content of the disc was recorded during 1987 at the beginning of January in London at the Royal Albert Hall during three nights: 10,11 and 12;. and in the American tour that began on April 11 at  the Oakland Coliseum and concluded in New York on April 27 at Madison Square Garden. Of this last show and the previous at the Civic Center of Rhode Island some other songs.

“August” was the tenth studio album by Eric Clapton, released in november 24 1986 by Duck Records/Warner Bros. Records. Produced by himself, Phil Collins and Tom David. In this album is the song: "It's in the Way That You Use It" (co-written with Robbie Robertson, and featured in the Paul Newman-Tom Cruise film "The Color of Money" in October 1986, a month before the album's release, subsequently reaching No. 1. "August" became Clapton's biggest-selling album to date. This sales succes, it bringed the possibility of a live album, 2lp´s, but it never released, because two compilations albums, one on september 1987 “The Cream of Eric Clapton” a greatest hits album, not be confused with the 1994/95 compilations "The Cream of Clapton"; and “Crossroads”,on April 1988, a music collection box set of the work of Eric Clapton released by Polydor Records. were added to the E.C catalog better.

This unreleased live album called: “Eric Claptron and his band live!, Bit.ly/87ECaB contains twelve live songs with a new studio version from “After Midnight”, recording at Power Station Studios, N.Y. U.S. on September 1987. Initially this theme was originally recorded to close this live project, but it ended up being the end of "Crossroads" box a months later. The line-up was:

1. Intro. (1:34)

2. Crossroads. (5:26)

3. White Room. (6:35)

4. Hung Up On Your Love. (5:07)

5. Wonderful Tonight. (5:02)

6. Miss You. (5:33)

7. Tearing Us Apart. (7:15)

8. Holy Mother. (5:42).

9. Badge. (7:27)

10. Let It Rain. (5:39)

11. Layla. (9:08)

12. Further On Up The Road. (5:23)

13. After Midnight. (4:07) (*)

Royal Albert Hall London, UK. GB. Jan 10 (6 & 8),11 (7) (1,2,3,4 & 11).1987.

Civic Center Providence, RI .Rhode Island US April 26.1987. (5).

Madison Square Garden New York , NY. U.S. April 27.1987. (9 ,10 & 12).

(*) Recorded at Power Station Studios, N.Y. U.S. Sept.1987.

This project was not forgotten, decades after,  in november 2015 was released "Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall" recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall on 21 May 2015 during his "70th Birthday Celebration" tour. A film of the concert was released on 14 September 2015 too.

Enjoy this. See you soon with more and better. I hope.

 

ABBA – “Opus 10” (The album that never was).

 

On May 3, 1982, Abba returned to the Polar studios with the intention of recording new songs for his next Lp, after the publication in November 1981 "The Visitors". The first one was: "You owe me one", followed a week later by "I am the city", and twenty days later by: "Just like that", continuing in August with: "Cassandra"; "Under attack" and "The day before you came".

At the beginning of September, seeing that the personal problems of the members of the group hinder normal development of the recordings sessions; because both couples were in the process of breaking up. Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, like producers of the album, tried to save the project, of what was clear was going to be the farewell album of ABBA, anticipated the end of the sessions, they searched on the archives unpublished material with which to complete the new album. 

So to the six songs already mentioned, they took from "Super Trouper sessions": "Put on your white sombrero" & "Burning My Bridges" and from "The Visitors sessions": "Giving a Little bit more".  But after making a couple of compilations with remixes of some of these songs, decided to definitively abort the album, considering that the minimum expected quality of an ABBA record was not achieved.

The best way to say goodbye was with a double "greatest hits" album where all the singles plus two extra tracks from the summer sessions of '82 were compiled. This work was published in November and December as: ABBA The Singles - The 1st Ten Years ", preceded in October of the single: "The day before you came / Cassandra ", and another posthumous one in February of the 83:"Under Attack / You owe me one ". Up to here, what the real story left us. But what was "Opus 10" then?.

Halfway through the recording sessions of "The Visitors", in June 1981, the group gave an interview to a journalist from the Swedish newspaper: "Expressen". Published shortly after with the title "Abba, is recording his tenth album". The journalist called this work still without date or definitive name, because it would not have until October, as "Opus 10", which was later misinterpreted. The rumor spread that the following work of ABBA was going to be called "Opus 10" and when "The Visitors" saw the light in November, it was said that "Opus 10" had been the provisional title of the Lp.

But in reality it was that, “Opus 10” (work #10) comes from the calculation of studio albums published to date, June 1981, plus Vol.1 & Vol.2  “Greatest Hits”, excluding: "Gracias por la musica" from 1980.

Years later, when in the alternative market appeared the instrumental song Nationalsång "-" National anthem ", recorded in Polar Music studios between March 16 and 18, 1981, during the same sessions of:" Fanfare For Icehockey World Championships '81 ", Although it was really an early adaptation of the Swedish national anthem, it was renamed " Opus 10 "; this immediately unleashed the fever among the fans of Abba, extending the uncertain story that it was actually the central theme of the new album that Abba was going to record in the summer / autumn of 1982, with the songs mentioned above and others still unpublished today.

1- The day before you came.(5:53).

2- Cassandra.(4:50).

3- Under attack.(3:50).

4- You owe me one.(3:30).

5- I am the city.(4:02).

6- Just like that.(Rmx).(4:21).

7- Giving a little bit more.(Rmx).(2:41).

8- Put on your white sombrero.(4:31).

9- Slipping through my fingers / Me and I (live).(8:37).                                                                               (The Dick Cavett Meets ABBA TV Special).(April 29.1981).

-Bonus tracks -

10- Fanfare For Ice hockey World Championships '81.(0:32).

11- Nationalsång.(A.k.a “Opus 10“).(3:10)

All songs recorded between May and August 1982 except: 8. Outtake from “Super Trouper sessions”. August 9.1980. 10. & 11. March 16-19.1981. All tracks recorded at Polar Music - Stockholm, Sweden. Written by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus

But it was never like that in reality. There was never an Lp project with the name of "Opus 10", although it has been disseminated in some books about Abba, including the authoritative biography of Agnetha "As I Am". bit.ly/Ab81ba2 What is brought here is a reconstruction, for the taste of some people, of one of the compilations made during September 1981 in search of that possible studio album with no name, but with the certainty that it never existed one Lp or proyect "Opus 10". I´m sorry to say this.