Archive for the ‘Ultravox’ Category

Echoes of Romance – An Ultravox(!) Bootleg

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

Echoes Of Romance
Part 1
Part 2
I’ve been accumulating quite a few bootlegs lately so I think I’m going to have to go bootleg crazy for the next few weeks to clear them out of my queue. Don’t worry, I’m sure most of you will like what I have to offer (even those of you who whine about “decent music).” So let’s just jump right in with one of my favorite recent bootleg finds, Echoes Of Romance by Ultravox.

This is an awesome album because it’s basically two great bootlegs in one, 30 songs pulled from two completely different shows. The first 15 tracks are taken from a December 26th, 1978 concert at the Marquee in England. This is the original(ish) line-up that includes Robin Simon on guitars and, more importantly, John Foxx on vocals. It’s classic early Ultravox, a bizarre combination of punk rock, synthpop and glam rock that still sounds unique and fresh some 32 years later. The quality is also excellent, with very clear vocals and almost no audience chatter. Classics like “Young Savage” and “Hiroshima Mon Amour” are performed, as well as awesome unheralded tunes like “Walk Away” and the supremely odd “Someone Else’s Clothes.” It’s a great show and worth a listen to even the most casual fans of the group’s early work.

The second half of this three-LP bootleg is comprised of songs from a December 13th, 1980 concert at the Odeon Hammersmith. This is of the “classic” line-up that features Midge Ure on vocals. The quality of this recording is a little more sketchy, with the vocals coming off a little more muddled at times and audience noises sometimes making their way into the mix. But even with its lesser fidelity it’s still well worth a listen for fans of the group as the band plays favorites like “New Europeans,” “All Stood Still,” and “Vienna.” Even Foxx-era tracks like “Hiroshima Mon Amour” and “Quiet Man” make an appearance. Great stuff all around.

I’m curious, which Ultravox do you all like the most? The punkier, harsher John Foxx stuff, or the classier, new romantic-influenced Midge Ure albums?

I love them both, although I still don’t have all of the Ure-era stuff. I think my favorite Ultravox song overall is the Ure-fronted “Hymm,” but I also have a soft spot for the crazier Foxx tracks like “Young Savage” and “Saturday Night In the City of the Dead.” Ask me which iteration of the band I prefer one day and you might get a different answer the next. I can’t decide.

Just don’t bring up the Billy Currie-led era. That never happened.

NEVER HAPPENED.

Posted in bootlegs, Complete Albums, live, Ultravox | 6 Comments »

Happy Decemeber

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Happy holidaze everyone.

I’ll (sadly) be out of town all week, which makes recording and posting music hard. My plan is to have two most posts this week though. One will be without music, focusing on my favorite (and least favorite) albums of the year. The other will have awesome dance tracks. Let’s hope that all pans out.

Tonight: 80s pop! What’s a better way to celebrate whatever holiday you pretend to care about in order to get gifts?

Art Of Noise
Moments In Love (Long Version)
Moments In Love (Short Version)
Beat Box
Love Beat
These are from a weird single. First of all, the artist is credited as “Trevor Horn, Paul Morley, With The Art Of Noise.”

That’s weird because Trevor Horn and Paul Morley were in The Art of Noise, not only that, they were kind of the driving forces behind the group. That would be like crediting Dark Side of The Moon to “David Gilmour and Roger Waters with Pink Floyd,” or crediting a Wham! song to “George Michael and Wham!” Oh wait, that actually happened.

Secondly, the year on the single is “1983,” however, it’s also credited as being in the soundtrack to Pumping Iron II, which did not come out until 1985. If this single did actually come out in 1983, that would make it The Art Of Noise’s first release, but I’m more willing to believe that the actual release date was closer to 1985.

The versions of the songs are not labeled either. I added the “Short Version” and “Long Version” qualifiers, both tracks are simply labeled “Moments In love” on the single. I do not know which versions of these tracks these mixes are. If you do, please inform me.

Regardless of all that confusion, all these songs are great 80s electro and worth your time and then some. The Art Of Noise kicks ass.

Tina Turner
What’s Love Got To Do With It? (Extended Mix)
When I was eight-years-old I thought Tina Turner was the shit. Okay, maybe I was a weird kid. But I was still right, Tina Turner is the shit. Did you know she covered Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy?” She knocked it out of the park too. Tina can knock any track out of the park though. I bet she could cover a Radiohead track and turn that shit into a diva anthem. She’s that awesome. I wish this mix was just two more minutes of her going “Woah Oh Oh!” but it’s still good.

Ultravox
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Special remix)
When did I buy this single? I have no idea. But it was sitting in the back of my crate full of albums, languishing between some stupid soundtracks for who knows how long. I am so sorry that withheld this great mix from you all for so long. Word to the wise though, if you’re going to crydance, do it to a ballad. Sobmoshing looks dumber than shit.

Peter Gabriel
Soft Dog
This is a b-side to to the 12″ single of “Shock The Monkey.” I bought it months ago, recorded it, filed the record away, then discovered that my recording skipped. Once records reach my shelf (a feat in itself) I hate pulling them out, hence the massive delay in actually re-recording this right.

This is a quiet, but beautiful song, full of late-70s Peter Gabriel art-rock goodness. Most of it is instrumental, Peter only chimes in at the end with a brief chant of the title. Has this ever been issued on CD? I can’t believe it hasn’t. It’s quite good.

Siouxsie & The Banshees
Peek-A-Boo (Stockhausen & Waterphone Mix Instrumental)
I own two different “Peek-A-Boo” singles, one on CD and one on vinyl. The CD version tracks are on Amazon, and I suggest you pick them up. The “Silver Dollar Mix” is incredible. This instrumental is basically a modified version of that mix, and I believe it was exclusive to the vinyl version. Still a great track, even without Siouxsie’s voice.

Sometime this week, my best of/worst of lists! It’ll piss everyone off!

Posted in Peter Gabriel, remixes, Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Art Of Noise, Tina Turner, Ultravox | 5 Comments »