I thought long and hard about purchasing this box set given that I already had copies of Black Snake Diamond Role(BSDR), I Often Dream Of Trains (IODOT) and Eye. The selling point for RH completists was, of course, the two-disc set of 'rarities' which formed the While Thatcher Mauled Britain (WTMB) package. However at least half of these tracks where/are available on 1995's compilation You & Oblivion and the harder-to-find Invisible Hitchcock.
I waited for Yep Roc's Christmas sale when IWGB was reduced from $49.99 to $32.99. Throw in the transaltantic p&p and I got the box set for twenty-two pounds. There's not much point reviewing albums from the 80s so I thought I'd highlight the changes.
BSDR
This was, of course, Robyn's first solo album and harks back to 1981 when it was originally released on the Armageddon label, as was the Soft Boys' classic Underwater Moonlight. To my knowledge there had been two previous reissues. The first (which is in my possession) included Dancing On God's Thumb (DOGT) as a bonus track and the later issue included Happy The Golden Prince, I Watch The Cars demo, It Was The Night and Grooving On An Inner Plane. Robyn drops DOGT and adds All I Wanna Do Is Fall in Love, Give Me a Spanner Ralph and the sublime A Skull, A Suitcase And A Long Red Bottle Of Wine.
IODOT
Originally released in 1984 I have the 1995 Rhino/sequel re-issue with five demos as bonus tracks. Robyn drops the by-now embarrassing Mellow Together and changes the running order of the second half of the album. He drops the 1995 bonus tracks and adds Chant/Aether, an alternative take of Heart Full Of Leaves, a demo of the title track and three unreleased songs, Not Even A Nurse, Slow Chant/That's Fantastic Mother Church (a withering attack on The Sacrament of Reconciliation) and Traveller's Fare.
Eye
I own the original 1990 Glass Fish release. Robyn drops Sweet Ghost Of Light, College Of Ice, Transparent Lover and replaces them with Century in the running order and bonus tracks Shimmering Distant Love, Lovers Turn To Skulls and the brilliant The Beauty of Earl's Court.
WTMB
Through the beauty that is Soulseek I'd heard most of the rare tracks on the double CD. The best of the previously unissued are the Barrettesque Parachutes & Jellyfish, the Oedipean Melting Arthur and the box set title track.
In summary then, a must for Hitchcock completists and now is the time to strike with prices plummeting on ebay. Nice packaging and the usual Robyn words and drawings thrown in for good measure. January will be a lot brighter this year.
WG
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6 comments:
WG,
Given that you are part of the Craigneuk Catholic Mafia, and (dare i say it) of a similar age...do you know Eddie Meechan?
lefty
Yes, indeed and have done for many years. He's older than me though.
WG
I was at uni with his son, then flatmates for a couple of years.
I thought Eddie was the most Catholic person in Craigneuk until i became aware of your ramblings!!
Anyway, there cannae be much in it in terms of age ;-)
Aye -
he likes a batter at the guitar during vigil Mass at St Pat's, think he's mair intae golf than fitba.
I'd say he's a better Catholic than me which widny be hard.
Aye, he's fond of the chanting.
I cannae work his 12 string guitar though. Was at a party at the Meechan household a few months ago, mixed company and aw that.
By 3am, i ended up passing out with blood all over my fingers after what was decribed to me as my 'drunken & ferocious' rendition of the Fields, followed by an interrupted attempt at Willie & Danny, which was deemed too rebellious.
He was still up at 9am for Chapel.
Needless to say my only other venture into Craigneuk ended up in Megabar in Wishy.
Messy stuff in your neck of the woods!!
lefty -
Megabar's in ML1 amigo
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