El vis Cos tello - The ALTERNATE Get Happy!

Alternate Takes, Demos, Live Versions

studio tracks recorded 1979

soundboard, FM & audience recordings (sound quality: VG to Ex-) 

-none officially released-

click on image for enlarged view

ROB SEZ: Yet another installment in the "Classic Albums Revisited" series. This one's a compilation with a mix of alternate takes, band rehearsals, demos, and live versions. (As with all my posts, none of these recordings has ever appeared on any officially-released version of the album, including reissues.) When Get Happy! first came out, I wasn't such a big fan. But it's grown on me quite a bit over time. When I first heard it, the manic energy and hyper-abundance of short, catchy songs proved to be more than I could digest at the time. In retrospect, I now hear it as another brilliant collection by EC & The Attractions. Highlights of this comp are many of the live performances, including two rare Peel Session tracks from 1980. Don't miss the EC solo version of "New Amsterdam" from 1989, the gospel-tinged rendition of "Motel Matches" from 1996, and a rare EC & The Attractions performance of "Riot Act" — all killer. Some of the alternate studio takes, rehearsals, and demos give you an idea how the songs might've turned out if a different speed or style had prevailed during recording sessions (check out the "skanking" version of "King Horse"). Unless otherwise indicated in the comment file tags, these are studio and live recordings by EC & The Attractions.

The album's master takes were recorded at Eden Studios, Acton, London in the fall of 1979 as well as Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands. I'm guessing the alternate takes were recorded at the same time. The demos were recorded by EC at Archipelago Studios, Pimlico, London earlier that year. In several cases, my secret source offered up similar-sounding alternates for some of the songs. In those instances, I went looking for compelling live recordings. Several of my master sources this time were high-quality lossy files, which explains why there's no lossless version. Hope you enjoy this and the bonus tracks I couldn't resist including.

MP3@320

El vis Cos tello - The ALTERNATE Trust

Alternate Takes, Rehearsals, Live Versions

In-studio tracks recorded July-Nov. 1980

soundboard, FM & audience recordings (sound quality: VG to Ex-) 

-none officially released-

click on image for enlarged view

ROB SEZ: By popular demand, here's another installment in the "Classic Albums Revisited" series. (By the way, I'm not going to do alternate versions of every EC album: just a handful that I like — and for which I have rare & worthy material to share.) Recently, I posted a full live version and a full alternate version of EC's classic 1982 album. This time around, it's a single compilation album with a mix of alternate takes, band rehearsals, and live versions. As I put it together, I kept marveling at the creativity of EC's melodies & lyrics and The Attractions' musical swagger. They were crazy great! A few of the alternate takes and rehearsals are admitedly not terribly different from the master takes officially released on the album. But trainspotters like me should enjoy playing "spot the difference." This album's songs were recorded at Eden Studios, Acton, London in the fall of 1980, so I'm guessing the alternate takes were recorded at the same time. The band rehearsals might've been recorded at DJM Studios, Holborn, London a few months earlier. In some cases, my secret source only offered unexciting alternates for some of these songs. When that happened, I went looking for compelling live recordings. As with the last post, most all my master sources this time were high-quality lossy files, which explains why there's no lossless version. Please enjoy.

REPERCUSSION: There is a connection, albeit indirect, between EC and The dB's. When Chris, Will, Gene and Peter got the band going in the late 1970s, they aspired to become an American version of The Attractions. A lofty goal — and one they very nearly achieved, musically speaking.

MP3@320

  

P.S. - Track 07 in this compilation bears a resemblance to the "Alternate Version" found on the bonus disc of the 2003 reissue, particulary in its tempo. Upon careful listening, however, you'll notice there's a distinctly different vocal take in the version included here.  

El vis Cos tello - The ALTERNATE Imp erial Bed room

Demos & Alternate Takes

Islington & London, England

August & November 1981

soundboard recordings (quality: VG to Ex-)

*none officially released*

click on image for enlarged view

ROB SEZ: Continuing my celebration of this amazing album's 40th anniversary, following last week's live version of the album. This week, I'm offering a companion album comprised of band demos, outtakes, and alternate takes from the album recording sessions. Think of this as the "trainspotter" version of the album for EC geeks — like me! As with the live version, I sequenced the tracks in the same order as the original album. (Once again, there's nothing here that's ever been officially released on any version of the album.) This gives you a chance to marvel at the early ideas, lyrics, and band contributions as heard in the demos. And it lets you enjoy the more evolved outtakes and alternates — recorded just a few months later when EC & The Attractions arrived at Air Studios to create their masterpiece. Wait 'til the end for the mystery bonus track: definitely worth waiting for. Comments? Yes, please.

SOURCES: Based on available information, I assume the band demos were recorded in August 1981 at Pathway Studioes in Islington, with the outtakes and alternate takes recorded in November 1981 at Air Studios in London during album sessions. Where exactly did these precious rarities come from? I won't ever say, since it would betray my sources. My music-sharing companions know who they are, and I'm forever in their debt. I received these as high-quality MP3s, which explains why there's no lossless share this time.

MP3@320

P.S. - Track 05 in this compilation bears a resemblance to the "Alternate Version" found on the bonus disc of the 2002 reissue, particulary in its tempo. Upon careful listening, however, you'll notice there's a second distinct vocal line in the version included here, plus it lacks the keyboard overdub that can be heard on the officially-released "Alternate Version." The version in this compilation is an alternate mix with an added vocal part that makes for a distinctly different version of the song.

 

El vis Cos tello - Imp erial Bed room LIVE!

various sources & venues 1981-2016

sbd, preFM, FM & audience recordings

sound quality: (Ex to VG)

-none officially released-

click on image for enlarged view

A Classis Albums Revisited project

of The dB's Repercussion Blog

ROB SEZ: The upcoming 40th anniversary of this masterpiece's release (July 2, 1982) prompted me to fulfill a 20-year dream: to re-create the album, with the same running order, using only live versions.  For the longest time, I assumed it was a fool's errand. There are numerous live recordings of the better-known album tracks. But a couple of the songs have seldom been played live. When they were, the only historical remnant was typically a crappy audience recording. Fortunately for me, there are lots of EC fans out there, posting their gems here & there. A coupla years ago, I made a key discovery: the remarkable El vis Cos tello Wiki. After stumbling onto this fabulous fan-run site, I was finally able to do proper research. Over several years' time, I began compiling candidates for this compilation, listening to hundreds of different recordings, culling them for the very best versions. Fast forward to the past several weekends, when I found some extra hours and started to bring this together. SO: how'd I do? Give it a listen and please leave a comment. (Wanna nominate a better recording you think belongs on the comp? Find the email address at the very bottom of the blog's home page, and please get in touch.) One more thing: the odd spacing & spelling for this post is my attempt to evade the record / publishing company 'bots...

Stay tuned for a related share coming next week.

HOW I CHOSE THE RECORDINGS: I wanted to find that magical intersection between great performances and great (or at least good-enough) sound quality. If a live version more or less copied the studio version on an average night, I just kept looking. I was listening for that something extra: a transcendent performance, a revelatory acoustic version, an unusual arrangement, or an Elvis & Steve duo version that laid bare the beating heart of the song. Because EC with The Attractions has never been surpassed as a live combo, I tended to give the 1980s shows (and '90s reunions) a closer listen. Most of the recordings I finally picked are EC with The Attractions, unless otherwise noted in the comment file tags. I would love to have used only soundboard, preFM or FM recordings, but they were not available in all cases. When I could find nothing of higher quality, my Plan B was to locate the best-sounding audience recordings with a strong performance. In one case, I had to punt: the only live versions of "Boy With a Problem" I considered were from a so-so performance in 1982 and a brief soundcheck run-through that same year. Neither one was good enough. So I went to my "secret source" for a previously unreleased demo version. But hey, the demo sounds like it was recorded live, so maybe it's not really cheating...

DISCLOSURE: I used lossless captures of lossy sources for tracks 7 & 12 since they were the best quality recordings I could find. All the other tracks are from lossless sources.

FLAC

MP3@320

The Clientele & Alasdair MacLean - Live at WFMU, N.J. 2009 + 2014 (sbd)

The Clientele 

WFMU Live Session

Jersey City, N.J.

July 18, 2014

webstream capture (sound quality: VG++) - Irwin Chusid's Show

The Clientele - Live Session 2010

01 We Could Walk Together 

02 Porcelain

03 On a Summer Trail

04 Missing

05 Driving South

06 Bicycles

07 Impossible

08 Lamplight

09 intro, interview segments, outro

ROB SEZ: I've fallen hard recently for the amazing The Clientele, founded in London in 1997. As you'll hear in these recordings, the heart and soul of the band is co-founder Alasdair MacLean's voice, mesmeric guitar playing, and poetic lyrics. The closest analogy for the inevitable question of what the group sounds like is to imagine the mature Teenage Fanclub playing gentle-yet-compelling folk pop, fronted by Nick Drake. Try one of the video samples and see what happens. Me? I'm hooked for good. All thanks & praise to WFMU DJ Irwin Chusid for championing The Clientele and arranging a live session in 2014, preceded by MacLean's solo session 5 years earlier. The Clientele's most recent releases are two singles from 2020, so here's hoping they'll soon be releasing new material and/or touring.

...and here's what Alasdair sounds like solo

Alasdair MacLean

WFMU Live Session 

Jersey City, N.J.

Oct. 28, 2009

webstream capture (sound quality: VG++) - Irwin Chusid's Show

01 Bonfires On the Heath 

02 Since K Got Over Me

03 Rain

04 Saturday

05 Six A.M. Morningside

06 intro, interview segments, outro

FLAC lossless captures, lossy sources

MP3@320

    

Boo Radleys - The Astoria, London 1995 + 1997 (FM)

The Astoria 

London, UK

Jan. 26, 1997

FM broadcast (sound quality: VG to VG+)

01 C'mon Kids
02 Wake Up Boo!
03 Melodies for the Deaf
04 From the Bench at the Belvidere
05 Everything Is Sorrow
06 Reaching Out from Here 

07 What's In the Box?
08 Roadie
09 Find the Answer Within
10 Ride the Tiger
11 Lazarus
12 Stuck On Amber
13 Bullfrog Green
14 Get On the Bus

The Astoria

London, UK

April 13, 1995

TV broadcast (sound quality: VG+)

01 It's Lulu
02 Reaching Out from Here
03 Joel
04 Stuck On Amber
05 Twinside
06 Wake Up Boo!
07 Find the Answer Within

ROB SEZ: Sometimes I really think I should've been born in the U.K. I would never claim something as ricidulous as "All the good bands are from the British isles." However, when it comes to great guitar-based rock and pop groups — with strong melodies and lyrics that aren't dumb, the United Kingdom certainly has a TON. The Boo Radleys are in this league, and some fans will tell you they're the best of the under-the-radar bands from the 1990s. When their song "Wake Up Boo!" was a Top 10 single in the U.K., and the similarly-titled album topped the 1995 British album charts, the Boos become a phenomenon in Britain. As is often the case, however, their success did not make it across the Atlantic. Enjoy these two live recordings from the same London venue to find out what you may have missed. The Boos are back in 2022 with an all-new studio album, Keep On with Falling and the digital-only Live In 2021. My gratitude goes to S. Smith and Doing It for the Vids for sharing their FM recordings. 

FLAC lossless captures, lossy sources

MP3@320

Comet Gain - Indietracks Fest UK 2016 (aud)

Indietracks Festival 

Midland Railway Centre

Swanwick Junction, UK

July 31, 2016

audience recording (sound quality: VG- to VG)

00 stage entrance

01 My Defiance

02 Saturday Night Facts of Life

03 David, banging on about something 

04 Love Without Lies

05 An Arcade from the Warm 

     Rain That Falls

06 Why I Try to Look So Bad

07 The Fists In the Pocket

08 Fingernailed for You

09 I Never Happened

10 Working Circle Explosive!

11 You Can Hide 

     Your Love Forever

12 Herbert Huncke Pt. 2

13 Herbert Huncke Pt. 2 (cont'd)

David Christian (aka David Feck), banging on his geetar (fab photo by Greg Neate)

ROB SEZ: My last post was also by Comet Gain. By request, here's another one. Soundwise, this one's a bit muddier, but it's perfectly enjoyable — especially when you remember just how darn rare these things are.

FLAC lossy source, lossless capture

  

MP3@320

           

Comet Gain - Buffalo Bar, London 2014

Buffalo Bar 

London, UK
April 24, 2014

audience recording (sound quality: VG)

sample a track from the show

00 stage entrance, song intro

01 'Sad Love' and Other Short Stories

02 The Fists In the Pocket

03 rambling song intro

04 Behind the House She Lived In

05 David's shambolic song intro

06 An Arcade from the Warm Rain That Falls

07 Candles

08 Working Circle Explosive

09 These Are the Dreams of the Working Girl

10 'I broke my plectrum' + other BS 

     by David

11 Breaking Open

12 Say Yes

13 Love Without Lies

14 David's rambling BS + song intro

15 Confessions of a Daydream

ROB SEZ: For a good while now, I've been looking for recordings to share by the stupendously talented and hugely entertaining Comet Gain. If you've never heard of them, I bet I know why. Over the band's two and a half decades, David Christian (aka David Feck) and company have guaranteed their cult status by accentuating their punk-inspired amateurism, frequently switching record labels, taking long breaks between album releases, and touring only sporadically — all while apparently enjoying the adulation of the few who tune in. Yet Comet Gain deserve a much wider hearing. Trouser Press describes their early sound thusly: "The soul bus let off the pop children in Oxford, England, and what sprouted was Comet Gain, a thoroughly enticing bedsit quintet." Beside the music, there's an understated, brainy charm to David's between-song rambles. I am indebted here to Andunemir for sharing (and presumably also recording) this great show, which anticipates the band's excellent 2014 album Paperback Ghosts. If I receive any encouragement via comments, I have more I can share.

FLAC lossless capture, lossy source

MP3@320

The Wake - Live in England & France, 1985 + 1991 (sbd)

The System 

Liverpool, England
July 26, 1985

soundboard recording (quality: VG; transfer from low-generation tape source)

01 Of the Matter
02 Send Them Away
03 Melancholy Man
04 World of Her Own
05 Torn Calender
06 All I Asked You to Do
07 Here Comes Everybody 

Le Gibus

Paris, France

Sept. 20, 1991

soundboard recording (quality: VG+)

The Wake: reunion show, Brooklyn, N.Y. in 2010

01 Joke Shop (cuts in)

02 Selfish

03 Firestone Tyres

04 Provincial Disco

05 Holy Head

06 Solo Project

07 Down On Your Knees

08 Carbrain

09 Shallow End 

ROB SEZ: In keeping with the indie, obscure, and worth-a-listen ethos, here's a UK band you might have missed. The Wake signed to Factory in the 1980s, then gravitated to Sarah Records when support began to fade at Factory. I don't know how to describe The Wake's sound (it was inaccurately labeled a Joy Division wannabe band), and I can't honestly say I'm a big fan. But if you like other indie British bands featured elsewhere here, you might want to give The Wake a try. All kudos should go to autopilot for sharing these recordings. (If you want more, I have two audience recordings from the same 1991 French tour — but you'll have to exert a little effort & leave a comment! 😎)

The Wake fans should check out the 1987 goodies the band posted HERE & HERE

FLAC

MP3@320

   

Even - Melbourne, Australia Dec. 2021 (sbd)

“Christmas Even”

Brunswick Ballroom

Melbourne, Australia

Dec. 23, 2021

Moshcam pro-shot video (webstream audio capture)

01 greeting + Stop & Go Man

02 Six Monkeys

03 Black Umbrella

04 Mayfair Laundry Bus

05 Electric Light

06 Cherrry Afterglow

07 Dandy Stomp

08 Be Still

09 Golden Sunday

10 There Is a Light

     That Never Goes Out (Smiths cover)*

11 Candle

12 Stupid Dream

13 Shining Star

14 Don't Wait

15 Rock 'n' Roll Save My Life

16 Urgent (Foreigner cover)**

17 Lennon medley

18 Rock 'n' Roll Save My Life (reprise)

19 Jamming

20 Lifetime

21 Life Gets In the Way

22 Bowie In My Dreams

*Nick Barham, lead vocal

**Wally Kempton, lead vocal

   

Even:

Ash Naylor - lead vocals, guitar

Wally Kempton - bass, backing vocals
Matt Cotter - drums
Anton Ruddick - guitar (for this show)

plus cameo appearances by assorted family & friends

ROB SEZ: I've raved about the Australian band Even here in previous posts, and it's time for me to do it again. If you like your guitar-based rock in the classic 1960s and 1970s British mold — with hummable melodies and succinct guitar solos — I highly recommend you give Even a try. Start with the band's masterful 1998 album Come Again and explore from there. Even have a great new double-length long player Reverse Light Years, released in late 2020. Moshcam made a beautiful pro-shot film of one of the band's annual "Christmas Even" shows in late December. It's well worth paying to view HERE (you can sample a full-length song for free).

FLAC lossless capture of lossy source

MP3@320

The Optic Nerve - Live In Spain (FM)

unknown venue, town, date

FM recording (sound quality: VG++; might possibly be sbd or TV audio, but it sounds great; stream capture by Rob-in-Brevard) 

00 stage entrance, tuning
01 I'll Give You Loving Like Nobody Can
02 Kiss Her Goodbye
03 banter, song intro
04 Shine Tomorrow

The Optic Nerve: hipsters on location

05 I Sometimes Wish We'd Never Met 
06 Spend It With You
07 Like to Get to Know Her
08 While Shineth the Sun
09 What's Been Missing
10 applause, song intro
11 Leaving Yesterday Behind
12 Call On Me
13 Find My Own Way Back Home
14 Happy Ever After
15 applause, song intro
16 Up In Her Room
17 A Hard Time's Comin' Around the Bend
18 Time

ROB SEZ: The Optic Nerve! Where else but here are you gonna snag a live show in very good sound quality by this nearly-forgotten, Dylanesque NYC garage band from the 1980s? If you like the Fuzztones, the Long Ryders, or the Lyres, I recommend you check out this group. This recording captures a fairly good performance, which picks up steam starting at track 11. Consider it a teaser for The Optic Nerve's two albums: Forever and a Day and Lotta Nerve, both of which are terrific (AllMusic gives them both 4 & 1/2 out of 5 stars). ON!, new album of previously unreleased material, is due for release in July. HUGE THANKS to whoever posted this (possibly the band?) for me to snag and share here. 

FLAC lossless capture, lossy source

MP3@320

   

The Semantics - Pre-debut Demos (early 1990s)

Demos

c. 1991 and/or 1992

recording location(s) unknown

01 Avalon

02 Baby It's You

03 This One's for Me 

04 Facts of Life

05 Hippy Woman

06 Lonely Girl

07 Standing Still

08 Merry Go Round

09 Wildflower

10 Victim for Somebody Else

11 Maria

12 Sticks and Stones

13 Future for You

14 Coming Up Roses

15 The Sky Is Falling

16 Black and Blue

17 Johnny Come Lately

18 Life Goes On

19 Glasses and Braces

Musicians:

(Will) Owsley: vocals, guitars, keys, percussion, bass

Millard Powers: vocals, bass, keys, guitars

Jody Spence: drum machine programing, drums (on some tracks)

Ben Folds: drums (on "Coming Up Roses" and one other)

Zak Starkey: drums on a couple (probably "Life Goes On" and one other)

John Mark Painter: mellotron on "Coming Up Roses"

ROB SEZ: All credit here goes to Mick and Don from the old ASH blog, to whom I am indebted for so many posts over the years. Not sure why I never shared this back when I was regularly doing the "ASH Tuesday" posts, but I guess it got lost in the shuffle.  All these tracks are power pop gems, and serve as the prelude to Powerbill, considered one of the best (and hardest-to-find) power pop albums of the 1990s. The debut album features Owsley, Millard Powers, and Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr). There's a mystery bonus share included in the download folder. (Before you ask: I do not have this in lossless. I'm sharing it the way it originally came to me.)

   

P.S. - Paul over at Albums That Should Exist has posted a shorter set of these as an "imagined" album by the band. He always does a good job with his posts. Go check it out.

MP3@320

      

Ladybug Transistor - Live 2004 + 2015 (sbd)

Contempopranea Music Fest 

Alburquerque, Spain
July 24, 2004

soundboard recording (quality: VG+; webstream capture from a (probable) VHS tape source; a small handful of audio anomalies were present in my source)

01 Echoes (fades in) 

02 Empty Bottles
03 Choking On Air
04 3=Wild
05 Song for the Ending Day
06 A Burial at Sea
07 Wooden Bars
08 Here Comes the Rain
09 banter with crowd
10 NY - San Anton
11 Splendor In the Grass
12 Oceans In the Hall
13 banter, band intros
14 Rushes of Pure Spring

ROB SEZ: As a new fan of Ladybug Transistor, I was ecstatic to find a full live set in very good quality. I guess it was unrealistic to expect great sound AND an amazing performance. It’s a soundboard-sourced video from the festival organizers, so no problem there. Considering the band played their set well after midnight, it’s certainly a very good — and goodnatured — performance. Just not exactly “raw & rockin’.” I’ve added the 2015 WFMU live set here, which livens things up, thanks to the band and the zany DJ.

The Ladybug Transistor, live in 2019

WFMU Live Session
The Dave Hill Show
Jersey City, N.J.
Jan. 12, 2015

webstream capture (sound quality: VG+) 

00 DJ Dave Hill intro & joshing around
01 [unknown song]
02 more goofing around
03 Hold On
04 final DJ zaniness
05 Thieves (fades out)

WATCH THE ENTIRE 2004 SET HERE

FLAC lossless captures, lossy sources

MP3@320

Ladybug Transistor - Lively & Rarified (comp 1997-2012)

'Lively & Rarified' 

Rarities & Live comp 1997-2012

(various venues)

webstream captures (sound quality: VG+ to Ex-)

01 Terry (KDHX 2007)

02 Three Days from Now (KDHX 2007)

Ladybug Transistor: bookish, but cool

03 This Old Chase (KDHX 2007)

04 NY - San Anton (Daytrotter 2007)

05 Always On the Telephone 

      (Daytrotter 2007) 

06 Into the Strait (Brooklyn 2009)

07 Nico Norte (NYC 2009)

08 Clutching Stems (hotel room 2009)

09 I'm Not Mad Enough (Merge 2009)

10 Wooden Bars (NYC 2012)

11 I Found a Reason (VU cover)

12 Today Knows (demo 1997)

13 Six Times (demo 1998)

14 Like a Summer Rain

      (live, Other Music NYC)

source info:

01, 02 & 03 = KDHX Radio, St. Louis, MO 2007-07-29

04 & 05 = Daytrotter session 2007-06-06, unknown location

06 = Bruar Falls, Brooklyn, N.Y. 2009-10-23 (Punkcast)

07 = Cake Shop, NYC 2009-09-05 (Punkcast)

08 = N.C. hotel room, July 2009 (XX Merge)

09 = XX Merge, Chapel Hill, N.C. July 2009

10 = Popfest, Littlefield, NYC 2012

11 = Rabid Chords VU Tribute album 2000

12 & 13 = Gary Olson demos

14 = Other Music, NYC (undated)

ROB SEZ: Feeling forlorn and still missing Paddy McAloon's Prefab Sprout, I recently went 
looking for a musical place holder. I was delighted to find Brooklyn-based combo The Ladybug Transistor. Gary Olson and company make melodic, offbeat, lyrically interesting, and engaging music. Definitely not a Prefab Sprout clone, Ladybug Transistor nevertheless fills the niche for me due to their fearless creativity and lyrical sensibilities. Although the band doesn't appear to be a going studio concern these days, they toured as recently as 2019. Founder/leader Gary Olson released a fab solo album in 2020 — confirming my Prefabs associations in full. For your musical enjoyment, I assembled this compilation of live tracks and a few rarities. (Stay with this beyond the first track or two, because the energy builds as you listen.) There will be more Ladybug Transistor goodness here next weekend.

FLAC lossless capture, lossy sources

MP3@320