SFTBH

PETER GABRIEL - DON’T GIVE UP (ALTERNATIVE VERSION - PIANO...

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:03:42 -0700

PETER GABRIEL - DON’T GIVE UP (ALTERNATIVE VERSION - PIANO & BVOX MIX)

So here’s the last of the three exclusive tracks from the “So” remastered deluxe box set. This time it’s not a new track, but a different version of a song that already exists on the album. I absolutely LOVE this version. The extra background vocals from the goddess Kate Bush add a lot to the song. I’m surprised this version never surfaced before. They could have easily included it as a bonus track on the original 12” single, which had no alternative version other than a shorter edit of the song.

PETER GABRIEL - COURAGEWell, I figured out how to reduce the mp3...

Mon, 06 May 2013 06:59:44 -0700

PETER GABRIEL - COURAGE

Well, I figured out how to reduce the mp3 file size, so now I can present to you the other two Peter Gabriel rarities from the “So” remastered deluxe box set. (And, I’m also wondering how many other things iTunes can do that I don’t know about. LOL!) “Courage” is my favorite of the 3 exclusive tracks. It’s a great song that easily could have been part of “So.” It’s kind of a shame most people won’t get to hear this song unless they buy the super-expensive deluxe set (and own a turntable).

PETER GABRIEL - SAGRADA Peter Gabriel recently released a...

Sun, 05 May 2013 08:33:40 -0700

PETER GABRIEL - SAGRADA

Peter Gabriel recently released a remastered version of his hit 1986 album “So” in several variations. The most expensive big boxed set included a vinyl 12-inch that included 3 previously unreleased songs (which do not appear on any other version in any format). Here’s one of the songs off that bonus 12-inch. It’s the worst of the 3, but it’s the only one I have with a file size small enough to post. If I can find a way to reduce the file size of the other two I will post them as well. Hopefully this will help you decide whether or not you want to shell out all that money for 3 extra songs!

CYNDI LAUPER - WHAT A THRILL Here’s the b-side to...

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:23:07 -0700

CYNDI LAUPER - WHAT A THRILL

Here’s the b-side to Cyndi’s “Goonies” single. Cyndi is one artist that is WAY overdue for a re-release of material in remastered form with b-sides, remixes, and rarities. Why has this not happened yet?!?!?!? UGH!

HUBERT KAH - THE PICTURE (12” REMIX) Here’s another...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 08:55:00 -0700

HUBERT KAH - THE PICTURE (12” REMIX)

Here’s another track from Hubert Kah. This one’s a bit rare. I had never actually heard the song before I found this 12” single. This song only appeared on the soundtrack to the 1985 movie “Once Bitten” and never on a Hubert Kah album. Luckily, they did include the song (plus remixes) as the b-side to “It’s Me Cathy (Follow My Heart).”

HUBERT KAH - SO MANY PEOPLE (REMIX SINGLE VERSION) Hubert Kah is...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:52:03 -0700

HUBERT KAH - SO MANY PEOPLE (REMIX SINGLE VERSION)

Hubert Kah is a German synthpop band. Some of their albums were sung in English and some in German. This song, the one that introduced me to the band and made me fall in love with them, is from their record “Sound of My Heart.” This album is their only one to get a US release. (Unless you count the remix collection they put out of songs from this album.) I still look back and wonder why they weren’t more successful. It really is a fantastic collection of songs. I’ll probably post more of their remixes soon. :)

ROBERT PALMER - DISCIPLINE OF LOVE (ERIC THORNGREN...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:33:44 -0700

ROBERT PALMER - DISCIPLINE OF LOVE (ERIC THORNGREN MIX)

Here’s a song that appeared on Robert Palmer’s 1985 album RIPTIDE. This remixed version of the song is not named on the 12” single, so I just named it after the remixer. Eric Thorngren also worked with Eurythmics back in the 80’s.

PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - 4 THE TEARS IN YOUR EYES Prince...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:13:16 -0700

PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - 4 THE TEARS IN YOUR EYES

Prince infamously never showed up the night they recorded the charity song “We Are The World.” (Which is a shame because the part he was supposed to sing was to be a duet with Michael Jackson.) Nevertheless, as an apology he did donate an exclusive song to the USA for Africa benefit album. To me, “4 The Tears In Your Eyes” sounds very much like the stuff from the “Around the World in a Day” album. A live version of this song did eventually appear as a bonus track on Prince’s “The Hits/The B-Sides” compilation album.

"I heard once that all art aspires to what music can do. Maybe because it bypasses the mind and..."

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 06:55:30 -0700

“I heard once that all art aspires to what music can do. Maybe because it bypasses the mind and can’t be rationalized. You hear a song and you feel it. It speaks to another part of our make-up - our hearts and our bodies and our souls.”

- Richard LaGravenese

DROPBEARS - SHALL WE GO (Extended)Dropbears were an early...

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 09:57:12 -0700

DROPBEARS - SHALL WE GO (Extended)

Dropbears were an early 80’s Australian band. I’d never heard of them until I found this 12” single in a bargain bin. Apparently they only released a few singles, but never a full album. Funny how fleeting some bands can be…

This is the extended mix of what was supposedly their most popular single. I don’t think it’s very interesting. That may be why they weren’t very successful. LOL!

DEBBIE HARRY - RUSH RUSH (EXTENDED VERSION) After Blondie broke...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:51:56 -0700

DEBBIE HARRY - RUSH RUSH (EXTENDED VERSION)

After Blondie broke up in the early 80’s, Debbie Harry worked with Giorgio Moroder for the second time [Blondie’s “Call Me” was the first] to create this theme song for the 1983 film SCARFACE. Here’s the extended version of the song. (I’m not a very big fan of this song, to be honest.)

PAYOLAS - EYES OF A STRANGER Here’s another song I...

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:08:54 -0700

PAYOLAS - EYES OF A STRANGER

Here’s another song I remember from my youth, but I didn’t know who sang it until I happened upon this album. Payolas were a Canadian band. They were successful in Canada, but never in the U.S. (They also wrote the song “Tears Are Not Enough” which was sung by Northern Lights - the Canadian equivalent to Band Aid & USA for Africa.) Mick Ronson produced the album this song comes from. The album has never been available on CD. This song was also featured on the “Valley Girl” soundtrack.

THIS WAY UP - TELL ME WHY (EXTENDED VERSION) After Culture Club...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:08:16 -0700

THIS WAY UP - TELL ME WHY (EXTENDED VERSION)

After Culture Club disbanded, lead guitarist Roy Hay formed another band called This Way Up. They release 3 singles and one album, all of which bombed. This is the extended mix of their first single.

"Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together."

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:24:10 -0700

“Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together.”

- Anais Nin

MIDGE URE (with members of JAPAN) - CRYWell here’s the...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:10:33 -0700

MIDGE URE (with members of JAPAN) - CRY

Well here’s the other track from Midge Ure’s rarities CD that I promised to post. I love this one as well. It’s kind of bittersweet hearing these songs. I really, really, really wish Midge & Mick & Steve & Richard had completed an album together. It would have been truly amazing. Sadly, Mick Karn is no longer with us, otherwise I would have been willing to start an online petition! :)

Here’s Midge’s personal handwritten comments directly from the CD about each song:

Get a Life
“At one point I dabbled with the idea of forming a band with the nucleus of the band Japan. We recorded a couple of things but didn’t take it any further. Maybe we should have!” [Yes, Midge, yes indeed.]

Cry
“Another track from the Japan boys. This is a copy of a copy of a rough mix. If you listen out you can hear the mic kick in just before the vocal starts.”

Again, this CD is available to purchase via midgeure.com. ENJOY!

MIDGE URE (with members of JAPAN) - GET A LIFEHello! Long time...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:27:00 -0800

MIDGE URE (with members of JAPAN) - GET A LIFE

Hello! Long time no listen! Sorry I have ignored my blog for so very, very, very long. Work, gym, dating (or, usually and frustratingly, a lack thereof), my new PS3…these things all seem to take over nowadays. ;) Nevertheless, here I am…Back to deliver quite a special track!

I recently got to see one of my biggest musical idols, Midge Ure, in concert. (An early birthday gift from my awesome friend Richard! THANKS RICHARD!) It was an amazing show, as was to be expected from him, but I also had the great fortune of picking up Midge’s CD of rarities called “Little Orphans” that he was selling there. It’s a spectacular collection of previously unreleased songs from all stages of his musical career. The highlight of the CD, however, are two songs that he recorded with the three remaining members of Japan after David Sylvian left the band. In the liner notes he says that they got together and were toying with the idea of creating a new group with Midge as the new lead singer. My mind EXPLODED hearing this news. I really wish they had gone to completion with the idea/project, but sadly they didn’t. But, thanks to Midge and this CD of rarities, we now have two of the songs they recorded together before abandoning the project! Here is the first song (which is also the first song on the CD) called “Get a Life.” I absolutely LOVE it and I hope you do too!!!

I will post the other song later this week. ENJOY!

PS: This CD can be purchase directly via his website at midgeure.com.

TELEX - MOSKOW DISKOW (FRENCH EXTENDED VERSION)Here is another...

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 09:04:00 -0700

TELEX - MOSKOW DISKOW (FRENCH EXTENDED VERSION)

Here is another serendipitous find. I won a contest on the amazing and fabulous website www.superdeluxeedition.com. My prize was a compilation CD put together by Mixmag Magazine in celebration of the “classic and rare songs from the birth of electro.” On it are songs from OMD, Human League, Roxy Music, Devo, Yazoo, etc., as well as many tracks from artists I had not heard of before. One of those artists was Telex. Yet, as I played the first track on the first CD I realized this was a song I remembered from my youth that I always loved but never knew who performed it. YAY! Another great find!!! I’m posting it now for your pleasure, and maybe it’s one you’ve always loved too?…

Again, please head over to www.superdeluxeedition.com. It’s a great website for music fans and you’ll love it! (Plus, they have contests all the time. If I can win, so can you!)

GINO VANNELLI - BLACK CARS (SPECIAL DANCE MIX) I don’t...

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 08:01:51 -0700

GINO VANNELLI - BLACK CARS (SPECIAL DANCE MIX)

I don’t know much about Gino Vannelli. I do love this song though. I know this guy has had a pretty long career that started in the 70’s, but I’ve only heard two of his albums…The one that this song comes from (which is also titled “Black Cars” and is 80’s-era pop goodness) and the album he released before that (“Nightwalker”) which I didn’t really like at all. This is a fun song.

COMBO AUDIO - ROMANTICIDE Well, I haven’t posted in a long...

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:02:21 -0700

COMBO AUDIO - ROMANTICIDE

Well, I haven’t posted in a long time…partly because I’ve been busy with my new job and everything else going on in my life, but also because I was so horrified that I didn’t get a single “like” on my last post (which, by the way, is one of my favorite remixes ever of what is also my favorite song from the band in question). I mean, really… Not even ONE “like?” UGH…

Anyway, here’s a song I never actually heard until recently when I picked up a CD collection of 80’s rarities…and I instantly fell in love with it. Eighties goodness to the extreme! I adore this song. Then for several months I searched and searched to find the EP that this song came from. (Because apparently all this band ever put out was one 4-track EP…So sad.) I did finally get the EP. The other three songs are good, but don’t match up to the brilliance of “Romanticide.” Now all that’s left to find is the 7” single, which contains a b-side that’s not on the EP. Anyone have a copy?…

ABC - HOW TO BE A MILLIONAIRE (BOND ST. MIX) This is one of my...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:29:38 -0700

ABC - HOW TO BE A MILLIONAIRE (BOND ST. MIX)

This is one of my favorite remixes ever. It is also my favorite ABC song, coming from my favorite ABC album. Goodness all around. ENJOY!