Saturday 21 August 2010

Outernational Extras


Between 1997 and its re-issue in 2006 my CD copy of Outernational was copied many times for other fans. I usually stuck on all the twelve inch and cd single extras from the Outernational related single releases on the CDRs I was asked for. I never charged anybody anything (even postage) and trades of rare stuff were the order of the day. The CD re-issue of Outernational had a couple of extras but missed ten or so items from that time.
First single off Outernational was "Baby" in June 1992. There were a few non album extras on the 7", 12" and CD single (and there was also a notable reduction in the number of formats which labels were willing to pay for!). We had
CD single
Baby 4.04
Sacrifice and Be Sacrificed (CH 8032 mix) 5.03
Grooveature (D 1000 mix) 5.00
Colours Will Come (US 60659 mix) 4.12 [remixed by Larry Heard]
7" single
Baby 4.04
Sacrifice and Be Sacrificed (CH 8032 mix) 5.03
12" single
Baby 4.04
Colours Will Come (Larry Heard Remix) 5.16
Opal Crush 4.31
Colours Will Come (Raw Stylus Remix) 5.02

All the tracks except "Baby" were different versions/ mixes than the ones eventually released on Outernational. I remember seeing the "Baby" video on TV a few times and I really did think that it was going to be a massive hit... but no... despite a rather cool video shot at the Scotland Street School Museum in Glasgow (you can see the M8 traffic rolling past in the background) the single stiffed just outside the top 40.

Next up for release was "Colours will Come" which was released as a single on the same day in September 1992 as Outernational was launched. Despite having already given us two versions of the track on the Baby 12", Circa decided we needed another version so that is just what we got. Three out of the four tracks on the release had been remixed by Pascal Gabriel. Trance-meister Mike Koglin tweaked and twiddled at the other, giving Feels Like The Richtergroove a lighter snappier feel than the album version.
CD single
Colours Will Come 4.25
Opal Krush 4.28
Look What You've Done 5.28
Feels Like The Richtergroove 4.01 [remixed by Mike Koglin]
7" single
Colours Will Come 4.25/Opal Krush 4.28
12" single
Colours Will Come 4.56
Opal Krush 4.26
Look What You've Done 5.28
Feels Like The Richtergroove 4.01 [remixed by Mike Koglin]

The single disappeared without a trace. I heard it played once on Radio Forth. It was poorly pressed and I had to return two copies to the record shop because they were warped. Slow initial sales for the Outernational album (released on cassette and CD only) meant that when Circa finally popped its clogs a few months after its release and their catalogue was deleted, Outernational had only shifted a few thousand copies - making it a real rare beast for many years. In interviews at the time Billy referred to Outernational as having "a glacial beauty" perhaps an accurate summation of the rate at which it was shifting units.

There were promo copies of a Pastime Paradise single which were squeezed out just as Circa went down the plug. The extra track from that (Outernational II) can be found in my June post under Unique Promo Tracks.
In my box of goodies I keep under my bed I found this little treat. A great wee interview with Billy from 1985 from Studio One (a short lived Borders TV series hosted by Muriel Gray which featured The Armoury Show and Big Country in subsequent weeks). It features a rather strange astrology reading for Billy. Eerie. Most eerie.



All the best




Sid Law




9 comments:

  1. What an amazing blog you have here, Thank you for all these rarities!

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  2. I've just finished taking everything from your site, Oh Boy, Bliss, loads of fun and surprises, I have been a fan since The Affectionate Punch. I didnt know of his death until I heard the story of the Siouxsie song. A great singer and artist.

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  3. thanks,
    How many versions of Opal Crush/Krush have been released? I see it's on the Baby 12" on Colours will come 7", 12" and CDs. And of course on 'Outernational'.

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  4. As far as I am aware there are three versions. 1. The (mostly) instrumental version on the "Baby" 12".
    2. The Outernational version.
    3. The remixed by Pascal Gabriel version on the "Colours Will Come" CD single, 7" and 12".

    Hope this helps.

    Sid Law

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  5. It helps, but still...
    Isn't the Pascal Gabriel version on 'Colours Will Come' the same as the album version? It sound very similar.
    On Outernational Pascal Gabriel is credited for mixing some tracks (including Opal Krush).

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  6. It certainly sounds like the "Colours Will Come" mix has had a bit of a tweaking on the various formats the single was issued on. Similar to the Outernational version but with a more radio friendly EQ and the general tightening-up of production which singles inevitably get. I always felt the Outernational version was a bit bass heavy, forever trapping the song to a particular few months when that groove was in the clubs (which it wasn't by the time it was released).
    On the CD single and 7" single the track was edited down to 4.25. The 12" version runs out at 4.56. The version on the original CD issue of Outernational times at 5.01. I never bought the re-issue.
    Yeah Pascal Gabriel was chief knob twiddler on the first five tracks of Outernational and on "Now Look What You've Done" from the "Colours Will Come" 12". Also on the "Colours Will Come" 12" sleeve Pascal Gabriel is credited with the mix of "Feels Like The Richtergroove" but the 12" label credits Mike Koglin.

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  7. Hi Sid,

    Firstly, may I say that you have a wonderful blog.

    Besides Party Fears Two & Club Country my main interest in Billy's
    work has always been his wonderful work with Yello.

    However, I'm certainly going to explore his work further.

    It seems to be very confusing in terms of which issue of Sulk to
    purchase, it's mind boggling !.

    In addition, is the best place to get the 12" mix of Party Fears Two
    on the 12" 80's compilation? & where would be the best place for the
    Club Country 12"?

    I hope you don't mind me picking your brains !

    Best regards,

    Paul

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  8. As far as I know the 12" version of Party Fears Two has never appeared on any Associates re-issue, but it may have appeared on an Eighties 12" Nix Compilation CD. But methinks if it was... then it was mastered from vinyl! I have of course placed the 5.33 12" version on here in the Blogentry called "And Finally - Rebooted with Extra Material" from 30 November 2010. Do let me know if the link is bust and I'll pump it up again for you.
    Club Country 12" has never been issued on CD. It clocks in at the mighty time of 6.59 and is an elephant of an 80's 12"-er! It is included in my Blogentry for August 2009 called "Sulk - The V2 reissue Mess-Up". Again give me a shout if the old link is bust and I'll pump that up again for you too!

    All the best

    Sid Law

    ReplyDelete