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Listening to an interview of the band during their Barrowlands Glasgow 85 gig and Barney said the reason TPK was edited to fit on Low Life was because they had 8 tracks but 1 was not good enough so they edited TPK and placed it on so the lp would be balanced. TPK being the first single they placed on an lp.
Anyone know what track this was?
Let's Go (Instrumental) is generally regarded as the track left off due to them not wanting 2 instrumentals on the album.
I have a sneaking suspicion it may have been As it is When it Was since it dates from the same period.
Dunno about AIIWIW. First gigged in April of 85. That's a year behind most of Low-Life's tunes except for Elegia which debuted in Feb 85 (flawlessly I might add).
Now that vocal demo of Let's Go may have been it. It has the same emotional qualities of Sooner Than You Think.
Could be that synth track for the demos/soundchecks bootleg that went around a while back.
I'm almost certain it will be the original vocal "let's go", the production sounds very similar and it was definitely from the time.
I seem to remember reading years ago that when they released State of the Nation a year later, that was a track that had been left off Lowlife, even called an unfinished outtake that needed tinkering. Maybe that was the track. Just another theory.
Originally posted by HaciendaThat I seem to remember reading years ago that when they released State of the Nation a year later, that was a track that had been left off Lowlife, even called an unfinished outtake that needed tinkering. Maybe that was the track. Just another theory.
Nope. State of the Nation was recorded in Tokyo in May of '85.
Originally posted by Andy Let's Go (Instrumental) is generally regarded as the track left off due to them not wanting 2 instrumentals on the album.I have a sneaking suspicion it may have been As it is When it Was since it dates from the same period.
That's what I've heard too
It could be anything from Brotherhood or maybe Shell-Shock,it must have been round to be finished for that Pretty In Pink movie?
It was Let's Go. I'm 99% sure I read an interview with the band where they confirmed it and it's also consistent with when they played it live.
Originally posted by SPone It could be anything from Brotherhood or maybe Shell-Shock,it must have been round to be finished for that Pretty In Pink movie?
I thought Shellshock was made the right before it was due 
Much like TBTHOG as mentioned in Retro, and Elegia was made after a long night of partying just before the band was leaving on an extending gigging schedule...incredible stuff, considering how the band most likely doesn't remember how they made such great music at the last minute 
Could also have been Skullcrusher. Played occasionally in '84 when the Low Life tracks first got aired. Then it got binned, until Salvation that is.
Originally posted by HaciendaThat I seem to remember reading years ago that when they released State of the Nation a year later, that was a track that had been left off Lowlife, even called an unfinished outtake that needed tinkering. Maybe that was the track. Just another theory.
'Shame Of The Nation' was the original version - recorded with John Robie when they did 'Shellshock'. Both tracks must have been recorded in-between 'Low-life' and 'Brotherhood'. They weren't entirely happy with 'Shame Of The Nation', so it became the 'dub' version on the B-side of New Order's re-recorded and self'-produced 'State Of The Nation'.
I reckon the ditched Low-life track was 'Let's Go'.
Andy.
Originally posted by Mr Discography > Originally posted by HaciendaThat> I seem to remember reading years ago that when they released State of the Nation a year later, that was a track that had been left off Lowlife, even called an unfinished outtake that needed tinkering. Maybe that was the track. Just another theory.
'Shame Of The Nation' was the original version - recorded with John Robie when they did 'Shellshock'. Both tracks must have been recorded in-between 'Low-life' and 'Brotherhood'. They weren't entirely happy with 'Shame Of The Nation', so it became the 'dub' version on the B-side of New Order's re-recorded and self'-produced 'State Of The Nation'.
I reckon the ditched Low-life track was 'Let's Go'.
Andy.
That's crazy talk, Mr. Discography. State of the Nation was recorded in April 1985 in Tokyo shortly before the PFD concert. Shame of the Nation was assembled by John Robie and New Order between October 1985 and April 1986.
Mmm... Says here in 'Pleasures and Wayward Distractions' (Brian Edge, 1988, P.111).
"State Of The Nation", the band's next single reached number 30. Initially recorded prior to "Shellshock", the track was removed from the Factory vaults, the dust blown off and, after some discussion, re-recorded.
Having said that, which version came first is unclear. In 'Dreams Never End' (Claude Flowers, 1995, P.64) it says:
Early October [in 1985] was spent recording a new version of 'State Of The Nation' entitled 'Shame Of The Nation' and a disco epic in the same vein entitled 'Shellshock' with producer John Robie.
Seems I am, in fact getting my versions mixed up. Page 62 of the same book says that during April [1985], "The band taped a suite-like disco song abaout a hit-and-run drunk driving accident called 'State Of The Nation'." So that would, in fact date it as a possible Low-life inclusion. My mistake - should really do my research before posting!
1985 must have been quite a prolific time for them, if so many tracks were either ditched or left over until 'Brotherhood'. Wonder if the version of 'State Of The Nation' mixed back in 1985 was the same final mix that ended up being the single version?
So, the mystery of that "lost" 'Low-life' track remains. Interestingly, on page 104 of 'Pleasures and Wayward Distractions', there is mention of the missing song:
The accompanying 12-inch "The Perfect Kiss" appears here in a different incarnation as the album's second track. This re-mix displaced an already-recorded eighth song judged by the group to be deficient.
'We spent 48 hours re-mixing that song,' recalled Hook. 'And I'm talking about two days without sleep'.
I take it that 48 hours reference is to the Low-life edit of 'The Perfect Kiss', and not the "deficient" displaced track.
If it was deemed to be deficient, it is unlikely it would have then surfaced as a single, in the form of 'State Of The Nation', or 'Shellshock' later on - or appeared on 'Brotherhood' as 'As It Is When It Was'.
Sounds to me like it's the original 'Let's Go'. Makes sense really, doesn't it?
Andy
I can't see spending 48 hours straight to chop TPK into the hideous Low-Life edit. Sounds like time wasted to me. 
