Blue Monday - Substance vs Singles versions

Just spotted this, so apologies if it's been mentioned before. The intro of Blue Monday (and I'm talking about the first 2 or 3 seconds here!)...on Substance, there are 2 single bass drums before the rapid sequence of 8, but on Singles there's 3 singles before the rapid sequence. Thinking back to when it was first released, a mate in school told me that when the 12" was released a second time and got back into the charts, the only difference was this extra beat at the start. Can anyone confirm this? First release - 2 beats. Second release - 3 beats. Anal I know, and surely the smallest ever difference between two versions of the same song??

The BEAT IS ON

The very first release has no beats before the first 'roll' - two were added later. I know not why. The beatless version has more impact.

Fac33 wrote: The very first release has no beats before the first 'roll' - two were added later. I know not why. The beatless version has more impact.

I read that last line as 'The Beatles version'...

SHEDi xxx

I always thought that the 3 beats version sounded weird and that there was one missing beat at the beginning. Actually, after hearing the Singles version, I was convinced that the Substance version had 4 beats. Apparently I was wrong, but one thing is sure: 2 beats are better than 3.

The 3 beat version (which is also on International) is correct.

Listen carefully to the drum pattern and count out the measures. It's easy for me to tell because I've been programming beats for years, but it's not difficult if you ignore the rapid sequence and just count by fours.

The fact is, Substance is a flawed release. Not only is the first beat of BM missing, but the track separation between BM and Confusion is messed up. Another reason why we need some remasters/reissues. Are you listening WB & London?

Ermmmm Balls! The two beat intro is "correct" is any can be considered so, because the first beat on that is the first beat of the bar.

Doctor? wrote: Ermmmm Balls! The two beat intro is "correct" is any can be considered so, because the first beat on that is the first beat of the bar.

would have thought so meself - the rapid drum is 3&4 isn't it?

Ignore the drum fill, and just count 1-2-3-4 from the first beat of the 3 beat version until the other instruments come in. You'll see. The fill throws you off because it's oddly placed, but trust me on this.

Mathematically, 2-beat is correct.

*-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 1st bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 2nd bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 3rd bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 4th bar)

The "London Records" Blue Monday as first introduced in 1995 goes this way :

*-*-********-*-*-*-this part removed*-(end of 1st bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 2nd bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 3rd bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 4th bar)

The Substance version (i.e. the original 12") is the correct version. Four beats in a bar, the rapid fill being between over beats three and four of each bar (as you hear it in other parts of the song).

Just count 1-2-3-4 over each version's intro, and you'll hear that the 'International', 'Singles', and 'Blue Monday 95' versions of the original 12" actually have a few beats missing from the very first bar (hence their shorter running times).

Substance is the correct version. Some bozo must have missed the first beats when remastering it for the 95 re-released (and that version has subsequently featured on various compilations since).

If memory serves, the correct (Substance) version also appears on '24 Hour Party People' soundtrack and 'Retro'.

Andy

...listen to the fac73 12" version... ...that only ist the original (two beat ofcourse)...

cheers, The Saviour.

edit: Andrew Morrison, thank you for that !

So, the Singles/International version is missing a fill?

Yes

most of all London Records' releases are missing beats.

*-*-********-*-*-*-this part removed*-(end of 1st bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 2nd bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 3rd bar) *-*-********-*-*-*-*-(end of 4th bar)

Oh, well THAT explains it! Until this point I was under the impression that only one beat was missing. In that case I would have been right...but this changes everything.

But we still need those remastered reissues!