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Probably been done to death but I can't find it in the FAQ and I'm not afraid to ask stupid questions....
Why did they put the edit / shorter version of TPK on Lowlife instead of the immensely superior full length version? It really would have boosted that album IMO.
My (cynical) guess is it was to boost 12" sales, which is such a ridiculous idea it fits beautifully with NO's mythology.
You can only fit around 40-44 minutes onto a vinyl LP, which in 1985 would have been Low Life's dominant format, without a major compromise in the records sound quality. Whilst i agree the 12" version is far superior they would have had to have dropped a track to fit it on.
I think in the UK the album and 12" were released on the same day (or the same month at least), but the single only managed to reach no.46 in the UK charts. Had the full length had been on the LP, single sales would've been greatly reduced, thus proving your point! :)
don't know if it really would have made Low-life too long... Low-life is only 8 tracks.
The bigger question is why did they decide to break tradition and put a single on an album? I suppose the album version is a teaser for the full length. Maybe they were short of songs, as the added the Elegia edit also.
0_o wrote: don't know if it really would have made Low-life too long... Low-life is only 8 tracks.
The bigger question is why did they decide to break tradition and put a single on an album? I suppose the album version is a teaser for the full length. Maybe they were short of songs, as the added the Elegia edit also.
I'm half-quoting someone else on here, but I think they apparently got cold feet about putting the instrumental version of 'Let's Go' on Low-Life. So they went with an edit of TPK instead.
The real travesty is what a hash they made of the album edit of TPK. The promo 7" version is superior
poorshakes wrote:
0_o wrote: don't know if it really would have made Low-life too long... Low-life is only 8 tracks.
The bigger question is why did they decide to break tradition and put a single on an album? I suppose the album version is a teaser for the full length. Maybe they were short of songs, as the added the Elegia edit also.
I'm half-quoting someone else on here, but I think they apparently got cold feet about putting the instrumental version of 'Let's Go' on Low-Life. So they went with an edit of TPK instead.
The real travesty is what a hash they made of the album edit of TPK. The promo 7" version is superior
Didn't 'Let's Go' have lyrics? The "Waiting for so long..." version i mean, not the "You mean nothing..." version.
Without that extended synth wig-out the rest of the song is somewhat pointless. The intro on the Lowlife version is better however than that ridiculous slap bass intro on the Substance version
they wernt too happy with the quality of standby tracks i.e lets go. so, according to hooky they spent all night mixing the perfect kiss for inclusion,, just shows we care was his quote or summat similar.
mean nothing to me
People might not have spent money to buy the 12" single if it was already on the album, even as a shortened cut. Two version-more dough.
It makes for good conversation too! Right?
40 mins is not the maximum length of LPs silly. Def Leppard released Hysteria in 1987 which was over 60mins.
My conclusion being:
The time limit is more about what length will cut well on a side of 12" vinyl at 33rpm. If you want it loud(ish) then you need to keep it within about 20-25 minutes per side. That is roughly the standard optimum. Of course you can squeeze more on if you really want to but it introduces compromises in the sound and volume when making the cut.
I bought the cassette version of Low Life when it came and it had both versions of The Perfect Kiss along with 2 other tracks from the B Side of the 12inch I think - The Perfect Pit and The Kiss OF Death.
So as far as I'm concerned the 12inch version was on Low Life.
NO Regret wrote: 40 mins is not the maximum length of LPs silly. Def Leppard released Hysteria in 1987 which was over 60mins.
My conclusion being:
- LP's couldnt have changed that much in 2 years
- For those sniggering at Def Leppard admission (check out your own record collection and I bet theres at least one crud in there!).
Reminds me of my favourite joke from school, "What lives in the jungle, has 9 arms and can't hear?"...:)
I always substituted the 12" version whenever I made a cassette of the LP.
The 12" is, well, perfect. I have obsessively collected a pressing from every country in which it was issued (except Sweden, which I still haven't found), and also got the four UK copies with the different inner sleeve colors. (Thankfully, I didn't go to such extremes with any of their other records...)
The better question is why they never saw fit to release the full 8:46 version on CD before this year. Better late than never, I suppose, but perhaps if they'd gotten to it earlier it wouldn't have the problems so many have noted here...
