Mapping The Definitive Editions - Low-life

In related news, today I received an email from the New Order store that my Crystal Clear TPK 12" shipped. But the tracking hasn't updated for a delivery date as of yet.

Fotz wrote:

As i'd seen the Leuven video many times i skipped to the one previously unseen track from that gig, Confusion.Yikes that tape was pretty damaged eh? Thanks to the team though for syncing the soundboard to what was salvaged of the vid and presenting an edit of the tape as best could be done.It's appreciated.Thankyou.

Again, not sure if it was because of my disc rip, or the fact I was actually streaming it from my hard-drive to my TV, but ‘Confusion’ sound was a bit out of step with the visuals. Anyone else find this? It’s a shame that the quality of this one track is not up to the standard of the others, but it was good to see after all this time and I appreciate the effort made to bring this to us.

The Shadow wrote:

…disagree strongly on Sooner than u think, although lyrically not the finest the instrumental passages of this song are great, a closet gem on the album.

I agree. Sooner Than You Think gets a fair amount of grief, mainly due to the lyrics (which I think were mostly made up at the Zurich ‘84 gig). However, I really like it and always have. Back in the day, I never really liked Face Up but, looking back now, I was a loon. It’s a great song (especially live).

Andy wrote:

No Obi strip or content ratings on this copy, if you're wondering...

So was that from the New Order Store, Andy? Just trying to establish which store provides Obis for future purchases.

Incidentally, mine came with an Obi and I agree with Adam’s earlier comments that it’s a bit of a pain. Very tight fit and not easy to store. But I’m glad I’ve got it.

Edit: Sorry. Re-read and noticed you got it from Amazon.

I’m useless… :-(

Noticed that the Tokyo PFD footage is slightly different at the start as it loses the 80s graphics and PFD branding, just keeps the top left quadrant (Tokyo footage) full screen

Otherwise, it definitely seems a better transfer than the Japanese DVD copy I have

Fotz wrote: Untitled 1 is interesting.Or interesting in the fact i can't hear anything at all in it that eventually made it into a released song.Can't even hear any nascent BLT in there as some have suggested.

Hmm. Listening again this morning it is actually quite clear how it's a very early attempt at a synth idea that eventually would form a big part of BLT! I can hear it now. Weird how yesterday i couldn't make the BLT connection.

A lovely little tune. As others i think have said, it's a shame it's so short.

Picked my TPK mirrored sleeve edition up today from the Royal Mail sorting office as missed the attempted delivery yesterday. Driving across town at midday on a Saturday is not my idea of fun.Still, i won the battle in the end. The mirrored sleeve and clear vinyl are ace

NotAMod wrote: Still waiting on my "mega" bundle from the NO store. For £200 it would've been nice to have it on release day so I think I'll consider other outlets next time.

Worryingly, still no sign of the 12" singles digital audio which for the Movement/PC&L counterparts were released the same day as their boxes. I wonder why it's different this time around?

Was quite looking forward to ditching my vinyl transfer of Shellcock so hoping they show up soon. Spotify is normally a pretty good indicator of when they're out and it is definitely not showing anything this morning.

Congrats to those who received their boxes on time, very jealous poring over the observations and pics

Still no digital copies here in the states. And Warner never released Movement’s singles despite me reaching out to them several times for info. PC&L singles were, so very strange.

May be of interest whilst people are revisiting LL. (click) [TWITTER]1618946236647882752[/TWITTER]

Debaser wrote: May be of interest whilst people are revisiting LL. (click) [TWITTER]1618946236647882752[/TWITTER]

Thanks - not a bad piece. Only a couple of clunkers

"the optimistic Face Up" - ermmm

Can you see your own dark face?It's dying in a lonely placeOh, how I cannot bear the thought of you

and

"Sub-culture was reputedly inspired by the London-based fetish nightclub Skin Two, though its lyrics are in no way explicit" - yes totally innocent

One of these days when you sit by yourselfYou'll realize you can't shaft without someone elseIn the end you will submitIt's got to hurt you a little bit

I did a very quick and dirty reconstruction of the vocal version of Let's Go, using the vocal extracted from the bootleg version over the new instrumental mix

I'm sure someone could do a better job than me, but it's such a shame that a vocal didn't survive

https://file.io/6qhHUXKGZGhe

GotBlueEyes wrote: I did a very quick and dirty reconstruction of the vocal version of Let's Go, using the vocal extracted from the bootleg version over the new instrumental mix

I'm sure someone could do a better job than me, but it's such a shame that a vocal didn't survive

https://file.io/6qhHUXKGZGhe

The link isn't working.

Trying to figure out the be$t option to purchase the box (really not in a hurry for this one). Just remembered my brother-in-law included my on his Tidal plan, so I'll stream it for a while.

The Extras CD is really well put together. Better than the PC&L one, and almost as good as the Movement one. Funnily enough, the Low-Life era seems to be the richest one in terms of good quality recordings for live bootlegs, studio demos and video performances in general. It could probably accomodate another rarities CD?

Really want to check the Rotterdam DVD, as I've owned Pumped Full of Drugs on VHS and DVD for decades now.

Mr. Disco wrote:

GotBlueEyes wrote: I did a very quick and dirty reconstruction of the vocal version of Let's Go, using the vocal extracted from the bootleg version over the new instrumental mix

I'm sure someone could do a better job than me, but it's such a shame that a vocal didn't survive

https://file.io/6qhHUXKGZGhe

The link isn't working.

Hmm - try this https://filebin.net/r80nm8lzem68w8mb

Skullcrusher demo. Yeah i know it goes on a bit and not really anywhere but Steve's drumming is phenomenal. So tribal. And Bernard's wild guitar at the end and Hooky too ....

GotBlueEyes wrote: Hmm - try this https://filebin.net/r80nm8lzem68w8mb

Worked just fine... and you did a nice work, thanks for sharing!

Watching the Leuven video. Though i watched this many times before i think it's actually a long long time since i last did. Bernard being Bernard, Hooky giving it the large rock god moves thing, Gillian so cool and utter loveliness, Steve holding everything together as always.

perspexorange wrote:

The Perfect FIlm. This appears to be the clearest I've ever seen this little gem. However, I've noticed a bit of 'sparkling' (not sure what to call it). Again, I'm not sure if this is just my rip. Anyone else notice it?

Oh i see what you mean. Just watched. Yeah that sprinkling of sparkles in the picture? Weird. Reminds me of times i've bent down to pick something up and then got back up too quickly and got a bit giddy and seen white dots swimming in my vision for a few moments.

Anyway, Gillian's knitted top in the video though..surely an iconic fashion sensation!

GotBlueEyes wrote:

Thanks - not a bad piece. Only a couple of clunkers

Don't think quality research is one of their strong points (linked Biffy Clyro article illustrated with a photo of Muse ffs)

GotBlueEyes wrote:

Hmm - try this https://filebin.net/r80nm8lzem68w8mb

I’m out at the mo, but looking forward to hearing this. Will check out tomorrow.

Fotz wrote: Watching the Leuven video. Though i watched this many times before i think it's actually a long long time since i last I did. Bernard being Bernard, Hooky giving it the large rock god moves thing, Gillian so cool and utter loveliness, Steve holding everything together as always.

Leuven is brilliant. One of the best examples of the band in full flow.

Fotz wrote:

Anyway, Gillian's knitted top in the video though..surely an iconic fashion sensation!

Yep. So good they featured it in the book.

Gillian looks amazing in the film.

Actually, they all do.

My favourite ‘music video’ by any band.

It’s the perfect blend of intense concentration and ‘we don’t give a damn’.

Pretty much sums up the band, if you think about it.

Fucking hell. I've just now noticed I have two DVD 2s and no DVD 1.

I should have inspected the contents more closely last night. The only weird thing I picked up on initially was that the record, while in its clear plastic sleeve, was not in the inner picture sleeve (w/ Barney and Hooky). It was just at the bottom of the stack.

perspexorange wrote:

It’s the perfect blend of intense concentration and ‘we don’t give a damn’.

Pretty much sums up the band, if you think about it.

Yes.Quite incredible how they always did that. Caring, but not caring at the same time. And in the 80s gigs, totally brilliant and amazing and yet sometimes a bit shit and chaotic at the same time. Genius !

Andy wrote: Fucking hell. I've just now noticed I have two DVD 2s and no DVD 1.

I should have inspected the contents mire closely last night. The only weird thing I picked up on initially was that the record, while in its clear plastic sleeve, was not in the inner picture sleeve (w/ Barney and Hooky). It was just at the bottom of the stack.

Ah ffs. I can try rip and share to you DVD 1 in the meantime while you sort out getting a replacement box?

Yes, the vinyl was in the see through sleeve and the picture inner slipped in empty.

Fotz wrote:

Andy wrote: Fucking hell. I've just now noticed I have two DVD 2s and no DVD 1.

I should have inspected the contents mire closely last night. The only weird thing I picked up on initially was that the record, while in its clear plastic sleeve, was not in the inner picture sleeve (w/ Barney and Hooky). It was just at the bottom of the stack.

Ah ffs. I can try rip and share to you DVD 1 in the meantime while you sort out getting a replacement box?

Yes, the vinyl was in the see through sleeve and the picture inner slipped in empty.

Thanks for the offer on the rip. It's ok, all old stuff anyway.

I've just dropped it off at the UPS Store for its return. As the Amazon shipping status was still showing "running late", not "delivered", I had to call them to initiate the return. Once they've refunded me, I'll reorder. Or buy locally if the price is reasonable. Who knows, maybe a second copy actually is running late and will be delivered today or tomorrow...

GotBlueEyes wrote:

Hmm - try this https://filebin.net/r80nm8lzem68w8mb

Just listened to this. Nicely done. Thanks for doing it.

You know, thinking about it, one of the main reasons that the band abandoned the track as a 'song' might've been their inability to play it live. It's very guitar-heavy and a lot of the guitar is where the vocals would be. As we know, Bernard isn't the best when it comes to singing and playing at the same time.

Leaving it as an instrumental allowed them to play it live. And if they couldn't play it as a song live, maybe they just thought 'what's the point' when it came finishing the song off (especially if they weren't really satisfied with the lyrics).

Just a thought...

My Amazon account is stating "Your package maybe lost" and i'm eligible to claim a refund. .Nah, i'm sure they'd be able to forensically trace it was actually delivered.I did get a notification of delivery email that included a photo the driver had taken of where he placed the box behind my front wall. Though i could claim it wasn't there when i got home. Anyway, New Order and the team that put the box together rightfully earned for me to pay for it.

I read the new interview in the book.Though it's implied in the credits some of it was lifted from Steve's book and Hooky's Inside New Order one? Steve mentions how he'd like to make a documentary using the footage he recorded with his video camera during the 1984 German dates.That'd be fab.Think he said this in his Fast Forward book.

Gillian says they'd really wanted to play The Perfect Kiss at the Radio 1 Rock Around The Clock thing but the segue with Blue Monday they'd programmed at the B&B in Cornwall the day before wouldn't load when it came to showtime.Steve said this in his book too.They'd been really excitedly looking forward to play it on the TV.I don't quite get why they couldn't have just played TPK anyway but just without the segue into BM.Was it that the programmed segue wouldn't play ball and load or the programming for TPK itself wouldn't load?

Hooky talks about how Bernard encouraged him to rip off the "walking bass" from Beat It on Sub Culture.Yeah i can hear that now! Never connected it before.

Hooky talking nonsense again about how the sleeve had to be destroyed to get to the record.Bollocks did it.The image on the back of the sleeve of Gillian always reminded me of the cover to The Cure's Pornography album

Confession - have not taken the plastic off but have streamed. Even with that lower quality it sounds amazing and much improved over the 2015, IMO. New appreciation for this album. What a wonderful follow up to PC&L. This Time of Night is as good as any deep cut. First heard it at an 80s night when the DJ played it before the crowd that wants to hear Mickey/Toni Basil got there.

I noticed a strange thing in the vinyl grooves on the LP version of Sub-Culture

I'm used to seeing the concentric grooves going lighter and darker according to the volume of the music, but I've never seen a track look like this before Almost like a repeating diagonal saw tooth pattern throughout the track.

I'm assuming that this is present on all the new pressings, but in theory should be on all the previous vinyl pressings too if it's down to the nature of the audio?

Hopefully you can see what I mean in the picture

GotBlueEyes wrote: I noticed a strange thing in the vinyl grooves on the LP version of Sub-Culture

I'm used to seeing the concentric grooves going lighter and darker according to the volume of the music, but I've never seen a track look like this before Almost like a repeating diagonal saw tooth pattern throughout the track.

I'm assuming that this is present on all the new pressings, but in theory should be on all the previous vinyl pressings too if it's down to the nature of the audio?

Hopefully you can see what I mean in the picture

I've noticed this on a few records over the years. I think a couple were the 'Round & Round' 7" and Pet Shop Boys 'I Get Excitied' (no idea how I remembered those, and what part of my brain I just dug that up from). The three songs do have in common a fairly deep four-on-the-floor bass drum pattern, so maybe it's something to do with that..?

Mr Discography wrote:

I've noticed this on a few records over the years. I think a couple were the 'Round & Round' 7" and Pet Shop Boys 'I Get Excitied' (no idea how I remembered those, and what part of my brain I just dug that up from). The three songs do have in common a fairly deep four-on-the-floor bass drum pattern, so maybe it's something to do with that..?

Ah good point - the time between the bass drum hits will stay the same, but as the grooves get shorter with each revolution, it's appearance in the wax would move ever so slightly further each time - so cool, can't believe I'm 50 and never saw that before in a record!