Metamatic Forums News and Announcements John Foxx news Two Special Edition Double CDs...

Two Special Edition Double CDs are due to be released next week...

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John Foxx & Louis Gordon : Special Edition of Crash and Burn...

This new double-disc edition of Crash and Burn features five previously unreleased tracks (Labyrinth Generator, Storm Warning, Broadway Submarine, Dust And Light (live) and Invisible Women (2) (live)), as well as material from 2003's limited edition Drive EP. The accompanying booklet has been expanded to twenty-pages, and now includes all of the lyrics. Below is the full track-listing, catalogue number and release date.

Disc One
01. Drive
02. Cinema
03. Broken Furniture
04. Crash And Burn
05. Once In A While
06. Sex Video
07. Sidewalking
08. UltraViolet / InfraRed
09. She Robot
10. Dust And Light
11. Ray 1 / Ray 2
12. Smoke

Disc Two
01. Making Movies
02. Your Shadow
03. Underwater Dreamsex
04. Labyrinth Generator
05. Broken Furniture (Live From A Room)
06. UltraViolet / InfraRed (Live From A Room)
07. Nightlife (Live From A Room)
08. Storm Warning
09. Sex Video (Live From A Room)
10. Broadway Submarine
11. Dust And Light (live)
12. Invisible Women (2) (live)

Label : Metamatic Records
Catalogue Number : META26CD
Release Date : 29th of November, 2010
Click here to pre-order your copy on-line.

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John Foxx & Louis Gordon : Special Edition of Sideways...

This new double-disc edition of Sideways features seven previously unreleased tracks (six of which were recorded live at the 2008 show at Cargo in London, together with Haunted), as well as two tracks which have only previously been available as downloads. The accompanying booklet has been expanded to sixteen-pages, and now includes all of the lyrics. Below is the full track-listing, catalogue number and release date.

Disc One
01. And The World Slides Sideways
02. Underwater
03. X-Ray Vision
04. Car Crash Flashback V2
05. In A Silent Way
06. Sailing On Sunshine
07. Use My Voice
08. Neuro Video
09. Phone Tap

Disc Two : Live in Cargo, London 2008
01. Intro
02. Walk This Way
03. Dislocation
04. Travel
05. Young Savage
06. The Garden
BONUS TRACKS
07. Haunted
08. Running In Traffic (Full Version)
09. Impossible (Jori Hulkkonen Mix)
10. Neuro Video (Jori Hulkkonen Mix)
11. A Room As Big As A City (Extended Version)
12. Freeze Frame (Extended Version)
13. Impossible (Extended Version)

Label : Metamatic Records
Catalogue Number : META27CD
Release Date : 29th of November, 2010
Click here to pre-order your copy on-line.

**

Please note that there are still a handful of the original version of the Sideways double CD available. These last few copies are being sold at only £3.99 apiece...

Click here to order your copy on-line.

*****

Regards,

Rob

Thanks for the amazing news Rob!!

It's C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S!!!!!!!

Fantastic! Can't wait for these!

Just got them ordered. Looking forward to hearing the unreleased tracks and the 'Live In Cargo 2008' (as I was there )

Sideways is one of my favourite JF albums.. :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A8KT365wlA

Indeed!

Blimey! Ordered both but looking forward to Sideways the most.

A friend of mine once said that Sideways is 'the Dennis Leigh album' - I'm still not sure what she meant by that though.

I'd agree with that too.

Sideways is the best Foxx/Gordon album by a country mile…

or should that be a Millers Mile?

Always enjoyed Sideways more than Crash ... anyway both re-issues looking good, even though we have the originals already*

(*even though thinking aboutit I got both free . .but we won't go into that)

Great news!

Rob, do you think we can buy these CD's direct in the shops? Stay in London on the first Dec. weekend and would love to pick my copies up at Sister Ray... ?

As far as I'm aware, these discs won't be available 'in the High Street' until sometime in the New Year.

Rob

Thanks Rob!

Two Special Edition Double CDs of Crash And Burn, and Sideways - yes great stuff for avid collectors who yearn for all and as much from John as possible while it keeps on coming, and if you love live recordings, (I am not so fussed).

I’d never ever dispute having unheard or inaccessible material getting to see the light of day, or extended variations and the material of deleted titles given another opportunity, but… and possibly you could tell there was a but coming here - as I go putting the cat amongst the pigeons… and its early in the day too… but, could all of these previously unreleased, unavailable songs not have just been compiled on one special disc? Perhaps a neater way to celebrate the John & Louis years, rather than re-releasing C&B, and Sideways, and was C&B not meant to be undergoing a 'remastering treatment' much as Shifting City and Pleasures’ have done?

These new tracks – Labyrinth Generator, Storm Warning, Broadway Submarine, Haunted, and the extended versions of previously released songs – Running In Traffic (Full Version), Impossible (Jori Hulkkonen Mix), Neuro Video (Jori Hulkkonen Mix), A Room As Big As A City (Extended Version), Freeze Frame (Extended Version), Impossible (Extended Version) - these songs surely all hail from the same stable/decade, so I really think that one album could have been a neater way of marking that chapter, (I hate to say closing that chapter, as there’s still hope for a continuation of that partnership).

I’m going to take the philosophical outlook on this one. With John there is always a choice, it’s one of something old and loved, something re-purposed, and something completely new to look forward too, so thankfully each and everyone of us will be happy with what we choose.

To be honest, I thought exactly the same when I read the news. Both albums are too recent to benefit from 'remastering' in the traditional sense, surely. Although I'm not fussed on the recent live recordings, they're nice enough to have if you were at one of the gigs. But it's the unreleased/extra tracks that I'm really/only interested in.

It does look like there was enough to compile a 'new' standalone CD. That would have been great.

I would be very happy to be able buy all of these 'new' tracks as digital downloads. That way it gives you a choice. Maybe they will be available to purchase digitally – given that's the way music sales are increasingly going, it might be a mistake to exclude that option. As it stands, I don't want or intend to re-buy 2 albums I have perfectly good versions of, and gone are the days when I get excited over the booklet. I'll look at it once perhaps.

Crash & Burn has been unavailable for a while (at least in the shops.. copies online seem fairly frequent), so I can see the need for a re-issue of that album, especially because a lot of people still want The Drive EP. But the reissue of Sideways seems totally un-necessary. It was originally a limited pressing, wasn't it? So now the novelty and value of the original will be diminished somewhat (perhaps not completely because of the interview disc), and as it was already re-pressed last year (or was it made digital - I can't remember!), I would think anybody who was really desperate to get a copy will now have it.

I suppose you have to remember that there's no obligation to buy any of these reissues and that there are many more fans out there beyond the small group of us here. And if anything, these are two albums that really warrant a place on the shelves in the music shops.

I agree, C&B really should be in the shops, and I've noticed its sad absence, I also think that Sideways (with the exception of one annoying song) is one of John's very best electro albums of that period, so its deserving of a much wider release.

Oh well, I guess that's it all done and dusted, QED an all, and I also rest my case and respectfully bow to the wiser wisdom of the learned Gentlemen in the room. I shall take my leave now and go for my afternoon constitutional, whereupon I shall reflect on my earlier judgement. Please my peers, do not think too harshly of me if I decide to wait awhile till making my purchase of John's audio finery, till a few years have passed and it has climbed down in price so that I may acquire these for 2 shillings and tuppence apiece

I have to agree with Alex and Core Memory with regard to having to rebuy albums in order to obtain previously unavailable tracks. I already own two copies of Crash And Burn - the original release and the edition in the Cinemascope box set. As I'm a completist I will have to buy the new edition too.

I am imagine that From Trash won't get the same re-release treatment. Sideways contains extended versions and tracks presumably from the From Trash sessions.I have to say that I'm not mad on Sideways.For me Sailing On Sunshine is one of the poorest tracks that John has ever recorded. Sorry if any of you particularly like that track.

It's not JUST the extra tracks tho' is it? With these re-issued editions, you also get significantly extended booklets including more artwork and photographs, and the full text of the lyrics as approved/written by Foxx.

The albums now become much more widely available to a record-buying public that wasn't 'on the radar' when these albums were first released.

It should not be overlooked how much John's profile and contemporary presence has increased over the past three to five years, and Steve Malins deserves a huge pat on the back for that (among other things), as do all the other people working behind the scenes to promote John Foxx.

Considerably more people know who he is now, and have much wider access to his music than ever before. Makes perfect sense to me that as much material as possible should be 'on the shelf' to reach as far as possible into the consciousness of as many people as possible.

But the albums could be simply re-pressed to reach these goals...?

No, instead they are given a polish, extra material added and packaging extended to give us loyal fans something extra, but we are (probably) only a relatively small percentage of the intended market for these releases. Otherwise they would be download only through exclusive channels - but how would that benefit the marketing objectives if the material was only 'preaching to the converted'??

I'm sorry to rant, but I do quite strongly disagree with most of the above posters and I've been more cheesed off than usual lately with people knocking what's going on.

It remains absolutely not up to us what material John Foxx releases, or when he chooses to do it.
I appreciate the lengths that John and his team go to to maintain the quality and integrity of each release.

We can exercise our choice not to buy it of course (so that's at least three sales that won't happen if the above are anythng to go by) but I doubt if that will make much difference to the level of profile or revenue generated.

Anyway, Christmas is coming. You might ask Father Christmas to buy it for you...?

I tweeted a Thought Experiment recently, inspired by Eno's "Oblique Strategies":

The opposite is true

In our own small way, we can all help to promote John Foxx and champion his work, pointing people here and there to his music and media.
We may not agree with the logic or intention behind a release, but that doesn't have to be a barrier to our exclamation of its quality, presence and availability.

Next time I am raving about the complete brilliant genius-ness of tracks like Underwater Dreamsex or In A Silent Way, it gives me great pleasure and re-assurance to know that people can actually get hold of those pieces quite easily now.

Which means that more people experience them.

And therein lies the pointy thing, surely?

Well, when you get to my age, it does pretty much seem like these albums came out practically yesterday, and so I don't *really* want to buy them again with a few bonus tracks that weren't considered good enough to release at the time :p

But if I have the cash, I may do so anyways, just for completeness.

If I remember rightly, John's version of YOUNG SAVAGE at Cargo was extremely ropey, with him being totally out-of-breath and barely managing to sing all the words..... it was an good-for-laff at the gig, but I'm not sure I'd want to hear it again on CD!

I definitely agree. I haven't been a fan for as long, but if I have to prioritize my buying, I'm going to go for something I don't have rather than a re-issue--even if it has a couple of new tracks. When I have the money, I'm sure I'll get it.

I remember Young Savage at Cargo--particularly that John sang the second verse twice, and the last verse not at all. Plus--an all-electronica version just doesn't have the same impact as the original. It was all right, but I don't think I'd choose it for a CD.

Forums are always a difficult place, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and also they can choose to purchase reissues or not. I do agree with Martin in that respect. I suppose I did sigh a bit when I think that I'll be buying Sideways for the second time and C&B for the FOURTH (I've got the vinyl as well!) But it's just the way of the world now - look at films: Video, Deluxe Edition, DVD, Extended DVD, Bluray, Directors Cut etc etc. As soon as new technology comes out everything gets 'repurposed'. Personally I would only really be looking forward to the four 'new' tracks across these two albums, but at a time of life when I can never think of anything i want for Christmas/Birthdays my list of JF albums is getting longer!
Cheers
Roll on Feb 2011 and The Maths album

Indeed! From everything we've heard so far, it's going to be one of his best releases and well worth the wait.

I used to regard myself as a completist when John's discography was much smaller, but as it's expanded along with his musical styles, I've come to realise that some of the recent releases just haven't been for me, so I don't see the point in buying something I'm not that interested in, 'just because'. For me, it's become more about picking and choosing the parts that really move me, which personally is mainly his lyrical/song based electronic work. For that aspect I would still like to get everything, and that's where I would personally like the option of downloading tracks digitally, so I can build up the electronic song catalogue, to be complete in that area, without having to re-buy multiple albums just for half a dozen previously unreleased tracks.

There was a time when less was more, and the small number of Foxx albums felt like something very special and exclusive. Since that time, John's public profile has grown dramatically and continues to do so (I never thought I'd see a multi-page feature in Creative Review!), which is great; and I suppose with all the reissues and compilations etc, it surely proves that there is a much, much wider audience for his music now, than say compared to 7 or 8 years ago. Of course this is the way it should be, as he doesn't make music just for a few dozen online regulars.

I guess, personal preference aside, the thing to focus on is that John's music is widely available now. You can pick and choose, and people can discover his music and easily obtain it – which is superb, compared to when I first Googled him and found everything to be unavailable!

I can see both sides of the argument, but on balance once again find myself falling on the “no thanks” side of the fence.

Yes, like many on here, I have bought most of John’s albums several times over; however there comes a point where you have to ask yourself whether yet more reupurposing is being done for artistic or commercial reasons, and in this case it tends more towards the latter.

I can see why these albums are being repackaged in such a way with a £10.99 price tag – it’s hard to see how artists like John can make a living out of music these days, when much of their work is freely available as illegal downloads and in these harsh economic times, few people have the cash to pay £20-£30 for a live show.

Many other artists (such as Depeche Mode and OMD) are going down the “deluxe” road; offering extravagant packages for the diehards consisting of the album, plus the demos, artwork, lyrics, a bonus DVD and a couple of signed prints. These two albums fall just a tad short – there isn’t enough new material or bonus content to make either an essential purchase, especially if like me, you already own the Drive EP and the “Live From A Room” tracks.

The other thing is that – like Alex – I’m not too fussed about album artwork any more. These days when I buy a CD, I’ll bung it into Soundforge, convert to MP3 and stick the CD in a drawer, where it’ll stay for the next couple of years. If anything, I find a physical product something of an annoyance as I already have acres of shelf space devoted to CDs that I never play!

I do think digital downloads is the way forward where unreleased tracks are concerned. Were the new tracks offered for download through Townsend, I’d happily pay 79p for each one, making John an extra fiver or so out of those of us who can’t see the point of buying the CDs. But as it stands, paying £22 for 6 unreleased tracks just doesn’t come across as good value for me.

That was my original point (hidden somewhere in all the moaning); I'd buy all those tracks right now, if they were available. The albums in themselves are excellent value for money in general (especially for those just discovering the album or John's work), but as you say, £22 for 6 "new" tracks, simply isn't worth, at least for us lot!

The way I listen to music has changed over the years, and sadly, it's very rare that I actually play a CD in one of those stereo things.

Sometimes a CD will go in the car, or maybe in the background if I'm spending a lot of time in the kitchen cooking up some vast concoction. But in general, it's iPod every day on the way to work and back, and when out and about - and iTunes when working, either at work or at home in my office.

One day I might actually get round to getting a small stereo for my office, but I'm perfectly happy with iTunes for that, and it takes up less room than having an abundance of actual CDs everywhere. They live in cabinets downstairs. Almost like an archive. I buy an album, import it, look at the booklet, then in it goes until who knows when.

Not sure if I disagree or agree with anyone on this! Must be the mad man in me. I just saw "Walk This Way" live version, which was my introduction to JF live after 20+ years and thought - I want that!! So, now that CD is preordered. The other....

On a separate note... I was browsing through my vinyl and found some old 12" singles priced at 3.50 pounds. Bl@@dy hell I though, that's expensive for 3 tracks - especially if you factor in inflation over 30 years!!. I definitely think value has improved over the years.

I think it used to be 99p for a 7" and about £ 2.50 for a 12" . .even though some LPs were £3.99 or £ 4.99 I think.

I see the new Human league 12" is £5.99 so I suppose that's about right...innit?
http://www.recordstore.co.uk/productdetail.jsp?productPK=unittest-zcrX2YNa7aLc1u7DqN3IEb-1

I personally cant be doing with downloads.

They are not up the quality of a CDs also you have no physical backup in case you lose the MP3s.


So I've ordered them both without even flinching.

Having said that it would also nice to be able to have the choice.Would keep everyone happy.

I don't want physical because they just take up space, and I won't do downloads because it's too risky.
I'll just have to wait until they play them on the radio I suppose.

Wow - did you study economics? 2.50 would be 5.31 over that period ('83-'09ish) - but could only find data for US$. I'm guessing GBP would not be far off in % terms, so should be about the same.

I've never worried about downloads; I just make sure it's a trusted and secure supplier and then make sure I have a back up somewhere!

Personally I've never noticed any form of quality loss on any MP3 of 128kbps and above, at least not on normal speakers and headphones.

I'll have you know I got an "E" at A Level, Sir!


"E" for eeekonomiks!

I did Home Econimics... Learnt how to make tea and apple crumble. Put me in good stead for life.

I bought one of those Amazon £3.99 albums last month,burnt onto proper CD,hard drive crashed same day,lost them.

Amazon would not let me download them again.

Got the album on CD a week later,proper CD totally blows MP3s away in this case for sound quality.

What Amazon sold me for £3.99 was cheap and nasty.
Higher bitrate helps but MP3 is not a lossless format. A lot of ambience and dynamism gets thrown away.Maybe I notice more on headphones but that's just me.

Lots of valid points made.

Personally I am happy with the extra tracks in that with the Pleasures of Electricity and Impossible extras, I should have enough for a nice playlist for the bus. An album is really just some kind of playlist, isn't it? I'm not sure even I agree.

By the way, did the thought occur to anyone else why From Trash has been skipped? Or has it?

From Trash hasn't been forgotten - it's also set to be expanded in the same way that Shifting City, The Pleasures Of Electricity, Crash And Burn and Sideways have...

Rob

Says it all really! :rolleyes:

Cue the moaners

Bring it on Rob!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

By the way, there's a few teasing little tasters for Cargo live being tweeted tonight.
It sounds like it's going to be a good one.

I remember being stunned by the audacity of John and Louis doing Young Savage, although it absolutely had to be done.

And Travel too - the dub element still coming through, right from the beginning.

http://twitter.com/#!/foxxmetamedia

I probably won't be buying these reissues. What I would definitely buy would be 5.1 DVDA or DTS surround mixes of these albums.

I can understand the grim perception of people including myself, "moaning" about these reissues; but it's more an expression of frustration. It's certainly not like knocking things for the sake of it! And it's all a matter of opinion and personal taste. hat's what makes us humans and fans! It's a healthy debate and hopefully something of construct for any management reading. If we just sat around praising every last fragment of John's work, it would be a very boring place indeed.

It's more down to the annoyance that we're presented with the exciting prospect of "new" or unreleased tracks to savour, but to get them we are forced to re-buy albums we already own and wouldn't otherwise re-buy. Unless you beg, borrow or steal. And that's why I'm so frustrated that you can't choose to purchase the ones you want as MP3s. Maybe you'll be able to? But there comes a point when buying every release, every reissue, every remaster, compilation etc, just becomes ridiculous, especially for such recent material. Plus space and money might come into it too.

Do Sideways and From Trash really need re-releasing and expanding, just 4 years later? Maybe John thought they did. If so, then was he unhappy with the original releases? (why release them in the first place?!). I have to admit, the booklet in From Trash was always a bit disappointing. But the album itself remains one of my personal favourites. If it was down to short supply online and in the shops, then why not just re-press the albums, as they surely deserve to be out there, as we've said before.

If these are to be definitive releases and not something like gold dust in a couple of year's time, then, maybe they're the kind of 'filler' that you can come back to at a later date, in between albums or if John packs his synths up one day, without rushing on the pre-order button, in fear that they'll all go like hotcakes right away. For now I'll be taking Tux's advice and waiting in great anticipation for the Maths album next year.

As you say Core, each and every one of us have done and do our bit to make sure that other people know about John's music, in addition to our own purchase decisions. Just a couple of months ago I bought C&B for a friend's birthday. And I don't put a lot of time and effort into a fairly decent fan site just for a laugh.

Just one new CD of Unreleased & live tracks from 06-10 would have been absolutely superb, and purchased without a second thought. Shame!

Anyway, I'll shut up, before the molehills become even more mountainous! I've had my moan!

Oh dear, Minty, you're doing it again aren't you? Spoiling a good-natured thread with your sly little digs and sarcastic smiley things. If everyone else on this forum can respect each other's opinion even if we disagree, why do you find it so hard?

Moving on to Alex's point, now that small runs of CDs can be pressed and printed at no great cost, how about a limited edition CD that combines the new tracks from the two reissues; pitch it at say a tenner and those of us who don't want to buy the albums we already own again can still get to hear the new tracks and spend £10 we wouldn't otherwise have spent boosting John's coffers? Those who want to buy the new extended editions of C&B and Sideways would still be able to do so, the completists would even buy all 3 releases and everyone would be happy!

Perhaps the special edition could be called "Sideburns" (geddit?) and feature a bewhiskered John on the cover?

If you want the new tracks ... then buy the release... if you don't think it's worth it ... don't buy it....simples!
A sly, dig free post by Minty Tux

I don't buy re-issues.

As it happens I have purchased the delux versions of Metamatic, Garden, Golden Section & Shifting City because I didn't have the originals, so they weren't re-issues for me.

I haven't bought the re-issue of TPOE (even though it is my joint favourite Foxx album) as I have the original.

So I won't be buying the new re-issues. I would, however, certainly buy a CD that contained just the new tracks from the two albums. That would be value for money!

Actually, I did notice the " " thats why I included it, and sorry Minty, but you are not to credit for the birth of my post I already had something in mind.

Again, no one is moaning, its perfectly justified that we All can say in whatever manner we wish (with the exception of slander and offense) what our response's are to anything Foxx, and as you say, no-one is pointing a dancing gun at my head while I do so

What a gem!! And well timed, too.

Nice comment, Mr Turbot.

And there was me thinking that these were Tweets based on current rehearsals. Sure the gig isn't on next week but I'd imagine it would have been in the diary to "test the set" so to speak. Hmmm.

And yes, Young Savage - that really set the Tokyo dates alight with energy!

Maybe we should not by the Maths release. Wait a couple of years and then buy a more complete version?

I enjoyed reading all the comments here.
I think these two deluxe editions are the gift we should buy at the Troxy show - as John did the same for most of the last gigs too.

Im looking forward listening to it and I would more pleased about it if John and Louis had decided to perform a small one off gig in a little club for us die hard fans to replace the cancelled Troxy show on the 3rd Dec.and we could pick the new CD's up there.
I'm sure we all had been there.

I don't know if this could be possible to manage in two weeks - But I think we all would be more as happy about it...

Thanks to John for these two CD's - so the time isn't so long to wait until the Maths CD.


Looking forward to From Trash deluxe edition!


S.M.

Mine's arrived today, great stuff, well worth it.

For completionists sake, and since I'm not having that gig, I ordered them as well...they better be good!

Does anybody know where i can buy the remaster of from trash if its released please. I have looked on townsend, amazon and even dreaded e bay but it appears to not be around. Was it never made due to some from trash extended tracks being made availible on the sideways remaster? Would a single cd remaster be possible with those extended tracks of Impossible and As Big As A City along with a few more unreleased songs. Im sure a single cd remaster would be better than none at all, it was a great album after all. If its not already released i must say im surprised. Im sorry if this has been posted somewhere before guys.

I'm afraid that there isn't (currently) a 'remastered' edition of From Trash.

There are definitely plans for one, but we got a little distracted with all of the work around The Maths...

Rob