Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx and Louis Gordon Metamatic - Deluxe 2CD Edition

Just received this from Townsend Records:

As a previous customer we are pleased to announce details of Metamatic (Deluxe 2CD Version) by John Foxx.

John Foxx - Metamatic [DELUXE 2 CD EDITION]

'Metamatic' was his first solo album released in early 1980, it charted at number 18 in the UK and was preceded by the classic hit single “Underpass”, which is included on the album, also featured is the follow-up hit “No-One Driving”. Disc Two includes two further hit singles “Burning Car” and “Miles Away”, and five non-album b-sides, as well as the previously unreleased tracks “Like A Miracle” [1979 version], “A New Kind Of Man” [alternate version], “No-One Driving” [demo], “Young Love” and more TBC. The booklet will contain the lyrics to all the songs as well as rare photos from 1980.

(end quote)

All I can say is 'yay!'

Please note that the contents of Disc Two have still to be confirmed. Not everything listed by Townsend Records will be included. I will E-Mail everyone with the full and final track-listing just as soon as I can.

Rob

Cheers guys!

Oooooooooooh! Intrigued by the ’79 version of ‘Like A Miracle’ – if, as Rob points out – it makes it to the final track-listing

Townsend are pricing it at £8.99! Blimey that's cheap!

I wonder why 'Miles Away' is included? I have always considered that track and its b-side to be 'The Garden'-era songs even though they preceded the album by almost a year. They sound so different to the Metamatic songs, particularly as they use real drums.

Mmm, I wonder why Townsend Records are giving out listings that aren't confirmed?

Not that it will make any difference to me anyway, as I'll be pre-ordering it.

Look forward to it's release

Sarah

Oh yes I too can't wait for this one along with the gig at the Brighton Barfly!.

ONE COPY FOR ME PLEASE!!!!

As its not been confirmed, i hope Townsend records are wrong about 'Miles Away' being on cd 2. That track and 'a long time' were very much part of 'the garden' sessions. Maybe not in the year they were recorded, but in terms of John working in other ways and with new musicians. What happens if 'the garden' is re-released as its been suggested, will they appear there too on even worse, be missing from any future 'the garden' re-release. I suspect its getting too late to change track listings, so i guess its just fingers crossed time.

Don't fret - Miles Away WON'T be on the new version of Metamatic...

Rob

Great, thanks Rob for clearing that up soon!!

Just ordered mine.

Can't wait.

Looking forward to the bonus material even if I don't know what it's going to be yet. I love surprises.

Peter

Originally posted by NerveJam:-

Just got an e-mail from Townsend Records, regarding this double CD. They are accepting pre-orders now, for £8.99.
__________________________________

So, it's going to sell like hot cakes then, and there won't be any left many days before its released?
Sold out within a week? I think not.

This is Metamatic we are talking about, not some obscure album no-one has previously heard of.

Relax, I'm sure there will be enough copies printed to go around

I'm intrigued by "10. Touch And Girl" .. new version with altered lyric perhaps?

Yeah, I noticed that as well...

Don't worry though - it's just an unfortunate smelling pisstake...

Rob

.. more's the pity

I noticed Amazon haven't put it up for pre-sale yet .. is it a Townsend exclusive? (NB I'm a regular Amazon customer .. never dealt with Townsend before..)

No, it's not a Townsend exclusive.

Rob

I didn't bother checking the track listing.
I just pre-ordered it from Townsend.

I currently only have Metamatic on Vinyl, so at that price I snapped it up.

I've never bought from Townsend before either. I usually use MusicNonStop, because they allow PayPal (And I'm an affiliate.. Never managed to sell anything for them, though, unlike Amazon)

Been a bit of a week for buying. I bought CD1 AND CD2 of The Leather Sea on Monday, as well.

OK I'll keep checking Amazon then, even though the Townsend price seems more than reasonable.

The track-listing for the new version of Metamatic has now been finalised...

Metamatic : Disc One
01. Plaza
02. He's a Liquid
03. Underpass
04. Metal Beat
05. No-One Driving
06. A New Kind of Man
07. Blurred Girl
08. 030
09. Tidal Wave
10. Touch and Go

Metamatic : Disc Two
01. Film One
02. This City
03. To Be With You
04. Cinemascope
05. Burning Car
06. Glimmer
07. Mr No
08. Young Love
09. 20th Century
10. My Face
11. Like a Miracle (Alternate Version)
12. A New Kind of Man (Alternate Version)
13. He's a Liquid (Alternate Version)

*****

Rob

thanx a whole lot for this quite interesting info , rob ! :-)

am i correct , when i assume that neither "to be with you" nor "cinemascope" or any of those 3 alternate versions have ever been - @ least not officially & in good sound quality ! - be released before ? *jus'_curious*

i suppose that the version of "he's a liquid" is also another take as the one on the "modern art" compilation then ?

Hi Olaf you just beat to me to the same question
as I was typing it;)

Great, thanks Rob.

cheers , brian ! :-)

( edited p. s. )

the song title "cinemascope" gave me a new idea for an imaginary cover artwork ! ;-)

as a lot of "metamatic" themes ( & not jus' "film one" or "cinemascope" ;-) are indeed very "cinematic" - so to say - , i suppose that this design fits quite well to the song title ...

The Alternate Version of He's a Liquid is a better quality copy of the version which appeared on the Modern Art CD - this track was originally available on the 12 Inch Promo of Underpass . The Alternate Version of A New Kind of Man is the version which originally came out on VS303 . The tracks Cinemascope and To Be With You, and the Alternate Version of Like a Miracle, are all available here for the first time.

Interesting times huh?

Rob

thanx for all the info again , rob ! :-)

it's nice that U say it now , because i never really liked the quality of the version of "he's a liquid" on "modern art" , as it sounds ... uhm ... jus' a bit weird & out of tune there - somehow ! ;-o

ah ... what a great catalogue number btw ! :-)
( some people may know , what i mean ... ;-)

yes , INDEED ! :-)

I have now pre-ordered my copy!

Really looking forward to this..

Sarah

Thanks rob for the final tracklisting. Certainly interesting tmes.

Peter

Surely we mean "Incredible times"!

Any idea as to the release date?

Let's hope The Garden is next ...

The release date is set for the 3rd of September, 2007.

Maybe not quite the next thing to be released - but a new version of The Garden is definitely on our (ever expanding) to do list - as are new versions of The Golden Section and In Mysterious Ways.

Rob

Thanks for posting the tracklisting, Rob. I'm just updating Quiet City with the news.

I'll be updating the News Section shortly as well, only I've been a little preoccupied with work on the release itself...

Rob

Just come back from a break and what wonderful news am I reading here. Doesn't reading the track listing give you a feeling of deja-vu? It's definitely a dream come true for us fans. September is not that far away. Cool synth music of the best for the late summer months.

Nice work Rob!

Chris C

PS The 2 CD format could be useful for John's back catalogue from The Garden to The Pleasures of Electricity....

Thanks...

Hope you had a nice break...

I quite agree - although it's unlikely that there'll be double discs for Shifting City and The Pleasures of Electricity.

Rob

Im not too keen on the idea of double cds from 'shifting city' onwards for two reasons. Firstly i dont think theres enough extras for cd2 of each era, and secondly the sound quality is not so in need of remastering. Agreed the news of the first four albums is a dream come true though. My only concern is that the next three albums may not have extras, other than those we've already heard.

I certainly feel Shifting City is in need of remaster, as the sound level is low and tinny on CD, and some great songs suffer for it.

But for TPOE, it still feels too recent to have a remaster. There's certainly nothing wrong with the sound. However since it's my favourite album, I'll be very interested to see what extra tracks there will be - in both cases.

I wonder if all 'new' extra tracks will be available on iTunes...

i can't agree more to it , as "shifting city" would really benefit from being remastered well , because its sound is very "thin" & definitely lacks a certain "punch" especially in the bass ( frequencies ) department - so to say !

Blimey! You go away for a few days and you miss everything! That Metamatic 2CD set is to die for – glad to see the inclusion of ‘Young Love’ among the unheard stuff - ‘Cinemascope’ etc – what a great title! Reminds me of when Kraftwerk were going to call ‘Electric Café’ ‘Technicolor’, but they couldn’t get the copyright.

Re – ‘Shifting City’ re-master – I think there is a need for this as John’s fan-base is swelling all the time now that he’s busier than ever and second-hand copies go for silly money on places like Amazon and EBay;

I mean it’s a great album – but not at nearly £70!; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shifting-City-Jo...86484872&sr=1-1

Rob – glad you’re involved! Those Edsel issues were awful! What would go on The Garden re-issue though? That’s a whole thread in itself - personally, I’d like ‘Church’ as an audio-book, set to the original Cathedral Oceans material – I can dream can’t I!?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RadioBeach:
That’s a whole thread in itself - personally, I’d like ‘Church’ as an audio-book, set to the original Cathedral Oceans material – I can dream can’t I!?

It probably is, but what a great idea!

I seriously doubt we would get an audio book, but there can be no harm (or even too much technical difficulty...) in re-issuing Church one day.

The Metamatic Disc 2 is indeed a great gift to us all. The tracklisting does seem to have been carefully considered, and all those 'previously unavailable' pieces is more than I dared dream of. Hopefully the sleevenotes, artwork and music package will mean this is THE definitive issue

Why does everyone hate the Edsel reissues so much? I'm perfectly happy with mine!!

Then again, I knew nothing of John's music before them!

I don't have a problem with the Edsel releases except perhaps that some of the artwork could have been a little better. Also, (and I am sure this has been discussed before) the distribution of the some of the extra tracks is a bit suspect.

I confess I don't understand why the other albums are to be re-released again ('Shifting City' notwithstanding) so soon after the Edsel versions. Mind you, I say 'so soon' - it must be at least five years since those releases.

Anyone want to challenge my contention that 'To Be With You' is a song and 'Cinemascope' is an instrumental?

It goes for rather less than that on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JOHN-FOXX-SHIFTING...1QQcmdZViewItem

i would bet my two cents of the euro on that too ! ;-)

I don't have a problem either with the Edsel releases.
I wonder whether there'll be a noticeable difference between the two releases.

Peter

Hi Peter,

My problem with the Edsel re-issues is that, not a lot of thought or care seemed to go into them - the artwork is seriously bad - look at that photo of John slapped on the back of the beautiful artwork IMW for example - sacrilige! . If you compare, the re-issue of Systems of Romance to TGS you'll see the attention to detail that went into SOR; correct type, correct era photo's etc. Sound-wise I understand that they're not that great either - taken from the mastertape and not the original multi-tracks (I wouldn't know as I refuse to buy them!)

Ultimately, I'm still wondering why John had little/if any involvement in the Edsel re-issues.

Garry

My problems with the edsel releases is partly the artwork, too much orange on TGS makes it look like a tin of beans, and the photo that Garry stated on IMW. Plus some of the track times are listed wrong i think.
The real problems though are some of the tracks out of context from their era's. Also the extra tracks audio is considerably higher than the album on metamatic, and the last track which should not even be there, 'miles away' is far lower than anything.

Sister Ray have listed it as a new release for this week!

I was in there last night, and even though they get Foxx stuff as exclusives now and then - it's not the case here!

Maybe it's the heat, but I've had a 'sneak' preview of the lyrics for 'Cinemascope', hear goes:

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

In this city
Waited by the Poster
For Leutenant 030
But he didn't show

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

Had his ticket
In my pocket
Gave it to a blurred girl
By a burning car

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Cinemascope

Almost missed the film
Waiting for 'No Show' 030
But there were two seats left
It was Touch and Go

Cinemascope
Cinemascope
Invisible Fireplaces
Parrot
Cheesecake
:p


Cheers

Well now we know why it stayed a raritie so long.

Nice work Craig!!

My only contribution to the vocal/instrumental debate would be to suggest that "To Be With You" doesn't seem like a particularly Metamatic kind of title and is not innkeeping with the album's rather anti-personal theme.

Hence its relegation to the subs bench all those years ago I suppose...

Can't wait to hear it

Quite. Without diving for the lyric sheet, I don't think there are any 'second person' references at all on Metamatic. Nice Freudian slip with 'innkeeping', btw!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Harold Halloway:
Nice Freudian slip with 'innkeeping', btw!



All part of The Plan

With the exception of Touch and Go perhaps which uses 'we', always been a bit of a black sheep in the Metamatic family IMHO which is perhaps why it's sort of tagged on at the end.

So what does everyone reckon? Are they instrumentals or not?

Rob

Cough, splutter.... 'tagged on at the end????' but, but...

*implodes with indignation*

Is 'To Be With You' a cover of Dusty Springfield's 'I Only Want To Be With You'?

That is still 'first person', albeit 'first person plural.'

Right sorry; should've known that as an ex EFL teacher!
Anyway T&G is still an odd man out .. he even sort of laughs at one point bless his heart!

You could just tell us Rob :rolleyes:

Im sticking with Harolds thoughts, except maybe 'Cinemascope' is instrumental'ish, with just the title said like '20th Century'. Excluding 'its the' .

Could one of the 2 be the demo version of No-one Driving?

Chris C

I'm totally with you with this one, Garry. IMW didn't deserve those photos. Totally out of place.

But what I want to know is, where's the rest of the 'topless' photo's for TGS? I was hoping for a bit more than just head and shoulders! LOL Sorry, folks.

Sarah

There are a few in Plaza: "I remember your face from some shattered windscreen" and so on. It's not quite "To Be With You" Celine Dion territory, admittedly.

I agree completely, Metamatic without Touch and Go is like a film without an ending. Although, having said that, a film without an ending sounds like a good thing?? Just to clarify, I love "Touch and Go"

Surely one of these was later covered by Prince and recorded as
"2B with U"... ??