Metamatic Forums News and Announcements John Foxx news Forthcoming Releases...

Whilst I understand your annoyance at the "In The Glow" story resurfacing again, Rob, I'd just like to make a couple of points here. Firstly, it is on topic - this thread is about the forthcoming re-releases of John's first 3 solo albums, and we're discussing the unreleased tracks that are on them and speculating as to where they come from.
Secondly, my understanding of the situation is that back in 1982 shortly after the release of the original "Endlessly" single, a short feature appeared in one of the music papers stating that John was currently working on an album called "In The Glow". I have no idea whether this came from John himself, a Virgin press release or a reporter - it could even be that a pushy journalist insisted on John giving him an album title and John just made one up on the spot, but the fact is an article was published stating that John was working on an album with that title.

In addition to your quoted Riverside interview, John was also asked about it in The Service (the old “fan club” magazine) and the question can still be found online at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/2463/secret.html;

"Q: On Riverside you said that you scrapped an LP. Was this after your original 'Endlessly' single?

A: What actually happened was I'd decorded about eight tracks when I decided not to continue with them because I suddenly got a lot of fresh ideas and songs which I felt I had to pursue. These became the Golden Section songs. All this happened at about the time of the 'Endlessly' single. It's not really a drama, as I tend to do this kind of thing all the time."

Whether or not some of these 8 tracks are the alternative or early versions on the forthcoming re-release of The Golden Section is open to speculation – for all we know, they may no longer exist. However, for many Foxx fans, myself included, John was making the best music of his career between 1981 and 1983, so any unreleased tracks from that era, whether part of an abandoned album or not, represent the “Holy Grail” of John’s lost or unreleased material. Hopefully you can understand our excitement that after 26 years we’re finally going to get to hear it.

I think its brilliant that the JF solo albums are being remastered and re-released but I doubt that they will be released where I live.

Wish I lived in the UK...

Thank you a lot,Rob! (and everyone who has worked on these re-releases too!).

Though I would love to have the 12" inch recordings in digitally quality too, I'm very thankfully for these re-releases. The same goes for the rare session tracks. But I think we should take it as it is : These tracks are rarities - and at least we have them as CDR recordings or on Vinyl!!!

Perhaps one or another track finds the way on later releases - as Chris mentioned on an Interview CD !?...

All I can say is I'm very keen to hear all the new material and I have to admit this is more I have awaited!!
And A special Thanks for including the Quiet Man(Swimmer) tracks on the Garden. Two great tracks finding a worthy home at the end!


You make me ( and I'm sure all the Others too) as a glad man!!! :rolleyes:


THANK YOU ALL A LOT!!!!


Cheers, Andreas

( Puuuh, this took a lot of time for me to writing 'cause my right arm is painful and I'm off from work...)

I'm sorry if I came across as being 'annoyed', 'cos that certainly wasn't my intention.

Instead I was more perplexed as to why everyone was more intent on wanting to discuss an album that doesn't exist as opposed to three albums that do. In the ensuing exchanges, which seem to have been centred around whether or not In The Glow could be discussed - as opposed to actually discussing it - no-one appears to have picked up on the fact that there's an 'alternative version' of A Long Time on the second disc of The Golden Section ("what was it about this track which made John want to revisit it?") and that the 'extended mix' of Endlessly (also on the second disc of The Golden Section) has been marked as being previously unreleased ("could this perhaps be a different version to the one which appeared on the Endlessly 12 inch single?").

In short, I've got absolutely no problem with In The Glow being discussed - the more discussion the better - so if there's someone out there who wants to start a thread, then please do so. But, I will say that the last time this issue was raised (some four years ago over on the EV website), it managed to garner only eight responses.

I'm a fan as well - I have been ever since I first heard Metamatic and Systems of Romance. I think that these releases are a really good balance of the expected and the unexpected. After all, would you really want a predictable release from John - wasn't it that edge that made everyone here a fan of his in the first place?

Rob

As for accompanying interview discs - they're being worked on even as I type. As usual, I'll post more news about them just as soon as I can.

The second disc of The Garden did seem to be the perfect place for them...

Sorry to hear that you've injured your arm - I hope that you'll soon be fully recovered.

Rob

Precisely...

Can we please just get the forthcoming editions of The Garden, The Golden Section, In Mysterious Ways and Glimmer out of the way before we start looking at any future releases?

Rob

Surely you mean 'as cunning as a Foxx' ?..




EG

Absolutely! Isn't he cunning?

Not a lot of people have talked about the alternative versions of Miles Way and A Long Time . Some of us have had the pleasure of listening to this other version of Miles Away before. Did John record these as part of the original sessions of these two tracks or were they remixed or re-recorded at a later date?

A Long Time seems like it's lost in time. After recording this track, it's funny how John did not pursue psychedelia for the second album but for his third. He's our music chameleon!

Chris

Still on these reissues (and thanks for the hint on Steve Malins working overtime! ), Metamatic and The Garden are each distinct works. The Golden Section is also distinct but not In Mysterious Ways which flows from where The Golden Section left off but more acoustic and romantic in places .

What effect did Brussels have on John's work? It all may have started in 1982 when he first worked with Antena. Was John ever romantically linked with Isabelle?

Chris