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Re: Face Dances & It's hard
- Subject: Re: Face Dances & It's hard
- From: John Hughes <jhughes@mcmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 19:29:35 +0100
Gary wrote
> > As many of you are aware, the re-issued 'Face Dances' and 'It's
> > Hard' CDs have finally surfaced in the stores.
I thought I saw in ICE that UK was 20th May and US was 3rd June?
> > To me, these releases are a huge disappointment. I knew Astley and
> > co. had rejected Fang's recommendations but even so, I expected them
> > to be more exciting than they actually are.
I didn't. I have to say we got a fair warning that the albums would not
be the celebration of post Keith Who we hoped for.
> > 'It's Hard' is the worst of the two releases, boasting only four
> > extra tracks. All of these live from Toronto ' 82, and readily
> > available elsewhere despite being quoted as "Previously unreleased".
> > I suspect that the live material has been untouched and has just
> > been transferred rather than being remixed/remastered.
When I heard the intro to It's hard where Pete says "what's hard is
getting it hard" and then says to the audience "You don't know what I'm
talking about do you" I thought I've heard this before. Any clues, or
was it one of Pete's delightfully impromptu but carefully rehearsed
verbal vignettes?
> > Even more disappointing is the lack of liner notes for this release.
> > The inner sleeve is pretty disgraceful, I'm afraid I can't abide the
> > collages of photocopied material.
They are a fucking disgrace. Nothing more. I wonder how many of us who
bought these felt cheated, let alone disappointed. I had got the
impression from something wf said that Chris Charlesworth (?) was doing
the liner notes; does anyone else remember this? If so, he got money for
old rope.
> > 'Face Dances' is much more acceptable. The extra tracks are
> > certainly more varied and appealing than those on offer on the other
> > disc:
Yes, but why go on in what notes there are about Face Dances not being
on the album and then missing it off the remix?
> > I Like Nightmares
strange song I thought. It made me think that John should have written
it.
> > It's in you
> > Somebody Saved Me -Who version
Lovely song. But, have you heard the little wobble in it?
> > How can you do it alone -live from Chicago Dec 8th 1979
As this is one of my favourite late era songs I found it an extremely
interesting live version.
> > The Quiet One -live from Shea Oct 13th 1982
I'm sorry, but I find the live treatment of John's songs in later years
cruel. They always seem to be played too fast and too "heavy metally". I
recall particularly the treatment of Boris the Spider on the 1981, 1982
and 1989 concerts I saw; way, way too fast. In fact, I thought that
Pete's ego had got to the point where he knew the Who couldn't go
without playing a John song, but he couldn't abide hearing the reception
for them. Consequently, he went through them at a gallop to get them out
of the way.
> > At least they have been re-issued at a genuinely budget price. I
> > paid 15.81 Pounds for the pair which I found very favourable.
Where? You jammy bugger, I had to pay £19.98 for the two of 'em!!!
OTOH, I did get AQO for £6.99 and Quad for £10.99.
Oh well, let's hope we don't see a similar balls up with Odds & Sods.
And does anyone know what's happened to Scott? Scott, where are you?
Where's the list?
I want my O&S,
I want my O&S
John