Every
now and then, those of us who enjoy hunting down old records will
stumble across something a little out of the ordinary. If you're fond
of collecting a particular band or artist, then finding an unusual
version of a favourite piece of music, single or album can be a real
joy. Coming from an unashamedly biased position, what follows here
are a few interesting examples.
Budgie:
Never Turn On Your Friend (MCA album, 1973)
"I
have never promised anything but blood, tears, toil and sweat"...
As album introductions go, it doesn't get much more powerful than
this. The band lifted the brief segment from one of Winston
Churchill's World War Two speeches, and it leads beautifully
into the hall-of-fame riff that drives 'Breadfan'. Sadly
MCA were nervous about copyright clearance and decided to remove
the excerpt. Still, the initial version emerged on
early pressings in France, Germany, Australia and Venezuela.
AC/DC:
(Australian pressings, Albert Productions 1975-77)
The
best way to hear AC/DC's early work with Bon Scott is to track down
the original editions of their first four albums. Outside of
Australia, the LPs most of us became familiar with had drastically
revised track lists, unwelcome edits and different sleeves. The
band issued two domestic albums in 1975, High Voltage and T.N.T., before an international version of High
Voltage emerged the following year containing selected songs
from each of the aforementioned releases. Annoyingly, this omitted
several crucial tracks, the outstanding 'Soul Stripper' among them. Their next LP Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap received similar treatment, and even Let There Be Rock didn't fully escape the meddling. For a true grasp of
Young, Young and Scott's efforts from this period, it is well
worth hearing them as they were intended.
Samson: Hard Times (Gem single, 1980)
It
would be fair to say that Samson's second album Head On sounds like nothing else. An imaginative set of songs fronted
by a world class singer, wrapped up in a strange,
off-kilter production. Evidently there are some who
find the whole thing a tad unsettling to take in. If you're that
type of listener, Tony Platt's remix of 'Hard Times' is for you. It's a snappier edit with a fatter, warmer sound.
Anyone who has watched the Biceps Of Steel film will
recognise this version.
Hard
Stuff: Jay Time (Purple single, 1972)
Does
anyone know which rendition of the song came first? This, or the one
that opens Hard Stuff's fabulous debut? For those familiar with
the album, what we have here is an intriguing alternate take of one
of its catchiest tunes. A contagious, looping groove laced with the
brooding sense of paranoia that pervades so much of John Du Cann's
work. Sonically, the principal differences here are the additional
lead guitar and handclaps throughout.
Andy
Scott: Lady Starlight (RCA single, 1975)
Having
penned the gorgeous 'Lady Starlight' for Sweet's
Desolation Boulevard album, it seems Andy Scott didn't
take long before wanting to have another crack at it. This
rendering stays reasonably close to the original, adding keyboard
flourishes and a slightly slicker production. Throw in the
superb b-side, 'Where D'Ya Go?' and you have a
faultless 7" record.
Patto: Hold Your Fire (Vertigo album, 1971)
Only
a few thousand copies of this groundbreaking album were pressed at
the time, yet somehow they do not all appear to be the same. The
edition familiar to many is now widely available on vinyl and
compact disc reissues, whilst the lesser-known version contains 'Hold Your Fire' in edited form along with a
completely different take of 'See You At The Dance Tonight'. If you already have the original, it'll take a bit of work to find
this one - the sleeve and catalogue number are identical for
both.
Sweet:
Off The Record (Capitol album, USA 1977)
Sweet
followers the world over are aware of the American pressings of their
LPs, or at least they should be. Each one is noticeably different
from its UK counterpart. Whether it's an altered running
order, an additional song or a different sleeve, there's always
something that will catch the eye of a Sweet fanatic. Unlike the
butchery that took place with the early AC/DC catalogue, these
records are deserving of your attention. The US release of Off
The Record is a particularly nice one. 'Fever Of Love' starts with a few bars of unaccompanied guitar that will come as a
surprise to those only familiar with the British release, but best of
all, the infectious 'Stairway To The Stars' has been
absolved of its single-only status and included here.
Budgie:
Zoom Club (MCA single, 1974)
What
a pleasure it is to hear this unique rendition of one of the many
jewels in Budgie's dazzling catalogue. I'm not going to comment on
the relative merits of this version versus the one that features
on In For The Kill, except to confirm that it makes for a
heartwarming listening experience.
Trust:
(French language albums, Epic, 1980s)
Several
of Trust's early albums were issued in two forms, sung in
either their native language or English. Looking at the
impressive March Ou Creve (UK, 'Savage' 1981) record, the song 'Misere' was removed from
British pressings. Why? It appears there was a worry that the lyrical
content might offend the delicate sensibilities of folk here. Strange
really, as it's harmless enough. Vocalist Bernie Bonvoisin
clearly has trouble differentiating between England and the United
Kingdom, yet still gamely blunders through a
confused slew of platitudes on Thatcher, the IRA and so
on. With the stellar instrumental work of Nono, Nicko McBrain
and friends, this remains a slab of hard rock excellence.
Humble
Pie: Street Rats (A&M album, USA 1975)
Street
Rats is often spoken of as a Pie album in name only, given that
much of the material started life as part of a Steve Marriott solo
recording. What's more, over subsequent years various members of the
band expressed displeasure at the release, criticising the song
selection and production. That said, it's still an essential listen
if you love this group. In places a more restrained and reflective
offering than previous LP Thunderbox, this is
nevertheless a gripping collection of tunes. Whether it's their
soulful reworking of the Beatles' 'Rain', the heavy swagger
of 'Let Me Be Your Lovemaker' or the cheeky cockney filth
of 'Queens And Nuns', there's something for most of us
here. Allegedly Marriott & co. preferred the US mix, which
diverges from the UK version in several obvious places. American
pressings also substitute the impressive, autobiographical 'There
'Tis' for 'Funky To The Bone'. So on that basis alone,
you need to seek this one out.
Writer: George Colwan
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