Heart - 1985 S/t CD

Okay, here's something new (at least for me).

I've always been a fan of finding the "earliest" pressing of any particular title on CD. For instance, I always look for the original West German or Japanese Target pressings, black triangles, etc., as I'm sure many of you do as well.

I recently came across what appears to be a very old pressing of the 1985 S/T Heart CD. The disc is made by Capitol (just like the regular U.S. pressing), but the disc itself has red text and graphics and says MADE IN ENGLAND. Not U.K., but ENGLAND.

Does anyone else have this pressing? I know it's an older copy because I bought it with a batch of other CD's from a guy that did include several Target pressings as well as some non-Target West German and Japan issues.

Any help would be appreciated, and thank you!

 

Here's a way you can tell how early it is: the first ones have the original mixes of "Never" and "These Dreams".

 

When I was in Canada last week, I finally bought the above album, after having it on cassette in the 80s. When I played the album, I noticed that Never and Nothing at all were different from how I remember them. I had read that they redid the vocals on these two songs, but had never heard the differences until now.

The CD I have is Captol CDP 7 46157 2, additionally in the number in the centre of the cd it states 1A1 TO, the disc states made in Japan.
Is this the early or later version of the cd, and what would I be looking for, to find the version with the different versions of these two songs?

 

I remember NOTHING AT ALL was like a different take on the 45RPM single. I liked the album version better. The video uses album (if I recall correctly) version and not THE SINGLE. Sort of a snafu seems to me.

 

The '85 album was changed several times within the first few months of it's release. This happened to the LP, Cassette and the eventual CD release. First issues of the LP and CD used the original mixes of "Never", "Nothin at All" and "If Looks Could Kill". Very early CD pressings from Japan and Nimbus in the UK were the original mixes. Later pressing in the U.S. used the remixes. For "Never" and "Nothin At All", they were replaced with the 45 single remixes - in fact, the 45 labels specifically called them "(Remix)" after the song title. The remix of "Never" is the one where Ann sings the first verse very aggresively... "Hey baby, I'm TAKLIN' To you..." practically spitting the word "talkin'". Both remixes have some of the lines sung differently and have added background "ohhh, ohhh, ohhh..."s generally at the beginning that were not on the original mixes. Minor guitar differences too. "If Looks Could Kill" is only different in that the mix has just a bit more reverb added - but not a lot, and the instruments seem to be balanced slightly differently. Very subtle, but noticeable if you A/B it.

The changes were also made to the releases gradually. One issue may have only "Never" as a remix, while the next release has both "Never" and "Nothin At All" as remixes. This was more so on vinyl. I think the CDs were changed all at once when manufacturing moved to the U.S. And once that happened, all CD issues used the remixes - even the MoFi Gold CD. Even now, the Japanese Toshiba/EMI mini LP CD released just last month still uses the remixed versions of the three songs (although it's louder).

On the outside, there's no way to tell the original mix CD from a remixed one. They all used the same catalog number on the case even to this day. Besides listening to it, place of disc manufacture and hub information are the only ways to tell.

Given the description of "Never" that I gave above, can you tell us which one is which between your cassette and your CD? I'm guessing your tape is the remixes.

 

You need the JPN Black Triangle for this (CP32-5078) as that has the same mixes as cassette - the Capitol UK XDR issue - and also sounds much much better than the CD you have. The JPN was issued March 1986. It isn't too expensive to find esp. if you can live without the OBI.
I will also add the JPN Bad Animals sounds much better than the US/UK pressings.That one can be had in Black Triangle or silver which is cheaper (CP32-5399) released June 1988.

 

Joel, from your descriptions of the differences, I think the CD I have, has got the remixes on. Candy, yes it was the Capitol UK XDR cassette, that I had. Surprisingly, I didn't buy the cassette until 1987 (around the time of Bad Animals coming out), so I had always assumed that the cassette I had, had the remixes on them. It now appears that I had the original mixes.

As mentioned the mixes, are pretty subtly different, but I am so used to the ones I had for the last 20 years, that this new cd sticks out a little now. I will have to see if I can get the black triangle version, OBI really not important.

Thanks for the input.

 

The difference in "Nothin' At All" isn't subtle at all; the remix has a completely different guitar solo that's harmonized. (I prefer the original.)

 

Heart S/T Black triangle CP32-5078 1A2
Heart Bad Animals Silver JPN CP32-5399 1A1 TO

 

I, respectfully, disagree on this one. There's a BIG difference between the 2 versions I've heard of ILCK, that being the lead guitar is completely missing (with the exception of the solo) on one of the versions. Not sure how to explain this (my English is not as good as I would like it to be) but in the original (?) version you can clearly identify lead and rhythm guitar parts along with the keyboards in the background. In the "other" version there's only the rythym guitar plus an "empty" space where the lead guitar should have been.

The "Essential Heart" compilation has the version with both guitar tracks.

 

I do wish they had given this cd a title. It would make searching for it so much easier.

I imagine the other two tracks on Essential Heart (Nothin at all and Never) are the remakes/remixes yeah?

 

They are the original versions.

 

Your English is better than that of most Americans who are native speakers of the language.

 

So it sounds to me I might have both. I bought the LP the day it was released back in '85, and I have the MoFo Gold CD as well. I havent listened to the vinyl in years, so now I'll have to check it out...

 

Oh, right, thanks, that might be an easier cd to track down, at least until I can find an original. I believe the Essential also has Unchained melody, one of the missing "Greatest Hits/Live" tracks too..

 

Get the Heart 3.0 Essential set as it has all the songs left off Greatest Hits/Live!

 

Oh right! Thanks, I had seen that but assumed it was the same as the other version.

 

I've never owned this album on any format. But I remember the video for "Nothing At All." Nancy Wilson was yummy-licious in all those outfits. My 14 year old rock star crush...

 

Well, I probably need to listen to the whole song again. It's been a while so maybe I was too quick to judge the difference.

 

The first-run CD pressings had the original mixes. This is what I bought first. When some of my CDs were stolen and sold to a pawn shop, I rebought the CD and to my anger, found it had the 45 RPM single mixes, and didn't even sound as good. Then, a week later, I found my CDs at the pawn shop and I bought them all back. Now I have both copies and versions of the CD.

 

So all Japan-for-U.S. pressings (Toshiba-EMI plant) have the remixes, correct? It is unusual for a Japanese pressing for the U.S. market to come after a U.K. pressing, but that appears to be the case for Heart.

I will also throw in a recommendation for the black-triangle disc. It has the original mixes and sounds great. Fortunately, it is quite common.

 

I have to say, after finally getting this Black Triangle...... it is still an ear bleeder.

 

Sadly it was the way the album was mixed, typical 80's fashion. :thumbsdn:

 

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on this one Keith. While the Black Triangle is the best sounding version on CD, it is in no way great sounding. In My Humble Opinion of course.

"Harsh", "Bright", "Brittle", "Piercing", "Sterile", are all words that first come to mind in describing the sound of the 'Heart' album on CD, even the Black Triangle.

The album seems to have been either intentionally recorded and mixed the way it is, or it was just a bad job done after the recording.

The best sounding copy of 'Heart' that I've heard on any format, is a U.S. vinyl LP that is pressed on "Audiophile" vinyl. I don't know for sure if it's a promo, or not, but if I had to guess, I'd guess it was a promo. It took me over a year of searching the bins, to find one a little more than a year ago.

And even that vinyl LP pressing is not anywhere close to great sounding.