Same here on singles. Maybe some demos as before. Obscure mixes that made it to UK 12 inch only like a couple found on I Don't Know What You Want, etc. Problem is quite a few of these oddball mixes kinda suck. It was the start of 'Lets make it as far away as the original as possible' phase, Like the Brutal Bill mix of 'To Step Aside'
With very few exceptions (a handful of single mixes by the likes of Beatmasters and Motiv8), the only remixes on the Further Listening sets are ones PSB or the album producers did themselves. No third party mixes, thank heavens. I hope that's the case this time, because let's face it, some of those late period DJ mixes from Nightlife, Yes, and so on are dreadful.
Completely agree Morgan, I don't think they were meant for the casual at home listener, well unless you enjoyed hosting a rave
Yes I can't stand those mixes but the worst one's have to be the one's for my number 1 PSB song 'Liberation'. I consider that song a pure pop masterpiece and even went to a special 45 minute Imax film in 3D ages ago when I heard the video of 'Liberation' would be in the Imax 3D film. Vinnie Vero did a few great remixes of 'To Step Aside' but they didn't make any of the CD releases. If you didn't know Vinnie Vero was the head of Dance at EMI in New York back in the 90's. Yes the Brutal Bill mix of 'To Step Aside' is really brutal!
Thanks I'll have to check out those Vinnie mixes, love that song! Funny I skipped Liberation. Great song. A few years ago when I started back into collecting their singles I sampled some on the tube and wasn't impressed, shame, as a presentation they look great! Edit: You know what sucks, as with other Euro bands, we mostly never end up with the US sanctioned remixes, rights issues I assume.
Yes and what exactly is that choir on 'To Step Aside'? I always wondered just exactly what that was as it sounds like a bunch of kids singing and then detuned. I would have loved a Piano and vocal only of 'Liberation' a demo and an instrumental version as well. Such a classy song and dumbed down with remixes that don't even have a single second of music that in any way sounds like the song!
Yes I heard that remix and it's great. I know he was bummed when his remixes of 'To Step Aside' weren't included on any of the CD singles from Bilingual.
No clue Scott how that even came to being. Kind of a 'memory', 'flashback' effect of past school days.
I have to agree with you on this and its no surprise that folks on the Pet Shop Boys forum still bring up the subject of the E Smooth remix of Liberation today
This is quite a good read about To Step Aside from the Commentary website run by Wayne Studer. It explains at the end about the sample. Bilingual in my view is an underestimated album. To Step Aside It's not a subject that Pet Shop Boys fans want to think about, but it's inevitable: the day that the Pet Shop Boys cease to be. Neil and Chris must of course think about it, too. And that's what's going on in this song, in which Neil ponders what he would do "if I decide to step aside." What first sets him off in this reverie is a scene he witnesses from a hotel room in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, of religious pilgrims converging on a nearby cathedral. He can't help but think that these people experience a depth of meaning in life that he, though living in the lap of comparative luxury ("all the champagne that I drink"), cannot know. From another window (this time in Budapest, Hungary) he sees poor workers, who formerly toiled without reward under the communist system, now struggling just as hard as they wait (in vain?) for the "market forces" of capitalism to reward them. Interestingly, Neil portrays himself as very much a figurative and literal "insider," kept apart from the more mundane yet conversely much more profound concerns of the masses. He can't help but think that there's much more to life than the pursuit of comfort and pleasure—and much more to his life than his career as musician and pop star. So his mind is filled with questions of what course his life would take if he were "to step aside" and walk away from it all. Despite the upbeat, even bouncy musical setting (including extremely effective use of acoustic guitar), this is one of the most serious, contemplative, and indeed personal songs in the Pet Shop Boys' entire body of work. By the way, the strange background vocals (you either love 'em or hate 'em) are sampled from a recording of Gypsy music. It's also worth noting that "To Step Aside"—which was released as a "dance single" in the United States, with a plethora of remixes—earned the Pet Shop Boys a Grammy nomination in the category of "Best Dance Recording." Unfortunately, it lost out to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder's "Carry On." This track contains very noticeable and distinctive samples from a recording of Spanish Gypsy music, which the Boys chose because they felt it sounded like the chanting of religious pilgrims. But I've never read it stated anywhere—either by Neil, Chris, or anyone else—precisely which recording provided the samples. And, as far as I know, no one has succeeded in identifying it.
I had a quick look at Amazon UK and its doesnt really give an indication of the type of case the CD is in does it. All I can say is that when I moved from the UK to the USA about a year ago, all the copies in the local record stores had Format in a jewel case, I think that I also have it in that type of case as well as the box, but cant check at the moment as they are all boxed up back in the UK. Moving onto Elysium I have previously seen it in a jewel case in an independent record store, from the EU ? Happy to help.
I've got the 2001 reissues, but I'm afraid that I won't be able to resist buying the new reissues of those - just to have the complete set.... :-D Let's hope they will put out a couple of single boxes in the future, with all the remixes and b-sides compiled on 1 disc per single.
Hmm that's interesting that you saw Elysium in a jewel case as well. Thanks for all the info as I appreciate it.
Agreed! I avoided it for years but now it's probably in my PSB top five. The opening segue between "Discoteca" and "Single" is classic. "Red Letter Day," "Up Against It," so many great tracks. The Further Listening version is essential, the bonus disc has a great flow and the liner notes are especially insightful.
Yes is in my top 5 Pet Shop Boys albums at the moment. In my view its on a par with Very the other "up" Pet Shop Boys album. I am glad that they persuaded Brian Higgins / Xenomania to work with them. Fundamental is often an overlooked album. It was great that they manged to make a complete album with Trevor Horn. The track I made My Excuses and Left always brings a tear to my eye.
i highly doubt that, there is too much to include in it. a super deluxe for the albums would be nice... just for fun.. i've listed out what my versions would be like.. here's one for 'please'. 1 disc for please tracks from here: ================= please ----------------------------------- west end girls --------------- Mixes Officially released Mixer: Stephen Hague Album version (4:45) Available on Please 7" Mix (3:59) Available on Discography 10" Mix (7:02) Available on the promo release Pet Shop Boys Story - 25 Years of Hits Mixer: Shep Pettibone Disco Mix (9:03) Available on Disco Shep Pettibone Mastermix (8:12) Shep's Dub Mix (9:23) Dub Mix (aka West End Dub) (9:31) Dance Mix (aka Extended Dance Version) (6:39) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue and on Essential West End Sunglasses (7:32) Combines "West End Girls" with the non-PSB track "Sunglasses at Night" Mixer:Manfred Alois Segieth (as Tess) Remix '86 (5:07) Remix '86 Edit (3:26) Mixer: Bobby Orlando Bobby O Original UK 7" Mix (4:12) Bobby O Original Extended 12" Mix (7:57) Bobby O Remix '86 Single Version (3:28) Bobby O Extended Mix (5:06) Bobby O Edited Version (3:23) Acid House Mix (7:03) "James Brown" Mix (6:15) Montreal 7" Mix (4:01) Montreal 12" Mix (8:24) Montreal Dub (6:45) Montreal Instrumental Mix (5:33) Mixer: Mario Aldini West End Megamix (aka ZYX Megamix, aka Part 1 Megamix) (8:04) Combines "West End Girls" with "One More Chance" and "West End Sunglasses" Ultimate Mix (5:40) Combines "West End Girls" with "One More Chance" and "West End Sunglasses" opportunties ------------ Mixes Officially released Mixer: Stephen Hague Album version (3:44) Available on Please Second 7" version (3:36) Available on Discography "Opportunities (reprise)" (0:32) A separate track on Please Mixer: The Latin Rascals and Ron Dean Miller Version Latina (5:34) Available on Disco Dub for Money (4:49) Mixer: unknown Original 7" version (aka Short Version) (3:47) Available on Essential Matrix Mix (aka Different Mix) (3:21) Whistle Test Mix (3:34) Demo - 1984 (5:08) Now That's What I Call Music 7 (U.K.) edit (3:19) A unique edit with a different opening and ending, and missing the song's first verse, provided apparently in error by EMI to the compilers of the U.K. edition of the seventh Now That's What I Call Music collection in 1986 Mixer: J.J. Jecazlik and Nicholas Froome Full Length Original 7" Mix (4:36) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue Mixer: J.J. Jacazlik, Nicholas Froome, and Pet Shop Boys Original 12" Mix (7:00) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue Mixer: Shep Pettibone Dance Mix (aka Original Dance Mix, aka Double Your Money Mix) (6:48) Shep Pettibone Mastermix (7:21) Reprise (4:27) Available on certain "Opportunities" 12-inch singles Not to be confused with the brief "Opportunities (reprise)" track on Please love comes quickly ------------------ Mixes Officially released Mixer: Stephen Hague Album version (4:19)Available on Please Mixer: Stephen Hague and Pet Shop Boys Dance Mix (6:50) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue and on Essential Mixer: Shep Pettibone Shep Pettibone Mastermix (7:38) Available on Disco Shep Pettibone Mastermix - Early Fade (6:08) Dub Mix (7:03) suburbia -------- Mixes Officially released Mixer: Stephen Hague Album version (5:07)Available on Please Mixer: Julian Mendelsohn 7" Edit Version (aka New Version) (4:04)Available on Discography Video Mix (5:11) Suburbia Part Two (2:25)Available on a U.K. "Suburbia EP" Mixer: Julian Mendelsohn and Pet Shop Boys The Full Horror (8:58) Available on Disco and the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue Mixer: Arthur Baker The Full Horror Video Edit (5:07) Arthur Baker Club Vocal Mix (7:20) Arthur Baker Dub Version (7:50) other tracks ------------ violence Mixes --------------- Officially released Mixer: Stephen Hague Album Version (4:29) Available on Please Mixer: Bob Kraushaar and Pete Gleadall Haçienda Version (4:58) Available on Alternative and on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Very reissue Official but unreleased Mixer: Bob Kraushaar and Pete Gleadall Extended Haçienda Version (aka "12-inch Master") (7:02) why don't we live together Mixes --------------------------------- Officially released Mixer: Stephen Hague Album version (4:49) Available on Please Mixer: Ron Dean Miller and the Latin Rascals Original New York Mix (5:14) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue a man could get arrested ------------------------ Mixes Officially released Mixer: Steven Spiro, Pet Shop Boys, and Frank Roszak* 7" b-side mix (4:51) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue Mixer: Steven Spiro Extended Mix (5:37) Mixer: Frank Roszak 12" Alternative Mix (aka Alternative Version) (4:19) Available on Alternative Mixer: Pet Shop Boys, Bobby Orlando, and Frank Roszak 12" b-side mix (4:11) Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue thats my impression ------------------- Mixes Officially released Mixer: Pet Shop Boys 7" Version (4:45) Available on Essential Disco Mix (5:18) Available on Alternative and the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue Demo (4:16) Promo only was that what it was -------------------- album jack the lad ------------ album later -1
at this point i had stopped listening to the pet shop boys, very was the last album that i liked. i bought this to complete the further listening series, i listen to a lot of the mixes and the b-sides, i listened to the album once, and that was more than enough. nothing on there caught my attention, and sounded like they had run out of steam, and wanted to rehash their earlier tracks. later -1
You are missing out on a lot of classic albums released after Bilingual. To me they do not sound like they have run out of steam and only wanting to rehash their earlier tracks
Hopefully the box set will contain everything, they know that there is a market for it. Please was due to have a special 30 years anniversary edition in 2016, but didnt happen. Only they and the record company know what would have been on that.
I'm guessing since Please is getting re-released along with the other Further Listening titles, plus six new ones, that we won't be seeing a mega Please box anytime soon. The market is about to be flooded. Speaking of post-Very albums, Fundamental must be heard to be believed. It's a behemoth. The Trevor Horn production is amazing. And the songwriting is terrific.