OK, what you don't clarify is whether you know the albums in vinyl form, or in CD form. All of the tracks on Nine Sevens are previously available on CD, mostly as bonus tracks on the EMI (not the Wire self-released) editions of the albums. The mid 90s versions of those albums on CD are quite nice, not overly loud, and include the longer version of "Outdoor Miner."
Thanks for the note. I have vinyl copies of the first three albums; I don’t have the CDs. Are the songs on Nine Sevens that different or are there new ones as compared to what is on the first three vinyl albums?
Non-album tracks on the original singles / in the box: 12XU (Single Version) - Omits spoken intro, otherwise identical to album. Dot Dash - Non-album A-side Options R - Non-album B-side Outdoor Miner (Single Version) - Includes instrumental section in the middle, substantially lengthening the song. Practice Makes Perfect (Single Mix) - Apparently a different mix, but the differences are subtle to say the least! (Can anybody identify them?) A Question of Degree - Non-album A-side Former Airline - Non-album B-side 4 x 154 EP tracks - Non-album tracks Go Ahead - Non-album B-side Our Swimmer - Non-album A-side Midnight Bahnhof Cafe - Non-album B-side Second Length - Non-album B-side Catapult 30 - Non-album B-side So: sixteen unique tracks (only two of which are negligibly different) versus five available on the albums. If you don't have these on a CD compilation and like the band, it sounds like it's an essential purchase for you.
reviving this thread to post a new interview with Colin and Bruce together about the making of "Read & Burn" as they prepare the PF456 RSD release: Wire : The Aquarium Drunkard Interview : Aquarium Drunkard
"Wire had been four people for the entire history. Suddenly, we were just three. And it wasn’t even the three that anyone would have imagined. Somehow we got through that. And the rebirth really happened with Red Barked Tree. I realized we needed to record an album as a band and I would take that and work on it. And that’s how it’s gone on since then. Red Barked Tree set the parameter for how you could possible make Wire records in the ensuing years." If Red Barked Tree was a rebirth, what was Object 47? It wasn't R&B 04 that's for sure.
From the biography that came out a few years ago, I seem to remember that they saw Object 47 as a somewhat desperate attempt to do something / anything, and it was nearly the nail in their coffin. (And Read & Burn 03 was the tidying up of leftovers started with Gilbert). So it would make sense that they see Red Barked Tree as the first step towards a rebuild, rather than just crisis management.
Two things: great to hear that part of the reason Read and Burn/Send turned out the way it did was down to no money. I think that could be clarifying for some fans that never really appreciated that period. Second, I'm so glad to see them mention the humor of the record. Parts of it just make you want to scream along and then laugh your ass off.
I was going to call out Colin saying that this was the first time Wire was a trio, but then I remembered that The First Letter was released by a different band called Wir
Here's the RSD announcement from pinkflag: [Announce] pinkflag news - 10.06.21 - How to get your copy of PF456 DELUXE - pinkflag
Wire kept coming up as a band I should like based on other stuff I listen to. Got the first two albums a few years ago and ... it didn't really blow me away. Then a few days ago listened to 154 which made me sit up and take notice. Working my way through their 80s stuff as I read through this thread, though I have skipped ahead and listened to Mindhive which is the best thing I've heard of their's since 154. Very odd take on the band I'm sure, very much based on coming into it so late on. I expect I will say something about as sensible as "gosh, the Pixies are so derivative of Nirvana" any moment now. So I'll shut up.
That 2x10"+one7" set of "send" looked nice at RSD but was somewhat expensive at £60 Rough Trade are now knocking them out at £29, so I got one..
Thank-you. It looks like a 'best of'. I think I'd need to extract all the singles onto a CDR. What's the mastering like? But the singles box is starting to look more attractive. I migth have to look for a s/h copy.
Addendum. OK. I can see that my questions have already been asked and answered further up. Thanks again.
Their first two are slightly advanced punk rock which doesn't do that much for me, but 154 goes all post- and is incredible. "A Touching Display" is probably their best song; sounds like sheer collapse, and "The 15th" and "Map Ref" are some of the best songs in pop rock. Really phenomenal album.
There seems to be a Wire archive release called Not About To Die, on RSD. I see it listed on this site Record Store Day 2022: The full list of exclusive music releases BUT not the official site. At least it's not there right now. If it is a valid release, it would appear to be an official version of the bootleg of demos of the same name.
It won't be the first time a "bootleg" has come out on these lists, only to magically disappear. I guess there'll be some comment from Wire Official, shortly.
Full info and track list here: https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/wire/not-about-to-die It's a reconstruction of a notorious bootleg of early demos. Same tracklist, but from official sources, with improved cover art. I guess all of these tracks are already available on the recent book reissues of the early albums, but I haven't cross-referenced to check.
You are right, it does look like these are part of the more extensive respective 'demos' CD3 of the 'Chairs Missing' and '154' book sets.