NewsLloyd Cole unhappy with new ‘expanded’ Rattlesnakes vinyl LP reissue
A new vinyl edition of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions‘ 1984 debut Rattlesnakes appeared on the market last month and Lloyd isn’t overly happy, telling his fans that “mistakes were made” with the reissue.
The crux of the issue is that the vinyl track listing uses the 1985 CD track listing which included the non-album songs Sweetness, Andy’s Babies, The Sea and the Sand and You Will Never Be No Good.
Writing on his website LC says:
“Unfortunately we (who were The Commotions) didn’t find out about this until it was already released and for sale. Otherwise it wouldn’t have happened. The running order was based on the 1985 CD of Rattlesnakes and those involved with the release were not aware that this was not actually the original album. Mistakes were made and correct protocol was not followed, but we concluded that there was nothing untoward intended.”
Lloyd also clarifies whether the new issue is a remastering or not:
“Initially I was particularly worried that a vinyl LP would imply a proper remastering from the original tapes, which this was not… however those types of reissues sell for 25-30 euros, and this sells for 12. All we have asked is that if anyone wants their money back, that they should be refunded. I doubt this will happen and it will probably become one of those fabulous accidental collectors items, like the That Boy single, which was ‘never released’ and yet quite a few people have them… We have two copies, but no working turntable right now.”
I’ll be interested whether SDE readers can find this for €12. It seems to be much more than that, at least on Amazon!
The Rattlesnakes ‘expanded’ vinyl LP is out now.
- • UK Order: Rattlesnakes expanded LP
- • USA Order: Rattlesnakes expanded LP
- • GERMANY Order: Rattlesnakes expanded LP
- • FRANCE Order: Rattlesnakes expanded LP
- • ITALY Order: Rattlesnakes expanded LP
Side One
1 Perfect Skin 3:10
2 Speedboat 4:32
3 Rattlesnakes 3:22
4 Down On Mission Street 3:43
5 Forest Fire (Extended Version) 5:11
6 Charlotte Street 3:48
Side Two
7 2CV 2:50
8 Four Flights Up 2:33
9 Patience 3:33
10 Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? 3:03
11 Sweetness 2:48
12 Andy’s Babies 2:50
13 The Sea And The Sand 3:02
14 You Will Never Be No Good 2:41
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[…] ‘expanded’ vinyl reissue of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions‘ Rattlesnakes which LC was miffed about. I’d never seen it before and it was only €19. I also grabbed the Sting super deluxe. Not […]
Even though he’s pushing fans not to buy it, I’m sure he doesn’t mind. Extra royalties.
The song Sweetness is better than some of the songs on the album.
To be honest, what’s the point of re-releasing the exact album in ‘the way it used to be’ anyway, while you probably already have the original like I do?
I reckon this vinyl release will be a collector’s item* in the end, as in 30 years there won’t be as many as the original album available in secondhandshops… (*Make sure you’ll print Lloyd’s comments about this release and put it inside the sleeve) ;-)
Frankly, I’m looking forward for proper 2 or 3CD Deluxe Editions, including all the b/sides, original 7″and 12″ versions, sessions (and unreleased bonus material), of all the LC&tC albums…
Can’t see it happening – they must have used nearly everything in the box set. The only incentive to re-buy would be if they made them sound better than the boxset, which admittedly wouldn’t be that hard.
I’m probally going to buy this anyway as it’s one of my fav 80’s LP’s. Too bad their wasn’t much care and time given to pre-production.
I appreciate Cole & the Commotions’ desire to keep things organic (i.e., the way they were) but in this case it’s not tacking on the bonus tracks at the end that seems egregious, but the fact that now side 2 starts with “2cv” instead of “Charlotte Street,” which is the way the original LP was. Thankfully I still have that UK pressing, Polydor LCLP 1, and have got it on right now. A little bit of a brittle-sounding pressing, true, so a proper re-pressing would be nice.
The album ends with the track ‘Are you ready to heartbroken’… and that’s it… then you sit back feeling fully satisfied that you’ve just heard one of the greatest songs ever complete one of the finest debut albums.
This is the equivalent of having an amazing meal at a restaurant and then asking the chef if they’ve got something second rate to serve you at the end even though you’re stuffed.
I’ve just thought… does this mean that Forest Fire isn’t the last track on side A… this is how apocalypses start.
This further ratifies the CD box set, in my opinion. After all, Lloyd was overseeing those discs, and they sound superb! (Mostly.) And no funny business!
The Rattlesnakes disc in the 2015 box set was a disaster too – murky sound and three ropey remixes included in error. Mr Cole says they used the original master tapes but if you have ears, the old CDs and access to those old dodgy remixes, you will know he’s wrong.
On the upside, it may be that this new vinyl was mastered from the 1985 CD. Obviously vinyl should never be mastered from a CD, but if they did, at least they chose the best (by a mile) sounding CD.
Looking at the track listing I hadn’t even noticed that the tracks on both sides had been shuffled slightly. I have to agree with Chris Squires – a terrible thing to do.
It reminds me of the times when labels would stick extra CD tracks between the original vinyl track listings. XTC’s original CD releases suffered from this – totally ruined the flow.
However, I have to say that I love ‘You Will Never Been No Good’ – A great bonus track!
Thomas Dolby’s classic The Golden Age of Wireless suffered this way for decades. I played the vinyl to death and never bought the CD until they released it with the correct running order.
I advocate the death penalty for music execs that screw around with the running order of classic albums, as if they know better than the artist! Harsh but fair I feel….
EMI used to mess with the holy grail – the running order of Beatles albums – to make the 1970s cassette tapes ‘balance out’ in terms of the running times on each side. Revolver starting with Good Day Sunshine, anyone?
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Indeed. And Please Please Me on cassette opens with the rather lacklustre Misery instead of one of the greatest opening tracks of all time “1,2,3,4…”
ouch. An album is an album and needs to be listened to in the right order. For some albums this is essential. Can you imagine a pressing of the Hounds of Love ending side a with And Dream of Sheep and kicking off side b with Under the Ice and ending with a 7″ b-side. It would leave me feeling a bit odd. Those that love their vinyl know what to expect when they put the needle down, anything else is a shock to the system. Try shifting everything on “Out of the Blue” up by one track, most disconcerting.
The funny thing is that I remember buying my first CD player to get these extra tracks who were at the time only available on the CD version of “Rattlesnakes”…so I guess they are trying to trick people into buying turntables now.
Got all the original vinyl for next to nothing over last few years – plenty around
There’s plenty used copies of the original LP knocking around – much better option.
I’d just buy it on CD and be done with it.
£16.99 om What Records plus shipping
All they needed to do was Google the tracklist. They could have included a bonus EP with the extra tracks too.
How about a re- release of Easy Pieces!
I got this for 22,00 Euro and though I think the additional songs are not essentiell, fact is: these are clearly noted as Bonus Tracks and the sound is very good, better than the original.
Agree with all of the above comments.
Glad I can spin my original LP.
These re-issues sure sound like companies cashing in on renewed vinyl interest. Without caring a bit about the music and the band that made the initial album. That’s what necked the record companies in the first place.
Not knowing the original tracklist?? Come on!
I doubt most fans will care as they actually get more music. Although unintended and careless, still a good thing in my book.
£26! You are having a laugh for a half arsed release count me owt. Pity would have liked the genuine article at a reasonable price
I said this last time (when the aha booklets were upside down)
if a certain mr sinclair would have been involved, this would *not* have happened.
The extra tracks are very much that – obvious b-sides / cast-offs. Good fun, but not up to the standard of the rest of the album. This incident adds to the impression I have of a significant percentage of reissues being splurged out without much care or attention.
one of the best records ever.
stunned that those making this decision did not even know those were
bonus tracks not on the original lp.
really speaks to the competence of labels these days.
So, all someone had yo do was check Discogs and then just release the original album track-list:-
A1 Perfect Skin
A2 Speedboat
A3 Rattlesnakes
A4 Down On Mission Street
A5 Forest Fire
B1 Charlotte Street
B2 2CV
B3 Four Flights Up
B4 Patience
B5 Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?
You’d think knowing/checking the actual album track listing would be fairly high up your ‘to do’ list, if your job is reissuing vinyl records!
There are so few people left at the majors that the people who had product knowledge are long gone and those remaining do not have the time for fact checking, etc. Notice how many errors there are in liner notes nowadays?
Another one of ‘those’ cock ups. So much lack of care these days!