Mike and the Mechanics / “Living Years” 2CD deluxe edition

The content of this reissue is clearly a choice issue by the artist(s) – I do think if you are going to put out an anthology edition of an album, appropriate single, remix and b-side tracks should be included…. The live tracks are great recordings – but obviously from several different performances (including a few obviously from TV engagements). There are no dates, no personal lists (touring musicians?) or source listings for the tracks in the archive booklet (that otherwise is full of period photos and images from the late 80’s M+M Living Years tour etc).
What is more interesting is the packaging – that features the current line-up of the band equally as much as the classic ’80s band. While I have no problem with giving the whole history of the band equal footing – the new line-up of the band has only one song (the rerecorded 2014 version of the title track) on the album. This was clearly someone in RHINO’s world packaging the album as platform for the current band’s tour (and yet, it’s a greatest hits tour – that the new greatest hits album(s) are not available here for…..????) I’m a longtime Genesis fan – in fact I purchased the original M+M album (1985) and Steve Hackett’s GTR album together (having no idea the two would be related) and that was my real entry into the Genesis world – I’m happy to have this album on my shelf, but it could have been just a wee bit better.

Well, I’d surely like to hear the single versions of songs such as All I Need (this has the 5:40 version, not the 4 minute single version), Silent Running (this is 5:47, not the 4 minute single version).

If they put the actual single versions of those songs on, they would have had room for Hanging By A Thread.

On an album called “The Singles”, is it surprising that I want to hear….the singles versions.

Fans are a strange category sometimes, they just need to complain. I can reply to Stefano, for instance, piece by piece:
Q: Where’s the extended Greg Walsh remix of ‘Nobody’s Perfect’?
A: It was simpòy awful, thanks God it’s not on this reissue!
Q: Where’s ‘Too Many Friends’, the B-side of ‘The Living Years’ single?
A: It is on the Singles collection, thanks God it is on this one too, it would have been a hateful duplicate.
Q: Where’s the 1989 single edit of ‘Nobody Knows’?
A: Edits are just useless versions for singles, who cares? I surely don’t.
Q: Where’s the 1989 ‘Revolution’ track, which was released on the ‘Rude Awakening’ soundtrack?
A: It is on the Singles collection.
So I am just grateful the band did not use any of the tracks suggested by Stefano.
I would have loved too if any outtakes were included, but if if they are not here, I imagine this means that the band never finished then (apart from Too Many Friends).
What do we have on this double edition, instead? A second cd FULL of unreleased live versions. Like an official album. To me, it’s just FANTASTIC and I can’t wait to listen to this stuff.

Is that it?

They’ve missed the sticker that says “Fans only rip-off edition!”

Must do better 3/10 for effort.

VERY disappointing. I remember an interview with Rutherford from about a year ago when he talked about the deluxe Living Years, and he said something along the lines ‘oh, we found about seven b-sides and/or outtakes, which will all be included’.

To not include any of them – or the 7″/12″ remixes – is either mean spirited or just lazy.

somebody knows about a complete (and updated) list of these deluxe editions?

That’s correct Neil, the missing tracks are on ‘Singles’. I’ll be purchasing both albums, so I’m also happy for no duplication.
There are still a couple of 12″ mixes etc. missing from both releases though, such as ‘Nobodys Perfect’ (as Stefano correctly noted).

I’m guessing that there was some remastering done too, do we have any details about that aspect?

All the missing b-sides are included on the 2CD Singles compilation, so some live tracks and not a duplication of tracks are welcome by me.

I was really hoping their first album would be reissued.

Wow – what a tedious looking release!

“what’s the point, Mike?”

Where’s the extended Greg Walsh remix of ‘Nobody’s Perfect’?
Where’s ‘Too Many Friends’, the B-side of ‘The Living Years’ single?
Where’s the 1989 single edit of ‘Nobody Knows’?
Where’s the 1989 ‘Revolution’ track, which was released on the ‘Rude Awakening’ soundtrack?
All should have been bonus tracks on CD 1.

Agree with Eric and Chris…seems like a wated opportunity. Ironically there is the Del Amitri re-releases just below the news of this re-release and the 2 discs are crammed full of non-album B sides…much more like it!

The biggest omission, for me, are the remixes and single mixes (i.e. extended version of “Nobody’s Perfect”). I am disappointed by this, but it is what it is.

It’s always been an excellent album, with many non-single highlights (Don’t, Beautiful Day, Why Me), but this special edition isn’t very enticing. No B-sides (there were a couple, I think?), and just live recordings and a pointless re-recording. I’ll pass!

I love the album but extras are a tad boring , were there no bsides at the time? (Not sure) or sky versions maybe , also have no excitement at the re recording at all