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Mike + The Mechanics / Living Years deluxe 30th anniversary edition

Meet the new deluxe, same as the old deluxe…

By Paul Sinclair

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28

Mike + The Mechanics / Living Years deluxe 30th anniversary edition


BMG will issue a 30th anniversary deluxe edition of Mike + The Mechanics 1988 album Living Years, in November.

The second long-player from Genesis bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford’s ‘other band’ is being reissued as a special four-disc, 2CD + 2LP deluxe edition.

This is a very weird release, because apart from being repackaged as an ‘art of the album’ deluxe edition, including new notes by Neil McCormick, and of course bringing the vinyl and CDs together (in a large format presentation), it is identical to the 2014, 25th anniversary deluxe edition.

Even worse, that deluxe edition was not well received. Read the comments left by SDE readers and you’ll see many complaints about omissions, with the words ‘tedious’ and ‘disappointing’ used by the target audience. So the record label have, it seems, passed on the opportunity to improve an imperfect reissue and just put it out again. In the words of Alan Partridge, “they’ve rebadged it, you fool”.

You can buy a brand new copy of the 25th anniversary two-CD set for £6 on Amazon but this new 2CD+2LP package – which admittedly comes with a print signed by Mike Rutherford – starts at £50. Go figure, as they say.

If you’d like to pre-order one then you need to head over to the official Mike + The Mechanics web shop. These are officially released on 26 October 2018.


CD 1

Nobody’s Perfect
The Living Years
Seeing Is Believing
Nobody Knows
Poor Boy Down
Blame
Don’t
Black & Blue
Beautiful Day
Why Me?

CD 2

The Living Years 2014
Seeing Is Believing*
Don’t*
Black & Blue*
Silent Running*
Par Avion*
Take The Reins*
Nobody’s Perfect*
A Call To Arms*
Beautiful Day*
Hanging By A Thread*

*Live

2LP vinyl

LP1

Side A

1.       Nobody’s Perfect
2.       The Living Years
3.       Seeing Is Believing
4.       Nobody Knows
5.       Poor Boy Down

Side  B

1.       Blame
2.       Don’t
3.       Black & Blue
4.       Beautiful Day
5.       Why Me?

LP 2

Side C

1.       The Living Years 2014
2.       Seeing Is Believing*
3.       Don’t*
4.       Black & Blue*

LP2 SIDE D

1.       Silent Running*
2.       Par Avion*
3.       Take the Reins*
4.       Nobody’s Perfect*
5.       Hanging By A Thread*

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28 Comments

28 thoughts on “Mike + The Mechanics / Living Years deluxe 30th anniversary edition”

  1. I dislike CD/LP combo packages. I am sure most feel the same. It is two different formats that aren’t as “compatible”.
    Cherry Red and Esoteric have release DVD audio before but unsure if any BR.

  2. Here my suggestions for proper Mike & The Mechanics Deluxe Editions…

    Mike & The Mechanics (Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition)

    CD1 – Original album:
    Silent Running 6:14
    All I Need Is A Miracle 4:10
    Par Avion 3:35
    Hanging By A Thread 4:41
    I Get The Feeling 4:30
    Take The Reins 4:18
    You Are The One 3:45
    A Call To Arms 4:41
    Taken In 4:17

    CD2 – Singles, B-sides & interview:
    Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (7″ Edit) 5:19
    All I Need Is A Miracle (7″ Edit) 3:54
    Taken In (7″ Edit) 3:55
    Hanging By A Thread (7″ Edit) 3:45
    Too Far Gone 4:07
    Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (Short US 7″ Version) 4:10
    All I Need Is A Miracle (Vocal Faded Version) | (Short US 7″ Version) 3:45
    I Don’t Wanna Know (Live Version) 4:53
    All I Need Is A Miracle (Extended Remix) 6:28
    +
    Mike On Mike (Unbanded Interview © 1985) 27:33

    DVD/Blu-Ray – 5.1 mix & videos:
    * CD1+2 tracks in 5.1 mix
    +
    * Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (Video)
    * All I Need Is A Miracle (Video)
    * Taken In (Video)

    —–

    The Living Years (Deluxe 3CD/DVD Edition)

    CD1 – Original album:
    Nobody’s Perfect 4:48
    The Living Years 5:32
    Seeing Is Believing 3:13
    Nobody Knows 4:24
    Poor Boy Down 4:33
    Blame 5:24
    Don’t 5:45
    Black & Blue 3:27
    Beautiful Day 3:39
    Why Me? 6:26

    CD2 – Singles, B-sides & interview:
    Nobody’s Perfect (Short US 7″ Version) 3:01
    The Living Years (Short US 7″ Version) 4:25
    Nobody Knows (7″ Edit) 3:21
    Revolution 3:59
    Nobody’s Perfect (Extended) 6:21
    Too Many Friends 4:20
    I Get The Feeling (Live Version) 6:15
    Nobody’s Perfect (7″ Edit) 4:29
    +
    Mike On Mike II (Unbanded Interview © 1988) 25:45

    CD3 – Live:
    Seeing Is Believing (Live) 3:55
    Don’t (Live) 6:40
    Back & Blue (Live) 4:23
    Silent Running (Live) 6:10
    Par Avion (Live) 4:51
    Take The Reins (Live) 4:08
    Nobody’s Perfect 4:48
    A Call To Arms (Live) 5:57
    Beautiful Day (Live) 4:41
    Hanging By A Thread (Live) 5:17
    I Get The Feeling (Live in UK) 5:52
    Taken In (Live in UK) 5:32

    DVD/Blue-Ray – 5.1 mix & videos:
    * CD1+2+3 tracks in 5.1 mix
    +
    * Nobody’s Perfect (Video)
    * The Living Years (Video)
    * Seeing Is Believing (Video)
    * Nobody Knows (Video)

    —–

    Word Of Mouth (Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition)

    CD1 – Original album:
    Get Up 4:23
    Word Of Mouth 3:55
    A Time And Place 4:51
    Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow 4:37
    The Way You Look At Me 5:08
    Everybody Gets A Second Chance 3:57
    Stop Baby 3:53
    My Crime Of Passion 4:56
    Let’s Pretend It Didn’t Happen 5:33
    Before (The Next Heartache Falls) 6:41

    CD2 – Singles & B-sides:
    Word Of Mouth (Single Mix) 4:03
    Think I’ve Got The Message 3:40
    Night Moves (Demo) 3:55
    My Crime Of Passion (Acoustic) 4:59
    Taken In (Live In America) 4:48
    Word Of Mouth (East West Mix) 7:46

    DVD/Blu-Ray – 5.1 mix & videos:
    * CD1+2 tracks in 5.1 mix
    +
    * Word Of Mouth (Video)
    * A Time And Place (Video)
    * Everybody Gets A Second Chance (Video)
    * Stop Baby (Video)

    —–

    Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition)

    CD1 – Original album:
    A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold 4:35
    Another Cup Of Coffee 4:42
    You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me 3:29
    Mea Culpa 6:20
    Over My Shoulder 3:37
    Someone Always Hates Someone 3:42
    The Ghost Of Sex And You 6:24
    Web Of Lies 5:38
    Plain & Simple 3:38
    Something To Believe In 4:18
    A House Of Many Rooms 5:39
    I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) 3:11
    Going, Going ….. Home 4:30
    You Never Change (Version) 4:17 [bonus track]

    CD2 – Singles & B-sides:
    Over My Shoulder (American Edit) 3:30
    A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Radio Edit) 4:02
    Mea Culpa (American Edit) 4:19
    Another Cup Of Coffee (Radio Edit) 4:18
    Always The Last To Know 4:11
    Help Me 4:43
    Nobody Told Me 3:42
    Boys At The Front 4:04
    Little Boy 4:49
    You Don’t Know What Love Is 5:20
    You Never Change 5:13
    Over My Shoulder (US Remix) 3:37
    The Living Years (Simon Mayo Session) 5:29
    Every Day Hurts (Simon Mayo Session) 3:33
    How Long (Simon Mayo Session) 2:46
    A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Acoustic Version) 4:01
    Over My Shoulder (Live) 5:26

    DVD/Blu-Ray – 5.1 mix & videos:
    * CD1+2 tracks in 5.1 mix
    +
    * Over My Shoulder (Video)
    * A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Video)
    * Another Cup Of Coffee (Video)

    —–

    M6 (Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition)

    CD1 – Original album:
    Whenever I Stop 3:38
    Now That You’re Gone 4:47
    Ordinary Girl 3:50
    All The Light I Need 4:36
    What Will You Do? 3:15
    My Little Island 4:05
    Open Up 4:04
    When I Get Over You 4:10
    If Only 4:42
    Asking (For The Last Time) 4:16
    Always Listen To Your Heart 4:16
    Did You See Me Coming? 4:04
    Look Across At Dreamland 4:14

    CD2 – Singles & B-sides:
    All I Need Is A Miracle ’96 (Radio Edit) 3:49
    Now That You’re Gone (Radio Edit) 3:51
    All The Light I Need (Remix) 3:52
    Whenever I Stop (Unplugged) 3:53
    Ordinary Girl (Unplugged) 3:50
    All I Need Is A Miracle ’96 5:42
    Get Up (Live) 4:41
    Over My Shoulder (Live) 5:13
    Now That You’re Gone (Live) 5:38
    A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Live) 4:58
    Silent Running (Live) 6:17
    I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) (Live) 3:40
    My Little Island (Live) 4:04
    Word Of Mouth (Live) 6:50
    All I Need Is A Miracle ’96 (Short Radio Edit) 3:20
    Now That You’re Gone (Album Edit) 4:31

    DVD/Blu-Ray – 5.1 mix & videos:
    * CD1+2 tracks in 5.1 mix
    +
    * All I Need Is A Miracle ’96 (Video)
    * Now That You’re Gone (Video)
    * Whenever I Stop (Video)

    —–

    Rewired (Deluxe 3CD/DVD Edition)

    CD1 – Original album:
    One Left Standing 5:30
    If I Were You 4:21
    Perfect Child 5:11
    Rewired 5:31
    I Don’t Want It All 5:05
    How Can I? 4:44
    Falling 5:16
    Somewhere Along The Line 3:51
    Underscore 5:08

    CD2 – Singles, versions & bonus tracks:
    One Left Standing (Radio Edit) 4:08
    If I Were You (Radio Edit) 4:08
    Perfect Child (Radio Edit) 4:08
    When My Feet Don’t Touch The Ground 4:02
    One By One 3:34
    One Left Standing (Long Video Version) 4:32
    How Can I? (Full Version) 5:06
    Falling (Video Edit) 4:55
    Word Of Mouth (East West Mix / 2014 Edit) 6:17
    The Living Years (2014 Version) 5:16
    One Left Standing (Short Video Version) 3:46

    CD3 – Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, on September 7th, 2004
    Falling
    Now That You’ve Gone
    Get Up
    If I Were You
    Another Cup Of Coffee
    A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold
    Perfect Child
    Whenever I Stop
    All The Light I Need
    One Left Standing
    Silent Running
    The Living Years
    Over My Shoulder
    Word Of Mouth

    DVD/Blu-Ray – 5.1 mix & videos:
    * CD1+2+3 tracks in 5.1 mix
    +
    * One Left Standing (Video – Long Version)
    * If I Were You (Video)
    * Perfect Child (Video)
    * Rewired (Video)
    * I Don’t Want It All (Video)
    * How Can I? (Video)
    * Falling (Video)
    * Somewhere Along The Line (Video)
    * Underscore (Video)
    * One Left Standing (Video – Short Version)

    —–

    There is still space left to include previously unreleased material as well…

      1. There are probably a few more versions missing from the ‘Deluxe Edition’ tracklists. Here I found a few more:

        Word Of Mouth (Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition)
        CD2 – Singles & B-sides:
        The Living Years (Live at the The Prince’s Trust) 6:23
        Ain’t That Peculiar 3:32

        —–

        Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition)
        CD2 – Singles & B-sides:
        Over My Shoulder (Unplugged at Radio Voice, Denmark) 3:36
        A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold (Unplugged at Radio Voice, Denmark) 4:07

    2. musicoloog! This is incredible. May I copy it for my notes? I’m a Genesis super-fan (and all things related to Banks, Collins, Rutherford, Gabriel, Hackett, and Phillips). I’m always looking for the latest and best releases of their work and this would be a dream release for me (your list). I actually just tweeted to the official twitter account of Mike & Mechanics asking that they remix/remaster all the Rutherford solo/Mechanics album with Nick Davis and release them on Cherry Red. From what I have heard, Mike isn’t very excited about revisiting his work though (too lazy?). Bummer.

  3. I think it comes down to BMG having the rights to put this out – the last release (25th) was under the ATLANTIC/RHINO run – why not cash in? ( I don’t remember “Silent Running” but then again – like everyone – I’m waiting for the Original album reissue… and the videos… and the 12″ and….)

    Still – a copy on vinyl…… well……

  4. I think the combination LP+CD makes much sense! It is a user-friendly alternative to a download code.
    Digitizing an LP is time consuming and not as trivial as ripping a CD. With a CD you have a DRM-free digital version included in the package.
    Sigur Rós did the same on some releases.

  5. This re-issue/re-release is really ridiculous!

    Perhaps we should help the recordcompany by sending them the tracklists of proper Deluxe Editions en masse…

  6. Sometimes deluxe releases are purely a money grab and this is a prime example. Why no new material? Why combine vinyl and CD? Very bizarre decision to release it this way!

  7. Why this album reissued again?? 30th anniversary and vinyl and enhanced artwork?? Nice I guess but highly pointless… What I’d rather have is a remaster of the 1985 debut!! That album is a classic and highly underrated…and it has the original version of “All I Need Is A Miracle” as well…maybe BMG is redoing them all and putting em out 1 at a time??

  9. Clearly this is just a stupid release. There’s nothing else to say. However, I will take this opportunity (as I do with every other Genesis/M&M release) to say how much I would love to have a deluxe edition of Mike Rutherford’s Smallcreep’s Day released. This is probably the most “proggy” of the Genesis members’ solo albums featuring Mike on guitar and bass, Ant Phillips on keyboards, Simon Phillips on drums, Morris Pert on Percussion, and Noel McCalla on vocals. There are some great compositions on this album including “Moonshine”, “Time and Time Again”, “Every Road”, and “At The End Of The Day”. The Smallcreep’s Day multi-part side long suite is fantastic. This release is just begging for a 2 disc deluxe edition – remastered with any single edits, b-sides, demos, unreleased songs, and a BluRay with a 5.1 mix, instrumental mix (think Steven Wilson XTC and Yes reissues) and any archival video material that may exist. Come on Cherry Red and Esoteric!

    2. DiscoDave, i’m right there with you on Smallcreep. A 5.1 mix of that album would be a musical dream. It’s sooooo . It makes me feel so many emotions listening to it. It’s so underrated. C’mon Mike. Grab Nick Davis and get busy!!

  10. In the case of Yazoo, BMG listened. In the case of Mike + The Mechanics, they did not. Never thought Mike + The Mechanics was anything to write home about. And this release presents nothing to make Mike + The Mechanics more enticing or interesting. So this is a firm no for me.

  12. Wow – lazy, lazy, lazy.

    You’d really think they could have pushed the boat out a little and offered the missing remixes/b-sides. But apparently even that was too much effort (as was mixing the album to 5.1, clearly).

    As it is, the only reason to spring for this is the live material making it’s vinyl debut…but given that the recording is bloody awful I think I can safely skip that one :)

  13. Wish they’d release a deluxe version of Invisible Touch, Duke or We Can’t Dance rather than reissue the same thing again.. I know it’s a different band and that but only slightly…

  15. Paul, apparently there is a 40-page book that comes along with the 2CD/2LP edition! Don’t know if it makes things better, but… I liked the new art though.

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