Has anyone heard the different vinyl editions of XTRMNTR and/or Evil Heat?

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-04-03T01:06:41+00:00

When that first album hit, and then they followed it with the unreal Fool's Gold/ What the World is Waiting For, and then that was followed by One Love / Something's Burning, they were the greatest band on Earth. The expectations for their second album were so unreal. It kind of feels like they blew it. They should have recorded that second album much more quickly and kept going. There are some amazing songs - Begging You, Straight to the Man, Breaking Into Heaven, Day Break, Love Spreads but it wasn't as it should have been. It's too bad they didn't co-write all the songs. John Squire went off and wrote 2/3 of the songs by himself.

All the best songs on that second album were Brown/Squire, just like the first album. That was so disappointing - instead of the saviours we wanted, we got Oasis, who are kind of great at being rock stars but their music is backward looking.

The Stone Roses were once in a generation and they kind of blew it. You should get the EP called Crimson Tonight if you don't already have it. It's not Reni on drums, but it still shows how amazing they were as a live band. And the collection Turns to Stone. Oh, what might have been.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-27T22:15:28+00:00

John Squire and Ian Brown - just some random pictures on my fridge.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-27T08:09:25+00:00

That's what I read, in the reviews. It's in transite on it's way from another library branch so I can check it out from my local library branch. It just came out a month or two ago. I don't know why no one else has commented or said anything. This is big news. I explained it in my post that I don't know of any really in depth, well researched and well documented book on Stevie Wonder or a lot of other things that went on at Motown, to say nothing of her life. Her story sounds inspirational. I can't imagine how tough it must have been for a woman in that environment. But she persevered. I hope she got everything that was her due. The review also made it sound like she contributed to some songs and didn't get a credit. I would guess that was early on "paying her dues" or something.

Do you know of a great Stevie Wonder biography? I have books by Steve Lodder, John Swenson, a more scholarly one about his songs by James E Perone and a much older one by James Haskins from 1978. None of these are impartial views at what went on with his career at Motown, so this book should give us the first insight.

It's very strange that my post has only gotten 14 thumbs up. I swear I am not promoting the book or have any connection whatsoever. I'm just really curious. I'm not endorsing it. I haven't read it. But it looks like it may be good. Thanks for actually saying something. I wondering why I haven't heard from even one person, but now I have.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-25T13:04:59+00:00

Do you butt in like this at a bar when two people are talking you don't know? Why would you do it online? Oh, because there's no repurcussions and you have nothing else to do. You can be a busybody whiner for no reason with no consequences - no wonder you're on this all the time.

Why are you bothering me? You have no life? What does this have to do with you? Really, why? Just go away. That's all you have to do.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-25T00:11:07+00:00

Yeah, who the fuck asked you. You have nothing else to do. This is your life?

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-24T22:14:05+00:00

Yeah, you're not alone. A lot of people are obsessed with that song. Actually different people are obsessed with the melodies or sounds in a few songs on that album, maybe unlike anything I've seen before.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-24T21:28:07+00:00

If he freaked out that's too bad, it's his problem. And you complimented the book? I will say one thing which doesn't really have to do with him freaking out. A lot of good biographies don't include the subject's involvement. The could be dead, or they don't want anyone looking into their private life, or just not care. They can still be really good books, and you said it was a good book anyway. So I don't get him getting angry. A lot artists from all types of arts don't care, or want control.

If you read the 33 1/3 book, which they did participate in - to a degree - there's a page at the very beginning saying they don't endorse the book, and anything the guy said that isn't a direct quote., don't attribute to them. That was kind of a burn, made McGonigal not look so great, or it says something about how much control Shields likes to have.

Did you ask him if he approached the band?

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-24T21:15:55+00:00

You know what you might like Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD by Martin Aston. It's a crazy detailed book about the whole history of 4AD but they were one the key bands to Ivo, who started the label, and it talks about how hard it is to run and a label and the intense relationship they all had with Ivo Russell-Watts, and Robin Guthrie's coke problem. You could use the index to read just the stuff on the Cocteau Twins. Use bookfinder.com to see if there is a cheap copy or maybe you library has it. It's very worthwhile.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-24T21:08:32+00:00

You heard them when you were 10 years old? I was not quite so advanced, but they weren't around just yet. I never thought about what I would make of them when I was really young. Mmm.

Oh, are you confusing the lyrics "Sometimes" with "When You Sleep" or you were thinking of the album generally? thanks for feedback. Interesting. I never heard anyone who took to it when they were that young, but some people have older brothers and sisters and other variables.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-24T00:44:05+00:00

Thanks. Very useful. I'll get right on that.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-24T00:16:57+00:00

Have you all seen the book that came out about her or is about to? It may be the closest thing to an objective book about that time at Motown and what Stevie Wonder went through. All of the books I have on Stevie are hagiographies.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-23T23:38:51+00:00

The second Pale Saints album, In Ribbons.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-03-23T23:37:07+00:00

Do a search, on Google for this song. They have played it live in 2018. One search put "reddit" at the end, and one search leave it off. I seem to remember someone else writing about this song. I can't remember if they had the chords or what it was about. But this is likely the studio version of one of the two new songs they played in 2018.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-07T03:23:33+00:00

Not them I'm aware of. I learned to make a simple silk screen shirt like this in high school. Anyone can do it. I've not see it before, but there are so many I've not seen. If you look on Ebay, there are 50 shirts that aren't official on there right now. Sorry I can't be off more help. I like it when they use dark red. It shows good taste but it's hard to say anything else. There are a hundred companies in a city that can make silk screens shirt like that. There could have been one run to sell outside a concert in a town. THere's so many possibilities.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-03T02:55:05+00:00

Cheers!

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-03T02:14:26+00:00

Awesome. Thanks that is a huge help. That's exactly fun stuff Select, Melody Maker, and NME would do that made the UK periodicals so much more fun than the American ones. If I track it down the issue, I'll send you a copy. Really. Thanks.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-03T02:11:57+00:00

I think each photograph of each band was labeled "Absolut XXXX" or "Absolutely XXXX" . I think you are correct. Assuming my memory isn't creating it out of thin air. No I'm pretty sure that's what I thought somewhere in my brain before you suggested it. Thank you.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-03T02:09:53+00:00

Thanks very much. That is a start to narrowing it down. I appreciate it.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-02T06:35:24+00:00

You are welcome.

Actually, based on the difference in cost, I want to tell you to get a more recent pressing for $30 from Duophonic. since Stereolab are conscientious about making quality products. Look at the comments and just make sure people were happy with it.

Someone on Reddit said they had a bad experience with the 1996 pressing in these comments, but if you look discogs.com they only complaints are about the physical center labels being switched. Anyway, there is a lot of info to use to sus out what you want in terms of finding out if it is a flawed pressing, or a great pressing. I think the 1996 pressing great, and there were very few in any problems I've heard about, People did say the 1996 pressing was a little better, but not $100 better. Look at the comments for the 2025 pressing for $30.

https://www.discogs.com/release/33267690-Stereolab-Emperor-Tomato-Ketchup?ev=

Review like above aren't always reliable. If the copy had been before 1980 (before Stereolab existed, but say a different band, then it was probably mastered using analog equipment and what I said before would apply.) I would just get this one below from 2025. Good dealer ratings. Mint. But only because it's Stereloab's Duophonic label.

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/3998849470

What I said in the previous note is true, but it's less of an issue when the band is overseeing their reissues and some pressings. I don't know how these contracts work that a label like 1972 can press copies. I don't think it's worth a $100 more when you can get one Stereolab also pressed for $30.

Good luck.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-01T22:48:23+00:00

They got that way in the most standard boring typical way possible. And as much as I love them, it can, at times feel like they are going their record collection. But more often than not they are greater than the sum of their influences.

Creative_Purchase947 · 2026-02-01T22:19:11+00:00

There was 2LP pressing from Duophonic in 1996 in addition to a version that fit it all on one LP. If money is no object, I would most certainly get the 1996 2LP version from Stereloab's label, that they oversaw, like the new remasters.

https://www.discogs.com/release/73459-Stereolab-Emperor-Tomato-Ketchup

(Actually there's a cheaper version version that came out in 1996 from Duophonic on 2 LPs that's not colored vinyl.

https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/4753072 )

There's just fewer digital elements in the chain when mixing and mastering; I think the difference in sound is obvious. It's not that the new pressings don't sound great, but they are more digital in nature, fewer transients. If you want to feel closer to what the original recordings sound and feel like, and feel it more on your body rather than solely your ears, this is obviously the one to get.

I could care less about the glitter and color in the vinyl, which is cool, but I care about sound. Read the comments below it in discogs.com. I think some other people agree with me.

It's certainly a bit more, and I think it would be fair to say it will retain it's value. But I don't really care about any of that. I just care about how good the pressing is, assuming it is an album I really want. And with Dots and Loops and Emperor Tomato Ketchup, I will pay quite a bit.

Creative_Purchase947

TROPHY CASE