Charms of Powerful Trouble : A Complete(ish) List of Win Promos / Compilations / Foreign Editions

This catch-all list is for all the material that falls outside the then-available vinyl, cassettes, and CDs. This leaves us with promotional items sent out to journalists – not just vinyl, CDs, and cassettes, but also videos, white labels, posters, press releases, possibly even Electronic Press Kits. Some items fall under the heading ‘promo’ by dint of a small sticker on the reverse of a 7”’s sleeve; other items (such as the “Dusty Heartfelt” foldout Orthodox ‘shrine’) are unique items that are – in the marketing spiel of yore – ‘not available in the shops’.

Into this category I’ve also included items such as compilation albums (you know the sort : “Now That’s What I Call Compiled By Committee Volume 23”) and tracks that have been included on flexidiscs, tapes, and CDs given away with music magazines and the like. Foreign issues of Win’s work will also be listed below.

“Unamerican Broadcasting” 7” Promo
Format :7” single, in plain paper sleeve
Label :Swamplands
Serial No :SWDJ5
Date Of Release :unknown (probably March 1985)
Track Listing :

A : “Unamerican Broadcasting Part One”; B : “Unamerican Broadcasting Part Two”.

• I bought this vinyl single from a dealer in Germany but I’m not sure if this is a German promo or just some UK promo that found its way over there.

• Note the unusual serial number. Despite being on Swamplands, there is another serial number (ZPMSC 10632 for Part One; ZPMSC 10633 for Part Two) which only show up on London records.

• Part One sounds very much like a live studio recording, with a driving bass guitar giving the track a much funkier feel. Part Two is literally the second part, being a faded-in continuation of the A side. The complete mix of Part One and Part Two can be found on the A side of SWX5 (? ZPMSC ??) and the free single that came with SWXX 8 (ZPMSC 10634).

“Unamerican Broadcasting” 12" Promo
Format :12" single, in plain paper sleeve
Label :Swamplands
Serial No :SWX5
Date Of Release :unknown (probably March 1985)
Track Listing :

A : “Unamerican Broadcasting Part One”; B : “Unamerican Broadcasting Part Two”.

• Many thanks to Andy McClaren who sent me the details on this scarce item - in fact, it was Andy who sniped me at the final secundo, for £10.10 no less - in the one time this promo came up on Ebay grrrrr!

• According to Andy, the 12" is exactly the same as the normal one. However, rather than in the standard Stars And Stripes stickered sleeve, this one came in a plain white die-cut sleeve, which had an A4 photocopy pasted onto it showing the band members. In the words of Andy : ".... the artwork was stuck on (presumably with glue) to a plain white 12" paper sleeve. The picture did not fully cover the sleeve with about 1" space at the top and the bottom. The back of the sleeve was left blank". Below I've attached a scan of the montage photocopy. As you can see, whilst Ian S looks like a be-shaded hipster from the Warhol scene and Rusty a Basque terrorist smoking his last fag before being marched in front of a firing squad, Hendo comes across .... well, a bit homo-erotic, like a roadie for the Pet Shop Boys!

• Also included in the pack were two sets of documentation, the first of which was a photocopy of an NME article on the Fire Engines by Paul Morely, combined with a fuzzy partial picture of the band and some marketing blurb which is incomplete due to being missed off the photocopy, which is as follows :

WIN UNAMERICAN BROADCASTING ONLY AVAILABLE
ON 12" FROM SWAMPLANDS RECORDS THE FIRST
SWAMPLANDS RECORD TO GO THROUGH THE
CARTEL SWAMPLANDS RUN BY ALAN HORNE
WHO RAN POSTCARD RECORDS WIN WHO ARE
DAVEY HENDERSON AND RUSSELL BURN'S
NEW GROUP THEY WERE THE FIREENGINES
CANDY SKIN WENT TO NO 1 IN THE
CHART - THIS RECORD MUST TOO....
TEAR OFF THE SHRINKWRAP AND THERE'S
AN AMERICAN FLAG PEEL OFF THE FLAG
UNAMERICAN BROADCASTING - THE MOST
PACKAGING OF ANY RECORD SO FAR. RE
MARCH 1ST BACKED UP BY EXTENSIVE TV
SESSIONS, NME FRONT COVERS ETC ETC
STICKER AD IN THE
ADVERTISING IN FACE, BLITZ, NME

• The second set of photocopies have the actual promo sheet penned by Mr Swamplands himself, Alan Horne. Beneath a Swamplands logo, typed onto two sheets of A4, it reads thus :

WIN
------

We were all piled into the back of a van and they played me "Candy Skin" just after they'd made it. I was jealous as fuck. I wanted the Fire Engines on Postcard Records. Orange Juice aside, they were the best group around.

"The Fire Engines were the best group I saw in 1980. I fell in love immediately. This metaphysical mix of fun and mythical significance, concentration and distraction, fury and devouring intensity. David Henderson is a compulsive liberating, possessed new hero.... the substance and fashion, the look and the gaze of a star." Went Paul Morely in the NME, when he came upon them.

Now, four years later, with David Henderson and Russel Burn from the Fire Engines, with Ian Stoddart, and now on Swamplands; WIN are the most exciting thing I've come across since Orange Juice were starting off and like that group too, WIN have an excitement. The Fire Engines had it. David Henderson eminates it. An aesthetic excitement, that is earthy and arty. They don't have to knock you over with a blast of pomp the way the rest are trying to do these days.

Is it any wonder UNAMERICAN BROADCASTING sounds so exciting? It's not a question of it being the groups first record. It's nothing to do with the sound of the record, all these things help but it's simpler than that. It's because the people who made this record are exciting! Every other record released this week is made by dull people. People who are dead in the head and dead in the bed. Just read down that Top 40.

When the current crop of up and comers have to struggle to talk a good record let alone make one, WIN talk it, show it, take it, make it, and ARE it! WIN are one of those real groups: scruffy and seedy and smart and a relief from all the studenty groups who'd rather lunch with the lawyer than powder their nose or go shopping for clothes or goodness knows, what ..........

Yours
Alan Horne

P.S. We're doing this record as a 12" limited edition only, due to the somewhat elaborate nature of the art that we're wrapping it up in. And. we're distributing it through the Cartel.

For further information please contact Eugene Manzi at the London Press office on est374.

Swamplands, 15 St George St, LONDON W1R 9DE

"NME Tapeworm"
Format :Cassette
Label :n/a
Serial No :NME 017
Date Of Release :1985
Track Listing :

1. THE JUICY BANANAS Bad Man
2. THE FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS Love For Sale
3. THE POGUES The Wild Cats Of Kilkenny
4. THE ROBERT CRAY BAND Phone Booth
5. CHAMPION DOUG VEITCH Not The Heart (NME Re-Mix)
6. PAUL QUINN Ain't That Always The Way (Demo)
7. THE FAITH BROTHERS Stranger On Home Ground (String Version)
8. WIN Unamerican Broadcasting (NME Mix)
9. CHAKK Cut The Dust (Demo)
10. THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN Inside Me
11. FRANK SIDEBOTTOM Anarchy In The UK
12. WAYNE SMITH Under Mi Sleng Teng
13. TROUBLE FUNK Drop The Bomb
14. SHIRLEY BROWN Love Forever (Remix)
15. SAVAJAZZ Everything We Do
16. SIMPLY RED Money's Too Tight (Dub)
17. GUADALCANAL DIARY Watusi Rodeo
18. THE BLASTERS Common Man
19. THE BEAT FARMERS Reason To Believe
20. LOS LOBOS Volver

• The NME edition dated 3/12/88 had a Win discography (riddled with errors but also tantalising mentions of various promos and free tapes with music magazines) that made mention of a cassette given out with the NME some time in 1985 (more than likely in September; the only other track that I've found out that was on is papier-mache-bonced Frank Sidebottom's live take on "Anarchy In The UK"!). The only info given was that it was called "Tapeworm", and consisted of various bands including the "Unamerican Broadcasting (NME Mix)", with the serial number of NME 017. Thanks to Michael Shine who generously gave me his own copy of this rarity, I can now bring you details of this beauty! - many thanks again Michael!

• Sadly, after many listens, the Win track appears to be identical to the "Unamerican Broadcasting (7" Edit)" B-side on the 7" and 12" versions (SWPP8 and SWXX8) of "You've Got The Power", and so is not a unique track despite the track name.

• Its an otherwise great tape, a real cornucopia of great tracks and redolent of that mid-80s indie scene. Quinny's there representing the Edinburgh scene, there's some future bighitters in the Chain, Hucknall's mob, and the Cannibals; there's some personal favourites too - especially the Trouble Funk track! - the odd oddity (the bonkers Pistols cover!) - and some artists that even have me (pretty well versed in the 80s music firmanent) scratching me noggin - Guadalcanal Diary anyone?

“You’ve Got The Power” 12” Promo
Format :12" single
Label :Swamplands
Serial No :SWX 8
Date Of Release :June 1985
Track Listing :

A : “You’ve Got The Power (Chocolate Thrills Mix)” – produced by David Motion, engineered by Trigger; B : “You’ve Got The Power 7” Version” - produced by David Motion, engineered by Trigger; “In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)” - produced by David Motion, engineered by Trigger.

• This non-picture-sleeve record has a different layout to the normal issue. Firstly the label is beige in colour and not the blue-to-green fade on the normal 12”. Secondly, the record label symbol is that of London and not the Swamplands cat (again, as with the normal 12”). On this promo is printed on both sides : Advance DJ Copy Only. Finally, each side on the promo has a large grey ‘1’ or ‘2’ printed in the label’s centre. The promo has all the usual text eg track listings, producer names etc. As well as the usual serial numbers (SWX 8, 882 057-1), there is an extra number too on each side : ZPMAC 10701 on side A, ZPMSC 10699/70 on side B.

"RM C:60 Spools Paradise"
Format :Cassette
Label :n/a
Serial No :n/a
Date Of Release :September 1985
Track Listing :

1. WIN You've Got The Power
2. PET SHOP BOYS Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)
3. LIZZIE TEAR Kima (Hey! Ma Ma!)
4. BRILLIANT Ruby Fruit Jungle
5. COLOURBOX Arena
6. CHAKK Turn The Sound Out (Higher Than I Want To Be)
7. THE POGUES A Pair Of Brown Eyes
8. ANIMAL NIGHTLIFE Love Is Just The Great Pretender (Undressing Mix)
9. JAMES Just Hip
10. ABC Fear Of The World (In Cinemascope)
11. TIPPA IRIE Complain Neighbour
12. VIRGINIA ASTLEY I Live In Dreams
13. HIPSWAY Forbidden
14. DEL AMITRI Heard Through A Wall
15. LLOYD COLE AND THE COMMOTIONS Rattlesnakes

• The only info on Win reads as : Win, Copyright Control, on Swamplands / London Records, mixed by Nick Garside.

• About the Record Mirror cassette : Chris Ledger has sent some scans of the tape and figures that it dates from September 85, which puts the release as 5-6 months after the first official release. The tape is called "RM C:60 SPOOLS PARADISE". There is no mention of which mix it actually is on the tape, but Chris says that it is the original 12" mix as found on the B side of the "Super Popoid Groove" 12". It is interesting to see that the track was mixed by one Nick Garside which doesn't help because none of the "You've Got The Power" vinyl I have mentions him as a mixer - indeed, the only "You've Got The Power" mix ever credited was Mark Berry on SWPP 8 and SWXX 8, and Michael Brauer on the album.

“Super Popoid Groove” 12” One Sided Promo
Format :12" single
Label :London
Serial No :ZPMSC 11146 (possibly LON DJ128)
Date Of Release :unknown (probably March 1987)
Track Listing :

A : unknown

• I ordered this on 13/05/05 from an online record store in Wales and said item not only never arrived, but my mails went unanswered – such are the risks of shopping on the new electronic frontier. Nevertheless, the brief item description remains a tantalising one. It’s unknown whether the serial number is the same as the main 12” (LONX 128) but the ad did list the ZPMSC 11146 which is the same ….. ???????

• An update : in a NME discography, I’ve found reference to a DJ-only 12” release that was blank on one side and had an unknown mix of “Super Popoid Groove” on t’other, released on March 1987. This has to be the same single. So close, man, so feckin’ close to scoring a copy … .

“Uh! Tears Baby (A Trash Icon)” German Edition
Format :LP
Label :Metronome
Serial No :828047-1
Date Of Release :1987 (see below)
Track Listing :

1. Super Popoid Groove
2. Shampoo Tears
3. Binding Love Spell
4. Un-American Broadcasting
5. Hollywood Baby Too
6. Empty Holsters
7. You’ve Got The Power
8. Charms Of Powerful Troubles
9. It May Be A Beautiful Sky Tonight But It’s Only A Shelter For A World At Risk
10. Charms (Reprise)
11. Baby Cutting

• My copy of this LP came from Amazon in Germany (in June ’05), was brand spanking minty new, and was one of several copies available at reasonable prices. It is identical to the UK edition in terms of tracks and album design, except for the serial number and some German language details. More importantly, it came with a free 12” and poster. I’ve seen a few adverts mentioning this bonus 12” (of ‘Unamerican Broadcasting’) so this could well be a German-issue standard, although I’ve seen one advertised on Ebay (12/05) that had no mention at all of this bonus single.

• The serial number is not the expected LONLP 31 but rather is 828047-1. This is very similar to the UK CD serial number of 828047-2. The barcode of the UK and German LP edition is identical : 0 42282 80471 6.

• The actual LP has a completely different look to the UK edition, with its black label (instead of the expected white) , two tone colour scheme (instead of the extra red of the main London ‘triangle’, which is missing), and the addition of the Metronome imprint. Although the Swamplands cat is on the reverse sleeve, it is not on the LP’s centre. The German warning (listed below, starting with ‘Kein Verleih! …’) runs around the periphery of the LP.

• The spine on this edition aus der Vaterland is also slightly different : it reads thus :

WIN . UH! TEARS BABY 828047-1

• Compare this to the UK edition :

LONLP 31 WIN UH! TEARS BABY (A TRASH ICON) London Records Ltd

• The poster is the one with the SWDX 8 poster that is the same serial number as the YGTP double 7” and also came with the YGTP double 12” (which also came with a free 12” of ‘Unamerican Broadcasting’).

• The release date is another guesstimate – the vinyl has a publishing date of 1987 but the exact month is – in the words of Fripp’s missus Toyah – a ‘myth-thery’. It could well be a ’88 or ’89 release. I can find no other dates anywhere on the record and sleeves.

• The UA 12” comes in a plain white sleeve which has a large copyright message marked ‘Important Notice’ and a MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN mark and some kind of serial number : 4912 000 15332 1 86 RS. The serial number is SWX 5 – the same as the UA 12” – and is indentical to the UK release : there is no German language nor mention of Metronome on it. ….. check dis when you get a UA 12”.

• Is there also a German cassette and CD edition? Possibly not, because the UK edition lists on the back sleeve the serial numbers of the UK CD and cassette editions, but the German LP does not.

• On the back of the album sleeve around the usual barcode is a load of German text, and (accompanying the Swamplands black cat symbol) the symbol for the German label Metronome (note that the London symbol is missing, though the London label’s address is still present). The German text reads as :

Ein produkt der METRONOME MUSIK GMBH, GlockengieBerwall 3, 2000 Hamburg 1,
im Vertrieb von PMV Alle Urheber- und Leistungsschutzrechte vorbehalten .
Kein Verleih! Keine unerlaubte Vervielfältigung, Vermietung, Aufführung, Sendung!

“Uh! Tears Baby (A Trash Icon)” UK Promo
Format :LP
Label :London
Serial No :LONLP31
Date Of Release :1987
Track Listing :

1. Super Popoid Groove
2. Shampoo Tears
3. Binding Love Spell
4. Un-American Broadcasting
5. Hollywood Baby Too
6. Empty Holsters
7. You’ve Got The Power
8. Charms Of Powerful Troubles
9. It May Be A Beautiful Sky Tonight But It’s Only A Shelter For A World At Risk
10. Charms (Reprise)
11. Baby Cutting

• Lacking the CD of this particular album, I'd have to say that this is the most obscure item in my Win collection. It's a nice little promo press pack consisting of the LP version of the album, bundled with the standard poster, a moody glossy B&W picture of the band (which can be seen at the top of the Once Upon A Babylon section), a detailed sheet of the group members, and photocopied press cuttings. All of these goodies are bound in a B&W cardboard and transparent plastic sleeves. This was not a cheap purchase off Ebay, but its the only one I've ever seen and so was worth it (well, that's what I keep telling me'sen!).

• The B&W cardboard sleeve lists the LP's tracks but has mistakenly the fourth track as : UN_AMERICAN BROADCASTING (EXT). Of course, the extended version of this track was only on the tape and CD versions of the album. One wonders if there are promo versions of these two other formats with similiar bundles.

• There are four photocopied pages of press cuttings and I've spliced as much info as can be gleaned from them (the copying was as rough as a badger's arse!) into the rest of this website. There are various interviews, gig reviews and single reviews therein.

• There is a single sheet of A4 that lists the three main men's influences and the like (and is not shown in either of the pictures above). My scanner's on the fritz at the moment so until it decides to start working again, here's a few of their favourite things. We learn that DH is an Aquarias born in 1961, likes John Paul I (an influence on "Truckee River"), George Clinton, Kellogs Ads, and has the ambition "to become a potent anti-biotic". Russell B was born on 15th March 1962, lists If and Clockwork Orange as his favourite films, and is into Bertolt Brecht, T-Rex, Subway Sect and, tellingly, "Salvador Dali's religion". Ian Stoddart lists Prince, Brookside, Sly Stone, and had the ambition to "... become a mysterious pop personality like Prince or Brian Eno"!

“McEwan’s Lager The Soundtrack” 3” CD Single Promo
Format :3” CD single, in 3” cardboard sleeve
Label :PolyGram Special Products, London
Serial No :PSPCD 125
Date Of Release :1989
Track Listing :

1. “You’ve Got The Power” – WIN
2. “Tinder” – HIPSWAY
3. “Opposites Attract” – HEAD TO HEAD
4. “Something So Real” – LOVE DECREE

• This promo CD was released by McEwan’s Lager and was only available directly from the brewers, though an advert for one on Ebay in late 2004 did say that this particular CD had been given out at some promotional event organised by McEwan’s.

• The reverse of sleeve shows one picture for each of the four TV campaigns ran by McEwan’s during the late 80s, and details the respctive soundtracking songs and artists.

• The Win track was used as the soundtrack for the Escher campaign in 1986. It was a much cutdown version of the track, lasting a mere 2 minutes and 15 seconds. It has the longer opening intro of drum machine and rythym guitar (as per the 12” mix), and the only vocals are a modified chorus of “you’ve got the power to get out of here, out of the tower, out of the tower”. Excellently, this mix even includes the advert’s tolling bell, wind / breathing effects and the final scene’s monumental explosion!

• On the reverse of the sleeve is the following copy : “THE CAMPAIGN For the past four years, the “Alive and Kicking” television campaign has successfully combined strong soundtracks from “up and coming” bands and “state of the art” video techniques to earn McEwan’s Lager a host of advertising awards. Now McEwan’s Lager gives you the opportunity to enjoy all four tracks on one stunning “Soundtrack” compilation”.

• The other campaigns were known as Spellbound (1987, soundtracked by Hipsway), Talking Heads (1988, soundtracked by Head To Head), and Chinheads (1989, soundtracked by Love Decree).

• The Head To Head track for the claymation advert was written by none of than B.A. Robertson, of “Bang Bang” and “Knocked It Off” fame!

• See the Baby Cuttings section for a detailed description of the advert and a link to a downloadable copy of the actual Win advert! There's also a link on YouTube.com for the video for the Chinheads campaign too.

“Love Units” 7” Promo
Format :7” single, in plain paper sleeve
Label :Virgin
Serial No :VST 1157
Date Of Release :Jan 1989
Track Listing :

A : “Love Units”; B : “Peace On Egg”.

• This promo single has the band, song title, and serial number written on in biro.

• The serial number on mine is written wrong – VST 1157 is the serial number of the 12”. It should of course be VS 1157.

“Freaky Trigger” Possible Promo
Format :LP
Label :Virgin
Serial No :V 2571
Date Of Release :March 1989
Track Listing :

1. What’ll You Do Til’ Sunday Baby
2. Taboo
3. Love Units
4. Rainbow
5. Truckee River
6. How Do You Do
7. What’s Love If You Can Kill For Chocolate
8. Mind the Gravy
9. Dusty Heartfelt
10. We Could Cover Up The ‘C’

• My copy of this LP came with a press release and a poster. I’ve transcribed the press release below word-for-word and error-for-error, although I can’t use the same ‘typewriter’ font I have highlighted those words that were in bold. Its obviously photocopied from an originally typed source. The vinyl, inner sleeve, and outer jacket has no other indication that this vinyl might have been an original promo copy.

• This particular album curiously also came with a poster which is identical to that one which came free with the “You’ve Got The Power” double 12” single (serial number SWXX 8)! Was this standard practice for promo copies of the vinyl “Freaky Trigger”, or just a one-off that was stuffed with an extra poster just lying round the Virgin office, or even a poster that came from somebody’s copy of SWXX 8? Unlike with copies of the first LP which came with a poster, there is no sticker on mine, and no signs that there ever was a sticker on it originally. I might have seen another vinyl copy of “Freaky Trigger” on Ebay with a poster but I can’t quite be sure if I’m recalling that correctly.

• This press release might have been whipped up by a marketing drone in his or her lunch hour, picking out one typewriter key at a time, but how succinct and spot-on is that line that Davey H is capable of : …… penning poems without meaning that make perfect sense.

• Check out the mispells of “Trukee River” and almost Pythonesque “Mind The Grave”! - picture Eric Idle coming across a sign in a churchyard : “Mind The Grave? What Graaaaaaaaaave…oof!!!”

VIRGIN PRESS RELEASE

FREAK SCENE

“When the world takes stock of its treasured record collection…there’s certain to be a Win album. And this is the one.” OFFBEAT *****

That’s nice,isn’t it? That a record as fundamentally now! as the Win newie, can evoke such faith in its durability.

A perfect assimilation of Bolan, Prince and Presley is what all those bands with about a century in tertiary education are always talking about. With “Freaky Trigger”, Win (one width certificate in swimming) have somehow done it – only to then overlay it with their own perverse distortions.

“Freaky Trigger” is both perfectly contemporary and immaculately timeless. It finds leader Davey Henderson penning poems without meaning that make perfect sense when to “kill for chocolate” is an almost blase act.

“Freaky Trigger” is Win’s second album, and their first for Virgin. It contains “What’ll You Do Til’ Sunday Baby” and “Love Units”. All tracks have been produced by Zeus B Held. The CD features additional 12-inch versions of “What’s Love If You Can Kill For Chocolate” and “Love Units”.

The full track listing runs thus:
What’ll You Do Til’ Sunday Baby, Taboo, Love Units, Rainbow, Trukee River, How Do You Do, What’s Love If You Can Kill For Chocolate, Mind The Grave, Dusty Heartfelt, We Could Cover Up The “C”.

“Freaky Trigger” – catalogue number V2571 – is released by Virgin Records on March 6.

“Freaky Trigger” German Edition
Format :LP
Label :Virgin (but see below)
Serial No :209 607 (but see below)
Date Of Release :???
Track Listing :

1. What’ll You Do Til’ Sunday Baby
2. Taboo
3. Love Units
4. Rainbow
5. Truckee River
6. How Do You Do
7. What’s Love If You Can Kill For Chocolate
8. Mind the Gravy
9. Dusty Heartfelt
10. We Could Cover Up The ‘C’

• My copy of this LP came from Ebay in Germany (in June ’05). It is almost identical to the UK edition in terms of tracks and album design, except for the serial number and some German language details.

• The serial number is not the expected V2571 but rather is 209 607. The barcode of the UK and German LP edition is identical : 5 012981 257118. Note that the V2571 serial number is still present on the back of the album sleeve (underneath the barcode, where is also written : Printed in W. Germany by TOPAC).

• The inner sleeve is identical to the UK edition except that the serial number is obviously different (however, it is given as a slightly different 209 607-8)

• The actual vinyl has a completely different look to the UK edition, with its green label on one side and red label on the reverse (instead of the expected white of the UK LP), a smaller white Virgin signature (instead of the larger but fainter grey signature of the UK edition), and the addition of three mysterious symbols which may or may not be a German publisher (the mysterious TOPAC? The symbols reads as follows : ST 33 GEMA STEMRA BIEM LC 3098). There is a German warning (with English translation) at the bottom of the label :

Alle Urheber - und Leistungsschutzrechte vorbehalten - Kein Verleih! Keine unerlaubte Vervielfältigung, Vermietung, Aufführung, Sendung! Virgin Records

• The spine on this German edition is also slightly different : it reads thus :

209 607 WIN . FREAKY TRIGGER

• Compare this to the UK edition :

WIN FREAKY TRIGGER ® 1989 VIRGIN RECORDS LTD. © 1989 VIRGIN RECORDS LTD.

• The release date is unknown – as with the UK edition, the vinyl has a publishing date of 1988, and it is unlikely that the German release date would be in ‘88 when the UK was in ’89. I can find no other dates anywhere on the record and sleeves.

• Is there also a German cassette and CD edition? Possibly, but then again possibly not, because beneath the barcode are symbols for a LP, cassette, and a CD – there is the 209 607 serial number next to the LP symbol but this doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t the same number for all three formats (though that is unlikely). However, I have seen an auction on Ebay in Germany for a CD but it was unspecific as to whether it was a German-produced release.

• A pedantic point, but on the vinyl Davey’s surname is spelt as Heroerson. Der dimwitz.

“Dusty Heartfelt” Foldout 7” Promo
Format :7” single, foldout cardboard
Label :Virgin
Serial No :VS 1178
Date Of Release :May 1989
Track Listing :

A : “Dusty Heartfelt” – produced by Michael Baker & Axel Kröll, engineered by Mark Plati; B : “Peace On Egg” - produced by Terry Adams & WIN, engineered by Terry Adams.

• This promo consists of the basic 7” (plus standard 7” sleeve) housed in a foldout cardboard sleeve. On one flap is a list of positive reviews (headlined “WIN – WHAT THE CRITICS SAY…”) for the Freaky Trigger album by NME, Offbeat, Record Mirror, Sounds, and Melody Maker (see album info for review contents). On the other flap are the members of Win and their instruments of choice, and the following script : “’Dusty Heartfelt’; a re-recorded version taken from WIN’s first Virgin album ‘FREAKY TRIGGER’, is available on seven inch, twelve inch and compact disc single. Out on 2nd May 1989”.

• The inside of the cardboard sleeve shows the standard group shot of the band chowing down on a Chinese takeaway on a beach, as on the album reverse / tape insert & CD booklet. The reverse shows the standard photo of the nude playing card and unknown Chinese foodstuff packets.

“Dusty Heartfelt” 12” Acetate
Format :one-sided 12” single, on acetate
Label :The Town House
Serial No :T81003
Date Of Release :probably 1989
Track Listing :

A : “Dusty Heartfelt (Extended Remix)” ???

• As I understand it, an acetate is a one-off disc cut by hand in a mastering studio, and is used for demonstration purposes. Despite the name, acetates are rarely made of acetate (although the acetates I own are not produced from ordinary record vinyl – they are glossy, heavy, easy to scratch, and look quite brittle). They’re apparently cut before the final master so that the studio engineers and artists can make sure everything’s in order. I’ve heard that acetates (whether manufacured from acetate or not) should not be played as the music can actually wear out. I also seem to recall that The Town House in London specialises in the production of these acetates.* This one-sided acetate is blank on one side and presumably has the “Dusty Heartfelt (Extended Remix)” on the grooved-side. There is a custom beige Town House paper insert on the vinyl, complete with address and a faint drawing of what is probably the actual Town House, and written on this insert in pen is “DUSTY HEARTFELT” and “WIN”.

• On the blank reverse side is one number stamped in the centre (probably when the plastic was still hot and malleable) : T81003. This is probably the Town House’s serial number.

“Dusty Heartfelt” 10” Acetate
Format :one-sided 10” single, on acetate
Label :The Town House
Serial No :T81229
Date Of Release :probably 1989
Track Listing :

A : “Dusty Heartfelt” ???

• This one-sided acetate is blank on one side and presumably has the 7” mix of “Dusty Heartfelt” on the grooved-side – it’s a possibility that 7” tracks are never put onto any acetate smaller than a 10” for production reasons. As with the 12” acetate, there is a custom beige Town House paper insert on the vinyl, complete with address and a faint drawing of what is probably the actual Town House, and written on this insert in pen is “DUSTY HEARTFELT” and “WIN”.

• On the blank reverse side is one number stamped in the centre (probably when the plastic was still hot and malleable) : T81229. This is probably the Town House’s serial number.

"Super Popoid Grooves" Bootleg
Format :CD-R
Label :n/a
Serial No :n/a
Date Of Release :unknown
Track Listing :

1. Unamerican Broadcasting (12" A-side)
2. You've Got The Power (Chocolate Thrills Mix)
3. Shampoo Tears (Michael Brauer Dub Mix)
4. Shampoo Tears (12" Mix)
5. Empty Holsters
6. The Slider
7. Super Popoid Groove (12 Inches For Lovegod)
8. What'll You Do Til' Sunday Baby? (Johnson's Baby Mix)
9. Dusty Heartfelt (Extended Remix)
10. Peace On Egg
11. Deep Throat
12. Scary, Scary
13. Pull My Daisy
14. Trigger Happy
15. In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)
16. Unamerican Broadcasting (12" B-side)

• There have been many famous bootlegs down the years, usually of secretly recorded gigs, rare tracks, and 'lost' unreleased albums (Prince's "The Black Album" springs to mind, as does the Sex Pistols' 'leg, ickily entitled "Spunk"). Sadly the one Win bootleg doing the rounds (other than fake copies of the first album designed to fleece desperate collectors on Ebay, so Frankie sez buyer beware!) is without any real provenance in terms of history, rarity of tracks or even artwork. As you can see from the list above, its a collection of remixes and B sides taken originally from vinyl - and the quality of the transfer is high; to use a cereal analogy, there are very little snap, crackles and pops. From what I've been told, down the years it has been spread around by Win fans so that everyone can get hold of tracks that have never been released on CD, and allow people to get copies of the more obscure B sides off the first album - one quote I received was that "... nobody should ever have to pay for it".

• The specific versions of the songs above are my opinion only - I've compared the track lengths to my own vinyl rips and had the odd listen, and I'm sure that I have most tracks accurately listed. The only one I'm not 100% sure on is the YGTP track, which might be the Original 12" Mix, the Chocolate Thrills Mix or even the Remix off the tape and CD of the first album. I'll look into this .... when, frankly, I can be arsed!

• The best thing about this bootleg for me is finding a brand new Win track! Heh heh so I'm guilty of fanboy hyperbole on this one-ski! It never previously occured to me that the "Empty Holsters" on the B side of "Shampoo Tears" would be different to the one off the album, but it is (although it doesn't say anything on the actual 7" and 12" vinyl and sleeves). Its a more countrified take on the original and worth a listen.

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