INXS' Kick is a favorite around The Second Disc parts. We envisioned another deluxe reissue (after two on both sides of the Atlantic) in one of our first Reissue Theory posts, and its slinky, perfectly-crafted blend of pop, R&B and hard rock - combined with a host of non-LP material - makes it a perfect candidate for the growing trend of super-deluxe box sets.
So when such a set was first reported and then recently confirmed, you can imagine our excitement at bringing on the news to you. So what can one expect inside the 3 CD/1 DVD box, beyond the hardback book, poster and stickers previously discussed? Thanks to a few well-placed online retail sources (first reported by Slicing Up Eyeballs, to which we tip our hats), we have an answer.
First off, the good news: if you've ever been torn between which version to get - either Rhino's American expansion in 2002 with four unreleased demos or Mercury U.K.'s long out-of-print 2004 deluxe set - you're in luck. Every track from both of those versions has been reinstated for the new deluxe version. So that's four demos, three non-LP B-sides, three dance remixes and three live cuts from an American show in 1988.
The not-as-great news? Well, it might seem like there's not much beyond that - particularly in the way of "unheard tracks" promised by the initial news release. The bonus disc houses five tracks that didn't appear on either edition, including non-LP tunes "Do Wot You Do" and "Different World" and edits of "New Sensation" and "Devil Inside." The only "unheard" tracks, however, looks to be an unreleased remix of "Calling All Nations" by Nile Rodgers and a "soul version" of "Never Tear Us Apart."
Things get better on the DVD, though, with "various band footage" accompanying performance footage from Denmark's Midtfyns Festival and three of Kick's iconic promo videos. A red vinyl edition of the album and a two-disc distillation of the deluxe set have also been announced, but no details about the latter have been confirmed. All formats are due out in the U.K. only on September 17, and that full track list with annotations is after the jump.
INXS, Kick 25 (Petrol Electric/Universal (U.K.), 2012)
Disc 1: Original LP
- Guns in the Sky
- New Sensation
- Devil Inside
- Need You Tonight
- Mediate
- The Loved One
- Never Tear Us Apart
- Wild Life
- Mystify
- Kick
- Calling All Nations
- Tiny Daggers
Disc 2: B-sides and rarities
- Move On (Guitar Version) **
- I'm Coming (Home) (B-side to "Need You Tonight" - Atlantic 7-89188 (U.S.), 1987) *
- Mediate (Live @ San Diego Sports Arena - 3/31/1988) *
- Never Tear Us Apart (Live @ San Diego Sports Arena - 3/31/1988) (B-side to "Mystify" - Mercury INXS 13 (U.K.), 1988) *
- Kick (Live @ San Diego Sports Arena - 3/31/1988) *
- On the Rocks (B-side to "Devil Inside" - Atlantic 7-89144 (U.S.), 1988) *
- Do Wot You Do (from Pretty in Pink soundtrack - A&M SP-5113, 1986/B-side to "New Sensation" - Mercury INXS 9 (U.K.), 1988)
- Mystify (Chicago Demo) **
- Jesus Was a Man (Demo) **
- The Trap (Demo) **
- Guns in the Sky (Kick Ass Mix) (12" B-side to "New Sensation" - Atlantic 0-86572 (U.S.), 1988) *
- Need You Tonight (Mendelsohn Extended Mix) (12" A-side - Mercury INXS 1212 (U.K.), 1987) *
- Move On (B-side to "Need You Tonight" - Mercury INXS 12 (U.K.), 1987) *
Disc 3: Remixes
- Never Tear Us Apart (Soul Version) ***
- New Sensation (Nick 12" Remix) (12" A-side - Atlantic 0-86572, 1988) *
- New Sensation (Nick 7" Mix) (12" B-side - WEA 0-258016 (AUS), 1988)
- Devil Inside (Extended Mix) (12" A-side - Atlantic 0-86622 (U.S.), 1987)
- Devil Inside (7" Version) (single A-side - Atlantic 7-89144 (U.S.), 1987)
- Different World (7" Mix) (B-side to "Never Tear Us Apart" 12" single - Atlantic 0-86538 (U.S.), 1988)
- Calling All Nations (Kids on Bridges Remix) ***
Disc 4: Track Baby Track DVD
- Various Band Footage
- New Sensation (Live @ the Midtfyns Festival)
- Never Tear Us Apart (Live @ the Midtfyns Festival)
- Need You Tonight (Live @ the Midtfyns Festival)
- Kick (Live @ the Midtfyns Festival)
- Devil Inside (Live @ the Midtfyns Festival)
- Mystify (Live @ the Midtfyns Festival)
- Guns in the Sky (promo video)
- Mystify (promo video)
- Need You Tonight (promo video)
* indicates track from deluxe edition - Mercury 982 355-0 (U.K.), 2004
** indicates track from expanded edition - Rhino R2 78204 (U.S.), 2002
*** indicates previously unreleased track
jasonfist says
So, just one unreleased track? Pffff
Todd R. says
Hi Mike,
I already let off steam on FB about this. Only because I already have the UK 2 cd and the US 2002 Rhino set. I will point out that the "Austrailian 12" of "New Sensation" is new to me, maybe to others. Otherwise I'll agree that "Calling All Nations" touched up by Nile Rodgers is new. (and I love love love Nile Rodgers).
Guess I have a great book to look forward to, and some stickers, and poster... oh boy....
Mike Duquette says
Hey Todd,
Great call on the Australian 12" of "New Sensation" - I know I tied the Australian catalog # to the track in the post, but as far as I can remember, the disc used Nick Launay's 12" mix (which, FWIW, is one of my favorite dance mixes maybe ever). I'm hoping if we can ever get confirmation from the label about some of this stuff (I didn't know that INXS ever played Midtfyns in the "Kick" era, though they did headline it much later on), we'll know for sure.
I'm reasonably excited, because I do love "Kick" enough to get another version of it. (I, too, own both reissues - that Mercury disc was hard to find at a reasonable price, but last year I prevailed!) Plus, for some of our readers who might not have heard those tracks from the Mercury edition, there's some stuff to enjoy there - namely the remixes and live cuts. Plus, honestly, I've never found the "Kick" B-sides or demos to really grab me - so while I do wonder what more could have been in the vaults, it's entirely possible I'd end up regretting that if something did get released.
Croc O'Dile says
It's possible that the "Australian 12" " is referring to The Beginerz Mix, from the Australian "Remixes" compilation, but then the referenced catalog number would be wrong. I hope they aren't dumb enough to put the same remix on different discs.
Phil says
It is indeed the Nick 12" Mix.
I like the Kids on Bridges version of Calling All Nations but would love to hear Nile Rodger's version too.
Don says
It's a shame there are still some noteworthy remixes missing, namely Guns in the Sky (Kookaburra Remix) and Need You Tonight (Ben Liebrand Remix). Plus there are a couple of live b-sides missing as well, I think. 🙁
zs (@Gonzeux) says
Also, no promos for Devil Inside or Never Tear Us Apart?! The point (for me) of these multidisc commemorations is to provide a definitive document. This one appears to have failed there. I'll probably just stick to the Mercury reissue.
Sven1987 says
This sucks! I'm not gonna buy it (again). Not even a full live concert on DVD. Its a shame the DVD is only included in the boxset, was kinda of curious of what the homevideo footage looks like.
Brian says
Also odd that the 7" version of "Need You Tonight" is omitted... the "d" in the word "kind," as well as the echo that follows it, overlaps the start of "Meditate" on the album version. This does not happen on the 45, so the 7-inch single was not just the album version "cut off" early. The 45 version is available on a few compilations (one of them "Billboard #1 Hits - The 80s," I believe), but odd that it's not included here. Getting tired of these so-called ultimate editions leaving stuff out.
Jason Michael says
And where's the mono mix?!? 🙂
Jason63 says
Also where is the Extended Mix of Different World. It seems strange that they would include the 7" of this on Kick when in Australia the Extended Mix was released as the B side to the Listen Like Thieves 12".
david says
what gets me is there is enough room on disc 1 for extras but there is none,just the original set??? could have added some more unreleased stuff or remixs.some good points above as well