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Let's Pretend: Edsel Unveils Deluxe Multi-Disc Reissues For Pretenders' Catalogue

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PretendersEdsel isn’t just playing pretend.  On February 16, 2015, the Demon Music Group label will reissue all eight albums from The Pretenders as originally released by the Warner Bros. family of labels between 1979 and 1999 as deluxe editions.  (Or: that’s to say 8/10, or 4/5, of the entire Pretenders discography!  Only two albums have arrived since 1999, in 2002 and 2008.)  Every one of the eight titles is housed in a digipak, with six of the titles as 2-CD/1-DVD sets and two as 1-CD/1-DVD sets.

These “everything but the kitchen sink” reissues will bring together B-sides, live tracks, soundtrack one-off recordings (for films including The Living Daylights, Fever Pitch, G.I. Jane, Indecent Proposal and Boys on the Side), demos, promotional videos and BBC-TV appearances (most of which have never been commercially released) for the English-American band founded in 1978 by Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers.  The DVDs feature 30 rare BBC performances, 21 promo videos and the complete 18-track Isle of View concert. The material first issued on Rhino's expanded reissues of the group's first four albums has been included, as have rare tracks from the Pirate Radio box set.  The Pretenders made their first splash in February 1979 with their debut single, a cover of Ray Davies’ “Stop Your Sobbing” produced by Nick Lowe. By the time their Chris Thomas-helmed debut LP arrived in January 1980, the band’s third single “Brass in Pocket” was on its way to No. 1 in the United Kingdom.  The album would reach that plateau as well.  (It reached the Top 15 of the U.S. Pop chart, and the album made the Top 10.)

After the jump, we have more details including the complete track listings for all eight multi-disc sets and pre-order links!

Pretenders IIThe original line-up of the band only lasted for two albums, but Hynde persevered.  By 1986’s Get Close, she was the only original member left, and on 1990’s Packed!, she fronted a rotating group of session musicians.  (Drummer Blair Cunningham played on all of the album’s tracks, though he was not credited as a band member.)  The Pretenders’ final two Warner Bros. albums returned to a band format with a steady line-up of Hynde, the returned Chambers, Andy Hobson and Adam Seymour.  Edsel’s program traces every version of the band and the development of its sound which incorporated classic rock, new wave, punk rock and pop sensibilities.

The first four albums in Edsel’s series were previously expanded by Rhino on CD with numerous bonus tracks; this comprehensive series promises to add material to even those editions.  The eight albums will be available individually or as one massive 22-disc box set.  You can peruse the track listings and place pre-orders below!  All eight titles arrive in the U.K. on February 16 from Edsel!

The Pretenders, Pretenders (Sire SRK 6083, 1979) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

  1. Precious
  2. The Phone Call
  3. Up The Neck
  4. Tattooed Love Boys
  5. Space Invader
  6. The Wait
  7. Stop Your Sobbing
  8. Kid
  9. Private Life
  10. Brass In Pocket
  11. Lovers of Today
  12. Mystery Achievement

B-SIDES

  1. Swinging London  (Real/WEA single ARE-11, 1979)
  2. Nervous But Shy  (Real/WEA single ARE-11, 1979)
  3. Cuban Slide (Real/WEA single ARE-12, 1980)
  4. Porcelain (Real/WEA single ARE-15, 1981)
  5. Precious (Live)
  6. Kid (1987 extended remix) (Real/WEA single YZ 156T, 1979)

CD 2

DEMOS

  1. The Phone Call (late 1977) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  2. Brass In Pocket (February 1978) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  3. Precious (April 1978) (from Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  4. The Wait (April 1978) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  5. Stop Your Sobbing (April 1978) (included on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  6. I Can’t Control Myself (April 1978) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  7. Tequila (April 1978) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  8. Kid (December 1978) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)

LIVE

  1. Sabre Dance (The Marquee, April 1979) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  2. I Need Somebody (The Kid Jensen Show, July 1979) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  3. Mystery Achievement (The Kid Jensen Show, July 1979) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  4. Precious (The Paradise Theatre, March 1980) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)
  5. Tattooed Love Boys (The Paradise Theatre, March 1980) (first issued on Rhino R2 74148, 2006)

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. Stop Your Sobbing
  2. Kid
  3. Brass In Pocket

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. Stop Your Sobbing (TOTP, February 1979)
  2. Kid (TOTP, July 1979)
  3. Brass In Pocket (TOTP, November 1979)
  4. Brass In Pocket (TOTP, December 1979)
  5. Kid (Swap Shop, December 1979)
  6. Brass In Pocket (TOTP, January 1980)

The Pretenders, Pretenders II (Sire SRK 3572, 1981) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

  1. The Adultress
  2. Bad Boys Get Spanked
  3. Message Of Love
  4. I Go To Sleep
  5. Birds Of Paradise
  6. Talk Of The Town
  7. Pack It Up
  8. Waste Not Want Not
  9. Day After Day
  10. Jealous Dogs
  11. The English Roses
  12. Louie Louie

CD 2

BONUS TRACKS

  1. Talk of the Town (Demo) (first issued on Rhino R2 74177, 2006)
  2. I Go To Sleep (Guitar Version) (first issued on Rhino R2 74177. 2006)
  3. Pack It Up (Radio Mix) (first issued on Rhino R2 74177, 2006)
  4. In The Sticks (Real/WEA single ARE-17, 1981)
  5. What You Gonna Do About It (Lyntone flexi-single 9650, 1980)

Live at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1981 (portions originally released on Warner Bros. WBMS 121, 1982 and previously released in full on Rhino R2 74177, 2006)

  1. The Wait
  2. The Adultress
  3. Message Of Love
  4. Louie Louie
  5. Talk Of The Town
  6. Birds Of Paradise
  7. The English Roses
  8. Up The Neck
  9. Bad Boys Get Spanked
  10. Stop Your Sobbing
  11. Private Life
  12. Kid
  13. Day After Day
  14. Brass In Pocket
  15. Higher And Higher

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. Talk Of The Town
  2. Message Of Love
  3. Day After Day
  4. I Go To Sleep

BBC-TV PERFORMANCES

  1. Message Of Love (TOTP, February 1981)
  2. I Go To Sleep (TOTP, November 1981)

The Pretenders, Learning To Crawl (Sire 923 980 1, 1984) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

  1. Middle Of The Road
  2. Back On The Chain Gang
  3. Time The Avenger
  4. Watching The Clothes
  5. Show Me
  6. Thumbelina
  7. My City Was Gone
  8. Thin Line Between Love and Hate
  9. I Hurt You
  10. 2000 Miles

CD 2

B-SIDES / LIVE

  1. Fast Or Slow (The Law’s the Law) (Real/WEA single ARE 20T, 1983)
  2. Money (Live)
  3. Time The Avenger (Live)
  4. Bad Boys Get Spanked (Live)
  5. My City Was Gone (Live)
  6. Tequila (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)

DEMOS

  1. I Hurt You (August 1982) (first issued on Rhino R2 101058, 2007)
  2. When I Change My Life (August 1982) (first issued on Rhino R2 101058, 2007)
  3. Ramblin’ Rob (August 1982) (first issued on Rhino R2 101058, 2007)
  4. Watching The Clothes (August 1982) (from Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. Back on the Chain Gang
  2. 2000 Miles
  3. Middle of the Road
  4. Show Me
  5. Thin Line Between Love and Hate

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. 2000 Miles – Rehearsal and Interview (Breakfast Time, December 1983)
  2. 2000 Miles (TOTP, December 1983)

The Pretenders, Get Close (Sire W2 25488, 1986) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

  1. My Baby
  2. When I Change My Life
  3. Light Of The Moon
  4. Dance!
  5. Tradition Of Love
  6. Don’t Get Me Wrong
  7. I Remember You
  8. How Much Did You Get For Your Soul?
  9. Chill Factor
  10. Hymn To Her
  11. Room Full Of Mirrors

CD 2

B-SIDES

  1. Dance! (Full-Length Version)
  2. Room Full Of Mirrors (Extended Version)
  3. Tradition Of Love (Extended Remix)
  4. Thumbelina (Live)
  5. Middle Of The Road (Live)
  6. Private Life (Live)

BONUS TRACKS

  1. Dance (Take 1) (first issued on Rhino R2 101049, 2007)
  2. Don’t Get Me Wrong (Live in Austin, 1987) (first issued on Rhino R2 101049, 2007)
  3. Hold A Candle To This (Alternate Version) (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  4. Worlds Within Worlds (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  5. When I Change My Life (Alternate Version) (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  6. Reconsider Me (Monitor Mix) (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)

SONGS FOR SOUNDTRACKS…PLUS

  1. Where Has Everybody Gone (from The Living Daylights) (Warner Bros. LP 25616-1, 1987)
  2. If There Was A Man (from The Living Daylights) (Warner Bros. LP 25616-1. 1987)
  3. Windows Of The World (from 1969) (Polydor single PRE-69, 1988)
  4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (from A Very Special Christmas Volume One, A&M SP 3911, 1987)

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. Don’t Get Me Wrong
  2. Hymn To Her
  3. My Baby

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. Don’t Get Me Wrong (Wogan, October 1986)
  2. Don’t Get Me Wrong (TOTP, October 1986)

The Pretenders, Packed! (Sire 26219, 1990) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD

  1. Never Do That
  2. Let’s Make A Pact
  3. Millionaires
  4. May This Be Love
  5. No Guarantee
  6. When Will I See You?
  7. Sense Of Purpose
  8. Downtown (Akron)
  9. How Do I Miss You?
  10. Hold A Candle To This
  11. Criminal

B-SIDES

  1. Not A Second Time (WEA single YZ 469, 1990)
  2. Spirit Of Life (WEA single YZ 469, 1990)

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. Never Do That
  2. Sense Of Purpose

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. Never Do That (Wogan, June 1990)
  2. Millionaires (The Late Show, June 1990)
  3. Criminal (The Late Show, June 1990)

The Pretenders, Last of the Independents (Sire 45572-2, 1994) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

  1. Hollywood Perfume
  2. Night In My Veins
  3. Money Talk
  4. 977
  5. Revolution
  6. All My Dreams
  7. I’ll Stand By You
  8. I’m A Mother
  9. Tequila
  10. Every Mother’s Son
  11. Rebel Rock Me
  12. Love Colours
  13. Forever Young

CD 2

B-SIDES…PLUS

  1. Angel Of The Morning (from Friends) (Reprise 46008, 1995)
  2. Bold As Love (from Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Reprise 45438, 1993)
  3. Hollywood Perfume (Live)
  4. Kid (Live)
  5. I’ll Stand By You (Live)
  6. Back On The Chain Gang (Live)
  7. Night In My Veins (Live)
  8. Precious (Live)

BONUS TRACKS

  1. Angel Of The Morning (Original Version) (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  2. Every Mother’s Son (Demo) (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)

SONGS FOR SOUNDTRACKS

  1. I’m Not In Love (from Indecent Proposal) (MCA Records MCAD 10795, 1993)
  2. Every Day Is Like Sunday (from Boys On The Side) (Arista 07822-18748-2, 1995)

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. I’ll Stand By You
  2. Night In My Veins

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. I’ll Stand By You (TOTP, April 1994)
  2. Night In My Veins (Later, May 1994)
  3. 977 (Later, May 1994)
  4. Hollywood Perfume (Later, May 1994)
  5. Night In My Veins (TOTP, July 1994)
  6. Don’t Get Me Wrong (Danny Baker Show, October 1994)
  7. 977 (Danny Baker Show, October 1994)

The Pretenders, The Isle of View (Sire 46085-2, 1995) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD

  1. Sense of Purpose
  2. Chill Factor
  3. Private Life
  4. Back on the Chain Gang
  5. Kid
  6. I Hurt You
  7. Criminal
  8. Brass In Pocket
  9. 2000 Miles
  10. Hymn To Her
  11. Lovers Of Today
  12. The Phone Call
  13. I Go To Sleep
  14. Revolution
  15. The Isle of View

B-SIDES

  1. Creep (WEA014CD, 1995)
  2. Happy Christmas (WEA024CD, 1995)
  3. Night In My Veins (WEA024CD, 1995)
  4. Tequila (WEA024CD, 1995)

DVD

  1. Sense of Purpose
  2. Chill Factor
  3. I Hurt You
  4. Back on the Chain Gang
  5. Thumbelina
  6. Kid
  7. Private Life
  8. Creep
  9. Criminal
  10. Brass In Pocket
  11. 2000 Miles
  12. Hymn To Her
  13. Blue Sun
  14. Lovers of Today
  15. The Phone Call
  16. I Go To Sleep
  17. Revolution
  18. Night In My Veins

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. Kid (TOTP, September 1995)
  2. Criminal (Pebble Mill, November 1995)
  3. 2000 Miles (Pebble Mill, November 1995)

The Pretenders, Viva El Amor! (Warner Bros. 47342-2, 1999) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

  1. Popstar
  2. Human
  3. From The Heart Down
  4. Nails In The Road
  5. Who’s Who
  6. Dragway 42
  7. Baby’s Breath
  8. One More Time
  9. Legalise Me
  10. Samurai
  11. Rabo De Nube
  12. Biker

CD 2

B-SIDES

  1. The Homecoming (Street Version)
  2. Human (Class Mix) (WEA single 207CD, 1999)
  3. The Needle and the Damage Done (WEA single 219, 1999)
  4. Samurai (Street Mix)

BONUS TRACKS

  1. Back Down (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  2. California (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)
  3. From The Heart Down (Alternate Version) (first issued on Pirate Radio, Rhino R2 73270, 2006)

SONGS FOR SOUNDTRACKS

  1. Goin’ Back (from Fever Pitch) (Blanco y Negro NEG104CD, 1997)
  2. Goodbye (from G.I. Jane) (Hollywood Records HR 62109-2, 1997)
  3. The Homecoming (from G.I. Jane) (Hollywood Records HR 62109-2, 1997)

DVD

PROMO VIDEOS

  1. Human
  2. Popstar

BBC-TV APPEARANCES

  1. From The Heart Down (Later, May 1999)
  2. Human (Later, May 1999)
  3. Talk Of The Town (Songwriters’ Circle, July 1999)
  4. Kid (Songwriters’ Circle, July 1999)
  5. Back On The Chain Gang (Songwriters’ Circle, July 1999)

Pretenders Box

Pretenders 1979-1999 box set contains all of the above albums:

Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. 

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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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Comments

  1. The question here is only about the remastering.
    Is Edsel going to mess it up hugely, the sort Robert-Palmer-legacy-busting treatment, by releasing compressed CDs handed them by someone at Warner, or are they going to do it right this time?
    At least let's hope they state who is remastering it, and from what source, in the liner notes...
    Any insight on the subject would be appreciated, thanks

    Reply

  5. The Amazon US pages for the all-album package, as well as for the individual albums, are now up. The shocking thing is that the retail price of the UK releases (in US dollars) is *half* that of the US releases.

    Is this just a repackaging of the 2006 reissues, with the addition of some soundtrack and compilation cuts (but not all -- where is "Loving You Is All I Know"?) as well as the DVD content?

    Reply

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