The U.K. Caroline label will bring together the first five albums by art-punk act The Tubes in one collection next month.
The A&M Years features all the long-players recorded by the quirky San Francisco group, founded by vocalist Fee Waybill, guitarists Bill Spooner and Roger Steen, keyboardists Vince Welnick and Michael Cotten, bassist Rick Anderson and drummer Prairie Prince. Known for their off-the-wall stage shows (many directed by future choreographer to the stars/High School Musical director Kenny Ortega) and biting lyrics, The Tubes had minor hits on A&M in the U.S. ("Don't Touch Me There") and the U.K. ("White Punks On Dope"). They also attracted top-shelf talent behind the scenes: producers included Al Kooper (1975's self-titled debut), Ken Scott (follow-up Young and Rich (1976)) and Todd Rundgren (1979's ambitious Remote Control), with David Paich of Toto and Jack Nitzsche offering arrangements on Young and Rich. (The band would ultimately be dropped by the label during the 1980s, after which they signed to Capitol, recording two albums with David Foster and enjoying their biggest hits in "Talk to Ya Later" and the Top 10 "She's a Beauty.")
This five-disc box set includes all four studio albums from this period plus 1978's What Do You Want From Live. As an added bonus, three bonus tracks--a live cover of "Love Will Keep Us Together," a single version of "White Punks On Dope," and the track "Drivin' All Night" from the band's unreleased last album for A&M, Suffer For Sound--are included across the discs. (These three tracks were all issued on the compilation T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits) in 1981.)
The A&M Years will be available on August 11 and can be pre-ordered below.
The A&M Years (Caroline (U.K.), 2017) (Amazon U.K.)
Disc 1: The Tubes (originally released as A&M Records SP-4534, 1975)
- Up From The Deep
- Haloes
- Space Baby
- Malaguena Salerosa
- Mondo Bondage
- What Do You Want From Life
- Boy Crazy
- White Punks On Dope
Disc 2: Young and Rich (originally released as A&M Records SP-4580, 1976)
- Tubes World Tour
- Brighter Day
- Pimp
- Stand Up and Shout
- Don't Touch Me There
- Slipped My Disco
- Proud To Be An American
- Poland Whole/Madam I'm Adam
- Young and Rich
- Love Will Keep Us Together (Live) (from T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits) - A&M Records SP-4870, 1981)
Disc 3: Now (originally released as A&M Records SP-4632, 1977)
- Smoke (La Vie En Fumer)
- Hit Parade
- Strung Out On Strings
- Golden Boy
- My Head Is My House Unless It Rains
- God-Bird-Change
- I'm Just a Mess
- Cathy's Clone
- This Town
- Pound of Flesh
- You're No Fun
Disc 4: What Do You Want From Live (originally released as A&M Records SP-6003, 1978)
- Overture
- Got Yourself a Deal
- Show Me a Reason
- What Do You Want From Life
- God-Bird-Change
- Special Ballet
- Don't Touch Me There
- Mondo Bondage
- Smoke (La Vie En Fumer)
- Crime Medley
- I Was a Punk Before You Were a Punk
- I Saw Her Standing There
- Drum Solo
- Boy Crazy
- You're No Fun
- Stand Up and Shout
- White Punks On Dope
Disc 5: Remote Control (originally released as A&M Records SP-4571, 1979)
- Turn Me On
- TV Is King
- Prime Time
- I Want It All Now
- No Way Out
- Getoverture
- No Mercy
- Only the Strong Survive
- Be Mine Tonight
- Love's a Mystery (I Don't Understand)
- Telecide
- Drivin' All Night (from T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits) - A&M Records SP-4870, 1981)
- White Punks On Dope (Parts A & B) (from T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities and Smash Hits) - A&M Records SP-4870, 1981)
side3 says
Don't for get Vince Welnick on keyboards!
side3 says
errr..forget I mean...
Brian Curtis says
This is great (and I hope the source for "Now" is a good one). I'd love to see a decent version of "Love Bomb" as well - the two releases on CD (from BGO, and later from Cherry Red) leave a lot to be desired in audio quality when compared to the few tracks issued by Capitol on "The Best Of The Tubes." Iconoclassic's Tubes reissues have been routinely excellent.
Todd Evans says
Yes! We need a high quality Love Bomb release. Such an under-appreciated album.
Don says
Do we know yet if there will be a US release?
Louis Bova says
Are they being properly remasteted?...and by who?
Joe Marchese says
No mastering information is available as of this writing. If that information is released, we typically include it in our coverage.
Geff says
It's a shame they didn't add some true rarities like the Suffer For Sound album.
BillyD says
All of this is/was released on disc. Some are mastered quite nicely. Unless there is something really special I'll pass.