[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IT&hl=it&v=ZZEGHnAxEpo]

Predicting the future is a tough game. While the above video - a possibly-not-entirely-live performance by Howard Jones, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby and Stevie Wonder at the 1985 Grammys - probably looked like the future of music some 25 years ago, it seems a little, shall we say, overdone in hindsight.

But nobody will ever stop predicting the future - certainly not here at The Second Disc, where (ideally) every day brings forth some more reissues for fans to look into. For instance, consider the post-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame free association that led to this post. There's a good argument that Howard Jones' "No One is to Blame," the single version of which was produced by Phil Collins, is a high point in both musicians' careers. But Jones has had a long, interesting career that has justified the claim that he's one of best synthpop artists there ever was.

And don't take this post as proof - as the finishing touches were made, this author discovered that Jones himself has been at work on compiling deluxe editions of his early material for Warner Bros. Clearly the demand for such product is there. While Jones is certainly doing a good job of turning over every stone in his discography, I suppose it won't hurt to try to predict the future once more and speculate on what a reissue of Dream Into Action, one of his best works, would look like. Things can only get better after the jump!

Howard Jones - Dream Into Action (WEA WX15 (U.K.)/Elektra 60390-1(U.S.), 1985)

Disc 1: Original LP, B-sides and other versions

1. Things Can Only Get Better
2. Life in One Day
3. No One is to Blame
4. Dream Into Action
5. Like to Get to Know You Well
6. Assault and Battery
7. Look Mama
8. Bounce Right Back
9. Elegy
10. Is There a Difference?
11. Automaton
12. Hunger for the Flesh
13. Specialty (from Action Replay U.S. EP - Elektra 9 60466-1-Y, 1986)
14. Why Look for the Key? (7" B-side to "Things Can Only Get Better" - WEA HOW 6, 1985)
15. You Jazzy Nork! (12" B-side to "Things Can Only Get Better" - WEA HOW 6T, 1985)
16. Learning How to Love (7" B-side to "Look Mama" - WEA HOW 7, 1985)
17. Boom Bap Respite (7" B-side to "Life in One Day" - WEA HOW 8, 1985)
18. The Chase (7" B-side to "No One is to Blame" - WEA HOW 9, 1986)
19. No One is to Blame (Single Version) (7" A-side - WEA HOW 9, 1986)
20. Like to Get to Know You Well (Alternate Version) (from Sometimes a Great Notion compilation - Swing the Cat TOPCAT 1, 1984)

Disc 2: Remixes

1. Like to Get to Know You Well (International Remix) (12" A-side - WEA HOW 5T, 1984)
2. Bounce Right Back (Cause + Effect Mix) (12" B-side to "Like to Get to Know You Well" - WEA HOW 5T, 1984)
3. Things Can Only Get Better (Extended Mix) (12" A-side - WEA HOW 6T, 1985)
4. Look Mama (Extended Mix) (12" A-side - WEA HOW 7T, 1985)
5. Look Mama (Megamamamix) (12" A-side - WEA HOW 7TE, 1985)
6. Life in One Day (Part One) (12" A-side - WEA HOW 8T, 1985)
7. Life in One Day (Part Two) (12" B-side - WEA HOW 8T, 1985)
8. No One is to Blame (Extended Mix) (12" A-side - WEA HOW 9T, 1986)
9. No One is to Blame (The Long Mix) (12" B-side - WEA HOW 9T, 1986)

Disc 3: Live Material

1. Dream Into Action (Live at the Manchester Apollo 3/15/1985) (12" B-side to "Look Mama" - WEA HOW 7T, 1985)
2. Always Asking Questions (Live at the Manchester Apollo) (double 7" A-side to "Life in One Day" - WEA HOW 8F, 1985)
3. New Song (Live at the Manchester Apollo) (double 7" B-side to "Life in One Day" - WEA HOW 8F, 1985)
4. Look Mama (Live at Red Rocks 6/12/1985) (Fan-club 7" A-side - WEA RISK 3, 1986)
5. Life in One Day (Live at Red Rocks 6/12/1985) (Fan-club 7" B-side - WEA RISK 3, 1986)