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Notes: More Shakespeare: the album is commonly subtitled "it falleth like the gentle rain from heaven".
An interesting posthumous (or so they thought) set of oddities, live tracks, and crusty leftovers
from the Virgin, Red Rhino, and CNT years. Several excellent tunes here (I'm partial to "Letter's in the Post",
"The Building", and "He Beat Up His Boyfriend"), but a bit rough in spots. Compare the beatbox version of
"Trouble Down South" here with the fuller workup on Fear and Whiskey. Entertaining
liner notes by Lester Bangs and equally entertaining drunken recitations of their
Virgin contract.
The CD reissue ("from original master tapes" and limited to 2000 copies) contains
the complete, once-lost version of "Byron", which was "replaced by an inferior demo
on the original release". According to notes in the Feel Good reissue, "its inclusion here makes
this version of 'the mekons story' the one originally envisioned by the band". But rumors about the
reissue persist. I have heard that several songs on the
master tapes were mechanically edited during production of the They Shall Not Pass CD
on CNT and never restored. Consequently, the CNT CD was used as the master for "Fight The Cuts" and
"This Sporting Life". Masters for "Byron", however, were missing. So, next best thing, the cut was remade
on the spot with old work tape or a reconstructed backing track. Sally phoned in her vocal.
Lineup: Ros Allen, Pete Barker, Adrian Collins, Dean Crindau, Boss
Davies, Ken Giles, Tom Greenhalgh, Paul Griffiths, Mary Jenner, Jon
Langford, Kevin Lycett, Kenny Moore, Brendan Peacock, Andy Ridgers, Andy
Sharpe, Piers Story, Sally Timms, Mark White, Mick Wixey.
Updated September 16, 2002
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