From a recent online interview:

I SUSPECT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF CONTROL OVER WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR 80S CATALOGUE, BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING YOUR EARLY ALBUMS REISSUED ON CD PERHAPS WITH BONUS TRACKS? I BELIEVE THERE'S ALSO QUITE A LOT OF ORIGINAL 12" REMIXES, B-SIDES AND SO ON THAT HAVEN'T MADE IT ONTO CD YET...

We are just finishing negotiations with Warner Bros. to license my albums back off them. So when that is sorted we plan to reissue everything!


WHAT HAVE YOU GOT COMING UP ONCE THE ALBUM IS OUT AND THE THREE UK DATES ARE OUT OF THE WAY?
I can't think that far ahead at the moment. I've got loads of ideas to do with the re-release of the Warners albums. I want to write a bunch of songs for the HJ big band for the Summer outdoor shows. Loads of things!

Does anyone have any suggestions for items that might be included with any re-issues of the back catalogue?

I'll start the bidding with the White Tape, more tracks from the concert from which the live Hunt the Self and What Can I Say were lifted for the What is Love 12" and limited edition give away single and the concert recorded at the Paris Theatre in 1983.

Best, Paul

The kind of reissues I would like to see are 2CD issues of all the albums similiar to what Demon Music Group did with the Thompson Twins, or like what EMI have done with Ultravox. So each individual reissue contains all the b-sides, live tracks and remixes relating to the singles taken from that album.

Also I would like to see DVDs, either a box set of all live ones together or individual 2 disc sets of CD+DVD of each title eg. "Like To Get To Know You Well (High Wycombe Town Hall)" would contist of a DVD of the original concert film, and a CD of the concert. Of course there's unreleased Cross That Line Tour video as well.

An unpopular suggestion maybe for a best of, but however I'm thinking of a straight forward singles collection with the addition of a DVD with all the promo videos on it, this would be similiar to EMI's Thomas Dolby "The Singular Thomas Dolby" and the Ultravox "The Very Best Of" releases.

The good thing if these sort of reissues are done, it creates a new appreciation of Howard's earlier material - you can see how it's worked for acts like Thomas Dolby and Ultravox. It helps bring in new fans or those more casual fans who just want the material they remember from the singles and albums, and it helps out those who don't want to end up spending a fortune on ebay.

The Paris Theatre concert would probably not get released as it is owned by the BBC. Dtox would have to do a licensing deal with them - which I hope they could do that at some point in the future. I know nearly 10 years ago they tried to negotiate a deal with the BBC so that they could release them, but it fell through. I would like to hear all those old BBC Radio One In Concerts and Radio Sessions, it would also be nice to have a DVD of the Manchester Apollo show along with his Old Grey Whistle Test appearences.

I have my fingers crossed that the 12" album is reissued. I still have my vinyl album but my CD got damaged some years back and, other than by paying the ridiculous prices they make on ebay, I haven't had the chance to replace it.

I too hope they emulate the Thompson Twins double CD releases and max out the CDs with mixes and B-sides and more. As long as it's not just the album is ok really

Hello everyone,

just to let you all know that I will be looking after the reissues project with Howard and I am keeping an eye on this thread to see what you would all like.

Its going to be a massive task choosing the right material for each album, and as always we will be restricted to space available on the 2nd CD. (As I was with the B Sides CD on The Very Best Of)

Im sure you would all like to hear tracks that didn't make it on to the album and different versions of songs, and not hear stuff that is otherwise available So I will do my very best to make these re issues as comprehensive as possible.

I dont think we are getting the license for any video / DVD, its just audi as far as I am aware.
As for time schedules - its all very much in the planning stages at the moment - we are waiting on Warners to agree to this that and the other, which always takes time - so hopefully once the legal stuff is out of the way, I will be able to bring you more information as it becomes available.


Cheers for now

Glenn Kelly

Perhaps a seperate remix compilation as a double CD (or even a triple CD set), this will allow more space for other tracks on the individual album bonus CDs. As long as pretty much everything that was originally released on the singles such as b-sides, live tracks and remixes are contained between all these reissues - I'll be happy. Anything else extra (ie. demos and unreleased material) is an added bonus.

Obviously I know there maybe the odd track that can't be included, like "No One Is To Blame" (The Long Mix) as this is owned by the BBC.

I'm sure I'll think of more ideas over time!

Daneil

Are the albums going to be remastered? I have pretty much every record Howard has released, including things like the Japanes Angels and Lovers album. In order for me to buy the albums again either the sound quality needs to be up to today's standards or some sort of added value needs to be included: such as live tracks already mentioned. I think this is a fantastic opportunity and I would love to see Howard promoting the hell out of it!! Really, really looking forward to this development!

Also, as far as the remixes are concerned, I hope we finally get the full length versions of Pearl In The Shell (Extended Remix) at nearly 9 minutes and Total Conditioning at 8 minutes and LTGTKYW (International Remix) as separate tracks in addition to them being sequenced into each other on The 12 Inch Album, also all of those Powerhouse mixes would be nice.

I also like see all of the artwork faithfully reproduced, it'll be nice to see the Human's Lib cover back to it's original vinyl sized proportions with the writing back to it's orginal size. I would preferably like to see them packaged in standard jewel cases (maybe with outer slip cards to identify them as reissues), not fiddly card digipaks.

I think the CD booklets should have extensive sleeve notes with comments from Howard, and with the Human's Lib and Dream Into Action reissues perhaps comments from both Stephen W. Tayler and Rupert Hine on the making of the albums.

Another idea I have is for any tracks that are not suitable for the reissues, that are lower quality sound or can't fit on the reissues - Some extra downloads could be made available only to mailing list subscribers or forum members only - This is similiar to what Thomas Dolby recently did with his "Golden Age Of Wireless" and "The Flat Earth" reissues. This is also a good way of bringing new fans to the website.

Daneil

Personally I'm after filling those gaps in the current CD catalogue. That means the extended mixes including the various versions of Look Mama (at least three remixes I can think of), missing B sides such as the original version of Conditioning and acoustic version of Will You Still be There?, bonus disc material such as the live version of What Can I Say and orchestral version of Hunger For The Flesh and perhaps even the Risk fan club singles if capacity allows. Then if we start to get really picky there's Don't Be Part Of It from the PETA album (I already have it but many won't), Life In One Day with Afrodiziac from the Comic Relief album and Hide And Seek from Live Aid but I guess all of those will have separate licencing issues.

I imagine the biggest squeeze on space would be for the Dream Into Action disc as there's a lot of material derived from that album that's yet to appear on anything other than vinyl. I can say without question I'll be buying the lot but for me the most prized of all would be the extended version of Hide And Seek. Oh, to once more have a copy free of hiss and crackle!