Virgin Prunes :

its getting closer,oh september

Is this the version with Guggi's vox? Just 6 weeks to go!

What will remain from the original album at last ?

I think my favourite album...
September 's getting closer....
(*^-^*)

Did they get rid of the track "Don't Look Back," or have they changed the title to "Tortured Heart" (a title I'm unfamiliar with)?

"Let's all sing of the Tortured Heart" is a kind of alternative title for "Don't look back" - see back cover of the 12" or lyrics to that song - so "Tortured Heart" is probably a different version of the track (with Guggi's vocals I guess).

So now that it's out, what do people think of the new reissue? This was the first one that I've gotten, and I'm torn. The remastering sounds great, much fuller than the old CD version, but I'm not thrilled with some of the changes to the music.

In particular, I don't understand the thought behind the new longer version of "Love Lasts Forever". The old version was perfect in every way, one of my favorite Virgin Prunes songs (which I frequently play when DJing). This new version, at nearly twice the length, is bloated and beats the song into the ground. If I played this at a club, I'd almost certainly have a clear dance floor by halfway through (not that this is necessarily a good indicator of the merit of a song, but still). This new version would have made a great bonus track to stick at the end of the disc, but it's a real shame that the shorter version has been lost. Perhaps if there's another rarities disc or something later it could be included?

I particularly don't understand this change as it appears that the (even longer) single version was attached onto the Over the Rainbow CD. Do we really need multiple extended mixes?

I haven't sat down and done a side-by-side comparison of all of the songs yet, so I'm sure there are other more subtle changes that I haven't picked out. I haven't decided what I think of the change between "Don't Look Back" and "Tortured Heart" yet -- the vocals don't seem to have changed as was predicted, but it is 30 seconds shorter now.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I've got the new version (especially for the three new tracks, which are great additions to the album). But I won't be getting rid of my old disc anytime soon. Were there drastic changes like this made to the other discs?

Matt, you may want to read our three part interview with Gavin in which he explains exactly why this version of Love Lasts Forever is used and what's different about the other CDs.

All well and good, but I still think losing the shorter version (or relegating it to the largely unavailable promo, anyway) was a big mistake. Fine, make *it* the "bonus track" if you must, but don't take away the version that we've all grown to know and love over the years and expect us to be happy with it. I still say this version is too long, and spends too much time going nowhere (that extended bass and guitar noise section just needs to go).

Then again, I'm not one of those doting fans that says that the artist always knows what's best for their own work, especially not years after the fact. Gavin may not remember the reason for the change, but there almost certainly was a reason at the time.

It's just like the changes that George Lucas made to Star Wars . . . Sure, the changes might bring it closer to what he'd had in mind at the time, or might better fit his vision now of what the work should have been. That doesn't mean they're a good thing.

This must be the first time someone's ever compared Gavin Friday with George Lucas.

And yet I'll bet it got my point across, whether you agree or not.

I think you undermined your argument by setting yourself apart from 'doting' fans.

What? I'm setting myself apart from those fans that fall back on the "Gavin says it's right, therefore it must be right" argument, the ones who won't criticize any decision he makes. It seems to me that the Virgin Prunes have always been about thinking for yourself (in fact, Gavin essentially says so in the interview, "I like and always encourage people to think what they want"). I would hope that the last thing Gavin would want would be for everyone to follow a party line.

So when you come back to me and say "see the interview where Gavin says . . . ", my response is "so what?" I still think it was the wrong decision, but it's too late now. I can only hope that if and when we see another disc (a rarities compilation, a best of, or whatever) that the situation will be rectified and the original album version of the song (which, to avoid unnecessary semantic arguments, the shorter version was, as it was the version originally released on the album) will be released.

I pointed you towards the interview because the questions you asked made it seem like you hadn't read it. I thought it might clear things up. I'm sorry if I misunderstood.

Personally, I find some of the changes confusing and some of the artwork is not how I would have gone about it. But I also know the amount of blood, sweat and tears that went into this re-release.

This isn't some knock off re-issue like the tripe Cleopatra have come out with in recent years. Sticking the Sons Find Devil's audio track on a CD with a skull on the sleeve? *That's* pissing on the band's grave, if you ask me. The Mute re-release is four years in the making. I think it is top notch and the music quite literally sounds better than ever.

To see these CDs on the racks in HMV in Dublin was a very proud moment. It's vindication. The band's getting the recognition it deserves. I'd celebrate that. So the CDs don't cater to each and every fan's individual needs. I'd say 'So what?' to that.

I recognise and respect Gavin's integrity as an artist and I don't think I know or love his work better than he does. I know how much he cares about the band's legacy. You are as everybody else entitled to your opinion, but being pleased with this re-release really doesn't equal being a 'doting fan'.

hiya matt. the single mix of "love lasts forver" that you want is indeed on "over the rainbow". it's the single mix but the reason the time of the track is 11 mins is because there's a secret track after a bit of silence. hope that satisfies ya. swimming in vodka---ed