What's NOT on Deluxe 'My Aim Is True'--Good News?!

[The Walrus]

At the coffee shop--drinking my americano--I looked at my handy-dandy Elvis Costello composition notebook where I take notes and did some thinkin'...

After comparing the Ryko to the Rhino to the upcoming Universal Deluxe edition to the EXCELLANT 'MAIT' notes on the Rhino website...

http://www.geocities.com/ned3705/mait.html

...a couple of thoughts occured to me:

1. No 'Honky Tonk' demos?
2. No Flip City demo--"Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)"?

Then you couple that with what is new on the Deluxe 'MAIT'...

1. Bonus live 1977 concert + soundchecks. Nice. One very big reason to pick this reissue up.

2. The Pathways Studio demos. Now we're talking! Very exciting. Especially with the "Welcome to the Working Week" taste a-la the recent 'Rock and Roll Music' compilation.

*Soooooo I go the question, Why not the 'Honky Tonk' demos + "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver)"?

Then you consider the Rhino website notes...

First: You have to include the real, proper outtakes/era recordings as legit inclusions to the Deluxe set--"No Action", "Living In Paradise", "Radio Sweetheart", and "Stranger In the House". Makes sense. Granted, they've previously been included before--notably by Rhino.

Second: It also makes great sense to include the Pathway Studio demos because these especially represent true prep/demos for the official recording of Mr. Costello's first album. Moreso than the 'Honky Tonk' demos. Granted, a couple of those Honky Tonk songs did get recorded for 'MAIT'...

Third: Consider what's not been released officially:

*The Flip City demos: "Imagination (Is a Powerful Deciver)" [okay, this was released on both Ryko + Rhino], "Third Rate Romance", "Living In Paradise", "Radio Soul" (an early version of "Radio Radio"), "Pay It Back", "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", "Packin' Up", "Please Mister Don't Stop the Band", and "Exiles Road". There are multiple takes of some of these demos to choose from.

*More Flip City demos: "Baseball Heroes" (an early version of "Miracle Man"), "Wreck On the Slide", "On the Road", "You Win Again", and "Sweet Revival".

*And some demos that are of a similar sound and recording date to the 'Honky Tonk' demos: "Radio Sweetheart", "Living In Paradise", and "Radio Soul" (again, an early version of "Radio Radio").

**My conclusion? They have plans for these demos. They intend to release these demos, probably all together. There's good market potential, too. Along the lines of "The Birth of Elvis" or something like that.

To me, it makes sense all over the place. In this way, notably, you don't have to include excessive song repeats--like "Living In Paradise" and even more repeats if they had included Flip City + Honky Tonk demos on the Deluxe 'MAIT' edition...

Anyway, maybe this is just the coffee talking...who knows.

I hope, though, that I'm right. Actually, this is exactly what I'd do if in charge...

On a side note, it's a shame that once more the single mix of "Less Than Zero" has once again been passed over for a CD debut...

[martinfoyle]

I expect the same to happen. There are good quality recordings of Flip City BBC sessions floating around, remember a small snippet of one them popped up on the BBC documentary series in 1992, and there's a listenable enough live set around as well. So you can expect a package of some sort to surface sometime, whether just in a digital format only. Of course Elvis would have to sign off on making payments to the other musicians involved, that could be a sticking point. Maybe being a new Dad again might make him mellow out a bit and cough up, we'll see.

[verbal gymnastics]

...There are good quality recordings of Flip City BBC sessions floating around...and there's a listenable enough live set around as well.

Any more information about both of these Martin?

[martinfoyle]

http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB2 ... f=6&t=7537

[migdd]

Thanks, Martin, but can anybody convert this into mp3?

[martinfoyle]

[quote=
On a side note, it's a shame that once more the single mix of "Less Than Zero" has once again been passed over for a CD debut...[/quote]

Here ya go

http://tinyurl.com/9ocj7p

[charliestumpy]

Ta for that single LTZ - right now on Soulseek Sweet revival - Wreck on the slide - Baseball heroes are being legally shared.

[charliestumpy]

Baseball heroes:

http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTZrT ... QTJGa1E9PQ


Sweet revival:

http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTZrT ... a1hIRGc9PQ

Wreck on the slide:

http://www.yousendit.com/download/TTZrT ... V0JMWEE9PQ

[charliestumpy]

Disc 2 : Flip City Live At The Red Cow London Nov. 30, 1975

01 Don't Lie To Me http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637713456/6cc ... ce97ed1512

04 Before I Grow Too Old
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637713546/be3 ... 7ad01a4a1f

05 Bring It On Home To Me
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637713664/ba9 ... ea1d33683d

06 Another Saturday Night
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637713752/a66 ... efc7e16a9c

07 It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637713890/41b ... 7aff0eb907

09 I Love The Life I Live
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637714100/b26 ... 3a54e5210a

11 Gone Dead Train
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637714400/4a5 ... 1d1d209722

13 One More Heartache
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637714652/5b0 ... faaf368376

15 On The Road
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637714792/a58 ... 0f67a356c9

16 Flatfoot Hotel
http://rcpt.yousendit.com/637715022/806 ... 57c4a151da

Disc 2 : Flip City Live At The Red Cow London Nov. 30, 1975

01 Don't Lie To Me
02 Sweet Revival
03 You Win Again
04 Before I Grow Too Old
05 Bring It On Home To Me
06 Another Saturday Night
07 It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
08 Radio Soul
09 I Love The Life I Live
10 Third Rate Romance
11 Gone Dead Train
12 Pay It Back
13 One More Heartache
14 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)
15 On The Road
16 Flatfoot Hotel

Bonus track
The Howff, date unknown
17 Miracle Man

[migdd]

Many thanks for posting these!!!

[The imposter]

HOLY RED COW!

These are gold dust!

Happy New Year and thaks a lot for posting!

[Dr. Luther]

I'm baffled as to how Baseball Heroes has been labeled as an embryonic version of Miracle Man.
I don't see it, myself.

[Lester Burnham]

I'm baffled as to how Baseball Heroes has been labeled as an embryonic version of Miracle Man.
I don't see it, myself.

Me neither ... I was expecting some kind of "Miracle Man rhythm with new words", but if I hadn't been told they were early versions, I never would have guessed.

[And No Coffee Table]

Flip City's live version of "Miracle Man" reveals the link between "Baseball Heroes" and the "Miracle Man" we know and presumably love.

[johnfoyle]

John H posts to listserv-

These files are now available on Mediafire.

I fixed SBEs, added FLAC tags and made MD5 and FFP checksum files.

Flip City Demos 1974-1975
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=a8b5 ... 34e7565134

Flip City 1975-11-30 Red Cow, London
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=a8b5 ... 0a1ad48779

[charliestumpy]

Many thanks for your appreciated efforts/sharing of what we cannot buy.

Happy Hogmanay to all and thanks to Stewy for mp3s.

[The Walrus]

[quote=
On a side note, it's a shame that once more the single mix of "Less Than Zero" has once again been passed over for a CD debut...

Here ya go

http://tinyurl.com/9ocj7p[/quote]

Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Walrus]

I expect the same to happen. There are good quality recordings of Flip City BBC sessions floating around, remember a small snippet of one them popped up on the BBC documentary series in 1992, and there's a listenable enough live set around as well. So you can expect a package of some sort to surface sometime, whether just in a digital format only. Of course Elvis would have to sign off on making payments to the other musicians involved, that could be a sticking point. Maybe being a new Dad again might make him mellow out a bit and cough up, we'll see.

WOW. I blink my eyes for a second and BAM! Great stuff! Love the high quality Flip City!!!!!

That just leaves...

The demos that are of a similar sound to the 'Honky Tonk' demos: "Radio Sweetheart", "Living In Paradise", and "Radio Soul" (again, an early version of "Radio Radio").

PLUS! It'd be great to get the supposed demos of CALL ON ME, I HEAR A MELODY, and BLUE MINUTE. From the Rhino site:

Elvis recorded demos for these unreleased original compositions at Pathway Studios, probably in 1976. "Call On Me" includes a few lyrics which later appeared in "Lipstick Vogue" and "Moods For Moderns." "I Hear A Melody" made an unexpected return to Costello's concert repertoire in 2005, when he identified it as having been written in 1975 and based on Van Morrison's "You're My Woman."

[The Walrus]

I expect the same to happen. There are good quality recordings of Flip City BBC sessions floating around, remember a small snippet of one them popped up on the BBC documentary series in 1992, and there's a listenable enough live set around as well. So you can expect a package of some sort to surface sometime, whether just in a digital format only. Of course Elvis would have to sign off on making payments to the other musicians involved, that could be a sticking point. Maybe being a new Dad again might make him mellow out a bit and cough up, we'll see.

WOW. I blink my eyes for a second and BAM! Great stuff! Love the high quality Flip City!!!!!

That just leaves...

The demos that are of a similar sound to the 'Honky Tonk' demos: "Radio Sweetheart", "Living In Paradise", and "Radio Soul" (again, an early version of "Radio Radio").

PLUS! It'd be great to get the supposed demos of CALL ON ME, I HEAR A MELODY, and BLUE MINUTE. From the Rhino site:

Elvis recorded demos for these unreleased original compositions at Pathway Studios, probably in 1976. "Call On Me" includes a few lyrics which later appeared in "Lipstick Vogue" and "Moods For Moderns." "I Hear A Melody" made an unexpected return to Costello's concert repertoire in 2005, when he identified it as having been written in 1975 and based on Van Morrison's "You're My Woman."

OOPS! My mistake. "Call On Me" + "I Hear a Melody" + "Blue Minute" + others appeared on Universals' MAIT reissue...

But-but that does,again, still leaves...

"The demos that are of a similar sound to the Honky Tonk demos: 'Radio Sweetheart', 'Living In Paradise', and 'Radio Soul' (again, an early version of 'Radio Radio')."

Hope they surface!!!!!

[The imposter]

Does anyone have any further info on the recording details of these tracks. (John, Stumpy) I have the Flip City demos that were previously available and was wondering which of these were new to that collection. Some appear to be the same takes but have been mixed better and some of the studio chat has been cut out and fades applied

Exiles Road I have a 53 sec excerpt of this from The great unknown collection, but that must be a different take because it goes straight into the chorus after the 1st verse

Radio Soul This is different to both of the versions on Flip City Demos. With a slightly more calypso feel. Could this be the original demo.

Imagination Is A Powerful Deceiver There are 3 different takes of this on FC demos. Which one is this and which one was used on the Ryko MAIT To my ears it-s version 2 but I could be wrong.

Pay it Back This appears to be the same take as on FC demos, but the chat has been removed at the beginning and a fade applied at the end.

Radio Soul 2 This appears to be the same as version 2 on FC demos

Third Rate Romance I assume this is version 2 without piano, which is new to me.

Knocking On Heaven's Door This sounds better and fades at the end.

I'm Packing Up This sounds like an edit of version 2 on FC demos to me

Please Mister Don't Stop The Band again this sounds better and fades at the end.

The remaining 5 and the live set are completely new to me. Thanks again for sharing.

[charliestumpy]

... all info I accessed when receiving these tracks is:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elvis Costello - Flip City (1974-1975)


Disc 1 : Flip City Demos 1974-1975

BBC Maida Vale Summer 1974
01 Exiles Road (1)
02 Baseball Heroes (early version of Miracle Man)
03 Radio Soul (1) (early version of Radio Radio)

Hope & Anchor early 1975
04 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)
05 Pay It Back
06 Radio Soul (2)

Hope & Anchor late Spring 1975
07 Third Rate Romance
08 Knockin' On Heavens Door
09 Packin' Up
10 Please Mister, Dont Stop The Band
11 Exiles Road (2)
12 Wreck On The Slide
13 On the Road
14 You Win Again
15 Sweet Revival


Disc 2 : Flip City Live At The Red Cow London Nov. 30, 1975

01 Don't Lie To Me
02 Sweet Revival
03 You Win Again
04 Before I Grow Too Old
05 Bring It On Home To Me
06 Another Saturday Night
07 It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
08 Radio Soul
09 I Love The Life I Live
10 Third Rate Romance
11 Gone Dead Train
12 Pay It Back
13 One More Heartache
14 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)
15 On The Road
16 Flatfoot Hotel

Bonus track
The Howff, date unknown
17 Miracle Man


and I have not searched further ...