Numb Tracklisting

[One of the crowd]

So what do you want or suggest?

Five points spring immediately to mind:

• DVD instead of 7" to offer more digital quality tracks
• Replace West End girls* with exclusive B side
• Replace BYT** with exclusive B side
• Unless Numb demo is radically different, replace with exclusive B side
• Offset lack of Numb mixes with new Psychological mix

* This will be available on Concert and is a waste of space.

** This should have been released on a fanclub CD due to the leak, thus clearing the way for a brand new exclusive B side. As it is there are several Fundamental era recordings that will not see the light of day - at least for another three years between albums and by then they will no doubt be replaced by more modern recordings.

i cannot remember the last time we got a decent remix of anything

I liked some of the Minimal and Drunk mixes but otherwise there hasn't been anything worthwhile for a decade. Jesus!

We also need to remember that you cannot expect them to release new stuff all the time.

Why not?

Just a couple of points.

1. FORGET all about CD1. For me, this contains two promotional tools. One is the version of Numb punters will hear, hopefully, on the radio etc. Two is a track to promote the Concert CD. West End girls is by far their most recognisable track from the live CD.

2. The Maxi CD contains 2 unreleased tracks. OK, BYT leaked years ago but doesnt everything leak prior to release these days? Im really looking forward to hearing this in HQ.

3. This Maxi CD also contains the video for Numb. Considering my DVD single of Minimal is littered with faults and it appears that there were distribution problems with the Minimal DVD - I think this is something they dont want to repeat with Numb.

4. I think the demo does alter from the release. Didnt it sample Moments In Love or something?

5. The unreleased tracks from the Fundamental sessions maybe of sub PSB standard and they may be saving these for a Fan Club CD or Anthology or leak!!

6. I think the mix of Psychological is that good that its obviously aimed at the club DJs etc so why not release on 12"? Plus there maybe a remix of Numb on the 12" that is shit that would have taken a slot on a CD which everyone would have whinged and said why not replace that shit mix with an additional track?

N&C/EMI arent going to please everybody!!!!!

Rant over!!!

[patrick]

I think the mix of Psychological is that good that its obviously aimed at the club DJs etc so why not release on 12"?

Because this is the 21st century and most of us don't have antiquated rubbish lying about to spin records that aren't going to sound as good as a CD anyway. But if the PSB wants to support piracy by failing to release every track on CD then by all means let them keep doing so. I'll download the mix for free.

N&C/EMI arent going to please everybody!!!!!

Not being able to please everybody doesn't justify appalling track listings.

[One of the crowd]

Because this is the 21st century and most of us don't have antiquated rubbish lying about to spin records that aren't going to sound as good as a CD anyway.

#1 Dont EVER let Ramzy see this comment

#2 Nothing beats getting the 12" out and giving it a good spin!

[Undertaker]

• DVD instead of 7" to offer more digital quality tracks

I've noticed a lot of people complaining that tracks are being put on a DVD. Like OOTC said, you cannot please everyone.

• Replace West End girls* with exclusive B side

They cannot keep releasing so many new tracks just to please us lot. They need to sell this single to the general public. They would be more interested in West End girls, rather than a B side that wouldn't interest them one bit.

•• Replace BYT** with exclusive B side

BYT is one hell of a record and deserves a release. Just because it leaked some time ago, not everyone has it and nobody has a top quality recording.

Patrick, i understand your points but e have had a new album, some new B-sides, and the Fundamentalism cd. Most of which are top notch. I think you are expecting a bit too much for PSB to release so much good stuff in the space of 4 months. The unreleased tracks might be sub standard anyway.

* This will be available on Concert and is a waste of space.

The concert is probably for us, the fanbase. West End girls will be aimed at the ordinary public. An added incentive to buy the single. It might work, it might not.

We also need to remember that you cannot expect them to release new stuff all the time.
Why not?

However good they may be, they wont have an endless conveyor belt of top songs. This is why it takes at least a few years to write an album.

Dave

[TheGardner]

should be the correct tracklisting in my eyes!

The Pearson mix will be on a 12" promo vinyl and isn't listed as same as the other (Minimal, Stupid) 12inches also wasn't listed at all.

We'll get another "Remix Promo CD" of Numb soon - I'm sure the Pearson mix is included there also!

[E-Mail Vampire]

So what do you want or suggest?

Dave

CD 1 (2 Track)

1. Numb (Radio Edit)
2. Ring Road (Exclusive Recording)

CD 2 (Maxi)

1. Numb (Album Version)
2. Party Song
3. The Former Enfant Terrible
4. China
5. Numb (Video)

7"

Side A

Numb (Radio Edit)
Fugitive (7" Version)

Side B

Numb (PSB Extended Mix)
Psychological (Mix)

Download Package

Numb (Radio Edit)
Numb (Demo Version)
Ring Road
Party Song
Fugitive (7" Version)
Psychological (Mix)

[patrick]

I've noticed a lot of people complaining that tracks are being put on a DVD.

Sure. Putting audio tracks on DVD blows. The only thing more inept is restricting them to vinyl.

They cannot keep releasing so many new tracks just to please us lot.

I don't know why you say this. It's difficult to think of too many previous single releases that featured old or album tracks (which is what this West End girls version will be once Concert is released).

BYT is one hell of a record and deserves a release.

I agree. But in my opinion it should have come out a few years' back through a fanclub CD of the kind that Saint Etienne pumps out every now and again. Why? Because the fanbase already has a copy of the track and so putting it on a commercial release lowers the perceived value. It's basically the same issue confronting West End girls on the other disc though slightly improved due to the song being officially unavailable.

I think you are expecting a bit too much for PSB to release so much good stuff in the space of 4 months.

I disagree. I think the PSB reap what they sow as a commercial enterprise and by pursuing these foolhardy tracklistings they are doing themselves real damage. Look no further than Minimal to see the effects. Numb could well be the second single to miss the Top 20 and a large part of that could well be the continuing attrition of fandom generated by unenthusiastic tracklistings. When the promos are more interesting than the actual commercial releases you know there's a serious disconnect somewhere.

However good they may be, they wont have an endless conveyor belt of top songs. This is why it takes at least a few years to write an album.

I disagree. We hear time and again that they record in short bursts and never spend all three years recording. They could pop out an album every year or two if they wanted but instead they prefer not to. This is fair enough but it does impact the argument that they need time to craft songs. We also know there are several unreleased tracks lying around that nobody has heard so it's not as if there isn't enough new material to go around.

[Lleonard Pler]

I don't think that the BYT that they will release will be exactly the same as the one that leaked. I'm sure it will feature less references to the movie.

I hope that the Numb radio version will enhance the song, just like the Flamboyant radio mix did.

[DominoDancing]

That they're not recording all the time does not mean that they aren't writing all the time.
Apart from that I wish people would stop complaining about BYT. I still haven't heard it. The Maxi CD contains a new song, an unreleased song and a demo (which is something I'm always interested in, perhaps because I'm a musician myself), so I'm happy with it.

[daveid]

"I hope that the Numb radio version will enhance the song, just like the Flamboyant radio mix did."

Actually I think the PopArt version is much better. The single mix sounds castrated.

[Janet Street-Porter]

I agree that the West End girls live track is the b-side because of Concert - after all Numb is being released to promote that. They are also hamstrung by the crazy chart regulations which really need to be legally challenged. Are there restrictions on how many eggs I can buy or how big they are?

I also think we look at things through rose-tinted glasses. For example, It's alright had two brilliant b-sides but was also the only single they released that year. Jealousy was the fourth single from Behaviour and had their version of a Liza song as a b-side much as Minimal had the Elton track. Yes, Minimal was the second single but the extra tracks on I'm with Stupid and Fundamentalism probably even it out comparatively speaking.

[patrick]

the extra tracks on I'm with Stupid and Fundamentalism probably even it out comparatively speaking

This is a good point - Fundamentalism is the saving grace in terms of extra tracks for this era. Without taking it or the remix promos (which obviously don't count) into consideration the singles look very bleak indeed. Which might of course have something to do with their sales performance...

[!]

The Pearson mix will be on a 12" promo vinyl and isn't listed as same as the other (Minimal, Stupid) 12inches also wasn't listed at all.

I don't think it'll be a promo, it'll be an official/commercial Psychological 12".
Depeche Mode (using DM again o_O) did this when Suffer Well came out. They commissioned a remix of The Darkest Star and released it on an official/commercial 12" vinyl.
http://www.discogs.com/release/664911

Of course, it was released on promos aswell!
http://www.discogs.com/release/623401 - 12" promo
http://www.discogs.com/release/638240 - CD promo

Besides, using your examples, it wouldn't make any sense for the official site to mention something if it's just going to be promo only.

[TeCHno PoP]

For me, this would be the perfect:

CD
01. Numb
02. Party Song

DVD
01. Psychological (Ewan Pearson)
02. Bright Young Things
03. Numb (video)

I think it won't be a Maxi-CD, cos Numb has't got remixes. And I think it would be needless. 2 format would be perfect for me.

[E-Mail Vampire]

Why bother releasing it on two faily redudndant formats of a 7 " and 12 "