Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 21:36:44 -0000 From: Andrew Norman Subject: Re: Stereolab's switches On Thursday, March 19, 1998 3:48 PM, Joseph Burns [SMTP:jaburns@ASTRO.OCIS.TEMPLE.EDU] wrote: > Stereolab does not always compile their bsides on their 'Switched On' > releases. There have been tons of songs that have fallen through the > cracks. I can't think of all that many from before "Switched on 2" which aren't on the compilations, apart from those released on the "taken from the album" singles ("Jenny Ondioline", "Ping Pong" etc). The purpose of the first SO was to collect the three or four first singles, the second one mopped up various compilation tracks, split singles, limited vinyl releases and so on. I'd guess the third one will do the same, but there's a lot more stuff out there since SO2, so I wouldn't bet on "Simple Headphone Mind" being on it, for instance. And if Lars hasn't been picking up the CD singles, I'd go for "Jenny Ondioline" (because "French Disco" is better than any of the songs on the album), and "Wow and Flutter" (three great B-sides including three long extended parts of "Nihilist Assault Group"). > I personally buy everything Stereolab touches - partly because I > am a head over heels believer in their music, and partly because I am a > 'collector-scum' - but it is WELL worth it. There have been some great > songs/bsides that will probably never surface again. Even if they do, > Stereolab releases (especially 7" and cd singles) hold their value quite > nicely (ever see how much the Stereolab/Tortoise split 7" goes for these > days ?!) As I said, I don't think SHM will appear on the compilation (the two parts add up to about forty minutes), and it is great. I paid a lot for the recent "Iron Man" tour single and didn't regret that (partly because it had a bit more vim than the lacklustre D&L) but generally I won't pay over the odds for Stereolab - some of the rarities (the split with Fuxa for instance) aren't worth the money these days (I bought mine for 2-3 quid when it was released). The really silly thing about that single is that the next one in the series (The Azusa Plane and Juicy Eureka) was far, far better and I still see it occasionally in shops - the Stereolab/Fuxa one sells for 10-15 quid these days.