CHINA CRISIS
"One of the eighties best loved bands rose to fame with intelligent, melodic slices of post-punk pop "
CHINA CRISIS were under pressure from Virgin in summer 1982 to get an album out to capitalise on their profile from "African & White" being reissued and supporting SIMPLE MINDS on their "New Gold Dream" tour.
They had problems getting on with Steve Levine who was the original producer. Peter Walsh who was effectively house producer at Virgin (he did SIMPLE MINDS and SCOTT WALKER's albums in 1982) was brought in to polish up their then potential hits "No More Blue Horizons" and"Christian". So the second half of the album is effectively demos produced at Amazon which was owned by Jeremy Lewis, who originally signed them to his Inevitable label. Producer Gil Norton was just starting out...later he produced THE PIXIES.
CHINA CRISIS usually did their B-sides at the demo stage of the album and their instrumentals were to 'relax them' prior to the main songwriting process. This would explain why the sessions were recorded at Amazon although the more observant will notice two of their best B-sides "Performing Seals" and "Forever I & I" were recorded on a portastudio in Eddie Lundon's bedroom!!!
Most of the Jeremy Lewis sessions never made it to the first album. The best of which were the second non-album single "Scream Down At Me" b/w "Cucumber Garden". The material from the first album sessions can be easily distinguished by original drummer Dave Reilly who had a sparse, more synchopated style compared with the late Kevin Wilkinson who was more of a conventional rock drummer and played on all the Virgin era albums from "Working With Fire & Steel onwards" (http://www.omd.uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=33986&sid=88cbe7d557619bb79979bbabedc79316)
"Contemporary with other synth-pop groups of the early 80's such as Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and OMD, this debut album stands comparison with any by these. The music is fresh and inventive, the production light and airy. In fact the only negative point I could raise is the use of a rather pretentious title, 'Difficult Shapes and Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Easy to Entertain' (try repeating that over the WH Smiths record counter!)."
"Like fellow Liverpudlians O.M.D., China Crisis began life as a synthetic duo who performed brilliantly executed pop songs with quirky edges. And like O.M.D., they seamlessly mixed their love of guitar-based pop with (then) modern musical technology (i.e., synthesizers). Unlike O.M.D., China Crisis' legacy languishes somewhere between there and then with no sign of them ever being considered "hip." Not to say that that is their fault! Gary Daly (the quirky vocalist/keyboardist) and Eddie Lundon (the smooth vocalist/guitarist) made their fascinating debut, Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain, on a low budget, and their magic was already in place, especially on the Steely Dan-ish "No More Blue Horizons," the upbeat groove of "Some People I Know to Lead Fantastic Lives" and "You Never See It," the gorgeous "Christian," and their early hit "African and White." Their quirkiness doesn't quite translate on a few tracks ("Temptation's Big Blue Eyes" and "Are We a Worker"), but the charm of this album will win you over if you like smart, yet slightly eccentric, pop songs. It is plainly obvious that, no matter how uncommercial a particular song may be, the boys in China Crisis put their heart and soul into it, creating something uniquely their own, and building upon it. They would finally work their quirks effortlessly into the music on their sophomore release, but there's plenty for synth fans and '80s fans to find here." ~Stephen SPAZ Schnee, All Music Guide
PEEL SESSIONS
01.04.82
LINE UP
Dave Reilly (Drums, Percussion) /Gary Daly (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards) /Eddie Lundon (Guitar, Keyboards)
Tracklist:
01 Seven Sports For All
02 This Occupation
03 Be Suspicious
04 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives
27.01.83
LINE UP
Gary Daly (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards) /Eddie Lundon (Guitar, Keyboards)/ Gary Johnson (Bass) Kevin Wilkinson (Drums) /Steve Levy (Oboe)
Tracklist:
01 A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter
02 Wishfull Thinking
03 Watching The Rainclouds
04 Greenacre Bay
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92932451/ccpeel.rar.html
"China Crisis' second outing (in 1983) is a notably more mature and polished affair in contrast to their promising 1982 debut. Most 80's peeps such as myself will know and love the key track Wishful Thinking, a UK Top 10 hit. However, there's much more than to this album with its varied textures and fabulous pop doodlings, the standout tracks being the breakneck Animals In Jungles and the epic pop of When The Piper Calls, which amazingly was not released as a single.The album also opens perfectly with the quirky pop of the title track, although the final four songs do tend to plod on a bit after the power-pop of the earlier tracks has got you in the mood for more of the same."
"I've always been a huge China Crisis fan and have been with them since their seminal single, Christian, was released back in 1982. As their career progressed they distanced themselves away from their early synth/new romantic routes and progressed into Steely Dan sound a likes, which is no bad thing in my book. In fact, as the years have passed I tended to play the later SD influenced albums such as Flaunt The Perfection and What Price Paradise. It was only fairly recently that I decided to play some of the early material, expecting it to sound fairly dated and flat. However, the material sounded fresh and vibrant and I discovered the beauty of Working With Fire & Steel all over again. This really is an excellent album and includes Wishful Thinking, the one track most casual listeners will have heard. Highlight for me though is another single, the title track, Working With Fire & Steel, which has one of the best bass lines known to man! Excellent stuff! The other tracks on the album are testament to the musicianship of the band, there's plenty of flute and flugel horn, not instruments you'd usually associate with a pop band. There are plenty of up-tempo sing along numbers such as Hanna Hanna and Tragedy & Mystery (both single releases) and there are some quite lovely downtempo tracks such as When The Piper Calls and the gorgeous The Soul Awakening. Some of the lyrics date the album, particularly the references to the Falklands War, but that only makes the album more special. It's of it's time and it's stood the test of time.Fashion play your part!"
Tracklist:
01 Hanna Hanna
02 No More Blue Horizons
03 Wishful Thinking
04 Papua
05 Red Sails
06 Christian
07 Here Comes A Raincloud
08 Seven Sports For All
09 Tragedy And Mystery
10 The Soul Awakening
11 African And White
12 Working With Fire And Steel
13 Hanna Hanna (reprise)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/93395716/cc_reading.rar.html
Tracklist:
01 Wishful Thinking
02 African And White
03 Hanna Hanna
04 Tragedy And Mystery
05 Christian
06 Seven Sports For All
07 Working With Fire And Steel
08 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives
09 The Soul Awakening
10 Animals In Jungles
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92361563/cc_in_rotterdam_.rar.html
"China Crisis toured with Simple Minds in Europe during 1984.Well then I think you had to be in the Rotterdam Ahoy during the first night of their two days overthere. China Crisis were great. They got a standing ovation, and had to come back for an encore. The next evening they weren't allowed to do it again by the SM.
I recorded the show later from Dutch radio and the DJ was telling that the band actually was much better that evening than the SM." (Rissan)
LIVE IN IRVINGTON UPP ALL NIGHT,NEW JERSEY,USA (27.05.1984)
LIVE AT THE PALACE THEATRE,HOLLYWOOD,LOS ANGELES,USA (1985)
"Respect, more than anything else. I remember the first day that he came over, we heard the car pull up and we were rehearsing in Barwell Court. He got out and as he came in through the door I was trying to play, because you've gotta try and impress, but it was really difficult because my hands were shaking. But what happened was: we were touring with Working With Fire and Steel and we were in Warner Bros.' Burbank offices having lunch and they were talking about the next album saying "Did we have any idea who we wanted to work with?" and Eddie said, "Oh yeah, we want to work with somebody from Steely Dan. And he was thinking at the time Gary Katz or Michael Omartian or somebody like that. And so they said, "Yeah, Michael Omartian's a big fan" and they put the feelers out to see what's going on. We went back and started working on the songs for Flaunt. We spent the whole of the summer doing that, and somebody rang up from Virgin and said we've had this inquiry from Warner Bros., they want to know if you're interested in working with Walter Becker. We said yes, great. We didn't think it would get that far, but he came over and he met us and apparently he was nearly as nervous as we were, because he'd never worked with anybody else and hadn't done anything for four or five years."
Do you know what songs or what particular album it was that convinced him to work with you?
"Fire and Steel. He liked the titles, and when he heard it there was a song on it called Papua, which is a real jaunty pop song with a little sequencer thing going through it, but it's actually about nuclear holocaust. We said Garry doesn't want to make the mistake of having a little pop tune with serious lyrics, because it detracts and Walter turned around and said, "I thought that was brilliant, the way you did that. That was the work of genius." He likes all that kind of stuff."
"(smiling ruefully) He said apparently that's the way that Donald used to do it. They'd go in and he'd just sing impromptu lyrics, just to get the feel of the vocal down. They didn't really seem to make much sense -- it was just the rhythm and the meter of them that mattered more than anything, but sometimes, no matter how obtuse they were, they'd just leave them in, because you just got used to the sound of them after a while."
Walter said after Flaunt the Imperfection that he thought the songs were good but would benefit from being enriched a little; "adding a little dissonance" as he put it. Has he offered you songwriting advice?
"Well, if anything Garry might have benefited a bit from it, 'cause at the time of Flaunt, Garry was doing all the keyboards, 'cause we didn't have a keyboard player and we got a session player in. Walter said he came into a room and "there were these people playing songs with three-note chords, so what I did was just went over and put the fourth finger in." That's maybe what he's done more, but we've got Brian playing keyboards now. Garry'll come up with simple chordal arrangements and we'll just work around it. "
Another one he mentioned was Gift of Freedom, which he said sounded like Miles Davis from his '60s' Kind of Blue period, and he said he added some synth figures at the end of it. Does Garry listen to Miles Davis?
"He does now. He never used to then. You see the actual whole thing with the song was originally me and Ed, and it was just like a riff that we did in Ed's bedroom one day. Ed had a guitar, so we just doubled it with the bass then started putting chords over the top and did a little bit of guitar over the top, so that was one of the ones that went into Flaunt with the bare bones of its structure, not a completed song. The main thing that Walter did with that was the brass and chord voicings and then they keyboard player that we were using came in and put a little bit more rhythm into the keyboard parts. I remember he had the brass people down -- the Kick Horns -- and they all turned up and were all really excited about working with Walter. They all naturally went to their first instruments and went through all the arrangements that Ed had worked out. Walter didn't like any of them at all. He said they were too predictable and the first thing he did was find out what each of the four of them played as a second instrument, which meant that the trombonist would play a flute and the trumpeter went onto flugelhorn. They found it a real education, because they'd never ever thought of a different voicing at all -- they just usually went for the straight two saxes, a trumpet and trombone."
"What can i say about this? It doesnt have 10 classic tracks, maybe only 6 but the first 6 tracks alone are heaven on earth. Smooth and light textures glide over the more cutting lyrical side of this record but always there is the fresh,upbeat and exhilirating music. Very Liverpool,very eighties but almost genius. I hadnt heard any China Crisis before I bought this and it suprised me greatly, took a few listens but the first six tracks were instant favourites.....superb!"
"This album was one of the best of the mid-eighties in my opinion and, along with 'Naughty Boys' by YMO and 'Sidewalk' by Icehouse, was my most played LP of that period. I purchased a copy of the CD recently and still found the music to be very pleasant - generally uptempo jazz-orientated pop. I personally wasn't too keen on the two singles, but tracks like 'Gift of Freedom', 'Wall of God' and 'Bigger The Punch' were superb. It was certainly their best album by far and I would recommend any fan of eighties pop to buy it now!"
"It's "Flaunt the Imperfection" Not Flaunt the Imperfections. Criticism aside, this is a great CD and a worth addition to your 80s collection. China Crisis deserved a better fate than forgettable 80s band."
"This is a knockout album, full of brimming melodies, crisp playing and soulful singing. There are no negatives except it that it has to end. Great production from a Steely Dan refugee. Sounds great played softly, but really kicks when let off the leash."
WHAT PRICE PARADISE (1986)
Credits:
Arranged By [Brass] - Brian McNeill , Gary Barnacle (http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2007/10/leisure-process.html) / Arranged By [Brass], Recorded By - Langer* /Arranged By [Strings], Conductor [Strings] - David Bedford /Backing Vocals - Brian McNeill , Davie Dover , Eddie Lundon , John Lewis/ Bass - Gary "Gazza" Johnson*/ Composed By - China Crisis , Kevin Kelly (tracks: 4)/ Drums - Kevin Wilkinson /Engineer - Winstanley*/Engineer [Assistant] - Fiona D'Eathe , Julian Wheatley , Nick Blundell , Nick Davies , Richard Sullivan /Guitar - Eddie Lundon , Stuart Nisbet/ Keyboards - Brian McNeill/ Lead Vocals - Gary Daly /Percussion - Kevin Wilkinson , Martin Ditcham/ Producer - Clive Langer And Alan Winstanley (http://www.langerwinstanley.com/)/ Programmed By - Gary "Gazza" Johnson* /Saxophone, Flute - Gary Barnacle /Trombone - Pete Thoms*/Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Luke Tunney
Tracklist:
01 It's Everything (5:09)
02 Arizona Sky (5:25)
03 Safe As Houses (4:26)
04 Worlds Apart (3:35)
05 Hampton Beach (4:47)
06 The Understudy (5:45)
07 Best Kept Secret (4:08)
08 We Do The Same (4:21)
09 June Bride (3:50)
10 A Day's Work For The Dayo's Done (4:17)
11 Trading In Gold (4:27)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92345472/86.rar.html
With Brian McNeill (keyboards) having joined the band, they recorded "What Price Paradise" with Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley producing. The album was released in November 1986 and reached no. 63 in the UK. The album is in my opinion the bands best to this date, sadly underated by critics and the public. "Arizona Sky" (UK no. 47, november 1986) and "Best Kept Secret" (UK no. 36, early 1987) was the only singles from this album.
"Following on from their excellent and under-rated pop albums Different Shapes & Passive Rhythms (1982) Working With Fire & Steel (1983) and Flaunt The Imperfection (1985), China Crisis began their long haul into the pop doldrums with this, their fourth release from 1986. This album is generally over-produced with far too many stodgy, going-nowhere songs, which would be their hallmark on the majority of their future albums. However, it is saved from a worse fate by the inclusion of the absolutely sublime Arizona Sky (perhaps their greatest ever songs), which somehow never managed to make it onto any of their many and varied compilation albums. This is worth the price of admission alone, but the classic cut A Day's Work For The Dayo's Done is also worthy of much praise, and these tracks act to save an otherwise average and uninsipiring piece of work from China Crisis."
"CC really suffered from the "synth-pop" tag they were lumbered with almost from the get-go. Admittedly their first album does have a certain Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark feel to it , but as they progressed through the 80's , their sound filled out , and they consistently came up with smashing songs that had guitars don't you know. This live album was recorded in their home town of Liverpool during the mid 90s. The band had been struggling to make anywhere near the impact they had made in the previous decade (having been dropped by Virgin Records). However , they still had a fairly loyal fan-base (I say "fairly" loyal because their only 90s studio release - Warped by Success probably only sold about 8 copies) who turned up at various small venue gigs. This album does a good job of capturing that intimate venue feeling and as such is a must for any passing fan."
Reviews for "Wishful Thinking" (1997) 2CD contains "Warped By Success" and "Acoustically Yours":
"Its a personal opinion, I know, but I happen to think that China Crisis just didn't get the attention they deserved. Their music wasn't complicated stuff but just good pop songs with occasional flashes of brilliance - Christian, Wishful Thinking, African and White of course, but also other less well known gems, some of which surface on the first disc of this 2 CD set.You need to remember when buying this that what you are getting on CD1 is a 'live and unplugged' version of their songs and for someone like me who has played their studio albums so many times this is a fascinating CD and a chance to hear a very different take on their work. Shorn of rich production the treatment really works and the whole thing has a very intimate feel about it. There is some good sax playing on a number of the tracks and Gary Daly's vocals (which though not the strongest you'll hear, for me has been such a key part of the CC sound) come over well. Standout tracks have to be Singing the Praises of Higher Things, Black Man Ray and 'Hollow Horse - beautiful stuff!"
"The second CD is a studio album, not my favourite but nevertheless capable of making you want to kick your shoes off, sit down and just relax to some good tunes.So, this package gets the 5 star treatment mainly for the first disc but also for the fact that you are getting good value here. China Crisis were good, very good, and the live part of this set is a pretty enjoyable experience. As the music ends one of the band is heard saying 'Thanks very much for coming along - see you all very soon' - I wish lads, I wish."
SCRAP BOOK, VOL 1.LIVE AT THE DOMINION THEATRE (2002)
Tracklist:
01 Wall of God
02 Gift of Freedom
03 Tragedy and Mystery
04 Wishful Thinking
05 You Did Cut Me
06 Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling
07 Highest High
08 Strength of Character
09 Seven Sports for All
10 King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)
11 Working With Fire and Steel
12 Some People I Know Lead Fantastic Lives
13 Christian
14 Black Man Ray
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92913101/cc__dominion_.rar.html
"The title "Scrapbook 1" might lead you to believe this is just another collection of previously released material - as if there weren't already enough. But don't let the title fool you. This is fresh, never before released live materi
al from a concert performed during the band's peak. It primarily features songs from "Flaunt the Imperfection" plus a few classics from their earlier albums.The performance is excellent, and so is the recording quality - this is no fuzzy sounding bootleg. Hearing this CD makes me wish I had been able to see them back then. The live arrangements of these old familiar songs brings them to life in new and unexpected ways. Even tracks that I found a bit flat on the original studio recordings are exciting in this performance. I admit I didn't really expect much from this CD when I ordered it, but I must now place it among my favorites.I just hope there is a "Scrapbook 2" in the works.If you like China Crisis even just a little bit, don't miss this CD. Snag it up before it disappears into obscurity. You won't be disappointed."
BONUS (RELATED)
HAMBI & THE DANCE ( feat.Gary "Gazza" Johnson) - Heartache (1982)
Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
New Wave, Synth-pop
More info:
http://music-isms.blogspot.com/2007/10/tontrix-hambi-and-dance.html
http://www.musicaltaste.com/filter.php?performer=Hambi%20and%20the%20Dance
"dreamy contemplative pop...the soothing aural equivalent of slipping into a hot bath"
(Q Magazine)
Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Synth-pop
Members:
Gary Daly - Vocals,Synth
Eddie Lundon - Guitar,Vocals
Brian McNeill - Keyboards (1986-1989)
Gazza Johnson - Bass (1983-1995) (Hambi & The Dance 1979-1982)
Kevin Wilkinson - Drums (1983-1995) (ex Those Naughty Lumps)
Dave Reilly -orig. drummer in 1982/1983 (ex Screaming Addicts, later Faction)
VIDEO
"King in a Catholic Style"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAW1IFapdYs&feature=related
"Black Man Ray"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2UriAMDuwA&feature=related
(Q Magazine)
Country:
UK
Genre:
Electronic
Style:
Synth-pop
Members:
Gary Daly - Vocals,Synth
Eddie Lundon - Guitar,Vocals
Brian McNeill - Keyboards (1986-1989)
Gazza Johnson - Bass (1983-1995) (Hambi & The Dance 1979-1982)
Kevin Wilkinson - Drums (1983-1995) (ex Those Naughty Lumps)
Dave Reilly -orig. drummer in 1982/1983 (ex Screaming Addicts, later Faction)
VIDEO
"King in a Catholic Style"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAW1IFapdYs&feature=related
"Black Man Ray"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2UriAMDuwA&feature=related
DIFFICULT SHAPES & PASSIVE RHYTHMS - SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S FUN TO ENTERTAIN (1982)
Credits:
Dave Reilly - Percussions,Synth/Eddie Lundon - Percussions,Guitars,Vocal/Gary Daly - Vocals,Synth,Bass Syth,Bass Guitar,Keyboards/Jean - Vocals (07,10)/Peter Walsh - Chord Organ,Harmonies (track 04,05)/George Macfarlane - Bass (from The Quick,Endgames etc.)(track 01)/Andy Pask (from Landscape) - Bass (track 01,05)/Mike Timoney - Synth (track 07)/Uncle Frank Walsh - Trumpet (track 01)/Nephew Pete Walsh -synth solo (track 01)/Producer - Steve Levine (http://www.stevelevine.co.uk/stevelevine/bio/) (track 01,03),Peter Walsh (http://www.peterwalsh.de/) (track 02,04,05),Jeremy Lewis (track 06)
Tracklist:
01 Seven Sports For All (3:49)
02 No More Blue Horizons (Fool, Fool, Fool) (3:48)
03 Feel To Be Driven Away (2:52)
04 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives (3:47)
05 Christian (5:46)
06 African And White (3:45)
07 Are We A Worker (3:27)
08 Red Sails (4:50)
09 You Never See It (2:54)
10 Temptations Big Blue Eyes (3:22)
11 Jean Walks In Freshfields (1:51)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92335111/82.rar.html
China Crisis founded in Liverpool, England by Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon.Eddie and Gary first met at St Kevin’s school in Kirkby (http://www.kirkbytimes.co.uk/images/fullsized/photos/schools/st-kevs.jpg). The two started working together in 1979 after leaving school.China Crisis debuted in 1981 with the single "African and White", then followed another single "Scream down at me" in 1982. Both these releases were on a small Liverpool independent label, Inevitable Records (.Inevitable recs – label ran from 4 Rutland Rd & formed in 1978 by Pete Fulwell (who ran Eric's) & Jerry Lewis (Amazon studios). 1st rel was to be Freedom Fighters by Dalek I Love You, but they signed to another label, so Inevitable wasn't officially launched until Dec79. Had numerous Indie & Chart hits with Wah! Heat, Modern Eon, Dead Or Alive, Faction. Pete left in May81 & set up Eternal Recs leaving Jerry to continue.) The band was then signed by Virgin Records who re-released "African and White", which then became a minor UK hit, reaching number 45 in the singles chart.The debut album "Difficult shapes and passive rhythms, Some people think it's fun to entertain" surfaced in late 1982 and hit the number 21 spot in November. Production credits were shared by Pete Walsh, Steve Levine, Gil Norton and Jeremy Lewis. At this stage the band consisted of Gary Daly (vocals, synths and bass guitar), Eddie Lundon (guitar and vocals) and Dave Reilly (percussion).The album spawned two more singles "No more blue horizons" and "Christian", the latter peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart.
Credits:
Dave Reilly - Percussions,Synth/Eddie Lundon - Percussions,Guitars,Vocal/Gary Daly - Vocals,Synth,Bass Syth,Bass Guitar,Keyboards/Jean - Vocals (07,10)/Peter Walsh - Chord Organ,Harmonies (track 04,05)/George Macfarlane - Bass (from The Quick,Endgames etc.)(track 01)/Andy Pask (from Landscape) - Bass (track 01,05)/Mike Timoney - Synth (track 07)/Uncle Frank Walsh - Trumpet (track 01)/Nephew Pete Walsh -synth solo (track 01)/Producer - Steve Levine (http://www.stevelevine.co.uk/stevelevine/bio/) (track 01,03),Peter Walsh (http://www.peterwalsh.de/) (track 02,04,05),Jeremy Lewis (track 06)
Tracklist:
01 Seven Sports For All (3:49)
02 No More Blue Horizons (Fool, Fool, Fool) (3:48)
03 Feel To Be Driven Away (2:52)
04 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives (3:47)
05 Christian (5:46)
06 African And White (3:45)
07 Are We A Worker (3:27)
08 Red Sails (4:50)
09 You Never See It (2:54)
10 Temptations Big Blue Eyes (3:22)
11 Jean Walks In Freshfields (1:51)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92335111/82.rar.html
China Crisis founded in Liverpool, England by Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon.Eddie and Gary first met at St Kevin’s school in Kirkby (http://www.kirkbytimes.co.uk/images/fullsized/photos/schools/st-kevs.jpg). The two started working together in 1979 after leaving school.China Crisis debuted in 1981 with the single "African and White", then followed another single "Scream down at me" in 1982. Both these releases were on a small Liverpool independent label, Inevitable Records (.Inevitable recs – label ran from 4 Rutland Rd & formed in 1978 by Pete Fulwell (who ran Eric's) & Jerry Lewis (Amazon studios). 1st rel was to be Freedom Fighters by Dalek I Love You, but they signed to another label, so Inevitable wasn't officially launched until Dec79. Had numerous Indie & Chart hits with Wah! Heat, Modern Eon, Dead Or Alive, Faction. Pete left in May81 & set up Eternal Recs leaving Jerry to continue.) The band was then signed by Virgin Records who re-released "African and White", which then became a minor UK hit, reaching number 45 in the singles chart.The debut album "Difficult shapes and passive rhythms, Some people think it's fun to entertain" surfaced in late 1982 and hit the number 21 spot in November. Production credits were shared by Pete Walsh, Steve Levine, Gil Norton and Jeremy Lewis. At this stage the band consisted of Gary Daly (vocals, synths and bass guitar), Eddie Lundon (guitar and vocals) and Dave Reilly (percussion).The album spawned two more singles "No more blue horizons" and "Christian", the latter peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart.
from OMD.com forum where you can read more about China Crisis:
Question:
"Does anybody know why the band recorded with so many different producers when recording their first album? And it looks like the b-sides of the FIRE AND STEEL album are from those same early sessions (producer credits). I always wondered what would be the story behind this ... "
Answer:
"Of course I do !
"Does anybody know why the band recorded with so many different producers when recording their first album? And it looks like the b-sides of the FIRE AND STEEL album are from those same early sessions (producer credits). I always wondered what would be the story behind this ... "
Answer:
"Of course I do !
CHINA CRISIS were under pressure from Virgin in summer 1982 to get an album out to capitalise on their profile from "African & White" being reissued and supporting SIMPLE MINDS on their "New Gold Dream" tour.
They had problems getting on with Steve Levine who was the original producer. Peter Walsh who was effectively house producer at Virgin (he did SIMPLE MINDS and SCOTT WALKER's albums in 1982) was brought in to polish up their then potential hits "No More Blue Horizons" and"Christian". So the second half of the album is effectively demos produced at Amazon which was owned by Jeremy Lewis, who originally signed them to his Inevitable label. Producer Gil Norton was just starting out...later he produced THE PIXIES.
CHINA CRISIS usually did their B-sides at the demo stage of the album and their instrumentals were to 'relax them' prior to the main songwriting process. This would explain why the sessions were recorded at Amazon although the more observant will notice two of their best B-sides "Performing Seals" and "Forever I & I" were recorded on a portastudio in Eddie Lundon's bedroom!!!
Most of the Jeremy Lewis sessions never made it to the first album. The best of which were the second non-album single "Scream Down At Me" b/w "Cucumber Garden". The material from the first album sessions can be easily distinguished by original drummer Dave Reilly who had a sparse, more synchopated style compared with the late Kevin Wilkinson who was more of a conventional rock drummer and played on all the Virgin era albums from "Working With Fire & Steel onwards" (http://www.omd.uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=33986&sid=88cbe7d557619bb79979bbabedc79316)
"Contemporary with other synth-pop groups of the early 80's such as Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and OMD, this debut album stands comparison with any by these. The music is fresh and inventive, the production light and airy. In fact the only negative point I could raise is the use of a rather pretentious title, 'Difficult Shapes and Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Easy to Entertain' (try repeating that over the WH Smiths record counter!)."
"Like fellow Liverpudlians O.M.D., China Crisis began life as a synthetic duo who performed brilliantly executed pop songs with quirky edges. And like O.M.D., they seamlessly mixed their love of guitar-based pop with (then) modern musical technology (i.e., synthesizers). Unlike O.M.D., China Crisis' legacy languishes somewhere between there and then with no sign of them ever being considered "hip." Not to say that that is their fault! Gary Daly (the quirky vocalist/keyboardist) and Eddie Lundon (the smooth vocalist/guitarist) made their fascinating debut, Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain, on a low budget, and their magic was already in place, especially on the Steely Dan-ish "No More Blue Horizons," the upbeat groove of "Some People I Know to Lead Fantastic Lives" and "You Never See It," the gorgeous "Christian," and their early hit "African and White." Their quirkiness doesn't quite translate on a few tracks ("Temptation's Big Blue Eyes" and "Are We a Worker"), but the charm of this album will win you over if you like smart, yet slightly eccentric, pop songs. It is plainly obvious that, no matter how uncommercial a particular song may be, the boys in China Crisis put their heart and soul into it, creating something uniquely their own, and building upon it. They would finally work their quirks effortlessly into the music on their sophomore release, but there's plenty for synth fans and '80s fans to find here." ~Stephen SPAZ Schnee, All Music Guide
PEEL SESSIONS01.04.82
LINE UP
Dave Reilly (Drums, Percussion) /Gary Daly (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards) /Eddie Lundon (Guitar, Keyboards)
Tracklist:
01 Seven Sports For All
02 This Occupation
03 Be Suspicious
04 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives
27.01.83
LINE UP
Gary Daly (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards) /Eddie Lundon (Guitar, Keyboards)/ Gary Johnson (Bass) Kevin Wilkinson (Drums) /Steve Levy (Oboe)
Tracklist:
01 A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter
02 Wishfull Thinking
03 Watching The Rainclouds
04 Greenacre Bay
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92932451/ccpeel.rar.html
WORKING WITH FIRE AND STEEL POSSIBLE POP SONGS,VOL 2. (1983)
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar - Eddie* (tracks: 1) /Arranged By - China Crisis/Arranged By [Strings] - Mark Levy (tracks: 5) /Artwork By [Graphic Design] - Ken (At A.S.)/ Bass - Gazza* (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 10)/Bass [Fretless] - Gazza* (tracks: 1, 5, 6)/ Cello - David Ellery (tracks: 5) /Drums - Kevin* (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 10)/Drums [Hi-hat], Sequenced By [Drum Machine] - Kevin* (tracks: 5) /Drums [Snare & Tom Tom] - Kevin* (tracks: 2) /Engineer [Assistant At The Manor] - Steve Chase/Engineer [Assistant To Assistant Engineer At The Manor] - Paul Cook/ Engineer [At Amazon] - Geoff Higgins (tracks: 10) , Gil Norton/Engineer [At The Manor] - Alan Douglas /Guitar - Eddie/Harmonica [Bass] - Gazza* (tracks: 8) /Lyrics By - Eddie* (tracks: 2, 3, 6) , Garry* (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 10) /Oboe - Steve* (tracks: 2, 5 to 7, 10) /Other [Russian Dialect] - Graeme Levy (tracks: 1) /Percussion - Kevin* (tracks: 3, 4, 6, 10)/Percussion [Acoustic And Electric] - Kevin* (tracks: 9) /Photography [Cover] - Gavin Cochrane/Photography [Insert Band Photo] - Sheila Rock/ Piano [Grand] - Garry* (tracks: 2)/Saxophone - Steve* (tracks: 1 to 3)/ Saxophone [Tenor] - Anthony* (tracks: 2, 3) /Strings - Breck Road String Ensemble, The (tracks: 5) /Synthesizer - Eddie* (tracks: 2) , Garry* (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 10) /Tape - Garry* (tracks: 3, 4) /Trumpet - Roddy (tracks: 2, 3) /Viola - David Kennedy (tracks: 5) /Violin - Barbara Parham (tracks: 5) , Mark Levy (tracks: 5) /Vocals - Eddie* (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 10) , Garry* (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 10) , Jane (tracks: 5, 9)/ Written-By - Eddie* , Gary*
Produced by Mike Howlett (http://www.mikehowlett.co.uk/)
Tracklist:
01 Working With Fire And Steel
02 When The Piper Calls
03 Hanna Hanna
04 Animals In Jungles
05 Here Comes A Raincloud
06 Wishful Thinking
07 Tragedy And Mystery
08 Papua
09 The Gates Of Door To Door
10 The Soul Awakening
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92335628/83.rar.html
In 1983 the singles "Tragedy and mystery" (UK no. 46) and "Working with fire and steel" (UK no. 48) preceeded the second album, "Working with fire and steel, Possible pop songs volume two", this time with Mike Howlett behind the wheel. The album was released in November.At this stage Kevin Wilkinson (drums) and Gary "Gazza" Johnson (bass) had joined the band. Kevin Wilkinson will further on in his career share his time between his commitment to China Crisis and playing together with The Waterboys, Proclaimers, Squeeze etc.The guests performers on "Working..." included Steve Levy on oboe and Anthony Thistlethwaite (The Waterboys) on saxophone. The oboe sound of Steve Levy became some sort of a China Crisis "trademark" during this period. The third single from the album, "Wishful Thinking" became China Crisis' biggest hit, reaching number 9 in the UK and charting all over Europe. It was voted most popular song of the week on the swedish radio show "Poporama" in the spring of 1984. Later in the spring "Hanna Hanna" reached no. 44 in the UK charts. China Crisis toured with Simple Minds in Europe during 1984, not recieving that good reviews for their live performance (at least not in Sweden).
"Highly and richly melodic, hook laden, catchy synth riffs and drums and guitar is only a sample of ways to describe this 1983 release from China Crisis. Crisis never received much air play statewise on regular top 40; it reached more of a main staple or cult new wave group status for college stations or pre-alternative album stations. Make no mistake, vocals are very Euro sounding though lead singer sang in English. There are slight resemblances to early Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, Oingo Boingo, Wang Chung yet China Crisis still had their own distinct sound or quality (more warmth than pizzaz).More dance oriented material for the early club goers of the 80's(but certainly no disco music). Track like When the Piper Calls is reminiscent Depeche Mode while the song Hanna Hanna has a Wang Chung feel before Wang Chung made it big ! There are a few tracks such as Here Comes A Raincloud with it's slow tempo and melancholy drum programmed-synth sound that can still convey a haunting-somber atmosphere with a violin sounding backdrop.Another treasure of a track is the smooth flowing Wishful Thinking with it's mid-tempo feel, calming vocals and wailing background sax work and acoustic/electric guitar ! This is a must have for any music collecting afficionados with an eclectic taste and a streak of nostalgia in them !...After 20 years one of the very few and best pop albums that has aged well... "
"The 2nd China Crisis album gets my vote as their best simply because if you love oboe in a pop rock setting, this album is rife with pleasure! Add some excellent fretless bass to the traditional China Crisis wimpy, melodic introspection and you're left wanting more when this album ends. The title cut is sprightly electropop with synth bass and "Hanna Hanna" features strong brass mated with an extremely muscular fretless bassline. I also favor the wistful, almost ambient tunes like "Here Come A Raincloud" and "Soul Awakening." One can also group their big hit "Wishful Thinking" with the last two, but it manages the neat trick of sounding passionately effete - again, with excellent oboe contributing to the arrangement. "Gates of Door to Door" counterpoints staccato rhythms with expressive Gary Barnacle flute! More, please! There are so many high points of playing and arrangement here I was let down when they worked with Walter Becker afterward. If you are familiar with that period of the band, this sounds less like Steely Dan, and Garry Daly isn't altering his phrasing to sound more like Donald Fagen, to better effect."
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar - Eddie* (tracks: 1) /Arranged By - China Crisis/Arranged By [Strings] - Mark Levy (tracks: 5) /Artwork By [Graphic Design] - Ken (At A.S.)/ Bass - Gazza* (tracks: 2 to 4, 7 to 10)/Bass [Fretless] - Gazza* (tracks: 1, 5, 6)/ Cello - David Ellery (tracks: 5) /Drums - Kevin* (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 10)/Drums [Hi-hat], Sequenced By [Drum Machine] - Kevin* (tracks: 5) /Drums [Snare & Tom Tom] - Kevin* (tracks: 2) /Engineer [Assistant At The Manor] - Steve Chase/Engineer [Assistant To Assistant Engineer At The Manor] - Paul Cook/ Engineer [At Amazon] - Geoff Higgins (tracks: 10) , Gil Norton/Engineer [At The Manor] - Alan Douglas /Guitar - Eddie/Harmonica [Bass] - Gazza* (tracks: 8) /Lyrics By - Eddie* (tracks: 2, 3, 6) , Garry* (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 10) /Oboe - Steve* (tracks: 2, 5 to 7, 10) /Other [Russian Dialect] - Graeme Levy (tracks: 1) /Percussion - Kevin* (tracks: 3, 4, 6, 10)/Percussion [Acoustic And Electric] - Kevin* (tracks: 9) /Photography [Cover] - Gavin Cochrane/Photography [Insert Band Photo] - Sheila Rock/ Piano [Grand] - Garry* (tracks: 2)/Saxophone - Steve* (tracks: 1 to 3)/ Saxophone [Tenor] - Anthony* (tracks: 2, 3) /Strings - Breck Road String Ensemble, The (tracks: 5) /Synthesizer - Eddie* (tracks: 2) , Garry* (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 10) /Tape - Garry* (tracks: 3, 4) /Trumpet - Roddy (tracks: 2, 3) /Viola - David Kennedy (tracks: 5) /Violin - Barbara Parham (tracks: 5) , Mark Levy (tracks: 5) /Vocals - Eddie* (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 10) , Garry* (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 10) , Jane (tracks: 5, 9)/ Written-By - Eddie* , Gary*
Produced by Mike Howlett (http://www.mikehowlett.co.uk/)
Tracklist:
01 Working With Fire And Steel
02 When The Piper Calls
03 Hanna Hanna
04 Animals In Jungles
05 Here Comes A Raincloud
06 Wishful Thinking
07 Tragedy And Mystery
08 Papua
09 The Gates Of Door To Door
10 The Soul Awakening
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92335628/83.rar.html
In 1983 the singles "Tragedy and mystery" (UK no. 46) and "Working with fire and steel" (UK no. 48) preceeded the second album, "Working with fire and steel, Possible pop songs volume two", this time with Mike Howlett behind the wheel. The album was released in November.At this stage Kevin Wilkinson (drums) and Gary "Gazza" Johnson (bass) had joined the band. Kevin Wilkinson will further on in his career share his time between his commitment to China Crisis and playing together with The Waterboys, Proclaimers, Squeeze etc.The guests performers on "Working..." included Steve Levy on oboe and Anthony Thistlethwaite (The Waterboys) on saxophone. The oboe sound of Steve Levy became some sort of a China Crisis "trademark" during this period. The third single from the album, "Wishful Thinking" became China Crisis' biggest hit, reaching number 9 in the UK and charting all over Europe. It was voted most popular song of the week on the swedish radio show "Poporama" in the spring of 1984. Later in the spring "Hanna Hanna" reached no. 44 in the UK charts. China Crisis toured with Simple Minds in Europe during 1984, not recieving that good reviews for their live performance (at least not in Sweden).
"Highly and richly melodic, hook laden, catchy synth riffs and drums and guitar is only a sample of ways to describe this 1983 release from China Crisis. Crisis never received much air play statewise on regular top 40; it reached more of a main staple or cult new wave group status for college stations or pre-alternative album stations. Make no mistake, vocals are very Euro sounding though lead singer sang in English. There are slight resemblances to early Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, Oingo Boingo, Wang Chung yet China Crisis still had their own distinct sound or quality (more warmth than pizzaz).More dance oriented material for the early club goers of the 80's(but certainly no disco music). Track like When the Piper Calls is reminiscent Depeche Mode while the song Hanna Hanna has a Wang Chung feel before Wang Chung made it big ! There are a few tracks such as Here Comes A Raincloud with it's slow tempo and melancholy drum programmed-synth sound that can still convey a haunting-somber atmosphere with a violin sounding backdrop.Another treasure of a track is the smooth flowing Wishful Thinking with it's mid-tempo feel, calming vocals and wailing background sax work and acoustic/electric guitar ! This is a must have for any music collecting afficionados with an eclectic taste and a streak of nostalgia in them !...After 20 years one of the very few and best pop albums that has aged well... "
"The 2nd China Crisis album gets my vote as their best simply because if you love oboe in a pop rock setting, this album is rife with pleasure! Add some excellent fretless bass to the traditional China Crisis wimpy, melodic introspection and you're left wanting more when this album ends. The title cut is sprightly electropop with synth bass and "Hanna Hanna" features strong brass mated with an extremely muscular fretless bassline. I also favor the wistful, almost ambient tunes like "Here Come A Raincloud" and "Soul Awakening." One can also group their big hit "Wishful Thinking" with the last two, but it manages the neat trick of sounding passionately effete - again, with excellent oboe contributing to the arrangement. "Gates of Door to Door" counterpoints staccato rhythms with expressive Gary Barnacle flute! More, please! There are so many high points of playing and arrangement here I was let down when they worked with Walter Becker afterward. If you are familiar with that period of the band, this sounds less like Steely Dan, and Garry Daly isn't altering his phrasing to sound more like Donald Fagen, to better effect."
"China Crisis' second outing (in 1983) is a notably more mature and polished affair in contrast to their promising 1982 debut. Most 80's peeps such as myself will know and love the key track Wishful Thinking, a UK Top 10 hit. However, there's much more than to this album with its varied textures and fabulous pop doodlings, the standout tracks being the breakneck Animals In Jungles and the epic pop of When The Piper Calls, which amazingly was not released as a single.The album also opens perfectly with the quirky pop of the title track, although the final four songs do tend to plod on a bit after the power-pop of the earlier tracks has got you in the mood for more of the same.""I've always been a huge China Crisis fan and have been with them since their seminal single, Christian, was released back in 1982. As their career progressed they distanced themselves away from their early synth/new romantic routes and progressed into Steely Dan sound a likes, which is no bad thing in my book. In fact, as the years have passed I tended to play the later SD influenced albums such as Flaunt The Perfection and What Price Paradise. It was only fairly recently that I decided to play some of the early material, expecting it to sound fairly dated and flat. However, the material sounded fresh and vibrant and I discovered the beauty of Working With Fire & Steel all over again. This really is an excellent album and includes Wishful Thinking, the one track most casual listeners will have heard. Highlight for me though is another single, the title track, Working With Fire & Steel, which has one of the best bass lines known to man! Excellent stuff! The other tracks on the album are testament to the musicianship of the band, there's plenty of flute and flugel horn, not instruments you'd usually associate with a pop band. There are plenty of up-tempo sing along numbers such as Hanna Hanna and Tragedy & Mystery (both single releases) and there are some quite lovely downtempo tracks such as When The Piper Calls and the gorgeous The Soul Awakening. Some of the lyrics date the album, particularly the references to the Falklands War, but that only makes the album more special. It's of it's time and it's stood the test of time.Fashion play your part!"
LIVE AT READING UNIVERSITY (01.31.1984)
Notes:
the covers made by salty
Tracklist:
01 Hanna Hanna
02 No More Blue Horizons
03 Wishful Thinking
04 Papua
05 Red Sails
06 Christian
07 Here Comes A Raincloud
08 Seven Sports For All
09 Tragedy And Mystery
10 The Soul Awakening
11 African And White
12 Working With Fire And Steel
13 Hanna Hanna (reprise)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/93395716/cc_reading.rar.html
LIVE AHOY HALL,ROTTERDAM,NETHERLANDS (31.03.1984)
Notes:
the covers made by salty, recorded by Rissan
Tracklist:
01 Wishful Thinking
02 African And White
03 Hanna Hanna
04 Tragedy And Mystery
05 Christian
06 Seven Sports For All
07 Working With Fire And Steel
08 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives
09 The Soul Awakening
10 Animals In Jungles
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92361563/cc_in_rotterdam_.rar.html
"China Crisis toured with Simple Minds in Europe during 1984.Well then I think you had to be in the Rotterdam Ahoy during the first night of their two days overthere. China Crisis were great. They got a standing ovation, and had to come back for an encore. The next evening they weren't allowed to do it again by the SM.
I recorded the show later from Dutch radio and the DJ was telling that the band actually was much better that evening than the SM." (Rissan)
Thanks to Rissan!
LIVE IN IRVINGTON UPP ALL NIGHT,NEW JERSEY,USA (27.05.1984)
Notes:
the covers made by salty
Tracklist:
01 Wishful Thinking
02 African And White
03 Hanna Hanna
04 Tragedy And Mystery
05 Christian
06 Seven Sports For All
07 Working With Fire And Steel
08 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives
09 The Soul Awakening
10 Animals In Jungles
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92354999/all_night_in_new_jersey_.rar.html
01 Wishful Thinking
02 African And White
03 Hanna Hanna
04 Tragedy And Mystery
05 Christian
06 Seven Sports For All
07 Working With Fire And Steel
08 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives
09 The Soul Awakening
10 Animals In Jungles
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92354999/all_night_in_new_jersey_.rar.html
LIVE AT THE PALACE THEATRE,HOLLYWOOD,LOS ANGELES,USA (1985)
Notes:
the covers made by salty
Tracklist:
01 Gift Of Freedom
02 Wishful Thinking
03 Black Man Ray
04 The Highest High
05 Strength Of Character
06 Christian
07 King In A Catholic Style
08 African & White
09 Working With Fire And Steel
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92918588/our_home_town.rar.html
01 Gift Of Freedom
02 Wishful Thinking
03 Black Man Ray
04 The Highest High
05 Strength Of Character
06 Christian
07 King In A Catholic Style
08 African & White
09 Working With Fire And Steel
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92918588/our_home_town.rar.html
FLAUNT THE IMPERFECTION (1985)
Credits:
Arranged By - China Crisis , Walter Becker/Arranged By [Brass] - Kick Horns, The , Walter Becker /Backing Vocals - Colin Campsie , Eddie Lundon , Garry Daly* , Ginny Clee/ Bass - Gary "Gazza" Johnson/Drums - Kevin Wilkinson/Percussion - Kevin Wilkinson , Walter Becker/ Engineer - Phill Brown /Guitar - Eddie Lundon , Tim Renwick (http://www.timrenwick.com/index.html) /Lyrics By - Eddie Lundon (tracks: 6, 8 to 10) , Garry Daly* /Photography, Artwork By [Design] - Icon/ Piano [Grand] - Nick Magnus /Programmed By - Gary "Gazza" Johnson* , Nick Magnus/ Saxophone [Alto], Saxophone [Baritone], Flute - Simon Clarke/Saxophone [Tenor], Saxophone [Soprano] - Tim Sanders (member of The Kick Horns:http://www.kickhorns.com/)/ Saxophone solos - Steve Gregory (member of The Kick Horns) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Gregory/Synths - Garry Daly* , Nick Magnus (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/nick.magnus/), Walter Becker/ Trombone - Pete Thoms*/Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Roddy Lorrimer (member of The Kick Horns) /Vocals - Eddie Lundon , Garry Daly* /Written-By - Eddie Lundon , Garry Daly* , Gary "Gazza" Johnson*
Producer - Walter Becker (check my Fra Lippo Lippi post!)
Notes for the credits:
The Kick Horns (Simon Clarke/Roddy Lorimer/Tim Sanders) are a London-based group of session brass instrument players who have been playing under the name since the early 1980s .Check their amazing full discography:
Credits:
Arranged By - China Crisis , Walter Becker/Arranged By [Brass] - Kick Horns, The , Walter Becker /Backing Vocals - Colin Campsie , Eddie Lundon , Garry Daly* , Ginny Clee/ Bass - Gary "Gazza" Johnson/Drums - Kevin Wilkinson/Percussion - Kevin Wilkinson , Walter Becker/ Engineer - Phill Brown /Guitar - Eddie Lundon , Tim Renwick (http://www.timrenwick.com/index.html) /Lyrics By - Eddie Lundon (tracks: 6, 8 to 10) , Garry Daly* /Photography, Artwork By [Design] - Icon/ Piano [Grand] - Nick Magnus /Programmed By - Gary "Gazza" Johnson* , Nick Magnus/ Saxophone [Alto], Saxophone [Baritone], Flute - Simon Clarke/Saxophone [Tenor], Saxophone [Soprano] - Tim Sanders (member of The Kick Horns:http://www.kickhorns.com/)/ Saxophone solos - Steve Gregory (member of The Kick Horns) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Gregory/Synths - Garry Daly* , Nick Magnus (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/nick.magnus/), Walter Becker/ Trombone - Pete Thoms*/Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Roddy Lorrimer (member of The Kick Horns) /Vocals - Eddie Lundon , Garry Daly* /Written-By - Eddie Lundon , Garry Daly* , Gary "Gazza" Johnson*
Producer - Walter Becker (check my Fra Lippo Lippi post!)
Notes for the credits:
The Kick Horns (Simon Clarke/Roddy Lorimer/Tim Sanders) are a London-based group of session brass instrument players who have been playing under the name since the early 1980s .Check their amazing full discography:
http://www.kickhorns.com/discography-full.html
Tracklist:
01 The Highest High (4:16)
02 Strength Of Character (2:50)
03 You Did Cut Me (4:18)
04 Black Man Ray (3:39)
05 Wall Of God (5:32)
06 Gift Of Freedom (4:38)
07 King In A Catholic Style (4:32)
08 Bigger The Punch I'm Feeling (4:21)
09 The World Spins, I'm Part Of It (4:12)
10 Blue Sea (4:46)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92344533/85.rar.html
With a growing reputation after the success of "Working with fire and steel", China Crisis attracted the interest of Steely Dan founding member, Walter Becker.Becker came to produce their third album "Flaunt the imperfection", released in april 1985. Becker has claimed that he was not the band's first choice as producer, they apparently wanted Brian Eno but he wasn't available.The result became very smooth and slick, and very "steelydanish". The album was to be the bands greatest success to this date, reaching no. 9 in the UK charts and sending them on an extensive tour.Featured singles are: "Black Man Ray" (UK no. 14), possibly their best song. "King in a Catholic Style" (UKno. 19) with a very entertaining video clip to back it. "You Did Cut Me" (UK no. 54) and "The Highest High". At the time of the release of "You Did Cut Me" (September 1985) a video, "Showbiz Absurd", was released, including the promo clips for "Christian", "Working with Fire and Steel", "Wishful Thinking", "Hanna Hanna", "Black Man Ray" and "King in a Catholic Style".
Tracklist:
01 The Highest High (4:16)
02 Strength Of Character (2:50)
03 You Did Cut Me (4:18)
04 Black Man Ray (3:39)
05 Wall Of God (5:32)
06 Gift Of Freedom (4:38)
07 King In A Catholic Style (4:32)
08 Bigger The Punch I'm Feeling (4:21)
09 The World Spins, I'm Part Of It (4:12)
10 Blue Sea (4:46)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92344533/85.rar.html
With a growing reputation after the success of "Working with fire and steel", China Crisis attracted the interest of Steely Dan founding member, Walter Becker.Becker came to produce their third album "Flaunt the imperfection", released in april 1985. Becker has claimed that he was not the band's first choice as producer, they apparently wanted Brian Eno but he wasn't available.The result became very smooth and slick, and very "steelydanish". The album was to be the bands greatest success to this date, reaching no. 9 in the UK charts and sending them on an extensive tour.Featured singles are: "Black Man Ray" (UK no. 14), possibly their best song. "King in a Catholic Style" (UKno. 19) with a very entertaining video clip to back it. "You Did Cut Me" (UK no. 54) and "The Highest High". At the time of the release of "You Did Cut Me" (September 1985) a video, "Showbiz Absurd", was released, including the promo clips for "Christian", "Working with Fire and Steel", "Wishful Thinking", "Hanna Hanna", "Black Man Ray" and "King in a Catholic Style".
from an interview with Gazza Johnson around '89:
How did you come to work with Walter Becker first of all back in 1985?
"Respect, more than anything else. I remember the first day that he came over, we heard the car pull up and we were rehearsing in Barwell Court. He got out and as he came in through the door I was trying to play, because you've gotta try and impress, but it was really difficult because my hands were shaking. But what happened was: we were touring with Working With Fire and Steel and we were in Warner Bros.' Burbank offices having lunch and they were talking about the next album saying "Did we have any idea who we wanted to work with?" and Eddie said, "Oh yeah, we want to work with somebody from Steely Dan. And he was thinking at the time Gary Katz or Michael Omartian or somebody like that. And so they said, "Yeah, Michael Omartian's a big fan" and they put the feelers out to see what's going on. We went back and started working on the songs for Flaunt. We spent the whole of the summer doing that, and somebody rang up from Virgin and said we've had this inquiry from Warner Bros., they want to know if you're interested in working with Walter Becker. We said yes, great. We didn't think it would get that far, but he came over and he met us and apparently he was nearly as nervous as we were, because he'd never worked with anybody else and hadn't done anything for four or five years."
Do you know what songs or what particular album it was that convinced him to work with you?
"Fire and Steel. He liked the titles, and when he heard it there was a song on it called Papua, which is a real jaunty pop song with a little sequencer thing going through it, but it's actually about nuclear holocaust. We said Garry doesn't want to make the mistake of having a little pop tune with serious lyrics, because it detracts and Walter turned around and said, "I thought that was brilliant, the way you did that. That was the work of genius." He likes all that kind of stuff."
He was quoted as saying after Flaunt the Imperfection that he was attracted to China Crisis because the lyrics didn't make any sense!
"(smiling ruefully) He said apparently that's the way that Donald used to do it. They'd go in and he'd just sing impromptu lyrics, just to get the feel of the vocal down. They didn't really seem to make much sense -- it was just the rhythm and the meter of them that mattered more than anything, but sometimes, no matter how obtuse they were, they'd just leave them in, because you just got used to the sound of them after a while."
Walter said after Flaunt the Imperfection that he thought the songs were good but would benefit from being enriched a little; "adding a little dissonance" as he put it. Has he offered you songwriting advice?
"Well, if anything Garry might have benefited a bit from it, 'cause at the time of Flaunt, Garry was doing all the keyboards, 'cause we didn't have a keyboard player and we got a session player in. Walter said he came into a room and "there were these people playing songs with three-note chords, so what I did was just went over and put the fourth finger in." That's maybe what he's done more, but we've got Brian playing keyboards now. Garry'll come up with simple chordal arrangements and we'll just work around it. "
Another one he mentioned was Gift of Freedom, which he said sounded like Miles Davis from his '60s' Kind of Blue period, and he said he added some synth figures at the end of it. Does Garry listen to Miles Davis?
"He does now. He never used to then. You see the actual whole thing with the song was originally me and Ed, and it was just like a riff that we did in Ed's bedroom one day. Ed had a guitar, so we just doubled it with the bass then started putting chords over the top and did a little bit of guitar over the top, so that was one of the ones that went into Flaunt with the bare bones of its structure, not a completed song. The main thing that Walter did with that was the brass and chord voicings and then they keyboard player that we were using came in and put a little bit more rhythm into the keyboard parts. I remember he had the brass people down -- the Kick Horns -- and they all turned up and were all really excited about working with Walter. They all naturally went to their first instruments and went through all the arrangements that Ed had worked out. Walter didn't like any of them at all. He said they were too predictable and the first thing he did was find out what each of the four of them played as a second instrument, which meant that the trombonist would play a flute and the trumpeter went onto flugelhorn. They found it a real education, because they'd never ever thought of a different voicing at all -- they just usually went for the straight two saxes, a trumpet and trombone."
"What can i say about this? It doesnt have 10 classic tracks, maybe only 6 but the first 6 tracks alone are heaven on earth. Smooth and light textures glide over the more cutting lyrical side of this record but always there is the fresh,upbeat and exhilirating music. Very Liverpool,very eighties but almost genius. I hadnt heard any China Crisis before I bought this and it suprised me greatly, took a few listens but the first six tracks were instant favourites.....superb!"
"This album was one of the best of the mid-eighties in my opinion and, along with 'Naughty Boys' by YMO and 'Sidewalk' by Icehouse, was my most played LP of that period. I purchased a copy of the CD recently and still found the music to be very pleasant - generally uptempo jazz-orientated pop. I personally wasn't too keen on the two singles, but tracks like 'Gift of Freedom', 'Wall of God' and 'Bigger The Punch' were superb. It was certainly their best album by far and I would recommend any fan of eighties pop to buy it now!"
"It's "Flaunt the Imperfection" Not Flaunt the Imperfections. Criticism aside, this is a great CD and a worth addition to your 80s collection. China Crisis deserved a better fate than forgettable 80s band."
"This is a knockout album, full of brimming melodies, crisp playing and soulful singing. There are no negatives except it that it has to end. Great production from a Steely Dan refugee. Sounds great played softly, but really kicks when let off the leash."
WHAT PRICE PARADISE (1986)
Credits:
Arranged By [Brass] - Brian McNeill , Gary Barnacle (http://saltyka.blogspot.com/2007/10/leisure-process.html) / Arranged By [Brass], Recorded By - Langer* /Arranged By [Strings], Conductor [Strings] - David Bedford /Backing Vocals - Brian McNeill , Davie Dover , Eddie Lundon , John Lewis/ Bass - Gary "Gazza" Johnson*/ Composed By - China Crisis , Kevin Kelly (tracks: 4)/ Drums - Kevin Wilkinson /Engineer - Winstanley*/Engineer [Assistant] - Fiona D'Eathe , Julian Wheatley , Nick Blundell , Nick Davies , Richard Sullivan /Guitar - Eddie Lundon , Stuart Nisbet/ Keyboards - Brian McNeill/ Lead Vocals - Gary Daly /Percussion - Kevin Wilkinson , Martin Ditcham/ Producer - Clive Langer And Alan Winstanley (http://www.langerwinstanley.com/)/ Programmed By - Gary "Gazza" Johnson* /Saxophone, Flute - Gary Barnacle /Trombone - Pete Thoms*/Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Luke Tunney
Tracklist:
01 It's Everything (5:09)
02 Arizona Sky (5:25)
03 Safe As Houses (4:26)
04 Worlds Apart (3:35)
05 Hampton Beach (4:47)
06 The Understudy (5:45)
07 Best Kept Secret (4:08)
08 We Do The Same (4:21)
09 June Bride (3:50)
10 A Day's Work For The Dayo's Done (4:17)
11 Trading In Gold (4:27)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92345472/86.rar.html
With Brian McNeill (keyboards) having joined the band, they recorded "What Price Paradise" with Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley producing. The album was released in November 1986 and reached no. 63 in the UK. The album is in my opinion the bands best to this date, sadly underated by critics and the public. "Arizona Sky" (UK no. 47, november 1986) and "Best Kept Secret" (UK no. 36, early 1987) was the only singles from this album.
"Following on from their excellent and under-rated pop albums Different Shapes & Passive Rhythms (1982) Working With Fire & Steel (1983) and Flaunt The Imperfection (1985), China Crisis began their long haul into the pop doldrums with this, their fourth release from 1986. This album is generally over-produced with far too many stodgy, going-nowhere songs, which would be their hallmark on the majority of their future albums. However, it is saved from a worse fate by the inclusion of the absolutely sublime Arizona Sky (perhaps their greatest ever songs), which somehow never managed to make it onto any of their many and varied compilation albums. This is worth the price of admission alone, but the classic cut A Day's Work For The Dayo's Done is also worthy of much praise, and these tracks act to save an otherwise average and uninsipiring piece of work from China Crisis."
"Rather than over-produced stodge, this album has quite superb production values(Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley were no mugs in the studio). The album has a fresh sunny sound which in part is also down to the superb musicianship on display, and I don't see how a beautiful song like Hampton Beach, with its sparse arrangement, could really be described as over-produced. If you are ever looking for an album to test the drum sound of a pair of speakers, this is one CD I would thoroughly recommend (they sound fantastic throughout). As for the best track I would have to plump for The Understudy (the synthesiser/guitar break in the middle is quite joyous). (...) In contrast to Chris I feel that the band's latter albums culminating with their teaming up with Walter Becker, were simply a maturing of their songwriting skills which I find rather naive at times on their earlier albums. Indeed the "Hollow Horse" album contains some of the best efforts from this sadly underrated band eg. Sweet Charity in Adoration, Diary of a Hollow Horse(lovely guitar and piano playing)and Back Home(again great guitar and piano interplay)."
"Having been a big fan over the years I would have to say that this is probably their most consistent effort. Unlike many mid eighties efforts this one doesn't have that "overproduced" feel to it and is still listenable today. As a result this has aged quite well. June Bride and Arizona Sky are some of the stronger tunes but there isn't a weak track here. Highly recommended."
"Having been a big fan over the years I would have to say that this is probably their most consistent effort. Unlike many mid eighties efforts this one doesn't have that "overproduced" feel to it and is still listenable today. As a result this has aged quite well. June Bride and Arizona Sky are some of the stronger tunes but there isn't a weak track here. Highly recommended."
DIARY OF A HOLLOW HORSE (1989)
Credits:
Arranged By - China Crisis/Artwork By [Design] - Icon /Backing Vocals - Angie Jarée* (tracks: 3) , Connie Reed (tracks: 4, 11) , Linda Harmon (tracks: 3, 5, 8) , Maxine Waters (tracks: 5, 8) , Myrna Matthews (tracks: 3, 5, 8) /Bass, Written-By - Gazza Johnson /Drums, Percussion, Bouzouki, Written-By - Kevin Wilkinson/ Saxophone, Flute - Martin Green (track 02)/Engineer - Carl Beatty (tracks: 1, 6, 9) , Mark Phythian (tracks: 2) , Roger Nichols (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) /Engineer [Assistant] - Dave Russell* (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) , Robbie Hart* (tracks: 3 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) , Val Ghent (tracks: 1, 6, 9) /Guitar - Tim Weston (also on Fra Lippo Lippi's 1987 album) (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=205045148)(tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 11)/Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals, Written-By - Eddie Lundon/ Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Marimba, Written-By - Brian McNeill/ Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa (track 03)/Flute - Jim Horn (track 03,05)/Saxophone - Jim Horn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Horn)(track 04)/Keyboards (track04), Piano (track 08) - Robbie Buchanan /Synthesizer - Walter Becker (track 05)/Lyrics By - Gary Daly , Gazza Johnson (tracks: 10) /Mastered By - Mike Reese/Photography - Spencer Rowell /Producer - China Crisis (tracks: 2) , Mike Thorne (http://www.stereosociety.com/thbio.html) (tracks: 1, 6, 9) , Walter Becker (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) /Vocals, Backing Vocals, Written-By - Gary Daly
Notes for the credits:
Guitarist Tim Weston formed his band in 1984 called "Wishful Thinking" supported by Walter Becker (http://cdbaby.com/cd/wishfulthinking). "Wishful Thinking" is a well-known song of China Crisis.
Tracklist:
01 St. Saviour Square (4:08)
02 Stranger By Nature (3:56)
03 Sweet Charity In Adoration (4:51)
04 Day After Day (5:07)
05 Diary Of A Hollow Horse (3:15)
06 Red Letter Day (4:37)
07 In Northern Skies (5:02)
08 Singing The Praises Of Finer Things (5:20)
09 All My Prayers (4:03)
10 Age Old Need (3:21)
11 Back Home (3:55)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92364879/89.rar.html
After a lengthy absence from the limelight, China Crisis resurfaced in May 1989 with the single "Saint Saviour Square". The single's lack of success didn't help rocket the following album "Diary of a Hollow Horse" to any commercial heights. With Walter Becker back as main producer (8 of 11 songs) and recorded on Hawaii, in Los Angeles, New York and London it has the scent of summer and Steely Dan! In retrospect a very good album.Mike Thorne produced the remaining tracks including both singles off the album "Saint Saviour Square" and "Red letter day".China Crisis toured the UK with support act The Highlanders, following the album.
Saint Saviour Square and Red Letter Day reached UK No.s 81 and 84 respectively in 1989.
"The biggest flaw with Diary of a Hollow Horse is the lack of either immediate hooks or heavily deep layers of creativity you can gradually discover after repeated plays. However, they do quite well in the safe zone from which they operate. Unfairly accused by some as trying to piggyback on the Steely Dan sound, China Crisis actually steers clear of any obvious copying. Walter Becker produced several songs, yet his influence is heard mostly in the impeccable knob-twiddling. Gary Daly's vocals don't really sound like anybody else's at this point, and Eddie Lundon's guitars aren't prominently featured enough to raise eyebrows, although some of his single-note picks do sound just a little familiar. Over all, this is fairly enjoyable and melodic. "Red Letter Day" might have been a bigger hit single under different circumstances. And there are some casual gems to be found, such as "Singing the Promises of Finer Things," which includes much-needed female backing vocals to fill out an album somewhat comprised of slickness without substance."
"Were China Crisis,like some of their contemparies of this period:Danny Wilson,House Of Love,The Kitchens Of Distinction, all fabulous bands with original and absorbing albums,quite simply overlooked in favour of the trippy dance bands surfacing during the late eighties? On hearing Diary Of A Hollow Horse,perhaps there is a truth in this theory. Although not their best album,this contains what all China Crisis albums have;two or three tracks that really hit the spot in the way a really good meal sates a ravenous hunger. Singing The Praises Of finer Things is one such track.A medley of all that is good about China Crisis:Garys distinctive and emotive vocals,Eddies tinkering about in the engine room creating all those little tricks and flicks that are so characteristic if this band and last,but certainly not least, the wonderful rythm section that is Gazza and Kevin............pinning it all down with a booming punch. A five star rating eludes this album because of one or two little oddities that puzzle:Garys sometimes over-produced vocals and the final track Back Home has the feel of a tune that belongs on,or has been plucked from another album. Diary Of A Hollow Horse is definately an album that should have merited more attention than it has recieved over the years and a must buy for any self respecting lover of the eighties."
Credits:
Arranged By - China Crisis/Artwork By [Design] - Icon /Backing Vocals - Angie Jarée* (tracks: 3) , Connie Reed (tracks: 4, 11) , Linda Harmon (tracks: 3, 5, 8) , Maxine Waters (tracks: 5, 8) , Myrna Matthews (tracks: 3, 5, 8) /Bass, Written-By - Gazza Johnson /Drums, Percussion, Bouzouki, Written-By - Kevin Wilkinson/ Saxophone, Flute - Martin Green (track 02)/Engineer - Carl Beatty (tracks: 1, 6, 9) , Mark Phythian (tracks: 2) , Roger Nichols (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) /Engineer [Assistant] - Dave Russell* (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) , Robbie Hart* (tracks: 3 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) , Val Ghent (tracks: 1, 6, 9) /Guitar - Tim Weston (also on Fra Lippo Lippi's 1987 album) (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=205045148)(tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 11)/Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals, Written-By - Eddie Lundon/ Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Marimba, Written-By - Brian McNeill/ Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa (track 03)/Flute - Jim Horn (track 03,05)/Saxophone - Jim Horn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Horn)(track 04)/Keyboards (track04), Piano (track 08) - Robbie Buchanan /Synthesizer - Walter Becker (track 05)/Lyrics By - Gary Daly , Gazza Johnson (tracks: 10) /Mastered By - Mike Reese/Photography - Spencer Rowell /Producer - China Crisis (tracks: 2) , Mike Thorne (http://www.stereosociety.com/thbio.html) (tracks: 1, 6, 9) , Walter Becker (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8, 10, 11) /Vocals, Backing Vocals, Written-By - Gary Daly
Notes for the credits:
Guitarist Tim Weston formed his band in 1984 called "Wishful Thinking" supported by Walter Becker (http://cdbaby.com/cd/wishfulthinking). "Wishful Thinking" is a well-known song of China Crisis.
Tracklist:
01 St. Saviour Square (4:08)
02 Stranger By Nature (3:56)
03 Sweet Charity In Adoration (4:51)
04 Day After Day (5:07)
05 Diary Of A Hollow Horse (3:15)
06 Red Letter Day (4:37)
07 In Northern Skies (5:02)
08 Singing The Praises Of Finer Things (5:20)
09 All My Prayers (4:03)
10 Age Old Need (3:21)
11 Back Home (3:55)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92364879/89.rar.html
After a lengthy absence from the limelight, China Crisis resurfaced in May 1989 with the single "Saint Saviour Square". The single's lack of success didn't help rocket the following album "Diary of a Hollow Horse" to any commercial heights. With Walter Becker back as main producer (8 of 11 songs) and recorded on Hawaii, in Los Angeles, New York and London it has the scent of summer and Steely Dan! In retrospect a very good album.Mike Thorne produced the remaining tracks including both singles off the album "Saint Saviour Square" and "Red letter day".China Crisis toured the UK with support act The Highlanders, following the album.
Saint Saviour Square and Red Letter Day reached UK No.s 81 and 84 respectively in 1989.
"The biggest flaw with Diary of a Hollow Horse is the lack of either immediate hooks or heavily deep layers of creativity you can gradually discover after repeated plays. However, they do quite well in the safe zone from which they operate. Unfairly accused by some as trying to piggyback on the Steely Dan sound, China Crisis actually steers clear of any obvious copying. Walter Becker produced several songs, yet his influence is heard mostly in the impeccable knob-twiddling. Gary Daly's vocals don't really sound like anybody else's at this point, and Eddie Lundon's guitars aren't prominently featured enough to raise eyebrows, although some of his single-note picks do sound just a little familiar. Over all, this is fairly enjoyable and melodic. "Red Letter Day" might have been a bigger hit single under different circumstances. And there are some casual gems to be found, such as "Singing the Promises of Finer Things," which includes much-needed female backing vocals to fill out an album somewhat comprised of slickness without substance."
"Were China Crisis,like some of their contemparies of this period:Danny Wilson,House Of Love,The Kitchens Of Distinction, all fabulous bands with original and absorbing albums,quite simply overlooked in favour of the trippy dance bands surfacing during the late eighties? On hearing Diary Of A Hollow Horse,perhaps there is a truth in this theory. Although not their best album,this contains what all China Crisis albums have;two or three tracks that really hit the spot in the way a really good meal sates a ravenous hunger. Singing The Praises Of finer Things is one such track.A medley of all that is good about China Crisis:Garys distinctive and emotive vocals,Eddies tinkering about in the engine room creating all those little tricks and flicks that are so characteristic if this band and last,but certainly not least, the wonderful rythm section that is Gazza and Kevin............pinning it all down with a booming punch. A five star rating eludes this album because of one or two little oddities that puzzle:Garys sometimes over-produced vocals and the final track Back Home has the feel of a tune that belongs on,or has been plucked from another album. Diary Of A Hollow Horse is definately an album that should have merited more attention than it has recieved over the years and a must buy for any self respecting lover of the eighties."
DIARY - A COLLECTION (1992)
Tracklist:
01 Black Man Ray
02 Animalistic
03 Hampton Beach
04 Red Letter Day
05 Diary Of A Hollow Horse (Acoustic Version)
06 Strength Of Character
07 When The Piper Calls
08 Christian
09 A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter
10 Hanna Hanna
11 African And White
12 Here Comes A Raincloud
13 King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up)
14 Blue Sea
15 Tragedy And Mystery
16 Wishful Thinking
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92357731/diary_a.rar.html
In August 1990 the first China Crisis compilation album was released, "Collection, The very best of China Crisis". Featuring almost exclusively singles, a lot of essential material is left out from this offering. Though, this compilation was released also as a limited edition double CD featuring some of their best B-sides on the second disc. This double compilation is a truly wonderful sum up of their career from 1981 to 1989. A remix of "African and White" preceeded the album as a single. This remix by Steve Proctor gave the song a completely new flavour, excellent!
"Diary - a collection" from 1992 features a few more album tracks and B-sides and is a more interesting compilation than the first one. This one also has some nice liner notes.After Virgin wanting only Daly and Lundon to stay on the paylist, China Crisis left Virgin since the band was so important to the members after playing together for eight years. The band actually split at this point in time because of financial reasons, being a pop band without a contract didn't pay any bills for the five family men."
Saltyka:
The next two albums released in 1997 as a double CD and called "Wishful Thinking".It contains "Acoustically Yours" (1995) as CD 1 and "Warped By Succes" (1995) as CD 2 with a bonus song "Tell Me What It Is" (i added) . Here are the covers and the inlays.
Tracklist:
01 Black Man Ray
02 Animalistic
03 Hampton Beach
04 Red Letter Day
05 Diary Of A Hollow Horse (Acoustic Version)
06 Strength Of Character
07 When The Piper Calls
08 Christian
09 A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter
10 Hanna Hanna
11 African And White
12 Here Comes A Raincloud
13 King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up)
14 Blue Sea
15 Tragedy And Mystery
16 Wishful Thinking
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92357731/diary_a.rar.html
In August 1990 the first China Crisis compilation album was released, "Collection, The very best of China Crisis". Featuring almost exclusively singles, a lot of essential material is left out from this offering. Though, this compilation was released also as a limited edition double CD featuring some of their best B-sides on the second disc. This double compilation is a truly wonderful sum up of their career from 1981 to 1989. A remix of "African and White" preceeded the album as a single. This remix by Steve Proctor gave the song a completely new flavour, excellent!
"Diary - a collection" from 1992 features a few more album tracks and B-sides and is a more interesting compilation than the first one. This one also has some nice liner notes.After Virgin wanting only Daly and Lundon to stay on the paylist, China Crisis left Virgin since the band was so important to the members after playing together for eight years. The band actually split at this point in time because of financial reasons, being a pop band without a contract didn't pay any bills for the five family men."
Saltyka:
The next two albums released in 1997 as a double CD and called "Wishful Thinking".It contains "Acoustically Yours" (1995) as CD 1 and "Warped By Succes" (1995) as CD 2 with a bonus song "Tell Me What It Is" (i added) . Here are the covers and the inlays.
WARPED BY SUCCESS (1994) (released also as the 2.disc of "Wishful Thinking" 2CD in 1997)
Credits:
All instruments,Produced by Gary Daly/Eddie Lundon/Terry Adams
Gazza JOHNSON - Bass on "Without The Love" /Kevin WILKINSON - Sampled verse kit on "Always"
Tracey ACKERMAN and Jeremy EVANS - Backing Vocals
Chris DAVIS - Saxophones, Flute/John THIRKELL - Trumpet, Flugel Horn/Kofi KARI KARI - Percussion/Simon CALLOW - Electric Piano on "Hands on The Wheel"/Martin GREEN - Sax, Flute/Damon REECE - Sampled chorus kit on "Always"Hummanna - Various bits (and pieces)
Tracklist:
01 Hands on the Wheel
02 Always
03 Everyday the Same
04 Without the Love
05 Thank You
06 Hard to Be Around
07 One Wish Too Many
08 Wishing Time
09 Good Again
10 Real Tears
11 Does It Pay
12 The Way We Are Made
13 Tell Me What Is It
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92328440/warped_.rar.html
In September 1994 China Crisis returned, now with Terry Adams and Mark Phythian being new additions. Kevin, Gazza and Brian no longer with the band. Kevin and Gazza contribute to one song each though and one song, "Hard to be Around", is dedicated to Kevin.The album, "Warped by Success" is far from their best moments but still a welcome return. A few songs show that they still have the ability to write wonderful pop songs, the only (?) single "Everyday the Same", "Without the Love" and "Hard to be Around" in particular. "Warped by success" was released by Stardumb Records.
"After the relative failure of the Walter Becker-produced Diary of a Hollow Horse album in 1989, the five piece lineup went their separate ways. Five years later, original duo Eddie Lundon and Gary Daly reunited and released this low-key affair, which retained the sophisticated sound of their latter days with the simple, stripped-down production of their early days. Daly remains a unique and intriguing vocalist and songwriter, with Lundon proving to be the perfect straight man to his oddities. The Steely Dan-ish "Hands on the Wheel" is a wonderful Lundon track, but its mid-tempo groove does not make it the perfect album opener (it would fit snug in the track four slot, though). "Everyday the Same," the first single, may not have set the charts on fire, but it's a classic China Crisis single, with a great melody and a nice groove. "Without the Love," "Good Again," "Wishing Time," "Thank You," and "Always" are great additions to the China Crisis catalog, with typically pretty melodies and tender, personal lyrics. Production-wise, the album is wrapped in a sentimental mood with plenty of aural empty spaces floating within the music, adding a hauntingly human feeling to the electronics. Perhaps this isn't the band's best album to date, but it's one that should be sought out. (A few years after this album was released, Snapper/Recall Records released a two-disc set called Wishful Thinkin', which contained this album and it's follow-up Acoustically Yours.) ~ Stephen SPAZ Schnee, All Music Guide
"Warped By Success is breathtakingly beautiful from beginning to end. It's the first album I've ever bought where I felt no need to rearrange the song order on it, or exclude any of the songs as filler material. Every song is brilliant. The lyrics are insightful and introspective, making one think about the life experiences they celebrate or question. This is an album that the whole world should hear!"
"This album was pretty much ignored by the media and the radio stations, presumably because it wasn't on a major label and is not easy to categorise. I am a big China Crisis album , and I rate this very highly, up there with the albums they recorded for Virgin. The production is low key, sparse and warm, and the mood of the songs is almost melancholy. It's a good Sunday listen. The best songs are Hands on The Wheel and Good Again, and don't be put off by the obscurity factor, because this really is a good listen."
Credits:
All instruments,Produced by Gary Daly/Eddie Lundon/Terry Adams
Gazza JOHNSON - Bass on "Without The Love" /Kevin WILKINSON - Sampled verse kit on "Always"
Tracey ACKERMAN and Jeremy EVANS - Backing Vocals
Chris DAVIS - Saxophones, Flute/John THIRKELL - Trumpet, Flugel Horn/Kofi KARI KARI - Percussion/Simon CALLOW - Electric Piano on "Hands on The Wheel"/Martin GREEN - Sax, Flute/Damon REECE - Sampled chorus kit on "Always"Hummanna - Various bits (and pieces)
Tracklist:
01 Hands on the Wheel
02 Always
03 Everyday the Same
04 Without the Love
05 Thank You
06 Hard to Be Around
07 One Wish Too Many
08 Wishing Time
09 Good Again
10 Real Tears
11 Does It Pay
12 The Way We Are Made
13 Tell Me What Is It
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92328440/warped_.rar.html
In September 1994 China Crisis returned, now with Terry Adams and Mark Phythian being new additions. Kevin, Gazza and Brian no longer with the band. Kevin and Gazza contribute to one song each though and one song, "Hard to be Around", is dedicated to Kevin.The album, "Warped by Success" is far from their best moments but still a welcome return. A few songs show that they still have the ability to write wonderful pop songs, the only (?) single "Everyday the Same", "Without the Love" and "Hard to be Around" in particular. "Warped by success" was released by Stardumb Records.
"After the relative failure of the Walter Becker-produced Diary of a Hollow Horse album in 1989, the five piece lineup went their separate ways. Five years later, original duo Eddie Lundon and Gary Daly reunited and released this low-key affair, which retained the sophisticated sound of their latter days with the simple, stripped-down production of their early days. Daly remains a unique and intriguing vocalist and songwriter, with Lundon proving to be the perfect straight man to his oddities. The Steely Dan-ish "Hands on the Wheel" is a wonderful Lundon track, but its mid-tempo groove does not make it the perfect album opener (it would fit snug in the track four slot, though). "Everyday the Same," the first single, may not have set the charts on fire, but it's a classic China Crisis single, with a great melody and a nice groove. "Without the Love," "Good Again," "Wishing Time," "Thank You," and "Always" are great additions to the China Crisis catalog, with typically pretty melodies and tender, personal lyrics. Production-wise, the album is wrapped in a sentimental mood with plenty of aural empty spaces floating within the music, adding a hauntingly human feeling to the electronics. Perhaps this isn't the band's best album to date, but it's one that should be sought out. (A few years after this album was released, Snapper/Recall Records released a two-disc set called Wishful Thinkin', which contained this album and it's follow-up Acoustically Yours.) ~ Stephen SPAZ Schnee, All Music Guide
"Warped By Success is breathtakingly beautiful from beginning to end. It's the first album I've ever bought where I felt no need to rearrange the song order on it, or exclude any of the songs as filler material. Every song is brilliant. The lyrics are insightful and introspective, making one think about the life experiences they celebrate or question. This is an album that the whole world should hear!"
"This album was pretty much ignored by the media and the radio stations, presumably because it wasn't on a major label and is not easy to categorise. I am a big China Crisis album , and I rate this very highly, up there with the albums they recorded for Virgin. The production is low key, sparse and warm, and the mood of the songs is almost melancholy. It's a good Sunday listen. The best songs are Hands on The Wheel and Good Again, and don't be put off by the obscurity factor, because this really is a good listen."
ACOUSTICALLY YOURS (1995) (released also as the 1.disc of "Wishful Thinking" 2CD in 1997)
Notes:
"Acoustically Yours", a live album which was mixed by Paul Humphreys and first released on THE LISTENING POOL's Telegraph Records label in 1995.
Tracklist:
01 African and White
02 No More Blue Horizons
03 Wishful Thinking
04 Everyday the Same
05 It's Everything
06 Christian
07 Good Again
08 Hands on the Wheel
09 Black Many Ray
10 King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)
11 Thank You
12 Singing the Praises of Finer Things
13 Working With Fire and Steel
14 Diary of a Hollow Horse
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92329143/liun.rar.html
Following another change of record company now being with former OMD member Paul Humphrey's label Telegraph Records, China Crisis set off to record a live album, "Acoustically yours".Released in the autumn of 1995 to critical aclaim, it showed a China Crisis as brilliant as ever, being confident about the power in the songs. Showing that though the sound on some of their earlier offerings are quite dated, their songs are not! Most of their "greatest" hits are here and a some more recent songs all in splendidly revamped versions.The highlights are "Wishful Thinking", "It's Everything", "Black Man Ray" and "Diary of a Hollow Horse". The album was recorded at the Neptune theatre in Liverpool and a tour followed."Black Man Ray" was the single of the album, released in 1996. On the single there was a version from the Neptune theatre show of "Here come a Raincloud" (from "Working...") that features Pete Coyle from The Lotus Eaters on vocals.There is also a video from this show available.
"Rare live recording features all of their greatest hits along with newer material from the late 90s."
Notes:
"Acoustically Yours", a live album which was mixed by Paul Humphreys and first released on THE LISTENING POOL's Telegraph Records label in 1995.
Tracklist:
01 African and White
02 No More Blue Horizons
03 Wishful Thinking
04 Everyday the Same
05 It's Everything
06 Christian
07 Good Again
08 Hands on the Wheel
09 Black Many Ray
10 King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)
11 Thank You
12 Singing the Praises of Finer Things
13 Working With Fire and Steel
14 Diary of a Hollow Horse
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92329143/liun.rar.html
Following another change of record company now being with former OMD member Paul Humphrey's label Telegraph Records, China Crisis set off to record a live album, "Acoustically yours".Released in the autumn of 1995 to critical aclaim, it showed a China Crisis as brilliant as ever, being confident about the power in the songs. Showing that though the sound on some of their earlier offerings are quite dated, their songs are not! Most of their "greatest" hits are here and a some more recent songs all in splendidly revamped versions.The highlights are "Wishful Thinking", "It's Everything", "Black Man Ray" and "Diary of a Hollow Horse". The album was recorded at the Neptune theatre in Liverpool and a tour followed."Black Man Ray" was the single of the album, released in 1996. On the single there was a version from the Neptune theatre show of "Here come a Raincloud" (from "Working...") that features Pete Coyle from The Lotus Eaters on vocals.There is also a video from this show available.
"Rare live recording features all of their greatest hits along with newer material from the late 90s."
"CC really suffered from the "synth-pop" tag they were lumbered with almost from the get-go. Admittedly their first album does have a certain Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark feel to it , but as they progressed through the 80's , their sound filled out , and they consistently came up with smashing songs that had guitars don't you know. This live album was recorded in their home town of Liverpool during the mid 90s. The band had been struggling to make anywhere near the impact they had made in the previous decade (having been dropped by Virgin Records). However , they still had a fairly loyal fan-base (I say "fairly" loyal because their only 90s studio release - Warped by Success probably only sold about 8 copies) who turned up at various small venue gigs. This album does a good job of capturing that intimate venue feeling and as such is a must for any passing fan."Reviews for "Wishful Thinking" (1997) 2CD contains "Warped By Success" and "Acoustically Yours":
"Its a personal opinion, I know, but I happen to think that China Crisis just didn't get the attention they deserved. Their music wasn't complicated stuff but just good pop songs with occasional flashes of brilliance - Christian, Wishful Thinking, African and White of course, but also other less well known gems, some of which surface on the first disc of this 2 CD set.You need to remember when buying this that what you are getting on CD1 is a 'live and unplugged' version of their songs and for someone like me who has played their studio albums so many times this is a fascinating CD and a chance to hear a very different take on their work. Shorn of rich production the treatment really works and the whole thing has a very intimate feel about it. There is some good sax playing on a number of the tracks and Gary Daly's vocals (which though not the strongest you'll hear, for me has been such a key part of the CC sound) come over well. Standout tracks have to be Singing the Praises of Higher Things, Black Man Ray and 'Hollow Horse - beautiful stuff!"
"The second CD is a studio album, not my favourite but nevertheless capable of making you want to kick your shoes off, sit down and just relax to some good tunes.So, this package gets the 5 star treatment mainly for the first disc but also for the fact that you are getting good value here. China Crisis were good, very good, and the live part of this set is a pretty enjoyable experience. As the music ends one of the band is heard saying 'Thanks very much for coming along - see you all very soon' - I wish lads, I wish."
SCRAP BOOK, VOL 1.LIVE AT THE DOMINION THEATRE (2002)
Tracklist:
01 Wall of God
02 Gift of Freedom
03 Tragedy and Mystery
04 Wishful Thinking
05 You Did Cut Me
06 Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling
07 Highest High
08 Strength of Character
09 Seven Sports for All
10 King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)
11 Working With Fire and Steel
12 Some People I Know Lead Fantastic Lives
13 Christian
14 Black Man Ray
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92913101/cc__dominion_.rar.html
"The title "Scrapbook 1" might lead you to believe this is just another collection of previously released material - as if there weren't already enough. But don't let the title fool you. This is fresh, never before released live materi
al from a concert performed during the band's peak. It primarily features songs from "Flaunt the Imperfection" plus a few classics from their earlier albums.The performance is excellent, and so is the recording quality - this is no fuzzy sounding bootleg. Hearing this CD makes me wish I had been able to see them back then. The live arrangements of these old familiar songs brings them to life in new and unexpected ways. Even tracks that I found a bit flat on the original studio recordings are exciting in this performance. I admit I didn't really expect much from this CD when I ordered it, but I must now place it among my favorites.I just hope there is a "Scrapbook 2" in the works.If you like China Crisis even just a little bit, don't miss this CD. Snag it up before it disappears into obscurity. You won't be disappointed.""Forget those other recent "Best of" compilations and "Acoustic" CDs...This is the album we have been waiting for! A must have for any China Crisis Fan! I've never heard any of these live versions before and they are just superb! Even if you have most or all of their albums, this live material is truly unique!"
"Bit of a strange release this one, but very welcome all the same.It is a recording taken from the 'Flaunt The Imperfection' tour, although it doesn't state this on the CD at all.The sound quality is spot on and the song selection good as well. It's nice to hear tracks like 'Bigger The Punch I'm Feeling' as well as the like's of 'African and White' etc.As a fan I'd recommend this cd to everyone."
"Bit of a strange release this one, but very welcome all the same.It is a recording taken from the 'Flaunt The Imperfection' tour, although it doesn't state this on the CD at all.The sound quality is spot on and the song selection good as well. It's nice to hear tracks like 'Bigger The Punch I'm Feeling' as well as the like's of 'African and White' etc.As a fan I'd recommend this cd to everyone."
CHINA'S COLLECTION - SINGLES, MIXES,B-SIDES (2008)
Notes:
Compiled by/covers made by Salty.
Im not sure it is a total list,though i've tried to collect every non album songs they ever released from 1981 to 1994 ,send me please if something missing!
CD 1.
01 Be Suspicious (1981)
02 Scream Down At Me (1982)
03 Christian (Ext.) (1982)
04 African And White (Remixed Extended Version) (1982)
05 African And White (12") (1982)
06 Cucumber Garden (1982)
07 No Ordinary Lover (Instr.) (1982)
08 Watching Over Burning Fields (Long Version)
09 Watching Over Burning Fields (1982)
10 Greenacre Bay (1982)11 Performing Seals (1982)
12 A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter (1983)
13 Dockland (1983)
14 Forever I And I (1983)
CD 2.
15 This Occupation (Ext.Mix) (1983)
16 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives 6:10 (Extended Mix) (1983)
17 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives 4:40 (? Version)
18 Wishful Thinking (Ext.) (1983)
19 Wishful Thinking (Dance Remix) (1983)
20 Here Comes Raincloud (Long Version) (1983)
21 Here Comes Raincloud (feat. Peter Coyle)
22 Hanna Hanna (Ext.) (1983)
23 Working With Fire And Steel (Mix) (1983)
24 Working With Fire And Steel (Re-Extended Version)
25 Working With Fire And Steel (Disconet Remix)
26 Tragedy And Mystery (Ext.) (1983)
CD 3.
27 Animalistic (1985)
28 Animalistic (A Day At The Zoo Mix) (1985)
29 It's Never Too Late (1985)
30 King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up) (Extended Version) (1985)
31 96-8 (1985)
32 Orange Mutt-Mutt Dance (1985)
33 Seven Sports For All Live (You Did Cut Me 12 inch) (1985)
34 Christian (Live At The Empire,Liverpool 1985)
35 You Did Cut Me (Live At The Empire,Liverpool 1985)
36 Arizona Sky (Full Length Version) (1986)
37 No More Blue Horizon (Ext.) (1986)
CD 4.
38 The Instigator (7" Version) (1987)
39 The Instigator (Italian Fuzzbox Version) (1987)
40 Little Italy (1987)
41 Diary Of A Hollow Horse (Acoustic) (1989)
42 Saint Saviour Square (Ext.Remix) (1989)
43 African And White (Steve Proctor Mix)
44 Tell Me What It Is (1994)
45 Every Day The Same (Riff & Hum Club Mix) (1994)
46 Every Day The Same (Drum-A-Pella Mix) (1994)
47 Every Day The Same (Original Version) (1994)
48 Scream Down At Me (Razormaid)
Links to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/93196009/cd_1.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/93198192/cd_2.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/93208601/cd_3.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/93205837/cd_4.rar.html
Notes:
Compiled by/covers made by Salty.
Im not sure it is a total list,though i've tried to collect every non album songs they ever released from 1981 to 1994 ,send me please if something missing!
CD 1.
01 Be Suspicious (1981)
02 Scream Down At Me (1982)
03 Christian (Ext.) (1982)
04 African And White (Remixed Extended Version) (1982)
05 African And White (12") (1982)
06 Cucumber Garden (1982)
07 No Ordinary Lover (Instr.) (1982)
08 Watching Over Burning Fields (Long Version)
09 Watching Over Burning Fields (1982)
10 Greenacre Bay (1982)11 Performing Seals (1982)
12 A Golden Handshake For Every Daughter (1983)
13 Dockland (1983)
14 Forever I And I (1983)
CD 2.
15 This Occupation (Ext.Mix) (1983)
16 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives 6:10 (Extended Mix) (1983)
17 Some People I Know To Lead Fantastic Lives 4:40 (? Version)
18 Wishful Thinking (Ext.) (1983)
19 Wishful Thinking (Dance Remix) (1983)
20 Here Comes Raincloud (Long Version) (1983)
21 Here Comes Raincloud (feat. Peter Coyle)
22 Hanna Hanna (Ext.) (1983)
23 Working With Fire And Steel (Mix) (1983)
24 Working With Fire And Steel (Re-Extended Version)
25 Working With Fire And Steel (Disconet Remix)
26 Tragedy And Mystery (Ext.) (1983)
CD 3.
27 Animalistic (1985)
28 Animalistic (A Day At The Zoo Mix) (1985)
29 It's Never Too Late (1985)
30 King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up) (Extended Version) (1985)
31 96-8 (1985)
32 Orange Mutt-Mutt Dance (1985)
33 Seven Sports For All Live (You Did Cut Me 12 inch) (1985)
34 Christian (Live At The Empire,Liverpool 1985)
35 You Did Cut Me (Live At The Empire,Liverpool 1985)
36 Arizona Sky (Full Length Version) (1986)
37 No More Blue Horizon (Ext.) (1986)
CD 4.
38 The Instigator (7" Version) (1987)
39 The Instigator (Italian Fuzzbox Version) (1987)
40 Little Italy (1987)
41 Diary Of A Hollow Horse (Acoustic) (1989)
42 Saint Saviour Square (Ext.Remix) (1989)
43 African And White (Steve Proctor Mix)
44 Tell Me What It Is (1994)
45 Every Day The Same (Riff & Hum Club Mix) (1994)
46 Every Day The Same (Drum-A-Pella Mix) (1994)
47 Every Day The Same (Original Version) (1994)
48 Scream Down At Me (Razormaid)
Links to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/93196009/cd_1.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/93198192/cd_2.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/93208601/cd_3.rar.html
http://rapidshare.com/files/93205837/cd_4.rar.html
BONUS (RELATED)
HAMBI & THE DANCE ( feat.Gary "Gazza" Johnson) - Heartache (1982)Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
New Wave, Synth-pop
Members:
Hambi Haralambous - vocals (ex Tontrix)
Wayne Hussey - guitar (ex Walkie Talkies, later Dead or Alive, Sisters of Mercy)
Steve Lovell - guitar (ex Hollycaust, later with Julian Cope)
Gazza Johnson - bass (later China Crisis)
Chris Hughes - drums (ex Tontrix, later Adam & The Ants)
Paul Rutherford - dancer (later Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
Endured many line-up changes, incl; The Major (drms) (ex Montana / Winter, later Windows, The Balcony, Red, Hatework, New Dodos and Logic Of Impossibility), Les Hughes (drms) (later White Russians), Phil Coxon (keys) (ex Visual Aids, later OMD)
Credits:
Hambi - Acoustic Guitar (track 07),Percussion (track 03,08),Glockenspiel [Tubaphone], Castanets (TRACK 03)/Backing Vocals - Jaqe* (tracks: 02, 05, 08 to 10)/ Gary Johnson - Bass,Guitar, Synthesizer, Keyboards [Casio Vl Tone](track01),Percussion (track 03),Synthesizer (track 07,10)/Drums - Joseph Kennedy (tracks: 01 to 03, 05, 08, 10) , Les Hughes (tracks: 04, 06, 07, 09) /Guitar - Hambi* (tracks: 01 to 09) , Steve Lovell, Peter Davies (track 04,07) /Steve Lovell- Synthesizer (track 01,05,10)/Tambourine (track 08,09)/Percuission (track 01,03)/Nick Plytas - Piano (track 01,03,08)/Organ (track 05,08)/Joseph Kennedy - Timpani (Track 02)/James Lascelles - Piano (track 02)/Lesley Bower - Oboe (track 05)/Mick Glossop - Producer, Engineer/Synthesizer (track 06)/Castanets - Les Hughes (track 09)/Steve Power - Synthesizer/Piano (track 07)/Vocals, Composed By - Hambi
Tracklist:
01 Time After Time (4:01)
02 Living In A Heartache (3:22)
03 Madelaine (4:05)
04 L'Image Craqué (4:31)
05 Spirits (4:31)
06 The World (3:23)
07 Dancing Inside You (4:08)
08 Major Major (3:30)
09 Too Late To Fly The Flag (3:30)
10 Standing In The Rain (6:28)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/93184485/hambi_.rar.html
"Liverpool's Hambi and the Dance attempted an interesting combination of synthesized art-rock and traditional rock'n'roll, with mixed results. When ex-Tontrix singer/songwriter Hambi Harambolous draws on influences ranging from Phil Spector and the Searchers to the Roxy/Bowie/Ultravox school, the record can be very impressive ("Living in a Heartache," "Madelaine"). He is less successful, however, when trying arty synthesized rock that sounds like Ultravox outtakes."[Karen Schlosberg]
Hambi - Acoustic Guitar (track 07),Percussion (track 03,08),Glockenspiel [Tubaphone], Castanets (TRACK 03)/Backing Vocals - Jaqe* (tracks: 02, 05, 08 to 10)/ Gary Johnson - Bass,Guitar, Synthesizer, Keyboards [Casio Vl Tone](track01),Percussion (track 03),Synthesizer (track 07,10)/Drums - Joseph Kennedy (tracks: 01 to 03, 05, 08, 10) , Les Hughes (tracks: 04, 06, 07, 09) /Guitar - Hambi* (tracks: 01 to 09) , Steve Lovell, Peter Davies (track 04,07) /Steve Lovell- Synthesizer (track 01,05,10)/Tambourine (track 08,09)/Percuission (track 01,03)/Nick Plytas - Piano (track 01,03,08)/Organ (track 05,08)/Joseph Kennedy - Timpani (Track 02)/James Lascelles - Piano (track 02)/Lesley Bower - Oboe (track 05)/Mick Glossop - Producer, Engineer/Synthesizer (track 06)/Castanets - Les Hughes (track 09)/Steve Power - Synthesizer/Piano (track 07)/Vocals, Composed By - Hambi
Tracklist:
01 Time After Time (4:01)
02 Living In A Heartache (3:22)
03 Madelaine (4:05)
04 L'Image Craqué (4:31)
05 Spirits (4:31)
06 The World (3:23)
07 Dancing Inside You (4:08)
08 Major Major (3:30)
09 Too Late To Fly The Flag (3:30)
10 Standing In The Rain (6:28)
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/93184485/hambi_.rar.html
"Liverpool's Hambi and the Dance attempted an interesting combination of synthesized art-rock and traditional rock'n'roll, with mixed results. When ex-Tontrix singer/songwriter Hambi Harambolous draws on influences ranging from Phil Spector and the Searchers to the Roxy/Bowie/Ultravox school, the record can be very impressive ("Living in a Heartache," "Madelaine"). He is less successful, however, when trying arty synthesized rock that sounds like Ultravox outtakes."[Karen Schlosberg]
"very good album. Hambi Haralambous was yet another hugely talented Liverpool post-punk musician who began with Tontrix back in 1979. This album includes the fantastic singles Too late to fly the flag and the massive L'image craque"
More info:
http://music-isms.blogspot.com/2007/10/tontrix-hambi-and-dance.html
http://www.musicaltaste.com/filter.php?performer=Hambi%20and%20the%20Dance
He is a producer and visual director (http://www.innesmarlow.co.uk/omd.htm) and also teaching at Liverpool John Moores University.He has a record studio in Liverpool:
Pink Museum Recording Studio
1 Hesketh Street
Liverpool Merseyside L17 8XJ
Tel: 01517 277557
https://register.facebook.com/r.php?r=100&u=p a recent photo of Hambi
MUDDYHEAD (feat. Gary Daly) - Land & Sea (2006)
Credits:
MuddyHead were Andy Steele, Gary Daly and Graham Chesters, joined by Laura Campbell, Colin Lambert, Russ Williams, John Dowling, John Lawrence and Barry Gaskill.
Tracklist:
01 She Moves Me
02 Miracle Cure
03 Automatic Slim and the Fatboys
04 All Manner of Men
05 Blameless Life
06 Good Friends
07 The Theatre List
08 Call Me
09 Sensible Living
10 Style It Takes
11 Land and Sea
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92924505/muddyhead.rar.html
Gary Daly are now member of a band called Muddyhead. They have now released their debut album "Land and Sea". Dockland's Muddyhead page. Gary Daly's new band fronted by Andy Steele have now completed their debut album "Land and Sea". Featuring 11 songs, some of which have been co-written by Gary and Eddie. Most songs though are written by Andy Steele.
"this album is full of fantastic pop gems. although very much an english pop album, there are still moments like 'the theatre list' and the title track that could easily fit into a folk or alt country/american radio playlist. a perfect debut."
"Kind of a spinoff band from China Crisis. Muddyhead features Andy Steele, who played keyboards with recent versions of CC, and Gary Daly, CC's singer. Andy takes lead vocals with his sweetly melodic voice, and the music is mainly gentle, accoustic stuff. Gary does bass and other things. The songs speak of love, guilt, and longing, but there is also humour - "it reminded me of Stratford on Avon, and that terrible band that you liked". At my kind of age (44) this is perfect music for the train journey to work."
"A great voice, a great band. The mersey sound for modern times. Music to dream to, to seduce by, to travel with and to sing along. Thoughtful and uplifting with a fabulous backbeat supplied by the excellent drummer."
"Picked up a copy of this LP after hearing a track on the Mark Radcliffe Show....absolutely marvellous stuff...from the upbeat 'Miracle Cure', with a chorus you could iron your trousers on, to my personal favourite 'Call Me', its melodica solo so hauntingly beautiful. Thing about this North Cheshire outfit is the diversity and downright quality of the songwriting, as well as the perfectly understated drumming and bang on bass melodies.....guitars, citterns, mandolins, dobros, pedal and lap steels... I've read reviews suggesting Harry Nielson and Paul McCartney, early Fleetwoods even, but Theatre List hints at Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, whilst Sensible Living..it's as good a tune as you will hear these days...pedal steel provided in part by Gorkys Zychotic Mynci's co founder John Lawrence. I love this LP....all of it...takes you on a journey to wherever you want to go."
More info:
http://andwhatsnext.com/qa-with-gary-daly-of-china-crisis/
http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/towers/3059/muddyhead.htm
http://www.andysteele.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/muddyheadhttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=52185760
Biography of China Crisis:
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/China-Crisis-Biography/7B3AE5037E137F7648256AEF0004957C
Credits:
MuddyHead were Andy Steele, Gary Daly and Graham Chesters, joined by Laura Campbell, Colin Lambert, Russ Williams, John Dowling, John Lawrence and Barry Gaskill.
Tracklist:
01 She Moves Me
02 Miracle Cure
03 Automatic Slim and the Fatboys
04 All Manner of Men
05 Blameless Life
06 Good Friends
07 The Theatre List
08 Call Me
09 Sensible Living
10 Style It Takes
11 Land and Sea
Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/92924505/muddyhead.rar.html
Gary Daly are now member of a band called Muddyhead. They have now released their debut album "Land and Sea". Dockland's Muddyhead page. Gary Daly's new band fronted by Andy Steele have now completed their debut album "Land and Sea". Featuring 11 songs, some of which have been co-written by Gary and Eddie. Most songs though are written by Andy Steele.
"this album is full of fantastic pop gems. although very much an english pop album, there are still moments like 'the theatre list' and the title track that could easily fit into a folk or alt country/american radio playlist. a perfect debut."
"Kind of a spinoff band from China Crisis. Muddyhead features Andy Steele, who played keyboards with recent versions of CC, and Gary Daly, CC's singer. Andy takes lead vocals with his sweetly melodic voice, and the music is mainly gentle, accoustic stuff. Gary does bass and other things. The songs speak of love, guilt, and longing, but there is also humour - "it reminded me of Stratford on Avon, and that terrible band that you liked". At my kind of age (44) this is perfect music for the train journey to work."
"A great voice, a great band. The mersey sound for modern times. Music to dream to, to seduce by, to travel with and to sing along. Thoughtful and uplifting with a fabulous backbeat supplied by the excellent drummer."
"Picked up a copy of this LP after hearing a track on the Mark Radcliffe Show....absolutely marvellous stuff...from the upbeat 'Miracle Cure', with a chorus you could iron your trousers on, to my personal favourite 'Call Me', its melodica solo so hauntingly beautiful. Thing about this North Cheshire outfit is the diversity and downright quality of the songwriting, as well as the perfectly understated drumming and bang on bass melodies.....guitars, citterns, mandolins, dobros, pedal and lap steels... I've read reviews suggesting Harry Nielson and Paul McCartney, early Fleetwoods even, but Theatre List hints at Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, whilst Sensible Living..it's as good a tune as you will hear these days...pedal steel provided in part by Gorkys Zychotic Mynci's co founder John Lawrence. I love this LP....all of it...takes you on a journey to wherever you want to go."
More info:
http://andwhatsnext.com/qa-with-gary-daly-of-china-crisis/
http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/towers/3059/muddyhead.htm
http://www.andysteele.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/muddyheadhttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=52185760
Biography of China Crisis:
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/China-Crisis-Biography/7B3AE5037E137F7648256AEF0004957C
Eddie Lundon
is a lecturer at Paul McCartney’s Lipa:"In 1980 Eddie formed the group China Crisis with Gary Daly and released the independent single African and White, which achieved instant chart success. Later that year they signed a major recording and publishing contract with Virgin Records. Eddie has achieved total album sales in excess of 5 million, and has the experience of recording with some of the world’s top producers in some of the world’s best studios. In 1999 Eddie began working for LIPA as well as continuing to perform and record for China Crisis. They have undertaken major tours in 2002 and 2003 and plan another one this year. At LIPA, Eddie has helped develop and manage courses close to his heart, as well as acting as a Mentor. He says: “Working on the courses at LIPA brings me great excitement because not only do we give the artistes essential facilities and insight as to how the music industry ticks, but I can also have a big input as to the production and selection of the material the artiste selects to hopefully get their career off to the right start.” Eddie also set up independent record label (Honey Records: http://www.honeyrecords.co.uk/), with several different partners."
(http://www.lipa.ac.uk/standard/cameo/staffprofiles.asp)
More info:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=58026116
http://andwhatsnext.com/qa-with-eddie-lundon-of-china-crisis/
http://moodle.lipa.ac.uk/user/view.php?id=42&course=1
Kevin Wilkinson,
who had played with a wide variety of bands including The Waterboys, Fish, The Proclaimers, Squeeze and Howard Jones, hanged himself on 17th July 1999. In 2000 Daly contributed a track to a tribute compilation to Wilkinson, Green Indians. (http://davidmarx.co.uk/page4.html)
From: DAVID JOHN REILLY Sent: den 10 juli 2001 01:44
"I worked with Gary & Eddie before we became China Crisis for about a year then left to do other things , then re-joinedand after about 6-8 months we landed our record contract with Inevitable, I was only 16 at that time! After only a few months we were 'sold' to Virgin . I spent about 3 years with the band on and off but felt I had learned a great deal from them and wanted to go in other directions to Gary & Ed.I've never stopped playing over the last 20 years! I became a well respected session drummer playing on many recordings of very diverse artists, I travelled the globe doing concerts as the drummer for The Real People,2a.m,The Immortal and for the last 5 years played with England's finest tribute to The Beatles,The Backbeat Beatles; some of whom were in the film Backbeat and have just been Musical Director on a film for N.B.C America called 'John Lennon-In his life'That should clear things up!Good luck,Good health"Dave.
Brian McNeill
worked with The Proclaimers before joined China Crisis in 1996 .After China Crisis played with The Silencers-Dance To The Holy Man (1990) (i've posted before), Mull Historical Society (1994),Boo Hewerdine (1995) and Hollow Horse on it's third album.(http://www.hollowhorse.co.uk/bio.asp)
I found more info about him here,but maybe he is another Brian McNeill???:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_McNeill
ALBUMS
Difficult Shapes and Passive Rhythms (1982)
Working With Fire And Steel (1983)
BBC Rock Hour (Live) (1984)
Tragedy and Mystery-Live in Rotterdam,Ahoy (bootleg) (1984)
More info:
http://www.chinacrisis.co.uk/
http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=100415166
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/chinacrisis/
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:-IMlqx-jm6YJ:profile.myspace.cn/index.cfm%3Ffuseaction%3Duser.viewprofile%26friendid%3D75487465+chinacrisisgaryeddie&hl=hu&ct=clnk&cd=1
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/3059/china1new.htm the best site about China Crisis
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/3059/trivia.htm
http://www.multinet.no/~jonarne/Hjemmesia/Favorittartister/chinacrisis/china_crisis.htm
http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=china_crisis
is a lecturer at Paul McCartney’s Lipa:"In 1980 Eddie formed the group China Crisis with Gary Daly and released the independent single African and White, which achieved instant chart success. Later that year they signed a major recording and publishing contract with Virgin Records. Eddie has achieved total album sales in excess of 5 million, and has the experience of recording with some of the world’s top producers in some of the world’s best studios. In 1999 Eddie began working for LIPA as well as continuing to perform and record for China Crisis. They have undertaken major tours in 2002 and 2003 and plan another one this year. At LIPA, Eddie has helped develop and manage courses close to his heart, as well as acting as a Mentor. He says: “Working on the courses at LIPA brings me great excitement because not only do we give the artistes essential facilities and insight as to how the music industry ticks, but I can also have a big input as to the production and selection of the material the artiste selects to hopefully get their career off to the right start.” Eddie also set up independent record label (Honey Records: http://www.honeyrecords.co.uk/), with several different partners."
(http://www.lipa.ac.uk/standard/cameo/staffprofiles.asp)
More info:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=58026116
http://andwhatsnext.com/qa-with-eddie-lundon-of-china-crisis/
http://moodle.lipa.ac.uk/user/view.php?id=42&course=1
Kevin Wilkinson,
who had played with a wide variety of bands including The Waterboys, Fish, The Proclaimers, Squeeze and Howard Jones, hanged himself on 17th July 1999. In 2000 Daly contributed a track to a tribute compilation to Wilkinson, Green Indians. (http://davidmarx.co.uk/page4.html)
More info:
Gary Gazza Johnson
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=65295770
Dave Reilly
"Dave has been a professional musician for 25 years, starting as a teenager playing drums and writing songs in the successful chart band ‘China Crisis’, enjoying both album and singles in the top twenty. From here, he became a session musician, playing and recording for many varied artists and touring all over the world, alongside artists including; The Thompson Twins, Altered Images, Simple Minds and Chris Rea. For the last several years Dave has been a member of top tribute band ‘The Backbeat Beatles’ touring theatres and playing sell-out shows from Liverpool’s ‘Cavern Club’ to ‘The Glastonbury Festival’. Dave has also had the pleasure of working with eighties legend and ‘Band Aid’ producer ‘Midge Ure’, playing Ultravox classics including ‘Vienna’ and ‘Dancing With Tears in My Eyes’. As well as writing and recording original material over the years he has also been providing custom songs for the corporate market, as well as writing dozens of songs for private clients around the UK. Alongside the ‘playing’, Dave has been producing bands and solo artists for many years, clients include: Sony Music, Virgin Records, Inevitable Records, Bad Juju Recordings and Shoplifter Records."
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=67930548
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=65295770
Dave Reilly
"Dave has been a professional musician for 25 years, starting as a teenager playing drums and writing songs in the successful chart band ‘China Crisis’, enjoying both album and singles in the top twenty. From here, he became a session musician, playing and recording for many varied artists and touring all over the world, alongside artists including; The Thompson Twins, Altered Images, Simple Minds and Chris Rea. For the last several years Dave has been a member of top tribute band ‘The Backbeat Beatles’ touring theatres and playing sell-out shows from Liverpool’s ‘Cavern Club’ to ‘The Glastonbury Festival’. Dave has also had the pleasure of working with eighties legend and ‘Band Aid’ producer ‘Midge Ure’, playing Ultravox classics including ‘Vienna’ and ‘Dancing With Tears in My Eyes’. As well as writing and recording original material over the years he has also been providing custom songs for the corporate market, as well as writing dozens of songs for private clients around the UK. Alongside the ‘playing’, Dave has been producing bands and solo artists for many years, clients include: Sony Music, Virgin Records, Inevitable Records, Bad Juju Recordings and Shoplifter Records."
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=67930548
From: DAVID JOHN REILLY Sent: den 10 juli 2001 01:44
"I worked with Gary & Eddie before we became China Crisis for about a year then left to do other things , then re-joinedand after about 6-8 months we landed our record contract with Inevitable, I was only 16 at that time! After only a few months we were 'sold' to Virgin . I spent about 3 years with the band on and off but felt I had learned a great deal from them and wanted to go in other directions to Gary & Ed.I've never stopped playing over the last 20 years! I became a well respected session drummer playing on many recordings of very diverse artists, I travelled the globe doing concerts as the drummer for The Real People,2a.m,The Immortal and for the last 5 years played with England's finest tribute to The Beatles,The Backbeat Beatles; some of whom were in the film Backbeat and have just been Musical Director on a film for N.B.C America called 'John Lennon-In his life'That should clear things up!Good luck,Good health"Dave.
Brian McNeill
worked with The Proclaimers before joined China Crisis in 1996 .After China Crisis played with The Silencers-Dance To The Holy Man (1990) (i've posted before), Mull Historical Society (1994),Boo Hewerdine (1995) and Hollow Horse on it's third album.(http://www.hollowhorse.co.uk/bio.asp)
I found more info about him here,but maybe he is another Brian McNeill???:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_McNeill
NEWS:
China Crisis are going back in the studio and there is talk of another tour in 2008!!!
China Crisis are going back in the studio and there is talk of another tour in 2008!!!
ALBUMS
Difficult Shapes and Passive Rhythms (1982)
Working With Fire And Steel (1983)
BBC Rock Hour (Live) (1984)
Tragedy and Mystery-Live in Rotterdam,Ahoy (bootleg) (1984)
Reading University (1984) (Bootleg)
Live in Hollywood (1985) (Bootleg)
Flaunt the imperfection (1985)
7UP Music Machine (Live) (1986)
What Price Paradise (1986)
Flaunt the imperfection (1985)
7UP Music Machine (Live) (1986)
What Price Paradise (1986)
Live in Chicago (1987) (Bootleg)
Diary Of A Hollow Horse (1989)
Collection: The Very Best Of (1990)
Diary-A Collection (1992) (Re-issue) (2003)
Warped by Success (1994)
Acoustically Yours (1995)
Collection: The Very Best Of (1997)
Wishful Thinking (Acoustically Yours/Warped By Success) 2CD (1997)
The Very Best Of (1997)
The Best of China Crisis (1998)
The Best Songs (1999)
Wishful Thinking - (Repackaged) (1999)
China Crisis (2001)
Live '99 & '85 (Bootleg)
Scrapbook vol.1 - Live At The Dominion Theatre (2002)
The Legacy of China Crisis (Repacking from 1999)
Singing the Praises of Finer Things: Live (2007)
Diary Of A Hollow Horse (1989)
Collection: The Very Best Of (1990)
Diary-A Collection (1992) (Re-issue) (2003)
Warped by Success (1994)
Acoustically Yours (1995)
Collection: The Very Best Of (1997)
Wishful Thinking (Acoustically Yours/Warped By Success) 2CD (1997)
The Very Best Of (1997)
The Best of China Crisis (1998)
The Best Songs (1999)
Wishful Thinking - (Repackaged) (1999)
China Crisis (2001)
Live '99 & '85 (Bootleg)
Scrapbook vol.1 - Live At The Dominion Theatre (2002)
The Legacy of China Crisis (Repacking from 1999)
Singing the Praises of Finer Things: Live (2007)
Here is some more inlays,lyrics (Flaunt The Imperfection and Diary Of Hollow Horse) and the posted covers/pics :
More info:
http://www.chinacrisis.co.uk/
http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&groupID=100415166
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/chinacrisis/
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:-IMlqx-jm6YJ:profile.myspace.cn/index.cfm%3Ffuseaction%3Duser.viewprofile%26friendid%3D75487465+chinacrisisgaryeddie&hl=hu&ct=clnk&cd=1
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/3059/china1new.htm the best site about China Crisis
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/3059/trivia.htm
http://www.multinet.no/~jonarne/Hjemmesia/Favorittartister/chinacrisis/china_crisis.htm
http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=china_crisis
http://www.granatino.com/sdresource/10china.htm interview from 1989
http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2005/09/15/music_china_crisis_feature.shtml China Crisis celebrate 25 years of music
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/china-crisis-concert/20049898-1231.html
http://www.pbase.com/agu/china_crisis China Crisis in Manila (2002)
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=51872190 Myspace site of Eddie Robbo (Cook Da Books) who has been playing with China Crisis recently.There are a lot of pics on his site!
http://www.simcoe.co.uk/china_crisis.htm
http://www.rocksbackpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=4196
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/10/03/205517.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2007/09/28/china_crisis_feature.shtml
http://www.lipa.ac.uk/standard/cameo/lifechangesthemusical.asp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2005/09/15/music_china_crisis_feature.shtml China Crisis celebrate 25 years of music
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/china-crisis-concert/20049898-1231.html
http://www.pbase.com/agu/china_crisis China Crisis in Manila (2002)
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=51872190 Myspace site of Eddie Robbo (Cook Da Books) who has been playing with China Crisis recently.There are a lot of pics on his site!
http://www.simcoe.co.uk/china_crisis.htm
http://www.rocksbackpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=4196
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/10/03/205517.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2007/09/28/china_crisis_feature.shtml
http://www.lipa.ac.uk/standard/cameo/lifechangesthemusical.asp
If you have any articles/reviews/photos/bootlegs and live recordings please please share with us!!Thnaks (salty)
posted by saltyka at 2:17 AM
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