It was almost two years ago when we wrote about the DLX RM of The Lilac Time’s “Astronauts” album being prepped by Needle Mythology; Pete Paphides’ well curated label whose name was in fact taken from a Stephen Duffy song title. At first mention, an October, 2023 release schedule was mooted and a year later, here we are. Reasonably great for these things! As we thrilled to what they were able to do to Duffy’s “I Love My Friends” opus when given their attention, let’s see what’s in store for Duffymaniacs this time out.
THE SILVER DISCS
The Lilac Time: Astronauts DLX RM – UK – 3xCD [2024]
CD1 Astronauts: The 2024 Remaster
- In Iverna Gardens
- Hats Off Here Comes The Girl
- Fortunes
- A Taste For Honey
- Grey Skies And Work Things
- Finistère
- Dreaming
- The Whisper Of Your Mind
- The Darkness Of Her Eyes
- Sunshine’s Daughter
- North Kensington
- Madresfield
CD2 Softened By Rain: The Making Of Astronauts
- Astronauts Meditation
- Writing Dreaming
- We Came From Anywhere
- She Is All Colour
- Writing Finistère
- This Immortal Promise
- In Iverna Dreaming
- Hats Off #1
- Writing The Whisper
- You Come By
- North Kensington Idea
- Madresfield Demo
CD3 Any Road Up: The Lilac Time Live 1990/91
- Fields
- The Road To Happiness
- Black Velvet
- Julie Christie
- And On We Go
- Dreaming
- Icing On The Cake
- The Lost Girl In The Midnight Sun
- If The Stars Shine Tonight
True Duffymaniacs already have the 1998 JPN DLX RM of 1990’s “Astronauts” album which sported at the time a bounteous seven bonus tracks. Given that CD2 here is unreleased material surrounding the “Astronauts” campaign, the thought is that maybe there’s not all that much “new” material here for our ears? Well, such a thought is dead wrong. Here are the JPN bonus tracks from 1998 below.
- Holy Man Jam
- A Darling Who Can’t Wait To Taste You
- Ghetto Child
- Galaxy
- An Ear For Silent Voices
- She Is All Colour
- Cest La Vie, Cest La Guerre
With the exception of “She Is All Colour,” exactly none of the tracks on disc two of this new set overlap with the previous Japanese DLX edition. Or the B-sides from the “Dreaming” single in 1990. Making both versions required for any serious Duffy fans. As we know, his perceptive, and economical songwriting gets to the crux of emotional matters most effectively. That’s why we exalt his efforts…and care! Along with the music, there is an 11,000 word booklet of the oral history of the album and liner notes by Mr. Paphides himself. We’re thrilled that the silver discs are here in addition to…
THE LICORICE PIZZAS
The 3xLP will take up more room in your home, and cost more, but is otherwise identical. There also exists a single LP remaster in red vinyl for those who just want the main course. They think of everything these days. And each of the three formats will come with a bonus premium for your purchase. The CD package gets the signed promo photo as seen at the head of this post. The Red LP gets buttons, and the 3xLP gets a signed lyric sheets to “Madresfield.”
RED LP PREMIUM
3xLP PREMUM
The last time that Needle Mythology sold a Duffy product, it was available in their webstore, but this time the goods are being sold on Bandcamp. At the following prices:
- 3xCD – £24.99/$32.46
- 3xLP – £58.33/$75.75
- red LP – £20.83/$27.05
Pretty good as these things go but I’m glad I don’t obsessively collect Duffy wax. The reissue [there are 600 copies of each format available] wings its way to the world on Friday, November 29th, in just over three weeks. Join me in hitting that button, yes?
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Post-Punk Monk 
Lovely. “Madresfield” is one of my favourite Stephen Duffy songs, along with the 1985 B-side “Done For”. I’m curious how The Lilac Time performed “Icing On The Cake” in the early 90s, but I suppose all his synth pop songs can be played in the style of the band as at the bottom of it they’re simply good tunes.
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strange_idol – I have heard The Lilac Time cover “Kiss Me” somewhere and it was just as you describe. I wish I could remember where that track was.
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I just went over to Discogs and there is a version on the “Memory & Desire – 30 Years In The Wilderness” double-CD, perhaps that’s where you found it?
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strange_idol – I’ve never heard “Memory And Desire.”
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Wasn’t Memory and Desire the documentary and accompanying music product, both of which were instantly impossible to find?
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Tim – That would be a “yes.” I’m impressed you’re enough of a fan to have wanted a copy. I’ve been buying every Stephen Duffy record and disc I’ve seen since 1985. Him, Robert Howard and Colin Vearncombe got me through the second half of the 80s.
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I would like to see the documentary as well as find the soundtrack, no luck on either.
Would love to troll thru your Colin Verncombe library. One of my plans for 2025 is to go item by item through Discogs and try to affordably (and not on vinyl) find as many b-sides as I can from the first two albums.
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Tim – Most of the b-sides are on CD singles. Only “I’m Not Afraid” was 12” only. I have everything but the Human Features single from. 1981.the Ugly Man pressings from pre-A+M are record only but necessary.
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My favourite Lilacs album. Looks nice but suspect it really only needed to be two discs. Price is high in my view but that’s way of the world I guess. A very minor issue in the scheme of things right now…
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I’m not really a Lilac Time collector, but I do appreciate them a good deal, so I will definitely consider this one — but I confess that I’m annoyed they couldn’t have done a fourth disc with the Japan bonus tracks, making this a sub-par “Box Set Of God.” Grrrr.
It’s probably some kind of rights issue, but … yeah, grrrr.
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