"…You Will Never See
Graceland..."
Before THE BIBLE signed their
major-label contract with Chrysalis Records in 1988 and released their 2nd
album "Eureka" to much acclaim - they issued "Walking The Ghost
Back Home" – their debut LP on the independent label Backs Records.
The vinyl album came in March
1986 (NCHLP 8) with the CD variant 2 years later in 1988 with added tracks
(NCHCD 8). There was yet another CD reissue in 1996 on Haven Records.
UK released 3 October 2011 - this '25th Anniversary Edition' CD
reissue of "Walking The Ghost Back Home" by THE BIBLE bases itself on that Haven CD and is a fully Remastered
version on Red Grape Records RGTB01 (No Barcode) - ‘Expanded' with one more
Bonus Track. It plays out as follows…
1. Graceland (Remix)
2. Mahalia (Remix)
3. Walking The Ghost Back
Home
4. Kid Galahad And The Chrome
King
5. (Talk To Me Like) Jackie
Kennedy
6. King Chicago
7. She’s My Bible
8. Sweetness
9. Spend, Spend, Spend
10. High Wide And Handsome
11. Glorybound
BONUS TRACK:
12. She's My Bible (Demo
Version)
The album has a convoluted
history on CD as I’ve already said but its worthwhile explaining as there's
bugger all info on this new release. Recorded in December 1985 - fans will know
that the original 1986 UK LP had only 8 tracks - the non-remixed versions of
"Graceland", "Mahalia", "Walking The Ghost Back
Home" and "Kid Galahad And The Chrome King" made up Side 1 -
while "(Talk To Me Like) Jackie Kennedy", "King Chicago",
"She's My Bible" and a song called "Red Lights" made up
Side 2. When the 10-track Backs Records CD arrived in 1988 - "Red Lights”
was dropped and replaced with three new songs - "Sweetness",
"Spend, Spend, Spend" and "High Wide And Handsome".
That 10-track version was in
turn superseded in 1995 on Haven Records HAVENCD 4 - but this time with both
"Graceland" and “Mahalia” replaced by Boo Hewerdine 'Remixes' (Tracks
1 to 10 above). For the 25th Anniversary Edition - that 1995 version is used
but with one more Bonus Track added on - "She's My Bible (Demo Version)".
It's an obvious set of omissions - but the original 1986 versions of
"Graceland” and "Mahalia" along with the original "Red
Lights" now seem to be permanently AWOL for this debut album in the
digital medium because principal bandleader and songwriter Hewerdine wants it
that way.
The black gatefold card
digipak of this 25th Anniversary Edition CD Remaster is a very dull affair
indeed (as was the original LP’s artwork). There’s no booklet – with all
details for its 12-tracks downloadable from their website TheBibleTheBand.com.
But the music still stands up big time…
Musically I’m reminded of
Lies Damned Lies, The Silencers, Love And Money, It’s Immaterial, The Big Dish
and even Prefab Sprout. "Kid Galahad And The Chrome King" has a
fabulous melody and I never tire of the "...you will never get to..."
longing in the lyrics and tune of "Graceland". The Remaster is warm
and full - songs like "She's My Bible" and "Glorybound"
sound superb. The Demo is sparse but nice and I can see why it was included - full
of atmosphere.
In December 2012, a 13-Track
2LP variant of the ‘25th Anniversary Edition’ by THE BIBLE turned up on Vinyl
180 Records VIN180LP053 (Barcode 5038622127916). Sides 1 and 2 play at the
standard 33 1/3 speed but Sides 3 and 4 are at 45 rpms and the song “Red Flag”
ending Side 2 is a bonus track not on the CD.
As a band of the period, The Bible is all but forgotten now. Me – I’ve always
loved them and I can even recall a support slot with another up and coming
Scottish band called Deacon Blue. I’ve also reviewed Cherry Red’s superlative
2CD reissue of The Bible’s second and last album “Eureka” from 1988 (reissued
as “The Bible” in 1989) that contains a version of “Red Lights”.
But this is where that musical journey began. Shame they didn’t do more
with the packaging (docked a star for that) but the music is absolutely worth
it…
