Tag: Sire
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Depeche Mode, People Are People, 1984 on Sire / Mute
Compilation album for North America put out by Sire in 1984, pulling the title track single and a combination of album cuts, and b-sides. This song was such a key to the soundtrack of my life in the early 80s: “People are people so why should it be / you and I should get along…
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The Replacements, The Pleasure’s All Yours: Pleased to Meet Me Outtakes & Alternates, 2021 on Sire
Released as part of Record Store Day 2021, these are outtakes and alternate versions of songs from Pleased To Meet Me released on vinyl for the first time. Some (most?) of these tracks have been released elsewhere: the expanded CD edition of Pleased To Meet Me or the All for Nothing / Nothing for All…
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The Pretenders, Get Close, 1986 on Sire
Fourth Pretenders LP, with “Don’t Get Me Wrong” and “My Baby,” both of which were hits in the US. This is after the deaths of Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott, and would be the last LP with Martin Chambers for nearly a decade. Lots of session players here across multiple sessions, but overall a great…
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The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow, 1984 on Rough Trade
Another (like The World Won’t Listen) compilation album from The Smiths, including some BBC sessions plus other singles and B-sides. Came out in 1984 in the UK but was not released until 1993 in the US (instead Sire released Louder than Bombs for the US market). This LP includes “How Soon is Now?” as the…
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Depeche Mode, Black Celebration, 1986 on Mute/Sire
Fifth studio LP from Depeche Mode, released by Mute in the UK and Sire in the US, and recorded in Berlin and London. One of my favorite Depeche Mode albums of all time, starting with “Black Celebration” all the way through “But Not Tonight.” Core Depeche Mode lineup of Alan Wilder, Andrew Fletcher, David Gahan,…
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The Replacements, Not Ready for Prime Time, 2024 on Sire/Rhino
Full title is “Not Ready for Prime Time: Live at the Cabaret Metro, 1986.” This was previously available as part of the Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) CD set that came out in 2023, but was reissued on vinyl as a limited edition for Record Store Day 2024. Recorded live at the Cabaret Metro (now…
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The Smiths, Meat is Murder, 1985 on Rough Trade / Sire
Released on Rough Trade in the UK and Sire in the US, this was the second studio album from the Smiths. The US version of the LP included “How Soon is Now?” which did not appear on the UK edition. but was issued as a single. The version I knew growing up was the US…
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Talking Heads, Remain in Light, 1980 on Sire
Fourth studio LP from Talking Heads, and the third produced by Brian Eno. I’d say the whole Talking Heads discography is “must have,” and this is no exception. Sire has been reissuing all the Talking Heads discography recently on vinyl – the reissues sound great, but I also love an original pressing. My copy—via Worcester…
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Echo And The Bunnymen, Heaven Up Here, 1981 on Sire/Korova
Second album from Echo & the Bunnymen, produced by Hugh Jones (and the band) and recorded in Wales. It was put out by Korova in the UK and Sire in the US. While Crocodiles didn’t chart in the US this one did. The photo on the cover – taken on the shore in Wales –…
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Everything But The Girl, Idlewild, 1988 on Sire
This was the fourth EBTG album, released in early 1988 on Sire / Blanco y Negro Records. There’s a 2012 double CD reissue with bonuses but that has not been issued on vinyl. (The LP was reissued by Music on Vinyl in 2016 but as a single LP). I love Tracey Thorn and Ben Watts,…
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The Smiths, The Smiths, 1984 on Rough Trade
Masterful debut album by Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce aka The Smiths. Produced by John Porter and recorded at multiple studios in Manchester and London in 1983. Yes, I still listen to The Smiths even if Morrissey is problematic. This is a fantastic debut – not necessarily my favorite single Smiths record,…
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Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues, 1983 on Sire
This was the fifth Talking Heads LP, produced by Talking Heads themselves rather than Brian Eno. It was the tour for this album which became Stop Making Sense, including their only US top 10 hit “Burning Down The House.” What a killer album. In addition to “Burning Down The House” you’ve got “Making Flippy Floppy,”…
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The Replacements, Tim, 1985 on Sire
This was The Replacements’ fourth studio LP and their first on major label Sire as opposed to Twin/Tone. It was also the last with Bob Stinson. It’s one of my favorite albums of all time: “Kiss Me On The Bus,” “Waitress in the Sky,” “Bastards of Young,” “Swingin Party,” and “Here Comes a Regular” are…
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Talking Heads, Naked, 1988 on Fly/Sire
Eighth and final studio LP from Talking Heads – talk about going out with a bang! What a great record. They apologized in the liner notes to Minneapolis band The Wallets, who had a popular song called “Totally Nude” that came out in 1986. As a teenager in a Minneapolis that sometimes felt rather provincial…
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Wilco, A.M., 1995 on Sire / Reprise
Wilco emerged out of the breakup of Uncle Tupelo (some of the band remaining with Jeff Tweedy as Wilco, some with Jay Farrar as Son Volt). This was their first album under the name Wilco. Wilco is identified as Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Ken Coomer, and Max Johnston – but guest performers include Lloyd Maines,…
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The Replacements, Don’t Tell a Soul, 1989 on Sire / Reprise
This was the Replacements first album with Slim Dunlop replacing Bob Stinson on guitar. It was recorded in LA, produced by Matt Wallace and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, purportedly in an attempt to be more radio friendly, though Westerberg said he preferred the rougher approach of other ‘mats albums. I think it’s a wonderful album…
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Depeche Mode, Some Great Reward, 1984 on Sire
I’ve not shared many Depeche Mode records here, mostly because I’m sharing new additions to my collection and I don’t find many DM records I don’t already have, but also because my collection is very 80s heavy, and I’m trying to rotate through decades. That said, I have been a massive Depeche Mode fan from…
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Talking Heads, Slippery People / Making Flippy Floppy (Remixes), 1983 on Sire
Great 12″ single with remixes by David Byrne and John “Jellybean” Benetiz of two songs from the Speaking in Tongues album. May be technically a double-A-sided single (labeled “This Side” and “That Side”) but the side with “Slippery People” on it has an A in its runout etchings so calling that the A side. My…