The absolute cream of the 80s crop!
Steven Olaf | Kansas City | 06/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I spent most of the eighties collecting 12" singles, and most of the nineties (and beyond) struggling to replace them on compact disc. Sadly, many of the great extended versions have yet to see the light of day on CD; it is likely that some never will.I was absolutely THRILLED to find this 4-disc import from Sony Music in Holland. FINALLY: The full seven-minute version of Harold Faltermayer's "Axel F" theme from the film Beverly Hills Cop. FINALLY: The full seven-minute version of Jan Hammer's theme from TV's Miami Vice. FINALLY: The 5:33 mix of the Romantics' "Talking In Your Sleep," the 6:35 mix of Howard Jones' "What Is Love?" and the 7:32 mix of Kim Wilde's "You Came." Sure, many of these mixes are readily available on other compilations: Queen, Phil Collins, Dead Or Alive, Spandau Ballet, Icehouse, and Paul Hardcastle are all duplicated elsewhere in my collection. But kudos to Sony for including the full 8:07 "Why Can't I Be You" mix from the Cure, all 12:08 of "Rage Hard" from Frankie Goes To Hollywood, the 9:00 "Smalltown Boy" mix from Bronski Beat, the 5:38 "Wot" mix from Captain Sensible, the full 6:28 version of Wordy Rappinghood" from Tom Tom Club, the 7:11 "Rapture" from Blondie, and the 6:56 of heaven that is "Poison Arrow" from ABC. Other highlights include Wham, A-Ha, Marc Almond, Mike & the Mechanics, and a cool Ben Liebrand reinterpretation of Jeff Wayne's "The Eve of the War" which I had never heard before. All in all, YOU MUST OWN THIS COMPILATION NOW. DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, JUST BUY IT!!!"
DO NOT pass this up now...and kick yourself later
Daniel W. Kelly | Long Island, NY United States | 08/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"12" singles and long album versions from the 80s don't come this easy on CD. And it has the ULTRA RARE extended ALBUM version of Rapture by Blondie...not the 10 minute disco mix, but the mix from the album with the lost verse added back in!!! I would review volume one, but I can't find a listing here on amazon. But hunt that one down too, you won't be disappointed! Track times:
Disc: 1
1. Radio Ga Ga - Queen (5:43)
2. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins (5:29)
3. Smalltown Boy [12" Mix] - Bronski Beat (9:00)
4. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) [Performance Mix] - Dead or Alive (7:25)
5. Miami Vice Theme [12" Disco Mix] - Jan Hammer (6:52)
6. State of Independence - Jon & Vangelis (7:55)
7. Axel F. [12" Disco Version] - Harold Faltermeyer (6:55)
8. Tinsel Town in the Rain - The Blue Nile (5:53)
9. Jeff Wayne's "The Eve of War" [Deepspace Mix] - Ben Liebrand (7:07)
10. Always the Sun [Hot Mix] - The Stranglers (5:58)
11. Why Can't I Be You? [12" Mix] - The Cure (8:07)
Disc: 2
1. Gold [12" Version] - Spandau Ballet (7:14)
2. Crazy [12" Mix] - Icehouse (7:19)
3. You Came [12" Version] - Kim Wilde (7:32)
4. Talking in Your Sleep - The Romantics (5:33)
5. 19 - Paul Hardcastle (5:13)
6. Midnight Man [Extended Remix Version] - Flash and the Pan (6:59)
7. Love Games - Level 42 (7:26)
8. On the Beach (Summer '88) - Chris Rea (6:48)
9. Tears Run Rings [12" Mix] - Marc Almond (5:17)
10. Wot [Maxi Version] - Captain Sensible (5:38)
11. Rage Hard [12" Version] - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (12:08)
Disc: 3
1. What Is Love? [Extended Mix] - Howard Jones (6:35)
2. Play It Cool [Extended Mix] - Freiheit (5:55)
3. My Favourite Waste of Time [Jumbo Remix] - Owen Paul (7:45)
4. Everything She Wants - Wham! (6:29)
5. Wordy Rappinghood - Tom Tom Club(6:28)
6. Rapture [12" Mix] - Blondie (7:11)
7. Mushanga - Toto (5:35)
8. I Scare Myself - Thomas Dolby (5:40)
9. All Cried Out - Alison Moyet (6:50)
10. Hang on to Your Love [US Remix] - Sade (5:29)
11. Jericho - Simply Red (6:01)
12. Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken [Live] - Tears for Fears (7:34)
Disc: 4
1. Poison Arrow [Jazz Remix] -ABC (6:56)
2. Voice - The Moody Blues (5:15)
3. Stay on These Roads [12" Version] - a-ha (6:10)
4. Silent Running - Mike + the Mechanics (6:13)
5. My Ever Changing Moods [12" Version] - The Style Council (5:43)
6. Surrender [Stuff Gun Mix] - Swing Out Sister (6:39)
7. I.G.Y. - Donald Fagen (6:03)
8. Age of Reason - John Farnham (5:05)
9. Nothing Has Been Proved [Dance Mix] - Pet Shop Boys (5:56)
10. On My Way to L.A. - Phil Carmen (6:57)
11. Macho City - Steve Miller (16:24)"
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1