Do you enjoy the Wendy James Demos ?

[when i was cruel]

I recently got a chance to listen to all the songs and even a live version of Basement Kiss and found them fantastic.

[Top balcony]

agree completely, real shame these weren't issued in full with the Brutal Youth re-buy

Colin Top Balcony

[watercamp]

Great stuff

Some of it did get released

http://www.inanotherroom.com/tgl.html

Love Basement Kiss and Puppet Girl

[SoulForHire]

Has a version of EC doing This is a Test ever surfaced?

[cwr]

I was sorely disappointed that these never emerged as part of the Rhino reissues, or as a stand-alone "Rhino Handmade" release.

The last time this topic came up, I believe there was some mention of EC having "misplaced" the demos, but this seems hard to believe. I wonder if the split with Cait O'Riordan had any effect on the fate of these, since she is co-writer on many of the tracks.

Does EC have a say in getting these released, or do they fall under the Warner Bros. years ownership deal? In other words, would he be able to put these out on Elviscostello.com, or would he have to work it out with WB somehow?

[wardo68]

Good point, cwr (as usual). When the Rhino rehaul started EC was married to one wife, and when it ended he had another. I hate to think that publishing fees have kept these held up, but I wouldn't be surprised if his current situation has put them on the back burner.

[SoulForHire]

I think the reason why all of the demos were never released is because some of them are fairly rough (particularly the vocals) as they were not intended to be anything but demos. So the most "polished" ones were released (like Basement Kiss and Puppet Girl) while the rougher ones (like I Want to Stand Forever) were kept hidden for the most part.

[Paul B]

I love the Wendy James demos - the whole song cycle is very much EC's Ziggy Stardust and, as with a few of his reissue extra tracks, hearing him get stuff down on tape at home is a real insight. I even liked Wendy's LP Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears Babe somewhat, at least I'm not as harsh about as EC - but then I didn't write the songs. The brief he set himself after getting Wendy's letter proved very productive and unusual for him, eg he very directly criticises the music industry in ways he wouldn't 'lower himself' to do in his 'own' work. The cod 'Stand By Me' lyric of I Want To Stand Forever is priceless ('til the mountains crumble in to the sea / and that's not as unlikely as it used to be') while Wendy's recordings of Fill In The Blanks, London's Brilliant, Nameless One and Do You Know What I'm Saying? are exemplary. I agree with EC that the production is a little tame but I don't know that it would have withstood the whole Blood & Chocolate treatment that he's become so fond of again for the last few Imposters LPs. Maybe it was all so fitting with the subject matter that it helped kill the career of the person who sang and partly inspired it. She was on the way down from a brief bubble in any case...just a shame some such good songs got a bit buried in the process.

[Kevin Davis]

I just got into these, and am finding them thrilling. They're down and dirty in a way that even the most liberal-minded professional producer probably wouldn't allow on an official album. I've never thought Elvis was much of a soloist, but he can beat the hell out of some rhythm guitar.