On-U Sound-related bootlegs
Like it or loathe it, the bootleg in its many guises continues to offer the musical underground another dimension in the recorded sound of the artists they follow - whether capturing a live music experience, featuring rare tracks or offering-forth impossibly obtainable mixes or versions. Though often amateurishly packaged by people who must remain anonymous, sometimes of dubious quality and often poorly documented, these contraband "recordings from the edge" often have that raw, home-made feel, and though frequently completely illegitimate, still offer the lucky acquirer the excitement of hearing sounds not otherwise easily available for public consumption.
On-U Sound material and subjects are hardly ever likely to be the source of rich pickings for bootleggers, but nevertheless a few of the more widely known offerings (of which I know at least something about) are given below. The "releases" featured here tend towards the more "professional" end of the scale of what might be considered bootleg material - i.e. they are of reasonable recording quality, often properly pressed, usually well packaged, and with some attempt having been made by their creators at distribution, even if this is/was still strictly unofficial. As a result of the open-ended classification of all material of this type within a single file, the listing here only offers a small, representative selection of such "releases". Note that officially sanctioned promotion-only items are considered to be legitimate releases and are listed elsewhere.
Given the unofficial nature of these recordings, full cross-referencing with the other discographies of official releases is restricted, while the material featured is also fully excluded from representation in the Rhythm Directory. Items where the track listing is either unknown or incomplete are marked by a *.
|
Live compilation: Mark Stewart & The Maffia - 'Live'
Tak Roga / 1985 (?)
LP: (?) |
|
- As The Veneer Of Democracy Starts To Fade
- * Operation Pacification
- Hypnotized
- Liberty City ||
- The Resistance Of The Cell
- Jerusalem
- + We Are All Prostitutes
- = Blessed Are Those Who Struggle
- + There Are No Spectators
* Live version of 'Passcivecation Program'.
+ Originally by the Pop Group.
= Actually medley of 'Anger', 'Forbidden Colour', 'Blessed Are Those Who Struggle', 'Shake' and 'Mr X, Mr Y'. |
|
Album: Gary Clail On-U Sound System - (Live) *
Perfecto (?) / September 1992
LP: (?) |
|
(compilation of live recordings)
|
|
Compilation: Various Artists - 'Afro Trance' *
Cosmic Communications / 199?
LP: DJ-AN 1 |
|
Side 1:
- * These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Radio mix) [Gary Clail/On.U S.S.]
* From the singles of the same name. |
|
Compilation: Depeche Mode - 'Ultra Rare Trax Volume 4'
(?) / 199?
CD: DM 4 |
|
- A Question Of Lust (Old Town mix)
- Personal Jesus ((I'm Not) Crazy Anymore mix)
- Enjoy The Silence (Hot Trax mix)
- * Are People People? (Adrian On-U-Sound Sherwood)
- Sea Of Sin (Razor Cuts mix)
- Fly On The Windscreen (Touch Me mix)
- Just Can't Get Enough (Rubber Band mix)
- To Have And To Hold (Icelandic Taster mix)
- Dangerous (Hazchemix)
- A Question Of Lust (Minimal mix)
- Death's Door (Skeleton Key mix)
- I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead (Flexi mix)
* Remixed by AMS. Originally from the 'Master & Servant' singles. |
|
Album: Creation Rebel - 'Lows And Highs'
The Theory Is Sound Project / 199?
RuCD: CDREAL0108062 |
|
- Independent Man (Part 1)
- Independent Man (Part 2)
- Rebel Party
- A Reasoning
- No Peace
- Love I Can Feel
- Rubber Skirt (Part 1)
- Rubber Skirt (Part 2)
- Rubber Skirt (Part 3)
- Creation Rebel
- Creative Involvements
|
|
12"EP: Various Artists - 'Affix'
High Tech 3 Records / (?)
33T |
|
- Affix [?] ||
- * Throw It Away [African Head Charge]
- J'ai Deux Amours [Phylicia Allen]
* Originally from LP40. |
|
Live compilation: The Pop Group / Mark Stewart - 'Mona Mona'
Slave To Love (?) / 199?
CD: SLAVE TO LOVE 001 |
|
- ! Liberty City
- ! Hotter Than 1000 Suns
- ! Feed The Hungry
- ~* We Are All Prostitutes
- ~+ Operation Pacification
- ~ As The Veneer Of Democracy Starts To Fade
- ~ Hypnotized
- ~ Liberty City
- ~ The Resistance Of The Cell
- ~ Jerusalem
- ~= Blessed Are Those Who Struggle
- ~* There Are No Spectators
! The Pop Group recorded live in Helsinki in October 1980.
~ Mark Stewart & the Maffia (including AMS) recorded live at Paradiso, Amsterdam in May 1985. Also featured on the 'Live' bootleg compilation.
* Originally by the Pop Group.
+ Originally called 'Passcivecation Program'.
= Actually a medley of 'Anger', 'Forbidden Colour', 'Blessed Are Those Who Struggle', 'Shake' and 'Mr X, Mr Y'. |
|
Live compilation: Creation Rebel / Prince Far I - 'Munich 1983'
(?) / 2004
CD: (-) |
|
- * Some A Holler Some A Bawl
- Love I Can Feel
- Yuk Up
- + Big Fight
- + Prodigal Son
- + Virgin
- + Every Time I Hear The Word
- + What You Gonna Do On Judgement Day
- = African Space
- = African Space 2
* Officially released as 'Natty Conscience Free'.
+ Features vocals by Prince Far I.
= Recordings of different performances, the latter of which is longer but of poorer quality. |
|
Compilation: Tackhead - '2004'
Tackhead.com (?) / 2004
CD: (?) |
|
- Stealing (Original version)
- Dream World (Dub)
- What's My Mission Now? (Parts 1 & 2)
- Dangerous Sex
- Break Out The Bubbly (Live)
- The Game (Live)
- The King (Live)
- Hard Left / New York Breakdown (Live)
- Airborne Ranger
- Mind & Movement
- Mind At The End Of The Tether
- Tell Me The Hurt
- Class Rock
|
|
Mix compilation: Various Artists - 'On-U Sound Trash! 25 Years Of Beats, Dubs & Extravaganza'
(?) / April 2005
(-) |
|
- Intro: The Wrong Name & The Wrong Number [Mark Stewart/Maffia]
- What's My Mission Now? [Keith LeBlanc/Tackhead]
- Hypnotized [Mark Stewart/Maffia]
- Half A Gram A Shout [Gary Clail/TOTP]
- Throw It Away [African Head Charge]
- Ticking Time Bomb [Tackhead]
- Crazy (Do You Know The Way To LA mix) [Seal/Doug Wimbish/Keith LeBlanc]
- Switchin' Channels [Bomb The Bass/Doug Wimbish]
- Beneath The City Streets [Mark Stewart/Maffia]
- Revolution [Singers & Players/Bim Sherman]
- My Whole World / Dub [New Age Steppers]
- Creation Inna Iration [Creation Rebel]
- Quanté Jubila Speech [Singers & Players/Prince Far I]
- Aggro Dub Version [New Age Steppers]
- Ska Trek [Tackhead]
- Chemical Specialist [New Age Steppers]
- Mind At The End Of The Tether [Tackhead]
- Hey Ho [Dub Syndicate]
- Dubbing Psycho Thriller [Dub Syndicate/Lee Perry]
- Loudspeaker [The Circuit]
- On-U interlude (remixed from PIAB vol. 1)
- Circular Motion [Forehead Bros.]
- Mind At The End Of The Tether (reprise) [Tackhead]
- The Show Is Coming [Dub Syndicate]
- React Like This [Interference]
- M P B One O Five [Tasteless Cuts/DJ Spike]
- Hona [Tackhead]
- Green Theory [Spike]
- Pursuit [African Head Charge]
- Dreadlock Soldier [Singers & Players/Prince Far I]
- Singing Love [New Age Steppers]
- Hallelujah [Maffia]
- Must Be Dreaming [Dub Syndicate]
- Chapter 4 [Dub Syndicate/Prince Far I]
- Stealing [Tackhead]
- Stormy Weather / Dub [Fats Comet]
- Nuclear Weapon [Singers & Players/Prince Far I]
- Mind At The End Of The Tether (again?!) [Tackhead]
- Half Cut Again [Gary Clail's Tackhead Sound System]
- Anthem [Tackhead]
- Stealing Interlude [Gary Clail's Tackhead Sound System]
- My One And Only One [Fats Comet]
- Ticking Time Bomb (reprise) [Tackhead]
- Stop The Clock (instrumental) [Strange Parcels]
- Reverend T.A.C.K. [Doug Wimbish/Skip McDonald]
- Ska Trek (reprise) [Tackhead]
- Trance (Adrian Sherwood remix) [Tackhead/Bernard Fowler]
- Who Are You? [African Head Charge]
|
|
Compilation: Various Artists - 'Robot Dancing Volume 2'
NWR Records / May 2005
DLP: NWR 002 |
|
- * Be My Powerstation (Re-edit) [Ché]
- Beatbox [Art Of Noise] ||
- It's My Life [Talk Talk]
- Subculture [New Order] ||
- Looking From A Hilltop [Section 257]
- Perfect Kiss [New Order] ||
- Sex Dwarf [Soft Cell]
- Stranger [Clan Of Xymox]
* Originally produced by AMS and Fats Comet. |
|
Compilation: Tackhead - (-)
Tackhead.com - Echobeach / 2006
CD: (?) |
|
- (Easy Mike)
- Change
- The Bubbly
- * Tamoris Dream (T'head rmx) [Tamori]
- + Dangerous Dub [Tackhead/Anne Marie]
- Pride [Strange Parcels/Jesse Rae]
- Stealing [Tackhead/Bim Sherman]
- Original Sex [Tackhead/Melle Mel]
- Ska Trek
- = Law Of Repetition
- Hard Left
- DJ Programme [Fats Comet]
- The Game (Live)
- New York Breakdown (Live)
- Hey Joe (Live)
* From a Japanese single of the same name.
+ From the 'Be Tough' album.
= First released on the 'On-U Out Of Control' compilation as 'Laws Of Repetition', credited there to Doug Wimbish. |
|
Compilation: Nine Inch Nails - 'Demos & Remixes Volume 2'
Spider Records / (?)
CD: SP005CD |
|
- Gave Up (remixed by Coil with Danny Hyde)
- Wish (remixed by J.G. Thirlwell)
- Fist Fuck (remixed by J.G. Thirlwell)
- Get Down Make Love
- Head Like A Hole (Slate)
- Terrible Lie (Sympathetic Mix)
- Head Like A Hole (Opal)
- March Of The Pigs (Clean version)
- All The Pigs, All Lined Up
- A Violent Fluid
- Big Man With A Gun
- * Sin (Dub)
- Memorabilia
- + March Of The Fuckheads
* Remixed by AMS and Keith LeBlanc. From the 'Sin' single. Mis-titled on the sleeve 'Sin (Remix By Adrian Sherwood)'.
+ Produced and engineered by AMS. From the 'Closer To God' singles/EPs. |
|
Live compilation: Little Axe - 'Live And Direct'
(?) / 2007
CD: (-) |
|
- If I Had My Way
- Tell Me Why
- Funk Session
- Another Sinfull Day
- Inspiration...
- Grinning In Your Face
- Another Sinfull Day
- Memories
- On The Way Down
- Bless Those
- Good Times
- She / Return
- If I Had My Way
|
|
Compilation: Gary Clail On-U Sound System - 'Kill The World For Oil'
Supersonic Scientists / 2009
DCD: SSS 011 |
|
Disc 1 (Interview and live recordings):
- (BBC Radio 1 interview part 1)
- Human Nature
- Crocodile England
- Rumours Of War
- Food, Clothes And Shelter
- Emotional Hooligan
- (BBC Radio 1 interview part 2)
Disc 2 (Emotional Hooligan demos):
- Crocodile Eyes
- Karen Silkwood's Car
- Rumours Of War
- Escape
- The Nature Of Billy Graham
- Food, Clothes And Shelter
- Monk Song
- Magic Penny
- Emotional Holligan
- Stutter
|
|
Live compilation: Mark Stewart & The Maffia - 'Imitate God'
Supersonic Scientists / 2009
CD1/CD2: SSS 014 |
|
- Resistance Of The Cell
- Scorpio
- Hysteria
- My Possession
- Liberty City
- Pacification Programme
- Bastards
- Anger Is Holy
|
|
Compilation: New Age Steppers - 'Massive Manners'
(?) / 2009
CD: (?) |
|
- My Whole World
- Wide World Version
- Fade Away
- Private Armies Dub
- Nuclear Zulu
- Problems Pt. 1 & 2
- Love Forever
- Singing Love
- Got To Get Away
- Observe Life
- Some Love
- Guiding Star
- Unclear
- Avante Gardening
|
|
CDEP: New Age Steppers - 'The Peel Sessions'
(?) / 2009
CDEP: (?) |
|
- Send My Love
- The Riddle
- Not A Nobody
|
|
Compilation: Various Artists - 'Punk Rocker Meets Dreads Inna Babylon'
(?) / 2009
DCD: (?) |
|
Disc 1:
- Fisherman [The Congos]
- Fever [Susan Cadogan]
- Influenza Version [The Upsetters]
- Loseres Weepers (Extended) [Mikey Dread]
- Fade Away [New Age Steppers]
- Children Crying [The Congos]
- Yes It's Bless (Alternative Take) [Dub Syndicate]
- Haunting Ground [Bim Sherman]
- Private Armies [New Age Steppers]
- Hard Times [Pablo Gad]
- Newtown [The Slits]
- Pick Up The Rockers [Tapper Zukie]
- Stranger [Love Joys]
- Stormy Weather [New Age Steppers]
- Togetherness [Dub Syndicate]
- World Dub [Bim Sherman]
- Money Dread [Mikey Dread]
Disc 2:
- Shake The Nation [Prince Far I]
- Guns And Cocaine Crime [Dub Syndicate]
- Spying Glass [Horace Andy]
- Solid Foundation [The Congos]
- Mirror Mirror [Leroy Smart]
- See Them A Come [Culture]
- You I Love And Not Another [Prince Far I]
- My Whole World [New Age Steppers]
- Kingston 14 [Dub Syndicate]
- Haile Unlikely [Steel Leg Vs. The Electric Dread]
- I Heard It Through The Grapevine [The Slits]
- Public Enemy No. 1 [Max Romeo]
- At The Feast [The Congos]
- Jamaican Heroes [Prince Far I]
- Nuclear Zulu [New Age Steppers]
- Bring The Mackaback [The Congos]
- Revolution (Version) [The Musical Intimidators]
- Man Next Door [The Slits]
|
|
12" single: African Head Charge / St. Echo - 'Stebeni's Theme (St. Echo Mix)'
Dock Records / May 2010
DOCK 02 |
|
- * Stebeni's Theme (St. Echo Mix) [African Head Charge / St. Echo]
* Remixed from LP13. |
|
Compilation: Mark Stewart And The Maffia - 'Martyr'
Supersonic Scientists / 2010
DCD: SSS 0438 |
|
Disc 1:
- * Hysteria
- * The Resistance Of The Cell
- * Pacification Program
- * Forbidden Colour
- * Hynotized
- * Starfuckers Inc.
- * Liberty City
- * Jerusalem
- + As The Veneer Of Democracy Starts To Fade
- + The Resistance Of The Cell
- + Forbidden Colour
- + Liberty City
- + High Ideals And Crazy Dreams
Disc 2:
- # There Are No Spectators
- # Non Dare Call It Conspiracy
- # Liberty City
- # No I Will Never Give Up And Lay Down My Arms
- # Rock The House Down
- # Learning To Cope With Cowardise
- # Jerusalem
- # Blessed Are Those Who Struggle
* Recorded live at Venn Festival, Bristol, UK, 3 June 2005
+ Recorded live in Oosterpoort, The Netherlands, 2003.
# Recorded live at Trinity Hall, Bristol, 11 December 1982 (mis-credited as Colston Hall, Bristol, 28 December 1982). |
|
|