FALAA Choice of Singles

Randall Flagg · 26 Jun 2009, 20:41

Just listened to the remastered FALAA again, and apart from the surprise of hearing Poison Door after SKOS it struck me how odd (IMHO) the choice of singles were .

As I recall Walk Away was released in advance of the LP with the full WEA machine behind it, multi format, free flexi (ltd) and of course a video in an attempt at a high chart placing.

Which didn't work.

After the LP came out (I think) NTTC was released which also failed to trouble the upper reaches of the chart.

So my question is who sanctioned the release of possibly the two weakest tracks on the LP as singles. The BAND or the WEA Marketing Dept?

I know all this is subjective, but I didn't care for Walk Away or NTTC 24 years ago and age has not changed my mind.

Wonder what might have happened had one of the other Album tracks been released as a single? Black Planet or NWN being examples....

Flagg

lachert · 26 Jun 2009, 22:11

must be wayne, all 3 hussey's era a-sides sucks hard

streamline · 26 Jun 2009, 22:24

I always wondered what FaLAA would have been like as a single.

lachert · 26 Jun 2009, 22:29

"9 while 9" could be new "yesterday", but not. stupid wayne

17.auflage · 26 Jun 2009, 22:38

yep, strange singles in my little opinion.

stufarq · 26 Jun 2009, 22:52

They were two of the more commercial, radio friendly songs on the album, which is the main purpose of a single. I agree that FALAA and Black Planet would also have worked (for the same reasons). Not so sure about NWN. Good song but not a single, partly because it lacks a real chorus or an obvious hook.

eotunun · 27 Jun 2009, 12:26

True, FALAA might have been a good one for radio.
Just an example for Andrews criticism on WEA, probably.

Being645 · 27 Jun 2009, 14:18

I slightly remember Alan Bangs introducing FALAA in German radio ...

mh · 27 Jun 2009, 16:38

Am I mad for thinking NTTC is actually one of the stronger tracks on the record? But yeh, I would have chosen FALAA itself in preference as the second single. Walk Away is a blatant pop song, so no quibbles over it's choice. Still rubbish though.

Me wonders what the LP would have been like if Serpents Kiss, Wake (according to Huss Wake dates from the sessions), Garden of Delight and Wide Receiver had made the cut. Which tracks to drop and would any of them have been singles?

stufarq · 27 Jun 2009, 20:48

mh wrote:Am I mad for thinking NTTC is actually one of the stronger tracks on the record?

Not at all. Both it and Walk Away are great songs.

mh wrote:Me wonders what the LP would have been like if Serpents Kiss, Wake (according to Huss Wake dates from the sessions), Garden of Delight and Wide Receiver had made the cut. Which tracks to drop and would any of them have been singles?

Weren't they from the abortive Left On Mission And Revenge sessions ie after FALAA? Von's low opinion of them was part of the reason that Craig, ahem, walked away. Wayne followed out of solidarity.

nodubmanshouts · 28 Jun 2009, 00:51

I always thoght Walk Away was as good a choice as any from the album. Not a favorite track, and some of the demo recordings of it have more "umph" than the final version. But still, I don't think the album is exactly dripping with singles. Probably one of the reasons WEA was pushing hard for one of the group's covers to be released as a single.

As for NTTC, yeah, I have no idea why that was released - its pants. I have some time for Black Planet - but NTTC and Rock And A... are lost on me. After 25 years, the album really begins with Marian for me.

paint it black · 28 Jun 2009, 14:33

walk away was the focus for the black october tour wasn't it? i.e. before the LP was ready. As was the case with NTTC, just.

The Black Planet / Walk away 12" is the most curious to me. I 'think' it was to be released in the USA only, just before FALAA was released on Elektra. Can someone confirm the story behind it?

Ta.

stufarq · 28 Jun 2009, 22:16

paint it black wrote:walk away was the focus for the black october tour wasn't it?

Some sources (can't remember which) have the November leg of that tour (ie the bit that wasn't actually in October - or the UK for that matter) named the Walk Away tour.

Randall Flagg · 28 Jun 2009, 22:37

mh wrote:Am I mad for thinking NTTC is actually one of the stronger tracks on the record? But yeh, I would have chosen FALAA itself in preference as the second single. Walk Away is a blatant pop song, so no quibbles over it's choice. Still rubbish though.

Me wonders what the LP would have been like if Serpents Kiss, Wake (according to Huss Wake dates from the sessions), Garden of Delight and Wide Receiver had made the cut. Which tracks to drop and would any of them have been singles?

I agree with you that WA is a blatant pop song, and a rubbish one to boot, and so unrepresentative of the bands output as to make no sense.

The Sisters can do "pop" (whatever that is) ToL and Black Planet, hey even the suits in the states recognized Black Planet had something and delivered a video to support it even if it never got a release.

Rock music is littered with bands and record companies arguing around single releases off LP's - The Clash even wrote about it (Remote and Complete Control), The Human League admitted they were wrong and Virgin ultimately right re the decision to release Don't You Want Me.

I think we can deduce something ref the bands Whistle Test appearance in 85 where I think it's fair to say they called the shots in playing FALAA and Marian (good call).

Flagg

peartree_productions · 29 Jun 2009, 03:51

The version of A Rock And A Hard Place that appears on (and elsewhere)

was considered for single release. Shame it wasn't, love this version...

Ozpat · 29 Jun 2009, 06:37

peartree_productions wrote:The version of A Rock And A Hard Place that appears on (and elsewhere)

was considered for single release. Shame it wasn't, love this version...

Agree, A Rock and FALAA would be my first choice but I can live with the radio friendly Walk Away and NTTC.

jost 7 · 29 Jun 2009, 08:36

always thought marian would have made out a great single as song AND production are great and mass-compatible back than (have a look at wasteland, although this was given a much better finish for being a single by all accounts).
black planet also, maybe title and lyrics are not perfect for a (first) single. falaa would have been a great single if the track was produced differently, more like the newcastle/gwt or dance on glass versions.
possession imo is the weakest produced track - i really started to like it only with the 91 live renditions which are really great, and almost strong as a single.
in fact it would be great to get some of the tracks re-recorded.

Aazhyd · 29 Jun 2009, 10:28

Walk Away is decent, No Time To Cry is weak, in my opinion. Very different from earlier Sisters singles. There's no magic in these songs.

AdrenaChris · 29 Jun 2009, 14:18

Walk Away took me some time to warm up to, and I still don't think its great. A good enough song though. I've always liked NTTC though.

What about Amphetamine Logic? its got enough kick to have been a single

abridged · 29 Jun 2009, 14:24

Ah the record company would never have allowed it, and the radio stations would never have played it...

mh · 29 Jun 2009, 16:29

AdrenaChris wrote:What about Amphetamine Logic? its got enough kick to have been a single

Now that, for me, is the genuine weak link in the LP.

Time to get me coat, I fear.

vicus · 29 Jun 2009, 16:35

stufarq wrote:
paint it black wrote:walk away was the focus for the black october tour wasn't it?
Some sources (can't remember which) have the November leg of that tour (ie the bit that wasn't actually in October - or the UK for that matter) named the Walk Away tour.

stufarq · 29 Jun 2009, 21:55

That's an advert for the single with the clearly labelled Black October tour dates underneath it. I suppose it could be responsible for confusion if someone misread it but I've seen the European tour given that name somewhere.

Oh, hang on. Are you pointing out that the advert only has the UK dates named as Black October, thus supporting the idea that the November dates had a different name?

paint it black · 29 Jun 2009, 22:08

my old website had all of the tours labelled by their correct names and durations

http://www.lak.co.za/pib/

stufarq · 29 Jun 2009, 22:34

There seem to be several different versions of the "correct" names though. For instance, the official site doesn't give Black October a name at all (although it does differentiate between the October and November tours) and I've also seen tours named Silence Is Platinum and Armageddon (I'd have to look them up to see which they supposedly were) as well as Trans Europe Excess used for two entirely different tours in different years.