B.A.D. Observations Thread

[BitterTom]

Bold statement warning.

I gave up with Megatop and put Tighten Up on yet again while walking the dog, went the long way to catch it all. Yes the sound could be better, yes 2000 Shoes is on there but that aside, this is one great record. Fairly easily (for me) superior to Combat Rock and on a par, if not slightly better than S/T. Yes it's arbitrary comparing them but it's just how high I rate this album. Applecart, HNaT and All Saints Road are all beautiful, perfect melodies. The songs that surround these offer much as well, a near perfect album that has no right to be 'lost' and unheard to many music fans. It is so heavily underrated.

That's a good moment to stop waxing lyrical about Tighten Up but just wanted to show my love for this album a final time.

I'm with you mate. I think it has some of Mick's best pure pop songwriting of his career. His singing was also at its peak imo, especially if you check the live stuff from that era. Then there's his guitar playing which I think is super-inventive on this album, just a shame a lot of it is low in the mix. Those multi-layered backwards guitars on Other 99 totally kick arse, and there are many other great moments such as the song Tighten Up, awesome guitar on that one. The songs are also arranged brilliantly with all the hooks in the right places, middle eights, inventive intros and outros etc.

The drums are the fly in the ointment for me, they are so dry and loud. They sound like the "children's songs" drum setting on a Bontempi keyboard. All Saints Road is the worst offender drum-wise, just horrible. And they had such a great drummer too. I fucking hate the production methods of the late 80s. What makes it worse is the drum sound is pretty good on Megatop but the songs aren't in the same class.

This is the main difference for me with the 2 albums. You can really feel the creativity oozing out of Tighten Up, some aforementioned songs are works of genius in my eyes. About half of Megatop feels like they were just churning them out, very later Clash b side like. Not offensively bad though not much to write home about either. Mick's illness must have really taken it out of him, you can definitely hear it in the songs and him personally.

[NoMoreHugh]

Sambadrome is literally playing right now and I still am barely able to pay attention. What a dull song.

This is why I keep saying Tighten Up is better than Upping St. I find it hard to believe the latter is anyone's favourite BAD album. It's as if the presence of Strummer sways people.

Upping st i dont think is anywhere as good as tighten up but i do like it. I think it was flawed with some bad decisions when it first came out. I think you really nailed this with the description of Beyond the pale being clunky i would say its a good description for the whole album it just doesnt flow like the other albums do. Although i do feel it has that very great "Bad" vibe and sound that the band were after but imho it could have been so much better if produced differently

Of course the presence of strummer will sway people and i believe the record company knows this all too well. Its more played up now with strummers involvement than it ever was back when the album came out. I heard in interviews at the time that strummer popped in to the studio to help out on a couple of songs which suggests to me that the songs were already written. Beyond the Pale is a good example with earlier live recordings show that the tune was not touched at all and a little tweak done to the lyrics.
Interviews also stated at the time that strummer only worked on a couple of songs but the album came out with strummer name all over it.

I doubt that Strummer made any musical changes and was involved in some lyrical suggestions only. Nothing can change my view of this there is no tune on the album that i get a feel of strummer but lyrics maybe . The record companys know how to make smart moves to increase revenue.
Unfortunately though ......

why would you make beatbox the first single it should have been V thirteen
why put a inferior version mix of V thirteen on the original album
too much going on in the jerky drums and pops and whistles etc needed a better production as they did when played these songs live

Tighten up well its just an amazing album and has a lot of hidden gems on it i would give it an - other 100/100

[NoMoreHugh]

Sambadrome is literally playing right now and I still am barely able to pay attention. What a dull song.

This is why I keep saying Tighten Up is better than Upping St. I find it hard to believe the latter is anyone's favourite BAD album. It's as if the presence of Strummer sways people.

Upping st i dont think is anywhere as good as tighten up but i do like it. I think it was flawed with some bad decisions when it first came out. I think you really nailed this with the description of Beyond the pale being clunky i would say its a good description for the whole album it just doesnt flow like the other albums do. Although i do feel it has that very great "Bad" vibe and sound that the band were after but imho it could have been so much better if produced differently

Of course the presence of strummer will sway people and i believe the record company knows this all too well. Its more played up now with strummers involvement than it ever was back when the album came out. I heard in interviews at the time that strummer popped in to the studio to help out on a couple of songs which suggests to me that the songs were already written. Beyond the Pale is a good example with earlier live recordings show that the tune was not touched at all and a little tweak done to the lyrics.
Interviews also stated at the time that strummer only worked on a couple of songs but the album came out with strummer name all over it.

I doubt that Strummer made any musical changes and was involved in some lyrical suggestions only. Nothing can change my view of this there is no tune on the album that i get a feel of strummer but lyrics maybe . The record companys know how to make smart moves to increase revenue.
Unfortunately though ......

why would you make beatbox the first single it should have been V thirteen
why put a inferior version mix of V thirteen on the original album
too much going on in the jerky drums and pops and whistles etc needed a better production as they did when played these songs live

Tighten up well its just an amazing album and has a lot of hidden gems on it i would give it an - other 100/100

Oh apart from 2000 shoes that song just never worked for me so i change my rating to an other 99/100

[Silent Majority]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

[Marky Dread]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

Going with just UK releases as 7'' singles plus ''Sightsee M.C.!'' which I believe was 12'' only and not including various odditties / promos etc the list should be this I think.

01. The Bottom Line / BAD
02. E = MC² / This Is Big Audio Dynamite
03. Medicine Show / A Party
04. C'mon Every Beatbox (Edit) / Badrock City
05. V. Thirteen / Hollywood Boulevard (Sam Sever Remix)
06. Sightsee M.C.! (Mick Jones Radio Cut) / Another One Rides The Bus (Paul "Groucho" Smykle mix)
Sightsee M.C.! (Sam Sever mix) / Sightsee West London (Mick Jones mix) - 12'' only
07. Just Play Music! / Much Worse
08. Other 99 / What Happened to Eddie?
09. Contact (7" Mix) / In Full Effect

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

[Silent Majority]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

Going with just UK releases as 7'' singles plus ''Sightsee M.C.!'' which I believe was 12'' only and not including various odditties / promos etc the list should be this I think.

01. The Bottom Line / BAD
02. E = MC² / This Is Big Audio Dynamite
03. Medicine Show / A Party
04. C'mon Every Beatbox (Edit) / Badrock City
05. V. Thirteen / Hollywood Boulevard (Sam Sever Remix)
06. Sightsee M.C.! (Mick Jones Radio Cut) / Another One Rides The Bus (Paul "Groucho" Smykle mix)
Sightsee M.C.! (Sam Sever mix) / Sightsee West London (Mick Jones mix) - 12'' only
07. Just Play Music! / Much Worse
08. Other 99 / What Happened to Eddie?
09. Contact (7" Mix) / In Full Effect

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

Thanks Mark, much appreciated.

What do people think in terms of the polls? Do they want remixes on there? I would just do original songs, personally.

[NoMoreHugh]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

It might be just another rename like Change of Atmosphere but i thought it was called Kickin In ?

[Marky Dread]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

Going with just UK releases as 7'' singles plus ''Sightsee M.C.!'' which I believe was 12'' only and not including various odditties / promos etc the list should be this I think.

01. The Bottom Line / BAD
02. E = MC² / This Is Big Audio Dynamite
03. Medicine Show / A Party
04. C'mon Every Beatbox (Edit) / Badrock City
05. V. Thirteen / Hollywood Boulevard (Sam Sever Remix)
06. Sightsee M.C.! (Mick Jones Radio Cut) / Another One Rides The Bus (Paul "Groucho" Smykle mix)
Sightsee M.C.! (Sam Sever mix) / Sightsee West London (Mick Jones mix) - 12'' only
07. Just Play Music! / Much Worse
08. Other 99 / What Happened to Eddie?
09. Contact (7" Mix) / In Full Effect

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

Thanks Mark, much appreciated.

What do people think in terms of the polls? Do they want remixes on there? I would just do original songs, personally.

Could get a bit messy with remixes.

[Marky Dread]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

It might be just another rename like Change of Atmosphere but i thought it was called Kickin In ?

Umm not sure what you mean here mate. ''Free'' was the last song released by the original line-up I believe. It appeared on the soundtrack of the movie ''Flashback''.

[NoMoreHugh]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

It might be just another rename like Change of Atmosphere but i thought it was called Kickin In ?

Just checked my great lost album and they call it "Free" on there so it must be the name change

[Heston]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

Going with just UK releases as 7'' singles plus ''Sightsee M.C.!'' which I believe was 12'' only and not including various odditties / promos etc the list should be this I think.

01. The Bottom Line / BAD
02. E = MC² / This Is Big Audio Dynamite
03. Medicine Show / A Party
04. C'mon Every Beatbox (Edit) / Badrock City
05. V. Thirteen / Hollywood Boulevard (Sam Sever Remix)
06. Sightsee M.C.! (Mick Jones Radio Cut) / Another One Rides The Bus (Paul "Groucho" Smykle mix)
Sightsee M.C.! (Sam Sever mix) / Sightsee West London (Mick Jones mix) - 12'' only
07. Just Play Music! / Much Worse
08. Other 99 / What Happened to Eddie?
09. Contact (7" Mix) / In Full Effect

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

Thanks Mark, much appreciated.

What do people think in terms of the polls? Do they want remixes on there? I would just do original songs, personally.

Much Worse and What Happened To Eddie are the only two b-sides which are actual songs not remixes. You also might want to add Electric Vandal?

[Marky Dread]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

Going with just UK releases as 7'' singles plus ''Sightsee M.C.!'' which I believe was 12'' only and not including various odditties / promos etc the list should be this I think.

01. The Bottom Line / BAD
02. E = MC² / This Is Big Audio Dynamite
03. Medicine Show / A Party
04. C'mon Every Beatbox (Edit) / Badrock City
05. V. Thirteen / Hollywood Boulevard (Sam Sever Remix)
06. Sightsee M.C.! (Mick Jones Radio Cut) / Another One Rides The Bus (Paul "Groucho" Smykle mix)
Sightsee M.C.! (Sam Sever mix) / Sightsee West London (Mick Jones mix) - 12'' only
07. Just Play Music! / Much Worse
08. Other 99 / What Happened to Eddie?
09. Contact (7" Mix) / In Full Effect

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

Thanks Mark, much appreciated.

What do people think in terms of the polls? Do they want remixes on there? I would just do original songs, personally.

Much Worse and What Happened To Eddie are the only two b-sides which are actual songs not remixes. You also might want to add Electric Vandal?

Wasn't ''Electric Vandal'' only released on the Legacy Edition of TIBAD?

[Marky Dread]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

It might be just another rename like Change of Atmosphere but i thought it was called Kickin In ?

Just checked my great lost album and they call it "Free" on there so it must be the name change

BAD II released it as ''Kickin' In'' on ''Kool Aid''. But ''Free'' was the last track by the original line-up that this thread/poll is dealing with.

[NoMoreHugh]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

It might be just another rename like Change of Atmosphere but i thought it was called Kickin In ?

Umm not sure what you mean here mate. ''Free'' was the last song released by the original line-up I believe. It appeared on the soundtrack of the movie ''Flashback''.

It must be the promo i havent got or seen, on the kool aid album it was called Kickin In i have checked my Great lost album and the 12inch version is called Free
Has anyone got the Promo version to upload to check how different that version is ?

[NoMoreHugh]

Could one of the BAD geniuses compile a definitive list of original line up b-sides? I don't trust wiki on the matter.

The last track by the original band ''Free'' was only a promo I believe. Shame as it's one of my fave BAD tracks.

It might be just another rename like Change of Atmosphere but i thought it was called Kickin In ?

Umm not sure what you mean here mate. ''Free'' was the last song released by the original line-up I believe. It appeared on the soundtrack of the movie ''Flashback''.

It must be the promo i havent got or seen, on the kool aid album it was called Kickin In i have checked my Great lost album and the 12inch version is called Free
Has anyone got the Promo version to upload to check how different that version is ?

Thanks Marky it does sound the same version that i already have much appreciated