English Beat Rarities - Elusive and Unreleased Tracks Finally See The Light Of Day

Fans of The Beat are always on the lookout for anything remotely new that they can add to the somewhat finite universe of recorded material that is available from the band. With only three albums and very few non-album tracks, its been, slim pickings for anything new. However, I recently heard two incredibly rare and unreleased tracks by the band which have been the holy grail for obsessive fans of the band.

Back in 1983, as the band was focused on breaking their 'Special Beat Service' LP in the U.S. (and were in the process of breaking up themselves), they returned to the U.K. to record a session for the Kid Jensen radio show on BBC 1. Rumor has it that the band recorded up to 4 new and never released songs during the session, including a lovely cover of Cole Porter's 'Night & Day'. As the band disintegrated and reformed as General Public and Fine Young Cannibals in 1984, the tracks recorded for those sessions were lost to the annals of time.

Though the tracks have remained elusive and hidden away, their existence has never been in doubt. In fact as far back as 1999, Dave Wakeling was quoted in a Rolling Stone story about the possible release of a greatest hits retrospective that would include rare tracks. "I'm told the labs in England had found some live tapes and maybe we'll put some of that on it," he says. "Somebody said there was an idea that they'd found a couple of tracks on the master reels that we'd never finished. Ah, 'contains previously released tracks.' It's probably because they were s---."

Now, 27 years later, the band's ultra smooth version of Cole's 'Night & Day' along with a funky number called 'It Makes Me Rock' featuring some seriously angular sax playing from Wesley Magoogan (think Oingo Boingo) have finally seen the light of day via an amazing mix of rarities, b-sides and 12" remixes posted by Liam Ska on his blog. The mix also includes the hard to find version of 'Rock The Casbah' by The Clash featuring Ranking Roger which was on Mick Jones mix of 'Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg' which would later be re-mixed and re-cut as 'Combat Rock'.

Below is the track listing for the mix along with notes about each song compiled by Liam Ska.

1. Pussy Price (Live) - This version of Laurel Aitken's 'Pussy Price' was recorded live in Germany. It comes from the Beat's concert for German TV's 'Rockpalast'.
2. Stand Down Margaret (Dub) - This was a double 'A' side with Best Friend. It has been previously available on cd on the 'B.P.M...Beats.Per.Minute' compilation in 1996. This has since gone out of print.
3. Psychedelic Rockers (7" Version) - This version has only previously been available as the 'b' side of the 'Too Nice To Talk To' 7" in 1980.
4. Hit It (Auto Erotic) (7" Version) - This was a non-album single from 1981. It has previously been available on cd in the USA on the 'What Is Beat?' compilation.
5. Which Side Of The Bed (7" Version) - This version has only previously been available as the 'b'-side to 'Hit It' in 1981.
6. Cool Entertainer (7" Version) - This was released as the 'b'-side to Pato & Roger's 'Ago Talk' single in 1982.
7. What's Your Best Thing (7" Version) - This was released as the 'b'-side to 'Save It For Later' in 1982.
8. March of the Swivelheads (7" Version) - This version was only previously released as the 'b'-side to 'Jeanette' in 1982.
9. It Makes Me Rock - Unreleased track from a 1983 Kid Jensen Radio 1 session
10. Night & Day - Unreleased track from a 1983 Kid Jensen Radio 1 session
11. Rock The Casbah - Ranking Roger toasting over 'Mustapha Dance' by The Clash and is unreleased.
12. Hands Off...She's Mine (12" Version) - The Beat's first 12" single, released in 1980.
13. Twist & Crawl (12" Version) - Double 'a'-side with 'Hands Off...She's Mine'.
14. Too Nice To Talk To (Dubweiser) - Taken from the 'Too Nice To Talk To' 12".
15. Psychedelic Rockers (Dubweiser) - 'B'-side of the 'Too Nice To Talk To' 12".

English Beat Rarities Mix