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street fighting years 2020 reissues

    "The greatest virtue is in helping others for one's own sake and peace of mind as well as theirs. Justice, goodness of heart, duty, courage, and fidelity to fellow creatures, all qualities worth pursuing on their own." (Sympathea.) Hardly my words, they date back to ancient times. However on reflection, while recently being interviewed for Simple Minds remastered Street Fighting Years to be released early next year, it struck that perhaps some of the ideals behind the songs on Street Fighting Years aspired to that enlightened quote? And what great things to aspire. Because the alternative is?

    Jim
    14th December 2019

  • Work started on the Street Fighting Years project in December 2016 with tapes being transferred from Universal's archive in London. It was indended be released six months after the New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) Super Deluxe releases but, for various reasons, its release stalled.

  • The project was resurrected in 2018, and after dusting the master tapes off again, a release date of September 2019 was pencilled in. This worked out well, as it coincideded with the 30th anniversary of the original album.

  • The last half of 2019 saw some reshuffling of releases as Live In The City Of Angels was brought forward after a pressing plant became available and the 40: Best Of: 1979-2019 compilation was put together. All formats of the new Street Fighting Years project had already been manufactured, so it was held in various warehouses until its new release date of March 2020. (This, unfortunately meant that it missed its 30th anniversary year).

  • The archive contained a large number of unpublished photos by Guido Harari and some of these were included in the packaging and booklets.

  • The original artwork was based on a pattern published in The Beauty Of Fractals by Peitgen Richter. Stuart Crouch used the original pattern for the CD labels and based the four CD wallets in the box-set on each quarter of the pattern.



  • Jim announced the project in December 2019, posting a picture of the box, and hinting at its 2020 release.

  • Formal press releases and announcements were made in January 2020. All formats (4CD, 2CD, 2LP, CD and digital) were revealed along with the track listing. As part of the publicity, the full version of Waterfront from the Verona concert was released.



  • The vinyl version was pressed up as a double album. Not only did this improve the sound quality but it also allowed When Spirits Rise, previously omitted from the vinyl versions of the album, to be included for the first time. As the original album's packaging was a gatefold, then only minimal changes to the packaging were required.

  • It was the first Super Deluxe issue by Universal not to include a 5:1 Surround Remix or DVD of videos and extras. It was decided, back in 2014 when these releases were first proposed, that the box-sets would get smaller after "the big three", reflecting the popularity of the the albums on which they were based.

  • There were issues with the Verona part of the release with many fans pointing out that four songs from the concert were omitted. This was not a decision made whilst the box-set was put together. The multi-track tapes were mixed down in 1990, and the four songs - Wall Of Love, Once Upon A Time, Oh Jungleland and Big Sleep - were left out. This was probably a decision by the band, producer and/or record company that these songs weren't contenders for the Verona video.

  • There was also controversy that no demos, outtakes and alternative versions were included in the set. This was especially poignant with Street Fighting Years as the Street Fighting Years Music Book included information about the recording of the album, including songs which were worked on but never made it. Jim addressed this issue: "Some of the box sets we put out get a better reaction than others. It's hard to explain, how can I say this without being patronising... I mean, just because you've put something on a piece of tape, it doesn't mean to say that it's a demo to go out. There was a few songs in the air there, but they were never part of Street Fighting Years, they were just something at the time. There'd be songs that Trevor wasn't involved in or Steve wasn't involved in... we were working every day. If you were to say every day equates to a demo for Street Fighting Years... no, it wasn't, it was just that day's work. And even the fact that people know about those tracks, means that someone nicked them and someone put them online! Who knows? There's a couple of those songs we might go back to - they're unfinished. There are songs on our last album, Walk Between Worlds, from an idea that was more than 25 years old. Finally, we cracked it! So, the idea that you just load [the box set] all up with whatever was in the air at the time, I don't think so." - Jim, Super Deluxe Edition, February 2020

  • Paul Sinclair of SuperDeluxeEdition promoted the box-set with an exclusive interview with Jim. He also published a glossy 24-page book which included the full unedited interview with Jim and an unpublished interview with Steve Lipson. This small booklet was specially designed to fit in the box-set as a bonus.



  • The band played the song Street Fighting Years at the Annexet, Stockholm, Sweden on the 6th March 2020 to mark the box set's release.



street fighting years 2020: quick reference
2LP     Street Fighting Years Universal 7747144
A1. Street Fighting Years(6:26)
A2. Soul Crying Out(6:07)
A3. Wall Of Love(5:20)
B1. This Is Your Land(6:22)
B2. Take A Step Back(4:23)
B3. Kick It In(6:09)
C1. Let It All Come Down(4:53)
C2. Mandela Day(5:41)
C3. Belfast Child(6:40)
D1. Biko(7:32)
D2. When Spirits Rise(2:01)


CD     Street Fighting Years Universal 7701566
1. Street Fighting Years(6:26)
2. Soul Crying Out(6:07)
3. Wall Of Love(5:20)
4. This Is Your Land(6:22)
5. Take A Step Back(4:23)
6. Kick It In(6:09)
7. Let It All Come Down(4:53)
8. Mandela Day(5:41)
9. Belfast Child(6:40)
10. Biko(7:32)
11. When Spirits Rise(2:01)


2CD     Street Fighting Years Deluxe Universal 7701585
1-1. Street Fighting Years(6:26)
1-2. Soul Crying Out(6:07)
1-3. Wall Of Love(5:20)
1-4. This Is Your Land(6:22)
1-5. Take A Step Back(4:23)
1-6. Kick It In(6:09)
1-7. Let It All Come Down(4:53)
1-8. Mandela Day(5:41)
1-9. Belfast Child(6:40)
1-10. Biko(7:32)
1-11. When Spirits Rise(2:01)

2-1. Belfast Child[Edit](5:11)
2-2. Mandela Day[Edit](4:08)
2-3. This Is Your Land[Edit](4:45)
2-4. Saturday Girl(6:09)
2-5. Year of The Dragon(3:06)
2-6. This Is Your Land[DJ Version](5:05)
2-7. Kick It In[Edit](4:20)
2-8. Waterfront['89 Remix](5:01)
2-9. Big Sleep[Live](6:39)
2-10. Kick It In[Unauthorized Mix](7:02)
2-11. Sign O' The Times[Edit](4:12)
2-12. Let It All Come Down[Edit](3:37)
2-13. Sign O' The Times(5:37)
2-14. Jerusalem(2:57)
2-15. Sign O' The Times[C. J. Mackintosh Remix](6:15)


4CD     Street Fighting Years Super Deluxe Universal 7701564
1-1. Street Fighting Years(6:26)
1-2. Soul Crying Out(6:07)
1-3. Wall Of Love(5:20)
1-4. This Is Your Land(6:22)
1-5. Take A Step Back(4:23)
1-6. Kick It In(6:09)
1-7. Let It All Come Down(4:53)
1-8. Mandela Day(5:41)
1-9. Belfast Child(6:40)
1-10. Biko(7:32)
1-11. When Spirits Rise(2:01)

2-1. Belfast Child[Edit](5:11)
2-2. Mandela Day[Edit](4:08)
2-3. This Is Your Land[Edit](4:45)
2-4. Saturday Girl(6:09)
2-5. Year of The Dragon(3:06)
2-6. This Is Your Land[DJ Version](5:05)
2-7. Kick It In[Edit](4:20)
2-8. Waterfront['89 Remix](5:01)
2-9. Big Sleep[Live](6:39)
2-10. Kick It In[Unauthorized Mix](7:02)
2-11. Sign O' The Times[Edit](4:12)
2-12. Let It All Come Down[Edit](3:37)
2-13. Sign O' The Times(5:37)
2-14. Jerusalem(2:57)
2-15. Sign O' The Times[C. J. Mackintosh Remix]      (6:15)

3-1. Theme for Great Cities '90(3:07)
3-2. When Spirits Rise(2:23)
3-3. Street Fighting Years[Live](7:36)
3-4. Mandela Day[Live](8:29)
3-5. This Is Your Land[Live](8:34)
3-6. Soul Crying Out[Live](7:55)
3-7. Waterfront[Live](5:26)
3-8. Ghost Dancing[Live](7:41)
3-9. Book Of Brilliant Things[Live](4:53)
3-10. Don't You (Forget About Me)[Live](8:58)

4-1. Gaelic Melody[Live](6:04)
4-2. Kick It In[Live](6:50)
4-3. Let It All Come Down[Live](5:34)
4-4. Belfast Child[Live](9:51)
4-5. Sun City[Live](5:32)
4-6. Biko[Live](9:43)
4-7. Sanctify Yourself[Live](6:34)
4-8. East at Easter[Live](6:14)
4-9. Alive and Kicking[Live](7:16)





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