Bootleg of the Week: Silicon Answers

The next bootleg, I have to admit, is one of my least favorite of all the many Front 242 bootlegs available. Although it was one of my first and initially well-loved and well-listened to bootlegs, time has not been that kind. "Silicon Answers" is a 2-CD set from 1992, with tracks from two Front concerts. The label here is "Deep Records" and it gives the catalogue number of MIK 024/025.

The "issues" I have with this bootleg are many:

1. The Title: "Silicon Answers" was probably meant to be "Silicon Advisors"...as this is the line/reference from the 242 song "Circling Overland." However, "Silicon Answers" as a title isn't necessarily all that bad, and bad 242 word play has been done before (see Hadafi Commando!) So I will cut the title some slack...

2.  The Artwork: Plain and Ugly! The poor use of mixed fonts for "Front" and "242" is an eyesore, IMHO. The only redeeming part of the art is the nice picture of Richard and Patrick on the Emulator from the inside of the liner notes.

3.  Misspellings:  Misspellings are a given when dealing with 242 bootlegs. This one gets most of the song titles right, except for a few slips: "Moldana" "Funkhadaffi" "Tyrany For You" etc. ...but it also misspells 3 of the 4 band members names. OK, I admit that names can be hard... ("Demeyor?" "Patrtck?" "Richard IK?")

4. The Contents: Now in all fairness, I don't really know what came first, but this bootleg is really rehash (or partial rehash) of other releases. Or rather, this material can be obtained elsewhere and at better sound qulaity. CD1 contains tracks from Goeteborg, Karen (Sweden)...this is seen on Body Beats, although more is actually presented here. CD2 recycles or represents the concert at Lausanne Hot Point Festival (see Switzerland 1986 and Hadafi Commando). Although here I think Silicon Answers gives the date as July 4, 1987.

On the plus side, the intro track Rhythm of Time is quite nice, and I am still a sucker for the W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G. - U-Men medley, and at the time, having a 2-CD set of Front 242 bootleg material was quite remarkable!

Silicon Answers (side view of 2-CD set)