Memorabilia of the Week: More 242 Pins

I came across some new high-quality Front 242 pins in recent months on ebay.
These are not "official" by any means, but the production and execution of these "bootleg" pins is quite outstanding!

First we have 242 "jellyfish" that can be seen on Re:Boot T-shirts and the Re:Boot fan-edition album.

Next we have the classic "noir" Front 242 cover to Geography. Iconic.

One can never go wrong with the Front 242 "target" logo.

Finally, a more recent addition: the poster image from the 2005 concert at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco. My post and comment about this image is here:
http://target242.blogspot.com/2010/11/poster-of-week-dna-lounge-san-francisco.html

Once again, top-notch quality in "bootleg" form.
It's a shame that Transmission 242 doesn't sell more stuff like this...obviously I would buy it!

Recent Front 242 pins

Record of the Week: Endless Riddance CD

Here we have one of the 'big hits' that broke Front 242 in America: "Take One", found on the EP "Endless Riddance."

Up first is the RRE version. It can be collected in the regular "slimline" jewel case version as well as a 3 inch "mini disc".
The artwork on both RRE versions varies slightly.
The "slimline" version has a prominent white band bordering the Front 242 map graphic and logo on both sides. The 3 inch version comes in a cardboard sleeve, with a much tighter map and logo.

Both versions have the map design repeated on the reverse, with prominent black, yellow, and red bars, with release details. The "slimline" version mentions Play It Again Sam as a subsidiary of RRE, where the 3 inch omits this.
Both RRE versions carry the catalogue number: MK-3-CD.

Endless Riddance RRE 5 inch "slimline" version picture sleeve front

Endless Riddance RRE 5 inch "slimline" version picture sleeve reverse

Endless Riddance RRE 5 inch "slimline" version disc

Endless Riddance RRE 3 inch cardboard version picture sleeve front

Endless Riddance RRE 3 inch cardboard version picture sleeve reverse

Endless Riddance RRE 3 inch disc with plastic adapter

The American Wax Trax! version differs ever so slightly.
The picture sleeve resembles that of the RRE 3 inch version, but in much lighter washed-out gray tones. The reverse sleeve omits the black, yellow, and red bars.

The tray liner also sports only a small portion of the map, and lists credits and song details on a simple gray background.

The Wax Trax! disc closely resembles the RRE 5 inch disc, but sports a larger Front 242 logo and song titles are listed here with the bpms, rather than the track times, as is listed on the 5 and 3 inch RRE versions. It has the catalogue number: WAX CD 004

Endless Riddance Wax Trax! version picture sleeve front

Endless Riddance Wax Trax! version picture sleeve reverse

Endless Riddance Wax Trax! version tray liner

Endless Riddance Wax Trax! version picture sleeve inside

Endless Riddance Wax Trax! version disc

All three versions are fairly common, with the 3 inch with adapter being a little more harder to obtain.
All three versions feature the 3 same song cuts:

1. Take One
2. Controversy Between
3. Sample D

Finally here is a picture from the recent Wax Trax! 33 1/3 Retrospectacle. In between sets, a montage of Wax Trax! pictures flashed on screen. Here is a nice wall-to-wall "Endless Riddance!"

Wax Trax! Retrospectacle "Endless Riddance"

Poster of the Week: Tyranny For You (Giant)

Here we have a massive and beautiful poster from the album "Tyranny >For You<"
This poster is quite impressive when viewed up close: it measures 60 inches by 40 inches (5 feet by almost 3 1/4 feet) and is one of the largest Front 242 posters I have ever seen. It is very reminiscent of a subway-style poster.

I suspect it also is a bootleg poster. Although the "Tyranny" era was from the early 90s, the barcode sticker attached to this poster reads "Tyranny For You (Giant)" Oct./97. So this lends also to the fact that it is not a licensed poster.

Nevertheless it is very stunning with all the bright colors and dominating image of the "Tyranny" swimmer.

Tyranny >For You< "Giant Poster"

Detail

"Swimmer" Detail

242 Logo Detail

Compilation of the Week: Play It Again OOR!

Here we have a promotional mini 3" disc that was issued with the Dutch Magazine OOR back in 1990. It features artists from the 4AD, One Little Indian, Factory, Antler, and PIAS labels.
It has the catalogue number PROMOBIAS 008.

From what I have gathered, this was released with Issue number 23, although I do not have it in my possession. If anyone has it, especially if it contains information about Front 242, please contact me!

The 242 track is the 7" single release of "Tragedy >For You<" clocking in at 3:12.
The picture sleeve itself is noteworthy in that it features one of the "Swimmer" pictures from the "Rhythm of Time" single, rather than that of "Tragedy >For You<".

Track Listing:

1. The Shamen: "Possible Worlds"
2. Front 242:  "Tragedy >For You< (7" version)"
3. New Fast Automatic Daffodils:  "Fishes Eye"
4. Serenes:  "Follow The Rural Coast"
5. Pixies:  "Debaser"
6. Northside:  "Moody Places (7" version)"

Note OOR can be translated as "Ear".

Play It Again OOR! picture sleeve (front)

Play It Again OOR! picture sleeve (reverse)

Play It Again OOR! minidisc

T-Shirt of the Week: Traxx

After a little respite from the computer, I shall hopefully get back to the 242 blog!

242 excitement is in the air, as everyone is preparing for the once-in-a-lifetime concert experience that is happening next week: The Wax Trax! Retrospectacle.
If you have not heard by now, Front 242 will be headlining tribute concerts celebrating the greatness that was Wax Trax! Records, and the creative geniuses behind it.
More information can be found here: http://www.waxtraxchicago.com/

Here we have a beautiful T-Shirt that can still be purchased from Transmission 242.
This is the "Traxx" shirt. It has a very nice Front 242 graphic logo composed of songs from the entire catalogue from "Principles" to "Pulse."
The back has the classic line/song title: "Until Death (Us Do Part)"

You may still purchase it here:
http://www.front242.com/site/content/merchandise.asp?type=1&id=13

Traxx T-Shirt (front)

Traxx T-Shirt (back)

Bootleg of the Week: Television Station

Here is another of those classic bootlegs for which no good Front 242 collection would be complete without!

Dating from around 1986 is "Television Station". This is a very beautiful and somewhat harder to find bootleg. Once again, imagine the time and effort it would take to make a vinyl bootleg!

The artwork for this release is very nice. It borrows images from "A Selective Retaliation."
The front image is a classic 242 pose, with a more gothic-heavy Front 242 logo.
The reverse contains one of the still images from the Quite Unusual video shoot.

Additional information from the sleeve:
"Most of the people do hate persons like us - but we never want to persuade to love us - only to buy our records. So this is our latest edition of live material and other unavailable studio-material. We thank Pete, Edmund, Lev, Ariane and all other persons who like rumblefish."

I am uncertain if this is supposed to be a Front 242 quote or a quote from the "bootleggers!?" To me it does not sound like the kind of thing 242 would say, especially from the "No Comment" and "Official Version" point in their careers!

Also we find on the sleeve:
"To contact us write to: "This is to sorry about" Belgique, 3100 Bruxelles 12em, Rue de la croix 155"

Once again, this does not seem to be an appropriate addy for Transmission 242.

The track listing is as follows:

Side 1 (Referred to as Front 242 Television Station 1st Programme:

1. Lovely Day (Western Art Pt. I)
2. U-Men (Daniel B. Remix)
3. Funkadahfi (Frustration Mix) 9.15
4. Special Forces (Demo Version Sept. '81)

Mixed on 27, March 1986 at Hahn Studios by Klaus Barbie.

(Note the only Klaus Barbie I could find was the Nazi Gestapo thug known as the Butcher of Lyon! Surely not the work of a remixer!

This version of Special Forces is also found on the 7" bootleg "Televison Programm 1st)

Side 2 (Referred to as Front 242 Televison Station 2nd Programme:

1. S. Fr. Nomenklatura
2. Don't Crash
3. Lovely Day
4. No Shuffle
5. Body To Body (Single Version)
6. Take One
7. Funkadahfi
8. U-Men

Live in Germany, Bochum, Logo 10.10. 1985

(Note these tracks can be found on several 242 bootlegs, including Technopolis Volume 1)

Depending on condition of the vinyl and picture sleeve, expect to pay in the $100+ range if you can find this one!

Television Station (front)

Television Station (back)

Television Station (side 1)

Television Station (side 2)

Memorabilia of the Week: Music From The Empty Quarter 7

From 1993 we have an issue of "Music From The Empty Quarter" issue #7. "MFTEQ" as it was often shortened was the house magazine of the record store/music label "The Empty Quarter." This magazine featured numerous review articles and interviews with the leading Industrial and Electronic/Dance acts of the day.

Regarding this issue, the 242 material here included lengthy reviews of the Art & Strategy 1992 Exhibit, as well as a review of the compilation video "Integration Eight X Ten" and the bootleg "Live Target". All reviews were written by Mathew F. Riley (and apparently today he has a blog: http://www.mathewfriley.com/

The reviews are generally favorable except for the Front 242 video reviews. Here Mr. Riley is somewhat scathing, and perhaps rightfully so (we could all debate the artistic merits of the video for "Tragedy >For You<")

Next time, I will spotlight issue #8, which features an interview conducted with Patrick.

(Note, clicking on the scans does enlarge them for reading.)

Music From The Empty Quarter 7 cover

Art & Strategy review (part 1)

Art & Strategy review (continued) and Integration 8 X 10 review

Integration review (continued) and Live Target review

Live Target review (continued)