The Teardrop Explodes: Kilimanjaro 1980 (Deluxe Edition 2010)

 

One of the pivotal groups to emerge from the Liverpool neo-psychedelia community during the late '70s, the Teardrop Explodes was a showcase for Julian Cope, a notoriously eccentric figure whose

unfashionable love of Krautrock and hallucinogenic drugs set him distinctly apart from the prevailing punk mentality of the era. Cope formed the band in 1978 after a tenure in the Crucial Three (also comprised of Echo and the Bunnymen's Ian McCulloch and Wah!'s Pete Wylie); taking their name from a panel in a Marvel comic book, the premiere lineup of the Teardrop Explodes also featured guitarist Mick Finkler and drummer Gary Dwyer, as well as keyboardist Paul Simpson, with whom Cope previously played in the short-lived A Shallow Madness.
                           

Upon signing to Bill Drummond and David Balfe's fledgling Zoo label, the quartet issued their 1979

debut single, "Sleeping Gas," a surreal electro-pop effort distinguished by its swirling keyboard washes; Simpson exited the Teardrop Explodes' ranks in the wake of the record's release, allowing Balfe to assume keyboard and production duties for the bizarre follow-up "Bouncing Babies." After touring with Echo and the Bunnymen, the group concentrated on streamlining the more excessive elements of its sound: the result, the buoyant "Treason (It's Just a Story)," nearly reached the pop charts.
                                    

After Finkler was replaced by former Dalek I Love You guitarist Alan Gill, the Teardrop Explodes issued 1980's infectious "When I Dream," which hit the U.K. Top 50 and even garnered some airplay in

the U.S. Finally, in October the band's debut LP, Kilimanjaro, appeared to rave reviews and respectable sales; early in 1981, the single "Reward" hit the Top Ten, and a subsequent reissue of "Treason (It's Just a Story)" surged into the Top 20. Still, the Teardrop Explodes' roster continued to fluctuate wildly, and soon Gill exited to make room for guitarist Troy Tate in time to record 1981's ambitious Wilder, highlighted by the smash "Passionate Friend."
                        

A tour of the States followed, with disastrous results; Tate quickly broke ranks to join Fashion, leaving

the remaining trio to begin work on a planned third LP to be dubbed Everybody Wants to Shag the Teardrop Explodes. In the midst of recording, however, Cope dissolved the band; only a 1983 EP dubbed You Disappear from View appeared on schedule, although the unfinished sessions were finally released in full in 1990 under their projected title. In the wake of the Teardrop Explodes' breakup, Balfe later re-emerged as the founder of the Food Records label, while Cope embarked on a successful and occasionally brilliant solo career.
                                           

Kilimanjaro is the debut album by the neo-psychedelic Liverpool band The Teardrop Explodes,

released on 10 October 1980. It contains versions of the band's early singles – "Sleeping Gas", "Bouncing Babies", "Treason" & "When I Dream" – as well as their biggest hit, "Reward". The album also includes the song "Books" – originally a song by Julian Cope's previous band, The Crucial Three, it was also recorded by Echo & the Bunnymen (as "Read it in Books", released on the B-side of their debut single, and featured on some versions of Crocodiles).
                            

In 2000, Q magazine placed Kilimanjaro at number 95 in its list of the 100 Greatest British

Albums Ever. In 2000, Cope gave his blessings to re-release Kilimanjaro with a selection of bonus tracks (mainly single B-sides), original artwork, a remastered sound, and full lyrics and essays. A deluxe 3-disc edition followed in 2010, including original singles, B-sides and radio session recordings.
                                        

The Teardrop Explodes – Kilimanjaro
Label: Mercury – 5328957, Universal Music Catalogue – 5328957
Series: Deluxe Edition
Format: 3 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered
Country: Europe
Released: Jul 12, 2010
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave

DISC 1. KILIMANJARO (37:05)

                                               

  
01. Ha Ha I'm Drowning    2:55
02. Sleeping Gas    3:45
03. Treason    2:56
04. Second Head    3:10
05. Poppies In The Field    2:41
06. Went Crazy    5:05
07. Brave Boys Keep Their Promises    2:40
08. Bouncing Babies    2:30
09. Books    2:36
10. Thief Of Baghdad    3:09
11. When I Dream    7:10

THE TEARDROP EXPLODES

Julian Cope – vocals, bass guitar
David Balfe – piano, organ, synthesizer
Gary Dwyer – drums
Alan Gill – guitar on "Reward" (second edition of album only), "Poppies Are in the Field", "Ha Ha I'm Drowning", "Books" and "When I Dream"

with:

Michael Finkler – guitar on "Second Head", "Brave Boys", "Bouncing Babies", "Ha Ha I'm Drowning", "Sleeping Gas", "Treason", "Went Crazy" and "Thief of Baghdad"
Hurricane Smith, Ray Martinez – trumpets on "Ha-Ha I'm Drowning", "Sleeping Gas" and "Went Crazy"

MP3 @ 320 Size: 95 MB
Flac  Size: 271 MB

DISC 2. BATES MOTEL (51:50)

                                                     

      
01. Reward    2:44
02. Sleeping Gas    4:38
03. Camera Camera    2:38
04. Kirby Workers Dream Fades    1:53
05. Bouncing Babies    2:45
06. All I Am Is Loving You    4:26
07. Treason    3:05
08. Read It In Books    2:16
09. Kilimanjaro    4:31
10. Strange House In The Snow    4:44
11. Use Me    5:49
12. Traison (C'est Juste Une Histoire)    2:54
13. Sleeping Gas (Live)    9:27

Julian Cope – vocals, bass guitar, violin on "Strange House in the Snow"
Gary Dwyer – drums
Paul Simpson – organ on "Sleeping Gas" (single version), "Camera Camera" and "Kirby Workers Dream Fades"
Michael Finkler – guitar on "Sleeping Gas" (single version), "Camera Camera", "Kirby Workers Dream Fades", "Bouncing Babies" (single version), "All I Am is Loving You', "Treason" (Zoo single version), "Read It in Books", "Use Me" and "Traison (C'est Juste Une Histoire)"
David Balfe – keyboards on "Reward", "Treason" (Zoo single version), "Read It in Books", "Kilimanjaro", "Reward", "Strange House in the Snow", "Use Me", "Traison (C'est Juste Une Histoire" and "Sleeping Gas" (live version)
Alan Gill – guitar on "Reward", "Kilimanjaro" and "Strange House in the Snow"
Troy Tate – guitar on "Sleeping Gas" (live version) (uncredited)
Ronnie François – bass guitar on "Sleeping Gas" (live version) (uncredited)

MP3 @ 320 Size: 79 MB
Flac  Size: 338 MB

DISC 3. BBC SESSIONS (37:21)

                               

          
01. Brave Boys Keep Their Promises    2:22
02. Ha Ha I'm Drowning    3:42
03. Went Crazy    2:52
04. Chance    3:02
05. Thief Of Baghdad    3:12
06. When I Dream    4:20
07. Poppies In The Field    4:45
08. Reward    3:01
09. Suffocate    3:54
10. For Years    4:15
11. The Great Dominions    3:40

Julian Cope – vocals, bass guitar
Gary Dwyer – drums
Michael Finkler – guitar on "Brave Boys Keep Their Promises", Ha Ha I'm Drowning", "Went Crazy", "Chance", "The Thief of Baghdad", "When I Dream" and "Poppies in the Field"
Ged Quinn – keyboards on "Brave Boys Keep Their Promises", Ha Ha I'm Drowning", "Went Crazy" and "Chance"
David Balfe – keyboards on "The Thief of Baghdad", "When I Dream" and "Poppies in the Field"
"The Emotional Jungle" – guitar on "Reward", "Suffocate", "For Years" and "The Great Dominions"
"The Evil Wasp" – keyboards on "Reward", "Suffocate", "For Years" and "The Great Dominions"
"The Legendary" Eric Batchelor – trumpet

MP3 @ 320 Size: 93 MB
Flac  Size: 291 MB

JULIAN COPE ALBUMS & EPS on Urban Aspirines HERE