Wire

Chairs Missing

Image of Wire - Chairs Missing
Record Label
Pink Flag

About this item

Wire’s first three albums need no introduction. They are the three classic albums on which Wire’s reputation is based. Moreover, they are the recordings that minted the post-punk form. This was adopted by other bands, but Wire were there first. These are the definitive re-releases. Each album is presented as an 80-page hardback book – the size of a 7-inch, but obviously much thicker. After a special introduction by Jon Savage, Graham Duff provides insight into each track. These texts include recording details, brand-new interviews with band members, and lyrics.

This stunning set of presentations also includes a range of images from the archive of Annette Green. Wire’s official photographer during this period, Green also shot the covers for Pink Flag and Chairs Missing. Promotional and informal imagery – in colour and black and white – is featured throughout the books. Most of the photographs have not been seen for 40 years – and many have never been published anywhere before.

With "Pink Flag" Wire tapped happily into punk's energy and iconoclastic tendencies, "Chairs Missing" is, perhaps, a little truer to their own instincts. They didnt completely shed the past completely; the joyful "Sand In My Joints" and grinding "Mercy" have more than a hint of "Pink Flag" about them, but their 1978 offering is moodier and much more textured than its predecessor, the addition of swathes of electronic sounds moving them firmly into post punk territory, a genre they helped to spawn. There is pure pop beauty on here too, of which "Outdoor Miner"  and "French Film Blurred" being the most gorgeous examples. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: Their most varied L.P. and possibly their finest hour (or so). Straddling the fire of punk and the colder, darker charms of brooding electronic post punk, it also contains within its grooves moments of melodic magic. Worth buying for the outrageously amazing "Outdoor Miner" on its own.

TRACK LISTING

SE Tracklist: Disc 1 (Original Album)

01/PracticeMakesPerfect
02/French Film Blurred
03/Another The Letter
04/Men 2nd
05/Marooned
06/Sand In My Joints
07/Being Sucked In Again
08/Heartbeat
09/Mercy
10/Outdoor Miner
11/IAmTheFly
12/I Feel Mysterious Today
13/From The Nursery
14/Used To
15/Too Late

Disc 2 (Singles, B-sides & Studio Recordings)

01/I Am The Fly (single Version)
02/Dot Dash
03/Options R
04/Outdoor Miner (single Version)
05/Practice Makes Perfect (single Version)
06/Underwater Experiences (Advision Version)

Disc 3 (Studio Demos) Fourth Demo Sessions

01/Practice Makes Perfect
02/OhNoNotSo
03/Culture Vultures
04/It’s The Motive
05 Love Ain’t Polite
06/French Film Blurred (version 1)
07/Sand In My Joints
08/Too Late
09/I Am The Fly
10/Heartbeat
11/Underwater Experiences
12/Stalemate
13/I Feel Mysterious Today Fifth Demo Sessions
14/ Dot Dash
15/ French Film Blurred (version 2)
16/ Options R
17/ Finistaire (Mercy)
18/ Marooned
19/ From The Nursery
20/ Indirect Enquiries (version 1)
21/ Outdoor Miner
22/ Chairs Missing (Used To)
23/ Being Sucked In Again
24/ Men 2nd
25/ Another The Letter
26/ No Romans 

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