A Flock Of Seagulls " Wishing... The Very Best Of" 2CD Set

[DJ Phoenix]

Hey gang! How much is this and who's releasing it? I may pick it up.

[Sean]

Some comments on the different versions of the tracks. If I am not mistaken, the 12" version of "Nightmares" is also very hard to find along with the 7" version. Although that 12" version isn't anything special, just a couple of extra instrumental parts where it sounds like they just lowered Mike's voice. Regardless, cool to get either one instead of the album version we keep getting. Also, for some reason I can't stand the version of "I Ran" with extended intro and the seagulls chirping. Just sounds really cheesey to me. The 7" version is way better. The 7" of "Wishing" is great because the album version is a little too long and the extended version is tough to listen to all the way through even though I love the song. Crazy they never made a long version for "Space Age Love Song" but the version that I have from the remix service is quite cool. "Transfer Affection" 7" and album version although there's around a minute difference doesn't differ too much to me.

[omar]

The 12" of Nightmares is on the remastered version of Listen from Cherry Red a few years ago. Also a very good vinyl rip can be found on burningtheground.net. It's the 7" version that's probably never been on cd. Like I said earlier a precise 7" singles collection would be ideal for most fans.

[ZippY]

If album cuts are going to be used then I'm not buying this set (although it's a great set for starters). Therefore, I hope that all versions are 7" versions (yes, also Remember David... are you listening Cherry Pop?!) because this would be a cool collection to finally do this the right way. Let's hope.

[omar]

Highly unlikely that 7" versions will appear. If they do it'll be a miracle!

[Sean]

Oh yeah, thanks Omar. I forgot that the "Nightmares" 12 inch version was on that reissued "Listen".

[hypnohighball]

I'd like the 7" versions on a AFOS comp as well, especially I Ran. The 7" mix of that one is on lots of 80's comp cds, though.

[hypnohighball]

This set just might finally have the short edit of I Ran since it is on the set twice, the 2nd time as "extended mix" which should be the lp version. Hopefully the version on disc one is the edit.

[omar]

Unless they decide to add one of awful electro 90s remixes as the extended version.

[anfunny2003]

Received this new 2CD today from Amazon. The track lengths and samples can be found here;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wishing-Very-Be ... 00XY7QOBK/

I Ran is 3:39 - the original 7" vinyl lists the 7" as 3:52... ?

[Passing_Stranger]

Received this new 2CD today from Amazon. The track lengths and samples can be found here;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wishing-Very-Be ... 00XY7QOBK/

I Ran is 3:39 - the original 7" vinyl lists the 7" as 3:52... ?

The regular (UK and Europe) 7" is 3.56 (basically an LP version without an ambient "seagull" intro), the one made for the North-American market is 3.39 (only one guitar solo with the chorus looped to fade). Seemingly they've included the one that became a hit in the US - which is good as it only appeared on various artists compilations, while AFOS compilations included the UK one or, more commonly, the LP version.

[Passing_Stranger]

Hmmm... Just checked the ccontents. The first album included in full with all corresponding B-sides. Almost all of the second. And a smattering from the third and fourth. I can't remember seeing a more unbalanced compilation.

"Remember David", judging by timing, is an LP version. It seems that the 7" mix is misplaced.

But the main minus of this release is the failure to include the single edits - which is more strange because they've included the B-sides! What were they thinking...

[cispas]

Well, they were thinking : "we'll keep the 7" mixes for yet another compilation (or two...) since there are suckers out there who keep buyin' them".
That's what they were thinking !

[Sean]

Got my copy today and you get absolutely nothing new in terms of music with this release. For those of you that held on buying comps that had the shorter version of "I Ran", this is your chance to get it. The artwork is actually really nice. There's a cool picture of the band as well as pictures of a lot of the 12 inches. There's also a biography about the band. On thing I must say is this 2cd set really reminds me of how good this band is and how many great songs they had in their hey days. I'm not a good person for audio questions but the music sounded good to me. Some songs sounded better quality than others. As for lacking the 7" mixes again, I couldn't stand it anymore and bought the other comps that had the 7" mixes I was missing.

[hypnohighball]

Received this new 2CD today from Amazon. The track lengths and samples can be found here;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wishing-Very-Be ... 00XY7QOBK/

I Ran is 3:39 - the original 7" vinyl lists the 7" as 3:52... ?

The regular (UK and Europe) 7" is 3.56 (basically an LP version without an ambient "seagull" intro), the one made for the North-American market is 3.39 (only one guitar solo with the chorus looped to fade). Seemingly they've included the one that became a hit in the US - which is good as it only appeared on various artists compilations, while AFOS compilations included the UK one or, more commonly, the LP version.

I got a chance to hear the 7" version of "I Ran" and while it's nice to have the long intro removed, I rather miss the ending of the album version where it stops cold with a kind of echo on the last chord <I don't know how to describe the guitar sound> while the 7" version here just fades out. That could explain the time difference someone mentioned above.