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After the huge success of the 2015 release of 'Bridge of Spies' 2CD/1DVD Remastered Expanded Edition Box Set, and what with it being a limited edition, it sold out very quickly. Universal Music have been working on a follow-up release titled 'T'Pau-The Virgin Anthology,' to coincide with the 30 year Anniversary of the band blasting on to the music scene making their mark overseas as well as at home in the United Kingdom.

The success, reception and comments on the 'Bridge of Spies' Box Set was unprecedented; well, it did give us everything relating to the album in 37 tracks which included the remastered album, B-Sides, mixes, Live tracks & demos not to forget the 1st ever official T'pau DVD!! So to drum up any similar kind of excitement by the fans, the Anthology really needs to impress and Universal Music needs to pull something really big out of the hat....

....And that is exactly what they have done as you read further through this Blog!!

The Anthology includes four discs housed in an extremely impressive box set, the same as the 'Bridge of Spies' Super Deluxe Edition box set.

The picture on the front couldn't be more stunning of Carol; It is a black and white, previously unseen photo. It was taken in 1991 during a photo-shoot for the band's third album 'The Promise.' Its only colour is the very striking flame-coloured red of Carol's so renowned & trademark hair.

The picture is so impressive with the black and white and the red hair that it can't help but stand out and catch your eye!!

There is an impressive and comprehensive forty-nine page booklet which includes an introduction from Carol, a nine page interview from Sylvia Patterson, who has been interviewing pop/rock royalty for three decades now. She interviewed Carol on many occasions when she worked at 'Smash Hits,' and it's such a coup to have her on board in this release!! These sleeve-notes are mentioned further below.

The colour-scheme of the box-set and each disc is impressive and each disc has the relevant and still to this day, ingenious, T'pau face logo's on. See if you can guess what disc two's new logo says!!

There are many previously unseen & stunning photos as well as lyrics too. The booklet doesn't disappoint and will satisfy eager fans!!

So what toons are on these four discs.........?!

Compact Disc One

 Since the original lineup of the band split at the end of 1991, there has been many incarnations of greatest hits' releases, including The Very Best Of/The Greatest Hits/T'pau Hits/The Essential Collection, to name a few.

None of these releases have ever included 'all' of the bands single releases, which would have been a real big deal for the fans.

Also, some of the releases don't even have the 'single' version of some of the songs, instead using songs like the album versions of 'China,' 'Sex Talk' and 'Only The Lonely.'

Well, disc one of the Anthology has 'all' of the band's singles from 'Heart and Soul' to 'Only a Heartbeat' in their single formats. This is why this disc is one of my favourite's  in the Anthology.

This is a big deal for T'Pau fans. Yes, we can compile the same list on our iTunes account or on our iPod, but it's not the same as having them on a 30th Anniversary collection, or any kind of release/collection. This is a coup for any completist.

The disc has the original T'pau face logo on it, which, thirty years later, I still think is clever and innovative in its design as it was all those years ago.

Compact Disc Two

This disc is the one that will get the fans talking and as far as completist's are concerned, their curiosity will get the better of them!

Titled 'Remixes, Rarities and Demos,' it is discs like this in any collection that are the talking point and houses the previously hard to get hold of and previously unheard!!

'Rage,' the bands second Platinum selling album issued in 1988, was to be released in Canada early 1989. Four tracks from this album were remixed for this release, and the tracks were 'Only The Lonely,' 'Arms of Love,' 'Running Away' and 'Island.'

The only one of these remixes that was available in the UK was 'Only The Lonely-Guitar Remix' as this was the version that was released as a single over here.

The other three mixes, to this day, have never been released over here.

Fans still search the internet trying to get hold of a copy, the majority unsuccessful.

Those three mixes are included on this disc and getting hold of these mixes has been 28 years in the making!! They are great tracks and back in 1988/89 there was talk of releasing the remixed version of 'Island' as a single in the UK. Now that would have been a great move as this version of 'Island' really 'raaawwwwks!!'

You can download the Canadian release of  'Island' now, just to give you a little teaser from the Anthology. Details at the bottom under how to purchase.

T'Pau Canadian Rage album cover

The previously unheard tracks on this disc are the six demo's. The thing I have noticed with T'Pau demo's I have heard over the years, is the quality of them and Carol's vocals.  You've got 'Heart & Soul' in its very earliest incarnation along with the utterly sublime 'I Will Be With You.' Carol sings the demo's with such aplomb and her vocals on these two tracks are so powerful.

From 'The Promise' you have got the demo's of  'The Promise,' 'Soul Destruction,' 'Whenever You Need Me,' and 'Only a Heartbeat.'

The last three are three of my favourite tracks from the band's third album. They are quite different from the final cut which appear on the album, but with Carol's vocals and great production, these versions could easily be acceptable for single releases!!

My favourite demo from the six has to be 'Whenever You Need Me.' This version is the one demo that is most different from the original.

This song has always been a firm favourite by fans and the vocals are utterly beautiful. There is no big drum sequence during the renowned chorus of the single version, but being so different it's the sublime power of Carol's vocals along with the subtle keyboard that makes this demo stand out from the rest.

The remixes include 'Bridge of Spies' AOR Mix, 'Only The Lonely' Nightmare Mix, the two 'Whenever You Need Me' mixes; Extended Mix & Requiem Remix & the two 'Soul Destruction' mixes; Extended Remix & Heavy Bliss Mix.

All of the above mixes are brilliant, and to many fans they won't have been heard in a long time-if ever. Not everyone will have all of the CD Singles & other formats-even more of a reason to buy yourself a copy!!

I remember the first time I started listening to 'Only The Lonely' Nightmare Mix, I nearly had a heart attack!! I had the volume loud, as I tend to do, and the song started with Carol's haunting lyrics, and all off a sudden there was a drum section I was not expecting, god did I jump lol!! But this mix is definitely a favourite.

'Whenever You Need Me' Extended Mix is purely sublime. The 7" has always been a firm fan favourite. This mix does not disappoint, and as it's only ever been available on vinyl for 26 years, getting it on to CD is fantastic news!!

The thought of owning the tracks on this disc in the Anthology is an exciting prospect!!

See if you can guess what the new T'Pau face logo on the front of this disc says!!

Compact Disc Three

This disc houses a digitally remastered 'Rage,' the band's second Platinum selling album, released in the Autumn of 1988.

Also included on this disc are six of the B-Sides from the singles' that were issued from this album.

All of the B-Sides are great. 'Road To Our Dream' instrumental is beautiful and has a habit of sending shivers down your spine as it's very thought provoking. 

The Roy Orbison Classic 'Crying' is also a B-Side on this disc. It was recorded quite early on in the band's career for the purpose of it being featured in a film, but at the last minute, Carol was told they couldn't use it. Carol sings this song with such passion and puts her all in it. Was a shame it couldn't be used. The sleeve notes go in to more detail about this.

'You Never Notice Me' live at The Hammersmith Odeon is also a B-Side and features on the disc and I know how much of a fan favourite this is!!

This disc has the 'Rage' face logo on front of the disc.

Compact Disc Four

The fourth and final CD in this anthology includes a digitally remastered 'The Promise' which made the top ten back in June 1991 and went gold.

This album was very underrated back in the day.

In typical T'Pau style, this album features an again diverse plethora of tunes.

You've got a catchy dance number that opens the CD called 'Soul Destruction.'

The oh so compulsory  ballads including 'Whenever You Need Me,' 'Walk on Air,' 'Hold On To Love,' 'Only A Heartbeat,' and 'A Place In My Heart.'

And where would a T'Pau album be without a track with a rap sequence on; well you've got two : 'Strange Place' and 'One Direction.'

Did you know that 'Whenever You need me' gave the band a higher chart position than before the second album 'Rage'?!!

The three B-Sides included on this disc are 'All The Love,' 'Dirty Town' and 'Hold On To Love' Acoustic and live

'All The Love' is another example of a song that has only been on cassette/vinyl so it will be great having this track on CD for the first time, as it's such a great tune!!

This disc has 'The Promise' face logo on the front of it.

The Sleeve Notes

The sleeve notes of the release are very detailed as well as informative and interesting.

Carol starts off with an introduction and throughout it, you can sense her immense pride of her and the band's achievements.

We were her kids, and now we are all grown up. To her it seems a hundred years ago in one breath, and then five minutes ago in the next.

Her memories of starting off as a band in Shropshire working in sweaty clubs, to making it big as T'Pau she will never forget. I mean, how could you? As Carol says in the introduction "Being in a successful rock band is a uniquely fabulous experience."

And if there was some way of commemorating this 30th Anniversary in some kind of release that would get fans talking and give them something to treasure, then it will have been worth it!!

Most T'Pau fans will remember this cover of Smash Hits

The second part of the sleeve-notes are written by the immensely talented Sylvia Patterson, the music journalist who used to work for Smash Hits. She has been interviewing rock stars for three decades now! She has her own book out at the moment about all of those years interviewing the stars titled "I'm Not With The Band : A Writer's Life Lost In Music." 

Sylvia Patterson knows what she is talking about...She has interviewed the creme-de-la-creme when it comes to music royalty, so to have her on board for the Anthology is an honour!

Carol was interviewed by Sylvia many times at Smash Hits and you will probably remember the iconic front cover above which included one of those interviews. Now Carol & Ronnie are being interviewed especially for this 30 year Anthology release.

The interview with Sylvia is nine pages long and is very detailed and a great read for any fan! It goes from before the band made it big on the music scene, to them splitting up at the end of 1991 & all that happened in between, and that period in between was manic!!

Sylvia knows her craft to a tee; having the ability of drumming up so many memories from Carol & Ronnie from over 30 years ago; private jets especially for the band, those glossy tour busses, 'China In Your Hand' nearly not making it on to 'Bridge of Spies' - There was one song not working and too much time had been spent on it. Carol got a cassette out of her pocket and and she said "Well I've got this...." If it hadn't been for that one track not working, "China" would never have seen the light of day!!

From when the 'Only The Lonely' video was brought to a halt because Carol was wearing jeans and the Record Label contacted Carol's manager. They said "She's wearing jeans...the record won't sell!!" Carol was renowned for her short skirts, showing her legs, and her wearing jeans made the Record Label panic...Sounds quite ridiculous now looking back!!

Carol refused to take her jeans off and the recording of the video went ahead!

Meeting royalty and rock royalty and 'living the dream', Carol had her fifteen minutes as Madonna and loved every minute of it!!

Carol & Ronnie's music was the soundtrack to so many people's youth, and what an honour that must be.

The interview has many anecdotes, stories, is an excellent read and having Sylvia Patterson on board has insured this 30 year Anthology to T'Pau's music has an up-to-date interview carried out by somebody who has interviewed Carol numerous times and who has so much experience behind her.

The interview is so detailed, it is like a condensed version of Carol's recent Autobiography 'Heart and Soul.' 

So you've seen the Box-Set, what the discs will look like with the ingenious face-logos on the front of them.

You've seen disc one which is the most comprehensive list of singles that has ever been released.

Disc two with Remixes, Rarities & demos, including the Canadian Rage tracks never been released in this country before (apart from 'Only The Lonely') all of the great remixes including 'Bridge of Spies' AOR Mix, 'Only The Lonely' Nightmare Mix & 'Whenever You Need Me' extended mix. And those 6 exciting demos.

Disc 3 with digitally remastered 'Rage' including some great B-Sides including 'You Never Notice Me,' 'Road To Our Dream' instrumental and the haunting vocals of Carol on 'Crying.'

Disc 4 with digitally remastered 'The Promise' with B-Sides 'All The Love,' 'Dirty Town' and 'Hold On To Love' Acoustic & live.

Now they have all been digitally remastered, the sound quality is second to none! You can pick up instruments that you never even knew existed before on the tracks. It makes all the difference!!

 

To see all the links available to order the stunning 'Virgin Anthology,' either the 4-CD Box-Set, or Download, click on the 'Buy' image below :