Thursday, November 13, 2008

Cactus World News - Spin "Special Forces" concert series (1986, MCA records promo)

Were it not for the fact that Cactus World News regained the rights to their catalog, and thus re-released their debut, Urban Beaches, and it’s long unreleased follow-up, No Shelter a few years ago, they would have surely been one of the first entries on this blog. While it’s always a blast to have all of these under-documented artists in my back pocket to share with you, all the better if you have the opportunity to purchase a well assembled, commercially available reissue. Since their two albums can be purchased through their website, I can only in good conscience feature this promotional live record, taped for Spin magazine’s long put to pasture “Special Forces” live concert series. So far as I know, this was only available on vinyl, and this rip was taken from an original, near-mint condition copy.

Hailing from Dublin, Ireland in the mid-80s, CWN weren’t merely influenced by U2, Bono took the band under his wing and released their first ep on his own Mother Records label. Offering echoing guitar (a la The Edge) and Eoin McEvoy's commanding, soaring vocals, Cactus World News, much like Bono and Co were well ahead of their time. Toss in some keenly, substantive songwriting and a performance acumen well beyond their years, and you had a world-class rock band, one that was sadly marginalized during their much too-fleeting lifespan. This show, recorded at L.A.’s legendary Whiskey on the band’s 1986 US trek supporting Urban Beaches, includes “America,” a song exclusive to this record, ostensibly inspired by their tour (the lyrics are pretty much a dead giveaway). The band’s two albums have recently been issued on CD and available for purchase
here. Beaches, by the way, is a superb album of desert island magnitude.

The
Subversive Sounds blog was formally hosting their own vinyl-to-digital transfer of this disk, but the download link is kaput. I’d still recommend going there to peruse the commentary if you’re so inclined.

I have not edited the tracks (at least at the tine being), so as to avoid gaps and abrupt segues. The tracklist is as follows:

Side A
intro

Church Of The Cold
promo spot
Years Later
interview
Tables Overturn
interview
The Bridge
interview
Hurry Back
promo spot

Side B 
promo spot
The Other Extreme
interview
Maybe This Time
interview
instrumental interlude
promo
interview
America
Jigsaw Street
interview
out cue

Hear

11 comments:

DeadBilly said...

Thanks for this. I owned the vinyl long ago, but lost it somewhere through the years. I've been searching for a digital copy ever since.

By the way, "America" is an old Simon & Garfunkel song, not one of their originals.

Monkey Flinging Poo said...

Wow... awesome upload! Thanks. I've had the album since '86, but never knew of this.

nuggetn said...

anyone has Urban Beaches?

Wayne Brissette said...

Thanks! I had this on vinyl, but my ex-wife got rid of it along with hundreds of others. Glad to find this again!

veganboyjosh said...

whoa. i'm a regular reader and commenter up in here, and i'm currently obsessing about the entire SPIN Radio concert LP series. looking for info on each one like catalog number, release dates, etc.

imagine my surprise when i come across a link to this page. alas, there's no info i don't already have...can't wait to hear this one.

thanks as always!

Unknown said...

Hi…I know I've been asking for quite a bit of re-ups lately, but if you wouldn't mind re-doing this one, that would be awesome. Thanks!!!

Unknown said...

Hi…I know I've been asking for quite a bit of re-ups lately, but if you wouldn't mind re-doing this one, that would be awesome. Thanks!!!

spavid said...

The link has just been updated.

Rob. said...

Please can you reupdated the link ?
Thanks in advance !

caneda said...

pleaseeee...kindly re-up..thanks in advance..

Martin said...

Great find - thanks