Bauhaus: Bela Lugosi's Dead - The Bela Session (2018)

Some notes from Discogs:

Includes 20" x 20" poster and colour printed inner sleeve.

The Bela Session is the complete recording session including previously unreleased tracks..
Recorded 26 January, 1979, at Beck Studios, Gisburne Road, Wellingborough.

This has been produced directly by the band with Leaving Records, in advance of the band’s Ruby (40th) anniversary.

“Bela Lugosi’s Dead” was originally released by Small Wonder Records, 1979.
“Harry” was originally released by Beggars Banquet, 1982.
“Some Faces,” “Bite My Hip,” and “Boys (Original)” are previously unreleased.

These are the tracks, three of them previously unreleased:

Bela Lugosi’s Dead
Some Faces (previously unreleased)
Bite My Hip (previously unreleased; later reworked, re-recorded as Lagartija Nick in 1983)
Harry (later released as a B-side in 1982)
Boys (previously unreleased; later re-recorded and released as the B-side of Bela Lugosi’s Dead).

Notes from StonesThrow dot com:

"The Bela Session captures the first time Bauhaus recorded together, January 26th, 1979, just six weeks after forming as a band. This is the first release of that complete recording session, including three previously unreleased tracks. This also marks the first official reissue of the single “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” on vinyl for over thirty years. The audio has been newly mastered from the original analogue tape by Mandy Parnell at Black Saloon Studios" [source]

I like it.

Bauhaus: Go Away White (2008)

Twenty-five years after the last studio album and sixteen years after the so-called "Final Concert," Bauhaus returned with a new studio album. I would be surprised if this is not the last album. Go Away White is really good, so good in fact, that I think it's too bad that they didn't get back together sooner or simply released more records.

Bauhaus: Swing the Heartache - The BBC Sessions (1989)

This double BBC sessions record recorded in 1983 (but released in 1989) is awesome. Allmusic sums it up this way: "Swing is an unparalleled success, a collection that will interest and satisfy newcomers as much as longtime band fanatics" [source] I can get behind that. 

Bauhaus: The Singles 1981-1983 (1983)

This UK pressing of singles contains six tracks on a 12" 45 RPM disc. I suppose the later two-volume singles collection would be a more comprehensive and useful collection, but I am happy that this piece of vinyl is in my collection.

Bauhaus: 1979-1983 (1985)

This is an excellent double record of the best of Bauhaus. This was later released on two compact discs, which I also have. Oddly, some pressings of this record contain side two of the Cult's Love on side B. That's bizarre. The back cover looks like this:

Bauhaus: 4AD (1983)

Bauhaus released this EP in late 1983, after releasing Burning from the Inside earlier in the year. The EP (mine is a UK pressing) contained three singles along with three b-sides, as follows:

1 Dark Entries
2 Terror Couple Kill Colonel
3 Telegram Sam
4 Terror Couple Kill Colonel (Version)
5 Rosegarden Funeral of Sores
6 Crowds

This all reminds me that I used to have a Bauhaus VHS tape called Shadow of Light, which contained the video of Rosegarden Funeral of Sores, a song written by John Cale, as well as a few other tracks with the associated videos. I wonder what happened to that tape? Someone on eBay is trying to sell a copy for almost $25.

Bauhaus: Mask (1981)

I have a UK pressing of Mask, the second Bauhaus album, released in 1981. Mask is a fantastic album, perhaps even the best Bauhaus album. The album cover, drawn by guitarist Daniel Ash, might be the best Bauhaus album jacket, at any rate. On Hair of the Dog, the album's opening track, Allmusic says:

"...opening number "Hair of the Dog," one of the band's best songs, starts with a double-tracked squalling guitar solo before turning into a stomping, surging flow, carefully paced by sudden silences and equally sudden returns to the music, while Murphy details cases of mental addictions in pithy phrases."

Bauhaus: Bela Lugosi's Still Waiting (1983?)

 
Bela Lugosi's Still Waiting is an unofficial release--otherwise known as a bootleg--from Japan. The back cover jacket contains some rather unappealing images of what looks like a cat being shot. I hope that this is not a real cat. Some of these tracks are from the Peel Sessions, and others are live tracks. But, the production is really bad. So, this one is best left to the hardcore fans.

Bauhaus: Press the Eject and Give me the Tape (1982)

My near mint original UK pressing of Press the Eject and Give me the Tape comes with the poster and the bonus 7" that came with only some editions. I think that this is a fine live record. The CD version, which I also have, contains a few extra tracks. This seems to be a difficult record to find. I saw a beat up copy for $35 without the poster and the 7" a while back.

Bauhaus: She's in Parties (1983)

I have an original UK 12" which contains She's in Parties b/w Here's The Dub (Special Effects By "Loonatik & Drinks ®") and Departure.

Bauhaus: Burning from the Inside (1983)

Burning from the Inside on a picture disc. Cool. I should have photographed the back too.

Bauhaus: Burning from the Inside (1983)

I have a US pressing of the fourth release from the godfathers of goth, which Wikipedia describes as an "overbearingly gloomy style of post-punk rock driven by jagged guitar chords and cold, distant synthesizers." I am not convinced that this is an adequate or accurate description of goth or Bauhaus. It sounds to my like this description was written by someone who hates the band and the genre. Besides, there are plenty of Bauhaus songs that don't come anywhere close to satisfying that definition. For example, there's She's in Parties? That's a brilliant track. I'm a big Bauhaus fan, so I might be biased here.

Bauhaus: Crackle, Best Of Bauhaus (1998)

Originally released in 1998 on CD (and cassette in Poland), it finally got the vinyl treatment in 2018. It's a good collection, apart from the Tomb Raider Mix of Bela Lugosi's Dead, which isn't quite as good as the original. I guess Small Wonder Records still holds the copyright on the original mix.

Bauhaus: Ziggy Stardust (1982)

Released on October 5, 1982, this UK 12" single contains a cover Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, along with Party of the First Part (a really wacky tune), plus a cover of Brian Eno's Third Uncle, and a cover of the Velvet Underground Waiting for the Man, performed live with Nico.

Bauhaus: Lagartija Nick (1983)

This is a four track 12" released in January 18, 1983. It contains:

Lagartija Nick
Watch That Grandad Go
Paranoia, Paranoia
In The Flat Field (Live In Paris)

It's cool.

Bauhaus: Ziggy Stardust (1982)

I probably should not list this one separately, because it is not a real release. This is the 12" promo single that was bundled with certain copies of The Sky's Gone Out. As such, it contains: Ziggy Stardust, Lagartija Nick, and Kick In The Eye. My copy comes in a plain white outer sleeve, with a hole for the label to show through. The inner sleeve has the tracks names, just as the bonus 12" does. I suppose this was separated from the other record some time and, and it made its way to me.

Bauhaus: The Sky's Gone Out (1982)

I also have a Canadian pressing of the third Bauhaus album, The Sky's Gone Out. This release included a bonus 12" EP containing three tracks: Ziggy Stardust, Lagartija Nick, and Kick in the Eye. Sadly, the artwork, in comparison to the UK pressing, is dismal. You might say that artwork is lacking. My photo makes the cover look grey, but it is actually white.

Ziggy Stardust is a Bowie song, of course, but Bauhaus does a fantastic version which I think might even be better than the original.

Bauhaus: A Kick in the Eye (Searching for Satori E.P.)

This UK E.P. contains four tracks:

Kick In The Eye (Searching For Satori)
In Fear Of Dub
Harry
Earwax

As a fan, I had to have it. I also have a copy that has black lettering, rather than the gold.

Bauhaus: Telegram Sam b/w Rosegarden Funeral of Sores & Crowds (1981)

This is a 12" Italian pressing of Bauhaus's 4th single backed with a cover of John Cale's Rosegarden Funeral of Sores and Crowds.

Bauhaus: The Sky's Gone Out (1982)

I have a UK pressing of the third record from Bauhaus.

I don't think I can discuss Bauhaus without mentioning Kim Hughes, the former host of CFNY's Live in Toronto radio show. I liked the show and generally appreciated her interviews, but she really irritated one day me when she dissed Bauhaus. According to her, Bauhaus were only known for Bela Lugosi's Dead and Telegram Sam, the latter of which is a cover of a T Rex song. Musical tastes are personal, of course, but her comments screamed ignorance. 

This album commences with a high-energy cover of Brian Eno's Third Uncle. It's fantastic. But, I wonder why Kim Hughes didn't mention that this song is also a cover version? It's because she simply doesn't (or didn't) know very much about the band. Bauhaus is one of my favourite bands, and I have all of the releases on CD.