The edits project yielded some interesting undocumented variations of mixes/edits that have appeared on 7" vinyl over the years. As there are so many singles out there, plenty of them very rare and expensive, I'm sure that only the tip of the iceberg has been discovered. Please use this sticky topic to post your findings and ask questions about those alternate versions.

OK, one the start with: the US 'Rubber Band' promo 7" (Deram 45-85009) features the same version that appeared on the eponymous debut album. This in contrast of course to the UK single version which was released half a year ahead of that album.

GOLDEN YEARS:

The Mexican single reverses the channels and has additional reverb (noticeable on the finger snapping of the intro). Oddly these same anomalies feature on the RCA Fame & Fashion CD (probably LP too, i don't have it), where TVC15's channels are also swapped.

The Brazilian single uses the full-length album version, where all other copies i have go with the 3.27 edit.

(I can confirm Japan, Belgium, France and Germany issues have the correct channels and use the edit)

KNOCK ON WOOD:

The Mexican single (paired with Young Americans) begins with the opening chords, i.e. without any audience noise as per other issues... anyone have another issue that does this? (I only have the UK and German issues to compare to).

excuse the sleeve condition!

STARMAN:

Would be good to compile a list of issues that use the "loud" mix and those which use the "quiet" mix (comparison snippet here: http://www.4shared.com/file/112204018/4 ... mpare.html). The UK single uses the former, as does the Spanish. The US and Japan go with the quiet... these are the only four I have to check.

I'm also sure that the US, or at least the promo, has an edit in the intro as per this sample: http://www.4shared.com/file/112204160/d ... _edit.html

can anyone confirm?

the following is from an email from Ruud written a few years ago:

As you know there are two different album versions, one with a loud piano before the chorus and one with a subdued piano. Also a US edit should exist and indeed it does. It can be identified by the shorter intro that drops the part in which Bowie sings/hums 'Hey now now, hmm mm mm". The round up [length of intro/level of piano "Morse code" -RW]:
- US/Portugal (EP): edit/loud (4'05")
- Japan: album/subdued (4'13")
- Germany: album/subdued but running much faster! (3'58")
- Holland/Spain/Italy: album/loud (4'10-4'13")

This means that three singles that were released in nearly identical sleeves (US/Germany/Holland) actually contain three different versions! I assume that the UK single uses the long/subdued version but I would be grateful if someone who be able to verify this.

I responded with:

- The UK single is album/loud, like the Dutch & Spanish ones (at least my black label UK is).Why did you think it would be "subdued", Ruud. Were the early LP pressing(s) "subdued"?
- The "karaoke" version found on the "Starman Over The Rainbow" is album/loudish - not like the piano as on the singles, but not "subdued", either
- The Portugese EP is labeled "Mono" on the PS. I'm prepared to take their word on it!

Ruud came back with:

I had expected the UK single to be "subdued" (is there a better English term for this?) because according to my information the original UK album has this version. The Portuguese single indeed is mono.

I checked my copies - the results:
With audience: UK, German, French, Yugoslavian, Japanese, Lifetimes reissue
Without audience: Mexican, Spanish

The Mexican single says it is made in the USA, so I wonder which version the US issue has?

So do the Italian, UK and Lifetimes issues.
The Fame and Fashion LP indeed has the channels reversed.

- Yugoslavia: edit/loud
- Brazil: album/subdued *this one plays on 33rpm and has Five Years as b-side

There seems to be no logic to the versions used. I'm curious what the French issue has for instance, anyone have that? And what about the Angola, Argentina, Canada, Greece, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand issues?

Oh and does anyone has an answer to why these differences happened? Is this down to some intern in say Angola or Spain that decides to make an edit, or is it some deliberate ploy by someone to confuse us poor collectors?

"they'll never find this unique edit hidden away here on this Brazilian Let's Dance!"

RE: STARMAN



according to his posts on the Steve Hoffman board, Ken Scott doesn't recall making two distinct mixes, so it's a bit of a mystery. it also looks like the loud mix was lost as i don't think it's appeared on any CD, and it wasn't used on ChangesTwoBowie, just like the single mix of Rebel Rebel wasn't used on ChangesOneBowie or on any CD issue... unless i'm mistaken.




it would seem to depend on a couple of factors. the tape they are presented with and the manufacturers pressing limitations. a couple of the early German singles were trimmed to under four minutes, sometimes by being sped up. this suggests there was a four minute maximum imposed by the factory (just like CDs couldn't run beyond 74 minutes initially). this was probably done to reduce the risk of bad pressings and to maintain sound quality (EPs and lengthy tracks tend to sound duller due to compacted grooves). i think mastering engineers make choices with things like live tracks, where and when to fade in/out audience noise. likewise extended outros like Life On Mars (e.g. Italian single closes with the timpani drums, cutting the telephone section), or "repeat to fade" choruses such as on Starman or Drive-In Saturday can end up shortened.

RE: KNOCK ON WOOD



are you sure? mine seems to say made in mexico (both sleeve printing and vinyl pressing)

Hmm, I saw the 'Grabado en USA' and assumed it meant 'Pressed in the USA', according to Google translate it means 'Recorded in the USA'. I'm still curious what version the US pressing has!

My copy is ITALY issue.
It's with audience.

an update for those who care (perhaps only the four of us who have posted in this thread?!)

KNOCK ON WOOD Australian includes the audience intro.

STARMAN - does anyone have a regular US single of this? i only have the promo and it's mono, has the intro edit and the loud mix (contrary to my original post, oops). running time is given as 3:59 on the label but runs to 4.05 as ruud's noted. my question is whether the stock copy was also mono and if so, does this mean the edit (as per also portuguese EP) is only available in mono?

US PROMO EP (Space Oddity - 3.24 edit / Moonage Daydream / Life On Mars? / It Ain't Easy is also in mono, despite the label claim of stereo.

is there an anoraks anonymous i could join?