Today’s lucky dip is the last for a while, but I’m sure the series will return at some point in 2024. It just happens that it offers a bit of a bargain, with four songs for the price of one……and it’ll be interesting to see if anyone likes all four.
This 7″ vinyl record came free with the edition of the NME that was published on 22 May 1985. It rotates at 33.333 rpm and the quality, which wasn’t all that great to begin with, isn’t the best on my copy, which is at least second-hand in nature.
The idea of the record was to acknowledge the NME Readers Poll Winners from 1984, the results of which the paper had published in February 1985. The best album had been Treasure by Cocteau Twins, while The Smiths picked up the votes to be named best group. Bronski Beat took the plaudits for best new group, while Bono was given the accolade of best male singer and Elizabeth Fraser was named as best female singer.
Fair play to those involved in persuading the various parent record labels to allow songs to be included.
mp3: Bronski Beat – Hard Rain
mp3: Cocteau Twins – Ivo (new version)
mp3: The Smiths – What She Said (live)
mp3: U2 – Wire (dub)
Hard Rain was a previously unreleased track, and as far as I’m aware, was never included on any future singles or albums by Bronski Beat.
Cocteau Twins offered a different take on one of the best tracks on Treasure, and I reckon the NME version is a better listen.
The Smiths supplied a live track from gig that had taken place at the Oxford Apollo back on 18 March 1985 (a show in which they were supported by James), while U2 provided a fresh mix of a track that had been on the multi-million selling The Unforgettable Fire.
Given how many copies the NME shifted back in 1985, it’s no surprise that this EP is really easy to pick up on the second-hand market. There’s more than 200 listed on Discogs alone, with prices going from 40p to £50.45 – I’ve a feeling that the seller who has it listed at that price may wait quite some time before they shift it.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
I could never tell the difference between that NME version of Ivo and the one on the Treasure LP, so I’m pleased you can, JC!
My favourite NME freebie was the red Hat Trick EP, which paired Steinski and the Mass Media’s amazing The Motorcade Sped On with an incendiary live version of White Kross by Sonic Youth, with a decent Sly and Robbie track on the flip. Might be a good post for the future if you have a copy (mine is long since gone).
https://www.discogs.com/master/1712254-Various-NMEs-Hat-Trick
Bought this with the NME. My copy is in good condition. I liked 3 of the songs – U2 never did much for me, my favourite song by them being MLK.
This was a must purchase – a fan of Bronski Beat and a little obsessed with Cocteau Twins and The Smiths.
It was a good idea to add the vinyl to the various music papers of the day but I almost always found the EPs lacking (live version from The Smiths, a case in point).
Flimflamfan
The following comes to my mind about the dub version of “Wire”: Sometimes you do things in your life that you later regret. Luckily “Ivo” can compensate.
[silly kisser]