A guest series by The Robster
#15: Do Or Die (2000, Creation Records, CRE329)
Goodness me, we’re halfway through the series already. Not sure if we have any readers left, but we’re going to get through it regardless.
Some 7 months after the release of ‘Guerrilla’, and into the next year, a third single was finally lifted from the album. What took them so long? Well, the delay could be explained by problems at Creation. Following their US tour in 1999, Super Furry Animals returned home expecting preparations to have been made for their next choice of single – Wherever I Lay My Phone (That’s My Home). However, no such work had been done, and the band went out on tour again. On returning from Europe, they found Creation was being dissolved, and had completely changed tack with the proposed single. Firstly, Night Vision was lined up, but then it was decided it would be this:
mp3: Do Or Die
It was a bit of a strange choice. Firstly, it clocks in at just short of 2 minutes. Secondly, it’s not the most obvious of cuts for single release. Indeed, the band themselves were bemused by the decision. Nevertheless, it would be one of the final releases on the Creation label, coming out in January 2000. The traditional post-Christmas lull would propel Do Or Die to number 20 in the UK singles chart. The band performed it on Top Of The Pops, making it the shortest song to ever appear on the show, which is quite a surprising fact. It was also reviewed by the Wannadies in Melody Maker, who awarded it “all the points we can afford” and made it their Single Of The Week.
The 7”, cassette and promo 12” all came backed by this:
mp3: Missunderstanding (sic)
Another OK tune with echoes of the band’s past. I like it, but it wasn’t really in keeping with the other stuff on ‘Guerrilla’, so little surprise it was a b-side. The same can be said of the CD bonus track:
mp3: Colorblind
This one bugs me just because of the American spelling…
And so to this week’s bonus track. No surprises here – it’s the demo of Do Or Die.
mp3: Do Or Die [demo]
Next week, if you’re still hanging around, we begin the second half of the series much as we started the first – with a SFA 7” in the Welsh language!
The Robster
*JC adds…….couldn’t agree more
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Great band and great series – I can reassure you that I at least am still on board!
Me too!
Still here in NZ! :^D
I’m still here, still reading and still devouring this excellent series. Fear not! I for one appreciate the time and effort you have put in bringing us this top notch series.
Darren 157
Me too Robster- enjoying this immensely.
Me too Robster, enjoying the series and then having the albums on repeat all week.
I’m here and not going anywhere! Loving the SFA series and have actually learned a couple things I didn’t know! Cheers!