The The's 'Soul Mining' gets deluxe reissue

Having interviewed Matt in the '90s, I'm really interested in hearing this. Read on for details from the press release... 

THE THE announce details of the release of a re-mastered, re-packed and expanded version of their major label debut album, Soul Mining, on July 1 through Sony Music.

 

Re-mastered at Abbey Road Studios by THE THE’s Matt Johnson and packaged in a lavish 12” box, this vinyl only release includes an authentic reproduction of the 1983 release on 180g vinyl, plus an extra 12” gatefold vinyl of alternative versions and remixes.

 

The re-mastered audio has also been dubbed from original vinyl pressings recorded from Matt Johnson’s original 1982 Thorens TD-147 gramophone player using patent ‘Dubbed-From-Disc’ technology, obtainable via a download code contained within the boxset.

 

The box set also includes a unique ‘news-poster’ containing extensive notes written by Johnson that detail the making of the album.

 

Originally released in October 1983, the recording of Soul Mining began in the spring of 1982, when the then 20-year old Matt Johnson, financed at this point by London Records, de-camped to New York to record ‘Uncertain Smile’ with producer Mike Thorne.

 

A subsequent session, again in New York with Thorne, and featuring David Johansen of the New York Dolls, resulted in ‘Perfect’, yet both sessions, and the deal with London Records, were subsequently scrapped as THE THE switched to CBS Records and decided to start the album afresh.

 

Work on the album was reconvened at John Foxx’s Garden Studios in the then pre-gentrified Shoreditch area of London with Matt co-producing with Paul Hardiman - the album was subsequently mixed at Martin Rushent’s Genetic Sound studio.

 

Featuring a host of talented musicians, including JG Thirwell (aka Foetus, Manorexia and Steroid Maximus), Zeke Manyika (Orange Juice), electronic DIY pioneer Thomas Leer and Jools Holland, Johnson set out with a clear vision in mind – to produce an album that felt cinematic; a record of width, depth and texture and one which avoided the mundane line-up of two guitars, bass and drums.

 

The aesthetic of THE THE was also something Johnson was very conscious of, assembling a supportive and talented team of creative individuals to help him refine his vision – his then girlfriend Fiona Skinner designed the type-face of the unique and enduring logo and his brother Andrew, working under the moniker Andy Dog, created the album artwork, a painting of one of Fela Kuti’s wives.

 

The 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Soul Mining is loyal to Johnson’s original track listing with ‘Perfect’ absent from the main album – Johnson always had it in mind for the album to finish with ‘Giant’, but ‘Perfect’ was added by the US label without Johnson’s consent.

Also, tracks from the original cassette version are excluded – these were attempts at re-recording an aborted independent album, Pornorgaphy Of Despair, and were therefore felt not to belong to Soul Mining.

 

Soul Mining [30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] is available to pre-order now: http://smarturl.it/SoulMiningVinyl

 

The track listings of the albums are as follows:

 

LP 1 - SOUL MINING

 

1. I’ve Been Waitin’ For Tomorrow (All Of My Life)

2. This Is The Day

3. The Sinking Feeling

4. Uncertain Smile

5. The Twilight Hour

6. Soul Mining

7. Giant

 

LP 2 – SOUL MINING RECOLLECTED

 

1. Uncertain Smile (New York 12” version)

2. Perfect (New York 12” version)

3. This Is The Day (12” version)

4. Fruit Of The Heart

5. Perfect (London 12” version)

6. I’ve Been Waitin’ For Tomorrow (All My Life) (12” mix)