Ever got annoyed with your favourite artist when they decide that your favourite songs are crap and should be hidden away in a cupboard like some ugly boot faced cat? “What are you on about?” I hear you cry. Well, take Eric Clapton. “We don’t want him”. Don’t be cheeky. Mid 80s, has a career resurrection with “Behind The Mask”, but these days, won’t play that as it’s too poppy and doesn’t fit in with his new serious chinstroking “blues” direction. Still plays “Layla” though. (Also until recently, see Radiohead & “Creep”). History rewritten.
Well as Xmas is almost here it’s time for groups to cash in with Greatest Hits collections. "What's this got to do with the last paragraph?" you say. Well, read on. There's compilations aplenty from 10CC, The Charlatans, George Michael, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, etc. So let’s focus on two bands at random. Say... Oasis and... U2. “Hang on, they’re not releasing “Greatest Hits” say their PR men, “they’re releasing “Best Of” collections. That's different.” You say tomato etc. It’s still a Xmas kerching moment. And these two bands are especially guilty of trying to rewrite their history with their latest compilations.
We’ll start with Oasis. “Stop The Clocks” is their new compilation spanning 1994 to 2005. No new tracks, and not exactly the hits, but a 2 CD's of album tracks, singles, and b-sides. Chosen by Noel Gallagher apparently. Fair enough you’d think, but Gallagher Senior's selection process is very selective, and ultimately it doesn’t really cast the current band output in that good a light. It focuses heavily on the first two (and best) albums "Definitely_Maybe" and "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?", with each contributing five tracks, including four B-sides from this era. 2 tracks appear from their last album, "Don't Believe the Truth", which is about right, and one track each from "Standing on the Shoulder of Giants" and "Heathen Chemistry", whilst 1997’s "Be Here Now" is overlooked completely.
This means there’s no “Whatever” (mainly cos Noel would have to pay Neil Innes for the tune he nicked), no Blur baiting “Roll With It”, nothing from the cocaine plagued but strangely ageing well “Be Here Now” such as “D’ya know what I mean” or “Stand By Me”, and an insinuation that the following two albums were crap (which is not strictly true - “The Hindu Times” and “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” were v.good amongst others). Also no “Shakermaker”. Hurrah!. However, “Stop The Clocks” reinforces the misconception that Oasis burnt out in 1996 after Knebworth and splutter on studiowise with the odd good single every two years, and like the Rolling Stones before them, are only really releasing new stuff so they can tour.
Then there’s U2. They’re worse.
“U218 Singles” is what it says on the cover. Compiled by someone (no-one's owning up to this so it must be a commitee) It’s apparently an overview of their whole career with their most successful singles. Ah, but no. For a start, there’s nothing from 1980 to 1982 (unless you buy the album in the UK when you get “I Will Follow” as a bonus track making err… 19 singles. Right.) “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is on it but this wasn’t even a single in the UK or Eire.
There’s three singles from “Joshua Tree”, which is fair as it is their best known album, but four from “All You Can’t Leave Behind” & two from last years “Atomic Bomb” CD? That's a bit heavily loaded - 6 out of 18. And as for the 90s? “One & “Mysterious Ways” from “Achtung Baby”. That’s it. The 90s never happened then. Must have been some other U2 I saw twice in Leeds then. Oh and don't forget the obligatory two new crap tracks.
There’s no “The Fly”…a number one single no less. But we get “Sweetest Thing” cos that’s nice and yer mum likes it . No “Hold Me Thrill Me..”. No “Discotheque” (another number one), in fact nothing from “Pop”. No “Stay (Faraway So Close)”, a superb song from “Zooropa” which would fit in nicely, and a Top 5 hit. And “Elevation” is the album version. What’s the point in calling it “Singles” if you use the wrong version?
It’s a CD specifically designed for the punter who buys four CDs a year and then only from Tesco, along with the shopping and copies of "Top Gear" magazine and a "Heat" for the wife. The type of U2 fan who thought they went right weird after “Rattle & Hum” and only got good again with “Beautiful Day”. Anything remotely challenging or experimental is not on this CD. “Zooropa”? Get stuffed.
It’s odd that both groups have sort of airbrushed 1997’s output from their latest official history, as if they think they went off the plot around that point and now they’re back doing what they do best. Which is a shame really, as the last U2 album is a bit dull and basic really, but I suppose we’ve had the experimental years from them and having had their fingers burnt with “pop” they’ve retreated into their default safe mode. And although Oasis “Be Here Now” was praised at the time due to the Britpop explosion, and then slated retospectively by critics, public and Noel alike, nearly ten years on, it’s starting to sound actually quite okay. Certainlty nothing to be ashamed of. Certainly better than "Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants".
I suppose the bottom line is that these CDs are not aimed at fans but the casual buyer, but it’s a shame that purchaser will not get the full story, just the sanitised safe version.
End of rant.
