Name: The Birthday Party - Expanded Edition
Brand: The Idle Race

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

QCRSEG065D

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Digipack.

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Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-05-05

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Cherry Red (ADA)

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5013929186521

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Total Cap

2 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

The Idle Race

Genre GB

Psychedelic

Label GB

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is a UK-based music label that specializes in psych/garage-era music from the 1966-70 timeframe. Managed by Cherry Red, Grapefruit focuses on releasing single-artist career anthologies and definitive versions of rare and classic albums. Each release features sympathetic artwork, rare photos, detailed liner notes, and high-quality sound from the original masters.

The Idle Race was a British band from Birmingham, England that was active in the 1960s. They are notable for featuring *Jeff Lynne* before the formation of *Electric Light Orchestra*. The band was formed from the remaining members of *Mike Sheridan's Lot* after *Dave Pritchard* left the group. Initially known as *Billy King and The Nightriders*, they released just one single under this name before changing to The Idle Race.

With their unique sound and catchy tunes, The Idle Race drew inspiration from various genres including pop, rock, and psychedelic music. Their music showcased intricate harmonies and clever lyrics that captivated audiences during their time.

If you enjoy the sounds of artists such as Blossom Toes, The Move, or Kaleidoscope, then you'll definitely appreciate The Idle Race's music. Their innovative approach to songwriting and memorable performances have solidified their place in music history.

Having emerged from the ashes of beat boom hopefuls Mike Sheridan and The Night Riders, by late 1966 Birmingham band The Idle Race were looking for a new guitarist. The successful applicant was local teenager Jeff Lynne. By the time the band signed to Liberty Records, the prodigiously-talented Lynne – several years younger than his new colleagues – had been promoted to frontman status, blossoming as the band’s chief songwriter while also taking lead vocals. After Skeleton And The Roundabout had attracted much airplay but fallen just short of the charts, the band cut their debut album. Issued in October 1968, the idiosyncratic The Birthday Party gave notice of a major new talent on the British pop scene. A dazzling creation that matched Beatle-ish melodic flair and witty, surreal vignettes with the heightened ambition of psych-era British studio pop, the set attracted rave reviews and the support of Radio One DJs including Kenny Everett. Sadly, however, The Birthday Party failed to sell in any great quantity after Liberty mysteriously chose not to issue a single in support of the release (I Like My Toys was scheduled to appear, but cancelled at the last minute), and the wider world wouldn’t notice Lynne until he joined The Move in early 1970. Now acknowledged as a classic album of song-based British psychedelic pop, The Birthday Party finally gets the attention that it deserves with this definitive new 2-CD package. The original stereo album is joined by alternative versions, stand-alone singles and, most notably of all, the first-ever official CD release of the original, substantially different mono version of the LP, taken from the original masters. A digipak release, this essential set features a 24-page booklet containing numerous rare photos and memorabilia as well as a new essay on the album.

The Birthday Party - Expanded Edition

Music GB