Product Info
Limited LP : 180g Clear Vinyl
More Info
While his own name has yet to grace an album front cover, for more than a twenty years Gem Archer has been a key contributor to some of the UK’s highest profile guitar bands, beginning with Oasis in 2000, Beady Eye in 2009 and the touring version of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds since 2015.
Before all that there was Heavy Stereo, caught up in the mid ‘90s music maelstrom where their only album ‘Déjà Voodoo’ took its place alongside Paul Weller’s ‘Stanley Road’, The Charlatans’ ‘Telling Stories’, Super Furry Animals’ ‘Fuzzy Logic’, Supergrass’s ‘I Should Coco’, The Boo Radley’s ‘Giant Steps’, Ride’s ‘Carnival Of Light’ – and, of course, ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ by Oasis. It is easy to understand why any album could get overlooked in such exalted company.
‘Déjà Voodoo’ and the four singles – ‘Sleep Freak’, ‘Smiler’, ‘Chinese Burn’ and ‘Mouse In A Hole’ – all display Gem’s deeply held affection for old-school rock’n’roll values. In 1994/95, the outside world came into sync with his fondness for The Jam, Sly Stone, Hendrix, The Beatles, the Stones, The Small Faces, Motown, Stax, glam rock, punk rock and all other points on the compass of rock’n’roll cool, which coalesced into what became known as Britpop. And while those influences are in ‘Déjà Voodoo’ for all to hear, the album is far from derivative; this is a collection of well-constructed pop songs that still retain their swagger and zest.
Limited LP
Unavailable since it was first released on Creation Records in 1996, this new 25th anniversary 180g clear vinyl edition is a faithful recreation of the original 12-track LP.
2CD
Unavailable since it was first released on Creation Records in 1996, this 2CD 25th Anniversary Edition set presented in an attractive A5 book includes the original 12 track album, plus a second CD of 15 B-Sides, bonus tracks and rarities, all previously un-reissued, including a blistering version of The Jam’s ‘The Gift’, recorded for the long out of print ‘Fire & Skill’ tribute album.
New sleeve notes are included from respected journalist, author, broadcaster and one-time Mojo editor Pat Gilbert from new interviews with Gem Archer, and the set also includes rarely seen photographs from acclaimed photographer Andy Willsher.
Tracklist
Limited LP
Side A
A1 Chinese Burn
A2 Cartoon Moon
A3 Déjà Voodoo
A4 Tell Yer Ma
A5 Crown Of Thoughts
A6 Mouse In A Hole
Side B
B1 Bangers And Mash
B2 Deep Fried Heart
B3 Reaching For Heaven
B4 Keep Up
B5 Planet Empty
B6 Shooting Star
2CD
CD1
1. Chinese Burn
2. Cartoon Moon
3. Déjà Voodoo
4. Tell Yer Ma
5. Crown Of Thoughts
6. Mouse In A Hole
7. Bangers And Mash
8. Deep Fried Heart
9. Reaching For Heaven
10. Keep Up
11. Planet Empty
12. Shooting Star
CD2
1. Sleep Freak
2. Magic Sponge
3. Pleasure Dip
4. Smiler
5. Cartoon Moon (Acoustic)
6. Wonderfools
7. Worm Brain
8. Big Apple Pie
9. No Small Print
10. Freedom Bug
11. Mouse In A Hole (Live)
12. Smiler (Live)
13. Cartoon Moon (Live)
14. Chinese Burn (Live)
15. The Gift
Soundwave
https://youtu.be/6yT28FmCxa0