Release Date: 14 October 2023
Format: LP Double Vinyl
Label: War Child Records / Virgin Music
£25.99
Various Artists HELP Limited Red & Black Smoke NAD Vinyl 2LP Set
Overview:
To mark the 30th anniversary of War Child and celebrate National Album Day’s theme of the 90’s, War Child Records are reissuing the iconic 1995 charity album HELP on red and black smoke vinyl limited to 2,000 copies exclusively for National Album Day. Originally mastered by Brian Eno with artwork by John Squire and featuring images from the original recording sessions shot by Lawrence Watson at Abbey Road Studios.
The album is the perfect snapshot of a golden time for British music in the 90’s with indie and underground acts taking over the mainstream. The 1995 album features tracks from Oasis and Friends, The Boo Radleys, The Stone Roses, Radiohead, Orbital,
Portishead, Massive Attack, Suede, The Charlatans vs. The Chemical Brothers, Stereo MCs, Sinéad O’Connor, The Levellers,
Manic Street Preachers, Terrorvision, The One World Orchestra (Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty), Planet 4 Folk Quartet
(Andrew Weatherall and David Harrow), Terry Hall and Salad, Neneh Cherry and Trout, Blur and The Smokin’ Mojo Filters (Paul
McCartney, Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher).
The HELP album was recorded in a single day and released less than a week later, in a time before WeTransfer, iPhone and email. It raised over £1.25 million enabling War Child to bring emergency support to thousands of children in the Bosnian conflict. No charity album before or since has managed to achieve what HELP achieved and attract such a credible and stellar line-up to create such a relevant, respected and cool album – described by Q magazine as “the best charity album ever made.”
The HELP album is a phenomenal achievement made possible by an exceptional collaborative spirit. At a time when the charts were dominated by the infamous race for number one between Blur and Oasis, even they were willing to come together to support War Child – “We’ll put aside our differences for the cause – and it’s the only time you’ll see the two of us agreeing on anything” Noel Gallagher said at the time in an interview.
At the time the situation in Bosnia was drastically deteriorating. Hundreds of thousands had lost their lives, and the fighting had displaced millions from their homes. War Child looked to the music industry to raise much needed emergency funds to help support as many children as possible. A music industry collective led by Go! Discs Tony Crean, The Stone Roses and Manic Street Preachers publicist Terri Hall, Black Grape publicist Anton Brookes and legendary music PR Rob Partridge took immediate action opening their contact books and pulling together an unbelievable line-up of artists and support from the music industry.
Featured Tracks:
Side A
1. Oasis and Friends – "Fade Away"
2. The Boo Radleys – "Oh Brother"
3. The Stone Roses – "Love Spreads"
4. Radiohead – "Lucky"
5. Orbital – "Adnan"
Side B
6. Portishead – "Mourning Air"
7. Massive Attack – "Fake the Aroma" (alternate version of "Karmacoma")
8. Suede – "Shipbuilding"
9. The Charlatans vs. The Chemical Brothers – "Time For Livin'"
10. Stereo MCs – "Sweetest Truth (Show No Fear)"
Side C
11. Sinéad O'Connor – "Ode to Billie Joe"
12. The Levellers – "Searchlights"
13. Manic Street Preachers – "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
14. Terrorvision – "Tom Petty Loves Veruca Salt"
15. The One World Orchestra featuring The Massed Pipes and Drums of the Children's Free Revolutionary Volunteer Guards (aka The KLF) – "The Magnificent"
Side D
16. Planet 4 Folk Quartet – "Message to Crommie"
17. Terry Hall and Salad – "Dream a Little Dream of Me"
18. Neneh Cherry and Trout – "1, 2, 3, 4, 5 "
19. Blur – "Eine kleine Lift Musik"
20. The Smokin' Mojo Filters – "Come Together"
Release Date: 28 June 2024
Format: Box Set Vinyl
Label: Demon Records
£49.99
Release Date: 31 May 2024
Format: LP Vinyl
Label: NOW
£29.99
Release Date: 31 May 2024
Format: LP Triple Vinyl
Label: NOW
£27.99
Release Date: 24 May 2024
Format: LP Triple Vinyl
Label: UMR
£44.99
