Obviously, Bete Noire has been played many times over the years but, to my surprise, I recently realised it must be around 30 years since either the 12" or CD singles of 'The Right Stuff' had an airing. More surprising still given the affection with which I held the extended mixes back in the day.

The CD is currently being played repeatedly in the car and I'm revelling in just how good this CD is all over again. So many remixes leave me cold. My first experience of this as far as BF is concerned was the mixes on the I Put A Spell On You CD, although 28 years since shelving them maybe fresh ears would find something new in them to enjoy. But TRS sounds as good today as it did in 1987 and I wonder how I could neglect it so long. The dynamic brought to the extended mix by Meyerson and The Little Rascals is utterly beguiling and the production of Leonard/Kamen/Ferry is exemplary - fresh, undated and about as effervescently removed from its predecessors as it's possible to get.

I'm wondering whether musically this was - and remains - BF's most ambitious piece of work ever? I'm struggling to think of any track that has quite so much going on in it and it all actually works absolutely perfectly (despite the poor chart performance - what do the British public know, anyway? )

Might it have anything to do with the excellent Mr Marr?

I have always loved The Right Stuff and was always surprised it didn't appear on any live tour other than the 1988 tour.

I was never a fan of The Smiths but I Johnny Marr's solo albums. I met him in Studio One when he did some sessions for Avonmore and watched him record and he was just so inventive in what he would play against a backing track.

I must go back to the 12" version to remind myself what it is like as I have not played that version for a few years. I know I never liked the 'Dub' mix as it had a lot of the 'cut up' sections like Duran Duran's The Reflex-flex-flex-flex type sampling that was of it's time and annoying after a wee while.

J.O'B.

Hedonistic Hipsters,
The ever tasteful UKRichard poses an interesting question - is it our hero’s most ambitious work ?
W2 likes it and there is certainly a lot going on but the whole Bete Noire album was incredibly ambitious.
It boasts some fabulous tasty morsels but is unfortunately marred (pun intended) by Pat Leonard’s awful over production.
W2 doesn’t know how our hero can sleep in his bed with only this version in existence.
Windswept has repeatedly asked for the whole thing to be Re-Made/Re-Modelled in the same vein as ‘New Town’ on ‘Bitter Sweet’. Then and only then will we indeed have The Right Stuff !
Salutations a tous,
W2

It's great on the album version - Paul Johnson's vocals are the best part - creating most of the drama - as they do at the end of New Town. Sorry, but IMO the 12 inch was a missed opportunity - I remember at the time thinking most of the drive / energy had been removed in the mix and I struggle to stay with it till the end. This seemed to be the case for most of his 80's 12 inch remixes - The only ones that worked for me were 'Slave to Love' and 'Is Your love strong enough' - the others all felt a bit plodding compared to the album versions - the rhythm sections took over and the atmospheres were thinned out.

I remember when I first heard 'The Right Stuff' on the radio feeling that he had captured 'lightning in a bottle' once again. The relatively poor chart performance surprised me.

I also remember that the single version of 'Limbo' was remixed and lost all its quirkiness.

Thanks for sharing this John. When it comes to guitar players the ones I respect most are those who play for the song. The names that come to mind for me are Phil Manzanera (particularly before Roxy saw the need for a second guitarist), Chris Spedding, Alex Lifeson (Rush), Gerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) and of course Johnny Marr. Like you I was never a big fan of the Smiths, but I've always admired how inventive JM has been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9nCMm5tVn0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3anv9GQBBC0

How the great guitar players can drive a song along from beginning to end