Re-recorded version of M of P from Horoscope sessions. 8 minutes and 30 seconds of pure genius!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKzU2l6a ... ature=plcp

Dear Ian S,
Thanks for posting this - it has a great feel to it. Particularly the backing vocals and the subdued harmonica at the end.
Shame it didn't make it onto Mamouna. Albeit, I think that album is pretty perfect as it stands.
Regards,
Windswept

It's not a bad track IMHO but I wonder if I would find it of any particular interest if I wasn't familiar with the Stranded version. The lyrics are the same but they just don't seem to resonate with meaning the way they do on Stranded. Maybe I'm just stuck in the past...

Surely these tapes are too fast ? The voice sounds too high and speeded up ... Also I'm struck by how twiddly diddly all the music is - it's difficult to pick out the melody at times - When you can it sounds like Elkie Brooks meets Stevie Winwood . I think Mamouna is much better an obvious improvement.

The 'Horoscope' CD that went around the fans in 2000 was mastered from a 'leaked' cassette.

The digital master version of this same version of Mother Of Pearl is 9:15 and by my sums the cassette is 8% faster hence the higher pitching of the vocals and weakness of some of the drum sounds.

J.O'B.

I went into audacity and slowed it by 5% and it clocked in at 9:15.
I used the version from One Way Love as my tempo guide ,figuring an official release would be accurate. It's spot on soundwise to my ear. I go back and treat the rest the same. Irish Bryan would release this stuff officially. I'd buy it in a NY second. Neil Young and Dylan have gone back and released working and live stuff, why not Bryan. By the way John thanks for the stuff on SoundCloud. That Only Face was one of the highlights of the Frantic Tour for me. I think is one of the best versions of it. Also loved Tara from that show. If I could put in a request I would love to hear a live This Island Earth. Thanks for all your work.. We love it.

AZ I am glad you like the Soundcloud page. I have This Island Earth and will add that shortly also I will be adding a live version of Over You, I have a good soundboard recording of this. It has only ever been performed live on the 1980 tour. I also have somewhere a one off live performance of Broken Wings that BF did in Australia during the Frantic tour. I have a recording of Roxy at the Montreux Jazz festival 2010 and will add Running wild too.

I just don't have much time just now but will add these soon.

J.O'B.

Oh, how I wish that I hadn't listened to this. I am generally able to supress my frustration that Bryan has squandered his God given talent on chasing the wrong sound for such a long part of his career, because there is still enough quality and flair in what he does to out-do most of what is on offer, and some flashes of brilliance from time to time as well. However, when I compare this worthy but nondescript version of MOP with the sublime version on Stranded then I just ache thinking about all that we have missed out on as a result of Bryan's choice of musical direction.

I guess that it does answer one question that I posed in another string though i.e. is the opening section of MOP an intro or the first phase of the song proper? Given that Bryan has overlooked the first section in this version then I assume that he considers it to be optional and therefore it is just an intro.

I was always under the impression that the intro was " at the party " and the rest was him reminiscing about the night before..A bit like Eric Clapton's Layla, parts 1 and 2. Happy to be corrected though !

part one: red, part two: blue