Against the Odds 1974-1982 [Super Deluxe Collector's Edition 10LP/10"/7"]

by Blondie

Overview

Plenty of Blondie compilations have appeared over the years, but the band endorsed Against the Odds: 1974-1982, a comprehensive complete chronology available in four separate incarnations: a Super Deluxe Collectors' Edition containing ten vinyl records (plus bonuses) and a Deluxe eight-CD set that both contain newly remastered versions of Blondie's first six albums plus 52 bonus tracks, then a Deluxe four-LP set and a triple-CD version that solely feature the non-LP bonus material. Some of the bonus tracks cover B-sides and single mixes that have been in circulation for some time, but there are a grand total of 36 unreleased tracks, most taken from the personal collection of guitarist Chris Stein, who is also the source for much of the memorabilia and pictures seen in the two hefty sets of liner notes accompanying the box. The bonus material runs the gamut of Blondie's career, ranging from edgy early demos from 1974 -- they had the basic elements of "Heart of Glass" in place even then, here heard as "Once Had a Love" -- to some stray synth mixes Stein commissioned for a project in 1982. All the bonus material lacks the polish of the prime studio material, and the lack of gloss makes it easier to hear the formal innovations of Blondie, particularly how they blended pre-Beatles pop with fashionable trends emanating from downtown New York City. Save for a charging rendition of the Doors' "Moonlight Drive," it's hard to call any of the unheard material a surprise, yet these demos, abandoned ideas, and working mixes help to add a dimension and perspective to Blondie's basic canon. Those original albums and, especially, the big hits are so familiar that they can seem set in stone, but when they're paired with these raw, unheard recordings, the group's nervy, arty spirit is resurrected, so it's possible to once again understand what made Blondie such a striking, special band at their peak. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/26/2022
Label:	Capitol / Emi Records / Numero Group / Umc
UPC:	0602508760693
Rank:	73014

Tracks

Disc 1

1. X Offender
2. Little Girl Lies
3. In The Flesh
4. Look Good In Blue
5. In The Sun
6. A Shark In Jets Clothing
7. Man Overboard
8. Rip Her To Shreds
9. Rifle Range
10. Kung Fu Girl
11. The Attack Of The Giant Ants

Disc 2

12. Fan Mail
13. Denis
14. Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)
15. Youth Nabbed As Sniper
16. Contact In Red Square
17. (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear
18. I'm On E
19. I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No
20. Love At The Pier
21. No Imagination
22. Kidnapper
23. Detroit 442
24. Cautious Lip

Disc 3

25. Hanging On The Telephone
26. One Way Or Another
27. Picture This
28. Fade Away And Radiate
29. Pretty Baby
30. I Know But I Don't Know
31. 11:59
32. Will Anything Happen
33. Sunday Girl
34. Heart Of Glass
35. I'm Gonna Love You Too
36. Just Go Away

Disc 4

37. Dreaming
38. The Hardest Part
39. Union City Blue
40. Shayla
41. Eat To The Beat
42. Accidents Never Happen
43. Die Young Stay Pretty
44. Slow Motion
45. Atomic
46. Sound-A-Sleep
47. Victor
48. Living In The Real World

Disc 5

49. Europa
50. Live It Up
51. Here's Looking At You
52. The Tide Is High
53. Angels On The Balcony
54. Go Through It
55. Do The Dark
56. Rapture
57. Faces
58. T-Birds
59. Walk Like Me
60. Follow Me

Disc 6

61. Orchid Club
62. Island Of Lost Souls
63. Dragonfly
64. For Your Eyes Only
65. The Beast
66. War Child
67. Little Caesar
68. Danceway
69. (Can I) Find The Right Words (To Say)
70. English Boys
71. The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game

Disc 7

72. X Offender (Intro)
73. X Offender [Private Stock Single]
74. In The Sun [Private Stock Single]
75. Little Girl Lies [Private Stock Mix]
76. In The Flesh [Extended Intro]
77. A Shark In Jets Clothing [Take 2]
78. Kung Fu Girls [Take 8]
79. Scenery
80. Denis [Terry Ellis Mix]
81. Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45) [Take 1]
82. I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No [Take 1]
83. I'm On E [Take 2]
84. Kidnapper [Take 2]
85. Detroit 442 [Take 2]
86. Poets Problem

Disc 8

87. Once I Had A Love [Mike Chapman Demo]
88. Sunday Girl [French Version]
89. I'll Never Break Away From This Heart Of Mine (Pretty Baby)
90. Hanging On The Telephone [Mike Chapman Demo]
91. Will Anything Happen [Instrumental]
92. Underground Girl
93. Call Me
94. Spaghetti Song (Atomic, Pt. 2)
95. Die Young Stay Pretty [Take 1]
96. Union City Blue [Instrumental]
97. Ll¿¿mame

Disc 9

98. I Love You Honey, Give Me A Beer (Go Through It)
99. Live It Up [Giorgio Moroder Demo]
100. Angels on the Balcony [Giorgio Moroder Demo]
101. Tide Is High [Demo]
102. Susie & Jeffrey
103. Rapture [Disco Version]
104. Autoamerican Ad
105. Yuletide Throwdown

Disc 10

106. Nameless [Home Tape]
107. Sunday Girl [Home Tape]
108. Theme From Topkapi [Home Tape]
109. The Hardest Part [Home Tape]
110. Ring of Fire [Home Tape]
111. War Child [Chris Stein Mix]
112. Call Me [Chris Stein Mix]
113. Heart of Glass [Chris Stein Mix]

Disc 11

114. Out In The Streets [1974 Session] [10"]
115. The Disco Song [1974 Session] [10"]
116. Sexy Ida [1974 Session] [10"]
117. Platinum Blonde [Betrock Demo] [10"]
118. The Thin Line [Betrock Demo] [10"]
119. Puerto Rico [Betrock Demo] [10"]
120. Once I Had A Love [1975 Betrock Demo] [10"]
121. Out In The Streets [1975 Betrock Demo] [10"]

Disc 12

122. Moonlight Drive [7"]
123. Mr. Sightseer [7"]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Blondie   Primary Artist
Fab 5 Freddy   Primary Artist,Vocals
Steve Goldstein   Synthesizer
The B-Girls   Vocals (Background)
Keith Forsey   Percussion
Chris Stein   Bass,E-Bow,Guitar,Timpani,Harmonica,Drum Machine,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (12 String)
Lani Groves   Vocals (Background)
Fred Brathwaite   Vocals
Ellie Greenwich   Vocals (Background)
Fred Smith   Bass
Hilda Harris   Vocals (Background)
Wah Wah Watson   Guitar
Debbie Harry   Bass,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Robert Fripp   Guitar
Howard Kaylan   Vocals (Background)
Mark Volman   Vocals (Background)
Ray Brown   Bass
Jimmy Destri   Bells,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Polymoog,Keyboards,Pipe Organ,Synthesizer,Glockenspiel,Farfisa Organ,Piano (Grand),Piano (Electric),Roland Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Nigel Harrison   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Ollie E. Brown   Percussion
Roger Squitero   Percussion
Janice Pendarvis   Vocals (Background)
Donna Destri   Vocals (Background)
Giorgio Moroder   Synthesizer
Zachary Sanders   Vocals (Background)
Clem Burke   Drums,Percussion,Chromatic Tympani,Vocals (Background)
Frank Infante   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Gary Valentine   Bass,Piano,Guitar
Emil Richards   Percussion
Robert Aaron   Saxophone
Sammy Figueroa   Percussion
Marty Thau   Piano
Mike Chapman   Vocals (Background)
Jah Trio   Vocals (Background)
Tom Scott   Saxophone
Alex Acuna   Percussion
Scott Lesser   Percussion
Tish Bellomo   Vocals (Background)
Micki Harris   Vocals (Background)
Manuel Badrena   Percussion
Billy O'Connor   Drums
Walter Steding   Violin
Snooky Bellomo   Vocals (Background)
Ray Maldonado   Trumpet
Elda Gentile   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Frederick Loewe   Composer
Jim Morrison   Composer
Ike Turner   Composer
Chris Stein   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Group Member
Chris Stamey   Mixing
Craig Leon   Engineer,Producer,Remix Engineer
Ed Sprigg   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
James Farber   Assistant Engineer
Fred Brathwaite   Composer
Ellie Greenwich   Composer
Manos Hadjidakis   Composer
David Tickle   Engineer
Greg Calbi   Mastering Engineer
John Holt   Composer
Grey Russell   Assistant Engineer
Doug Schwartz   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Tyrone Evans   Composer
Debbie Harry   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Lenise Bent   Engineer
Lerner   Composer
Robby Krieger   Composer
Rob Freeman   Engineer
Ronnie Toast   Composer
Jimmie Haskell   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Peter Coleman   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
John Barry   Composer
Niki Sullivan   Composer
Jimmy Destri   Composer,Group Member
Nigel Harrison   Composer,Group Member
Ray Manzarek   Composer
Merle Kilgore   Composer
Norman Petty   Composer
Tony Lyons   Design
Joe Dassin   Composer
Tina Turner   Composer
Tom Camuso   Mixing,Restoration
Ken Shipley   Producer
Giorgio Moroder   Composer,Producer
Steve Rosenthal   Mixing,Producer
Kevin Bartley   Mastering Engineer
Clem Burke   Group Member
Frank Infante   Composer,Group Member
Don Hunerberg   Assistant Engineer
Gary Valentine   Composer,Group Member
Joe Mauldin   Composer
John Densmore   Composer
Jeff Barry   Composer
Johnny Cash   Composer
Smokey Robinson   Composer
Robert Aaron   Horn Arrangements
June Carter Cash   Composer
Richard Gottehrer   Producer
Neil Levenson   Composer
Mike Chapman   Producer,Engineer,Producer
Tom Scott   Composer,Lyricist
Alan Betrock   Mixing,Producer
Harold Faltermeyer   Editing,Engineer,Recording Arranger
Numero Group   Arranger
Terry Ellis   Mixing,Producer
Geoff Pesche   Cut
Michael Graves   Mastering
Howard Barrett   Composer
Judson Picco   Editing
Eric Emerson   Engineer,Producer
Jack Lee   Composer
Jon Smith   Assistant Engineer
Kevin Kelley   Engineer
Kabir Hermon   Digital Transfers
Howard Anthony Barrett   Composer
Thomas Manzi   Producer
Chris Starney   Mixing
Laura Davis   Composer
Erin Osmon   Liner Notes
Alex Slohm   Tape Archivist
Kristina Fox   Tape Archivist
Stuart Jones   Design
Markie Iannello   Technician