November 1992 limited edition debut 7" single
This is Tindersticks’ first single (a double-A side) released in Britain on their own Tippy Toe label in November 1992 in a limited, numbered edition of 500 copies.
Most members of the band had served in a predecessor group, Asphalt Ribbons, that released a few EPs and one mini-album between 1987 and 1991. The Ribbons attracted a bit of “next big thing” attention in the British music press without ever seriously threatening actually to become the “next big thing”. (If you were unkind you could say the same about Tindersticks. However after 25 years of flying largely under the radar they do still have a career, a loyal international audience and a critically-acclaimed back catalogue). The new band name was hit upon when vocalist and main songwriter Stuart Staples found a box of German matches* on a beach while holidaying in Greece.
On this debut release Tindersticks came sprinting out of the blocks with a revised but already very nearly fully-formed style. Out was the accordion-driven sound of the Ribbons (David Boulter now concentrating on piano and organ) with the emphasis shifting to the guitar of Neil Fraser and the electric violin of Dickon Hinchcliffe. Whereas the Ribbons often seemed like they were trying a little too hard, Tindersticks displayed a new sense of confidence and a greater maturity in their arrangements.
Both these songs were re-recorded for Tindersticks’ first album in 1993. These early versions have been available intermittently since. Patchwork was included on the 1998 compilation Donkeys 1992 - 1997. Both songs were “remastered” (which seems to have amounted to having a load of compression slammed onto them) in 2004. The remasters appeared on the limited two-CD edition of the Working For The Man collection (although really obsessive completists will need to know that Milky Teeth lost it’s drumstick count-in intro).
The original 7” vinyl is definitely the best way to hear these 1992 recordings. It’s purely a matter of taste whether you’ll prefer them to the album versions, but this is a well-produced and crisply mastered single that sounds fantastic to my ears.
The record’s packaging has a charmingly home-made quality. All housed in an outer clear poly sleeve, it features a fold-out picture cover which is hand-coloured so that no two copies are exactly alike. There is a hand-stamped paper inner sleeve and a picture insert. The cover is also hand-stamped and numbered from 1 to 500. This is a genuine indie record, where “indie” really does mean “independent.”
Rather than calling the record’s sides anything so mundane as “A” and “AA” Tindersticks decided to honour two of their idols, so the single instead has a “Lee Side” and a “Nancy Side.” Its labels bear only pictures of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra on their respective sides with no text anywhere (although the picture cover clearly states which song is supposed to play on either side). Unfortunately the record was accidentally mislabeled, so contrary to what it says on the cover the “Lee Side” plays Patchwork while the “Nancy Side” plays Milky Teeth.
Apparently the mislabeling led to a complaint to the pressing plant (MPO in France) and a second run was provided. The second pressing (this time numbered -1 to -500 with no hand-colouring on the cover) was issued the following month (December 1992) but was also mislabeled! Copies of either edition are few and far between and tend to change hands for "collector" prices these days.
*Or perhaps larger kindling sticks like these.
*Or perhaps larger kindling sticks like these.
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