Happy Landings and Lost Tracks

Happy Landings and Lost Tracks
Compilation album by The Fixx
Released December 11, 2001
Recorded February 26 - April 28, 1996
Genre Pop / rock
Length 51:10
Label Beyond/Rainman
398 578 250-2
Producer Martin Rex
The Fixx chronology
Extended Versions
(2000)
Happy Landings and Lost Tracks
(2001)
Then and Now
(2002)

Happy Landings and Lost Tracks is a compilation album by The Fixx released on December 11, 2001.[1]

Contents

Happy Landings 1996 planned album release

The Happy Landings and Lost Tracks compilation comprises tracks recorded during sessions that commenced at Fairless Masterman's flat, Castellain Road, Maida Vale, London on February 26, 1996 and concluded on April 28, for the planned Happy Landings album to be released later that year (September/October) with the following tracklisting (other tracks recorded during these sessions included "House Arrest" and "Prove Yourself"):

  1. "Modern World"
  2. "Two Different Views"
  3. "Going Without"
  4. "Freeman"
  5. "Happy Landings"
  6. "Ocean Blue"
  7. "We Once Held Hands"
  8. "Sweet Pandemonium"
  9. "Mayfly"
  10. "Elected"

Happy Landings 1997 planned album release

The 1996 version of the Happy Landings album was not released, but eight of the tracks were subsequently re-recorded/remixed by Stephen W. Tayler and Sadia during February and March 1997 for a planned release of the album later that year, with the newly recorded tracks of "Lonely As A Lighthouse" (recorded February 10–12, 1997 at Route One Studios, London) and "Life's What's Killing Me" replacing "Mayfly" and "Elected" (another track under development at this time was titled, "Peace Louise"):

  1. "Modern World"
  2. "Two Different Views"
  3. "Going Without"
  4. "Happy Landings"
  5. "Freeman"
  6. "We Once Held Hands"
  7. "Lonely As A Lighthouse"
  8. "Ocean Blue"
  9. "Life's What's Killing Me"
  10. "Sweet Pandemonium"

Additional personnel

Six of the 1997 session tracks ("Two Different Views", "Going Without", "Happy Landings", "We Once Held Hands", "Ocean Blue" and "Life's What's Killing Me") were subsequently re-recorded/remixed/edited for the Elemental album released in April 1998.

The 1997 version of "Sweet Pandemonium" was made available as a digital download.[2]

Happy Landings 1997 five-track EP

A limited edition (1000 copies) five-track EP of "tracks from the forthcoming album Happy Landings" was pressed and made available for sale on the band's tour commencing on July 10, 1997.[3] The versions of these five tracks are unique to this EP, except for "Two Different Views" and "Going Without", which also appeared on the 2000 re-release of the "Missing Links" compilation on the Fuel 2000 label. This version of "Two Different Views" also appeared on the Ultimate Collection compilation album of 1999.

  1. "Two Different Views" – 5:50
  2. "Going Without" – 4:58
  3. "Happy Landings" – 5:03
  4. "Freeman" – 4:33
  5. "We Once Held Hands" – 8:23

Additional Notes

Happy Landings and Lost Tracks marks the first time all ten session tracks from 1996 have been released as originally recorded, five* for the first time,[4] although "Modern World" and "Elected" had previously been available as digital downloads.[5]

Of the ten tracks re-recorded/remixed with Stephen W. Tayler and Sadia in early 1997, only "Modern World", "Lonely As A Lighthouse", "Ocean Blue" and "Life's What's Killing Me" remain unreleased.

"Lonely As A Lighthouse", "House Arrest", & "Peace Louise" remain unreleased in any form whatsoever and truly are "lost" tracks.

An earlier (1991–1994) recorded version of "Mayfly" (written by Cy Curnin and Stuart Zaltz) appears on the same-titled first solo album by Cy Curnin in 2005.

Track listing

  1. "Modern World" – 4:08*
  2. "Going Without" – 4:41
  3. "Freeman" – 6:06*
  4. "Elected" – 2:54*
  5. "Mayfly" – 5:42*
  6. "Two Different Views" – 5:11
  7. "Ocean Blue" – 6:05
  8. "We Once Held Hands" – 7:48
  9. "Sweet Pandemonium" – 4:01*
  10. "Happy Landings" – 4:25

Personnel

Additional personnel

Production

Thanks to Howard Jones for the use of his shed, and
to Fairless Masterman for the use of his home, and
to Jeff Neben for his encouragement.

References

External links