Catatonia: Make Hay Not War - The Blanco y Negro Years, 5CD Box Set

• Comprehensive 5CD clamshell box set of alternative rock band Catatonia bringing together their four studio albums plus much of their related bonus material, B-sides, mixes, etc.

• Covering an incredibly productive and successful spell when signed to Warner subsidiary Blanco y Negro Records, from 1996 to 2001.

CD1 features the band’s debut album ‘Way Beyond Blue’, released in September 1996. It peaked at #32 in the UK album charts, over time achieving Gold status. Four singles were taken from the album, with ‘You’ve Got A Lot To Answer For’ giving the band their first Top 40 chart entry.

CD2 features the 12 tracks of the band’s triple Platinum # 1 album, ‘International Velvet’. Originally released in February 1998, five singles were taken from the album, with ‘Mulder And Scully’ and the infectious ‘Road Rage’ charting at three and five in the singles charts respectively. This album saw them crossover from alternative rock band to mainstream success. This CD includes the radio edit of ‘Road Rage’ plus eight related B-sides from the singles.

CD3 is the band’s third album, ‘Equally Cursed And Blessed’, released in April 1999. The album includes the Top Ten hit, ‘Dead From The Waist Down’, with both the album and radio edit versions. CD4 focuses on the band’s fourth and final studio album, ‘Paper Scissors Stone’ from August 2001. The album peaked at #6 in the album charts.

CD5 gathers together various remixes, mixes, live tracks and the demos for the ‘Paper Scissors Stone’ album. Included are ‘All Girls Are Fly (Da-De? Remix)’, ‘Blow The Millennium Blow (Splott Remix)’, the radio edit of ‘Strange Glue’, Stephen Street’s mix of ‘Bleed’ and the hidden track from ‘Way Beyond Blue’, ‘Gyda Gwen’. There’s also a unique insight with the inclusion of some of the demos of the ‘Paper Scissors Stone’ album including the single, ‘Stone By Stone’ which appear on CD for the first time.

This 5CD clamshell package includes card wallets of each of the band’s original album covers, a 32 page CD booklet including a discography and sleeve notes written by respected journalist Nigel Williamson. The band’s material has a lasting quality and honesty that ensures the band’s music remains very relevant today as was perfectly summed up by BBC DJ, Huw Stephens “They were not just a throwaway pop band – they had real, meaningful songs.”