Fiat Lux: Hired History Plus, 2CD Expanded Edition

This 2 CD collection brings together the entire 1980’s recorded output of synth pop pioneers, Fiat Lux. The original “Hired History” album - and indeed all of the bonus tracks - are appearing on CD for the very first time *
Disc One features the band’s commercially released tracks including the band’s debut single for Cocteau Records and the five released by Polydor Records in a period spanning 1982-85.

Disc Two is the lost and previously unreleased second album “Ark Of Embers” as the band originally intended it when it was made with producer, Hugh Jones.

This collection includes the following singles:

• ‘Feels Like Winter Again’ released in 1982 on Bill Nelson’s Cocteau Records the A and B sides are featured.


• ‘Photography’- the previously unreleased Bill Nelson 12” version


• ‘Blue Emotion’ – 12” version plus its b/side ‘Sleepless Nightmare’


• ‘House Of Thorns’ – 12” version and its b/side ‘Three’s Company’


• ‘Solitary Lovers’ -12” version and the b/sides ‘No More Proud (Proud Mix)’ and ‘No More Proud (Dub Mix)’


• ‘Secrets’ – and its B-sides ‘Comfortable Life’ and ‘Aqua Vitae’

All the tracks have been sourced and re-mastered from the original production master tapes after months of searching tape archives and exhaustive listening sessions to trace the correct versions.

The CD booklet features the original album cover plus extensive sleeve notes written by band members Steve Wright and David Crickmore telling the band’s story from a unique perspective. There is also a foreword written by the producer of ‘Ark Of Embers’, Hugh Jones who has also worked with Echo & The Bunnymen, Del Amitri, Julian Cope and Bauhaus amongst others.

Fiat Lux hail from Wakefield and were formed by Steve Wright and David Crickmore in 1982 with Ian Nelson joining soon after. The band released one indie single on Bill Nelson’s Cocteau Records before signing a major record deal with Polydor Records. The band released 5 singles for the label dating from August 1983 to January 1985. The band enjoyed minor hits with ‘Secrets’ and ‘Blue Emotion’. They supported Howard Jones, Blancmange, John Cale, Thomas Dolby and Nik Kershaw as well as UK and European touring in their own right. Fiat Lux had the enthusiastic backing of radio stalwarts Annie Nightingale, Peter Powell, Janice Long and David ‘Kid’ Jensen and did a handful of BBC Radio sessions as well as a BBC Whistle Test and Channel 4 TV appearance. They have since been hailed as “criminally underrated”.

Steve Wright and David Crickmore started to work together again in 2017 and are releasing a new album on 8th March: “Saved Symmetry’ (Splid Records).

For more Fiat Lux information please visit;www.fiatluxmusic.co.uk

DISC ONE:
HIRED HISTORY PLUS
1. SECRETS
2. PHOTOGRAPHY
3. BLUE EMOTION (12” VERSION)
4. COMFORTABLE LIFE
5. SLEEPLESS NIGHTMARE
(12” VERSION)
6. AQUA VITAE
BONUS TRACKS
7. FEELS LIKE WINTER AGAIN *
8. THIS ILLNESS
9. PHOTOGRAPHY (UNRELEASED BILL NELSON VERSION)
10. COMFORTABLE LIFE (UNRELEASED BILL NELSON 12” VERSION)
11. HOUSE OF THORNS
12. SLEEPLESS NIGHTMARE
13. THREE’S COMPANY
14. HOUSE OF THORNS (12” VERSION)
15. SOLITARY LOVERS (12” VERSION)
16. NO MORE PROUD (PROUD MIX)
17. NO MORE PROUD (DUB MIX)
18. SALLY FREE AND EASY

DISC TWO:
ARK OF EMBERS (LOST ALBUM)
1. THE MOMENT
2. BREAKING THE BOUNDARY
3. BLUE EMOTION
4. EMBERS
5. NO MORE PROUD
6. PHOTOGRAPHY
7. SPLURGE
8. SECRETS
9. AQUA VITAE
10. IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
11. SOLITARY LOVERS

* All tracks appear on CD for the first time
except Feels Like Winter Again that
appeared on a long deleted See For Miles CD Compilation.