Rough Trade Records will release a second volume of their acclaimed boxset series tracing some of the key seven-inch singles in the independent label’s history on 30 October.
Following the first set which came out last year and focused on the indie’s first few years of existence, Volume 2 will feature nine seven-inch singles from the 1980s to the early 1990s, marking the period when Rough Trade came of age as a label.
Handpicked by Rough Trade’s co-MDs, Jeannette Lee and Geoff Travis, the tracks represent a mix of key releases and personal favourites.
Starting with The Fall’s 1980 Totally Wired, Scritti Politti‘s The Sweetest Girl, Robert Wyatt‘s Shipbuilding, Aztec Camera’s Oblivious, The Go Betweens‘ Cattle & Cane, Jonathan Richman‘s That Summer Feeling and The Sundays‘ Can’t Be Sure have all been repressed on seven-inch, including b-sides, as they were released by the label at the time.
Mazzy Star’s cover of Love’s Five String Serenade, which appeared on Rough Trade’s single’s club in 1993, appears as the original release, but its b-side has been switched at Lee and Travis’ request for David Roback and Hope Sandoval’s version of Slap Happy’s Blue Flower to create a unique “covers release”.
In addition to these original releases, Volume 2 also boasts a ninth, ‘new’ single which has been created at the request of members of The Smiths, and will only be available in this edition. Although it was released in Netherlands, The Headmaster Ritual had never been an official Rough Trade single until now.
At Morrissey and Marr’s request the track from Meat Is Murder is backed by I Want The One I Can’t Have as its b-side, while Morrissey has overseen the creation of brand new artwork for the seven-inch. In keeping with his use of found art for The Smiths’ singles, he sourced an image of the American actor Billy Halop from 1939 especially for this single.
Both band members have contributed to the sleeve notes that accompany Volume 2, which also includes contributions from Elvis Costello, Stewart Lee, Roddy Frame, Green Gartside, Jonathan Richman, The Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler, David Gavurin and The Go-Betweens’ Lindy Morrison and Robert Forster. Plus, there is a brand new, extensive interview with Travis and Lee, who discuss the label during the 80s and 90s, the music and their collaborations with the artists featured.
The sleeve notes also contain memorabilia and imagery from the Rough Trade archive, along with contributions from Anton Corbijn, Laura Levine, Paul Slattery, David Corio and more, who photographed the artists at the time.
SELECTION OF PAGES FROM BOXSET 2 BOOKLET
Like its predecessor Volume 1 – which included singes from Augustus Pablo, Young Marble Giants, Cabaret Voltaire, The Raincoats and more – this second Rough Trade seven-inch boxset will be strictly limited to 1000 copies worldwide and is available for pre-order now
Rough Trade Boxset
Volume 2
Tracklist
The Fall
Totally Wired
B-side: Putta Block
RT056 – 1980
Scritti Politti
The Sweetest Girl
B-side: Lions After Slumber
RT091 – 1981
Robert Wyatt
Shipbuilding
B-sides: Memories Of You
RT115 – 1982
Aztec Camera
Oblivious
B-side: Orchid Girl
RT122 – 1983
The Go-Betweens
Cattle And Cane
B-sides: Heaven Says
RT124 – 1983
Jonathan Richman
That Summer Feeling
B-side: This Kind Of Music
RT152 – 1984
The Smiths
Headmaster Ritual
B-side: I Want The One I Can’t Have
RT0507S – 2026
(Originally released in the Netherlands 1985 with B-side Oscillate Wildly – new B-side for this release
selected by the band)
The Sundays
Can’t Be Sure
B-side: I Kicked A Boy
RT218 – 1989
Mazzy Star
Five String Serenade
B-side: Blue Flower (the single was originally released with B-side Under My Car, but has been changed at
Rough Trade’s request for this edition)
45rev19x – 1983
Preorder link – https://roughtrade.ffm.to/singlesboxset2
