Various Artists - Orchestral Eighties [3CD]

August Day

£36

Format: 3CD Box Set
Catalogue No.: ADAY100BS
Barcode: 5055373561240
Release Date: 15 Nov 2024
Genre: Pop

 As August Day Records celebrates their 100th release, this album marks a significant milestone in the label’s journey into the pop-classical crossover genre. Building on the success of previous orchestral albums from artists like Visage, Wang Chung, and Cutting Crew, this latest project promises to be a spectacular celebration of eighties songwriting, accompanied by a full orchestra.
 From GRAMMY-winners to cult classics, this album is a testament to the enduring legacy of Eighties music. August Day are thrilled to bring together some of the biggest hits of the era that will resonate with audiences old and new.
 August Day's first foray into the Pop / Classical crossover came in 2014 when Visage re-recorded their hits with an orchestra for the Czech Ski Jumping championships. The success of that show led to a subsequent album by Visage, and this then snowballed into more and more artists wanting to re-imagine their hits with orchestras.
 Next up was A Flock Of Seagulls, reunited in their original line up for the first time since 1984 to deliver ‘Ascension’. This was met with great acclaim from the fans and industry alike. Then, in quick succession, both Wang Chung and Rick Springfield released albums with August Day in 2019, Rick also performed an amazing launch show at the Saban theatre in Los Angeles with the Santa Monica HS Orchestra. 2020 saw the release of two more orchestral albums from legendary 1980s artists Cutting Crew and then Berlin.
 The global pandemic meant that things slowed in the following few years... but as things opened up the label got back to work, recording a number of singles. First up we have Hollywood Beyond, with their cult classic ‘What’s The Colour Of Money?’. 1987’s ‘Down To Earth’ is one of three orchestral re-workings that August Day have coming out in the next few months from Curiosity Killed The Cat. Another UK top 20 single from 1987 comes from UK band Westworld - ‘Sonic Boom Boy’ was the bands biggest charting track, hitting Number 11 on the UK chart. (Clive) Farrington and (Andrew) Mann are the original singers and creative core of the UK based band When In Rome. Their 1988 debut single, ‘The Promise’, taken from their debut self-titled album, was the bands biggest chart success. Although not technically released in the 1980s, ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ by the legendary Candi Staton delivers all the feels you’d expect from such an iconic track.
 Originally released in 1985, Belouis Some’s ‘Imagination’ only managed to peak at Number 50 in the UK chart, although a 1986 rerelease did see it hit the UK Top 20. Benny Mardones’s last recorded work was this re-sung, orchestral version of his 1980 mega hit ‘Into The Night’.
 Mardones, as a young songwriter in the 1960s / 1970s, had written for everyone from Chubby Checker to Brenda Lee, but ‘Into the Night’ propelled him onto the world stage in his own right.
 Expect more exciting projects from August Day in the near future as the label continues to explore new ways to reimagine the classics.
 August Day reaches their 100th release milestone... and we decided to create a special album featuring some of the breath-taking re-workings we’ve released over the years and recorded a whole new batch of our favourite 80s hits. The album features tracks from original members of some of the decade’s most iconic bands - A Flock Seagulls, Belouis Some, Berlin, Benny Mardones, Candi Staton, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Cutting Crew, Farrington and Mann, Hollywood Beyond, Rick Springfield, The Belle Stars, Visage and Wang Chung.
 3CD boxset, with orchestral versions on CD2 and remixes and extras on CD3.
 For the Flock of Seagulls fans out there, CD2 features an exclusive version of ‘Some Dreams’ (Orchestral Exploration Version). This is the first new Flock of Seagulls song in 29 years and this remix is exclusive to the 3CD boxset.

CD1 ‘Orchestral Eighties’
Rick Springfield - Jessie’s Girl (Orchestral Version)
A Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away) (Orchestral Version)
Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days (Orchestral Version )
Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arms (Orchestral Version)
Visage - Fade To Grey (Orchestral Version)
Berlin - Take My Breath Away (Orchestral Version)
The Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times (Orchestral Version)
Hollywood Beyond - What’s The Colour Of Money (Orchestral Version)
Curiosity Killed The Cat - Down To Earth (Orchestral Version)
Westworld - Sonic Boom Boy (Orchestral Version)
Farrington and Mann - The Promise (Orchestral Version)
Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free (Orchestral Version)
Belouis Some - Imagination (Orchestral Version)
Benny Mardones - Into The Night( Orchestral Version)

CD2 ‘Orchestral Eighties (Stretched and Remixed)’
A Flock Of Seagulls - Some Dreams (Orchestral Exploration Version)
Farrington And Mann - Heaven Knows (Ochestral Version)
Belouis Some - Imagination (Orchestral Extended Version)
The Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times (Main Extended Version)
Curiosity Killed The Cat - Down To Earth (Orchestral Extended Version)
Cutting Crew - Any Colour (Extended instrumental)
Visage - Fade To Grey (Lecomte de Bregeot And Violet Chachki Remix)
Everybody Have Fun Tonight (Rikky Disco Extended Club Mix)
Sonic Boom Boy (Orchestral Extended Version) Westworld
Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days (Situation UpRight Piano Remix)
Berlin - On My Knees (Soda Pimps Remix)
Berlin - Sex I'm A (Domestic Technology Slow Robotic Remix)

CD3 ‘Orchestral Eighties (Instrumentals & Alternates)’
The Belle Stars - Iko Iko (Party In The Background Mix)
Curiosity Killed The Cat - Misfit (Orchestra Only Version)
Curiosity Killed The Cat - Some People (Orchestral Instrumental)
Farrington And Mann - Heaven Knows (Orchestra & Vocal Version)
Berlin - On My Knees (Orchapella)
Cutting Crew - One For The Mockingbird (Terry Brown Extended Instrumental)
Hollywood Beyond - Whats The Colour Of Money Orchestra Only Version)
Benny Mardones - Into The Night (Orchapella)
A Flock Of Seagulls - Messages (Main Extended Instrumental Version)
Cutting Crew - Everything But My Pride (Kim & Buran Instrumental Mix)