Bands with Awesome B Sides

[Popmartijn]

Then what? I still refer to both of those as B Sides, even thou STS was on the Chili pepp's greatest hits, and if Pearl Jam ever released a Best Of (they won't) Yellow Led would be a required track. (since it got way more airplay than later singles like Nothing As It Seems and Love Boat Captain)

Pearl Jam did release a best of collection (Rearviewmirror in 2004). And yes, Yellow Ledbetter is on that one (including the final note that is missing on the Lost Dogs compilation).

 

[blueeyedgirl]

The Chills are probably the most obscure band I named. They were the leaders of the Dunedin Sound in New Zealand, a lo-fi jangly rock movement of the eighties that was somewhat proto-indie. They had a top fifty hit in NZ but none of the Dunedin Sound bands managed to break foreign markets at all. That's no reflection on their quality though, just a general curse on every Kiwi band. Kaleidoscope World, their earliest release, is an "album" of their EPs and singles and is a great work. The song Pink Frost should appeal to fans of Joy Division or The Cure. It's like what you'd get if Ian Curtis or Robert Smith had grown up at the freezing cold bottom of the earth, only partially in touch with the Northern Hemisphere's music scene.

The Chills Flying Nun Records

And if we are talking "non-album" issue tracks, how about REM's fan club only Christmas singles?

And if we are talking Christmas singles, how about the Beatles?

 

[Axver]

The Chills Flying Nun Records

The Flying Nun roster of the eighties was just amazing. The Clean, Straitjacket Fits, The Chills, Able Tasmans, The Verlaines, Sneaky Feelings ...

 

[gareth brown]

No reason to take it personally. But there are a lot of purists and collectors, etc that do like to keep these types of things in order...

Not everyone knows where the term came from, there's a whole generation that never even owned a casette so "sides" is something they can't relate to. Someday there will be a whole generation that won't know what a CD is.

Personally I really think there should be a difference between b-sides and unreleased tracks, but maybe that's just the

in me...

what he said! The High Fidelity photo swung/MOVED me! B-sides are B-sides. Unreleased/non-album/rarities are just that. Didn't appear on a single, you can't really just call it a B-side. It may seem fussy, purist or even elitist but it's a little silly just assuming everyone should just use B-side as an umbrella term for whatever rare/leaked/scrapped/rubbish leftover a band may produce...it's all a matter of opinion I guess but it's just the whole single thing just gets in the way!

And since I don't really think it's necessary to create an entire thread on the matter I'd like to voice my sincere disdain for 'Smile'...

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

The Beatles.

 

[BVS]

Pearl Jam did release a best of collection (Rearviewmirror in 2004). And yes, Yellow Ledbetter is on that one (including the final note that is missing on the Lost Dogs compilation).

I didn't even notice that part of his post.

 

[Popmartijn]

I didn't even notice that part of his post.

The picture you posted brought out the nitpicking music freak in me.

 

[U2girl]

Well that doesn't make any sense, that eliminates a big portion of U2's b-sides...

The term b-side comes from when music was released on vinyl. The single was on the a-side, and a "bonus" song was on the b-side.

Since true singles will soon be completely eliminated the concept of the b-side will soon disappear...

We all know where B-side terms comes from. I think just as then, it should apply to a bonus original material song on the single. If it's a remix/live song, why not call it that ? I guess on some level covers could be considered B-sides too.


I would refer to unreleased songs like Mercy, Levitate etc... as non album songs, or rarities if you like.

Maybe the digital downloading era will also have B-sides to download, along with the single...

 

[BVS]

We all know where B-side terms comes from. I think just as then, it should apply to a bonus original material song on the single. If it's a remix/live song, why not call it that ? I guess on some level covers could be considered B-sides too.

Um, "we" all don't know know where it came from, for I've seen the questioned asked a few times in here by some of the younger posters.

And yes, any bonus material to a single would be a b-side. Not on "some level" it is a b-side.

'Unchained Melody' IS a b-side to 'All I Want is You'. There is no debate to that.

 

[U2girl]

Well ok, the "old enough" posters know.

Yes, officially any bonus single material is a B-side. But I think, as in the LP years, a real B-side is original material by the band. Not covers, not remixes, not live songs.

 

[BVS]

But I think, as in the LP years, a real B-side is original material by the band. Not covers, not remixes, not live songs.

I'm not sure what you are trying to get at with the term "real" b-side.

Elvis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, etc all artists when the LP single was an artform and all had covers and songs penned by others as B-sides. They even had them as A-sides as well...GASP! Were those all fake A-sides and B-sides?

 

[Mauwer]

You definitely should buy the Masterplan. I believe everybody should own it. I have a cousin who could never understand why I was such a big Oasis fan. All he knew was that they had 2 good albums in the mid 90s and then started making shitty albums. I burnt him a copy of the Masterplan, and now he is a fan. Songs like "Half the world away", "Talk Tonight" and "The Masterplan" make it worth the purcahse alone.

Yeah...those three Oasis tunes are
But one of the best b-side I think was Anquiesce.
Isn`t that tune also on their Best Of????

Everyone , get The Masterplan NOW!!!!
It`s even better tha Morning Glory ( I think ).

Cheers ,

Mauwer

p.s. Sorry that this was all about Oasis
Won`t happen again

 

[Rafiennes]

Oasis - hands down, one of the best collection of b-sides

Acquiesce
Fade Away
Underneath The Sky
Talk Tonight
It's Good To Be Free
Alive
Listen Up
The Masterplan
Whatever (not really a b-side, but...whatever)
It's Better People
Step Out
D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman
Cloudburst
Half A World Away
Let's All Make Believe
You've Got The Heart Of A Star

to name a few

 

[Snowlock]

The best B-Side band that I have come across is Oasis. The Masterplan compilation alone is superior to any album that they have created since What's the Story.
Another thing to keep in mind is that prolificacy does not always correlate with quality (Ryan Adams).

Exceptional calls on both counts (though I'm not the fan of Masterplan that most are).

Tacks like Acqueisce, Step Out, Let's All Make Believe, Round Are Way, Rockin' Chair, Talk Tonight & Carry Us All are as good as much of their album work; and that's really saying something.

Or in other words, what they said.

 

[JulioArca]

How has no one mentioned The Cure in this thread!

Splintered In Her Head
Breathe
A Chain Of Flowers
Babble
Twilight Garden

You stole my reply!!!!

Could you imagine U2 release i 4 cd album with b-sides etc like The Cure did with Join The Dots a few years back?? Never...!!

New Day...
The Exploding Body...
Lament...
It Used To Be Me...
Burn...
The Big Hand...
Etc Etc Etc...

 

[chucky28]

You stole my reply!!!!

Could you imagine U2 release i 4 cd album with b-sides etc like The Cure did with Join The Dots a few years back?? Never...!!

New Day...
The Exploding Body...
Lament...
It Used To Be Me...
Burn...
The Big Hand...
Etc Etc Etc...

The Cure is HANDS DOWN the band who made the best b-sides. Join The Dots is a testament to that statement. For example, ''2 Late'' could certainly have been a big hit on most radio stations at the end of the 80's (a b-side to one of the best albums of all-time, ''Disintegration''), yet only die-hard fans know that song cause it was relegated as a b-side. This song is perfection pop rock music. And it's only one example among the gems that you can find on Join The Dots...

 

[orginal species]

The Smiths are another band who's b-sides rivaled thier album material. In fact, some of their best songs were on singles and b-sides that were not released on albums. Check out "Louder Than Bombs" their singles and b-sides collection.

 

[TheQuiet1]

It`s even better tha Morning Glory ( I think ).

I actually think that The Masterplan is the best album Oasis have ever done! Oasis B-sides were at one point so good (or the A-sides so bad, depending on your point of view) that Radio One flipped the D'You Know What I Mean single, playing the B-side Stay Young instead. Though as D'You Know What I Mean lasts for 7 and a half minutes, who can blame them?

(Idler's Dream, the second B-side from The Hindu Times single, is my favourite Oasis track of all time, better than any of the A-sides IMHO).

I also agree about The Smiths. And although I'm not a big fan of their B-sides myself, I can at least appreciate that Coldplay do (or did) used to put a bit of effort into them.

 

[doctorwho]

False. I once made a 90's b-side collection and it couldn't even fit on one disc. The people who compiled that collection are imbeciles, that's all.

U2 had TONS of b-sides they could have put on their 90's "Best Of" collection, yet for some inexplicable reason, they chose the remix route. A few token remixes would have been fine, but why put on a remix and skip songs like "Holy Joe"??

As I'm not into most other artists enough to care about their non-hit album material, let alone their b-sides, this is all I have to say (other than REM should be added to the list).

 

[AtomicBono]

The 80's b-sides are overrated. There are a couple great ones, like Walk to the Water, but most of them are meh. I don't get the praise they get around here. Luminous Times? Not the best song ever.

as for bands with great b-sides, Bloc Party would top my list pretty much I love every song they make whether it's an album track or b-side or unreleased or whatever

anyone know if Muse b-sides are good? I'm thinking about buying the thing on iTunes that has their b-sides, the Hullabaloo thing

also i think the coldplay b-side Careful Where You Stand is better than almost anything they've put on an album, save for Don't Panic

 

[cdparky]

I actually think that The Masterplan is the best album Oasis have ever done! Oasis B-sides were at one point so good (or the A-sides so bad, depending on your point of view) that Radio One flipped the D'You Know What I Mean single, playing the B-side Stay Young instead. Though as D'You Know What I Mean lasts for 7 and a half minutes, who can blame them?

Have to agree with that. The Oasis b-sides (especially the ones from the Definitely Maybe / Morning Glory days) are arguably some of their finest work. Think about this - if U2 stuck half a dozen b-sides into their set-list how many in the audience would have the foggiest idea what they were playing?

 

[Snowlock]

U2 could/should do a B-Side disk I think (U218B)... Track tastes would vary of course, but I'd like to see:

1. Touch
2. Trash, Trampoline & The Party Girl
3. Treasure
4. Three Sunrises
5. Love Come Tumbling
6. Spanish Eyes
7. Silver & Gold
8. Halelluja Here She Comes
9. A Room At The Heartbreak Hotel
10. Salome
11. Lady With The Spinning Head (Extended)
12. Slow Dancing
13. Holy Joe
14. North & South Of The River
15. Always
16. Summer Rain
17. Big Girls Are Best
18. Are You Gonna Wait Forever

Really, they should include Levitate, Love You Like Mad & Smile too... And Mercy, assuming they don't release it in any format in the future.

 

[Snowlock]

Have to agree with that. The Oasis b-sides (especially the ones from the Definitely Maybe / Morning Glory days) are arguably some of their finest work. Think about this - if U2 stuck half a dozen b-sides into their set-list how many in the audience would have the foggiest idea what they were playing?

They wouldn't be wondering that... They'd be calling 911 because on hearing the opening notes of Treasure or Three Sunrises I'd have had a heart attack...

They used to play B Sides... Silver and Gold was a Joshua Tree tour staple; and we still hear Party Girl semi regularily.. Boy/Girl was played live alot in the early days and Treasure did get some rotation during the War Tour. It was just in the 90's that they quit with the B Sides.

 

[cdparky]

They wouldn't be wondering that... They'd be calling 911 because on hearing the opening notes of Treasure or Three Sunrises I'd have had a heart attack...

They used to play B Sides... Silver and Gold was a Joshua Tree tour staple; and we still hear Party Girl semi regularily.. Boy/Girl was played live alot in the early days and Treasure did get some rotation during the War Tour. It was just in the 90's that they quit with the B Sides.

Sure a few people would be in some sort of heaven, but out of an arena of say 20,000 you'd have over 19,000 people not having a clue what was being played (except Party Girl and perhaps Spanish Eyes / Silver & Gold). If they slotted in 4-5 in a row then the atmosphere of the show would just grind to halt. Now this might be because through not ever playing these songs they have been lost to the ears of the general public, or quite simply the songs were never that good in the first place. For the most part I'm with the latter.

 

[Snowlock]

Sure a few people would be in some sort of heaven, but out of an arena of say 20,000 you'd have over 19,000 people not having a clue what was being played (except Party Girl and perhaps Spanish Eyes / Silver & Gold). If they slotted in 4-5 in a row then the atmosphere of the show would just grind to halt. Now this might be because through not ever playing these songs they have been lost to the ears of the general public, or quite simply the songs were never that good in the first place. For the most part I'm with the latter.

No, I know totally what you're saying and agree. Just would LOVE to hear that

 

[Axver]

They used to play B Sides... Silver and Gold was a Joshua Tree tour staple; and we still hear Party Girl semi regularily.. Boy/Girl was played live alot in the early days and Treasure did get some rotation during the War Tour. It was just in the 90's that they quit with the B Sides.

I just have to correct you here ...

Treasure: Tragivally was never played live. The only b-side played on the War Tour was Party Girl (at nearly every gig). However, prior to Boy's release, the pre-Treasure version of Pete The Chop was a setlist regular.

Silver And Gold: wasn't really a staple. It debuted at the second to last gig of the second leg and was played or snippeted semi-regularly during parts of the third leg. There was a considerable part of the third leg where it wasn't played, though. I think the consistency of its performance is perhaps comparable to The Ocean on Vertigo.

 

[intedomine]

Oasis' B-sides are rad.

Here's 5 compulsory-to-hear Oasis b-sides:

1. Let's All Make Believe
2. Acquiesce
3. Carry Us All
4. Shout It Out Loud
5. (As Long As They've Got) Cigarettes In Hell

And 5 compulsory R'head b-sides:

1. Fog
2. Melatonin
3. Cutooth
4. Kinetic
5. Lozenge Of Love

U2 had an amazing output of b-sides in the 80s, but they haven't released enough post-Zooropa. Luminous Times, Pete The Chop and Three Sunrises being the best.

 

[powerhour24]

as for bands with great b-sides, Bloc Party would top my list pretty much I love every song they make whether it's an album track or b-side or unreleased or whatever

Word. I don't think their b-sides rival their best album material, but there's still some stunning lesser heard songs. Such as "Atonement"

 

[CTU2fan]

Agreed with REM & the Cure.

Re: JT B-sides live I think they played Spanish Eyes more than Silver & Gold.

 

[Axver]

Re: JT B-sides live I think they played Spanish Eyes more than Silver & Gold.

That's right. Spanish Eyes was done 13 times on the JT Tour and twice since; Silver And Gold was done only 11 times on the JT Tour and never since. However, Silver And Gold was also snippeted 9 times on the JT Tour, so it technically appeared in some form or another at more shows.