For a band coming up on nearly four decades in the music business, 2010 looks to be one of the busiest years yet for veteran English punk/post punk band Wire. Fresh off six live dates in France, one hometown gig in London, and a set at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound, the band’s official website reports that The Wire Legal Bootleg Series has been launched.
The series comprises three recordings of classic Wire gigs, curated by long-time fan Mark Bursa. Each performance comes from a different decade, with Series One offering a gig from 1978, Series Two from 1988, and Series Three from 2000. For all you collectors out there, there are several ways to own these recordings.
For £8.99 ($13.51) you can have the digital format immediately. If you’re after all three recordings, you can have them for £24.99 ($37.55). Hold onto to your hats though; for £66.99 ($100.67) you get nine classic Wire gigs, as well as a DVD recording of the band performing in 1980 at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London. You can jump right to the band’s store here.
The series will continue at regular intervals with sets of three gigs from the 70’s, 80’s and 00’s being released. The aforementioned $100 and change package gets you these as yet unannounced releases. A number of classic gigs have been targeted for inclusion with a caveat that as new recordings are uncovered, the selected gigs may alter.
It doesn’t stop there though. The band are to issue a “remake/remodel” of their 2002 album Send. The album described by critics as “phenomenal” and “startlingly spirited” will be released on double album and be called Send: Ultimate.
But wait, there’s even more. Can we take this bounty we’re being offered? Hell yes. The band also report they are hard at work on their 12th, and as yet untitled, studio album. A tentative release date of January 2011 is being given, with the hope that a digital format will precede this. Before I faint with this onslaught of Wire goodness, the band also say they may have “some exciting announcements to make about dates later this year and into 2011.”
While I go lie down, feast your eyes on the tracklists below and, as ever, check back for more information as we get it.
The Wire Legal Bootleg Series Tracklist:
Series One: 10/25/78 @ Bradford University, UK
01. Indirect Enquiries
02. Men 2nd
03. Lowdown
04. On Returning
05. Being Sucked In
06. I Feel Mysterious Today
07. The Other Window
08. A Mutual Friend
09. Former Airline
10. Mercy
11. Stepping Off Too Quick
12. Strange
13. Another The Letter
14. Sand In My Joints
15. French Film Blurred
16. I Should Have Known Better
17. Practice Makes Better
18. Reuters
19. 106 Beats That
Series Two: 07/21/88 @ Astoria, London
01. The Queen of Ur
02. In Vivo
03. Kidney Bingos
04. he Finest Drops
05. Silk Skin Paws
06. German Shepherds
07. A Public Place
08. It’s A Boy
09. The Offer
10. Eardrum Buzz
11. Boiling Boy
12. Drill
13. Ahead
14. Over Theirs
Series Three: 12/08/00 @ Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
01. Zoom
02. Heartbeat
03. Ally In Exile
04. Germ Ship
05. Boiling Boy
06. He Knows
07. Advantage In Height
08. Lowdown
09. Another The Letter
10. 12XU
11. Pink Flag
12. Drill
