Then mine must be BOTE. Thanks Flicker. I like my version...

The BOTE of the version is a lot rougher in sound, sounds more like a well recorded demo (which I suppose it is), there's phasing on the strings as well, which are much more upfront and raw. Tim and Phil also sing the song in unison whereas the ST version is much clearner, more polished and only sung by Tim, IMHO it also sounds like a very tired band playing a song that they are sick to death of playing (they must have played it thousands of times by the time they recorded the ST version). And contrary to what it says in the Spellbound booklet, it is actually the BOTE version on Spellbound. That's also Tim playing the piano solo as the recording predates Eddie joining the band.

Gee... the For You / Split Enz single would have been a pretty sweet item to own. Those 2 tracks are 2 of my faves from the BOTE compilation.

So all of these tracks pre-date the Mental Notes sessions? Can some genius (I'm looking at you Joe, Gav & Flicker!) confirm this? And possibly even jot down which tracks were recorded in what sessions exactly?

And what do you think the reasoning was behind the band re-recording Lovey Dovey later on for Second Thoughts? I personally prefer the ST version, but that's probably mostly due to me hearing that version first. I only recently found my BOTE CD after a while thinking I'd lost it

Yes, all tracks on "Beginning of the Enz" were recorded pre "Mental Notes".

"For You" and "Split Enz" at Stebbing Studios, 4th Feb 1973
"Home Sweet Home", and "129" at Stebbing Studios, May 1973
"Sweet Talking Spoon song" at Stebbing Studios, October 1973
All the others recorded at Stebbing Studios, Feb 1974.

More info from me at Enzology - The Beginning of the Enz (wesbsite)

"Lovey Dovey" was supposedly chosen by "Second Thoughts" producer Phil Manzanera. It was recorded for "Mental Notes" in 1975 but didn't make it to the album.

Did you come across the Mental Notes recording of Lovey Dovey Jaffa? I know its amongst the demos they did in Sydney, but was it among any of the rough mixes? You know i was going to ask

I'm glad Manzanera chose it, it's one of the best tracks on Second Thoughts IMHO.

i'm not a fan of the first three albums and wonder why they were released.
It seems the only commerical song was "late last night".I keep playing them and trying to hear something i like but I can't.

sorry to be negative - i like the spoon solo by noel crombie on dvd.

Yes, Camus. That and "The Woman Who Loves You" were recorded in Sydney in 1975 as pre-album demos and in the actual "Mental Notes" sessions.

quote:

i'm not a fan of the first three albums and wonder why they were released.
It seems the only commerical song was "late last night".I keep playing them and trying to hear something i like but I can't.

Well, in your opinion. Personally the first three albums are the best IMHO. The first two are progressive rock albums, and this was a standard genre in the 70s (see King Crimson, ELP, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd etc..) and the whole point was the album as a whole, commercial singles didn't really come into it. Late Last Night flopped as single btw. It seems a large bow to draw that because you don't like them they shouldn't have been released. The first three albums are by far the most interesting IMHO, I'd take Mental Notes over True Colours any day.

Dizrythmia is full of pop, Bold As Brass and My Mistake instantly spring to mind, as does Nice To Know.

Thanks for that Jaffa, how different was Woman Who Loves You? From the snippet in Enzology where Wally is playing it sounds like Rob Gillies just played his guitar lines on sax later on.

how could "late last night " flop ?
"bold as brass "probably flopped too.
i don't think uk got split enz , they didn't get crowded house until "woodface"
btw i don't know their chart positions but enz deserve a lot more top 40's - they should have had at least 12 top 40's including 5 top 10's.

The UK had a hard core following for Split Enz in the 70s, it was more a live thing rather than translating to record sales. I don't know the chart postion for Bold As Brass, but My Mistake did well in Australia (I think it was the first Enz single to chart, certainly it seems to be the earliest single anyone here remembers). I was surprised Maybe flopped as a single, as it's the only commercial song on Mental Notes. I must admit I was surprised that Late Last Night flopped, it's a fantastic song, maybe they missed the boat... I'm not sure exactly when Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band was charting in Australia, it may have been 73 0r 74, they had a hit with Who Walks In When I Walk Out, an old twenties trad jazz standard. Also I think My Canary has Circles Under It's Eyes was a hit, which is in a similar vein to the weird vaudeville/trad jazz style the Enz had.

Commercial success and chart positions (or in the Enz caswe the lack of) doesn't equate to failure in artistic success. To this day I think Mental Notes is one of the best and most fascinating albums I have ever heard. I rate this highly, up with In The Court of the Crimson King and The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society, two well known prog albums with a huge cult following. Mental Notes doesn't quite top Larks' Tongues In Aspic (5th King Crimson album) for jaw dropping complexity.

Reminds me of
Wings "You Gave Me an Answer"
beatles "martha my dear".Were these inspiration , Tim like Paul sings falsetto but Tim is better.