Chase the Dragon
Encyclopedia
Cover Sleeve
The cover art was designed by Rodney MatthewsRodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
.
"My original brief for Magnum's 'Chase the Dragon' album cover was given by Tony Clarkin, founder member of the band, who writes all the music and lyrics. In the first instance the record was to have been called 'The Spirit' and my rough visuals were prepared with that title in mind. The album, which was intended to be a gatefold sleeve, ended up in a standard container because the record company could not justify the extra expense.
"This was a pity I felt, because I had designed two images to relate to each other and read from front to inside spread. The first being the work 'Chase the Dragon' and the second, 'Sanctuary'. The city depicted in each was appropriated to the title 'The Spirit', but I find it difficult to equate it with the replacement title 'Chase the Dragon' which is a slang term for an oriental practice in drug abuse." — Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
Reissues
| Date of Release | Formats | Label | Catalogue Number | Notes |
| 02/82 | LP, PD | Jet Records Jet Records Jet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974... |
JETLP235, JETPD235 | Rodney Matthews Rodney Matthews Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son... artwork |
| 01/87 | CD | Jet Records Jet Records Jet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974... |
JETCD004 | |
| 06/88 | LP, PD, CD | FM Records | WKFMLP112, WKFMPD112, WKFMXD112 | |
| 01/88 | CD | Castle Communications Castle Communications Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group... |
CLACD222 | |
| 01/91 | CD | Castle Communications Castle Communications Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group... |
CLACD222 | |
| 08/99 | CD | Castle Essentials Castle Communications Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group... |
ESMCD570 | Includes Bonus Tracks |
| 10/05 | CD | Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world... |
CMQDD1231 | Expanded and Remastered with Bonus Tracks |
Bonus tracks
Sanctuary Records released a 2005 Remastered and Expanded edition with a Bonus Tracks."Back to Earth", "Hold Back Your Love", "Soldier of the Line" and "Sacred Hour" (Disc 1, 9 — 12)
Were released and an EP called "Live in America", featuring two live tracks recorded in Nashville, Tennessee in 1982, whilst supporting Ozzy Osbourne (originally released on Invasion Live
Invasion Live (Live)
Invasion Live is a live album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It was released in 1989 by Receiver Records. All tracks were recorded at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on 29th April 1982, whilst supporting Ozzy Osbourne....
) and two new studio tracks recorded during the Chase the Dragon sessions.
"Long Days Black Nights" (Disc 1, 13)
Was the B-Side to the single "The Light Burned Out".
"Lights Burned Out" (Disc 1, 14)
This was recorded at Zella Studios, Birmingham in late 1979 and is the original version before a chorus was written. This was intended for the album Chase the Dragon. — Tony Clarkin
Originally released in Jet Records' 1993 compilation Archive
Archive (Compilation)
Archive is compilation album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It is a collection of previously unreleased demo and outtake material recorded from 1976 to 1983, and was released in 1993 by Jet Records....
.
"The Spirit" (Disc 1, 15)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee in 1982, whilst supporting Ozzy Osbourne, (originally released on Invasion Live
Invasion Live (Live)
Invasion Live is a live album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It was released in 1989 by Receiver Records. All tracks were recorded at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on 29th April 1982, whilst supporting Ozzy Osbourne....
).
"Soldier of the Line" (Disc 1, 16)
Released in 1993 on Magnum's acoustic album Keeping The Nite Light Burning
Keeping the Nite Light Burning
Keeping The Nite Light Burning is the tenth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1993 by Jet Records.Inspired by MTV Unplugged, Tony Clarkin liked the idea or rearranging some of their older material, with an acoustic and contemporary style...
in 1993.
Singles
The Lights Burned Out 7" (February 1982)- "The Lights Burned Out" [LP Version] — 4:32
- "Long Days Black Nights" [B-Side] — 3:11
Live in America 7" (September 1982)
- "Back to Earth" [A-Side] — 3:39
- "Hold Back Your Love" [A-Side] — 3:22
Live in America EP (September 1982)
- "Back to Earth" [A-Side] — 3:39
- "Hold Back Your Love" [A-Side] — 3:22
- "Soldier of the Line" [Live] — 3:51
- "Sacred Hour" [Live] — 5:45
Personnel
- Tony Clarkin — Guitar
- Bob Catley — Vocals
- Wally Lowe — Bass
- Mark Stanway — Keyboards
- Kex Gorin — Drums
Production
- Recorded at the Town House Studios, London, England
- Produced and Engineered by Jeff Glixman
- Assistant Engineer — Steve Prestage
- Mixed at Axis Sound Studios, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Related Info
The song "The Spirit" was covered by German Power Metal band EdguyEdguy
-Demos, AFM years :Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for Mr. Edgar Siedschlag, their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of...
on their 2005 EP "Superheroes
Superheroes (EP)
Superheroes, released in 2005, is an EP by German power metal band Edguy. Michael Kiske of Helloween has a guest appearance. On this EP, the band has moved away from the sound they had developed on their previous album Hellfire Club. The songs on Superheroes are much less akin to the band's native...
"
Stian Aarstad
Stian Aarstad
Stian Aarstad is a Norwegian pianist and keyboard player best known for his five-year stint with the black metal band Dimmu Borgir during which he played keyboards and synthesizers while engendering criticism and controversy for appearing onstage and performing in a top-hat-and-cape outfit...
former pianist of the symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a black metal subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic and orchestral elements and is centralized in Europe.-Characteristics:...
band Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
used the intro to Sacred Hour as the intro the song Alt Lys er Svunnet Hen on their album Stormblåst
Stormblåst
-Personnel:*Silenoz – lead vocals, lead guitar*Shagrath – rhythm guitar, vocals*Tjodalv – drums*Brynjard Tristan – bass*Stian Aarstad – synthesizers, piano...
Aarstad neglected to tell them this. Later on the intro to the song was left out in the rerecording of the album in 2005
External links
- www.magnumonline.co.uk — Official Magnum site
- Chase The Dragon: Expanded Edition - Sanctuary Records' mini site
- Record Covers — at rodneymatthews.com