Commercial Breaks (album)
Encyclopedia
Commercial Breaks is the eighteenth studio album
by Roy Harper
. It was recorded in 1977, intended for release in 1978/79, but not officially released in its entirety until 1994.
and Harper over funding and content prevented the planned release of this album (Harvest
(SHSP 4077)) though a few test pressings
do exist. Of the originally intended ten songs, seven were eventually released on the 1988 Awareness Records
release Loony on the Bus
(AWCD1011).
The current Science Friction
release (HUCD016), contains the original track listing plus two bonus tracks, (both previously released on Loony on the Bus) i.e. "Burn The World (Part 1)" and "Playing Prisons". Three of the albums songs ("I'm In Love With You", "Ten Years Ago" and "The Flycatcher") were re-recorded for Harper's 1980 release, The Unknown Soldier
.
The album cover
features logos, products and advertising, primarily from television commercials of the era. Most visible are the Smash Martian
, Honey Monster
, Michelin Man and a large pack of Wrigleys gum
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Roy Harper
Roy Harper
Roy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
. It was recorded in 1977, intended for release in 1978/79, but not officially released in its entirety until 1994.
History
A dispute between EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and Harper over funding and content prevented the planned release of this album (Harvest
Harvest Records
-References:* Harvest Records collectors guide ISBN 978-5-9622-0021-7...
(SHSP 4077)) though a few test pressings
White label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
do exist. Of the originally intended ten songs, seven were eventually released on the 1988 Awareness Records
Awareness Records
Awareness Records was a record label founded in the mid 1980s by its owner, Andy Ware. The label was based in England and had Roy Harper and Michael Nesmith among its artists. It has now gone out of business.-Artists:* Michael Nesmith* Roy Harper...
release Loony on the Bus
Loony on the Bus
-History:The album is mostly a collection of tracks originally intended for release in 1977 under the title Commercial Breaks. The original 1977 release was held back because of disputes between Harper and EMI over funding and content and resultantly, it was not until the release of Loony on the...
(AWCD1011).
The current Science Friction
Science Friction
Science Friction is an English record label established by English singer-songwriter Roy Harper in 1993 in order to release his back catalogue of recorded music. Generally, all CD releases are prefixed by the coding "HUCD0..."-Albums by catalogue number:...
release (HUCD016), contains the original track listing plus two bonus tracks, (both previously released on Loony on the Bus) i.e. "Burn The World (Part 1)" and "Playing Prisons". Three of the albums songs ("I'm In Love With You", "Ten Years Ago" and "The Flycatcher") were re-recorded for Harper's 1980 release, The Unknown Soldier
The Unknown Soldier (album)
The Unknown Soldier is the tenth studio album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released in 1980 by Harvest Records and was his last release on the label.-History:...
.
The album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
features logos, products and advertising, primarily from television commercials of the era. Most visible are the Smash Martian
Smash Martians
The Smash Martians were the stars of a series of 1970's and early 1980's TV advertising campaigns for Smash instant mashed potato in the UK. They were a family of Martian robots who would watch humans laboriously preparing mashed potato the traditional way on TV...
, Honey Monster
Sugar Puffs
Sugar Puffs are a honey-flavoured breakfast cereal made from sugar-coated wheat sold in the United Kingdom. For many years it was made by the Quaker Oats Company but in 2006 it was sold to Big Bear t/a Honey Monster Foods, based in Leicester...
, Michelin Man and a large pack of Wrigleys gum
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
The William Wrigley Jr. Company is a company headquartered in the Wrigley Building in Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded on April 1, 1891, originally selling products such as soap and baking powder. In 1892, William Wrigley, Jr., the company's founder, began packaging...
.
Side One
- "My Little Girl" – 2:36
- "I'm In Love With You" – 4:07
- "Ten Years Ago" – 3:19
- "Sail Away" – 4:49
- "I Wanna Be Part of the News" – 3:32
Side Two
- "Cora" – 3:26
- "Come Up and See Me" – 4:21
- "The Flycatcher" – 3:55
- "Too Many Movies" – 4:14
- "Square Boxes" – 4:04
1994 CD release
- "My Little Girl" – 2:36
- "I'm In Love With You" – 4:07
- "Ten Years Ago" – 3:19
- "Sail Away" – 4:49
- "I Wanna Be Part of the News" – 3:32
- "Cora" – 3:26
- "Come Up and See Me" – 4:21
- "The Flycatcher" – 3:55
- "Too Many Movies" – 4:14
- "Square Boxes" – 4:04
- "Burn The World" (Part 1) – 5:06 (from Loony on the BusLoony on the Bus-History:The album is mostly a collection of tracks originally intended for release in 1977 under the title Commercial Breaks. The original 1977 release was held back because of disputes between Harper and EMI over funding and content and resultantly, it was not until the release of Loony on the...
) - "Playing Prisons" – 4:22 (from Loony on the BusLoony on the Bus-History:The album is mostly a collection of tracks originally intended for release in 1977 under the title Commercial Breaks. The original 1977 release was held back because of disputes between Harper and EMI over funding and content and resultantly, it was not until the release of Loony on the...
)
Personnel
- Roy HarperRoy HarperRoy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals - John LeckieJohn LeckieJohn Leckie is a British music producer, notable for producing many high-profile albums such as The Stone Roses's debut and Radiohead's The Bends...
– sound engineer - Dave Cochrane
- John HalseyJohn Halsey (musician)John Halsey is a rock drummer, best known for his appearance as "Barry" in The Rutles, leading to his playing with Neil Innes's band Fatso and appearing in the film All You Need is Cash ....
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - David Lawson – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Henry McCulloughHenry McCulloughHenry McCullough Henry McCullough Henry McCullough (born Henry Campbell Liken McCullough, 21 July 1943, Portstewart, Northern Ireland is an Irish guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who has played guitar in such bands as Sweeney's Men, Spooky Tooth, Paul McCartney & Wings, and The Grease Band. He...
- Andy RobertsAndy Roberts (musician)Andrew "Andy" Roberts is an English musician.He gained a violin scholarship to Felsted School. He then attended Liverpool University. He has played with The Liverpool Scene, Plainsong, The Scaffold, Roy Harper, Chris Spedding, Pink Floyd, Hank Wangford, Kevin Ayers, Vivian Stanshall and Grimms...