The subversive beauty of the Virgin Prunes captured the imagination of generations following the band’s decade of extraordinary creative activity, which ran from 1977 to 1986. The Virgin Prunes formed in Dublin, emerging from the closely knit ‘Lypton Village’ scene, from which U2 also emerged. The scene included Gavin Friday and fellow Virgin Prunes Guggi, Dave-id Busaras Scott (vocals), Strongman (bass), Dik Evans (guitar), Mary D’Nellon (drums), all sharing a vehemently anti-patriarchal, anti-establishment spirit with their different religious backgrounds strengthening their mutual interests. …If I Die, I Die was recorded at the Windmill Studios in Dublin in the summer of 1982. Featuring one of the band’s best known songs, ‘Baby Turns Blue’, it was produced by Wire’s Colin Newman and continues earlier records’ examinations of purity and beauty. Rather than adopt an A/B format, the sides of the 1982 vinyl and album cover, designed by Steve Averill, were given brown and blue colours, signalling earth and sky respectively. This 40th Anniversary edition features the original album, fully remastered, plus rarities and remixes including unheard rough mixes of tracks such as ‘Ballad of the Man’, ‘Bau-Dachong’ and ‘Theme For Thought’. It also includes a remix of ‘Baby Turns Blue’ by Colin Newman, originally available as promo only, as well as early versions of ‘The King of Junk’ and ‘Pagan Lovesong’. |