☀ This is the Sea ☀


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  2. Welcome to the This is the Sea Page. This Page contains interviews with band members, and a round-up of various Vinyl/CD pressings, tapes, memorabilia and also other pieces relating to the This is the Sea album.

    This is the Sea was released in the UK and Europe on September 16th 1985 to critical acclaim. The iconic album artwork photos were taken by Lynn Goldsmith.

    This album was a slow burner but sold well and made its way into many a twenty-something's record collection.

    Thank you to Mike Scott, Anto Thistlethwaite, Steve Wickham, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Dominic Lake, Sharon Shannon, David Lappin, Jack Vervoort, Dag Reinert Johansen, Andy Pritchatt, Harry Schets, Allan Smith, Flattop, Javi Morant, Stephen Charlton, Seán Miller, Linda Ten Hove and Ferry for contributing items to this web page.


    * If you happen to have a piece of 'This is the Sea' memorabilia that is not included here, please send a photo on and it shall be added. *




    ☄ This is the Sea ☄



    This extensive Page is split into several sections for quick and easy access.

    **Click on the heading title below to go to that section** .....


    Album Origins

    A brief overview on the album's creation.

    Anto

    An interview with Anto Thistlethwaite.

    Steve

    An interview with Steve Wickham.

    Liam

    A personal retrospective by Liam Ó Maonlaí.

    Acetate - Vinyl Albums

    Here you will find acetates, test pressings, promo LP's and worldwide releases.

    Related Vinyl

    The Secret Life 2LP, The Live Adventures 3LP, This is the Sea 10-Inch.

    CD Albums and More

    Worldwide releases, promos and related releases.

    7-Inch Singles

    A varied selection of worldwide releases, promos and test pressings.

    The Whole Of The Moon

    Medicine Bow

    Don't Bang The Drum



    12-Inch Singles

    A varied selection of worldwide releases, test pressings and promos.

    Acetates and Rarities

    A selection of rare acetates, rare pressings and promos.

    Cassettes

    A selection of worldwide releases and promos.


    VHS and DVD: This Is The Sea Movie 1997

    Various releases of the This Is The Sea film starring Samantha Morten, the late Richard Harris and Gabriel Byrne which features a soundtrack with several songs by Mike & The Waterboys..




    This is the Sea - Origins

    Most of the songs for This is the Sea were written by Mike towards the end of 1984 with the exception of three songs. The first of these, Trumpets, received its live debut at the Escape Club in Brighton on April 10th 1984 while Old England was first performed in Goldsmith College in London on October 29th 1984. Lastly, the title track This is the Sea was given its first public airing on the US/Canadian Tour at Worcester Centrum in Massachusetts on December 2nd 1984. The main recording sessions for the album took place at Park Gates Studio in Hastings throughout the spring and early summer of 1985 with other sessions taking place at Karl's home studio, Livingston Studios in London, Amazon in Liverpool and at a number of other studios.

    The finished album, containing nine songs, was released on September 16th 1985 nationwide.




    ☄ The Songs ☄

    Mike writes: 'The songs were written, as far as I can remember, in these periods:'

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    1. Don't Bang The Drum :- Autumn 1984 - February 1985.
    2. The Whole Of The Moon :- January - May 1985.


    3. Spirit :- February 1985.

    4. The Pan Within :- January - March 1985.

    5. Medicine Bow :- October 1984.

    6. Old England :- September 1984.
    7. Be My Enemy :- January - February 1985.


    8. Trumpets :- March 1984.

    9. This Is The Sea :- November 1984 - May 1985.





    Thank you Mike.





    ☄ 'Book of Spells' - This is The Sea - Black Book Contents Page ☄

    The Black Book contents page listing the song titles Mike wrote for the This is The Sea recording sessions.

    Thank you Mike.

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  5. Anto - This Is The Sea Memories and Much More

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  7. It was such a pleasure to meet up with Anto on two occasions, initially to chat about This is the Sea but the warm conversations soon covered a lot more ground...The Early Years, Nikki Sudden, meeting Mike, meeting and playing with Bob Dylan, Bobby Keys and so much more!

    J: So Anto, can you tell me a little about those early years in London?

    Anto: 'Sure. You see James back then I played with a lot of people during those first years in London. I just played with everybody that I possibly could, because you didn't know what was going to happen or if anyone was going to make it. Nikki Sudden used to sometimes write for one of the music papers and I think Mike first met him through that. Anyway, Nikki was around at Mike's place and played him his new record which was Waiting On Egypt and when Mike heard the sax on one of the tracks in particular, called Johnny Smiled Slowly he asked Nikki 'Oh where did you get that guy from?' So Nikki gave him my phone number and Mike rang me the next day and asked me to come down and meet him. So that was a good link up'.

    'When I met Mike and played with him, I thought he was fantastic but he wasn't a known musician at that time. There are seven days in a week, so if I wasn't playing with Mike I would be playing with other people too. I was playing with lots of people on a daily basis. One thing would lead to another, like when I played with Nikki and met Mike. Or when the Jam broke up and Bruce Foxton was making a record and I got a call about that and I ended up on Top of The Pops with him'.

    'But then with The Waterboys there wasn't time for everything else and I was very happy to focus all my energy into the band. It was obvious on day one when I met Mike and I prioritised playing with him because he was so talented and he had such a powerful energy about him'.

    'I remember the first time we met up, remember I told you that he rang me up? Well, when I met him he said: Can you come to a rehearsal studio next week and we'll play? So I went down to this place and he had a drummer and a bass player but as soon as he plugged in his guitar and started singing it was incredible. He was only twenty three or something but he had this fucking energy! You could see it and I just thought: Wow! And it just seemed that the sax fitted in between when he wasn't singing. It just joined together seamlessly and I remember thinking; Something is happening here'.

    'So even though I was still doing other things, it seemed important to me not to hang around and waste time you know? I felt like, I want to make every day count. Like I said, you just didn't know if anyone was going to get anywhere or whatever and I just wanted to put myself, all of my energy into playing music'.

    J: So you were like a jobbing musician?

    Anto: 'Oh yeah that's it exactly. There was this place called the Golden Lion in Fulham where they had live music every night and I remember on one week, I was there playing with each of the different bands on five nights out of seven! (Laughs) Because I'd managed to wangle playing with them guys. And I gave it my best. I was completely and totally motivated, almost like, psychotically motivated in fact'.

    'Sometime around then, I got a call from someone who said: Oh do you remember Mungo Jerry? Well Ray Dorset wants to record some songs and he needs a saxophone player. So I went off to the countryside where Ray lived and Roddy came along as well and we did some sessions for him. So you see what I mean? It was such a varied adventure I was having and I made every second count. It seemed important to me and there was no going back!' (Laughs)

    'I wasn't going to not play with someone, if I got offered an invitation I went! The Vibrators were still going around that time and Knox was the singer. Well they asked me and I played on about three of their albums. I'd go up to a little studio somewhere in north London and play and they'd give me a fiver or something for doing the album. (Laughs) But it was the principle of it: Hey there's a record that's got to be made today and I'm going to fucking go and play on it!'

    J: So you kept an ear to the ground and kept yourself very busy?

    Anto: 'Yes. The Waterboys didn't go on tour until 1984 you see James, even though we started recording stuff in 1982. A Girl Called Johnny was recorded in April or May 1982 and in November we did a lot of stuff that ended up being on A Pagan Place. Then in 1983 Johnny came out in February I think and it got a lot of airplay in England on the BBC radio. I don't think they [Ensign] were expecting that to happen because it wasn't readily available in the shops and so it didn't really do anything in the charts. But we kept hearing it walking around, you know: Bloody hell! It's on the radio again! So that was a bit of a shame really but I can understand how it happened'.

    'We did the Old Grey Whistle Test too and that was a good bit of publicity. We went out to Rockfield and Monmouth and recorded a lot of stuff there which also ended up on A Pagan Place like Church Not Made With Hands, which we recorded twice actually, the first in November 1982 and the second time in 1983, and The Big Music'.

    J: The Big Music with the big voice of Eddi Reader....

    Anto: 'Yes. Eddi Reader did the original backing vocal on the Big Music. She's amazing; with an incredible voice, she can lift the roof off of the place. When she gets going and really let's go it can be frightening! I met her when I was playing with Robin Hitchcock in 1981, that's 40 years ago now. She was in London doing sessions. I had seen her around and I thought she was great'.

    'Then in late 1983 we did a little promotional trip to Europe because A Girl Called Johnny was being played a lot on the radio over in France. We did a TV show in Paris and another one in Baden-Baden in Germany'.

    'But as I said there wasn't actually a Waterboys gig until early 1984 and that first gig was in the Batschkapp Club in Frankfurt and we did another one in Munich, Eddi Reader was with us in the band for those German gigs too'.

    'After that we ended up going out on tour with The Pretenders and we went all over the place in Europe. We were on a low budget in a transit van and all of our gear was in their truck. I mean they weren't on a huge budget either. We used to see them play pretty much every night after we played. That was also the first time I went to Galway actually, on the tour in June 1984, not realising at the time that it would become a future home'.

    'Then we went to America in the autumn with U2, opening up for them and on days off from the schedule we played our own gigs. We played in Manhatten in the Irving Plaza, where I've been many times since, the Hollywood Palace in L.A and the El Mocambo in Toronto. So, we were busy!' (Laughs)

    J: That sounds like it was a hectic and eventful year alright! You met up and played with Bob Dylan in 1985. How did that come about?

    Anto: 'Well I've actually met Bob Dylan a few times. But about that first time, I had a friend who worked for Geffen Records and she had a friend called Carol who Bob Dylan was going out with at the time and who worked for Geffen as well. So he was over in London and he was renting a house in the back of Notting Hill somewhere. So my friend would go to meet her friend who was Carol and I believe that while she was there she played Bob some Waterboys songs and said: Oh this is a great band you've got to hear them. So he heard the songs and liked them. While he was in London he was also doing some recording with Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics producing. The Eurythmics had a studio in Crouch End called the Church which was in an old church. (Smiles) I'd been there previously doing some stuff that I had been doing and I knew the studio quite well'.

    'We got a message one day to come down to the studio and Steve happened to be with us in London at the time. So Mike, Steve and I went down to the studio in the church and when we got inside Dave Stewart greeted us. Dave had set up everything in the main part of the church. Dave Stewart was playing guitar, Ian McKenzie, who was a session guy from that period was playing bass, Clem Burke from Blondie was on drums and Benmont Tench from The Heartbreakers was playing keyboards. And obviously, Bob was there too with a Stratocaster in his hand and we said hello to him'.

    'Dave said to us: You can play as well. So they fixed up a microphone or a direct input from Steve's fiddle, I had a microphone and I think Mike was playing keyboards and we played along. Dave was kind of hoping that he would be co-writing some songs with Bob so he would have some chord sequences and we would record that for a bit and he was hoping that Bob would put some vocals on afterwards. They weren't finished songs that we were playing; they were essentially jams on chord sequences. Then Dave would say: we are going to change to something else and he would go over and Bob would whisper something into Dave's ear. Bob didn't really address the room as such, he just spoke to Dave. So Dave was his intermediary. We carried on and did a few different things like that. Dave was saying: I've got a sampler so don't worry about what you play and where, I can just sample it and moved to wherever I want it later on. Remember, this was 1985 so this was cutting edge technology. But we did a few tracks like that with everybody playing at once doing the chord sequence and maybe a bridge structure'.

    'Then Bob said to Mike: It's your turn now, what have you got? I don't know if Mike was expecting to be asked but he had a new song he was working on called Say You Will and it was still a work in progress. So we did that with everyone playing along but it didn't really take off. Probably, in hindsight, it wasn't the best thing we could have done. But the whole session was quite pleasant but I've never heard anything that we did that day since. I know that some tracks from those sessions were released on an album called Knocked Out Loaded but nothing from the time that we were there'.

    'On another occasion Bob was staying in London for several months making a film called Hearts of Fire and this time my friend called me and said: Hey! Bob wants me to take his children to the cinema to catch a film that they wanted to see, so I called around to her and we went around to Bob's place and collected the children who I guess were in their early teens at that time and we went to see that film about Sid and Nancy in Notting Hill Gate. While we were there at the house Bob was in the kitchen having just returned from a read through of the script and he was saying how everybody was sitting around studying the script like it was the bible or something and it's not really that great'.

    'Then another time much later, we got invited around for a drink so Mike, me and my friend went around, but it was a different house this time, it may have been Jimmy Page's house. We sat around on the sofas, drank some wine and chatted basically. I remember Bob telling us that the Vikings had sailed up the Mississippi river back in the 9th or 10th century. Whether he was just telling us a story or being serious I'm not sure'. (Laughs)

    'At some point he said: I'd like to hear what you guys are doing in the studio. We had just done a version of Too Close To Heaven and Mike had a cassette. This was not the version that came out but an earlier one and it had a good saxophone solo in the middle of it which was pretty neat. (Smiles) But I remember when we were leaving later on that night; we were saying goodbye to Bob at the front door and he says: Thanks for playing me the song, then he looked at me and said to Mike: 'Jeez, I love the great wide sound of that saxophone'. So that was a pretty exciting moment for me to have him say that, because he has played with a lot of people and he didn't have to say it'.

    'I went around a couple of other times too, not with Mike. One day I ended up on my own with him and fortunately we had plenty of things to talk about: Bob Johnson, who we were planning to work with and who had also produced Blonde On Blonde and I had done some things with Mick Taylor and he had been playing with Bob for a couple of years previously'.

    'Lastly, I was on tour with the Saw Doctors actually, in 1993 and we were playing in Paris. I went out with the guys for a drink and because I had lived in Paris I took them out to the Latin Quarter and there used to be a café there where the buskers went and Davey Carton says: Crikey! There's Bob Dylan! It was a quiet night and there weren't many people about and we looked into one of the cafés on Place Saint-Michel and sure enough, he was sitting there in the café with a lady having a drink. Well, we went inside and went up to the bar and got drinks and I was thinking: Oh what should I do? You know it would be nice to say hello to him but then I thought: well we are a gang of six Irish men having drinks in Paris. But anyway, I went over and said : Hi Bob, I don't know if you remember me but I played some sax with you in London. We are an Irish band and we are playing just around the corner so if you want to come and join us you would be most welcome. But I left it at that, I thought he probably doesn't want to and he didn't (Laughs). You just never know really, because he did like the Clancys and all that and I thought he might like the Irish connection but he didn't show up. But I don't blame him (Laughs) he was probably doing just fine where he was'.


    J: Fantastic memories to have though! So then in 1985 you began the recording sessions for what became This Is The Sea?


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  9. Anto: 'Yes well initially we went to a studio called Park Gates in Battle, near Hastings and we did Beverly Penn there and I think Medicine Bow as well. And Then You Hold Me was done there too'.

    'We also did a few things in Karl's flat which was called Seaview which was very close to where Sherlock Holmes lived on Baker St. (Smiles) The recordings were done in several different places and on different occasions, kind of piecemeal really. Like one day we would be recording in one studio then a few days later I'd be doing sax overdubs somewhere else'.

    'Old England was recorded in a studio south of the river called Townhouse Three and Pete Thomas from The Attractions played drums on that. I did the sax on Old England there as well. This Is The Sea was done in the Townhouse too, I remember doing the horns with Roddy. This was all in the early period, in the first months of 1985 really'.



    J: Did you record any song in one complete take?


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  11. Anto: 'Mike and Karl and I went into another studio [Good Earth] in the West End and we did Trumpets there. Mike was playing piano and I played sax. If I remember right, there just happened to be a Celesta in the room, which is a funny thing that sounds a bit like bells, sort of a medieval keyboard instrument. So Karl played that and we recorded Trumpets just live. What we played is pretty much what you hear on the record'. [Mike did add some piano overdubs later].

    'Whereas with something like This Is The Sea, Roddy and I spent quite a long time overdubbing the horns on that'.

    J: Do you have a favourite contribution to any particular song at the recording sessions?

    Anto: 'I did the sax on Don't Bang The Drum in Livingston and it was great working with Roddy on that. He did his beautiful intro and then the sax comes in after the first verse and it was so great doing that. It's really always what I wanted to do, you know, when playing the saxophone, to minimise the number of notes. I don't really like jazz sax playing, I mean it's great, a lot of it is great but it's not what attracted me to the saxophone in the first place. What attracted me to the saxophone was the excitement of the sound and the emotion that can come from that sound. So Roddy does his beautiful intro and then Mike sings the first verse and then I just play one note but it's just the right note and it sounds fantastic, just because it's one note! (Laughs). That's what I wanted to do when I first got a saxophone. (Laughs) It was to just do that and playing that one note kind of encapsulated everything I was hoping to achieve! (Laughs) Just that one note, I mean I know I play later on in the song which is fine in itself but that note is just right and I'm very proud of it. That's my entry point on the album'.


    J: Can you tell me a little bit about your saxophone?


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  13. Anto: 'Well, I bought it new in 1979, brand new. It's a Selmer Mark VII and I've had it ever since so that's forty two years now. It was very shiny when I got it but now, it is not so shiny anymore!'

    J: It has a beautiful patina, kind of like ormolu decoration.

    Anto: 'Yeah it has oxidised over the years with sweat and saliva. It sort of feels like it's moulded itself to my hands or my hands have moulded itself to it, I can't really tell, but occasionally I've tried to play someone else's saxophone and it just doesn't feel right at all. So I'm really glad that I've still got it. It is here with me today and it's pretty amazing really that I didn't lose it or leave it in a bar or have it stolen somewhere along the way'.

    J: There is some history in that saxophone...

    Anto: 'Yes there is and it's been thousands and thousands of miles and it has survived. It has had to be overhauled every now and then. At one stage, about ten years ago now, I had it completely taken to pieces and there were some small dents in the bottom of it, which I believe happened during the time of The Waterboys, but the man managed to get the dings out and that was a big operation. The whole job cost eight hundred quid and it had new pads and everything and it's nice to know it doesn't have a big dent on the bottom anyway. (Smiles) It might be a bit more in tune now'. (Laughs)

    J: How do you go about tuning a saxophone?

    Anto: 'Oh you just move the mouthpiece along a bit. The piece that goes in your mouth sits on the end of a tube and there is a cork there which is slightly flexible and you can push it in and out to fine tune the saxophone'.


    J: Is there a saxophone player that you admire most?

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  15. Anto: 'Oh yes. Bobby Keys. He was the very best. Nobody else came close! You know, Bobby was the player who inspired me to get a saxophone. I first saw Bobby playing with the Stones in 1973 and they were great. But Bobby was astonishing! The photo of Bobby and myself is from a session in Dublin in 1991 and it was taken by BP Fallon. I feel very fortunate to have played saxophone with him and to spend some time with him too. Bobby was a really warm and friendly person and such an incredible saxophone player.'



    J: Going back to the 'Sea' sessions was there any song that required a lot of work to get it fully formed and complete?

    Anto: 'Well, The Whole Of The Moon, that was a major labour of love for Mike putting that together. You see, initially it wasn't recorded using live drums. So originally I think Mike recorded the piano and vocal with a drum machine or rhythm box. And then everything was added, kind of like a jigsaw. Karl had the synth part 'Don do non' and Karl played the bass synth on that as well and then Roddy had that whole instrumental section in the middle and he embellished it with four or five trumpets which is really beautiful. Then I put on the saxophone solo at the end after the comet comes which is some sort of a climax to the whole thing. But I think Chris Whitten put the drums on there after everything else had been done. So the recording was like a collage rather than something which happened organically. But of course it's great and a beautiful result. But it was a lot of work, all those overdubs and getting everything to sit right'.

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    Mike, Nikki Sudden and Max Edie - London May 1982:

    A rare photo, taken by Anto, of Mike with Nikki Sudden and Max Edie in London in May 1982.

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  17. [I asked Mike about this photo and he told me]: 'The photo is May 1982 outside the Ad Lib Club, based in The Kensington, a pub on Russell Gardens near Kensington High Street. It is a very interesting photo because it shows a very rare character indeed. The chap on the left with the shades and red hair is my then-manager Danny Morgan, of whom there are few photos. He was a real character, an old-school almost Dickensian figure with a limp, a former employee of Simon Napier-Bell. Nigel Grainge at Ensign suggested him as manager of Another Pretty Face / Funhouse when we signed to Ensign. His main contribution to Waterboys music was taking me to the music shop, somewhere in south London, where I saw and bought the Danelectro Bellzouki that featured on so many early records'.

    'My band The Red And The Black played there on May 26th and Danny's presence probably indicates this was the afternoon of my show. We may have been waiting to get in for the soundcheck. That Ad Lib show on May 26th was when I played violin on Red Army Blues - the final solo (the one that is wild guitar on the record). It was also the last show with Steve Fraser (the "other Steve") on bass, before he moved back to Scotland, and Martin Saunders on drums. They were replaced by Anto's mates Kev Wilkinson and Matthew Seligman'.

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    J: Anto, that is such an amazing backing vocal by Max Edie on The Whole Of The Moon...

    Anto: 'Yes, Max Edie was a friend of mine who did a bit of singing and stuff and I met Nikki Sudden through her and I ended up playing on Nikki's records'.

    'But Max Edie lived on the Kings Road and she was a lovely lady, she sang on some of Nikki's things doing backing vocals and stuff. She had a beautiful voice actually. In fact she and I did the backing vocals on a song called Cathy. It's on Nikki's Bible Belt album and our voices went together really nicely on that. So when Mike was recording The Whole Of The Moon he got her to come in and she sings, on the third verse I think it is, she sort of sings like a little girl; 'La La La La La'. So that was nice that she was involved too'.

    'Once I'd played on Nikki's Waiting On Egypt record, Kevin Wilkinson and I became mates along with Matthew Seligman as well who came and played on some of the sessions at Park Gate but I'm not sure that Matthew actually ended up on the record. He did come down there though and I do remember him playing on a version of Be My Enemy with him playing bass'.

    'Then with Mike, the four of us did some gigs around London in 1982 and we were called The Red And the Black. So that was Kevin Wilkinson on the drums who ended up playing on a lot of things and he's on this record too, on Be My Enemy. He was a great drummer actually. He was a great guy and a great musician'.

    'When I was recording with Nikki Sudden I would sometimes play bass in the studio if there was no one there who played bass, which was quite a lot of the time. (Laughs) So that's how I ended up playing bass on the Big Music with Kevin on drums again. But Nikki somehow persuaded Kevin and I to go to Leamington Spa where he always did his recording in a studio there and that's where his family lived actually. So it was Kevin on drums and me on the bass. Most of what became the Bible Belt had Kevin and I doing a rhythm section, and then of course I put Mandolins on, I played sax and stuff'.

    'Nikki also managed to get Mike to go along as well on a separate occasion and he did a vocal on that song which I mentioned earlier called Cathy and it's is a really nice song too. He eventually released this song with his vocal on the expanded A Pagan Place album. So in a way that Bible Belt album is very closely associated with The Waterboys of that period (Laughs) because Nikki had somehow managed to get us all to come along and play on it and that's a nice thing. Max Edie was also on that record'.

    J: You recorded a live video for The Whole Of The Moon...

    Anto: 'That's right. We did it in a lovely old theatre called the Lyceum in the West End. Mike did a live vocal on the video because he didn't want to be miming lyrics. It was a very brave thing to do and he did a great job of it. They managed to edit all of the different shots together. Of course by then Steve was playing with us and because we were making the video he went into the studio and overdubbed some little bits of violin onto the song so that gave him something to play in the video'.

    J: The violin really adds to the fabric of the song...

    Anto: 'Yes it does! On All The Things She Gave Me there was a guy called Tim Blanthorn playing violin so there had been a bit of violin on Waterboys recordings before so it was a kind of natural progression for it to be there again'.

    'There had also been mandolin on earlier Waterboys recordings. You know, I played Mandolin on Red Army Blues and Somebody Might Wave Back so when that kind of came to the fore, much later on, when we were working on Fisherman's Blues, it had been there all the time, it just came out a bit more'.

    J: Do you remember the first time you met Steve?

    Anto: 'Well he came over with Sinead who was recording some demos for Ensign. The guys from Ensign had come to Dublin fishing around for new people. So they got Sinead to come over and Steve came with her to work on the demos. Because Karl had a recording setup in his apartment near Baker St she did the demos at his place and Steve was there also'.


    Karl, Steve and Mike on Tour in 1985:

    A rare photo, taken by Anto, of Karl, Steve and Mike together somewhere on the road in 1985.

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  19. J: You kicked off the This Is the Sea tour in early October 1985. Is there any show that stands out in your memory?

    Anto: 'There was the gig we played at the Town & Country Club in Kentish Town. I remember being on stage at the sound check and I had Roddy next to me, Steve on the other side of me and Karl was across the stage and Mike in the middle and I thought: God! This is some fucking band! (Laughs hard) Sinead came on and sang with us at that gig in the Town & Country Club too. She sang a backing vocal on The Big Music. It was a hell of a line up and quite a combination of people playing together'.

    J: Wow! I wish I had been there!

    Anto: 'I can still picture the stage and doing that sound check and everything. Marco Sin was on the bass and Chris Whitten may have been playing the drums, he went on to play with Dire Straits and Paul McCartney. I think he lives in Australia now'.

    'We didn't have Roddy with us after a certain point and Karl left at the end of the American tour because he had his own records to make. I don't know if there is any document of that tour because we didn't have all the gigs recorded unlike later on when we recorded most of the shows. It's a shame there is no multi-track recording of one of the gigs because it would be great to have, just for the combination of sounds and the different colours of the instruments'.

    J: Do you have any fond offstage tour memories?

    Anto: 'It was on that US tour when we were playing in San Francisco that we met the Greenpeace people and that was an adventure and a big moment. We went down to their offices and I made friends with some of them. We went out with them in a boat on the bay, and we did it again a couple of years later. But that was the start of something and it was certainly a pivotal moment. In early 1986 we played at a benefit for Greenpeace in the Royal Albert Hall. There were loads of bands on and we only played a short set but I'm glad that we did that'.

    J: Finally Anto, do you have any favourites among the album songs?

    Anto: 'Well apart from the original albums tracks I do like Beverly Penn a lot and Sleek White Schooner too, I really like that'.

    J: Thanks very much for the chat Anto, it was brilliant.

    Anto: 'You are very welcome James. It was a really great time for me and it was really great to be me in that time'.






    Steve - Tales From The Sea

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  21. It is always great to have a chat with Steve whenever I am fortunate enough to meet up with him. This time the subject of our conversation is the This is the Sea album and tour.

    J: So Steve, how did you get involved in the recording of the album?

    Steve: 'I played violin on Sinead O'Connor's first demo which she made for Ensign Records. The demos were recorded by Karl Wallinger at his home studio in London. Mike heard the demo either at Karl's or the Ensign office and liked the violin playing. I was still playing with In Tua Nua at the time. So I flew over to London. Then I went to Mike's flat in Ladbroke Grove and he played me some of the early mixes as he cooked us up some tomato soup. I remember being really impressed with Old England.'

    J: Sinead guested with the band in the Town & Club in London in October 1985, which I believe was her first time appearing on stage in the UK. How did that come about?

    Steve: 'Sinead and I are longtime pals. Sinead sang on the first In Tua Nua demos which we made in Eamonn Andrew's studios in 1982/3 and in fact she wrote a song for us called Take My Hand, which was our first or second single for Island records. Back then, Sinead lived close by me in Rathmines [Dublin] and her best friend was my flatmate. And as I said, she had signed to Ensign Records which was the recording home of The Waterboys in 1985. I think Mike had a lot of respect for Sinead's work and they had already met in London.'

    J: Going back to 1985, did you go to the Park Gates Studio in Hastings for the recording?

    Steve: 'I'm not sure where the studio was for the session, it might have been a place called RG Jones?' [It was RG Jones studio]

    J: Were the band at the studio too?

    Steve: 'Nope the band weren't there. It was just me and Mike. My fiddle was an overdub, the final touch to the song 'The Pan Within'.'

    J: Oh I didn't know that... You recorded a live video version of The Whole of the Moon, was that soon afterwards?

    Steve: 'I don't think so, it was later that year [November 1985]. The director was Meiert Avis, who'd also made In Tua Nua's first video the previous year. I went into a studio to record a fiddle line addition to The Whole of the Moon, That way I would have a genuine part to play on the video.'

    J: You played a lot of songs from the This is the Sea album on the autumn 1985 UK tour including a lot of the earlier songs from the first two Waterboys records, and also a pile of Bob Dylan songs plus a few Stones and Van covers, which I'm sure you knew from your busking days. Was there much rehearsal beforehand or did you 'wing' it to a certain extent and just go for it?

    Steve: 'There were an intense few days rehearsal in John Henry's rehearsal studios in North London. I was struck by how professional it was, everybody on time and ready to go, up a notch from my previous rehearsal experiences. There was a great crew.'

    J: And of course you had met all of the band members by then?

    Steve: 'Yes. They were all great musicians and all round nice blokes. Karl is a really funny guy and we hit it off, we shared a love of Flann O'Brien. Karl is a natural surrealist. Anto and I started a lifelong friendship, we both played mandolin and shared a similar history having busked in the same street in Paris a few years earlier, even though we had never met in France. Roddy the trumpeter is a great musician and also a very funny man too. By the time we made it to the first gig after the rehearsals we were all buddies.'

    J: You played your first gig with the band on October 2nd in Nottingham Rock City. Do you remember that show?

    Steve: 'Well yes as a matter of fact I do. The Waterboys were an exciting band to join. The sound we made was Big. Along with Mike's various guitars and great voice, Roddy Lorimer and Anto had a section going and I added to that. Karl's keyboards were expansive then add to that the driving Chris Whitten on Drums and also a New York punk rocker bassman Marco Sinn, we really powered along. The bouncers at Rock city at the time were all burly and scary looking (friendly) bikers and there was a real crush up front of the stage. I remember hoping that it wouldn't get out of control. It didn't and the first night was a great one.

    J: By the time the UK tour finished the album sales were looking good and it was very well received by critics and fans alike. The buzz must have been incredible?

    Steve: 'You know strangely that didn't effect me much. The buzz was already there for me playing in a rock band with a great singer and great songs. I remember Mike was dealing with the manager and the record company who were asking/demanding that he and us go back to the UK, we were on tour in the US at the time, to appear on Top Of The Pops where the single had charted. Of course it was a buzz that there were lots of people coming to the shows and it seemed natural to me that it would be successful as the music we were making was great.'

    J: Within a fortnight of the UK tour finishing you then did an extensive US tour with a gig up in Toronto too. Did the tour take you to new cities and places?

    Steve: 'It's a long time ago James! (Laughs) I was holding on as tight as I could to the magic carpet of my dreams as we zipped around the States. I'd been to the states a few years earlier on holidays, mostly on the east coast. This was different, I had a great reason to be there. I wasn't a tourist.'

    J: Is there any memorable gig on that tour that comes to mind?

    Steve: 'We had an amazing show in Berkeley, California [November 11th 1985], we were all in the zone, the audience and the band. Mike departed from the script and went into a freeform stream of consciousness, changing lines of lyrics and the band went with him, nobody dropped the ball and we went all the way to the highest high, at least that's how I recall it.'

    J: Wow! That sounds like a very special show indeed. And I'd say you have fond memories off stage too?

    Steve: 'Well Karl and myself were roomies for some of the tour and I remember one night in a motel, the pair of us waking up to the the sound of high-pitched scratching. And when I turned on the light the bedside table was crawling with cockroaches. Karl had the right idea and went out to sleep on the tour bus. I don't know how I managed to get to sleep.'

    'In San Diego a few of us slipped over the border into Mexico for an adventure on the day off. I remember drinking in a cantina in Tijuana and the Mexican telly station was playing a video by the Mama's Boys. Some mariachi musicians came in and played too. Anto and I had a bottle of Tequila with the worm bobbing about at the bottom. We also had a gig in LA where it was rumoured that Bob Dylan was due to show up. He never came.'

    J: Speaking of Bob, I saw you on stage with him in front of about 50,000 at Slane Castle in 1984. But in 1986 you did a stadium tour with Simple Minds in front of 40 or 50,000 at every show. What did you make of the huge stadium crowds?

    Steve: 'Were the Simple Minds crowds that big? It's mostly about the music James. How many people see the show is a kind of Guinness Book of Records thing. Among us, Ralph holds that one for his participation in the London Olympics opening ceremony... 900 million viewers!'

    J: Yeah I think so... I saw you in Croke Park in June '86 and it was jammed!
    So finally Steve, let's fast forward to today, the crowd goes absolutely mental when you play The Whole of the Moon at any show... It must be a real blast for you and the band on stage to feel that energy and reaction?

    Steve: 'Yes of course!... These days I like the way it sometimes morphs into a Sly and the Family Stone groove. Funky Aongus Ralston on bass! Mike sometimes sings 'Everyday People' on the outro.'

    J: Indeed... It is always a joy to hear it live. Well thank you Steve for the great chat and for sharing your memories on what can only be described as a truly fantastic album.

    Steve: 'Cheers James... See you down the road someplace.'






    ☄ Promo Display Flat and Decal Window Stickers ☄

    A 12 x 12-inch display flat and a set of window decal stickers for promotion in record shops.

  22. display_flat_and_window_stickers




























  23. Liam Ó Maonlaí - This is the Sea and Me

  24. Liam
  25. 'It was 1986.... I was 21 years old. I was in a band and had found a voice and a road in music. I was in love. I was also feeling disappointment in the business. I was feeling it deeply but music was moving through me and was brewing up what would be my life. We were about to tour Ireland for the first time. We were to open for John Martyn.

    Robbie, who was driving the van, put a tape in the player as we set out for Cork. The opening sequence of Don't Bang The Drum is like the heralding of a prophecy. Roddy Lorimer plays trumpet over a musical movement that evokes something akin to a heavenly flamenco. This has Duende!

    The following collection of songs touched me so deeply. It spoke for me to me. The lyrics and the pure glass-like quality of the vocal were that of a poet with the anger and energy of my time. My generation. An evolution from the earth shaking power of punk rock ten years earlier.

    There is a saying in Irish 'Ní neart go cuir le chéile' which translates into the power of collaboration. Working together. There are three people on the cover of this album. Mike Scott, Anthony Thistlethwaite and Karl Wallinger. Three powerful energies in the creating of a world of sound and soul. That is what makes a band. That is what makes 'This Is The Sea.' When one person channels something it is beautiful. When a group of people channel something it is beyond words and beyond beautiful.

    This Is The Sea moves me still today. The enormity of the sound. The darkness that defines a blinding light. The playfulness and simplicity. The power of the saxophone as a counterpoint to the passionate vocal. This record shook me to the core. It showed me love. It blew my mind.'

    Thank you Liam.







    This is the Sea - Acetate & Vinyl Albums




    ☄ The Sound Clinic Acetate ☄

    An extremely rare four-track acetate containing different versions of Don't Bang the Drum, The Whole of the Moon, The Pan Within and This is the Sea (slow) than the official releases. This is the only known pressing to have survived.

  26. sound_clinic_sea_acetate_1
  27. sound_clinic_sea_acetate_1





















  28. ☄ USA Test Press LP ☄

    A USA Test Pressing of This is the Sea with cover note.

  29. sea_us_test_cover
  30. sea_us_test_side_1






















  31. ☄ Album Review - 1985 ☄

    A stellar album review from 1985.

  32. sea_review




























  33. ☄ 'This Is The Sea' - LP ☄






    ☄ This is The Sea Lyrics - The Black Book ☄

    The extensive lyrics Mike wrote for This is The Sea from his Black Book collection of songs.

    Thank you Mike.

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  35. this_is_the_sea_lyrics_2






























  36. ☄ Shop Display 1985 ☄

    An unusual, and no doubt, very rare green shop display card, which measures 12-inch x 12-inch (30cm x 30cm) from 1985. Thank you Dom.

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  38. ☄ Irish Pressing ☄

    This is an Irish pressing of the album and it was maufactured in the Carlton Productions Record Plant in Dublin, notable by the Double Dip at the centre of the label and with the letters CP in the matrix run-out. Both of these identifying characteristics are exclusive to the Irish Record Plant. The wax used by the Carlton Productions Plant also has a slight brownish tint which takes on a golden brown translucent hue when the vinyl is held up to a light.

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  42. ☄ Brazil LP ☄

    This Is The Sea got a belated release in Brazil in 1987.

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  45. wbs_sea_brazil_side_1
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  47. ☄ France ☄

    Original French pressing of This is the Sea with black labels and cover signed by Mike in 1985.

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  49. ☄ Japan LP ☄

    A first press Japanese vinyl of This Is The Sea with Lyric sheet and OBI strip.

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  54. ☄ Signed Japan LP ☄

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  56. ☄Japan - White Label Promo LP ☄

    A white label promotional Japanese vinyl of This Is The Sea with Promo Tag, OBI strip, gatefold Lyric Sheet and two page Press Release.

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  59. jap_sea_lp_promo_3
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  61. ☄ New Zealand Pressing ☄

    Original New Zealand pressing of This is the Sea with distinctive labels.

  62. sea_nz_side_1
  63. sea_nz_side_2






















  64. ☄ UK Advance Listening LP ☄

    A scarce UK Advance Listening pressing for the This is the Sea album with the 'The Stars Are Alive' clearly visible in photo inset. Thank you Harry.

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  67. ☄ USA - DMM Promo LP with Bio and Photo ☄

    A promo gold-stamped Direct Metal Master (DMM) album with band bio and promo photo included. (Cover: see photo inset).

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  71. ☄ Signed Clear Vinyl Release 2024 ☄

    A signed Limited Edition clear vinyl This is the Sea with OBI strip 2024.

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  73. ☄ Original Tour Laminates 1985 - 1986 ☄

    A pair of Tour Laminates from 1985 and 1986.

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  75. ☄ Original Poster - The Poly, Leicester - 11th October 1985 ☄

  76. poster_leicester_11_oct_1985

  77. An original and rare poster for The Waterboys in The Poly, Leicester - 11th October 1985.

    Thank you Andy.



























    ☄ 1985 Gig Ticket and Badges ☄


    A 1985 concert ticket stubb from Toronto and a selection of original vintage badges.

  78. ticket_badges_1985























  79. ☄ Mike - On The Road 1986 ☄

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  81. ☄ Melody Maker Covers - 1985 and 1986 ☄

    Melody Maker magazine covers from October 5th 1985 and June 21st 1986 with interviews and extensive content within. Both photos taken by Tom Sheehan.

  82. melody_maker_covers




























  83. Related Vinyl





    ☄ BBC Transcription Disc - Glastonbury 1986 ☄

    A very scarce BBC Transcription disc from the Glastonbury Festival 1986 featuring one hour of the legendary performance by the band on the Pyramid stage. A reliable source (and ex BBC employee) says only twenty four of these vinyls were originally pressed for broadcast on BBC stations overseas, then the vinyls were either returned to BBC HQ or destroyed afterwards. The number of these special pressings that still survive today is not known.

  84. bbc_transcription_disc




















  85. bbc_transcription_side_1
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  87. ☄ The Secret Life of The Waterboys - 1994 ☄

    A scarce double vinyl 'Greece Only' release of the 'Secret Life' album in a gatefold sleeve. This album contains a number of different versions of a few songs songs from the 'This is the Sea' album on side one and two.

    Thank you Allan.

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  93. ☄ The Secret Life 2LP - Signed ☄

    The ONLY signed copy of the Greek double LP 'The Secret Life of the Waterboys' in the world! Mike, Anto or Steve had never seen or held a vinyl copy before.

  94. wbs_secret_life_2_lp_signed























  95. ☄ The Live Adventures of The Waterboys - Triple LP - 1998 ☄

    Only 2000 copies of this triple vinyl album were pressed worldwide. The content is culled from four 1986 shows, (Dublin, Glastonbury, Glasgow Barrowland and the PinkPop Festival in the Netherlands).

    The vinyl contains an extra song, a superb outing of Medicine Jack which is not on the double CD. This album is now long deleted and it commands a high price whenever it appears for sale but it is a good purchase, especially if you desire having that extra track.

    Thank you David.

  96. live_adventures_cover_display






















  97. live_adventures_reverse_display























  98. ☄ The Waterboys: The Live Adventures - Signed ☄

    The Live Adventures of The Waterboys triple vinyl album sleeve signed by Mike, Anto, Steve and Trevor.

  99. wbs_live_adventures_signed_lp_sleeve







































  100. ☄ This Is the Sea [Fast Version] 10-Inch ☄

    A Record Store Day issue of 1500 copies, This Is the Sea was released on November 24 2023 on 10-inch vinyl. It features the late Tom Verlaine on lead guitar. The b-side is a cover of the Iggy Pop classic The Passenger and is exclusive to this release. A vital purchase!

  101. wbs_sea_10_inch_1
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    wbs_sea_10_inch_3 wbs_sea_10_inch_4






















    ☄ Full Page Promotions - NME and Melody Maker 1985 ☄

    Full Page (A3-size) press promotion in the New Musical Express (NME) and the Melody Maker music magazines. Both magazine adverts are dated 21st September 1985.

  103. sea_press_promotion





























  104. CD Albums and More





    ☄ Original Release ☄

    An original CD of This Is The Sea.

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  106. ☄ Japan ☄

    A very scarce first press CD of This Is The Sea with lyric sheet and elusive OBI strip intact.

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  108. japan_sea_cd_reverse




















  109. jap_sea_3
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  111. ☄ USA Longbox Edition ☄

    The USA album was first released in a longbox, with artwork unique to this version. The longbox format was normal practice at that time. However, very few of these have survived intact, so if you happen upon one, do not hesitate. Still Sealed longbox album shown.

  112. wbs_this_is_the_sea_usa_longbox_cd




































  113. ☄ Chrysalis 25th Anniversary Special - 1994 ☄

    A reissue celebrating 25 years of Chrysalis records. The CD came housed in a blue case with a small cover photo.

  114. 25_sea_cd























  115. ☄ UK - 2-CD Remaster - 2004 ☄

    This fantastic double disc was released in 2004 and it contains a full disc of extra songs and early versions. It is an absolutely essential album for any Waterboys fan to have.

  116. sea_remaster_2cd_1
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  118. ☄ Japan - 2-CD - 2004 ☄

    Japanese release of the 2-CD remaster in 2004.

  119. sea_japan_2cd_2004_cover
  120. sea_japan_2cd_2004_reverse




















  121. ☄ Taiwan - 2-CD Import - 2004 ☄

    This is a Taiwan import CD of the double album for the domestic and Chinese market.

  122. taiwan_2cd_1
  123. taiwan_2cd_2




















  124. ☄ This is the Sea Remaster - Promo CD 1 ☄

    A promo CD of the first disc of the 2004 remaster.

  125. sea_promo_cd_1






















  126. ☄ This is the Sea Remaster - Promo CD 2 ☄

    A promo CD of the bonus disc of the 2004 remaster.

  127. sea_promo_cd_2























  128. ☄ UK - The Secret Life of The Waterboys 81 - 85 - 1994 ☄

    This gem of an album was released in 1994 and it contains outtakes, demos, radio sessions and some b-sides from the 1981-1985 period, including several early versions of songs from the 'Sea' recording sessions. It is an essential album for any Waterboys fan to have.

  129. secret_life_cd





















  130. ☄ UK - 'The Live Adventures' 2-CD - 1998 ☄

    This double live disc, culled from four 1986 shows, (Dublin, Glastonbury, Glasgow Barrowland and the PinkPop Festival in the Netherlands), and it was released in 1998. It contains a good cross-section of the many different setlists of the day. An absolutely essential purchase.

  131. live_adventures_cd_1
  132. live_adventures_cd_2





















  133. ☄ Saints and Angels - 2009 ☄

    This 2-track CD featuring Sharon Shannon with Mike, Anto and Steve was released in 2009. It features an edit and a remix of Saints and Angels and it was also produced by Mike Scott.

    Thank you Sharon.

  134. saints_cd






















  135. ☄ In A Special Place - 2011 ☄

    This album contain early Piano Demos of the This is the Sea songs. A vital acquisition!

  136. piano_cd_cover1
  137. piano_cd_reverse



















  138. ☄ In A Special Place - Promo CD ☄

    A promo CD of the Piano Demos album.

  139. piano_cd_promo























  140. ☄ In A Special Place - USA Promo CD ☄

    A USA promo Piano Demos CD with 'PROMOTIONAL - NOT FOR SALE' printed on disc.

  141. wbs_piano_demos_usa_promo_cd





















  142. ☄ Promo Postcards ☄


    A trio of original promotional postcards.

  143. sea_promo_postcards























  144. 7-Inch Singles and More





    The Whole of the Moon ☄





    ☄ The Whole Of The Moon Lyrics - The Black Book ☄

    The lyrics Mike wrote for The Whole Of The Moon from his Black Book collection of songs.

    Thank you Mike.

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  146. ☄ Sheet Music - The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    Gatefold sheet music for The Whole Of The Moon released in 1985.

  147. wbs_moon_sheet_music





























  148. ☄ Test Pressing 7-Inch Single ☄

    A test pressing of The Whole of the Moon 7-inch single. This 7-inch single is date stamped Dec 5 1985 and it is a rare item to find nowadays.

  149. wbs_moon_7_test_pressing_a
  150. wbs_med_jack_7_test_pressing_b






















  151. ☄ Australia 7-Inch Single ☄

  152. aus_moon_7_side_1
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  154. ☄ Canada 7-Inch Single ☄

    A Canadian issue of the The Whole of the Moon 7-inch single, uniquely b/w Trumpets.

  155. canada_moon_7_side_1
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  157. ☄ Irish 7-Inch Single ☄

    An Irish issue of the The Whole of the Moon 7-inch single. This 7-inch single was pressed in the Carlton Productions Record Plant in Dublin, notable by the Double Dip at centre of label and the gripper teeth surrounding the label rim. Both of these identifying characteristics are exclusive to the Irish Record Plant.

  158. wbs_irish_moon_7_a
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  160. ☄ UK - DJ Promo 7-Inch Single and Press Release ☄

    A UK DJ promo of 'The Whole of the Moon' (full length) b/w 'The Whole of the Moon' (radio edit) with press release.

  161. promo_7_moon_dj



































  162. ☄ Germany - 7-Inch - Stars Sleeve ☄

    A German issue of The Whole Of The Moon in a stars sleeve.

  163. moon_7_germ_cover
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  165. moon_7_germ_side_1
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  167. ☄ Germany - 7-Inch - Hands Raised Sleeve ☄

    A German issue of The Whole Of The Moon in a 'Hands Raised' sleeve with album art on reverse.

  168. wbs_moon_german_7_cover
  169. wbs_moon_german_7_back_sleeve






















  170. ☄ Portugal - 7-Inch ☄

    A Portuguese issue of The Whole Of The Moon b/w Medicine Bow with large logo and titles on sleeve.

  171. moon_7_port_cover
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  175. ☄ New Zealand 7-Inch Single ☄

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  177. wbs_moon_nz_1






















  178. ☄ South African 7-Inch Single ☄

    A South African 7-inch single of 'The Whole of the Moon' b/w 'Medicine Jack'.

  179. sa_moon_7_side_1
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  181. ☄ Spain - 7-Inch Promo Single ☄

    A Spanish promo white label of The Whole Of The Moon in a full colour satin finish sleeve.

  182. moon_spain_pr_cover
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  186. ☄ Spain 7-Inch Single ☄

  187. wbs_moon_spain_7_inch_a
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  189. ☄ Zimbabwe 7-Inch Single ☄

    An extremely rare Zimbabwe issue of the The Whole of the Moon 7-inch single, b/w Medicine Jack. This single came from local Zimbabwe 'Steam' radio station. Thank you Andy.

  190. zim_moon_7_side_1
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  192. ☄ Zimbabwe - The Whole of the Moon - 7-Inch ☄

    A very rare Zimbabwe issue of the The Whole of the Moon 7-inch single, b/w Medicine Jack in a record company sleeve.

  193. zimbabwe_moon_7_side_1a
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  195. ☄ USA - Jukebox Only Single ☄

    A Jukebox Only version of the The Whole of the Moon 7-inch single, b/w Medicine Bow.

  196. us_moon_juebox_7_side_1a
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  198. ☄ Jamming! Fanzine Cover - July 1985 ☄

    Mike graces the cover of the superbly produced fanzine Jamming! on the July 1985 issue.

    Thank you Chris.

  199. jamming_fanzine_cover_1985























































  200. Medicine Bow ☄





    ☄ Medicine Bow Lyrics - The Black Book ☄

    The lyrics Mike wrote for Medicine Bow from his Black Book collection of songs.

    Thank you Mike.

  201. medicine_bow_lyrics




















































  202. ☄ Press Promotion -Medicine Bow Lyric ☄


  203. med_bow_lyric_press_promotion

  204. An original A2 sized Press Promotion for the forthcoming album release and tour, with Medicine Bow lyric.


























    ☄ Medicine Bow / Don't Bang The Drum 7 inch Test Pressing ☄

    Two one-sided test pressings for the planned follow-up single to The Whole Of The Moon.

    Thank you Dag.

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  206. ☄ Australia 7-Inch Single ☄

    An Australian issue of the Medicine Bow 7-inch single, b/w a live version.

  207. aus_med_bow_7_side_1
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  209. ☄ New Zealand 7-Inch Single ☄

    A New Zealand issue of the Medicine Bow 7-inch single, again b/w a live version.

    Thank you Andy.

  210. med_bow_nz_side_1
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  212. ☄ Germany - 7-Inch ☄

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  215. german_med_bow_side_1
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  217. ☄ Hot Press Magazine Cover 1986 ☄

  218. hot_press_86


  219. Irish music magazine Hot Press cover from 22nd May 1986 with extensive interviews and concert reviews within.
























    Don't Bang the Drum




    ☄ Germany - 7-Inch Single ☄

    A German only release of Don't Bang the Drum b/w the previously unreleased The Ways of Men with single title printed on both sides of sleeve.

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  222. german_drum_7_side_1
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  224. ☄ Germany - 7-Inch with Ways of Men printed Sleeve ☄

    A cover variation of the German only release with The Ways of Men printed on cover and no Don't Bang the Drum title on reverse.

  225. german_drum_ways_of_men_7_cover
  226. german_drum_ways_of_men_7_reverse























  227. ☄ Gig Poster - 4th May 1986 ☄


  228. wbs_may_86


  229. Large size concert poster from Chippenham Goldiggers on the 4th May 1986.

    Thank you Javi.


























    12-Inch Singles




    ☄ Press Promotion 1985 ☄

  230. moon_press_promo_1985






























  231. ☄ Australia/NZ - The Whole Of The Moon - Limited Edition ☄

    An antipodean four-track 'Limited Edition' 12-inch of 'The Whole Of The Moon' with 'stars' sleeve.

  232. aus_moon_12_ltd_ed_cover
  233. aus_moon_12_ltd_ed_reverse




















  234. aus_moon_12_ltd_ed_side_1
  235. aus_moon_12_ltd_ed_side_2






















  236. ☄ Australia/NZ - Medicine Bow - Limited Edition ☄

    An antipodean four-track 'Limited Edition' 12-inch of 'Medicine Bow' b/w a live version.

  237. aus_med_bow_ltd_ed_12_cover
  238. aus_med_bow_ltd_ed_12_reverse




















  239. aus_med_bow_ltd_ed_12_side_1
  240. aus_med_bow_ltd_ed_12_side_2






















  241. ☄ France - The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    A French pressing of 'The Whole Of The Moon' 12-inch on a black label, with a rarer 'Hands Aloft' sleeve. Back sleeve shown

  242. wbs_moon_france_12_back_sleeve
  243. wbs_moon_france_12_a_side






















  244. ☄ Germany / Europe - The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    A German pressing of 'The Whole Of The Moon' 12-inch with a rarer cover sleeve, for the domestic and European market.

  245. wbs_moon_12_germany_1
  246. wbs_moon_12_germany_2




















  247. wbs_moon_12_germany_side_a
  248. wbs_moon_12_germany_side_b






















  249. ☄ The Philippines - The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    A very scarce four-track 'Mini-LP' of 'The Whole Of The Moon' from The Philippines. Pressed in low quantities in a Special Limited Edition for the American armed forces and Ex-Pats, these records are rarely found in pristine condition, as they usually succumb to humidity or water damage during the Typhoon season. Thank You Ferry.

  250. philippines_moon_12_ltd_ed_cover
  251. philippines_moon_12_ltd_ed_back_cover




















  252. philippines_moon_12_ltd_ed_side_1
  253. philippines_moon_12_ltd_ed_side_2






















  254. ☄ South Africa - The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    A very rare four-track South African 12-inch of 'The Whole Of The Moon' released under licence by Priority Records in South Africa and with uniquely centred titles on a 'stars' sleeve.

  255. wbs_sa_moon_1_cover
  256. wbs_sa_moon_2_backsleeve




















  257. wbs_sa_moon_side_1
  258. wbs_sa_moon_side_2






















  259. ☄ UK - The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    A UK four-track 12-inch of 'The Whole Of The Moon' with colour photo sleeve.

  260. moon_uk_12_cover
  261. moon_uk_12_reverse




















  262. moon_uk_12_side_1
  263. moon_uk_12_side_2






















  264. Acetates and Rarities





    ☄ 12-Inch Single Acetates and Rarities ☄





    ☄ Medicine Bow CBS 12-inch Acetate ☄

    Thank you Flattop.

  265. f16






















  266. ☄ Don't Bang The Drum / Ways Of Men 12" Acetate ☄

    Thank you Flattop.

  267. f17


























  268. ☄ Medicine Bow 10-inch Acetate ☄

    Thank you Dag.

  269. dag_06






































  270. ☄ The Whole Of The Moon 12-inch One-Sided Test Press ☄

    Thank you Flattop.

  271. f12























  272. ☄ Don't Bang The Drum 12-inch One-Sided Test Press ☄

  273. drum_one_sided
  274. Thank you Flattop.






















    ☄ Israel Tour Poster - May 1986 ☄

    A beautiful and very rare large poster for the Israel Tour in late May 1986.

    Thank you Stephen.


  275. israel_1986
































  276. ☄ Promo 12-Inch Singles ☄




    ☄ Germany - 12-inch Test Pressing ☄

    A very unique German Sonopress pressing of Medicine Bow b/w Don't Bang the Drum made to promote the headline appearance by the band at the Pink Pop Festival on the 19th May 1986.

    Thank you Jack.

  277. dutch_med_bow_12_test_1


























  278. ☄ Canada - Promo This is the Sea ☄

    Canadian 12-inch white label promo of 'This is the Sea'. b/w Medicine Jack in a generic sleeve.

  279. can_sea_promo_12_side_1
  280. can_sea_promo_12_side_2




















  281. ☄ Canada - Promo Sampler ☄

    A Canadian 12-inch Promo Sampler of 'The Whole of the Moon' b/w 'Don't Bang the Drum'.

  282. 12_sampler_1
  283. 12_sampler_2






















  284. ☄ USA - Promo Don't Bang the Drum ☄

    A USA white label promo two-track 12-inch of 'Don't Bang the Drum' b/w same song.

  285. drum_us_promo_12_side_1
  286. drum_us_promo_12_side_2






















  287. ☄ USA - Promo The Whole Of The Moon ☄

    A USA white label promo 12-inch of 'The Whole Of The Moon' with same song on both sides.

  288. moon_us_12_promo
  289. moon_us_12_promo_side_2























  290. ☄ Promo Publicity Photos ☄

    Promo publicity shot from 1985 and another promo photo of Mike that was used on the album artwork and on a Press Bio. Photos by Lynn Goldsmith.

    Thank you Dag.

  291. mike_promo_photo_1985
  292. mike_promo_photo























  293. Cassette Albums






    ☄ Sound Clinic - 'New Cut' - 15.8.85 ☄

    A very scarce Sound Clinic cassette of the album dated 15th August 1985 and titled 'New Cut'.

  294. sea_sound_clinic_tape





















  295. ☄ CBS - Promo Tape ☄

    A rare CBS promo album cassette.

  296. wbs_this_is_the_sea_cbs_promo_tape






























  297. ☄ Australia ☄

    An Australian cassette of the album with slightly different artwork.

  298. sea_oz_tape1

























  299. ☄ Canada ☄

    An Canadian cassette of the album on a Dolby HX Pro tape.

  300. sea_canada_tape


























  301. ☄ France ☄

    A French cassette in a foldout sleeve with a pink tape label.

  302. wbs_this_is_the_sea_tape_france

























  303. ☄ Greece ☄

    A Greek cassette of the album with seal.

  304. sea_greece_tape



























  305. ☄ Italy ☄

    A very distinctive red cassette with orange labels from Italy, with standard artwork but uniquely with a pink spine and it comes housed in a red case.

  306. wbs_sea_tape_italy





























  307. ☄ Indonesia ☄

    An Indonesian cassette of the album with unique artwork, housed in a heat proof sleeve with a different track running order and with three extra songs.

  308. sea_indonesia_tape



















  309. ☄ The Philippines ☄

    A rare cassette of the album from the Philippines with a lyric booklet included within.

  310. sea_philippines_tape


























  311. ☄ Sweden ☄

    A very unique version from Sweden with the cassette housed in a very distinctive pink sleeve.

  312. this_is_the_sea_sweden_tape
























  313. ☄ Saudi Arabia ☄

    A cassette of the album from Saudi Arabia with portrait style artwork.

  314. sea_saudi_tape
























  315. ☄ Taiwan ☄

    A scarce album cassette from Taiwan on the WEA label, with a different running order of the songs, in a wraparound sleeve and separate lyric sheet.

  316. wbs_this_is_the_sea_taiwan_tape























  317. ☄ United Arab Emirates - Thomsun Original ☄

    A cassette manufactured in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with superb sound. These Thomsun tapes are highly sought after.

  318. sea_thomsun





























  319. ☄ UK - Chryalis Release ☄

    A UK album cassette on Chrysalis.

  320. wbs_this_is_the_sea_uk_chrysalis_tape





















  321. ☄ The Big Music - Chrysalis Promo Tape 1986 ☄

    A very scarce promotional Chrysalis USA cassette from 1986 that features four Waterboys songs The Big Music, A Girl Called Johnny, The Whole Of the Moon and This Is The Sea.

  322. big_music_chrysalis_promo_tape


























  323. ☄ The Secret Life of The Waterboys - 1994 ☄

  324. secret_life_tape




























  325. VHS and DVD




    ☄ This is The Sea - Movie 1997 VHS ☄

    A scarce VHS version of the This is The Sea movie which features seven Mike Scott - The Waterboys songs. Thank you Seán.

  326. this_is_the_sea_vhs






























  327. ☄ This is The Sea - Netherlands DVD ☄

    A Netherlands DVD version of the This is The Sea movie which features several Mike Scott - The Waterboys songs. Thank you Linda.

  328. this_is_the_sea_netherlands_dvd





























  329. ☄ This is The Sea - China DVD ☄

    A Chinese DVD version of the This is The Sea movie which features seven Mike Scott - The Waterboys songs. Thank you Andy.

  330. wbs_china_this_is_the_sea_movie





























  331. ☄ Press Promotion - Hot Press 1986 ☄


    A press promotion of the band saying Thanks to their Irish fans in Irish music magazine Hot Press at the end of 1986. Thank you Anto. Photo: BP Fallon.

  332. irish_hot_press_thanks_1986






















































































































































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