The reunited Big Country today revealed the tracklist for its upcoming 2CD “deluxe edition” reissue of its 1983 debut album The Crossing, which will be released by Universal Music on Jan. 30 in the U.K. and be supplemented with seven B-sides and a second disc featuring 17 demos — 10 of which are previously unreleased.
The new edition of the The Crossing, which was last reissued in 2002 with five bonus tracks, will feature the original 10-track album plus seven B-sides from the record’s four singles on one disc, plus a second disc featuring 17 demos of album tracks and B-sides, including early version of “In a Big Country,” “Fields of Fire” and more.
As previously announced, the band — with The Alarm’s Mike Peters filling in for the late Stuart Adamson — will perform The Crossing during a tour of the U.K. and Germany early next year in conjunction with the reissue. Big Country played two U.K. tours earlier this year and, in August, released their first single in 12 years — the Steve Lillywhite-produced “Another Country.”
Tracklist: Big Country, The Crossing: Deluxe Edition
DISC 1
Original Album:
1. “In A Big Country”
2. “Inwards”
3. “Chance”
4. “1000 Stars”
5. “The Storm”
6. “Harvest Home”
7. “Lost Patrol”
8. “Close Action”
9. “Fields Of Fire”
10. “Porrohman”
B-Sides:
11. “Balcony” (B-side to ‘Harvest Home’)
12. “Flag Of Nation (Swimming)” (B-side to ‘Harvest Home’)
13. “Angle Park” (B-side to ‘Fields Of Fire’)
14. “All Of Us” (B-side to ‘In A Big Country’)
15. “Heart And Soul” (B-side to ‘In A Big Country’)
16. “The Crossing” (B-side to ‘Chance’)
17. “Tracks of My Tears” (Live) (B-side to ‘Chance’)
DISC 2
Demos:
1. “Angle Park” (4 Track Demos 1981) *
2. “Harvest Home” (4 Track Demos 1981) *
3. “We Could Laugh” (4 Track Demos 1981) *
4. “In A Big Country” (Demo) (Rarities IV CD)
5. “The Storm” (Demo) (Rarities IV CD)
6. “Big City” (Demo) (Rarities IV CD)
7. “Fields of Fire” (Riverside BBC TV) *
8. “Lost Patrol” (Demo) (Phonogram Studios) *
9. “Inwards” (Demo) (Phonogram Studios) *
10. “Thousand Stars” (Chris Thomas) *
11. “Close Action” (Chris Thomas) *
12. “Lost Patrol” (Chris Thomas) *
13. “Inwards” (Chris Thomas) *
14. “Fields of Fire” (Demo) (Rarities IV)
15. “Ring Out” (Demo) (Rarities IV)
16. “Thousand Stars” (Demo) (Rarities IV)
17. “Chance” (Demo) (Rarities IV)
*Previously unreleased
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Video: Big Country with Mike Peters, ‘In a Big Country’ — from ‘Dreams Stay With You’ DVD
- Big Country to reissue ‘The Crossing,’ play 1983 album live in U.K., Germany
- Big Country releasing ‘Another Country’ — first single in 12 years — with Mike Peters
- Big Country enlists The Alarm’s Mike Peters as lead singer for 30th anniversary tour
- Big Country to release ‘Peace In Our Time: Live In Moscow 1988′ CD/DVD package
Not crazy about the Big Country/Mike Peters collaboration. I feel Big Country was over when Stuart passed away and The Alarm was over when Mike left the band. Just my opinion. The reissue of The Crossing looks amazing! I hope I can afford it on import.
Demos generally suck — I’d rather have the extended versions and remixes instead. Guess I will never be able to replace the 12″ vinyl singles with digital copies.
The 12″ singles have been released over and over via different digital means. Rarities albums and Japan Box Set releases and other means. Hell, I remember these were so wanted in mint form that a bunch of us “fans” once had a fanzine back in the 90’s and commissioned a person to press us a few cd’s with them before they released them later.