Music Through a Cheap Transistor
Encyclopedia
Music Through A Cheap Transistor is an album by the band Therapy?
. It was one of the first releases in Universal Records
2007 series of BBC sessions. Originally released as a download only on February 26, 2007, the set was later released on double CD on August 13, 2007.
The album features five different performances by Therapy?, which were recorded between 1991 and 1998 for BBC
radio. It includes unique and exclusive versions of some of their greatest hits, alongside live favourites and three previously unreleased tracks: Pile Of Bricks, The Sweeney and Lost Highway (originally by Hank Williams).
(Aside from the first John Peel
Session, the band were on A&M Records
when all the featured sessions were recorded, but A&M have since been taken over by Universal Records; hence the release via Universal Records
.)
Evening Session 21/11/92
John Peel 29/11/92
Friday Rock Show 5/2/93
Evening Session 4/8/95
Evening Session 18/2/98
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
. It was one of the first releases in Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
2007 series of BBC sessions. Originally released as a download only on February 26, 2007, the set was later released on double CD on August 13, 2007.
The album features five different performances by Therapy?, which were recorded between 1991 and 1998 for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio. It includes unique and exclusive versions of some of their greatest hits, alongside live favourites and three previously unreleased tracks: Pile Of Bricks, The Sweeney and Lost Highway (originally by Hank Williams).
(Aside from the first John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
Session, the band were on A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
when all the featured sessions were recorded, but A&M have since been taken over by Universal Records; hence the release via Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
.)
"It's very flattering to be in the first batch of artists to have these old sessions made available in their entirety especially in a digital download format. Having existed as scraps on C-90's or as half-forgotten memories, it's brilliant to be able to re-visit so many unique (and one-off) performances and let people see what all the fuss was about..."
Michael McKeeganMichael McKeeganMichael Robert McKeegan is best known as the bassist with the rock band, Therapy?.-Evil Priest:...
- Therapy?
Disc 1
John Peel 15/8/91- "Innocent X/Meat Abstract" (original versions: BabyteethBabyteethBabyteeth was the first album by the Northern Irish band Therapy?, released on July 15, 1991, on Wiiija Records. Tracks 1 and 3 were recorded in January 1990, with the remaining tracks recorded later that year, all at Homestead Studio in Randalstown, Northern Ireland...
) - "Prisonbreaker" (original version: Pleasure DeathPleasure DeathPleasure Death was the second album by the band Therapy?. It was released on January 27, 1992 on Wiiija Records. The album was recorded in 1991 at Southern Studios, London. It reached number 1 in the UK Indie Charts....
) - "Perversonality" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
)
Evening Session 21/11/92
- "Nausea" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
) - "Totally Random Man" (original version: Shortsharpshock E.P.)
- "Accelerator" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
) - "Teethgrinder" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
)
John Peel 29/11/92
- "Auto Surgery" (original version: Shortsharpshock E.P.)
- "Totally Random Man" (original version: Shortsharpshock E.P.)
- "Bloody Blue" (original version: Thirty Seconds Of Silence demo)
- "Pile of Bricks"
Friday Rock Show 5/2/93
- "Screamager" (original version: Shortsharpshock E.P.)
- "Totally Random Man" (original version: Shortsharpshock E.P.)
- "Disgracelands" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
) - "Perversonality" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
)
Disc 2
Rock Show 7/1/94- "Brainsaw" (original version: TroublegumTroublegumTroublegum was the second major label album by the band Therapy? It was released on February 7, 1994 on A&M Records. The album was recorded in 1993 at Chipping Norton Studio in Oxford, as well as Rak Studios and Church Studios, both in London. It had a melodically dark, metal-like sound. The album...
) - "Trigger Inside" (original version: TroublegumTroublegumTroublegum was the second major label album by the band Therapy? It was released on February 7, 1994 on A&M Records. The album was recorded in 1993 at Chipping Norton Studio in Oxford, as well as Rak Studios and Church Studios, both in London. It had a melodically dark, metal-like sound. The album...
) - "Knives" (original version: TroublegumTroublegumTroublegum was the second major label album by the band Therapy? It was released on February 7, 1994 on A&M Records. The album was recorded in 1993 at Chipping Norton Studio in Oxford, as well as Rak Studios and Church Studios, both in London. It had a melodically dark, metal-like sound. The album...
) - "Isolation" (original version: TroublegumTroublegumTroublegum was the second major label album by the band Therapy? It was released on February 7, 1994 on A&M Records. The album was recorded in 1993 at Chipping Norton Studio in Oxford, as well as Rak Studios and Church Studios, both in London. It had a melodically dark, metal-like sound. The album...
)
Evening Session 4/8/95
- "Bad Mother" (original version: Infernal LoveInfernal LoveInfernal Love was the third major label album by the band Therapy?. It was released on June 12, 1995 on A&M Records. The album was recorded at Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire from January to March 1995....
) - "Misery" (original version: Infernal LoveInfernal LoveInfernal Love was the third major label album by the band Therapy?. It was released on June 12, 1995 on A&M Records. The album was recorded at Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire from January to March 1995....
) - "The Sweeney"
- "Lost Highway"
Evening Session 18/2/98
- "Church of Noise" (original version: Semi-Detached)
- "Black Eye Purple Sky" (original version: Semi-Detached)
- "Tightrope Walker" (original version: Semi-Detached)
- "Teethgrinder" (original version: NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
) - "High Noon" (original version: Lonely, Cryin', OnlyLonely, Cryin’, Only"Lonely Cryin' Only" is a song by Therapy? and a single released on A&M Records on May 18, 1998. It is featured on the Semi-Detached album. This single reached number 32 in the UK Singles Chart.The single was released on CD, CD Digipack and Blue 7" Vinyl....
single)
Personnel
- Andy CairnsAndy CairnsAndrew James Cairns , is a founding member, singer, guitarist and songwriter for Therapy?, a hard rock band from Northern Ireland.- Therapy? :...
: vocals/guitar - Michael McKeeganMichael McKeeganMichael Robert McKeegan is best known as the bassist with the rock band, Therapy?.-Evil Priest:...
: bass - Fyfe EwingFyfe EwingFyfe Alexander Ewing , is best known as the original drummer and founding member of rock band Therapy?.-Therapy?:...
: vocals/drums (tracks 1-23) - Martin McCarrickMartin McCarrickMartin McCarrick is an English cellist, keyboardist and guitarist.He is best known for his work Siouxsie and the Banshees from 1987 until 1995. He recorded with them three studio albums : Peepshow, Superstition and The Rapture...
: cello/guitar/vocals (tracks 20-28) - Graham HopkinsGraham HopkinsGraham Hopkins is an Irish drummer. He is the drummer in The Swell Season, The Frames, and former drummer for the hard rock/punk rock band Therapy?.- Early years :...
: drums (tracks 24-28) - Ted De Bono: producer (tracks 1-3)
- James Birtwhistle: producer (tracks 4-11)
- Martin Colley: producer (tracks 12-15)
- Tony Wilson: producer (tracks 16-19)
- Miti Adhikari: producer (tracks 20-23)
- Paul Allen: producer (tracks 24-28)
Missing Sessions
- Most noticeably lacking is a live studio session recorded for the Evening Session on June 13, 1995. The tracks performed were "Loose", "Bad Mother", "Our Love Must Die" and "30 Seconds". The reasons why this session is not included are unknown.
- Also not included on this compilation is a studio session recorded for the Rock Show on October 1, 2004. This is due to the compilation being released by Universal RecordsUniversal RecordsUniversal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
, as this session was composed entirely of tracks from 2004's Never Apologise Never ExplainNever Apologise Never ExplainNever Apologise Never Explain was the eight full-length album by the band Therapy?, and the second to be released on Spitfire Records. It was released on September 27, 2004. The album was recorded in June 2004 at Parkgate Studios, Hastings....
, which was released by Spitfire RecordsSpitfire RecordsSpitfire Records was a subdivision of Eagle Rock Entertainment located in New York, United States.In September 1998, Paul Bibeau founded, launched and rapidly developed Spitfire Records Inc. from a two-man operation located in his home bedroom in suburban Long Island, New York, to one of the...
. The tracks performed were "Rise Up (Make Yourself Well)", "Die Like A Motherfucker", "So Called Life" and "Panic".