Omega Auctions: October auction contains potentially unheard material

I've only just got to this.

There are some really interesting cassettes listed in the auctions. Nerds assemble!

THE SMITHS - WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE/HAVE I - SMILE MUSIC LTD DEMO CASSETTE
What is the track Have I?

THE SMITHS - EDEN STUDIOS DEMO CASSETTE (BEFORE FIRST ALBUM)
Eden Studios was where the debut album was put together from the various studio sessions. Would the versions on the cassette be the same as the released versions of the album?

THE SMITHS - ASK REMIX - DEMO CASSETTE
There was only one version of Ask until 2001, but this cassette is dated 1986. I wonder what this is?

THE SMITHS - 'LIVE AT KILBURN' (RANK) - DEMO CASSETTES
Two 60 minute cassettes, but the runtime of Rank is 55 mins so maybe this has some of the other tracks?

THE SMITHS - MAYFAIR RECORDING STUDIOS DEMO CASSETTES
Two cassettes including remixes of Half a Person. Probably subtly different from the released versions, but perhaps not.

THE SMITHS - OXFORD 1985 DEMO CASSETTE (BBC FINAL MIXES)
Never officially released but some high quality bootlegs exist. I don't recall if the bootlegs included all songs from this gig.

THE SMITHS - HOW SOON IS NOW - DEMO CASSETTE
Includes an instrumental, which hasn't been released has it?

THE SMITHS - THE SMITHS - ORIGINAL TROY TATE SESSIONS DEMO CASSETTE
Ah... the pandora's box that is the Troy Tate sessions. Whatever this version is it's likely to be first gen and mixes that Troy Tate wanted Geoff to hear. Dare I say the 'definitive' version?

All the estimates are pretty reasonable. I'd love to hear some of these so wouldn't mind buying a few, but I have no interest in the artefact itself so perhaps there's a smart way of getting these into the hands of the masses?

Paging @Famous when dead.
 
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I've only just got to this.

There are some really interesting cassettes listed in the auctions. Nerds assemble!

THE SMITHS - WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE/HAVE I - SMILE MUSIC LTD DEMO CASSETTE
What is the track Have I?

THE SMITHS - EDEN STUDIOS DEMO CASSETTE (BEFORE FIRST ALBUM)
Eden Studios was where the debut album was put together from the various studio sessions. Would the versions on the cassette be the same as the released versions of the song?

THE SMITHS - ASK REMIX - DEMO CASSETTE
There was only one version of Ask until 2001, but this cassette is dated 1986. I wonder what this is?

THE SMITHS - 'LIVE AT KILBURN' (RANK) - DEMO CASSETTES
Two 60 minute cassettes, but the runtime of Rank is 55 mins so maybe this has some of the other tracks?

THE SMITHS - MAYFAIR RECORDING STUDIOS DEMO CASSETTES
Two cassettes including remixes of Half a Person. Probably subtly different from the released versions, but perhaps not.

THE SMITHS - OXFORD 1985 DEMO CASSETTE (BBC FINAL MIXES)
Never officially released but some high quality bootlegs exist. I don't recall if the bootlegs included all songs from this gig.

THE SMITHS - HOW SOON IS NOW - DEMO CASSETTE
Includes an instrumental, which hasn't been released has it?

THE SMITHS - THE SMITHS - ORIGINAL TROY TATE SESSIONS DEMO CASSETTE
Ah... the pandora's box that is the Troy Tate sessions. Whatever this version is it's likely to be first gen and mixes that Troy Tate wanted Geoff to hear. Dare I say the 'definitive' version?

All the estimates are pretty reasonable. I'd love to hear some of these so wouldn't mind buying a few, but I have no interest in the artefact so perhaps there's a smart way of getting these into the hands of the masses?

Paging @Famous when dead.
Under normal circumstances, I'd discount a lot of things found on D60s or D90s with scribbled labels etc... Coming from Geoff puts a whole different light on it though. Smile Music Ltd is beyond obscure. A Bon Jovi credit and a couple of discog mentions and zero else - so potentially could be anything and that company features nowhere in the Smiths recorded history nor does that (part?) title.
I will take time over the weekend to stare at it all - have a feeling a lot will be chasing down rabbit holes and only the auction winner will get an inkling as to what exactly they've bought (assuming it's not too degraded over time).
Given there's a couple of known tape collectors out there - I suspect quite a few will end up in the same person's hands.
Whether they share...
Regards,
FWD.

Edit:
David's post was made a separate thread as the information is useful and worthy of its own discussion.
 
1.6k for the Smile tape already - I think I need to go rummage in my storage asap...
Wow.
FWD.
 
“Have I”


is actually their cover of ...





;)
 
The tape with 'Have I' on is a repro' NOT the original demo tape from the 80's - main giveaway is that the telephone area code on the label (as the new telephone codes were introduced into the UK in 1995) - my point is, there could be a ton of these, so not as 'rare' as indicated.

A fool and his money are easily parted.
 
Surely amongst the greatest ever pop songs; I didn’t know their drummer was a lady. Fantastic.

Agree, and produced by Joe Meek !

listen to ‘Johnny Remember Me’ and keep in mind that these recordings were done in his flat !
 
The tape with 'Have I' on is a repro' NOT the original demo tape from the 80's - main giveaway is that the telephone area code on the label (as the new telephone codes were introduced into the UK in 1995) - my point is, there could be a ton of these, so not as 'rare' as indicated.

A fool and his money are easily parted.


Ya know I was looking at that TDK cassette and thinking it doesn’t look like it’s from the early 80’s.


already up to 2,000. Wouldn’t be surprised if it went up to 4,000 or more. And of course no one will get to hear it. :(
 
There was only one version of Ask until 2001, but this cassette is dated 1986. I wonder what this is?
The issued version of 'Ask' back in 86 was a remix though, right? It was originally recorded and mixed by John Porter, and I don't think this original version has ever surfaced - even on bootlegs. Morrissey then insisted that the song was remixed by Steve Lillywhite, which Marr wasn't happy with: " "I couldn't understand why it was being tampered with because it all came together very simply and with a definite sense of purpose. [The final version] wasn't dramatically different, but it felt kind of a little bit muted. Less spirited, absolutely."
So presumably this is just a cassette demo of the version that actually got released.
If it was the John Porter version I'd be more interested.
 
that cassette appears to be bogus as that type of TDK cassette was not made until the late 9os. :mad:
 
...sure it does. Get over it. We’ve all heard it all and - besides - what’s the point? You want a shitty bedroom cassette, to say that you have one?

You’re no different than the clowns that collect Pucks and Super-bowl rings. Just LOST.

4 copies of one record. Not one of them worth the price of shipping. Lol!
 
Is there anything us fans can do to make sure we hear this stuff, could we pull together and ensure we can top any bid from individuals who won’t share?

I don’t have thousands to invest in this but I would gladly contribute.
 
I guess the question you would have to ask yourself is:

If you paid hundreds of pounds for one of these cassettes, would you have the nerve to attempt to create a digital copy knowing how easily even relatively new cassettes had a tendency to destroy themselves inside the tape player, let alone ones that have sat for decades in a box somewhere? I don't think I would :(

Not that I could justify these prices anyway. There clearly are some very affluent Smiths collectors out there. Perhaps I should sell off my small collection of Morrissey master tapes?

IMG_0650.JPG
 
“Have I”


is actually their cover of ...





;)

always liked that song growing up,honey lantree on drums was special in the 60s as it was so rare.
i was four months old when this came out,was probably tapping my feet even at that age as its such a catchy tune.
thought the guitarist was davy jones of the monkees,spitting image.
 
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Ya know I was looking at that TDK cassette and thinking it doesn’t look like it’s from the early 80’s.


already up to 2,000. Wouldn’t be surprised if it went up to 4,000 or more. And of course no one will get to hear it. :(

Yep, that is definitely a 90s TDK cassette. But the bidders must have surely done some research before putting in bids of a few K ?!
 
So the brand of cassette didn't exist while the Smiths existed, and I don't think I can see the word "Smiths" on the card. Is it even definitely them??
 
Yep, that is definitely a 90s TDK cassette. But the bidders must have surely done some research before putting in bids of a few K ?!

Or they just have some money to burn.

Just thought it would be on an early 80’s looking cassette.

We don’t know the story behind it. But it seems Smile did
make copies on cassette in the 90’s
of these two songs for some reason.

Hopefully someone will chime in with the facts.


Either way, would be nice just to hear at least a snippet of Have I, if not the whole song.
 
I would nt be surprised if it was Morrissey bidding on these ? It would be funny if he and Jonny were in a bidding war over them.
 

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