Lene Lovich graced the charts in both the UK and the US with her quirky brand of delivery during the start of Rock’s direction and style change in the later ’70s. Signed to the groundbreaking Stiff Records label, she released Stateless in 1978. It quickly jumped the charts with singles like “Lucky Number”, and the underappreciated “I Think We’re Alone Now” Tommy James cover. It was followed with the more eclectic Flex. Released in 1980, Flex delivered three excellent singles with “Bird Song”, “Angels”, and “What Will I Do Without You?”. No Man’s Land, issued in 1982 gave Lene Lovich her last Stiff release. It generated two singles that didn’t capture the attention that those from her previous two albums had. After this, Lovich left music for a period to raise her family.
On November 24, Cherry Red UK will issue a 4CD Box that collects her three Stiff Records releases and presents them newly remastered. Overall, the box presents 81 tracks that include original mixes, B-sides, 12″ dance versions, live tracks, and early track versions. It will include a US EP – New Toy, issued in The Box will pack in a booklet filled with photos, credits, and observations from Lene Lovich, as well as other notes. If Lene Lovich recorded it , and Stiff Records released it, it’s here!
The 4CD Box will be called Toy Box – The Stiff Years 1978-1983.
Toy Box: The Stiff Years 1978-1983 – Lene Lovich
CD1 (Stateless – Original Mix)
01 Lucky Number
02 Sleeping Beauty
03 Home
04 Too Tender (To Touch)
05 Say When
06 Tonight
07 Writing On The Wall
08 Telepathy
09 Momentary Breakdown
10 1 in a 1,000,000
11 I Think We’re Alone Now
Bonus Tracks
12 Lucky Number (Early Version)
13 I Think We’re Alone Now (Japanese Version)
14 Monkey Talk (Early Version)
15 Be Stiff
16 Be Stiff (The Entire Ensemble Recorded Live At Leeds University)
17 Lene Lovich Speaks 1
18 Lucky Number (Instrumental Version)
19 One Lonely Heart
20 Big Bird
21 Lene Lovich Speaks 2
22 Lucky Number (Slavic Dance Version)
CD2 (Stateless – US/UK Remix)
01 Home
02 Sleeping Beauty
03 Lucky Number
04 Too Tender (To Touch)
05 Say When
06 Writing On The Wall
07 Telepathy
08 Momentary Breakdown
09 I Think We’re Alone Now
10 One in a 1,000,000
11 Tonight
Bonus Tracks
12 Trixi
13 The Fly
14 The Fall
Live At The Lyceum, London – February 03, 1980
15 Monkey Talk
16 The Night
17 Too Tender (To Touch)
18 You Can’t Kill Me
Live At Paradise Theater, Boston – March 15, 1980
19 Angels
20 Lucky Number
21 Home
CD3 (Flex)
01 Bird Song
02 What Will I Do Without You
03 Angels
04 The Night
05 You Can’t Kill Me
06 Egghead
07 Wonderful One
08 Monkey Talk
09 Joan
10 The Freeze
Bonus Tracks
11 The Night (US Remix)
12 What Will I Do Without You (Single Version)
13 Bird Song (Edit)
14 Details (Original Version)
15 New Toy
16 Cats Away
17 New Toy (Extended Version)
New Toy (US EP)
18 Cats Away
19 Details
20 Never Never Land
CD4 (No Man’s Land)
1 It’s You, Only You (Mein Schmerz)
2 Blue Hotel
3 Faces
4 Walking Low
5 Special Star
6 Sister Video
7 Maria
8 Savages
9 Rocky Road
Bonus Tracks
New Toy EP
10 Savages
11 Special Star
12 Blue Hotel (Single Version)
13 It’s You, Only You (Mein Schmerz) (Remixed Extended Version)
14 Blue
15 It’s You, Only You (Mein Schmerz) (Instrumental Version)
16 It’s You, Only You (Mein Schmerz) (US Extended Dance Mix)
17 Blue Hotel (US Dance Mix)
18 O Seasons O Castles