A Merciful Release
A 12" vinyl LP mainly featuring tracks from Hunky Dory, Detmold, West Germany 1984 plus one further live track and a studio outtake from The Sisters' second single Body Electric.
This bootleg is often referred to as Merciful Release only, omitting the article, or as simply The Sisters Of Mercy. It should not be confused with another bootleg titled Mercyful Release with identical content, but very different cover.
In addition, A Merciful Release sometimes gets confused with the double-LP bootleg The Lights Shine Clear Through The Sodium Haze, which also has a similar cover art and contains among others the same tracks from Hunky Dory. The Lights Shine Clear Through The Sodium Haze was quite likely the orignal from which the present bootleg (and some others) was copied, unfortunately in clearly inferior sound quality.
Release Notes
The present bootleg was released in at least two issue by different labels:
| * Label: Boss | * Label: Reptile Records Inc. |
| * Catalogue#: Boss 81087 | * Catalogue#: MR035L |
| * Format: 12" vinyl LP | * Format: 12" vinyl LP |
| * Matrix / Runouts: | * Matrix / Runouts: |
| - Side A: BOSS 81087 SOM -A- | - unknown - |
| - Side B: BOSS 81087 SOM -B- | |
| * Released: unknown | * Released: unknown, |
| but most likely after the Boss release |
Remarks
- The covers of both releases are fully identical and do not mention the bootleg title.
- The cover front is white and shows a large head and star logo with the band name printed across it.
- For this reason, this bootleg is also known as The Sisters Of Mercy. Due to the main content
- it is also mentioned as Live In Detmold, time and again.
- The back cover is plain white without any print.
- The bootleg comes on black vinyl with very pale yellow-white or plain white labels:
Differences between releases
- The Boss release is a limited edition of 200 copies that comes with an A4 hand-numbered insert sheet,
- which also gives the bootleg title, a full track list including references to the track origins
- and some further information on the intends of the release.
- The Phantom Twins mention the Boss release in their discography booklet
- planned to accompany the shelved Reverberation Across The Nation bootleg
- on page 20/21 under the title of The Sisters Of Mercy
- The Reptile Records Inc. edition is not limited.
- It comes with a postcard-size information on the bootleg title, a track list and references to track origins.
- This looks very much like a snippet copied from the above mentioned Boss inlay sheet.
Sources
NOTE: it is not 100% clear, where these tracks were recorded.
- A1 to B3 were recorded live at Hunky Dory, Detmold, West Germany, 29 May 1984
- - Discogs attributes B1-B3 to Odeon, Münster 1983, which is most likely wrong.
- Track B4 is wrongly related to Odeon, Münster, West Germany, 1 September 1983
- - In fact, Kir Club, Hamburg, West Germany, 31 August 1983 is the correct recording date for this track.
- B5 is an outtake from The Sisters' second single Body Electric
- recorded in February 1982 at Kenny Giles Music Studios, Bridlington, England, see Body Electric Demos
For recent price developments see sistersbootlegs/A Merciful Release or popsike/A Merciful Release.
Track List
| Side A | Side B |
| A1. Burn | B1. Body Electric |
| A2. Heartland | B2. Gimme Shelter |
| A3. Body And Soul | B3. Ghostrider / Sister Ray |
| A4. Anaconda | B4. Temple Of Love |
| A5. Walk Away | B5. Body Electric |
| A6. Emma | |
| A7. Floorshow | |
| A8. Adrenochrome |
Additional Pictures
- Please click into files for larger views -
Boss Release
Reptile Records Inc. Release
