First And Last And Always (album)
First And Last And Always was the first studio album by The Sisters Of Mercy.
It reached number 14 in the UK charts.
For some comprehensive insights into the production and the various recordings, mixes, releases and pressings of First And Last And Always, we strongly recommend the Heavy Leather Blog research review All I Know For Sure: The Making of First And Last And Always by Robert Cowlin!!!
Band/Recording Personnel
as credited on the inner sleeve of the gatefold LP:
- Wayne Hussey - Guitars
- Craig Adams - Bass
- Andrew Eldritch - Voices
- Gary Marx - Guitars
- Doktor Avalanche - Drums
Original Release Notes
- Vinyl: Merciful Release MR 337 L Mar 1985
- Tape Cassette: Merciful Release MR 337 C Mar 1985
- CD (original version) WEA 2292-40616-2 1988
- CD (Digitally Remastered in 1992): EastWest 9031-77379-2 1992
- CD Rhino UK 5101-17579-2 2006
The album was generally available on CD from 1988 on and was first released as a remixed version in 1992. At the time, many fans felt that the 1992 CD remix is inferior to the original.
In late 2006, the CD-version was (together with Floodland and ) re-released by Rhino Records featuring the original vinyl mixes, b-sides and a demo version of Some Kind Of Stranger.
Production Notes
- Production by Dave Allen for Palace Productions Limited
- Sleeve Designs by Andrew Eldritch
- Layouts by Mick Lowe
- Photographs by Jill Furmanovsky and Ruth Polsky
- Additional Photograph on Gatefold Vinyl and CD version by Tom Sheehan
- Mixed by Andrew Eldritch and Dave Allen
Remarks
- The song Amphetamine Logic (song) is listed as Logic on the sleeve.
- See also First And Last And Always @discogs
| This page is Work in Progress and going to be extended as soon as ever possible |
Track List
| Side A | Side B | ||
| Track | Duration | Track | Duration |
| A1 / 1 Black Planet | 4:26 | B1 / 6 First And Last And Always | 4:02 |
| A2 / 2 Walk Away | 3:25 | B2 / 7 Possession | 4:38 |
| A3 / 3 No Time To Cry | 4:02 | B3 / 8 Nine While Nine | 4:12 |
| A4 / 4 A Rock And A Hard Place | 3:33 | B4 / 9 Amphetamine Logic | 4:53 |
| A5 / 5 Marian (Version) | 5:44 | B5 / 10 Some Kind Of Stranger | 7:34 |
2006 CD Extra Tracks
| Track | Duration |
| 11 Poison Door | 3:41 |
| 12 On The Wire | 4:21 |
| 13 Blood Money | 3:13 |
| 14 Bury Me Deep | 4:44 |
| 15 Long Train | 7:30 |
| 16 Some Kind Of Stranger (Early) | 8:38 |
Additional Notes on the Release
First and Last and Always probably has the most variations in terms of mixes of all the Sisters' releases.
The vinyl LP was originally released on gatefold vinyl, subsequent releases have standard sleeves. The Japanese release is sought after as it has different song mixes to other vinyl pressings.
The CD version was first released in 1988 and contains mixes from the Japanese and normal vinyl releases. It was reported that this was because the master tapes had been lost. 1992 saw a digitally remastered release which again had slightly different mixes. Besides the standard jewel case release the CD was also released in long box format.
The 2006 release was the first time that Poison Door, On The Wire and Bury Me Deep were available on CD. Blood Money appeared on the Tour Thing 91 promo CD and Long Train was featured as the B-Side to Lucretia in 1988. Some Kind Of Stranger (Early) is pretty much a demo of the song, with slightly different lyrics and a much rawer sound.
Some more information can be found here in another Wiki as well as here (in German), quite comprehensive and offering a hell lot of very interesting references to original sources.
