Sun Ra's 'Nuclear War' on 'Y' Records

[sidewinder]

I've recently got hold of a vinyl copy of Sun Ra's 'Nuclear War' LP put out by 'Y Records' of the UK in 1984 but apparently never properly distributed. I've always been under the impression that the LPs of this one which did get out actually originated from Italy. The LP looks to have been put out under Y-Records licence by 'Music Box' of Athens, Greece though ( ).

Anyone shed any light as to the history of this one? (even by Sun Ra standards its a pretty damn weird set of release circumstances..)

[WD45]

This is quite rare, isn't it?

[jazzbo]

Interesting. . . . I always thought this originated as an English lp (though looking back I am not sure why I got that impression).

Out on cd. . . not essential Ra but fun!

[sidewinder]

Yes, I believe it is. Have done a bit more delving and it looks as though there were two issues - one Greek and the other through Italy. Here's the info from the Robert Campbell site:

quote:-

99. Sun Ra

Nuclear War

Music Box SMB 40242 (Greece, LP and cassette)

Y RA 2 (Italy, LP, 1984)

Side A:

Nuclear War (Ra)

Retrospect (Ra)

Drop Me Off in Harlem (Ellington)

Sometimes I'm Happy (Caesar-Youmans)

Side B:

Celestial Love (Ra)

Blue Intensity (Ra)

Nameless One #2 (Ra)

Smile (Chaplin)

From the Variety Studios sessions of 9/82 (see previous two items). Y Records in England planned an album from these sessions -- to be titled Rays from the Outer Tomorrow -- but went out of business before it could be released. The same sequence of tracks appeared on this Greek LP and cassette licensed from Y Records and on the Italian Y release. Drop Me Off In Harlem is the only track not released on either Saturn. [Webber and Trent; thanks to Corbett for information on the Italian Y release]

[sidewinder]

The back cover of this 'Music Box' issue gives the Y Records address in Uxbridge Road, W12 UK but then an address for 'Music Box' in Athens right underneath it. Crazy !

Talking about crazy, was Ra serious when he thought that Columbia would issue the title track as a possible mainstream radio hit?

[WD45]

...Nuclear War

Yeah

Its a mother fucker

Yeah

[Michael Fitzgerald]

I have this but can't verify details right now. Almost positive it's the Italian. All Sun Ra has skyrocketed in price, mostly stupidly without any good reason other than death (and Thurston Moore). Stuff that was regularly $5 is now $50+.

Mike