counting cracks - the die kreuzen archive

Die Kreuzen

Label: Touch and Go

Format(s): LP/CASS/CD

LP Catalogue#: T&GLP#4

Cassette Catalogue#: T&GLP#4C

CD Catalogue#: T&GLP#7CD (included on 'October File' CD)

1. Rumors
2. This Hope
3. In School
4. I'm Tired
5. On the Street
6. Enemies
7. Get 'Em
8. Fighting
9. No Time
10. All White

11. Pain
12. Sick People
13. Hate Me
14. Live Wire
15. Not Anymore
16. Mannequin
17. Fuckups
18. Think for Me
19. Dirt and Decay
20. Don't Say Please
21. No Name

Notes:

All pressings come with a double-sided lyric/photo inner.

 The first pressing had pale blue labels with red lettering. The address for T&G is Maumee, OH. The back cover also bears the T&G Maumee, OH. address, and bears the legend "Jacket Made In Canada"

A subsequent red vinyl pressing was issued around 1986, with the back sleeve bearing the T&G address Dearborn, MI. There were two different labels; black with yellow lettering or black with white lettering. However, the labels still bore the T&G Maumee address... A black vinyl version with this sleeve/label combination also exists.

Legend has it that the red vinyl issue was a mistake at the pressing plant. Apparently the plant had just finished pressing a batch of another T&G release (possibly the Butthole Surfers' "Rembrandt Pussyhorse" LP) and the Die Kreuzen plates just went in straight after, with the operator forgetting to change the wax... That doesn't explain the labels!

Just to confuse matters more, a separate European pressing was issued in 1987. This is often touted for sale as an original US first pressing as it has the T&G address for Maumee, OH on both the labels and back cover. Close inspection reveals the run-out grooves to be shorter than the US pressings, indicating the Euro pressing was mastered differently to the US.

The most obvious distinguishing feature is the EFA code at the top right hand side of the back cover, and the lack of "Jacket Made in Canada".

Many eBay sellers list this version as the original, and prices are set accordingly. Beware!

A standard chrome cassette version was also released.

The vinyl was repressed once again in 2009. This time both labels and back cover have the T&G address in Chicago, IL. There is also a barcode and the T&G web address. Impossible to confuse with 1980's pressings.

The 2009 reissue also contained a voucher to download the album in mp3 format.

October File

Label: Touch & Go

Format(s): LP/CASS/CD

LP catalogue#: T&GLP#7

Cassette catalogue#: T&GLP#7C

CD catalogue#: T&GLP#7CD (includes S/T tracks)

1. Man in the Trees
2. Uncontrolled Passion
3. It's Been So Long
4. Imagine a Light
5. Cool Breeze
6. Counting Cracks
7. Red to Green
8. Among the Ruins
9. Hear and Feel
10. Hide and Seek
11. Conditioned
12. There's a Place

13. Open Lines
14. Melt

Notes:

All pressings come with a single-sided fold out photo inner.

The first pressing was issued with an embossed sleeve. Quantites are unknown.

The original US pressings carry the T&G Dearborn address on both the back cover and labels. The labels differ from the European pressing.

The European pressing has both the T&G Dearborn address and the London address for Southern Studios. There is no address on the monochrome labels.

 A standard chrome cassette version was also issued.

 The CD version also has the 21 tracks from the S/T album and features some different pictures to the vinyl photo inner on the fold-out sleeve.

The vinyl was repressed once again in 2009. This time both labels and back cover have the T&G address in Chicago, IL. There is also a barcode and the T&G web address. Impossible to confuse with 1980's pressings.

The 2009 reissue also contained a voucher to download the album in mp3 format.

Century Days

Label: Touch & Go

Format(s): LP/CASS/CD

LP catalogue#: T&GLP#30

Cassette catalogue#: T&GLP#30C

CD catalogue#: T&GLP#30CD

1. Earthquakes
2. Lean Into It
3. Different Ways
4. So Many Times
5. These Days
6. Elizabeth
7. Slow

8. Stomp
9. The Bone
10. Bitch Magnet
11. Number Three
12. Dream Sky*
13. Halloween**

Notes:

*Bonus track on cassette and CD

**Bonus track on CD

Initial US copies came with a large fold-out poster.

All copies have a gatefold sleeve with a single inner sheet.

The original US pressings carry the T&G Chicago, IL address on both the back cover and labels. The labels differ from the European pressing, being a paler green and the picture on the B-side label is a mirror-image.

The European pressing has slighty darker graphics, with darker green lettering. The Southern Studios address in London is located in the bottom left-hand corner. The labels have no record label address and are a lighter shade of green, with the B-side image reversed.

A standard chrome cassette was also issued featuring the bonus track "Dream Sky"

 The CD version has two bonus tracks, "Dream Sky" and a studio version of live favourite "Halloween", a cover version of the theme for the John Carpenter horror film. 

Gone Away

Label: Touch & Go

Format(s): 12"EP/CASS/CD

12"EP catalogue#: T&G#40

Cassette catalogue#: T&G#40C

CD catalogue#: T&GLP#73CD

1. Gone Away
2. Seasons of Wither
3. Stomp (live)
4. Cool Breeze (live)
5. Man in the Trees (live)
6. Bitch Magnet (live)
7. Number 3 (live)

Notes: All pressings come with a single sheet insert.

The CD version also contains the Pink Flag 7", Cows and Beer 7", Mastertape comp tracks and B-side from the Gone Away 7".

The European pressing is distinguishable by the addition of the Southern Studios address and EFA code on the back cover.

CD Tracklist:
1. Gone Away
2. Seasons of Wither
3. Pink Flag
4. Land of Treason
5. Stomp (live)
6. Cool Breeze (live)
7. Man in the Trees (live)
8. Bitch Magnet (live)
9. Number 3 (live)
10. Different Ways (live)
11. In School
12. Think For Me
13. Hate Me
14. Pain
15. Don't Say Please
16. Enemies
17. On the Street
18. All White
19. Fighting

A standard chrome cassette version was also issued. This only contains the tracks from the 12"EP release. Both sides of the cassette feature the same tracks.

Cement

Label: Touch & Go

Format(s): LP/CD

LP catalogue#: T&GLP#80

CD catalogue#: T&GLP#80CD

1. Wish
2. Shine
3. Big Bad Days
4. Holes
5. Downtime
6. Blue Song
7. Best Goodbye
8. Heaven
9. Deep Space
10. Shake Loose
11. Over and the Edge
12. Black Song
13. Gone Away (Acoustic)*

Notes:

*Bonus track on CD

All pressings come with a single sheet insert.

The US were treated to an initial run on white vinyl, there is some debate as to how many copies were pressed, with guesses ranging from 100 to 1500. My money is on 1000-1500 maximum. All US pressings have the T&G Chicago address and "Jacket Made in Canada" on the back cover.

The European pressing features the Southern Studios address and an EFA code in the top right hand corner of the back sleeve. "Made in France" is printed on the b-side label.

The CD version features the acoustic version of "Gone Away" (b-side for the "Big Bad Days" 7"). The track is not listed on the cover or in the booklet and begins after "Black Song" ends.

Internal

Label: Touch & Go

Format: CD

CD Catalogue Number: TG85CD

1. Deep Space
2. Big Bad Days
3. Downtime
4. interview
5. Over and the Edge
6. Gone Away
7. interview
8. Elizabeth
9. Number 3
10. interview
11. Man in the Trees
12. interview
13. Cool Breeze
14. All White

Notes: This is something of a curiousity. Realeased after the band were no more, this is supposedly a promo-only release, however, it was widely available to the general public both in the US and Europe. All the tracks featured are available on previous releases, but it is worth getting for the interviews.