No promotion

[Brett]

I loved it in the 80’s when ‘indie’ bands had a penchant for releasing singles that were not on albums. Often EP’s of completely new material, both previously and subsequently unreleased were around. They were great days to be a fan and CT’s were at the forefront of this kind of behaviour up until Love’s easy tears.
Commercial suicide? Maybe! Fun and value for money? Absolutely!

Of course it had to end. What did we get afterwards? Singles with a remix on the flip-side – ugh. And of course now……the infamous CD1 and CD2 with different sleeves and b-sides, oh and the elusive limited 7”. Fuck off.

However, I have a specific question. To my mind there was never a promotional single released (in UK anyway) for the Blue Bell Knoll album. Why was this? I recall seeing promotional videos for Carolyns Fingers and Cico Buff and I daresay there were radio promos but no actual single. I seem to also remember the album doing well in the UK album chart. Top 20 for sure. Maybe top 10? So there could lie my answer but still….seems odd. Anyone able to clarify?

[Phil Lawton]

Perhaps the impending arrival of a sprog made the band think that promotion of a single might be difficult, Brett?

I dunno, mate....Chinese women are back out working in the paddy fields half an hour after giving birth, but this may have nothing at all to do with it.

[iceblink555]

If you wanna get technical, there actually was a (non-radio promo) single released from BBK: the Athol-Brose Jpn only single.

I just happened to be reading the ct.com history section on BBK yesterday. Here's an excerpt that relates to this subject:

It is ironic that, although this was the band's first major-label recording, there was almost no promotional support for the record following its release. Only a few interviews in scattered, low-profile magazines and two promotional videos ("Carolyn's Fingers" and "Cico Buff"). When asked about why they did not support Blue Bell Knoll by touring as they had previously done with all their other albums, Simon responded:

"We just weren't in the mood. I still think it stands out as a good album, but I don't think you need to promote everything you do. I suppose we've been lucky, in the respect that up till now our record sales haven't fallen off when we haven't toured or put singles out or done all that kind of thing. For some reason there are a certain amount of people that always buy our records. But that may not happen every time—you just never know." [Volume 5 Magazine, 1992].

Simon was right: Blue Bell Knoll went all the way to number 14 on the British National charts in only its first week of release.

The full article can be found here:

http://www.cocteautwins.com/html/history/history14.html

There's also detailed info on the various BBK (radio) promo releases on the ct.com discography page.

--Alan

[Brett]

Thanks Iceblink

Seems odd that with the songs in the can they were not released as promotional singles. The tour I can well understand. I mean Carolyns.......is the Iceblink Luck of BBK isn't it.