Twenty Nine years after the first Off the Edge album was produced, it has now officially been re-released. Originally produced on vinyl, it is now available on CD featuring 8 bonus tracks that were recorded between 1982 and 1984.
“It feels like a lifetime ago that we ventured into a recording studio to put this first album together. That was in 1983! The additional tracks are mostly the original rough raw demos which we thought would be rather nostalgic to include.” Peter Hanmer and Tony Groenewald.
At that time it was to some extent unheard of for a band to record and fund its own album as an independent release. There was no record company involvement, just a group of guys who wanted to record and release their own songs. They got together, paid for studio time and ultimately 300 LP’s were produced. After it’s release and extensive radio play by 5FM (Radio Five), this is Chris Prior’s review in The Sunday Times at the time…
“….. Basically its straight down-the-line rock – no punk, no new wave, no cross-over and especially no disco. It’s guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and vocals – and it’s got a pretty sharp edge. Guitarist Peter Hanmer and bassist/vocalist Tony Groenewald are the main men behind this band; they formed it and do all the writing – and they probably did all the hassling to get themselves onto vinyl………… their debut album is an amazing effort – polished, professional and definitely promising. To have achieved this quality on a first outing demonstrates considerable talent. There’s no reason at all why that talent shouldn’t prosper and grow.” Chris Prior, The Sunday Times, 1983
When the album was first released, due to time and money constraints, the band was forced to go for a very plain cover design. It was some 15 years later that there was talk of re-releasing the album on CD and new artwork was commissioned. The new and quite spectacular ‘retro’ artwork was created by Mark Raats. He was asked to produce something in the style of Roger Dean which he achieved masterfully but at the same time, staying true to his own style. Mark Raats is a talented artist who works on a limited number of private commissions and provides illustrations for Lucasfilm and other Hollywood based companies. Mark went on to create and design all the future Off the Edge album covers.
For one reason and another, the CD release kept getting shelved and it was only after a huge amount of interest shown over the past 2 years, especially abroad, that the project finally came to fruition.
Five albums later, Off the Edge is still funding its own products with no record company involvement. For all of those who have supported and bought Off the Edge albums over the years, you can now finally complete your collection. Should you wish to purchase a copy of this CD, please email kerin@foxglovestudios.co.za for further information.
Kerin Sinton-Hewitt
Foxglove Studios
Tel: +27 11 867 5026
Mobile: +27 79 642 5211
kerin@foxglovestudios.co.za
www.foxglovestudios.co.za
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